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Before we get into my top five Simpsons Treehouse of Horror episodes, I have to say just how excited I am to be writing this. I am a major Simpsons fan and Halloween is my favourite time of year — so the two combined is perfect!

Let’s dive in. These are my top five Simpsons Treehouse of Horror segments.

The Raven (Season 2)

This segment is from the first-ever Treehouse of Horror episode from 1990, and actually takes place in the family’s titular treehouse.

The Raven stands out because the writers chose to do such a faithful recreation of the poem itself — it’s not a parody, it’s a line-by-line retelling of one of Edgar Allan Poe’s most iconic works.

I don’t think any animated show (including present-day Simpsons) would attempt to do this today. The overall feel from this episode is perfect; from the narrator’s tone of voice to Homer trembling outside the treehouse listening to Lisa read the poem aloud. Even the animation conveys suspense.

Choosing Homer and Bart as the characters here was also ideal. Their tumultuous relationship from the show is reflected in the characters of the poem. Considering I have a Bart raven tattoo — I would say this is my all-time favourite Treehouse of Horror segment.

Bart Simpson’s Dracula (Season 5)

As a huge Halloween fan, I can’t help but love this segment as it’s a parody of Bram Stoker’s iconic novel, Dracula.

This segment falls within the show’s heyday, where the animation still has flaws and hasn’t gone fully digital. The old animation has so much heart that I find is lacking today. It evokes so much nostalgia — I can picture myself sitting on the couch as a kid watching this episode, every single time I see it.

This segment takes key elements from the book/the 1992 film and rejigs them with that classic Simpsons charm. From Homer showing off the dirty cloth used to wash his neck to Burns illuminated in the sky as the family heads to his castle, everything from that opening scene is executed so well.

Then there’s the tie-in with Christmas at the very end with the nod to Charlie Brown — which is equally hilarious.

Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace (Season 7)

This story is a parody of another Halloween classic and a personal favourite of mine, Nightmare on Elm Street. I have to talk a bit more about animation in this one, too.

The opening scene combines that classic animation that I love so much with a painted feel in the background, which is so visually pleasing together.

We also get one of the show’s most meme-ed moments here — Homer’s famous “lousy Smarch weather” quote.

Once Bart and Lisa figure out how to take down a murderous, Freddie Kruger-ish Willie, we come to one of my favourite scenes in these Halloween episodes. Bart’s showdown with Willie includes so many good lines, like “compostmortem,” and “sinky sand.”

The show also stays true to Willie’s Scottish roots by keeping his kilt pattern on every monster he changes into. Brilliant.

Nightmare Cafeteria (Season 6)

After several parodies, we come to a Simpsons original. Its delightfully clever yet simple jokes tie in with the horror running rampant in the school — like lunch titles reflecting who the teachers cooked last, from “sloppy Jimbos” to “Uterbraten.”

The sheer horror of this segment is legitimately creepy, from the cannibal teachers to the sudden appearance of fog that turns your skin inside out.

The detail in the animation in that moment is quite unreal and detailed for a cartoon. Then it leaves you with the catchiest end credit sequence in the show’s history, alongside a delightfully macabre dance number.

Citizen Kang (Season 8)

Of course, we can’t leave out TV’s favourite animated aliens — Kang and his sister, Kodos. That many-limbed pair usually makes an appearance in Treehouse of Horror episodes, and this is one of their best.

This story lampoons U.S. politics, and the sheer lack of human emotion from these aliens makes the jokes land so well as they masquerade as Bill Clinton and Bob Dole. My favourite bit is when they’re walking down the street hand in hand, when a Clinton aide pulls up and says, “People are becoming a bit confused by the way you and your opponent are, well, constantly holding hands.”

Kang responds, “We are merely exchanging long protein strings. If you can think of a simpler way, I'd like to hear it.” Such a great line.

Well there you have it, just a few of my thoughts on some of my favourite episodes in TV. Go watch for yourself, there are so many awesome Treehouse of Horror episodes to choose from. I hope you all enjoy this spooky season and have a Happy Halloween!