"Treehouse of Horror V" | |
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The Simpsons episode | |
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Episode no. | Season 6 Episode 6 |
Directed by | Jim Reardon |
Written by | The Shinning: Bob Kushell Time and Punishment: Greg Daniels Dan McGrath Nightmare Cafeteria: David X. Cohen |
Production code | 2F03 |
Original air date | October 30, 1994 |
Guest appearance | |
Episode features | |
Couch gag | The undead family members enter with disfigured bodies, and then swap heads and arms.[1] |
Commentary | Matt Groening David Mirkin David X. Cohen Greg Daniels Jim Reardon |
"Treehouse of Horror V" is the sixth episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the fifth entry in the Treehouse of Horror series. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on October 30, 1994, and features three short stories: "The Shinning", "Time and Punishment", and "Nightmare Cafeteria".
The episode was written by Greg Daniels, Dan McGrath, David Cohen and Bob Kushell, and directed by Jim Reardon.[2] In "The Shinning", a spoof of The Shining, the Simpsons are hired as caretakers at Mr. Burns' mountain lodge. Deprived of television and beer, Homer goes insane and attempts to murder the family. In "Time and Punishment", a parody of Ray Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder", Homer repeatedly travels back in time and alters the future. In "Nightmare Cafeteria", Principal Skinner begins using students in detention as cafeteria food. The episode has a running gag where Groundskeeper Willie tries to help but gets stabbed in the back with an axe, killing him. This is the first Treehouse of Horror episode not to feature a wraparound segment.
In response to longstanding complaints about excessive graphic violence in the show, showrunner David Mirkin mandated that the episode contain as many disturbing and gory elements as possible. James Earl Jones features as the voice of an alternate-timeline Maggie. The episode was critically acclaimed, with "The Shinning" segment receiving the most praise.