Treehouse of Horror XX
Encyclopedia
"Treehouse of Horror XX" is the fourth episode of The Simpsons
' twenty-first season
. The episode first aired on October 18, 2009 on Fox
. This is the twentieth "Treehouse of Horror" installment, containing three self-contained stories: In "Dial 'M' for Murder or Press '#' to Return to Main Menu," Lisa is forced into a Hitchcockian
murder scheme by Bart; in "Don't Have a Cow, Mankind," Springfield is once again overrun by zombies
thanks to Krusty Burger's latest sandwich; and in the Sweeney Todd
parody, "There's No Business Like Moe Business," Moe the bartender bleeds Homer dry to create the perfect microbrewed beer. An estimated 8.59 million viewers tuned in to watch the episode. This is the first Treehouse of Horror episode to air in HD.
, the Mummy
, the Wolf Man
, and Dracula
roam the streets of Springfield on Halloween night. After they are teased by Dolph, Jimbo, and Kearney, they get new, more modern costumes from a Halloween store, with Frankenstein's monster as SpongeBob
, Dracula as Iron Man
, The Wolf Man as Harry Potter
and The Mummy as Captain Jack Sparrow
. They then go to an adult Halloween party thrown by Homer
and Marge
, but are soon confronted by their wives, who are angry that their husbands lied about going to kill children. Homer tries to intervene as the wives begin to assault their husbands, only to be decapitated
.
wants revenge
after being sent to detention
by Ms. Hoover for disrupting class as she claims another student topped her through a tutor. Bart
hatches a "criss-cross" plan and tells Lisa that if she pulls a "ding-dong ditch" on Mrs. Krabappel, he will do the same to Ms. Hoover. Lisa thinks this means ringing the bell at Mrs. Krabappel's apartment and leaving
. However, Lisa soon learns that Bart meant for her to kill Mrs. Krabappel (and dump the corpse in a ditch), as he has killed Ms. Hoover. Bart attempts to coax Lisa into killing Mrs. Krabappel with a paper cutter
, but she refuses. Eventually, Bart decides to blackmail her into it with help from Willie
, who would frame Lisa for the decapitated Skinner to honor his side of the "criss-cross" in which Bart killed Skinner. Realizing that Bart would frame her for these incidents, Lisa tricks him into belief that she was submitting at his will only to get a knife from his hands and attempts to kill Bart in self-defense
, beginning a chase sequence. Bart finally finds shelter at a crowded playground carousel
, but is left at Lisa's mercy when the other children leave to get ice cream
. Lisa, however, recognizing that she would not be better than Bart, says she will never be a murderer, and attempts to throw the knife away. The knife cycles out of control and ends up nailing Bart in the head just as Mrs. Krabappel appears, pleased at his death. Despite her shock for accidentally killed Bart, Lisa agrees that it's better this way and she and Krabappel walk away smiling, leaving the murdered Bart to spin around on the carousel.
. Upon eating a burger on live television, Kent Brockman
begins to comment on the taste before he starts convulsing, his skin turns gray, his irises turn red, and he gains bags under his eyes. He bites Krusty, who, along with Kent, begins biting everyone around him. Twenty-eight days later
, Springfield has become overrun by "munchers
" (again
and for the third time
, not counting a couch gag
), with the Simpson family being some of the few survivors. One day, Bart, tired of eating fruit
s, escapes from his family's barricaded house and eats one of the burgers, but turns out to be immune
to its effects. Over the phone, a besieged Dr. Hibbert (who is fighting back quite well until the end of the phone call) tells them that Bart's immunity
may be the key to developing a cure to the epidemic
, a genetic
"chosen one", and that they must bring Bart to a so-called "safe zone" outside the city. The Simpsons are attacked by the munchers after a failed attempt to sneak out. They are saved by Apu
(after Rainier Wolfcastle failed his attempt at being the Simpsons' savior and got eaten almost immediately after his entrance), driving an armored off-road truck (Apu was never infected because as a Hindu and vegan, he cannot eat beef, and he was prepared for a zombie apocalypse
since, as a convenience store clerk, he is armed to the teeth). The group tries to leave Springfield, but Apu winds up crashing the truck on top of a pile of smashed cars. Apu goes to push the car off the pile, but the Simpsons drive away thinking Apu sacrificed himself, when he actually wanted the Simpsons to wait for him. After Apu gets killed, the Simpsons drive on but run out of gas, walking the rest of the way to the safe zone. During their journey, Homer is bitten by a muncher Mr. Burns after picking off his nose, thinking he was dead, thus turning him into a muncher himself. The family decide not to kill him in the hopes of finding a cure. They reach the safe zone, where Bart – being immune to the muncher virus – is worshiped as the "chosen one". However, the people there believe that cannibalizing
Bart will save them from the virus. The Simpsons, however, think of another solution: vaccinating
the remaining populace (including Ralph Wiggum
) by having Bart bathe in their food before eating it, thus saving Springfield.
is lonely and upset that he does not have a girlfriend and is jealous when he sees Homer and Marge together. When Homer falls into the basement of the bar and is impaled by pipes, his blood becomes the secret ingredient in Moe's new beer. Everyone loves this new beer, saying that it makes them feel warm, secure and cozy on the inside. Moe uses this to his advantage and woos Marge, tricking her into thinking that Homer walked out on her because he is gay while continuing to bleed Homer dry. Homer emerges, alive, despite being impaled by Moe's microbrew machine, hurls Moe (or rather, a dummy of Moe as it is a musical) across the room, and reunites with Marge.
films Psycho
, Strangers on a Train
, North by Northwest
, and Spellbound
, as well as a reference to the film Vertigo
(in particular the Vertigo effect
). The first segment also includes a Futurama
reference. The student Lisa wants to get revenge on is named "Hubert Wong", a combination of the names "Hubert Farnsworth
" and "Amy Wong
". Also, the title of the segment takes its name from the film Dial M for Murder
. The second segment features elements of the various Zombie apocalypse
films and Children of Men
. The title of No Business Like Moe Business is a parody of There's No Business Like Show Business
and was inspired by Sweeney Todd
.
. The show was the fourth most watched episode on Fox
after House
, The OT, and Family Guy
in the 18/49 rating.
Robert Canning, of IGN praised the episode by saying "it was a fine addition to the series' Halloween specials". He enjoyed all of the stories, and said the Sweeney Todd segment was "a nice treat". Robert Canning also mentioned that it was nice for a change to be aired before Halloween.
Catholic League president Bill Donohue issued a press release in response to the segment "Don't Have a Cow, Mankind," taking issue with the line, "What kind of civilized people eat the body and blood of their savior?" Donohue stated, "mocking the heart of any religion always crosses the line, and mocking the Eucharist
does it for Catholics
. They know this at Fox, which is precisely why they did it."
The episode won an award for "Best Writing in a Television Production" at the 37th Annie Awards
.
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
The Simpsons (season 21)
The Simpsons twenty-first season aired on Fox from September 27, 2009 to May 23, 2010. It was the first of two seasons that the show was renewed for by Fox, and also the first season of the show to air entirely in high definition....
. The episode first aired on October 18, 2009 on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
. This is the twentieth "Treehouse of Horror" installment, containing three self-contained stories: In "Dial 'M' for Murder or Press '#' to Return to Main Menu," Lisa is forced into a Hitchcockian
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
murder scheme by Bart; in "Don't Have a Cow, Mankind," Springfield is once again overrun by zombies
Treehouse of Horror III
"Treehouse of Horror III" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons fourth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 29, 1992. In the third annual Treehouse of Horror episode, Homer buys Bart an evil talking Krusty doll, King Homer is captured by Mr. Burns, and Bart...
thanks to Krusty Burger's latest sandwich; and in the Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd is a fictional character who first appeared as then antagonist of the Victorian penny dreadful The String of Pearls and he was later introduced as an antihero in the broadway musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and its film adaptation...
parody, "There's No Business Like Moe Business," Moe the bartender bleeds Homer dry to create the perfect microbrewed beer. An estimated 8.59 million viewers tuned in to watch the episode. This is the first Treehouse of Horror episode to air in HD.
Opening
Traditional horror movie characters such as Frankenstein's MonsterFrankenstein's monster
Frankenstein's monster is a fictional character that first appeared in Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus. The creature is often erroneously referred to as "Frankenstein", but in the novel the creature has no name...
, the Mummy
Mummy
A mummy is a body, human or animal, whose skin and organs have been preserved by either intentional or incidental exposure to chemicals, extreme coldness , very low humidity, or lack of air when bodies are submerged in bogs, so that the recovered body will not decay further if kept in cool and dry...
, the Wolf Man
Wolf man
Wolf man or wolf-man or wolfman refers to a werewolf, a type of lycanthrope.Wolf man may also mean:In film and television:* The Wolf Man , a silent film starring John Gilbert and Norma Shearer...
, and Dracula
Count Dracula
Count Dracula is a fictional character, the titular antagonist of Bram Stoker's 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula and archetypal vampire. Some aspects of his character have been inspired by the 15th century Romanian general and Wallachian Prince Vlad III the Impaler...
roam the streets of Springfield on Halloween night. After they are teased by Dolph, Jimbo, and Kearney, they get new, more modern costumes from a Halloween store, with Frankenstein's monster as SpongeBob
SpongeBob SquarePants (character)
SpongeBob SquarePants is a main fictional character in the animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. He is voiced by Tom Kenny and first appeared on television in the series' pilot episode "Help Wanted" on May 1, 1999. SpongeBob was created and designed by cartoonist Stephen Hillenburg...
, Dracula as Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
, The Wolf Man as Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
and The Mummy as Captain Jack Sparrow
Captain Jack Sparrow
Jack Sparrow is a fictional character and the central protagonist in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series created by screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, portrayed by Johnny Depp. He is first introduced in the film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl...
. They then go to an adult Halloween party thrown by Homer
Homer Simpson
Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
and Marge
Marge Simpson
Marjorie "Marge" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the eponymous family. She is voiced by actress Julie Kavner and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
, but are soon confronted by their wives, who are angry that their husbands lied about going to kill children. Homer tries to intervene as the wives begin to assault their husbands, only to be decapitated
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
.
Dial 'M' for Murder or Press '#' to Return to Main Menu
In this black and white segment, LisaLisa Simpson
Lisa Marie Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She is the middle child of the Simpson family. Voiced by Yeardley Smith, Lisa first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Cartoonist Matt Groening...
wants revenge
Revenge
Revenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized, justly or unjustly, as a form of justice.-Function in society:Some societies believe that the...
after being sent to detention
Detention (imprisonment)
Detention is the process when a state, government or citizen lawfully holds a person by removing their freedom of liberty at that time. This can be due to criminal charges being raised against the individual as part of a prosecution or to protect a person or property...
by Ms. Hoover for disrupting class as she claims another student topped her through a tutor. Bart
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
hatches a "criss-cross" plan and tells Lisa that if she pulls a "ding-dong ditch" on Mrs. Krabappel, he will do the same to Ms. Hoover. Lisa thinks this means ringing the bell at Mrs. Krabappel's apartment and leaving
Knock, Knock, Ginger
Knock, Knock, Ginger or Knocky Door Ginger were the names for the game dating back to 19th century England or possibly before to the Cornish traditional holiday of Nickanan Night. This game or prank is played by children in many cultures. It involves knocking on the front door of a victim, then...
. However, Lisa soon learns that Bart meant for her to kill Mrs. Krabappel (and dump the corpse in a ditch), as he has killed Ms. Hoover. Bart attempts to coax Lisa into killing Mrs. Krabappel with a paper cutter
Paper cutter
A paper cutter is a tool often found in offices and classrooms, designed to cut a large set of paper at once with a perfectly straight edge.-Description:...
, but she refuses. Eventually, Bart decides to blackmail her into it with help from Willie
Groundskeeper Willie
William McDougal, usually referred to as Groundskeeper Willie, is a recurring character on The Simpsons, voiced by Dan Castellaneta. He is head groundskeeper at Springfield Elementary School. Willie is a Scottish immigrant, almost feral in nature and immensely proud of his homeland...
, who would frame Lisa for the decapitated Skinner to honor his side of the "criss-cross" in which Bart killed Skinner. Realizing that Bart would frame her for these incidents, Lisa tricks him into belief that she was submitting at his will only to get a knife from his hands and attempts to kill Bart in self-defense
Self-defense
Self-defense, self-defence or private defense is a countermeasure that involves defending oneself, one's property or the well-being of another from physical harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in times of danger is available in many...
, beginning a chase sequence. Bart finally finds shelter at a crowded playground carousel
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
, but is left at Lisa's mercy when the other children leave to get ice cream
Ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
. Lisa, however, recognizing that she would not be better than Bart, says she will never be a murderer, and attempts to throw the knife away. The knife cycles out of control and ends up nailing Bart in the head just as Mrs. Krabappel appears, pleased at his death. Despite her shock for accidentally killed Bart, Lisa agrees that it's better this way and she and Krabappel walk away smiling, leaving the murdered Bart to spin around on the carousel.
Don't Have a Cow, Mankind
Krusty the Clown introduces a new version of his Krusty Burger, the Burger2, made from cattle that have eaten other cattle in their feedMeat and bone meal
Meat and bone meal is a product of the rendering industry. It is typically about 48 - 52% protein, 33-...
. Upon eating a burger on live television, Kent Brockman
Kent Brockman
Kent Brockman is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Harry Shearer and first appeared in the episode "Krusty Gets Busted"...
begins to comment on the taste before he starts convulsing, his skin turns gray, his irises turn red, and he gains bags under his eyes. He bites Krusty, who, along with Kent, begins biting everyone around him. Twenty-eight days later
28 Days Later
28 Days Later is an acclaimed 2002 British horror film directed by Danny Boyle. The screenplay was written by Alex Garland, and the film stars Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Megan Burns, and Christopher Eccleston...
, Springfield has become overrun by "munchers
Zombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
" (again
Treehouse of Horror III
"Treehouse of Horror III" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons fourth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 29, 1992. In the third annual Treehouse of Horror episode, Homer buys Bart an evil talking Krusty doll, King Homer is captured by Mr. Burns, and Bart...
and for the third time
Treehouse of Horror XIII
"Treehouse of Horror XIII" is the first episode of The Simpsons fourteenth season, as well as the thirteenth Halloween episode. The episode aired on November 3, 2002, three days after Halloween...
, not counting a couch gag
Treehouse of Horror IV
"Treehouse of Horror IV" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons fifth season and the fourth episode in the Treehouse of Horror series of Halloween specials. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 28, 1993, and features three short stories called "The Devil and Homer...
), with the Simpson family being some of the few survivors. One day, Bart, tired of eating fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
s, escapes from his family's barricaded house and eats one of the burgers, but turns out to be immune
Immunity
-Medicine:* Immunity , resistance of an organism to infection or disease.* Immunity , a scientific journal published by Cell Press-Law:*Amnesty law, immunity from past crimes...
to its effects. Over the phone, a besieged Dr. Hibbert (who is fighting back quite well until the end of the phone call) tells them that Bart's immunity
Immunity
-Medicine:* Immunity , resistance of an organism to infection or disease.* Immunity , a scientific journal published by Cell Press-Law:*Amnesty law, immunity from past crimes...
may be the key to developing a cure to the epidemic
Epidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
, a genetic
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
"chosen one", and that they must bring Bart to a so-called "safe zone" outside the city. The Simpsons are attacked by the munchers after a failed attempt to sneak out. They are saved by Apu
Apu Nahasapeemapetilon
Apu Nahasapeemapetilon is a character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Hank Azaria and first appeared in the episode "The Telltale Head". Apu is the proprietor of the Kwik-E-Mart, a popular convenience store in Springfield, and a friend of Homer Simpson. He is also...
(after Rainier Wolfcastle failed his attempt at being the Simpsons' savior and got eaten almost immediately after his entrance), driving an armored off-road truck (Apu was never infected because as a Hindu and vegan, he cannot eat beef, and he was prepared for a zombie apocalypse
Zombie apocalypse
A zombie apocalypse is a particular scenario of apocalyptic literature that customarily has a science fiction/horror rationale. In a zombie apocalypse, a widespread rise of zombies hostile to human life engages in a general assault on civilization....
since, as a convenience store clerk, he is armed to the teeth). The group tries to leave Springfield, but Apu winds up crashing the truck on top of a pile of smashed cars. Apu goes to push the car off the pile, but the Simpsons drive away thinking Apu sacrificed himself, when he actually wanted the Simpsons to wait for him. After Apu gets killed, the Simpsons drive on but run out of gas, walking the rest of the way to the safe zone. During their journey, Homer is bitten by a muncher Mr. Burns after picking off his nose, thinking he was dead, thus turning him into a muncher himself. The family decide not to kill him in the hopes of finding a cure. They reach the safe zone, where Bart – being immune to the muncher virus – is worshiped as the "chosen one". However, the people there believe that cannibalizing
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
Bart will save them from the virus. The Simpsons, however, think of another solution: vaccinating
Vaccination
Vaccination is the administration of antigenic material to stimulate the immune system of an individual to develop adaptive immunity to a disease. Vaccines can prevent or ameliorate the effects of infection by many pathogens...
the remaining populace (including Ralph Wiggum
Ralph Wiggum
Ralph Wiggum is a recurring fictional character on the animated series The Simpsons, voiced by Nancy Cartwright. The son of Police Chief Wiggum and a classmate of Lisa Simpson, Ralph is best known as the show's resident oddball, and is noted for his non sequiturs and erratic behavior...
) by having Bart bathe in their food before eating it, thus saving Springfield.
There's No Business Like Moe Business
In a segment presented as if it were a Broadway musical, MoeMoe Szyslak
Momar / Morris "Moe" Szyslak is a fictional character in the American animated television series, The Simpsons. He is voiced by Hank Azaria and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire"...
is lonely and upset that he does not have a girlfriend and is jealous when he sees Homer and Marge together. When Homer falls into the basement of the bar and is impaled by pipes, his blood becomes the secret ingredient in Moe's new beer. Everyone loves this new beer, saying that it makes them feel warm, secure and cozy on the inside. Moe uses this to his advantage and woos Marge, tricking her into thinking that Homer walked out on her because he is gay while continuing to bleed Homer dry. Homer emerges, alive, despite being impaled by Moe's microbrew machine, hurls Moe (or rather, a dummy of Moe as it is a musical) across the room, and reunites with Marge.
Cultural references
The first segment includes parodies of the Alfred HitchcockAlfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
films Psycho
Psycho (1960 film)
Psycho is a 1960 American suspense/psychological horror film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins. The film is based on the screenplay by Joseph Stefano, who adapted it from the 1959 novel of the same name by Robert Bloch...
, Strangers on a Train
Strangers on a Train (film)
Strangers on a Train is an American psychological thriller film produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and based on the 1950 novel of the same name by Patricia Highsmith. It was shot in the autumn of 1950 and released by Warner Bros. on June 30, 1951. The film stars Farley Granger, Ruth Roman,...
, North by Northwest
North by Northwest
North by Northwest is a 1959 American thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and James Mason, and featuring Leo G. Carroll and Martin Landau...
, and Spellbound
Spellbound (1945 film)
Spellbound is a psychological mystery thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1945. It tells the story of the new head of a mental asylum who turns out not to be what he claims. The film stars Ingrid Bergman, Gregory Peck, Michael Chekhov and Leo G. Carroll. It is an adaptation by Angus...
, as well as a reference to the film Vertigo
Vertigo (film)
Vertigo is a 1958 psychological thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring James Stewart, Kim Novak, and Barbara Bel Geddes. The screenplay was written by Alec Coppel and Samuel A...
(in particular the Vertigo effect
Dolly zoom
The dolly zoom is an unsettling in-camera effect that appears to undermine normal visual perception. It is part of many cinematic techniques used in filmmaking and television production....
). The first segment also includes a Futurama
Futurama
Futurama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
reference. The student Lisa wants to get revenge on is named "Hubert Wong", a combination of the names "Hubert Farnsworth
Hubert J. Farnsworth
Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth, or simply The Professor, is a fictional character in the American animated television series Futurama. He is voiced by Billy West using a combination of impressions of Burgess Meredith and Frank Morgan. Farnsworth is the proprietor of the Planet Express delivery...
" and "Amy Wong
Amy Wong
Amy Wong, voiced by Lauren Tom, is a fictional character, one of the main characters from the Fox and Comedy Central television animated series Futurama. She works as an intern at Planet Express...
". Also, the title of the segment takes its name from the film Dial M for Murder
Dial M for Murder
Dial M for Murder is a 1954 American thriller film adapted from a successful stage play by Frederick Knott, directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, and Robert Cummings. The movie was released by the Warner Bros...
. The second segment features elements of the various Zombie apocalypse
Zombie apocalypse
A zombie apocalypse is a particular scenario of apocalyptic literature that customarily has a science fiction/horror rationale. In a zombie apocalypse, a widespread rise of zombies hostile to human life engages in a general assault on civilization....
films and Children of Men
Children of Men
Children of Men is a 2006 science fiction film loosely adapted from P. D. James's 1992 novel The Children of Men, directed by Alfonso Cuarón. In 2027, two decades of human infertility have left society on the brink of collapse. Illegal immigrants seek sanctuary in England, where the last...
. The title of No Business Like Moe Business is a parody of There's No Business Like Show Business
There's No Business Like Show Business
"There's No Business Like Show Business" is an Irving Berlin song, written for the musical Annie Get Your Gun and orchestrated by Ted Royal. The song, a slightly tongue-in-cheek salute to the glamor and excitement of a life in show business, is sung in the musical by members of Buffalo Bill's Wild...
and was inspired by Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd is a fictional character who first appeared as then antagonist of the Victorian penny dreadful The String of Pearls and he was later introduced as an antihero in the broadway musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and its film adaptation...
.
Reception
"Treehouse of Horror XX" was watched by 8.59 million viewers and was the most watched of "Animation Domination," ahead of American Dad and The Cleveland ShowThe Cleveland Show
The Cleveland Show is an American animated television series that premiered on September 27, 2009, as a part of the "Animation Domination" lineup on Fox in the United States...
. The show was the fourth most watched episode on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
after House
House (TV series)
House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...
, The OT, and Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
in the 18/49 rating.
Robert Canning, of IGN praised the episode by saying "it was a fine addition to the series' Halloween specials". He enjoyed all of the stories, and said the Sweeney Todd segment was "a nice treat". Robert Canning also mentioned that it was nice for a change to be aired before Halloween.
Catholic League president Bill Donohue issued a press release in response to the segment "Don't Have a Cow, Mankind," taking issue with the line, "What kind of civilized people eat the body and blood of their savior?" Donohue stated, "mocking the heart of any religion always crosses the line, and mocking the Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
does it for Catholics
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
. They know this at Fox, which is precisely why they did it."
The episode won an award for "Best Writing in a Television Production" at the 37th Annie Awards
37th Annie Awards
The 37th Annual Annie Awards, honoring the best in animation for 2009, were held on February 6, 2010 at Royce Hall in Los Angeles, California.-Best Animated Feature:*Up*Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs*Coraline*Fantastic Mr...
.