Top 20 Classic Treehouse of Horror Segments 

I don't like the idea of TheRealJims having two spaghetti meals in one day.

"You've got the Shinnin'!" "You mean Shining" "Shhh! Wanna get sued?"

My favorite line of any ToH is the quick, casual "Hey Bart" "Hey" between devil Flanders and Bart in Homer and the Devil lol

"'Do not touch Willie'. Good advice!"

"....Turkey is a little dry....TURKEY IS A LITTLE DRY" one of the best forgotten Homer lines

"I've got a gut feeling Uter's around here somewhere. After all, isn't there a little Uter in all of us? In fact, you might even say we just ate Uter, and he's in our stomachs right now! Wait, scratch that."

Nightmare Cafeteria used the scare the hell out of me as a kid. I vividly remember dreading the ending every time it was on tv.

"The Frogurt Is Also Cursed" is one of my absolute favorite bits in the history of the show. No idea why, but it gets me every single time. Definitely would have ranked that one way higher.

"Can't murder now, eating." Is one of the best ToH quotes

The Shinning had heart, but Bart Simpson’s Dracula had a stake to the groin...

I object to the term "Treehouse of Laughs" when you COULD have said "Treehouse of Humor."

Devil-Flanders casually greeting Bart is still one of my favorite jokes

Webster’s dictionary defines a contract as an agreement with the law that is unbreakable. That is unbreakable.

The Twilight Zone? Never heard of it. But it's strangely similar to "The Scary Door"

the shinning is quite possibly my favourite simpsons bit ever. it’s absolutely flawless and showcases the simpsons at their best - it’s hysterical, but it’s genuinely pretty tense and cinematic at moments, and it has a pitch perfect parody that still feels true to the show. the animation is amazing as well; the scene where marge confronts homer (feelin fine!) is SO GOOD. the ending also absolutely kills me every single time. what a god-tier segment.

The Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting in my number one spot.

"I am Clin-ton. As overlord, all will kneel trembling before me and obey my brutal commands. End communication." Bit always kills me.

Dial Z for Zombies deserves to be #1 simply on the merit of "He was a zombie?"

Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore!" "Why you little...!" "Uh oh!"

The dolls trying to kill me and the toasters been laughing at me

Oh man I always loved The Raven. Not funny or anything but it was so incredibly well put together.

Dunno if this list is full of crazy hot takes, or if this is just what happens when all the candidates are legitimately great. Coming up with the #21-11 entries was much, much more challenging than ranking just the Top 10.

The "Thats good, thats bad" joke is to me what the smokey the bear joke is to you RealJims, its sooooo good.

"Eyesores" freaked me out as a kid, the whole "something that's not supposed to be alive comes alive and kills people" angle scared me senseless

I remember finding Nightmare Cafeteria and Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace genuinely scary and uneasy to watch as a kid, and I still think that they are above the others when it comes to actual horror. I think they pull a lot of strength out of the unknown. As you mentioned in another video, Nightmare Cafeteria is filled with implied violence that you can't help but question, and the portrayal of the school staff is a weird balance that just works and comes off as very believable. Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace also leaves a lot to the imagination, like how and why Willie decides to go after certain people in that order and what he thinks of them as a whole. He was a good choice for the role, as with the other school staff stuff it doesn't come off as absurd and he manages to be quite threatening.

The Shinning is the greatest Treehouse of Horror segment they ever did, and I don't think they will ever be able to top it. It is the perfect parody with perfect jokes, scares and the characters acting as they would in the situation. I still watch every year to see if there is one segment that reaches that bar and I am disappointed. Some are good, some may be great, but none are the Shinning.

the whole "UN-BREAKABLE" part with Hutz is in my top 10 for all time favorite simpsons gags. Just the complete confidence he delivers it with.

"Quick, we have to kill the Boy!" Definitely my favorite quote from the Treehouse of Horror Segments

"Is this the end of Zombie Shakespeare?"

“AY MONKY WANT A PEANUT?” And “Candy Apple island? What’s on candy apple island? Apes, but they aren’t as big” always leave me in stitches

My high school English teacher actually showed the Raven segment in class for us to do an assignment on. It was really fun and I was already a fan of Edgar Ellen Poe in middle school.

Isn’t there a little TheRealJims in all of us?

I literally had my dad give me the warning about time travel at my wedding.

"That's where The Shinning shins brightest" I'm dead

I predict "The Shinning" will be number 1

10:29 I've never noticed Gandhi is in the Indian Burial ground and I've seen this countless times, brilliant! I think I was always distracted by "Not So Crazy Horse".

I'm amazed the Raven was that low. It's one of my favourites ever. But I wasn't even alive when it aired, so I'm biased, because that parody is how I even knew what the Raven is.

I think I have to give my favorite ToH gag to "Feelin' Fine". It's such an absolutely perfect sucker punch to what is arguably one of the most iconic moments of The Shining. That being said, I also have a particular soft spot for Devil Flanders; Ned's best moments in my opinion are the rare genuine outbursts from him, so having him be the Devil is absolutely perfect role. Giving Ned the ability to dish out punishment to Homer will never not be incredibly satisfying. I don't know if I could really pick between those two, but hey, I'm glad they're the top two episodes regardless.

The animation of homer flapping his arms all weird when he reads the super fun happy slide kills me every time for some reason. Once you see it you can't unsee it. He's literally never done that same motion ever before or after in the series.

“We think we saw Hugo at the airport! He was boarding a plane to Switzerland and - oh”

Great video as always! The Shinning is one of my absolute favorite THOH moments. Maybe because The Shining is one of my favourite films of all time!

"David Letterman!" " Hi David, I'm Grandpa"

As a kid, Nightmare Cafeteria legitimately had me worried that my folks would make me go to school even if the teachers started eating everyone.

Lisa Simpson- "I've created Lutherans" The reason I always Lutherans in a weird way now

Don't worry, that one unlucky segment is still with us. In fact, you could say that one unlucky segment is inside us all. In fact, you could say we ate it, and it's in our stomachs right now!... Wait, scratch that last one.

"Clown without Pity", "Dial Z for Zombies" and "The Shinning" are among my favorite Treehouse of Horror skits

Personally, my favorite line is from the Shinning. Lisa: Mom, is dad really going to kill us? Marge: We'll just have to wait and see. Love it.

I know this was from last Halloween but I just gotta say: am I the only one who thinks the Simpsons' "All Work and No Play Makes Jack a Dull Boy" scene is scarier than the original? I mean, maybe it's just because of the unlimited potential of animation, but while writing the phrase over and over again on the typewriter is creepy, seeing the typewriter says something perfectly normal before seeing the same phrase insanely carved over and over again over every single wall, floor, and ceiling of the room is terrifying.

"ONE unlucky segment won't make the list..." more of a testament to how good the other ones are really...

I always wanted a Treehouse segment based on the Evil Dead in the golden age seasons... Homer with a chainsaw hand would have been hilarious!

B-but Attack of the 50 ft Eyesores had Paul Anka's guarantee!* *Guarantee void in Tennessee

"Flanders was a Zombie?" Best. Line. Ever

I was surprised just how many episodes were inspired by the twilight zone. Interesting!

I’m having a solo Halloween party this year where I’m just gonna binge all these classic episodes. Can’t wait to revisit them!

The Shinning>The Shining. It was just recently when I watched Treehouse of Horror 2 that I notice that the "I owe you a coke" thing was a recurring theme. And Moe's prank call is one of my all-time favorite Simpsons moments.

"Do not touch Wilie. Hmm, good advice."

I am still in awe at the ratios TheRealJims gets. I've never seen anyone that gets such a MINISCULE percentage of dislikes. It truly is nothing short of amazing.

I think I find Terror at 5 and a Half Feet the scariest segment, but that's purely because the gremlin design is so well done. It fits well into a parody of the original, but also exceeds it in horror. It says something when the parody gremlin is much more terrifying than the original, though it is aided by him holding a decapitated Ned Flanders at the end. It gave my brother nightmares after we watched it, too, which also solidifies it as the scariest segment. But The Shinning for sure is the best. But I love The Raven so much, it's a clsoe 2nd for me.

Treehouse of Horror V was the ultimate Treehouse of Horros of all time. The Shinning (#1) is an all-time classic, Time and Punishment (#2) is lots of fun, and Nightmare Cafeteria (#7) is one of the most disturbing early Treehouse of Horrors episodes. The top 2 of the list, plus a well-deserving top 10 as the "weak" segment, make for an absolutely stacked lineup.

Wonderful special Halloween treat here! You’re totally right about the Devil and Homer Simpson. Lionel Hutz does an amazing job there and there’s plenty of other good zingers throughout the event. I also love the exchange between Nixon and the devil about him not being dead yet. Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace is also very special to me. Making Wille the villain was genius! That’s definitely one of my favorite segments!

Homer cubed does have a really good line though: Frink draws a square: "This is a square" Wiggum: "Woah, woah, slow down."

Honestly, almost all of these are perfect. If I had to choose the scariest, it has to be Nightmare Cafeteria. It's just so creepy, and the younger you are, the scarier it is.

"Hmm...that's odd.....The Blood usually gets off on the second floor...."

I think my favourite ToH segment is The Raven. It always stuck with me in a way I can't quite describe, but I adore how differently it's presented, and the narration is top-notch. After that, my favourites are Time and Punishment (I still say "Oh, it's raining again" whenever I see it rain out the window") and Homer 3D (purely for the use of CG at the time and the live action at the end).

I also have a great love for Time and Punishment, but because it does a good job at sweeping away inconsistencies throughout the rest of the series.

"The Raven" is a famous story I would not know or appreciate if not for the Simpsons. It's fun to see and hear other renditions and enjoy them when this is the source material thats engrained in your mind. Every time I hear a reading I imagine the Simpsons short playing in my mind along side it.

Glad you did this countdown. Treehouse of horror‘s, is my favorite episodes of The Simpsons. And I totally agree with your number one.

"Mom, is dad gonna kill us?" "We'll just have to wait and see."

So many of these segments could have been movies! The genesis tub, Nightmare Cafeteria, Bart's Simpsons Dracula, Citizen Kane, The Shining segment, and so on. Watching your work is always a pleasure, if a bit nostalgic, making us remember what the Simpsons used to be long ago and how we grew up with them.

Come on. Homer's ominous inflection when he says the family is going to "Pennsylvania" is hilarious.

I love all the Treehouse of Horror episodes, but the very first episode is the only one that has ever unsettled me. It's very atmospheric and James Earl Jones' voice talent is a great addition to each segment . Even now his reading of "The Raven" gives me a shiver up my spine.

fun fact Nancy Cartwright played the sister in the Twilight Zone's movie reworking of its a good life

Totally agree with the Cafeteria segment. It still haunts me to this day, it's absolutely insane.

I saw a lot of these as a kid, but didn't understand the concept of Treehouse of Horror. I thought these were just regular episodes, so stuff like there being a second Bart and Lisa getting stuck in her tiny world were just cannon to me. I think what broke it though was 3d homer in the real world, that was when I finally keyed in that these episodes weren't permanent.

The Devil and Homer Simpson, Terror at 5 1/2 Feet and Nightmare on Evergreen Terice were the most scary 2 me as A kid.

Attack of the 50 Foot Eyesores is my number one. Absolutely hilarious. I agree Time and Punishment is number 2.

"Wouldn't it be crazy if we elected a monster?" OMG I literally spit out my beer at that part. Too funny! 🤣🤣🤣

Idk but I love the "clown without pity." "come here, you..."🤣 But the shinning is the no 1

I know Sam Simon pushed hard for that Raven segment, and I'm ultimately glad he did. While I'll agree it's not, like, top 5 or anything, it's a quality segment w/ some genuine atmosphere.

15:05 this segment makes me think in one part. HOW DID RALPH LAST SO LONG. WE DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM, AS THEY RAN OFF WITHOUT HIM. The only potential explanation is if the police chief's son went missing that could get wiggum to actually TRY to solve the problem more seriously.

I'd actually be really interested to see a a list of best modern ToH segments from you, if you ever decide to make one.

There's no way The Shinning isn't on top! I'm so hyped to watch this!!

I’ll forgive all your sins in this list because of what you picked for #1! I’m not gonna lie, I was mad when I saw “The Raven” at #20. (I’m an English major and a teacher, plus, Poe got me through my angsty adolescence, so, you know, the usual.) When I saw “Bart Simpson’s Dracula” so low I was ready to get in a drunken (fangirly) slap fight- “Simpsons blasphemy!!” I wanted to cry as I hurled a pink doughnut at the screen- but I must say your assessments and analyses are extremely grounded. Thank you for taking the time and effort to craft such well-detailed, intelligent, and persuasive arguments. Too often, countdowns like this are purely emotional or irrational which is all well and good, however, I thoroughly enjoyed your rational, persuasive arguments and I want to shine a spotlight on the time/sweat/energy it took to carefully craft this! I wrote my own list below and it was EXTREMELY difficult like “Sophie’s Choice” but for writers who are obsessed with a 40 year old show from their childhood. You are seriously talented, dude! Mmm-MMM! Damn, that’s good, cromulent content, which is the style of your kickass channel! I honestly found myself agreeing with you most of the time (tho, admittedly, I stand by my rallying for “The Raven” lol 😂) I wish we could make this topic a Zoom call or an old school chat room/message board, because I think this is a fascinating subject. I’d love to hear almost everyone’s input about this- it would be a hell of a good discussion! I can’t wait to tunnel through all the comments and judge people too harshly for their own personal taste/opinions! Your video really helps me see and understand your sense of humor and why “The Simpsons” appeals to you. I certainly (and reluctantly lol) allow you your right to your own personal taste! Please keep it coming, this has quickly become my must-see channel everyday!

This list is nice and all but the thing and I is the funniest segment in all of treehouse of horror history. it may not be the best conceived, the most iconic, or whatever. But it is genuinely the funniest. The laughs are non-stop in this episode

Time and Punishment is one of my earliest memories of the show, I can't remember when I saw it, but I remember seeing it years later and almost being surprised that it was actually a real episode

For me, it's a perfect tie between Time and Punishment and The Shinning - the jokes have an excellent pace in both these segments, and it never feels like they're dragging it.

i really like the roughness of the early seasons

Bart saying "sure you were, rummy." always makes me laugh.

lol i love in Time & Punishment how it just starts off normal and 3 seconds later it just screams "DAAAAD YOUR HAND IS STUCK IN THE TOASTER!!! DAAAAAAAD!!!!"

The Thing and I and Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace are the only two parts of classic Simpsons I remember watching as a kid, precisely because they were too scary for me. I vividly remember looking around my room at night like Bart does, thinking I *also* had an evil twin for some reason. And then with Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace it actually wasn't the dream sequences that creeped me out so badly (although I definitely remember them), but the beginning where Willie is slowly burned alive.

Accidentally noticed just now: 9:54 Silent Hill music? Interesting.

Fascinating. My list? Idk but Bad Dream House would definitely be number 1. What a trip. Plays like one of those nightmares that's so vivid you end up curiously cherishing it later. And yes, the score is one of the main draws like you said.

I would actually switch the places of The Shinning and Nightmare Cafeteria on your list. As funny as The Shinning is, it's essentially just a walkthrough of the most famous and iconic scenes of Kubrick's Shining. That's obviously a fine approach for a Simpsons movie parody, but with that rather low level of originality, I don't think it deserves to be ranked above more creative segments like Time and Punishment, Citizen Kang or The Devil and Homer Simpson. The main reason why I'd put Nightmare Cafeteria at number one is that it's the most horrific horror story The Simpsons has ever done. It's actually chilling in a way none of the others are - highly disturbing as a concept but not too disgusting to watch. Horror stories that are not based on any supernatural, fantasy or sci-fi elements hit the hardest because they leave the audience with an uncomfortable feeling of "This could happen for real". The only other classic TOH segment that goes into that category is The Thing and I (which I also would rank higher than you do). Nightmare Cafeteria is not the funniest segment as a whole but that's compensated well enough by the fact that it ends with a hilarious musical number that's probably one of the funniest closings to any Simpsons episode. I also love the twisted way they subvert the "It was all just a dream" trope, with Bart waking up to a reality that's more nightmarish than his actual nightmare (Instead of getting murdered and then eaten he gets turned inside out and then apparently eaten alive by his own dog during the end credits. That's almost too dark and cruel for a Simpsons horror story - almost.)

Personal No.1: Hungry are the damned' scared me as child and still scares me. Plus the introduction of Kang and Kodos.

Your videos reinforce my endless love for this show. Good job ordering these! I agree for the most part. Y'know, I didn't realise just how many all-time great Simpsons moments are contained within the Treehouse of Horror segments. Truly brilliant, genius and exemplary TV somehow made even better with my childhood nostalgia.

Bad Dream House is an absolute classic. It's creepy and hilarious with the house killing itself as the cherry on top.

I love how Theme of Simon is playing in the background during the Dracula's portion of the video, well done.

Man, I love your videos. You have such a positive take, even for things you aren't totally thrilled about. It's so refreshing to see. Thank you!

Always a good day when RealJims uploads something. Coincidentally I actually started rewatching the classic seasons last night, because I'd been inspired by this channel. Great work :)

Your singling out of the "Pennsylvania" joke as an example of a terrible humor has me questioning every other thing you've said.