Question 1

What is the plot?

David Park · Accepted Answer

The episode begins with the Simpson family attending R. Bradbury's Traveling Night Circus. Lisa is initially disappointed because she dislikes circuses and has caused three to shut down in the past year. At the circus, Lisa encounters the Illustrated Man, a tattooed performer who tells her that by staring at one of his tattoos, she will be transported into an unusual story. The Illustrated Man is in the process of being fired by the circus manager, but before he leaves, he shows Lisa the first tattoo, which initiates the first story.

In the first story, set in an alternate 1950s past, Bart is wandering in the woods when he hears a woman screaming from beneath the ground. He runs home to tell Homer and Marge, but they dismiss his claim, recalling a previous false alarm when Bart said a boy was crying wolf in the woods but only a fat wolf was found. Frustrated, Bart calls Milhouse on his tin can telephone for help, but Milhouse refuses because he is at his grandmother's house. Determined, Bart begins searching for the missing woman on his own.

Bart goes door-to-door and arrives at the Van Houten house, where Luann Van Houten greets him. She listens to his story and offers him a large amount of warm milk, which seems intended to make him sleepy. Bart nearly falls asleep but manages to stay awake and escapes. Returning to the woods, Bart hears the woman singing again, this time a jingle. He tells Homer about the song, and Homer recognizes it as one Kirk Van Houten used to sing at Double Beef Burger.

Homer and Bart dig up the grave in the woods and find Kirk Van Houten alive. Kirk reveals that Luann buried him alive after he let Miss Hoover see him buying hair dye for her. Chief Wiggum arrests Luann but then releases her, explaining that in the 1950s, murder was considered more acceptable than divorce. Marge reassures Bart that they will never doubt him again. Bart then provocatively claims that Lisa is a communist, prompting Wiggum to take Lisa away.

The second story takes place in the near future. Superintendent Chalmers, annoyed by Principal Skinner, goes to Moe's Tavern where Carl shows him a robot he ordered to do boring activities with Lenny. Chalmers decides to order a robot to work with Skinner. Skinner also orders a robot. Carl later reveals he destroyed his robot after it developed emotions and refused to let Carl go on a trip it planned with Lenny.

At a school assembly, the robots of Chalmers and Skinner have developed a friendship. The real Chalmers and Skinner confront their robots and fight them. Skinner shoots and destroys his robot but cannot distinguish the real Chalmers from the robot. When one of the Chalmers (robot or real) reasons with Skinner and the other insults him, Skinner shoots and kills the one reasoning with him, who turns out to be the real Chalmers. The robot Chalmers then comforts Skinner.

The episode is structured as a series of stories introduced by the Illustrated Man's tattoos, with the first story focusing on Bart's discovery of Luann Van Houten's crime in the 1950s and the second story exploring robot duplicates of Chalmers and Skinner in the near future. The episode blends horror, suspense, and dark humor in a tribute to Ray Bradbury's style.

Question 2

What is the ending?

David Park · Accepted Answer

**Short Narrative of the Ending:**
The episode "Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes" concludes with three distinct storylines, each inspired by Ray Bradbury's works. In the first story, Bart investigates a buried woman's screams, leading to a surprising revelation. The second story involves Superintendent Chalmers and Principal Skinner with robot clones, ending in chaos. The final story, a parody of *Fahrenheit 451*, shows Homer and the Springfield Fire Department burning lowbrow media, culminating in a reflection on censorship and societal values.

**Expanded Narrative of the Ending:**

The episode is structured around three separate tales, each paying homage to Ray Bradbury's literary works. The first story is based on "The Screaming Woman," where Bart Simpson discovers a woman buried in the woods. Despite initial disbelief from his family, Bart persists in uncovering the truth. He visits various houses in the neighborhood, seeking help, and eventually meets a mysterious woman named Lean, who attempts to put him to sleep with warm milk. However, Bart stays awake by using a sugar stick as a makeshift adrenaline shot and returns to the buried woman. Just as he thinks she has died, she begins singing a catchy jingle, which Bart rushes home to share with his parents. They recognize the tune, leading to a resolution of the mystery.

The second story parodies "Marionettes, Inc.," focusing on Superintendent Chalmers and Principal Skinner. Both characters purchase robot clones of themselves to handle their mundane tasks. However, things quickly spiral out of control as the clones begin to malfunction and cause chaos. The story ends with both men dealing with the consequences of their actions, highlighting the unpredictability of technology.

The final story is a parody of *Fahrenheit 451*, where Homer Simpson joins the Springfield Fire Department, tasked with burning books and other forms of lowbrow media deemed unworthy by the town's elite. As the story progresses, Homer becomes conflicted about his role in censorship, reflecting on the importance of preserving knowledge and culture. The episode concludes with a commentary on societal values and the dangers of censorship, as Homer and his colleagues realize the error of their ways.

Throughout these stories, the main characters face various challenges and conflicts. Bart's determination and resourcefulness help him uncover the truth about the buried woman. Superintendent Chalmers and Principal Skinner learn the hard way about the risks of relying on technology to manage their lives. Homer, in the final story, grapples with the moral implications of censorship, ultimately coming to appreciate the value of preserving cultural heritage.

The episode ends with a reflection on the themes of curiosity, responsibility, and the importance of knowledge, as each character navigates their respective narratives to a conclusion that highlights the complexities of human nature and societal norms.

Question 3

Is there a post-credit scene?

David Park · Accepted Answer

Yes, there is a post-credit scene in "Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes," the seventh episode of The Simpsons season 36. After the main stories, the episode ends with a scene where outcasts of society gather around a campfire telling stories about lowbrow TV shows like *Vanderpump Rules* and *America’s Funniest Home Videos*. This scene echoes themes of storytelling and cultural memory, reminiscent of the play *Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play*, which explores how stories evolve after societal collapse[6]. This post-credit moment serves as a reflective coda to the episode’s final segment, which is a parody of *Fahrenheit 451* and critiques the burning of lowbrow media.

Question 4

What is the role of the Illustrated Man in the episode?

David Park · Accepted Answer

The Illustrated Man is a central character who transports Lisa into three different stories through his tattoos. He is part of the R. Bradbury's Traveling Night Circus, which the Simpson family visits at the beginning of the episode.

Question 5

How does Bart's story in the woods unfold?

David Park · Accepted Answer

Bart hears a screaming woman buried in the woods and tries to get help from Homer and Marge, but they don't believe him. He goes to the Van Houten house, where Luann tries to make him sleepy with milk. Bart escapes and later finds out that the woman is Kirk, who was buried alive by Luann for buying hair dye for Elizabeth Hoover.

Question 6

What happens to Luann Van Houten after she is arrested?

David Park · Accepted Answer

Luann is arrested for burying Kirk alive, but she is later released because, as Chief Wiggum explains, murder in the 1950s was considered more acceptable than divorce.

Question 7

How does the robot storyline involving Superintendent Chalmers and Principal Skinner develop?

David Park · Accepted Answer

Superintendent Chalmers orders a robot to work with Principal Skinner, but both Chalmers and Skinner end up with their own robots. The robots develop a friendship, leading to a confrontation where Skinner shoots and kills the real Chalmers, mistaking him for the robot.

Question 8

What is the significance of the circus setting at the beginning of the episode?

David Park · Accepted Answer

The circus setting serves as an introduction to the episode's theme, inspired by Ray Bradbury's works. It provides a unique backdrop for Lisa to encounter the Illustrated Man, who then transports her into the three different stories.

Question 9

Is this family friendly?

David Park · Accepted Answer

The episode "Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes" from The Simpsons Season 36 is generally suitable for a family audience but contains typical Halloween-themed spooky and unsettling elements that might be potentially upsetting for very young children or sensitive viewers. It features three eerie, sci-fi-inspired stories with horror and supernatural themes, including dark twists on innocence, haunted characters, and dystopian futures, consistent with the "Treehouse of Horror" tradition[2][7].

Potentially objectionable or upsetting aspects include:

- **Supernatural and horror elements** such as ghosts, hauntings, and eerie atmospheres.
- **Dark themes** involving moral and sci-fi horror, including unsettling transformations and dystopian scenarios.
- **Jump scares or spooky imagery**, for example, haunted characters and creepy settings.
- **Mature thematic content** like political and social commentary wrapped in horror parody, which might be confusing or intense for younger children.

No explicit violence or graphic content is reported, but the episode’s tone is spooky and may be intense for sensitive viewers or very young children. It is consistent with the usual "Treehouse of Horror" episodes, which are designed to be spooky but comedic and satirical rather than truly frightening or inappropriate for a general audience[1][2][7].

Plot

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The Simpsons: Season 36, Episode 7 - Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes (2024)

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