Rate & Review: "Treehouse Of Horror XIV" (EABF21)

**kevin** · 11-03-2003, 01:28 PM

decent

B (8.5)

**Eart** · 11-03-2003, 01:45 PM

Opening: 5/5
Very funny opening, especially the Kang and Kodos bit. I found that part extra-funny because earlier that day, my mother put up the Christmas decorations and we were making fun of her for doing it so early.

Reaper Madness: 3.5/5
It was an ok part, but the segment where he has to kill Marge and up until the Motorcycle chase, seemed a bit odd.

Frinkistein: 2/5
I didn't really like this one. Prof. Frink isn't that good of a character to devote even 8 minutes of an episode to him.

Stop The World, I Want To Goof Off: 4.5/5
Pretty good segment, although the ending seemed a bit weird for me.

**DotheBartman** · 11-03-2003, 02:31 PM

Originally posted by Mohammed Jafar
[B]

hey, people complaining about the intro, stop saying things like "for no reason" and "unexplained" and "violence". It was supposed to be like that, so what you're saying hardly amounts to criticism.

"Simpsons Safari" is supposed to be wacky and crazy but that doesn't neccasarily means that it worked. A lot of people don't like excessive violence on the show (including THOH for some) and personally I found a couple things in that intro to be more disturbing then funny myself. Also, as for "no reason", I think that argument mostly comes down to some of the jokes not even really making sense as fully coherent jokes. This isn't related to the intro, but why did the writers think Lisa switching the clock around (yes, for "no reason") and turning the family into different random versions of themselves would be funny at all?

As for the "Clockstoppers" thing, I don't think it was a Clockstoppers parody, but I actually have to disagree with it being a Twilight Zone parody as well. I've seen that episode, and the only thing remotely similar, other then the basic concept of stopping time with a watch (which is just a basic sci-fi concept that's been in everything, including "Ducktales" for godsakes) is the watch breaking. If it was intended as a parody, it wasn't a very good one.

Anyways, the more I look back at this one, the more I think it might be one of the most forgettable episodes ever. I told a couple friends of mine (one of which loves nearly every episode but asked me "what the hell was that?") today that it was one of the most uneven episodes I've ever seen. I told them it wasn't really good or even bad, just there. It certainly wasn't "Simpsons Safari" bad or even bad at all neccasarily. But, unlike the very good or very bad episodes that are commonly referenced for those reasons, I think this one may go the way of "Bart vs. Lisa and the Third Grade" and some of the less offensive Scully "Adventures of Homer" episodes. Doomed to obscurity.

**HomertheGreat** · 11-03-2003, 02:48 PM

THOH's in general over the past few year's have been pretty forgettable, and I was thinking this after watching it. There's never a really true standout short. Many of you will argue that "Stop the World..." would be the standout short, but IMO falls short of classic segments of recent THOH. (Send in the Clones, House of Whacks). Now yes I know in my review it says "A" next to it. I've rewatched the episode and realized that I may have been a little too excited and I really wanted the episode to be good. New rankings...

Intro- C
Reaper- B-
Frinkensteirn- C-
Stop the World...- A-/B+

OVERALL: B- (very low B-)

**prince jafar allah** · 11-03-2003, 03:02 PM

Originally posted by DotheBartman
"Simpsons Safari" is supposed to be wacky and crazy but that doesn't neccasarily means that it worked.

Not my point at all. My point was, many criticisms seemed to give me the impression that viewers thought it was intended to be a touching, realistic family moment.

And I thought it was amusing, and I didn't find it in the slighest bit disturbing because, as I said, it was intended to be crazy, over the-top, out-of-character craziness, and it worked as that. Unless you just get disturbed at the sight of ANY cartoon character being subjected to violence....

Originally posted by DotheBartman
This isn't related to the intro, but why did the writers think Lisa switching the clock around (yes, for "no reason") and turning the family into different random versions of themselves would be funny at all?

for the same reason they thought having inside-out gas seep in and turning the family inside out and having them do a dance number was funny in TOH 5, or have the story suddenly stop for a Peanuts parody in TOH 4. Because it's krayzee. The only thing wrong with it was that you didn't find it funny, there wasn't anything fundamentally wrong with the execution, it's been done so many times in TOHs (and in normal episodes) over the years.

Originally posted by DotheBartman
As for the "Clockstoppers" thing, I don't think it was a Clockstoppers parody, but I actually have to disagree with it being a Twilight Zone parody as well. I've seen that episode, and the only thing remotely similar, other then the basic concept of stopping time with a watch (which is just a basic sci-fi concept that's been in everything, including "Ducktales" for godsakes) is the watch breaking. If it was intended as a parody, it wasn't a very good one.

Nah, I don't think it was intended as a parody per se, just a utilisation of the same concept.

**lance** · 11-03-2003, 03:06 PM

it's got to be hard to come up with three brand new halloween concepts every year, anyways, so parodies/rip-offs/utilizations are bound to pop up.

**Icedragon** · 11-03-2003, 03:09 PM

Next year better have a parody of the "Ring"

**Dennis** · 11-03-2003, 03:22 PM

Intro: 5/5. I thought it was a really good way to start the show.
Reaper Madness: 2/5. The fact that it was a blatant rip off of the Family Guy episode "Death is a Bitch" gives it a 1/5. But it was pretty funny, but really short so I'll raise it to 2/5.
Frinkenstein: 2/5. Pretty boring and not very funny. Jennifer Garner was pointless but she didn't bother me much. I just didn't find this segment funny.
Stop the World, I Want to Goof Off: 4/5. The best segment. Really interesting plot and I thought it was really funny. Oscar Delahoya was another pointless guest star but it didn't bother me that much. I don't see why they have to actually get these actors to come on the show. Are their voices really that hard to do?
Overall: 3/5. Better than last year's.

**DotheBartman** · 11-03-2003, 03:26 PM

Jafar: Good points there. Regarding the family beating each other up, I guess I'm not entirely sure why I thought it was so disturbing, given that this IS a THOH, but somehow I just did. Partially, I do somehow become more disturbed by family members dying or getting seriously hurt then I do with minor characters. I'm not really sure what it is, but somehow Homer getting his guts blown out somehow doesn't work the same with me as Willie getting the axe or even Moe hanging himself or Lenny and Carl getting crushed by a helicopter. It might be that I've made more of an attachment to OFF then to the minor characters, so somehow it bugs me to see them seriously hurt like that, even if its in a THOH context.

Regarding the clock switching, another good point. But I think my basic point is that I was wondering why that thought that specific craziness was funny. The random crazy stuff doesn't seem to be a major strength for the writers right now, which may be why the THOHs have been so consistantly on the mediocre (or worse) side for a while now.

My comments on the "Family Guy" arguments: (not adressed specifically to Jafar or anyone else, just my two cents on the discussion in general) Again, I will repeat what I said earlier. I don't think Reaper Madness was neccasarily a "Family Guy" rip off, maybe just more of a "been there, done that" situation where another comedy show happens to have parodied the same basic thing in recent years. However, I really did find the execution to be very FGish. Honestly, that isn't just for Reaper Madness and its odd similarities, as it is for the episode as a whole. I really felt like I was watching FG with yellow skin. All the random shit that we're supposed to laugh at simply because its random shit, the basic pacing and "plot" development. Again, I realize this is THOH, but it really didn't feel like a THOH as much as it did a FG episode to me. Notice that Family Guy is even being mentioned in other contexts (someone pointed out a "Frinkenstein" gag that was apparently ripped from FG in their eyes, and Wavy Gravy even compared the opening to a specific FG scene).

**Tibor** · 11-03-2003, 03:27 PM

Originally posted by Mohammed Jafar
Not my point at all. My point was, many criticisms seemed to give me the impression that viewers thought it was intended to be a touching, realistic family moment.

And I thought it was amusing, and I didn't find it in the slighest bit disturbing because, as I said, it was intended to be crazy, over the-top, out-of-character craziness, and it worked as that. Unless you just get disturbed at the sight of ANY cartoon character being subjected to violence....

I can see it catching some off guard. It did start out as a realistic family moment (like the opening to THOH II) and then the family abruptly breaks into violence. My complaint is that it's weird, (not in the way that inside-out-fog is weird) that I was expecting a point to it, and it felt as if I had missed something.

**•ºMikè~Stáº•** · 11-03-2003, 03:32 PM

I thought it was pretty good, clock stoppers was the best one out of them all
"Hmmm says here it will take 8 hours..... 15 years later.."
And another funny part was when Homer walked down killing everybody, and then that guy put up his arm, and Homer couldent poke him, so he just slaps him.

**Icedragon** · 11-03-2003, 03:39 PM

Originally posted by DotheBartman
My comments on the "Family Guy" arguments: (not adressed specifically to Jafar or anyone else, just my two cents on the discussion in general) Again, I will repeat what I said earlier. I don't think Reaper Madness was neccasarily a "Family Guy" rip off, maybe just more of a "been there, done that" situation where another comedy show happens to have parodied the same basic thing in recent years. However, I really did find the execution to be very FGish. Honestly, that isn't just for Reaper Madness and its odd similarities, as it is for the episode as a whole. I really felt like I was watching FG with yellow skin. All the random shit that we're supposed to laugh at simply because its random shit, the basic pacing and "plot" development. Again, I realize this is THOH, but it really didn't feel like a THOH as much as it did a FG episode to me. Notice that Family Guy is even being mentioned in other contexts (someone pointed out a "Frinkenstein" gag that was apparently ripped from FG in their eyes, and Wavy Gravy even compared the opening to a specific FG scene).

I will state my prediction again, We will see more simialrities to FG this and next season. Anyway, I heard Matt Groening does not mind FG, do the other writers like loath it or what?

**DotheBartman** · 11-03-2003, 03:45 PM

Originally posted by Tibor
I can see it catching some off guard. It did start out as a realistic family moment (like the opening to THOH II) and then the family abruptly breaks into violence. My complaint is that it's weird, (not in the way that inside-out-fog is weird) that I was expecting a point to it, and it felt as if I had missed something.

Exactly. It just somehow didn't even make sense comedically. I was wondering what they were even trying to get at in terms of humor.

**prince jafar allah** · 11-03-2003, 03:46 PM

Originally posted by DotheBartman
Jafar: Good points there. Regarding the family beating each other up, I guess I'm not entirely sure why I thought it was so disturbing, given that this IS a THOH, but somehow I just did. Partially, I do somehow become more disturbed by family members dying or getting seriously hurt then I do with minor characters. I'm not really sure what it is, but somehow Homer getting his guts blown out somehow doesn't work the same with me as Willie getting the axe or even Moe hanging himself or Lenny and Carl getting crushed by a helicopter. It might be that I've made more of an attachment to OFF then to the minor characters, so somehow it bugs me to see them seriously hurt like that, even if its in a THOH context.

true, but i think the family turning outside in, doing a dance routine in which blood splatters everywhere, and Bart being mauled by SLH is, in principle, at least as potentially disturbing as last night's intro. how did you find that?

Originally posted by DotheBartman
The random crazy stuff doesn't seem to be a major strength for the writers right now, which may be why the THOHs have been so consistantly on the mediocre (or worse) side for a while now.

true.

**Spooner** · 11-03-2003, 03:47 PM

This is what I'm gonna say about SImpsoins copying FG and possible future copying of Family Guy:

I don't really care, just as long as it's funny.

**FlamingMeaux** · 11-03-2003, 03:57 PM

I rewatched it today. It still sucked.

Intro - 3/5. The costumes were cute (though I didn't understand why Lisa's candy would have been so much better than the stuff Bart got). Also, I think the Kang and Kodos bit was the highlight of the episode. The thing about it being November (more proof that the writers can read my mind) and the alien foot christmas stockings were extremely nice details.
The violence - eh. Senseless or not, it just wasn't funny, creepy, imaginative, or anything really.

Reaper Madness - 2/5
The Benny Hill thing made me think...if they are already trying to take up time now, this doesn't bode well for the episode.
I loved the title and was hoping for a "marijuana hysteria" spoof.
Margie's hair on the Patty/Selma corpse was the only funny thing in this section. Umm, perhaps this is pedantic/unnecessary, but wouldn't the Grip Reaper be immortal? Is that supposed to be the humor?
Why would Homer be able to outrun god?
And did Lisa say (something like) "Do you know what this means?!?" in every segment?

Frinkenstein - I'm gonna go out on a limb here - 0/5
I laughed at the penis joke. Nothing else in this segment made me even crack a smile. Lisa's explaining the 21st century as like the 20th century, only everybody's scared was a great line in one way, but also like, thanks for ruining the half an hour of the day when I'm not thinking about how f*cked as a planet we are.
There was so much in here that could have lead to something better. I was really interested in Frink's young adulthood, and then they ripped that away to get on with their ridiculous Nobel plot, if it can be rightfully called a plot.

Stop the World, I wanna Goof Off - 2.75/5
I liked that the title appeared (to me, at least) to be a Vanilla Ice rip off. Guess the Beastie Boys did a song titled something like that, too.
Homer & Nelson naked together -- just creepy. What were the writers thinking? Milhouse's lines were all lamentably predictable.
Why did Homer's head keep falling off?
With this premise *anything* could have happened. And nothing really did. What a waste.

total - 2ish/5

**DotheBartman** · 11-03-2003, 04:00 PM

Originally posted by Mohammed Jafar
true, but i think the family turning outside in, doing a dance routine in which blood splatters everywhere, and Bart being mauled by SLH is, in principle, at least as potentially disturbing as last night's intro. how did you find that?

Heh, you got me there I guess. I guess it helped that the joke itself was funny to me, so my laughter kind of overruled whatever problems I might have had with it. Sort of like how a comedy and a horror movie can both have similar sorts of body mutations, etc, happen to thier characters, but to completely different effect in terms of audience reaction. Of course it was meant to be funny in this intro's case, but that the fact that I just didn't find it funny problem helped to make it disturbing instead.

Also, I should add that even in the "inside out" musical number no one dies (well, maybe Bart dies, but we don't explicitely see it), plus its the fog (rather then the other family members) hurting them. Something about Homer trying to beat his kids with a bat, and Marge blowing Homer's guts out, again just seemed to cross that line a little, even more then fog could. Even in the THOH context, it was just kind of hard to watch these characters that I have come to love so much trying to literally kill each other.

**prince jafar allah** · 11-03-2003, 04:00 PM

Originally posted by FlamingMeaux
Homer & Nelson naked together -- just creepy. What were the writers thinking?

you're an idiot.

Originally posted by FlamingMeaux
Milhouse's lines were all lamentably predictable.

incorrect. try again.

**TheSageBean** · 11-03-2003, 04:03 PM

Originally posted by Icedragon
"I'm Colista Flockhart. Who the hell do you think I am, I'm DEATH!"

Norm was great in that episode...

I find it ironic that many Simpson fans bashed FG because it was a "ripoff" of the Simpsons on the FG vs. Simpsons board. Now when the tables have turned, you sing a different tune, saying it is not a FG ripoff. Right, and Peter Griffin being in the crowd of Homer clones is a "homage" to FG...

I've never gone to a Family Guy versus Simpsons message board and never saw people here saying Family Guy was a ripoff until the whole wave of FG fanboys came. The only people saying FG is a ripoff are the Simpsons producers. Either that or I have a very bad memory... Which could be very true.

And everything about this episode has already been said.... Stop the World was best, then reaper madness, then frinkenstein.

**perfectlycromulent** · 11-03-2003, 04:15 PM

why must every thread become a simpsons vs FG thread?

and i hope they start doing more parodies of horror movies & twilight zone episodes

or at least make them have something to do with haloween

**FlamingMeaux** · 11-03-2003, 04:16 PM

"you're an idiot."

Oh, I'm sorry. My mistake. Naked Homer and Naked Nelson very funny!
Milhouse's change purse - height of hilarity!
Naked basketball - hohoho.

View Poll Results: How would you rate "Treehouse of Horror XIV?"

Thread: Rate & Review: "Treehouse Of Horror XIV" (EABF21)

Thread Tools

Display