I am aware I titled this series Fright Week Films and this will be a second consecutive TV-related post, but I did not realize that my fancy this week would lean that direction. Besides, The Simpsons’ Treehouses of Terror, now in their 37th iteration, are Halloween staples. Despite not watching a regular The Simpsons episode for probably close to a decade, I always take time to watch this special, non-canonical entry.

I don’t know if it’s the punny names given to cast and crew members or curiosity around what cultural phenomenon they’ll spoof in a particular year, but I always have a certain excitement about the episode. Maybe I look forward to a new Treehouse because it’s something silly that adds to that Halloween feel. Each Treehouse is akin to an episode of Itchy & Scratchy but amped up, because it has the main characters getting involved in the violent and macabre. This year, we are treated to two Treehouse of Terror episodes, one Treehouse of Terror Presents and then the standard Treehouse episode. The Presents episode reintroduced Apu, who apparently had not been on the show for some time (news to me!). It was actually the stronger of the two episodes and pulled together some entertaining storytelling.

The episodes aren’t all masterpieces. There have been plenty of years, more recently, where I get done watching and have the distinct feeling the makers put something out there simply to avoid having a season pass without a new Treehouse of Terror. Some episodes are lifeless (no pun intended) and devoid of any mirth, even the tongue-in-cheek variety. Honestly, it has to be challenging to come up with fresh material each year, even if most of it is pulled from mainstream media and current events; the world (and entertainment) has a habit of repeating itself.

Yet, I appreciate that the Treehouse of Terror is out there. The Simpsons is an old, familiar friend. You may not always hang out, but knowing they’re around has a certain comfort to it. The show has been around for nearly my entire life, and knowing I have a Treehouse of Terror to watch each year is that opportunity to check-in and reconnect, even if it’s only for a short twenty-some minutes. It’s a small joy that’s easy to take for granted.