The Simpsons Secretly Released Two Treehouse of Horror Specials In November

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Even though The Simpsons’ annual Treehouse of Horror episodes are fan favorites, the show quietly released two additional horror collections last November. With nearly 800 episodes already aired, a feature film, and another movie on the way, The Simpsons holds the record as the longest-running scripted prime-time television series in American history.

While The Simpsons sometimes gets a little too intense, its annual “Treehouse of Horror” episodes are always a hit. These Halloween specials are among the best on TV, letting the show fully embrace the spooky spirit of the season.

Many beloved episodes of The Simpsons celebrate the family’s close bonds, but the annual Halloween specials take a much darker turn. These “Treehouse of Horror” episodes are formatted like classic horror anthology series such as The Twilight Zone and Night Gallery, featuring three separate stories that playfully spoof popular movies, books, and television shows.

The Simpsons Released Thanksgiving of Horror In 2019

The annual “Treehouse of Horror” Halloween specials are always popular with fans because they playfully parody everything from popular shows like “Stranger Things” and movies like “Jurassic Park” and “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” This is clear in the ratings, which consistently show a boost in viewership for these episodes compared to the rest of the season.

As a big fan of the show, I always check the ratings, and the numbers for Season 36 were pretty interesting. Episode 4, “Shoddy Heat,” pulled in almost a million viewers – 0.98 million, to be exact. But then episode 6, “Women in Shorts,” dipped to just 0.83 million. The real standout, though, was episode 5, “Treehouse of Horror XXXV.” That one absolutely blew the others away, with 3.18 million viewers – over three times as many people tuned in for that special episode!

Everyone loves the annual ‘Treehouse of Horror’ episodes, so you’d think the show would heavily promote them. Surprisingly, that’s not always true. Two ‘Treehouse of Horror’ specials actually came out quietly in late November, and they’re both surprisingly great episodes that many people have overlooked.

The Simpsons’ 2019 Halloween special, “Thanksgiving of Horror” (season 31, episode 8), was a standout episode that extended the show’s spooky tradition to a new holiday. Featuring clever spoofs of films like Apocalypto, Black Mirror, and Alien, it’s considered one of the best “Treehouse of Horror” episodes in recent years and also happened to be the longest episode of The Simpsons ever made.

The episode “Thanksgiving of Horror,” presented as a collection of three spooky stories similar to the show’s annual “Treehouse of Horror” specials, was a hit. Critics at Den of Geek and The AV Club, as well as fans online, praised it, making it a highlight of the generally unremarkable 31st season.

The Simpsons Released A Second Season 36 Treehouse of Horror In Late November 2024

Before “Thanksgiving of Horror,” viewership was low. Episode 7, “Living La Pura Vida,” had 2.08 million viewers, and episode 9, “Todd, Todd, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?” only attracted 1.99 million. However, “Thanksgiving of Horror” was a big hit, drawing in 5.42 million viewers.

It became clear that keeping the ‘Treehouse of Horror’ episodes throughout the season, rather than just in October, was a good decision. Season 36 reinforced this by releasing another special episode, “Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes,” in episode 7, which was a tribute to the author Ray Bradbury.

This episode surprisingly didn’t air until four weeks after Halloween, and was released on November 24th alongside “Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes.” Despite the late release, it still attracted 2.69 million viewers – nearly as many as the regular “Treehouse of Horror” episode that season.

Even though it aired later in the season, “Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes” was an excellent Halloween episode of The Simpsons. It cleverly spoofed works by Ray Bradbury, including his famous novel Fahrenheit 451 and a less well-known radio drama, “The Screaming Woman.” The episode was both a fun parody and a respectful homage to the author, and it rightfully received a lot of positive attention.

Why The Simpsons Released These Halloween Specials So Late

Custom image by Yeider Chacon

It might seem odd that The Simpsons unexpectedly releases extra Treehouse of Horror episodes weeks after Halloween. It’s even more unusual that they don’t do this every year, instead surprising fans with these hidden treats. But this unpredictable approach actually makes a bit of sense.

These episodes always followed the yearly ‘Treehouse of Horror’ special, acting as a bonus for dedicated viewers. Because the Halloween specials are often great, giving them more time with these November episodes lets the show really expand on that spooky format.

If you’re a fan of The Simpsons‘ Halloween specials – especially the way they parody fantasy, horror, and sci-fi – waiting a whole year for a new one can be tough. That’s why episodes like “Thanksgiving of Horror” and “Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes” are such a great idea – they let the show deliver similar spooky fun more often.

These annual Halloween specials also help boost the show’s ratings, which is a welcome benefit. Ultimately, everyone benefits when The Simpsons bring back their Halloween tradition each year in late November.

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2025-11-27 22:19