Wow. How is possible that a copy of Treehouse of Horror turns out better than the big majority of them? They handled really well this adaption of Halloween specials. Starting with the great idea to set it on Thanksgiving, which might limit the creativity but, conversely, did it more epic. Following the great use of all elements that characterized those specials, including the classic Marge's speech at the beginning, the obligatory appearance of Kang and Kodos, the trilogy format, title-cards gags, the always awesome promotional poster, and the adapted credit names. And finishing with that strange mix of feelings this type of episode must have, including perturbation, horror, discomfort among others. I think the best way to describe how much I loved this episode is through the next sentence: "Each upcoming Treehouse of Horror should take this episode as a model". Including its 25-minutes extension to avoid pacing problems -if it is economically possible.
INTRO.
This intro was perfect. Not, it wasn't memorable. Not, it wasn't outstanding. Not, it wasn't extensive. It just simply exactly was an intro must be. It
introduced the episode. It explains why we got a horror special in Thanksgiving and warned people for the violent content, they specified here it would be gruesome -wow, apparently many people tuned in after that-. Plus, it gives screentime to Kang and Kodos, another function of these intros at least in episodes that have segments without them. There was a place for a funny joke executed by Homer about Thanksgiving's timetable. And the best part it was extended only for a minute, which eases the pacing and development of the segments. I loved the homage to the earliest Treehouse of Horrors in Marge's speech on a scenario. The title card had a good gag with Homer and Santa's Little Helper eating the spilled sauce. I don't have complains about it.
A-Gobble-ypto was probably the goriest segment, and while I have said sometimes that extreme violence is unnecessary even in Horror specials, this time it was handled perfectly, maybe because the animation and the atmosphere helped on that. It was probably my favorite segment after the first time I saw it. Maybe it won over me since it was the perfect story to an episode called "Thanksgiving of Horror". It tells the first time this festivity was celebrated, there in 1621, but it does it under turkey's point of view, giving place to a lot of suspense and adrenalin. I think that was the key to the success of this one: a real Thanksgiving story with true horror in it. I loved to see The Simpsons family and other characters as turkeys. It allowed a lot of fantastic special character designs and also a stellar performance of some voice actors. And I'm glad they just defined what character would be a turkey or a human according to what was necessary, instead of establishing a rule. From turkey's side, it was nice to see Maude again, although she was killed instantly. I liked Sideshow Mel with a branch in his head instead of a bone. Nelson's Haw-Haw was cute at the end. And I laughed hard when Patty and Selma were decapitated. From the human side, I'd say especially Lovejoy's perversity was the biggest highlight, but Lou and Eddie had funny moments at the start, and it was nice to see some of the women of the staff appearing too. The great pacing it had did possible everything worked well.
There was a great work assigning roles to each member of Simpson's family. It was agreeable how joined they were here. Homer was the main protagonist. I loved him protecting his family after the first hunting. It was a likable moment for him. I can feel his fear and terror while Wiggum was persecuting him and when his death was near. Bart had a funny moment at the beginning playing a joke to Homer, and then one pretty sweet when he saved Homer's life. Lisa was cute when she flew out to catch the egg. Marge was constantly inoffensive and stayed out of the biggest conflicts. They express lots of emotions and have true reactions when they were animals while in some Treehouse of Horrors they act by inertia and carefree of others' disgraces. Anyway, Maggie closes the episode with her nativity in a really pretty moment. But the tenderness closes up when we see how Wiggum is attacked by a bear. He received a masterful use throughout all the segment. He has some good quotes at the start. But then he becomes in the antagonist and he reaches an unimaginable level of madness and has too much thirst for blood from those inoffensive turkeys was disturbing. His pupils, his torn clothing and his appearance established how maniac he was. It was probably the best use of this character in the entire series.
The Fourth Thursday After Tomorrow was my favorite after my first rewatch. It had a worth-to-mention virtue: it conserves the perversity, that twisted-mind that characterized Black Mirror, which is accurate for be parodied in this type of episode. Marge described it perfectly: "It's creepy". It treats an elaborated story, exploring the primordial concept in that Sci-Fi series: how we are losing our essence as technology advances. We see how Marge is facing to her own awareness, in one of the best stories we have had about her at least in horror specials. I felt flattered for virtual Marge through the entire segment. You can experiment her desperation to be looked upon as a thing. You can wish she could reach freedom. You may be proud of her when she takes revenge against Marge. On the other side, I have mix feelings with real Marge's behavior. After all, She was jealous of a "thing" and her disagreement is reasonable. I mean, she wanted a helper but it almost replaced her in Homer's life and gets the kids' love, so I can understand why she was angry. But under another perspective, She seems pretty wicked with her virtual version. She wishes revenge instead of back everything to normality. I mean, delete the A.I. would be the same as free it on the Internet. And that is what becomes her to an antagonist, a role that fits perfectly with her here.
Most interactions between both Marges were great. Everything seems to work at the start, but bit by bit real Marge started to be unsure, a feel that then mutated in hate, and A.I. Marge started to take initiatives. Her eight-years plan to escape was fantastic. I think it's great the writers didn't execute just a flat parody and they adventured with an alternative finale. R2-Me-Too was visually funny. I loved A.I. Marge recreating heartbeat to convince Maggie to connect her to the modem. It was completely tender and adorable. And when she finally gets freedom, and she gave an entire universe to explore, she enters ETSY. Well, we are talking about Marge, so it has sense. Homer plays a worth role here too. I enjoyed seeing him doubting between both versions of Marge and trying to convince himself to choice real Marge. His final appearance, when we discovered that he was a robot, was really random and unexpected, but it was in tune with the rest of the segment and worked fantastically. The segment has used visual gags to include references to Black Mirror. Quimby and Plopper's appearance on TV parodying The National Anthem was uncomfortable to me. But I liked the reference to Nosedive -that when everyone rates Marge after the dinner fraud-. I don't know if someone noticed it, but it had references to the previous segment -we can see a draw of a turkey in the fridge- and to the next one -virtual Marge uses Jellies Cranberry Sauce to prepare dinner-. My nerd side is glad about all those details.
The Last Thanksgiving sounded awful. A Cranberry Sauce mutant monster-hunting kids throughout the entire segment. That's what it is about. And you know what? It was fantastic as well. It had an impressive atmosphere. Everything that happens outside Earth is more epic and each horror story set in a closed space is more horrific. The casting choice was a success too. All dangers are scarier if are children who are in problems. And it was great to see them taking protagonism. I'm sorry if someone disagrees with me, but I find funny how recurring kids were used here. I mean their function as recurring characters is to generate an ambient to the protagonist and that's what they get being killed by the monster. Nelson's one was a bit unexpected to me since I thought he would be along Milhouse, Bart, and Lisa until the end. Then, most of the kids die in an attack and we see Database's skin crashed against the glass in a disturbing and tense scene. Then, Martin sacrificed himself for the benefit of the sauce. I agree with Matt Selman: it was an epic farewell to Russi Taylor, but reward or punish the episode for a casualty is absurd. They didn't think it would be her last episode, though said goodbye with her most prominent character interpreting a memorable scene. I'm not sure if I liked the joke of nobody cares about Snowball, but I couldn't avoid laugh when the kids cheer Skinner's dead.
Milhouse is cheated by the monster and he made an unwitting sacrifice for Bat and Lisa. I liked his design with an arm without bones and those jokes they did about that. Bart had a nice role. He started the conflict with his innocent desire to celebrate Thanksgiving and he created the monster ignoring Dr. Frink's advice about what'd happened if he put organic matter in the replicator. Lisa was the brain of the team and she created fast a plan to survive. However, she was hilarious with her first perception of the monster and how she is worried after watching it for the first time. The formula of them working as a team will never expire. Their plan to throw off the monster was interesting. Loved how Bart says "Happy Thanksgiving" when he opens the airlock. The monster is quite frightening if we take into account that he is a cranberry sauce mutant (man, I won't surpass that premise). His way to feed gives place to some good moments and various perturbing images of some kids, especially the scene when he kills practically everyone and we see their skins scattered on the table. I liked how this story ended. It's funny they sell a happy end when only The Simpsons family survives. Well, them and the monster too. The fact him finds peace letting himself be eating by others was a clever outcome. And after that, they created the concept of The First Blarg-sgiving, which was great to finish the segment and the trilogy too.
Thanksgiving of Horror did everything well. They center their effort such in the segments, taking advantage of a short intro, and excluding a fourth act (that credits running with Bart's balloon on screen and that music at the background was perturbing). They established a coherent relationship between the segments, being the first one presented as the first Thanksgiving, the second as the current one and the third as the last one. I think that was a smart way of occupying all grounds. It was gory when it needed to be gory, it was funny when it needed to be funny, it was emotive when it needed to be emotive. It did a truly masterful use of The Simpsons Family and also of secondary characters. All three stories were captivating, interesting, with good pacing and total coherence. And a special mention for animation. Rob Oliver and his time did, probably, the best work in that item in the entire series. I'm not kidding nor exaggerating. Character designs, backgrounds, shadows, darkness and colors, fluidity in animation. It was superlative. Everything was detailed as hell and one can perceive the extra effort. I really desire this one gets some awards because it was perfect in all aspects. I've read each review and I can't understand how someone could hate it. One of the best trilogy-horror episodes of the series.
A-Gobble-ypto:
5/5
The Fourth Thursday After Tomorrow:
5/5
The Last Thanksgiving:
4/5
THANKSGIVING OF HORROR: 5/5