The Simpsons Writer Explains Why This Year’s Treehouse of Horror Was Bloodier Than Ever

One of the writers behind The Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror Halloween special this year explained why they went bigger and bloodier than ever compared to what fans have seen in previous years. The annual Treehouse of Horror special has become one of the best Halloween traditions we’ve gotten with The Simpsons over the years as fans get to see Springfield through a whole new kind of lens. It also means that because each of these specials take place outside of the main timeline, characters’ fates are definitely more up in the air as they are more likely to die in brutal ways.

The Simpsons‘ Treehouse of Horror has never been afraid of killing off its long running characters, but fans might have noticed how it was particularly brutal this year. Not only did all three segments have a huge body count when it came to the number of characters who had died, but the “Clown Night With the Devil” segment had some particularly brutal and gruesome scenes. Speaking to Cracked about this year’s Halloween special, writer Mike Price explained why he took the chance to get bloody.

Why Treehouse of Horror XXXVI Was a Bloody Episode of The Simpsons

Mike Price, who wrote the “Clown Night With the Devil” segment for The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror XXXVI, was asked about whether or not there was a joy in killing off the characters during the segment, especially during its very bloody climax, “I don’t know if I’d call it ‘joy,’ but it’s certainly fun to take the rules off for a little while. I’ve been on the show for 20-plus years, but this was my first Halloween segment. So, now that I was getting the chance to do it, I wanted it to be as Halloween-y as possible.” In going all out this year, Price also noted how some of the specials in the past were lacking that bite.

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“I know in the past, some of the episodes weren’t so much having to do with Halloween or horror, so I thought, ‘Let’s make this a real good, gruesome Halloween story.’” Price explained. Even more so was the fact that its original inspiration, Late Night With the Devil is just as bloody too, “And, the original movie is full of gruesome effects, so it’s like, ‘Let’s do that.’ Which is why we get a chance to see Nelson explode and Sideshow Mel have his face ripped off by an insane Mr. Teeny. It’s not joyful, but it’s fun.”

You Should Catch Up With Treehouse of Horror

The Simpsons really has been evolving with Treehouse of Horror over the years. While it did go through a rough era during a few points over the decades due to its lack of Horror influence for a given year, the last few years have seen a return to form with their choices for parody. This year in particular was one of the strongest examples of this overall, and now there’s an easier way to catch up.

There are currently 35 Treehouse of Horror selections now streaming with Disney+, and there are several other Halloween based specials that you can find with the service as well. Now that we’re deep in the spooky holiday season, there’s no better time than ever to jump in.

HT – Cracked