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{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{good article}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox Simpsons episode
{{Infobox Simpsons episode
| image =
| image =
| caption =
| caption =
| season = 11
| season = 11
| episode = 4
| episode = 4
| director = [[Pete Michels]]
| director = [[Pete Michels]]
| writer = '''I Know What You Diddily-Iddily-Did:'''<br/>[[Donick Cary]]<br>'''Desperately Xeeking Xena:'''<br/>[[Tim Long]]<br>'''Life's a Glitch, Then You Die:'''<br/>[[Ron Hauge]]
| writer = "'''I Know What You Diddily-Iddily-Did'''":<br>[[Donick Cary]]<br>"'''Desperately Xeeking Xena'''":<br>[[Tim Long]]<br>"'''Life's a Glitch, Then You Die'''":<br>[[Ron Hauge]]
| production = BABF01
| production = BABF01
| airdate = {{Start date|1999|10|31}}
| airdate = {{Start date|1999|10|31}}
| guests = *[[Tom Arnold (actor)|Tom Arnold]] as himself
| guests = * [[Tom Arnold (actor)|Tom Arnold]] as himself
*[[Dick Clark]] as himself
* [[Dick Clark]] as himself
*[[Lucy Lawless]] as herself
* [[Lucy Lawless]] as herself
*[[Frank Welker]] as [[Ned Flanders|Werewolf Ned Flanders]]
* [[Frank Welker]] as [[Ned Flanders|Werewolf Ned Flanders]]
| couch_gag = Each member of the family dresses up as something from a previous "Treehouse of Horror" special, save for [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]], who is an [[axe]] victim.
| couch_gag = Each member of the family dresses up as something from a previous "Treehouse of Horror" special, save for [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]], who is an [[axe]] victim.
| commentary = [[Mike Scully]]<br />[[George Meyer]]<br />[[Ian Maxtone-Graham]]<br />[[Ron Hauge]]<br />[[Donick Cary]]<br />[[Tim Long]]<br />[[Matt Selman]]<br />[[Pete Michels]]
| commentary = [[Mike Scully]]<br>[[George Meyer]]<br>[[Ian Maxtone-Graham]]<br>[[Ron Hauge]]<br>[[Donick Cary]]<br>[[Tim Long]]<br>[[Matt Selman]]<br>[[Pete Michels]]
| prev = [[Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner?]]
| prev = [[Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner?]]
| next = [[E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt)]]
| next = [[E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt)]]
}}
}}
"'''Treehouse of Horror X'''" is the fourth episode of the [[The Simpsons (season 11)|eleventh season]] of the American animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'', and the tenth annual ''[[Treehouse of Horror]]'' episode, consisting of three self-contained segments. It first aired on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox network]] in the United States on [[Halloween]] 1999. In "I Know What You Diddily-Iddily-Did", the Simpsons cover up a murder and are haunted by an unseen witness. In "Desperately Xeeking Xena", [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] gain superpowers and must rescue ''[[Xena: Warrior Princess|Xena]]'' star [[Lucy Lawless]] from the [[Comic Book Guy]]'s alter ego The Collector, and in "Life's a Glitch, Then You Die", [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] causes worldwide destruction thanks to the [[Y2K bug]].
"'''Treehouse of Horror X'''" is the fourth episode of the [[The Simpsons season 11|eleventh season]] of the American animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'', and the tenth annual ''[[Treehouse of Horror]]'' episode, consisting of three self-contained segments. It first aired on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox network]] in the United States on [[Halloween]] 1999. In "'''I Know What You Diddily-Iddily-Did'''", the Simpsons cover up a murder and are haunted by an unseen witness. In "'''Desperately Xeeking Xena'''", [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] gain superpowers and must rescue ''[[Xena: Warrior Princess|Xena]]'' star [[Lucy Lawless]] from the [[Comic Book Guy]]'s alter ego The Collector, and in "'''Life's a Glitch, Then You Die'''", [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] causes worldwide destruction thanks to the [[Y2K bug]].


"Treehouse of Horror X" was directed by [[Pete Michels]] and written by [[Ron Hauge]], [[Donick Cary]] and [[Tim Long]]. The episode contains numerous parodies and references to horror and science fiction works, including ''[[Doctor Who]]'', ''[[I Know What You Did Last Summer]]'' and ''[[Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)|Battlestar Galactica]]''. It also features actress [[Lucy Lawless]] and actors [[Tom Arnold (actor)|Tom Arnold]], and [[Dick Clark]] as themselves. In its original broadcast, the episode was seen by approximately 8.7&nbsp;million viewers, finishing in 34th place in the ratings the week it aired. Since its airing, the episode received positive reviews from critics.
"Treehouse of Horror X" was directed by [[Pete Michels]] and written by [[Ron Hauge]], [[Donick Cary]] and [[Tim Long]]. The episode contains numerous parodies and references to horror and science fiction works, including ''[[Doctor Who]]'', ''[[I Know What You Did Last Summer]]'' and ''[[Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)|Battlestar Galactica]]''. It also features actress [[Lucy Lawless]] and actors [[Tom Arnold (actor)|Tom Arnold]], and [[Dick Clark]] as themselves. In its original broadcast, the episode was seen by approximately 8.7&nbsp;million viewers, finishing in 34th place in the ratings the week it aired. Since its airing, the episode received positive reviews from critics. A spin-off comic book series based on the segment "Desperately Xeeking Xena", entitled ''[[Simpsons Super Spectacular]]'', has been published by [[Bongo Comics]] since 2005.<ref name="UGO" />


==Plot==
==Plot==
===I Know What You Diddily-Iddily-Did===
==="I Know What You Diddily-Iddily-Did"===
The Simpsons are driving when [[Marge Simpson|Marge]] runs over [[Ned Flanders]], killing him. The next day, [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] stages Ned's death. Soon after Ned's funeral, during which Homer almost unwittingly confesses to Ned's murder, the family finds the words "I Know What You Did" written on their house and car. They are terrorized by a cloaked, hook-wielding figure, and flee. When their car breaks down, they discover that Ned is the cloaked figure. He was not killed because he was bitten by a [[werewolf]] just before the accident. The full moon appears and Ned turns into a werewolf. Marge, [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]] and [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] run away but Homer is caught, and taunts the werewolf while he is mauled to death.
The Simpsons are driving through a fog when [[Marge Simpson|Marge]] runs over [[Ned Flanders]], killing him. The next day, [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] stages Ned's death. Soon after Ned's funeral, during which Homer almost unwittingly confesses to Ned's murder, the family finds the words "I Know What You Did" written on their house and car. They are terrorized by a cloaked, hook-wielding figure, and flee. When their car breaks down, they discover that Ned is the cloaked figure. He was not killed because he was bitten by a [[werewolf]] just before the accident. The full moon appears and Ned turns into a werewolf. Marge, [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]] and [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] run away but Homer is caught, and taunts the werewolf while he is mauled to death.


===Desperately Xeeking Xena===
==="Desperately Xeeking Xena"===
A malfunctioning X-ray machine gives the ability to stretch any part of his body to Bart and [[superhuman strength|super strength]] to Lisa. They become a [[superhero]] duo, calling themselves "Stretch Dude and Clobber Girl". [[Lucy Lawless]] addresses fans at a science fiction convention. [[Comic Book Guy]], now a villain called "The Collector", kidnaps her and takes her to his lair with the intention of marrying her. Stretch Dude and Clobber Girl arrive to rescue Lawless, but are also captured. The Collector prepares to kill them by submerging them in a vat of molten [[poly(methyl methacrylate)|Lucite]]. Lawless pretends to be attracted to the Collector and then clobbers him. The Collector grabs his limited edition double edged [[lightsaber]] from ''[[Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace]]'' and ignites the blades, but when Lawless points out that he has removed it from its original packaging, he panics and falls into the Lucite. Lawless flies the children home.
A malfunctioning X-ray machine gives Bart the ability to stretch any part of his body and Lisa [[superhuman strength|super strength]]. They become a [[superhero]] duo, calling themselves "Stretch Dude and Clobber Girl". [[Lucy Lawless]] addresses fans at a science fiction convention. [[Comic Book Guy]], now a villain called "The Collector", kidnaps her and takes her to his lair with the intention of marrying her. Stretch Dude and Clobber Girl arrive to rescue Lawless, but are also captured. The Collector prepares to kill them by submerging them in a vat of molten [[poly(methyl methacrylate)|Lucite]]. Lawless pretends to be attracted to the Collector and then clobbers him. The Collector grabs his limited edition double edged [[lightsaber]] from ''[[Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace]]'' and ignites the blades, but when Lawless points out that he has removed it from its original packaging, he panics and falls into the Lucite. Lawless flies the children home.


===Life's a Glitch, Then You Die===
==="Life's a Glitch, Then You Die"===
On December 31, 1999, Homer, the [[Springfield Nuclear Power Plant]]'s [[Year 2000 problem|Y2K]] compliance officer, has neglected to fix all possible problems in the plant's computers. This results in a computer virus causing widespread destruction and societal collapse. The family learns that a rocket is being prepared for humanity's "best and brightest", and will carry them to [[Mars]] to preserve human civilization. Homer fails to bluff his way on board but the guard recognizes Lisa as the ship's designated proofreader. Lisa is only able to take one parent with her, and immediately chooses Marge. Homer and Bart find a second, unguarded rocket. They quickly notice that it is filled with second-rate celebrities. While this rocket is headed directly for the sun, Homer and Bart cannot bear being with these passengers and eject themselves into space.
On December 31, 1999, Homer, the [[Springfield Nuclear Power Plant]]'s [[Year 2000 problem|Y2K]] compliance officer, has neglected to fix all possible problems in the plant's computers. This results in a computer virus causing widespread destruction and societal collapse. The family learns that a rocket is being prepared for humanity's "best and brightest", and will carry them to [[Mars]] to preserve human civilization. Homer fails to bluff his way on board but the guard recognizes Lisa as the ship's designated proofreader. Lisa is only able to take one parent with her, and immediately chooses Marge (and Maggie as she was carrying her). Homer and Bart find a second, unguarded rocket. They quickly notice that it is filled with second-rate celebrities. While this rocket is headed directly for the sun, Homer and Bart cannot bear being with these passengers and eject themselves into space.


==Production==
==Production==
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"Desperately Xeeking Xena" was written by staff writer Long. At the beginning of the segment, Milhouse is seen wearing a plastic smock with a picture of Radioactive Man on it. The scene was based on an experience in Long's childhood; "I asked my mom for a Batman costume. And I got a smock that had Batman on it and said 'Batman'. It was very dispiriting" he said in the episode's DVD commentary.<ref name="Long">Long, Tim. (2008). Commentary for "Treehouse of Horror X", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> "Stretch Dude & Clobber Girl"'s theme song was written by Long and composed by [[Alf Clausen]]. During the sequence, Stretch Dude and Clobber Girl are seen assaulting [[Saddam Hussein]], the fifth President of [[Iraq]] and being thanked for their help by President [[Bill Clinton]] afterwards. According to Long, the writing staff had a "passionate" discussion about whether the duo would be attacking Hussein or [[Iran]]ian religious leader and politician [[Ruhollah Khomeini]] during the sequence.<ref name="Long" /> Scully quipped that Hussein was chosen because "he was always asking to be on the show."<ref name="Scully" /> The segment features New Zealand actress [[Lucy Lawless]] as herself. According to Long, Lawless was very happy with the segment's script. She was especially fond of the speech she gives to The Collector, in which she mentions that she was very tall as an adolescent.<ref name="Long" /> Lawless was directed by Scully, who commented that she was "terrific".<ref name="Scully" /> In an interview with the Hungarian online newspaper ''Origo'', Lawless said that her part in the episode was the best experience she had guest-starring for a show. "It was really funny when the Comic Book Guy kidnapped me", she said.<ref name="origo">{{cite news |last=Gábor |first=Apats |title=Lucy Lawless: Annyi kardom van, hogy tele van velük a ház |language=hu |url=http://www.origo.hu/teve/20100613-interju-lucy-lawless-szinesznovel-a-xena-cimszereplojevel-a-spartacus-ver.html? |access-date=July 17, 2011 |newspaper=Origo |date=June 14, 2010 |archive-date=September 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110914043207/http://www.origo.hu/teve/20100613-interju-lucy-lawless-szinesznovel-a-xena-cimszereplojevel-a-spartacus-ver.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
"Desperately Xeeking Xena" was written by staff writer Long. At the beginning of the segment, Milhouse is seen wearing a plastic smock with a picture of Radioactive Man on it. The scene was based on an experience in Long's childhood; "I asked my mom for a Batman costume. And I got a smock that had Batman on it and said 'Batman'. It was very dispiriting" he said in the episode's DVD commentary.<ref name="Long">Long, Tim. (2008). Commentary for "Treehouse of Horror X", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> "Stretch Dude & Clobber Girl"'s theme song was written by Long and composed by [[Alf Clausen]]. During the sequence, Stretch Dude and Clobber Girl are seen assaulting [[Saddam Hussein]], the fifth President of [[Iraq]] and being thanked for their help by President [[Bill Clinton]] afterwards. According to Long, the writing staff had a "passionate" discussion about whether the duo would be attacking Hussein or [[Iran]]ian religious leader and politician [[Ruhollah Khomeini]] during the sequence.<ref name="Long" /> Scully quipped that Hussein was chosen because "he was always asking to be on the show."<ref name="Scully" /> The segment features New Zealand actress [[Lucy Lawless]] as herself. According to Long, Lawless was very happy with the segment's script. She was especially fond of the speech she gives to The Collector, in which she mentions that she was very tall as an adolescent.<ref name="Long" /> Lawless was directed by Scully, who commented that she was "terrific".<ref name="Scully" /> In an interview with the Hungarian online newspaper ''Origo'', Lawless said that her part in the episode was the best experience she had guest-starring for a show. "It was really funny when the Comic Book Guy kidnapped me", she said.<ref name="origo">{{cite news |last=Gábor |first=Apats |title=Lucy Lawless: Annyi kardom van, hogy tele van velük a ház |language=hu |url=http://www.origo.hu/teve/20100613-interju-lucy-lawless-szinesznovel-a-xena-cimszereplojevel-a-spartacus-ver.html? |access-date=July 17, 2011 |newspaper=[[Origo (website)|Origo]]|date=June 14, 2010 |archive-date=September 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110914043207/http://www.origo.hu/teve/20100613-interju-lucy-lawless-szinesznovel-a-xena-cimszereplojevel-a-spartacus-ver.html |url-status=live }}</ref>


"Life's a Glitch, Then You Die" was written and conceived by Hauge. In DVD commentary for the episode, Hauge stated that, when writing the segment, he knew it would not age well. "I was aware of it at the time, that it wouldn't last forever" he said, "But I wanted to capture that moment."<ref name="Hauge">Hauge, Ron. (2008). Commentary for "Treehouse of Horror X", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> According to director Michels, the rocket which transported the "best and brightest" of the population was drawn to resemble an [[ice pop]].<ref name="Michels" /> ''The Simpsons''<nowiki>'</nowiki> staff had a lot of trouble finding a guest star for the second rocket, and the only person who agreed to participate was American actor [[Tom Arnold (actor)|Tom Arnold]]. In the episode, Arnold is depicted as an annoying, "not-so-great" celebrity. Although he was mostly in on the joke, Arnold did "bust [the staff's] chops" a little bit when recording his lines. "He would say a line and then they'd yell cut and he'd look over at me and take a shot at me" Hauge said.<ref name="Hauge" /> Still, Hauge found Arnold's performance "fantastic"<ref name="Hauge" /> and Scully said that he was a "good sport".<ref name="Scully" /> The segment also features television personality [[Dick Clark]] as himself. A few months after the episode aired, Hauge discussed the segment with Clark in a Fox studio. According to Hauge, Clark said that the episode gave the "biggest response" he had ever gotten from anything he had ever done. "After the career that he had in television for so long, just to give him a highlight was a highlight for me" Hauge said in the episode's DVD commentary.<ref name="Hauge" />
"Life's a Glitch, Then You Die" was written and conceived by Hauge. In DVD commentary for the episode, Hauge stated that, when writing the segment, he knew it would not age well. "I was aware of it at the time, that it wouldn't last forever" he said, "But I wanted to capture that moment."<ref name="Hauge">Hauge, Ron. (2008). Commentary for "Treehouse of Horror X", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> According to director Michels, the rocket which transported the "best and brightest" of the population was drawn to resemble an [[ice pop]].<ref name="Michels" /> ''The Simpsons''<nowiki>'</nowiki> staff had a lot of trouble finding a guest star for the second rocket, and the only person who agreed to participate was American actor [[Tom Arnold (actor)|Tom Arnold]]. In the episode, Arnold is depicted as an annoying, "not-so-great" celebrity. Although he was mostly in on the joke, Arnold did "bust [the staff's] chops" a little bit when recording his lines. "He would say a line and then they'd yell cut and he'd look over at me and take a shot at me" Hauge said.<ref name="Hauge" /> Still, Hauge found Arnold's performance "fantastic"<ref name="Hauge" /> and Scully said that he was a "good sport".<ref name="Scully" /> The segment also features television personality [[Dick Clark]] as himself. A few months after the episode aired, Hauge discussed the segment with Clark in a Fox studio. According to Hauge, Clark said that the episode gave the "biggest response" he had ever gotten from anything he had ever done. "After the career that he had in television for so long, just to give him a highlight was a highlight for me" Hauge said in the episode's DVD commentary.<ref name="Hauge" />
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[[File:Matt_Groening_by_Gage_Skidmore_2.jpg|thumb|[[Matt Groening]], creator of ''The Simpsons'', is seen kidnapped by The Collector]]
[[File:Matt_Groening_by_Gage_Skidmore_2.jpg|thumb|[[Matt Groening]], creator of ''The Simpsons'', is seen kidnapped by The Collector]]
Although there is a [[Marvel Comics]] character called [[Collector (comics)|Collector]], Long did not base The Collector on him. While carrying Lawless with an electromagnet, The Collector says "Care for a [[Rolo]], sweet Xena?" The reference was included because the writing staff were given free Rolos at the time.<ref name="Long" /> In The Collector's lair, several celebrities are seen stored in aluminized PET film bags. Some of these include ''The Simpsons''<nowiki>'</nowiki> creator [[Matt Groening]] and [[Tom Baker]], who portrayed the [[Fourth Doctor|fourth incarnation]] of [[Doctor (Doctor Who)|the doctor]] in the British [[Science fiction on television|science fiction television]] series ''[[Doctor Who]]''. "There are several ''Doctor Who'' actors but Tom Baker is the one we always go with" Hauge explained in the episode's DVD commentary.<ref name="Hauge"/> Other captives include actress [[Yasmine Bleeth]], [[Gilligan (Gilligan's Island)|Gilligan]] from the series ''[[Gilligan's Island]]'' and [[Spock]] and [[Seven of Nine]] from ''[[Star Trek]]''.<ref name="ult">{{cite book |title=[[Simpsons World The Ultimate Episode Guide: Seasons 1–20]] |publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Collins Publishers]] |year=2010 |editor=Bates, James W. |editor2=Gimple, Scott M. |editor3=McCann, Jesse L. |editor4=Richmond, Ray |editor5=Seghers, Christine |isbn=978-0-00-738815-8 |edition=1st |pages=528–529}}</ref> The segment also features the series' first reference to ''[[Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace]]'', when The Collector uses a mint-condition [[Darth Maul]] double-bladed [[lightsaber]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nohomers.net/content/info/articles/11.shtml |title=I Bent My Wookiee! Celebrating the Star Wars/Simpsons Connection |access-date=2022-01-23 |date=2007-07-24 |first=Scott |last=Chernoff |publisher=No Homers Club |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724223022/http://starwars.com/community/news/media/f20070724/index.html?page=3 |archive-date=2011-07-24 }}</ref> Because the episode was written before the film's release, the writers did not know "how bad it was gonna be", in their view, and therefore did not include any "obligatory shot" at the film.<ref name="Long" /> As he dies, The Collector poses as [[Lorne Greene]]'s character [[Commander Adama (original Battlestar Galactica)|Commander Adama]] in the science fiction series ''[[Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)|Battlestar Galactica]]''.<ref name="Long" />
Although there is a [[Marvel Comics]] character called [[Collector (comics)|Collector]], Long did not base The Collector on him. While carrying Lawless with an electromagnet, The Collector says "Care for a [[Rolo]], sweet Xena?" The reference was included because the writing staff were given free Rolos at the time.<ref name="Long" /> In The Collector's lair, several celebrities are seen stored in aluminized PET film bags. Some of these include ''The Simpsons''<nowiki>'</nowiki> creator [[Matt Groening]] and [[Tom Baker]], who portrayed the [[Fourth Doctor|fourth incarnation]] of [[The Doctor]] in the British [[Science fiction on television|science fiction television]] series ''[[Doctor Who]]''. "There are several ''Doctor Who'' actors but Tom Baker is the one we always go with" Hauge explained in the episode's DVD commentary.<ref name="Hauge"/> Other captives include actress [[Yasmine Bleeth]], [[Gilligan (Gilligan's Island)|Gilligan]] from the series ''[[Gilligan's Island]]'' and [[Spock]] and [[Seven of Nine]] from ''[[Star Trek]]''.<ref name="ult">{{cite book |title=[[Simpsons World The Ultimate Episode Guide: Seasons 1–20]] |publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Collins Publishers]] |year=2010 |editor=Bates, James W. |editor2=Gimple, Scott M. |editor3=McCann, Jesse L. |editor4=Richmond, Ray |editor5=Seghers, Christine |isbn=978-0-00-738815-8 |edition=1st |pages=528–529}}</ref> The segment also features the series' first reference to ''[[Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace]]'', when The Collector uses a mint-condition [[Darth Maul]] double-bladed [[lightsaber]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nohomers.net/content/info/articles/11.shtml |title=I Bent My Wookiee! Celebrating the Star Wars/Simpsons Connection |access-date=2022-01-23 |date=2007-07-24 |first=Scott |last=Chernoff |publisher=[[LucasFilm]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724223022/http://starwars.com/community/news/media/f20070724/index.html?page=3 |archive-date=2011-07-24 }}</ref> Because the episode was written before the film's release, the writers did not know "how bad it was gonna be", in their view, and therefore did not include any "obligatory shot" at the film.<ref name="Long" /> As he dies, The Collector poses as [[Lorne Greene]]'s character [[Commander Adama (original Battlestar Galactica)|Commander Adama]] in the science fiction series ''[[Battlestar Galactica (1978 TV series)|Battlestar Galactica]]''.<ref name="Long" />


Hauge based "Life's a Glitch, Then You Die" on the hysteria involving [[Year 2000 problem|Y2K]], a digital problem that occurred the night into January 1, 2000.<ref name="Hauge" /> Humans escaping an unsavable Earth in rockets is a reference to the 1951 film ''[[When Worlds Collide (1951 film)|When Worlds Collide]]''.<ref name="ult"/> In a scene in the segment, several celebrities, including actor [[Mel Gibson]] and former [[Major League Baseball]] player [[Mark McGwire]], can be seen waiting in line for the first rocket.<ref name="Michels" /> They both guest starred as themselves in two earlier episodes from the season, "[[Beyond Blunderdome]]" and "[[Brother's Little Helper]]". Others in the line include businessman [[Bill Gates]], director [[Ron Howard]], former President [[Jimmy Carter]], scientist [[Stephen Hawking]], rock musician [[Paul McCartney]], basketball player [[Michael Jordan]] and ice skater [[Michelle Kwan]]. Those on the doomed ship include actors [[Pauly Shore]] and [[Tom Arnold (actor)|Tom Arnold]], politicians [[Ross Perot]] and [[Dan Quayle]], singer [[Courtney Love]], TV presenters [[Rosie O'Donnell]] and [[Laura Schlessinger]], film director [[Spike Lee]], activist [[Al Sharpton]] and figure skater [[Tonya Harding]].<ref name="ult"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.simpsonsarchive.com/episodes/BABF01.txt |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-11-16 |archive-date=2015-11-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123093514/http://www.simpsonsarchive.com/episodes/BABF01.txt |url-status=live }}</ref>
Hauge based "Life's a Glitch, Then You Die" on the hysteria involving [[Year 2000 problem|Y2K]], a digital problem that occurred the night into January 1, 2000.<ref name="Hauge" /> Humans escaping an unsavable Earth in rockets is a reference to the 1951 film ''[[When Worlds Collide (1951 film)|When Worlds Collide]]''.<ref name="ult"/> In a scene in the segment, several celebrities, including actor [[Mel Gibson]] and former [[Major League Baseball]] player [[Mark McGwire]], can be seen waiting in line for the first rocket.<ref name="Michels" /> They both guest starred as themselves in two earlier episodes from the season, "[[Beyond Blunderdome]]" and "[[Brother's Little Helper]]". Others in the line include businessman [[Bill Gates]], director [[Ron Howard]], former President [[Jimmy Carter]], scientist [[Stephen Hawking]], rock musician [[Paul McCartney]], basketball player [[Michael Jordan]] and ice skater [[Michelle Kwan]]. Those on the doomed ship include actors [[Pauly Shore]] and [[Tom Arnold (actor)|Tom Arnold]], politicians [[Ross Perot]] and [[Dan Quayle]], singer [[Courtney Love]], TV presenters [[Rosie O'Donnell]] and [[Laura Schlessinger]], film director [[Spike Lee]], activist [[Al Sharpton]] and figure skater [[Tonya Harding]].<ref name="ult"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.simpsonsarchive.com/episodes/BABF01.txt |title=Treehouse of Horror X |publisher=[[The Simpsons Archive]]|access-date=2015-11-16 |archive-date=2015-11-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123093514/http://www.simpsonsarchive.com/episodes/BABF01.txt |url-status=live }}</ref>


==Release and reception==
==Release and reception==
In its original American broadcast on October&nbsp;31,&nbsp;1999, "Treehouse of Horror X" received an 8.6 rating, according to [[Nielsen Media Research]], translating to approximately 8.7&nbsp;million viewers. The episode finished in 34th place in the ratings for the week of October&nbsp;25-31,&nbsp;1999.<ref name="sunsentinel">{{cite news |title=Quick end to series wounds NBC's ratings |date=November 4, 1999 |page=4E |work=[[Sun-Sentinel]] |publisher=[[MediaNews Group]] |agency=Associated Press }}</ref> Following the episode was a rerun of "[[Treehouse of Horror IX]]", which was originally broadcast the previous year.<ref name="thedeseretnews">{{cite news |title=Today on TV |date=October 31, 1999 |page=S03 |work=[[The Deseret News]] |publisher=Jim M. Wall }}</ref> In 2000, "Treehouse of Horror X" was nominated for a [[CINE|CINE Golden Eagle Award]], which it ultimately won.<ref name="Scully" /> It was also nominated for a [[Golden Reel Award (Motion Picture Sound Editors)|Golden Reel Award]] in the category of "Best Sound Editing - Television Animation", which it lost to the ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants]]'' episode "Mermaid Man & Barnacle Boy".<ref name="GRA">{{cite news|url=http://www.mpse.org/goldenreels/pastawards.html |title=Past Golden Reel Awards |access-date=July 19, 2011 |publisher=Motion Picture Sound Editors |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090317130418/http://mpse.org/goldenreels/pastawards.html |archive-date=March 17, 2009 }}</ref> On October&nbsp;7,&nbsp;2008, "Treehouse of Horror X" was released as part of ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season'' [[DVD]] set. Mike Scully, George Meyer, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Ron Hauge, Donick Cary, Tim Long, Matt Selman and Pete Michels participated in the audio commentary of the episode.<ref name="Scully" />
In its original American broadcast on October&nbsp;31,&nbsp;1999, "Treehouse of Horror X" received an 8.6 rating, according to [[Nielsen Media Research]], translating to approximately 8.7&nbsp;million viewers. The episode finished in 34th place in the ratings for the week of October&nbsp;25-31,&nbsp;1999.<ref name="sunsentinel">{{cite news |title=Quick end to series wounds NBC's ratings |date=November 4, 1999 |page=4E |work=[[Sun-Sentinel]] |publisher=[[MediaNews Group]] |agency=Associated Press }}</ref> Following the episode was a rerun of "[[Treehouse of Horror IX]]", which was originally broadcast the previous year.<ref name="thedeseretnews">{{cite news |title=Today on TV |date=October 31, 1999 |page=S03 |work=[[The Deseret News]] |publisher=Jim M. Wall }}</ref> In 2000, "Treehouse of Horror X" was nominated for a [[CINE|CINE Golden Eagle Award]], which it ultimately won.<ref name="Scully" /> It was also nominated for a [[Golden Reel Award (Motion Picture Sound Editors)|Golden Reel Award]] in the category of "Best Sound Editing - Television Animation", which it lost to the ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants]]'' episode "Mermaid Man & Barnacle Boy".<ref name="GRA">{{cite news|url=http://www.mpse.org/goldenreels/pastawards.html |title=Past Golden Reel Awards |access-date=July 19, 2011 |publisher=[[Motion Picture Sound Editors]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090317130418/http://mpse.org/goldenreels/pastawards.html |archive-date=March 17, 2009 }}</ref> On October&nbsp;7,&nbsp;2008, "Treehouse of Horror X" was released as part of ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season'' [[DVD]] set. Mike Scully, George Meyer, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Ron Hauge, Donick Cary, Tim Long, Matt Selman and Pete Michels participated in the audio commentary of the episode.<ref name="Scully" />


Following its broadcast, "Treehouse of Horror X" received positive reviews from critics. In his review of ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season'', Colin Jacobson of DVD Movie Guide wrote "Even in the series’ crummier seasons, the staff always seems to come up with a good Halloween episode", and that "Treehouse of Horror X" "continues that trend".<ref name="DVDmg" /> Of the three segments, Jacobson found "Life's a Glitch, Then You Die" to be the weakest. He wrote "[...] other than a good ending, it simply doesn’t have a lot going for it" and added that it is the most dated of the three.<ref name="DVDmg"/> He continued, "'Diddily' offers a fun horror spoof, and 'Xena' is a terrific superhero bit with plenty of cleverness."<ref name="DVDmg">{{cite web |url=http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasoneleven.shtml |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season (1999) |date=November 19, 2008 |access-date=July 19, 2011 |last=Jacobson |first=Colin |publisher=DVD Movie Guide |archive-date=July 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720102404/http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasoneleven.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> [[DVD Talk]]'s Ian Jane gave the episode a positive review as well. Considering it to be one of the season's best episodes, Jane wrote "This one, like so many that have come before and since, is a great blend of horror movie parody and Halloween themed fun in Springfield."<ref name="dvdtalk">{{cite web |url=http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/35268/simpsons-the-complete-eleventh-season-the/ |title=The Simpsons - The Complete Eleventh Season |date=November 1, 2008 |access-date=July 19, 2011 |last=Jane |first=Ian |publisher=[[DVD Talk]] |archive-date=July 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720122238/http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/35268/simpsons-the-complete-eleventh-season-the/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2007, Seb Patrick of Noise to Signal included "Desperately Xeeking Xena" in a list called "The Ten Best Treehouse of Horror Vignettes". Although he disliked Bart and Lisa's part in the segment, Patrick wrote that it "earns its stripes by being perhaps Comic Book Guy's finest hour".<ref name="noisetosignal"/> He also praised the segment's references, as well as Lawless' line "A wizard did it", a phrase used to explain continuity errors.<ref name="noisetosignal">{{cite web|url=http://www.noisetosignal.org/tv/2007/10/the-ten-best-treehouse-of-horror-vignettes.php |title=The Ten Best Treehouse of Horror Vignettes |date=October 31, 2007 |access-date=July 19, 2011 |last=Patrick |first=Seb |publisher=Noise to Signal |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080324021706/http://www.noisetosignal.org/tv/2007/10/the-ten-best-treehouse-of-horror-vignettes.php |archive-date=March 24, 2008 }}</ref> In 2009, The Collector's marriage proposal to Lawless was included in "Line-O-Rama: Comic Book Guy", a compilation of what [[IGN]] considers to be The Comic Book Guy's best lines.<ref name="ign">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/07/29/line-o-rama-comic-book-guy |title=Line-O-Rama: Comic Book Guy |date=July 29, 2009 |access-date=January 23, 2022 |last=Schedeen |first=Jesse |publisher=[[IGN]] |archive-date=February 13, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213140514/http://tv.ign.com/articles/100/1008864p2.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
Following its broadcast, "Treehouse of Horror X" received positive reviews from critics. In his review of ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season'', Colin Jacobson of DVD Movie Guide wrote "Even in the series’ crummier seasons, the staff always seems to come up with a good Halloween episode", and that "Treehouse of Horror X" "continues that trend".<ref name="DVDmg" /> Of the three segments, Jacobson found "Life's a Glitch, Then You Die" to be the weakest. He wrote "[...] other than a good ending, it simply doesn’t have a lot going for it" and added that it is the most dated of the three.<ref name="DVDmg"/> He continued, "'Diddily' offers a fun horror spoof, and 'Xena' is a terrific superhero bit with plenty of cleverness."<ref name="DVDmg">{{cite web |url=http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasoneleven.shtml |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season (1999) |date=November 19, 2008 |access-date=July 19, 2011 |last=Jacobson |first=Colin |publisher=DVD Movie Guide |archive-date=July 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720102404/http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasoneleven.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> [[DVD Talk]]'s Ian Jane gave the episode a positive review as well. Considering it to be one of the season's best episodes, Jane wrote "This one, like so many that have come before and since, is a great blend of horror movie parody and Halloween themed fun in Springfield."<ref name="dvdtalk">{{cite web |url=http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/35268/simpsons-the-complete-eleventh-season-the/ |title=The Simpsons - The Complete Eleventh Season |date=November 1, 2008 |access-date=July 19, 2011 |last=Jane |first=Ian |publisher=[[DVD Talk]] |archive-date=July 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720122238/http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/35268/simpsons-the-complete-eleventh-season-the/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2007, Seb Patrick of Noise to Signal included "Desperately Xeeking Xena" in a list called "The Ten Best Treehouse of Horror Vignettes". Although he disliked Bart and Lisa's part in the segment, Patrick wrote that it "earns its stripes by being perhaps Comic Book Guy's finest hour".<ref name="noisetosignal"/> He also praised the segment's references, as well as Lawless' line "A wizard did it", a phrase used to explain continuity errors.<ref name="noisetosignal">{{cite web|url=http://www.noisetosignal.org/tv/2007/10/the-ten-best-treehouse-of-horror-vignettes.php |title=The Ten Best Treehouse of Horror Vignettes |date=October 31, 2007 |access-date=July 19, 2011 |last=Patrick |first=Seb |publisher=Noise to Signal |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080324021706/http://www.noisetosignal.org/tv/2007/10/the-ten-best-treehouse-of-horror-vignettes.php |archive-date=March 24, 2008 }}</ref> In 2009, The Collector's marriage proposal to Lawless was included in "Line-O-Rama: Comic Book Guy", a compilation of what [[IGN]] considers to be The Comic Book Guy's best lines.<ref name="ign">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/07/29/line-o-rama-comic-book-guy |title=Line-O-Rama: Comic Book Guy |date=July 29, 2009 |access-date=January 23, 2022 |last=Schedeen |first=Jesse |website=[[IGN]] |archive-date=February 13, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213140514/http://tv.ign.com/articles/100/1008864p2.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Comic book series==
{{main|Simpsons Super Spectacular}}
A spin-off comic book series based on the segment "Desperately Xeeking Xena", entitled ''[[Simpsons Super Spectacular]]'', has been published by [[Bongo Comics]] since 2005,<ref name="UGO">{{cite web|url=http://simpsons.ugo.com/?cur=simpsons-super-spectacular-comic&gallery=true|title=Simpsons Super Spectacular|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080916164742/http://simpsons.ugo.com/?cur=simpsons-super-spectacular-comic&gallery=true |archive-date=2008-09-16|publisher=[[UGO Networks]]|access-date=November 3, 2024}}</ref> following the continued adventures of Stretch Dude and Clobber Girl (with the addition of Bouncing Battle Baby).


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:Halloween television episodes]]
[[Category:Television episodes directed by Pete Michels]]
[[Category:Television episodes directed by Pete Michels]]
[[Category:Television episodes written by Tim Long]]


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[[Category:Television episodes set in the 1990s]]

Latest revision as of 22:22, 18 December 2024

"Treehouse of Horror X"
The Simpsons episode
Episode no.Season 11
Episode 4
Directed byPete Michels
Written by"I Know What You Diddily-Iddily-Did":
Donick Cary
"Desperately Xeeking Xena":
Tim Long
"Life's a Glitch, Then You Die":
Ron Hauge
Production codeBABF01
Original air dateOctober 31, 1999 (1999-10-31)
Guest appearances
Episode features
Couch gagEach member of the family dresses up as something from a previous "Treehouse of Horror" special, save for Lisa, who is an axe victim.
CommentaryMike Scully
George Meyer
Ian Maxtone-Graham
Ron Hauge
Donick Cary
Tim Long
Matt Selman
Pete Michels
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner?"
Next →
"E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt)"
The Simpsons season 11
List of episodes

"Treehouse of Horror X" is the fourth episode of the eleventh season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the tenth annual Treehouse of Horror episode, consisting of three self-contained segments. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on Halloween 1999. In "I Know What You Diddily-Iddily-Did", the Simpsons cover up a murder and are haunted by an unseen witness. In "Desperately Xeeking Xena", Lisa and Bart gain superpowers and must rescue Xena star Lucy Lawless from the Comic Book Guy's alter ego The Collector, and in "Life's a Glitch, Then You Die", Homer causes worldwide destruction thanks to the Y2K bug.

"Treehouse of Horror X" was directed by Pete Michels and written by Ron Hauge, Donick Cary and Tim Long. The episode contains numerous parodies and references to horror and science fiction works, including Doctor Who, I Know What You Did Last Summer and Battlestar Galactica. It also features actress Lucy Lawless and actors Tom Arnold, and Dick Clark as themselves. In its original broadcast, the episode was seen by approximately 8.7 million viewers, finishing in 34th place in the ratings the week it aired. Since its airing, the episode received positive reviews from critics. A spin-off comic book series based on the segment "Desperately Xeeking Xena", entitled Simpsons Super Spectacular, has been published by Bongo Comics since 2005.[1]

Plot

[edit]

"I Know What You Diddily-Iddily-Did"

[edit]

The Simpsons are driving through a fog when Marge runs over Ned Flanders, killing him. The next day, Homer stages Ned's death. Soon after Ned's funeral, during which Homer almost unwittingly confesses to Ned's murder, the family finds the words "I Know What You Did" written on their house and car. They are terrorized by a cloaked, hook-wielding figure, and flee. When their car breaks down, they discover that Ned is the cloaked figure. He was not killed because he was bitten by a werewolf just before the accident. The full moon appears and Ned turns into a werewolf. Marge, Bart, Maggie and Lisa run away but Homer is caught, and taunts the werewolf while he is mauled to death.

"Desperately Xeeking Xena"

[edit]

A malfunctioning X-ray machine gives Bart the ability to stretch any part of his body and Lisa super strength. They become a superhero duo, calling themselves "Stretch Dude and Clobber Girl". Lucy Lawless addresses fans at a science fiction convention. Comic Book Guy, now a villain called "The Collector", kidnaps her and takes her to his lair with the intention of marrying her. Stretch Dude and Clobber Girl arrive to rescue Lawless, but are also captured. The Collector prepares to kill them by submerging them in a vat of molten Lucite. Lawless pretends to be attracted to the Collector and then clobbers him. The Collector grabs his limited edition double edged lightsaber from Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace and ignites the blades, but when Lawless points out that he has removed it from its original packaging, he panics and falls into the Lucite. Lawless flies the children home.

"Life's a Glitch, Then You Die"

[edit]

On December 31, 1999, Homer, the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant's Y2K compliance officer, has neglected to fix all possible problems in the plant's computers. This results in a computer virus causing widespread destruction and societal collapse. The family learns that a rocket is being prepared for humanity's "best and brightest", and will carry them to Mars to preserve human civilization. Homer fails to bluff his way on board but the guard recognizes Lisa as the ship's designated proofreader. Lisa is only able to take one parent with her, and immediately chooses Marge (and Maggie as she was carrying her). Homer and Bart find a second, unguarded rocket. They quickly notice that it is filled with second-rate celebrities. While this rocket is headed directly for the sun, Homer and Bart cannot bear being with these passengers and eject themselves into space.

Production

[edit]

"Treehouse of Horror X" was directed by Pete Michels and written by Donick Cary, Tim Long and Ron Hauge. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on Halloween, 1999.[2] "I Know What You Diddily-Iddily-Did" was conceived and written by former staff writer Cary. In the DVD commentary for the episode, Cary said that he came up with the segment after watching the 1997 horror film I Know What You Did Last Summer. "I had just seen the movie and I was like, 'Hey, there you go.'" he said.[3] While Flanders serves as the segment's antagonist, the role was originally written for Grampa,[4] who would chase Homer inside a roller disco. While Grampa does not appear in the segment, the Springfield Roller Disco is seen during the Simpsons escape from Flanders.[3] Despite serving as writer for the segment, Cary left the series after finishing the first draft in order to work on an animated Austin Powers series, which never came to fruition. In his absence, the writing staff rewrote the last quarter of the segment and added the revelation that Flanders is a werewolf.[3] In order to dispose of Ned Flanders' corpse, Homer throws his body into Flanders' house. After he is finished, he says "That's the end of that chapter", a phrase used as a catchphrase in the season 10 episode "Homer to the Max" and one that Cary often uses in his everyday life. "That's just something that comes up a lot in my life is when no matter if it's a good or a bad thing, just move on" he said.[3]

Guest actors in "Treehouse of Horror X"

"Desperately Xeeking Xena" was written by staff writer Long. At the beginning of the segment, Milhouse is seen wearing a plastic smock with a picture of Radioactive Man on it. The scene was based on an experience in Long's childhood; "I asked my mom for a Batman costume. And I got a smock that had Batman on it and said 'Batman'. It was very dispiriting" he said in the episode's DVD commentary.[5] "Stretch Dude & Clobber Girl"'s theme song was written by Long and composed by Alf Clausen. During the sequence, Stretch Dude and Clobber Girl are seen assaulting Saddam Hussein, the fifth President of Iraq and being thanked for their help by President Bill Clinton afterwards. According to Long, the writing staff had a "passionate" discussion about whether the duo would be attacking Hussein or Iranian religious leader and politician Ruhollah Khomeini during the sequence.[5] Scully quipped that Hussein was chosen because "he was always asking to be on the show."[2] The segment features New Zealand actress Lucy Lawless as herself. According to Long, Lawless was very happy with the segment's script. She was especially fond of the speech she gives to The Collector, in which she mentions that she was very tall as an adolescent.[5] Lawless was directed by Scully, who commented that she was "terrific".[2] In an interview with the Hungarian online newspaper Origo, Lawless said that her part in the episode was the best experience she had guest-starring for a show. "It was really funny when the Comic Book Guy kidnapped me", she said.[6]

"Life's a Glitch, Then You Die" was written and conceived by Hauge. In DVD commentary for the episode, Hauge stated that, when writing the segment, he knew it would not age well. "I was aware of it at the time, that it wouldn't last forever" he said, "But I wanted to capture that moment."[7] According to director Michels, the rocket which transported the "best and brightest" of the population was drawn to resemble an ice pop.[4] The Simpsons' staff had a lot of trouble finding a guest star for the second rocket, and the only person who agreed to participate was American actor Tom Arnold. In the episode, Arnold is depicted as an annoying, "not-so-great" celebrity. Although he was mostly in on the joke, Arnold did "bust [the staff's] chops" a little bit when recording his lines. "He would say a line and then they'd yell cut and he'd look over at me and take a shot at me" Hauge said.[7] Still, Hauge found Arnold's performance "fantastic"[7] and Scully said that he was a "good sport".[2] The segment also features television personality Dick Clark as himself. A few months after the episode aired, Hauge discussed the segment with Clark in a Fox studio. According to Hauge, Clark said that the episode gave the "biggest response" he had ever gotten from anything he had ever done. "After the career that he had in television for so long, just to give him a highlight was a highlight for me" Hauge said in the episode's DVD commentary.[7]

Cultural references

[edit]

The opening segment, which shows Kang and Kodos attempting to entertain an audience of aliens, was "born out of [The Simpsons' staff's] love" of comedy teams like Martin and Lewis and the Smothers Brothers.[2] The plot of "I Know What You Diddily-Iddily-Did" is based on the 1997 horror film I Know What You Did Last Summer.[3] At the beginning of the segment, the Simpsons are seen escaping from a group of vampires. Holding a package of Super Sugar Crisp cereal, Homer starts singing a jingle about the cereal. Super Sugar Crisp is a reference to the breakfast cereal Golden Crisp, while the jingle Homer sings references "Can't get enough of that Golden Crisp", a jingle sung by Golden Crisp's mascot Sugar Bear during advertisements for the cereal. According to Scully, the series' staff had a lot of trouble clearing the song for the episode. "Apparently, they didn't want the tune [...] used in this context" he said in the episode's DVD commentary.[2]

Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, is seen kidnapped by The Collector

Although there is a Marvel Comics character called Collector, Long did not base The Collector on him. While carrying Lawless with an electromagnet, The Collector says "Care for a Rolo, sweet Xena?" The reference was included because the writing staff were given free Rolos at the time.[5] In The Collector's lair, several celebrities are seen stored in aluminized PET film bags. Some of these include The Simpsons' creator Matt Groening and Tom Baker, who portrayed the fourth incarnation of The Doctor in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. "There are several Doctor Who actors but Tom Baker is the one we always go with" Hauge explained in the episode's DVD commentary.[7] Other captives include actress Yasmine Bleeth, Gilligan from the series Gilligan's Island and Spock and Seven of Nine from Star Trek.[8] The segment also features the series' first reference to Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, when The Collector uses a mint-condition Darth Maul double-bladed lightsaber.[9] Because the episode was written before the film's release, the writers did not know "how bad it was gonna be", in their view, and therefore did not include any "obligatory shot" at the film.[5] As he dies, The Collector poses as Lorne Greene's character Commander Adama in the science fiction series Battlestar Galactica.[5]

Hauge based "Life's a Glitch, Then You Die" on the hysteria involving Y2K, a digital problem that occurred the night into January 1, 2000.[7] Humans escaping an unsavable Earth in rockets is a reference to the 1951 film When Worlds Collide.[8] In a scene in the segment, several celebrities, including actor Mel Gibson and former Major League Baseball player Mark McGwire, can be seen waiting in line for the first rocket.[4] They both guest starred as themselves in two earlier episodes from the season, "Beyond Blunderdome" and "Brother's Little Helper". Others in the line include businessman Bill Gates, director Ron Howard, former President Jimmy Carter, scientist Stephen Hawking, rock musician Paul McCartney, basketball player Michael Jordan and ice skater Michelle Kwan. Those on the doomed ship include actors Pauly Shore and Tom Arnold, politicians Ross Perot and Dan Quayle, singer Courtney Love, TV presenters Rosie O'Donnell and Laura Schlessinger, film director Spike Lee, activist Al Sharpton and figure skater Tonya Harding.[8][10]

Release and reception

[edit]

In its original American broadcast on October 31, 1999, "Treehouse of Horror X" received an 8.6 rating, according to Nielsen Media Research, translating to approximately 8.7 million viewers. The episode finished in 34th place in the ratings for the week of October 25-31, 1999.[11] Following the episode was a rerun of "Treehouse of Horror IX", which was originally broadcast the previous year.[12] In 2000, "Treehouse of Horror X" was nominated for a CINE Golden Eagle Award, which it ultimately won.[2] It was also nominated for a Golden Reel Award in the category of "Best Sound Editing - Television Animation", which it lost to the SpongeBob SquarePants episode "Mermaid Man & Barnacle Boy".[13] On October 7, 2008, "Treehouse of Horror X" was released as part of The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season DVD set. Mike Scully, George Meyer, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Ron Hauge, Donick Cary, Tim Long, Matt Selman and Pete Michels participated in the audio commentary of the episode.[2]

Following its broadcast, "Treehouse of Horror X" received positive reviews from critics. In his review of The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season, Colin Jacobson of DVD Movie Guide wrote "Even in the series’ crummier seasons, the staff always seems to come up with a good Halloween episode", and that "Treehouse of Horror X" "continues that trend".[14] Of the three segments, Jacobson found "Life's a Glitch, Then You Die" to be the weakest. He wrote "[...] other than a good ending, it simply doesn’t have a lot going for it" and added that it is the most dated of the three.[14] He continued, "'Diddily' offers a fun horror spoof, and 'Xena' is a terrific superhero bit with plenty of cleverness."[14] DVD Talk's Ian Jane gave the episode a positive review as well. Considering it to be one of the season's best episodes, Jane wrote "This one, like so many that have come before and since, is a great blend of horror movie parody and Halloween themed fun in Springfield."[15] In 2007, Seb Patrick of Noise to Signal included "Desperately Xeeking Xena" in a list called "The Ten Best Treehouse of Horror Vignettes". Although he disliked Bart and Lisa's part in the segment, Patrick wrote that it "earns its stripes by being perhaps Comic Book Guy's finest hour".[16] He also praised the segment's references, as well as Lawless' line "A wizard did it", a phrase used to explain continuity errors.[16] In 2009, The Collector's marriage proposal to Lawless was included in "Line-O-Rama: Comic Book Guy", a compilation of what IGN considers to be The Comic Book Guy's best lines.[17]

Comic book series

[edit]

A spin-off comic book series based on the segment "Desperately Xeeking Xena", entitled Simpsons Super Spectacular, has been published by Bongo Comics since 2005,[1] following the continued adventures of Stretch Dude and Clobber Girl (with the addition of Bouncing Battle Baby).

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Simpsons Super Spectacular". UGO Networks. Archived from the original on September 16, 2008. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Scully, Mike. (2008). Commentary for "Treehouse of Horror X", in The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  3. ^ a b c d e Cary, Donick. (2008). Commentary for "Treehouse of Horror X", in The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  4. ^ a b c Michels, Pete. (2008). Commentary for "Treehouse of Horror X", in The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Long, Tim. (2008). Commentary for "Treehouse of Horror X", in The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  6. ^ Gábor, Apats (June 14, 2010). "Lucy Lawless: Annyi kardom van, hogy tele van velük a ház". Origo (in Hungarian). Archived from the original on September 14, 2011. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Hauge, Ron. (2008). Commentary for "Treehouse of Horror X", in The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  8. ^ a b c Bates, James W.; Gimple, Scott M.; McCann, Jesse L.; Richmond, Ray; Seghers, Christine, eds. (2010). Simpsons World The Ultimate Episode Guide: Seasons 1–20 (1st ed.). Harper Collins Publishers. pp. 528–529. ISBN 978-0-00-738815-8.
  9. ^ Chernoff, Scott (July 24, 2007). "I Bent My Wookiee! Celebrating the Star Wars/Simpsons Connection". LucasFilm. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  10. ^ "Treehouse of Horror X". The Simpsons Archive. Archived from the original on November 23, 2015. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  11. ^ "Quick end to series wounds NBC's ratings". Sun-Sentinel. MediaNews Group. Associated Press. November 4, 1999. p. 4E.
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