The Simpsonsis packed with references to several movies and TV shows, and for its Treehouse of Horror specials, it has mostly taken inspiration fromThe Twilight Zone, but one episode from 22 years ago was actually better than theTwilight Zoneepisode it parodied.The Simpsonscontinues to be the longest-running American animated series, and at the time of writing, it’s preparing for its 37th season. For decades,The Simpsonshas delivered a bunch of memorable jokes, while also shooting shots at many real-life people and events, and parodying various movies and TV shows.
The Simpsonshas famously parodied classics likeCitizen KaneandThe Godfathermore than once, as well as movies likeFree Willy,Pulp Fiction,Cape Fear, and a lot more.The Simpsonshas also found inspiration from other classic TV shows, such asDallas,Tom and Jerry,MacGyver, andThe Flintstones, to name a few. One that has been a consistent source of inspiration forThe Simpsons’ Halloween episodes isThe Twilight Zone, but one ofThe Simpsons’ parodies ended up being better than the original episode.
The Simpsons’ “Stop The World, I Want To Goof Off” Is Better Than The Twilight Zone’s “A Kind of a Stopwatch”
“A Kind of a Stopwatch” Aired In 1963
One ofThe Simpsons’ traditions is the Treehouse of Horror specials, which are non-canonical episodes split into segments, each one telling a different story inspired by or parodying other stories. Thanks toThe Twilight Zonehaving many classic episodes, most of them horror and sci-fi oriented, many of them have been parodied inThe Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror specials, but in 2003, one of the segments in the famous Springfield family’s Halloween episode was a lot better than theTwilight Zoneepisode it was based on: “Stop The World, I Want To Goof Off.”
The original episode follows Patrick McNulty (Richard Erdman), an annoying, self-important man.
This is the third segment in “Treehouse of Horror XIV”, fromThe Simpsonsseason 15, and it parodiesThe Twilight Zone’s season 5 episode “A Kind of a Stopwatch.” The original episode follows Patrick McNulty (Richard Erdman), an annoying, self-important man who was recently fired and who receives a stopwatch from a drunk man at the bar. This watch allows McNulty to stop time as he pleases, but when trying to show the show’s power to others, he comes off as crazy. When trying to rob a bank, McNulty drops and breaks the watch, permanently freezing time.
InThe Simpsons,Bart and Milhouse get a stopwatch from an ad and use it to prank the residents of Springfield, but when they are caught, a lynch mob goes after them. Right before they are caught, Bart and Milhouse stop time again, but the watch breaks. It takes Bart and Milhouse 15 years to repair the watch and unfreeze everyone, and at the end of the episode, Lisa realizes she can also alter reality, so she changes it until Bart is a 10-year-old again.
McNulty in theTwilight Zoneepisode is unlikable, so much so that he’s undeserving of having the power of a stopwatch, and it’s really hard to feel bad about him.
AlthoughThe Simpsonsis always about laughs, and the Treehouse of Horror specials are no exception, “Stop the World, I Want To Goof Off” is better than “A Kind of a Stopwatch” in large part thanks to its protagonists. McNulty in theTwilight Zoneepisode is unlikable, so much so that he’s undeserving of having the power of a stopwatch, and it’s really hard to feel bad about him when he ends up in a permanently frozen world, completely alone.
Bart and Milhouse, on the other hand, seize the stopwatch a lot more, and the idea of two kids being completely alone in a world where everyone else is frozen is actually terrifying – luckily, it has a verySimpsonssolution that makes it one ofthe best Treehouse of Horror segments.
Some Of The Best Simpsons Episodes Are Twilight Zone Parodies
The Simpsons Found Gold In The Twilight Zone
ManyTwilight Zoneepisodeshave givenThe Simpsonssome of its best stories, and it will surely continue to give it more. Amongthe bestSimpsonsepisodesthat are also parodies ofThe Twilight Zoneare “The Bart Zone”, based on “It’s a Good Life”, in which Bart had mysterious powers; “Clown Without Pity”, based on “Living Doll”, with a Krusty doll coming to life; “Terror at 5 ½ Feet”, based on “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet”, where the plane was changed for a school bus; and “The Genesis Tub”, based on “The Little People”, where Lisa accidentally creates life with a school project.
Parodies of different movies and TV shows have become part of the brand ofThe Simpsons, and with more seasons confirmed to happen, the show will surely continue doing these – what is to be seen, however, is if the upcoming Treehouse of Horror specials take more inspiration fromThe Twilight Zoneor will go for something more modern.
The Simpsons
Cast
The Simpsons is an animated series set in the fictional town of Springfield, following the daily lives of the Simpson family—Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. Premiering in 1989, the show is renowned for its satirical commentary on politics, media, and American culture, featuring numerous celebrity guest appearances.
