Honestly, the annual Halloween tradition in Springfield has been hit or miss for a long time. We all know it. By the time we reached the twenty-sixth installment, the golden age of the 90s felt like a distant, hand-drawn fever dream. But Simpsons Treehouse of Horror XXVI, which first aired during Season 27, occupies this weird, specific space in the show's history. It’s the episode where the writers finally pulled the trigger on a fan-theory-turned-obsession: Sideshow Bob actually killing Bart Simpson.
It was a big deal. People had been waiting decades for Bob to get his win.
But did it actually live up to the hype? Or was it just another "zombie Simpsons" era gimmick? Looking back at it now, the episode is a chaotic mix of genuinely clever animation experiments and the usual late-season cynicism. It’s got Kelsey Grammer’s booming baritone, a parody of Godzilla that feels strangely nostalgic, and a Cronenberg-inspired segment that is probably the grossest thing the show has done in ten years.
Sideshow Bob Finally Gets His Day
The first segment, "Wanted: Dead, Then Alive," is the one everyone remember. It’s the hook. After 25 years of rakes to the face and elaborate schemes foiled by a ten-year-old, Sideshow Bob finally succeeds. He spears Bart through the chest. It’s surprisingly grim for a show that usually resets the status quo every twenty-two minutes.
What makes this segment work isn't just the murder—it’s the existential crisis that follows. Bob realizes that his entire identity was built on the hunt. Without Bart, he’s just a guy with giant feet and no purpose. He ends up becoming a professor at a university, but he’s bored out of his mind. So, he does what any self-respecting mad scientist would do: he builds a machine to resurrect Bart just so he can kill him again and again in increasingly creative ways.
It’s dark. Like, really dark.
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We see Bart crushed by a steamroller, eaten by a lion, and dissolved. It’s a meta-commentary on the nature of the show itself. The Simpsons is a loop. Characters die and come back because the format demands it. By making Bob the one controlling the loop, the writers actually tapped into something clever. Grammer’s performance remains the gold standard for guest stars; his singing voice alone carries the segment through some of its slower pacing.
When Springfield Met Godzilla
Then we move into "Homerzilla." This is a parody of the original 1954 Gojira, and it’s filmed in a grainy, black-and-white style that looks fantastic. It’s a tribute to the "suit-actor" era of kaiju films. Homer plays the monster, obviously, and he's fueled by a steady diet of wasted offerings.
The twist here isn't the monster rampage. It's the Hollywood satire.
Once the "Homerzilla" movie fails in the story, the episode pivots to mocking the way modern film studios reboot everything into oblivion. They take a charming, low-budget Japanese monster movie and turn it into a bloated, CGI-heavy blockbuster called Zilla. It’s a direct jab at the 1998 Godzilla and the various reboots that have followed. You can tell the writers had a lot of pent-up frustration with the film industry. It’s cynical, sure, but it’s accurate. The joke about the merchandising being the only thing that matters still hits home in 2026, especially in an era of endless cinematic universes.
The Animation Shift
I have to mention the visuals here. The contrast between the grainy, shaky-cam "classic" monster footage and the slick, soulless "modern" version is a great touch. It shows that even when the writing feels a bit thin, the animation team on Simpsons Treehouse of Horror XXVI was still firing on all cylinders. They captured the aesthetic of the Toho films perfectly.
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Teleporters and Body Horror
The final segment, "Telepaths of Glory," is a riff on the found-footage movie Chronicle. Lisa, Bart, and Milhouse fall into a hole and gain psychic powers from some glowing radioactive sludge. Lisa uses her powers to improve the world—or her version of it—while Milhouse just goes on a power trip.
It’s fine. It’s okay. It’s not the strongest segment in the episode’s history.
However, it leads into the "Treehouse of Horror XXVI" couch gag, which was actually directed by the legendary John Kricfalusi (the creator of Ren & Stimpy). This is where the episode gets truly bizarre. The animation style shifts into this fluid, rubbery, grotesque world that feels completely alien to the standard Simpsons look. It’s unsettling. It’s vibrant. It feels like a hallucination.
Why This Episode Matters for Modern Fans
You’ve got to look at where the show was in 2015. It was struggling to stay relevant. By leaning into these high-concept parodies and bringing back a heavy hitter like Sideshow Bob, they managed to create a "Treehouse of Horror" that people actually talked about the next day.
- The Voice Acting: Kelsey Grammer brings a level of prestige that elevates the material.
- The Meta-Humor: The show is at its best when it's making fun of its own longevity.
- The Visual Variety: From black-and-white film to Kricfalusi’s madness, it’s a visual feast.
Is it as good as "The Shinning" or "Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace"? No. Let's be real. Nothing is. But it’s a solid B-tier entry that proved the show could still be weird and experimental when it wanted to be. It didn't just play it safe. It killed a main character (even if it didn't stick) and mocked the very industry that keeps it on the air.
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Common Misconceptions
People often think this was the first time a main character died in a Halloween special. It’s not. Homer has died dozens of times. But it was the first time the show dedicated a massive narrative arc to the emotional fallout of that death from the villain's perspective. It turned the Bob/Bart dynamic on its head. Usually, Bob is the one we feel bad for in a slapstick way; here, he's a true psychopath who can't let go of his obsession.
Also, many fans forget that this episode featured a cameo by Frank Grimes' ghost in the opening. It’s a tiny detail, but it’s a nod to the hardcore fans who remember "Homer's Enemy" as one of the darkest episodes ever.
How to Revisit the Classics
If you're planning a marathon, don't just stop at the 90s stuff. Watching Simpsons Treehouse of Horror XXVI back-to-back with a classic like Treehouse of Horror IV actually highlights how the humor has shifted from character-driven spoofs to more stylistic, meta-commentary.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Rewatch:
- Look at the Backgrounds: In the "Homerzilla" segment, the signs in the "Japanese" city are filled with hidden jokes that pass by in a blink.
- Compare the Bob Segments: Watch this alongside "Cape Feare." It’s fascinating to see how Bob’s character evolved from a sophisticated criminal to a supernatural-adjacent mad scientist.
- Check the Credits: The Halloween episodes always have "scary" names for the crew. It’s a tradition that started in Season 2 and remains one of the most charming parts of the show.
The best way to enjoy modern Simpsons is to stop comparing it to 1994. It’s a different beast now. It’s faster, it’s shinier, and it’s much more focused on the medium of animation itself. Simpsons Treehouse of Horror XXVI is a prime example of that shift. It’s a messy, loud, and occasionally brilliant half-hour of television that reminds us why we still tune in every October, even if it's just to see what kind of weirdness they’ll cook up next.