Treehouse of Horror XIX

Infobox Simpsons episode
episode_name = Treehouse of Horror XIX


image_caption =
episode_no = 424
prod_code = KABF16cite news|author=|title=Listings - SIMPSONS, THE on FOX|publisher=The Futon Critic|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/listings.aspx?id=20081010fox17&date=11/02/08|accessdate=2008-10-11|date=2008-10-11]
airdate = November 2, 2008
show runner = Al Jean
writer = Matt Warburton
director = Bob Anderson
guest_star =
blackboard =
couch_gag =
season = 20

"Treehouse of Horror XIX" is an upcoming episode of the twentieth season of "The Simpsons".cite news|author=Travis Fickett|title=Fox Animation: The Future and Beyond|work=IGN|date=2008-07-15|url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/889/889877p5.html|accessdate=2008-07-16] It will air November 2, 2008.

Plot

Homer tries to vote for Barack Obama in the 2008 American presidential election, but the voting machine is rigged to turn his vote into one for John McCain, and kills him.cite news|url=http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/features/article_1432969.php/The_Simpsons_Al_Jean_interview_new_season_begins_September_28?page=2|title='The Simpsons' Al Jean interview, new season begins September 28|publisher=Monsters and Critics|accessdate=2008-09-25|date=2008-09-25|author=April MacIntyre] [cite news|author=Alynda Wheat|title=Comic-Con: 'The Simpsons'...coming to an end?|publisher="Entertainment Weekly"|url=http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2008/07/comic-con-the-s.html|accessdate=2008-07-26|date=2008-07-26]
*"How to Get Ahead in Dead-Vertising": Homer discovers that the likenesses of dead celebrities can be put in commercials for free, so he starts killing celebrities.
*"Untitled Robot Parody": In a parody of "Transformers", Bart buys a birthday present from a 99 cent store, which turns out to be a Transformer. When the Autobots and Decepticons bring their conflict to Springfield, Marge asks why the robots war with one another, inspiring the two sides to team up and conquer the human race.cite news|author=Fred Topel|title=Simpsons Parodies Transformers|work=Sci Fi Wire|date=2008-09-10|url=http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=1&id=59752|accessdate=2008-09-10]
*"It's the Grand Pumpkin, Milhouse": In a parody of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown", the Grand Pumpkin comes to life and becomes upset with human beings carving up pumpkins, so it tries to eat everyone. [cite news|author=Jim Vejvoda|title=SDCC 08: Simpsons Footage Screened|publisher=IGN|url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/894/894050p1.html|accessdate=2008-07-26|date=2008-07-26]

Production

The reason the segment couldn't be named "It's the Great Pumpkin, Milhouse" to exactly match its namesake was because of a "big legal issue", according to executive producer Al Jean. However, the characters were redesigned to resemble the style of "Peanuts", and they also obtained rights to use Vince Guaraldi's music.

The "Transformers" parody is modeled on the live action film, rather than the cartoon. Al Jean said it was "just really fun to do transformations [and] you can see why they enjoyed doing that film."

References