Matt Groening didn't really want The Raven to happen. When Sam Simon conceived and wrote arguably the most famous ever Treehouse Of Horror sequences - Groening was skeptical and said it would be "the worst, most pretentious thing ever done" on the show. Thankfully, Simon's conviction prevailed. Not only is it the most memorable of all the horror sequences, it was also a statement of intent that said The Simpsons wasn't going to just be a collection of silly jokes that might race towards the ground. It was going to be both funny and intelligent, and Simon's faith was rewarded by fan praise that proved the audience was interested in such depth.