The Simpsons: 10 Best Ever Treehouse Of Horror Stories
3. The Devil And Homer Simpson (Treehouse of Horror IV)
A proper classic this: when an episode has a tie-in figurine sorted out within about 20 minutes of it finishing, you know its a cracker. Well, it had a tie-in action figure way back when that actually meant something. As of 2015, I dont think theres a character in The Simpsons whos not been turned into a tie-in action figure. Theyve even got a Wendell figurine. Wendell!
You know the set-up - Homer sells his soul to the Devil, Ned Flanders, and visits hell before being put on trial before the most evil jury ever devised (including Richard Nixon, Benedict Arnold, Lizzie Neilsen) Best of all, this means its got some of Lionel Hutzs finest work in it: Mr Simpson, don't you worry. I watched Matlock in a bar last night. The sound wasn't on, but I think I got the gist of it, he says while combing his hair with a fork.
Fortunately, theres an out: it turns out that while recovering from eating his entire wedding cake on his own before their actual wedding, Homer had pledged his soul to Marge for eternity. That would be a very genuinely sweet moment to end on, but theres still sweeter to come.
In a final fit of pique, Ned Diablo curses Homer with the cruellest affliction possible: a doughnut for a head which, if he eats it, will presumably kill him. Im not sure if theres been any medical research into what would happen in that scenario, but its a fair bet.