When it got here time for “The Simpsons” to do a “Treehouse of Horror” phase about “It,” the clown-heavy Stephen King guide that was just lately made right into a two-part film adaptation, they determined to modify issues up a bit. They made the phase episode-length, which gave them simply sufficient time to do the story justice. The seven-person pal group from the supply materials was became the five-person pal group of Homer, Marge, Moe, Lenny, and Comedian Guide Man. The love triangle between Invoice, Beverly, and Ben was became the story’s important focus, this time with Homer and Comedian Guide Man preventing over Marge.
The episode, “Not It,” was an enormous success, reeling in lots of viewers who’d in any other case tuned out from the present’s post-golden period seasons. It was additionally successful amongst Stephen King followers, particularly because the “Treehouse of Horror” sequence has at all times been surprisingly mild on parodies of King-based films. Certain, the present did a phase about “The Shining” in season 5 and a phase about “The Useless Zone” in season 15, however that was just about it. Contemplating what number of “Twilight Zone” parodies the Halloween episodes gave us, it is odd that they used Stephen King so sparingly.
Additionally somewhat odd is how Stephen King was supplied the prospect to voice a cameo for the present’s newest parody of King’s work, however he declined. “[He] declined to take part on this one,” mentioned showrunner Matt Selman in a 2022 interview. “I do not suppose he fairly — a few of these authors, they do not perceive that they’ve all the facility. He is the model. He should know that; he is Stephen King. So iconic. Like, I do not even suppose I’ve time to learn all of the books he is written in the remainder of my life, not to mention for one particular person to write down all these books.”
Stephen King had starred on ‘The Simpsons’ earlier than
Perhaps one purpose for King’s disinterest in “Not It” is as a result of he’d already appeared on “The Simpsons” earlier than. Within the 2000 episode, “Insane Clown Poppy,” King voices himself at a guide honest. Marge asks what mission he is engaged on now, and King says he is determined to take a break from the horror style. “I am engaged on a biography of Benjamin Franklin,” he says. “He found electrical energy and used it to torture small animals and Inexperienced Mountain Males … and that key he tied on the finish of a kite? It opened the gates of hell!”
As somebody who admittedly wasn’t that impressed with King’s performing in his “It: Half Two” cameo, I used to be pleasantly shocked on rewatch to see how nicely he delivers his traces on “The Simpsons.” Nonetheless, the funniest joke right here is not even something King says; it is how when Marge tells him, “Let me know while you get again to horror,” King fortunately writes himself a observe studying, “Name Marge, re: Horror.” How might King presumably know Marge’s identify if she by no means launched herself? That is the true scary half right here.
Tragically, “Insane Clown Poppy” was not a popular episode. It was bashed by critics for being unfunny and low-energy, and in addition for being a bit lazy with all of the visitor cameos. This present’s penchant for fast superstar cameos has at all times been a combined bag amongst the fandom, and “Insane Clown Poppy” is a superb instance of why that is the case.
Maybe Stephen King did not need to star in “Not It” as a result of he wasn’t impressed with the outcomes of his first time working for the present. Or perhaps he declined just because he was busy; it is exhausting to know for positive. However with so many Stephen King books and flicks for the “Treehouse of Horror” segments to attract from, it is unlikely that “Not It” is the final time the present will invite him again on.
