The Simpsons pays tribute Stranger Things, Groening in Treehouse of Horror

The Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror XXX brought with it the typical laughs and pop-culture references that the Halloween specials are known for, but it also included a fair amount of surprises. One of which paid tribute to the show’s creator.

In this year’s Treehouse of Horror, The Simpsons writers dug into Stranger Things sci-fi universe for their spoofed minisodes. The Netflix original series has been referenced in the past, though it stood out more this time because of the Upside Down, or rather the “Over Under” as it’s referred to on the Fox series.

The mini-episode spoofing Stranger Things positions Lisa in Eleven’s shoes while Milhouse plays The Simpsons equivalent of Will Byers. When Milhouse is captured and taken to the Over Under, Lisa embarks on a rescue mission for her friend.

Inside of the parallel universe, the backdrop reflects more of The Simpsons world rather than that of Stranger Things. We say that confidently because the first thing that Lisa sees is the 80s version of herself.

For those who don’t recall—or who are too young to remember—Matt Groening originally drew up the Simpson family for small segments on The Tracey Ullman Show. That iteration evolved into the modernized version we know today but the series’ writers have always made sure to show their appreciation for Groening’s original troupe.

In Treehouse of Horror XXX, Lisa encounters her doppelganger whilst journeying to the Over Under. Their interactions only last a few seconds, though seeing the original Lisa onscreen reminded us of exactly how the animated series made it to 666 episodes. The 80s version of Bart Simpson popped up later in the minisode, too.

The whole family doesn’t reunite onscreen in 2019’s special but it has happened before. Groening’s original troupe actually came face-to-face with their modern counterparts in Treehouse of Horror XXV. That episode featured the Simpson family battling it out with their crudely-drawn counterparts, albeit on a different plane of existence.

What did you think of The Simpsons’ callback to Groening’s original cartoon strip? Let us know in the comments.

The Simpsons airs Sundays on Fox. Episodes can be streamed on the Fox Now app or on Hulu. You can, of course, watch Stranger Things on Netflix.