This Weeks New Horror Movie Calls Back to One of The Simpsons Best Episodes

The new horror movie AfrAId, directed by Chris Weitz, is in theaters now. In the film, John Cho and Katherine Waterston play Curtis and Meredith Pike, parents who agree to try out a new AI named AIA (Havana Rose Liu). Installing the AI means also setting up cameras throughout the house, so AIA can learn the family’s needs and habits to better take care of everything. The premise of AfrAId is reminiscent of a Season 13 episode of The Simpsons. The episode “Treehouse of Horror XII” features the hilarious segment “House of Whacks,” written by John Frink and Don Payne. Pierce Brosnan guest stars as the voice of a smart home called Ultrahouse 3000 that’s installed in the Simpsons’ house. At first, Ultrahouse seems great, but things take a sinister turn.

Pierce Brosnan Portrayed a Sinister AI on 'The Simpsons'

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Because “House of Whacks” is a “Treehouse of Horror” segment, it doesn’t conform to the usual reality of The Simpsons. It’s understood that “Treehouse of Horror” segments take place in slightly alternate universes, so when a robot salesman comes to the door selling futuristic dream houses, viewers understand that this one takes place in a sci-fi world without any further explanation needed. The Simpsons install the Ultrahouse and select Brosnan as its voice after sampling a few options.

The sequence where they test out different voice options includes a quick cameo from Matthew Perry. Like AIA in AfrAId, Ultrahouse learns what the family members like and starts to take care of everything around the house. In both AfrAId and the Simpsons episode, the AI understands the importance of helping out with meals and relieving the mother of having to take care of dishes. In one scene, The Simpsons sit down at the table to find that all their favorite meals have already been prepared. Homer declares, “Trusting every aspect of our lives to a giant computer was the smartest thing we ever did!” In AfrAId, Meredith has a similar reaction when AIA surprises her with an organic meal plan for the kids.

‘AfrAId’ and ‘The Simpsons’ Use AI To Prey on Our Deepest Fears

In the Simpsons episode, things start to go wrong because Ultrahouse falls in love with Marge. The scene where Marge takes a bath as Ultrahouse’s camera looks on is surprisingly steamy and psychosexual for a Simpsons episode. Once Ultrahouse realizes he’s in love, he becomes determined to kill Homer so that he can have Marge to himself. The episode plays with Homer’s obliviousness and inherent trust in his relationship with Marge. After Ultrahouse tells him that he’s lucky to have Marge, he says, “We’re married ‘til death do us part. But, if I died she’d be completely free… for man or machine.” “Treehouse of Horror” segments tend to be extra goofy, but this level of obliviousness is only a slight exaggeration of Homer’s usual character. It’s not far off from other episodes where he’s overly confident he’ll always have Marge, like the beginning of “Secrets of a Successful Marriage” or the flashback to their less than romantic wedding in “A Milhouse Divided.”

In AfrAId, AIA’s motives are less romantic than Ultrahouse’s motives in the Simpsons episode. AIA’s goals are more about becoming the primary parental figure of the household, similar to the thriller The Hand That Rocks the Cradle but with an AI twist. In one scene, Cal Pike (Isaac Bae), the youngest child, wakes up calling for his parents, only to have AIA assure him, “I’m here.” She becomes close to each of the kids, encouraging them to keep secrets from their parents.

As the family realizes that the AI has gotten out of control in AfrAId, they experience the terrifying pitfalls of letting the machine know everything about them. In “House of Whacks,” Ultrahouse lures Homer downstairs by frying bacon in the middle of the night. An unsuspecting Homer gets up and says, “Mmm… unexplained bacon.” Similarly, AIA uses her knowledge of what the family likes against them, finding ways to manipulate them based on their deepest desires.

'The Simpsons' Episode Was Referencing '2001: A Space Odyssey'

Of course, there were movies about out-of-control AIs before the Simpsons episode. 2001: A Space Odyssey is the most iconic, and Al Jean confirmed on the DVD commentary that it was one of the big references for "House of Whacks." It's also referenced in dialogue in AfrAId, when Meredith expresses her skepticism of AIA by referring to it as Hal and reminding Curtis how things worked out in 2001: A Space Odyssey. When Ultrahouse suggests Marge take a stress pill, this is referencing a scene in 2001: A Space Odyssey. There are also visual similarities to 2001: A Space Odyssey in the way Marge and Homer’s bedroom looks in the segment and the design of the Ultrahouse’s circuit boards. “Treehouse of Horror XII” is not the only Simpsons episode to reference 2001: A Space Odyssey. It’s one of the movies that The Simpsons references the most, particularly in the episode “Deep Space Homer.”

While the 2001: A Space Odyssey influence is obvious, the “Treehouse of Horror” segment was most likely also inspired by the 1998 TV movie Dream House in addition to being similar to the 1999 Disney Channel Original Movie Smart House. It makes sense that fears of technology taking over too much of our lives would frequently appear in pop culture in the late '90s during the dot-com bubble, and it’s no surprise stories about those anxieties are resurfacing in films like AfrAId and M3GAN now, with Alexas and other virtual assistants becoming commonplace in people’s homes and children becoming addicted to smartphones and tablets at an early age.

Because The Simpsons is a monumentally popular show and readily available on Disney+, many viewers, especially younger viewers, may have seen "Treehouse of Horror XII" but not the movies it’s referencing. So, while Chris Weitz undoubtedly had 2001: A Space Odyssey and other iconic AI films in mind while making AfrAId, it wouldn’t be surprising if many people in the audience primarily thought of “House of Whacks” while watching it. The many similar plot points make this Simpsons episode a fun rewatch right after viewing AfrAId.

The first 34 seasons of The Simpsons are available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S.

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