The new horror movieAfrAId, directed byChris Weitz, is in theaters now. In the film,John Choand Katherine Waterston play Curtis and Meredith Pike, parents who agree to try out a new AInamed 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 ofAfrAIdis reminiscent of a Season 13 episode ofThe Simpsons.The episode “Treehouse of Horror XII” features the hilarious segment “House of Whacks,” written byJohn FrinkandDon Payne.Pierce Brosnanguest stars as the voice of a smart home called Ultrahouse 3000that’s installed in the Simpsons’ house. At first, Ultrahouse seems great, but things take a sinister turn.
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Because“House of Whacks” is a “Treehouse of Horror” segment, it doesn’t conform to the usual reality ofTheSimpsons. 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 fromMatthew Perry.Like AIA inAfrAId, Ultrahouse learns what the family members like and starts to take care of everything around the house.In bothAfrAIdand theSimpsonsepisode,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!” InAfrAId, 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 theSimpsonsepisode, 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 aSimpsonsepisode. 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.”
InAfrAId, AIA’s motives are less romantic than Ultrahouse’s motives in theSimpsonsepisode.AIA’s goals are more about becoming the primary parental figure of the household, similar to the thrillerThe Hand That Rocks the Cradlebut 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.
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As the family realizes that theAI has gotten out of control inAfrAId, 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 theSimpsonsepisode.2001: A Space Odysseyis the most iconic,andAl Jeanconfirmed on the DVD commentary that it was one of the big references for “House of Whacks.“It’s also referenced in dialogue inAfrAId, when Meredith expresses her skepticism of AIA by referring to it as Hal and reminding Curtishow things worked out in2001: A Space Odyssey. When Ultrahouse suggests Marge take a stress pill, this is referencing a scene in2001: A Space Odyssey. There are also visual similarities to2001: A Space Odysseyin 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 onlySimpsonsepisode to reference2001: A Space Odyssey. It’s one of the movies thatThe Simpsonsreferences the most, particularly in the episode “Deep Space Homer.”
While the2001: A Space Odysseyinfluence is obvious, the “Treehouse of Horror” segment was most likely also inspired by the 1998 TV movieDream Housein addition to being similar to the 1999 Disney Channel Original MovieSmart 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, andit’s no surprise stories about those anxieties are resurfacing in films likeAfrAIdandM3GANnow, with Alexas and other virtual assistants becoming commonplace in people’s homesand children becoming addicted to smartphones and tablets at an early age.
BecauseThe Simpsonsis 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 had2001: A Space Odysseyand other iconic AI films in mind while makingAfrAId,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 thisSimpsonsepisode a fun rewatch right after viewingAfrAId.
The first 34 seasons ofThe Simpsonsare available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S.
The Simpsons
The satiric adventures of a working-class family in the misfit city of Springfield.
