Treehouse of Horror Prediction Game

[lddhuong]

Happy Holloween everyone!

To take a slight break from the biggest election of my life (everybody 18 or over better vote!), I figured I'd do a fun little thing I tried out on a Justice League cartoon a long time ago. Guess your answers to the 5 questions below to predict what might happen in the upcoming Simpson's Holloween special. Each answer gets a certain amount of points if it actually happens during the special. The less likely I think the outcome is, the more points I give that answer. Try your luck at unlikely answers or play it safe...it's up to you. Whoever gets the most points when the episode airs "wins." Too bad you don't win anything real, like the ability to lead the free world, but you can scream around like an idiot proclaiming how cool you are if you like.

Here are the questions:

1. Will Kang and Kodos show up?
a) Yes, for a brief (less than 30 seconds) cameo. (10 points)
b) No, they will not be in the episode at all. (20 points)
c) Yes, they will appear more than once (each time less than 30 seconds). (25 points)
d) They will have an extended appearance (more than 30 seconds at once). (20 points)

2. Will there be a reference to the upcoming election?
a) Yes, one of the following things will be explicitly said or written: "Biden," "McCain," "Obama," "Palin," "Election," "Vote," or "Ballot." (15 points)
b) Yes, but less directly, with none of the above names or things mentioned. (20 points)
c) The election will not be referenced in any reasonably understandable way. (25 points)

3. How many people will we see die or receiving clearly lethal blows? (We must actually see the individual death for it to count--a nuclear holocaust, for example, doesn't automatically total billions of lives unless we see each body.)
a) 0 (100 points)
b) 1-5 (30 points)
c) 6-10 (15 points)
d) 11-20 (10 points)
e) 20-30 (15 points)
f) 30-50 (30 points)
f) Over 50 (45 points)

4. Which character will die first?
a) One of the five core Simpson family members: Homer, Bart, Lisa, Marge, or Maggie. (15 points)
b) Someone else from Springfield. (10 points)
c) A celebrity or other non-Springfield character we recognize. (20 points)
d) Somebody nodoby knows. (25 points)
e) Two or more people will die at exactly the same time. (50 points)
f) Nobody will die. (100 points)

5. Will the writers mock FOX?
a) Yes, they will directly mock the station itself, or its owners or operators. (25 points)
b) Yes, but in a less obvious way (e.g., they make a parody of a Fox show or movie). (15 points)
c) No, they'll keep their ridicule of their own station in check this time. (10 points)

Good luck!

(Note to mods: I was torn about whether this is more appropriate for the General Animation or Fun and Games audiences. Sorry if I picked wrong.)

[R.R. {Insert Quote Here}]

1. Will Kang and Kodos show up?
a) Yes, for a brief (less than 30 seconds) cameo. (10 points)

2. Will there be a reference to the upcoming election?
c) The election will not be referenced in any reasonably understandable way. (25 points)

3. How many people will we see die or receiving clearly lethal blows? (We must actually see the individual death for it to count--a nuclear holocaust, for example, doesn't automatically total billions of lives unless we see each body.)
d) 11-20 (10 points)

4. Which character will die first?
b) Someone else from Springfield. (10 points)

5. Will the writers mock FOX?
a) Yes, they will directly mock the station itself, or its owners or operators. (25 points)

[kylieee]

1. Will Kang and Kodos show up?
a) Yes, for a brief (less than 30 seconds) cameo. (10 points)

2. Will there be a reference to the upcoming election?
a) Yes, one of the following things will be explicitly said or written: "Biden," "McCain," "Obama," "Palin," "Election," "Vote," or "Ballot." (15 points)

3. How many people will we see die or receiving clearly lethal blows? (We must actually see the individual death for it to count--a nuclear holocaust, for example, doesn't automatically total billions of lives unless we see each body.)
b) 1-5 (30 points)

4. Which character will die first?
b) Someone else from Springfield. (10 points)

5. Will the writers mock FOX?
a) Yes, they will directly mock the station itself, or its owners or operators. (25 points)

[a??Proud wife to a 19ka??]

1. Will Kang and Kodos show up?
c) Yes, they will appear more than once (each time less than 30 seconds). (25 points)

2. Will there be a reference to the upcoming election?
a) Yes, one of the following things will be explicitly said or written: "Biden," "McCain," "Obama," "Palin," "Election," "Vote," or "Ballot." (15 points)

3. How many people will we see die or receiving clearly lethal blows? (We must actually see the individual death for it to count--a nuclear holocaust, for example, doesn't automatically total billions of lives unless we see each body.)
c) 6-10 (15 points)

4. Which character will die first?
b) Someone else from Springfield. (10 points)

5. Will the writers mock FOX?
b) Yes, but in a less obvious way (e.g., they make a parody of a Fox show or movie). (15 points)

[Haysu]

BTW, I'm really regretting not putting this on Fun and Games instead. Any mod willing to move the thread? Of course, it would have been helpful if I thought of this earlier in the week to give more time for replies, but oh well, no helping that one.

My wife, who had no knowledge of me making this game in the first place, made her picks and used an interesting strategy in questions 3 and 4 (yes, it's okay, maybe even smart, to be inconsistent):

1. Will Kang and Kodos show up?
c) Yes, they will appear more than once (each time less than 30 seconds). (25 points)

2. Will there be a reference to the upcoming election?
c) The election will not be referenced in any reasonably understandable way. (25 points)

3. How many people will we see die or receiving clearly lethal blows? (We must actually see the individual death for it to count--a nuclear holocaust, for example, doesn't automatically total billions of lives unless we see each body.)
c) 6-10 (15 points)

4. Which character will die first?
f) Nobody will die. (100 points)

5. Will the writers mock FOX?
a) Yes, they will directly mock the station itself, or its owners or operators. (25 points)

[sunggy]

1. Will Kang and Kodos show up?
a) Yes, for a brief (less than 30 seconds) cameo. (10 points)

2. Will there be a reference to the upcoming election?
a) Yes, one of the following things will be explicitly said or written: "Biden," "McCain," "Obama," "Palin," "Election," "Vote," or "Ballot." (15 points)

3. How many people will we see die or receiving clearly lethal blows? (We must actually see the individual death for it to count--a nuclear holocaust, for example, doesn't automatically total billions of lives unless we see each body.)
c) 6-10 (15 points)

4. Which character will die first?
b) Someone else from Springfield. (10 points)

5. Will the writers mock FOX?
b) Yes, but in a less obvious way (e.g., they make a parody of a Fox show or movie). (15 points)

[shahab29inch]

1. Will Kang and Kodos show up?
d) They will have an extended appearance (more than 30 seconds at once). (20 points)

2. Will there be a reference to the upcoming election?
b) Yes, but less directly, with none of the above names or things mentioned. (20 points)

3. How many people will we see die or receiving clearly lethal blows? (We must actually see the individual death for it to count--a nuclear holocaust, for example, doesn't automatically total billions of lives unless we see each body.)
d) 11-20 (10 points)

4. Which character will die first?
e) Two or more people will die at exactly the same time. (50 points)

5. Will the writers mock FOX?
a) Yes, they will directly mock the station itself, or its owners or operators. (25 points)

[Stefanie xoxo]

1. Will Kang and Kodos show up?
d) They will have an extended appearance (more than 30 seconds at once). (20 points)

2. Will there be a reference to the upcoming election?
c) The election will not be referenced in any reasonably understandable way. (25 points)

3. How many people will we see die or receiving clearly lethal blows? (We must actually see the individual death for it to count--a nuclear holocaust, for example, doesn't automatically total billions of lives unless we see each body.)
b) 1-5 (30 points)

4. Which character will die first?
b) Someone else from Springfield. (10 points)

5. Will the writers mock FOX?
b) Yes, but in a less obvious way (e.g., they make a parody of a Fox show or movie). (15 points)

[reb c]

Well, I was wrong with most of my guesses.

[Beemo]

That was probably a sub-par episode. Here's to hoping this silly little game spiced things up for the rest of you too.

Here are the answers:
1. Will Kang and Kodos show up?
a) Yes, for a brief (less than 30 seconds) cameo. (10 points)
This was fun. A different cameo than most of us were expecting, without the aliens checking out the Earth and gloating over their superiority to foolish earthlings. Instead, they just had to dance at the kids' Holloween party. One might argue that they were actually costumes, but without anyone in the episode saying anything to the contrary, I think the exact likenesses of the slimy alien bodies are good enough.

2. Will there be a reference to the upcoming election?
a) Yes, one of the following things will be explicitly said or written: "Biden," "McCain," "Obama," "Palin," "Election," "Vote," or "Ballot." (15 points)
I couldn't stop laughing at how completely obvious the show made this answer within seconds. I can't remember if the word "ballot" made it on, but every other keyword made it.

3. How many people will we see die or receiving clearly lethal blows? (We must actually see the individual death for it to count--a nuclear holocaust, for example, doesn't automatically total billions of lives unless we see each body.)
c) 11-20 (10 points)
By my count, 12 died, although I could use a little help in case I counted wrong. Still, it seems unlikely that the answer is wrong, unless I imagined 2 deaths or missed 8. Here's who I saw get offed:
Opening skit--Homer
How to Get Ahead in Dead-vertising--Krusty, George Clooney, Prince, Niel Armstrong, two random bystanders, Chief Wiggum (he actually acknowledged he was dying, though the gunshot was not otherwise obviously lethal), and Homer again
Grand Pumpkin--Skinner, two silhouetted turkey victims (most grand pumpkin victims survived but we have to assume that getting digested by a giant turkey is a death sentence)


4. Which character will die first?
a) One of the five core Simpson family members: Homer, Bart, Lisa, Marge, or Maggie. (15 points)
At least there's no doubt about this one. Poor Homer dies twice, including in the opening skit, and appears to die again in the Grand Pumpkin. Honestly, I wondered why the liberal-leaning writings didn't use a smarter or more liberal character (e.g., Lisa) to try to vote for Obama, but Homer makes a better dead mascot I guess.

5. Will the writers mock FOX?
c) No, they'll keep their ridicule of their own station in check this time. (10 points)
No outright mocking of the big boys at Fox, plus I checked the origins of the three main parodies, and fox had nothing to do with any of them. Anyone is welcome to correct me though, if they noticed a less obvious parody I didn't that has Fox studios involved in its production.

So, scoring it up, it looks like mister_wednesday and Rocketboy are tied for first with 25 points. If it turns out I miscalculated for questions 3 or 5, Rocketboy would be the victor, but you both are more than entitled to run around like idiots proclaiming how cool you are.

Now that the fake scary day celebration is over, the real big day is up ahead. May the best man win where it really counts!