" Treehouse of Horror XIX " received mixed reviews from critics . Rick Bentley of the '' Seattle Times '' described it as a " paint-by-numbers episode " . Robert Canning of IGN gave the episode a 7.9 / 10 , calling it " funny , entertaining and even nostalgic which only makes this yearly tradition that much better . " " It 's the Grand Pumpkin , Milhouse " was regarded by reviewers as the best segment in the episode . Canning wrote , " this segment may not be all that gory , but it 's funny and , quite honestly , it will just make you feel good " , and Bentley described it as " a dead-on comedy assault of the Charlie Brown animated Halloween special . " Rob Owen of the '' Pittsburgh Post-Gazette '' concurred , writing that it " succeeds because it offers sly cultural commentary . " Show Patrol wrote " The nostalgia factor makes “ Grand Pumpkin ” the best of these amusing bits for me , but they all lack that trademark “ Simpsons ” brand of satirical smartness . " Hal Boedecker of the '' Orlando Sentinel '' gave the episode a 4/5 and called the final segment a " witty parody of Charlie Brown 's Halloween classic . ... The best gag , though , is a subtle one . Marge plays a trombone , a loving salute to the way the Peanuts specials portrayed adult voices . " Director Bob Anderson received an Annie Award nomination for " Best Directing in an Animated Television Production " but lost to '' Avatar : The Last Airbender ''
nomination
36th Annie Awards
Treehouse of Horror XIX