The Simpsons opening sequence is one of the show's most memorable hallmarks. Almost every episode opens with a title shot coming through the clouds and into the school where Bart is writing lines on the class chalkboard, probably set as a punishment by one of his teachers for some mischievous deed or wayward comment; Homer is shown leaving the power plant. Marge and Maggie are shown checking out at the supermarket with Maggie traveling across the scanner, ringing up at $847.63, the then-monthly cost of raising a baby, the sequence then introduces Lisa who leaving a band rehearsal, the family is then shown on their way to their house at 742 Evergreen Terrace. The members of the family weave dangerously through traffic and in between fellow Springfield denizens, all miraculously reaching home at the exact same time. Upon entering, they all speed towards the family room couch where, in comedic parallel with the audience, they settle to watch their "must-see" TV show.For each episode, the sequence includes a number of variations:
An annual tradition is a special Halloween episode consisting of three separate, self-contained pieces. These pieces usually involve the family in some horror, science fiction, or supernatural setting; they always take place outside the normal continuity of the show and completely abandon any pretence of being realistic. Regular Simpsons characters play humorous special roles, occasionally being killed in gruesome ways by zombies, monsters, or even each other. In addition to parodying many classic horror and science fiction films such as The Shining, these Halloween segments frequently spoof episodes of The Twilight Zone such as "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet", "To Serve Man", "Living Doll", "It's a Good Life" and "Little Girl Lost".