History Recap / TheSimpsonsS13E2TheParentRap

* YouRemindMeOfX: During Bart's trial, Harm tells him "You remind me of me when I was a little boy." Only Snake gets weirded out by [[UnsettlingGenderReveal its implications]].
-->'''Snake:''' Um... did she say she used to be a dude?

* JerkassHasAPoint: Judge Harm's punishments are outdated, bordering on illegal. However, she does make good on pointing out that Bart's bad behavior is a product of Homer being a bad parent. In a lesser sense, so does for Marge. The second half of the chapter is driven partially by Marge's pride and refusal to say she is a bad parent.

* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: Homer apparently suffers from night terrors that specifically involved getting swarmed by cobras. May be somewhat justified due to the events of a [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS11E7EightMisbehavin certain episode where he was attacked by cobras (both real ones and robotic ones filled with venom)]].

* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: Homer apparently suffers from night terrors that specifically involved getting swarmed by cobras.

Creator/JaneKaczmarek guest stars as the voice of a new, harsher judge who punishes Bart (for joyriding in a police car) and Homer (for letting it happen) by tethering them together.

* HarmfulToMinors: After being tethered, Homer at one point begs Marge to have sex with him, even though Bart is ''right there''.

* PopCulturePunEpisodeTitle: The title references ''Film/TheParentTrap1998''.

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Judge Snyder is a far more forgiving and lenient judge than Harm.

** After Homer and Marge accidentally sink her houseboat, Judge Harm is more upset that the quilt made by her grandmother was ruined.
** Homer ditches Bart and Milhouse to chase the KBBL "Party Penguin Prize patrol" for 40 dollars and a Music/BlueOysterCult medallion. He is rightfully called out on this by Judge Harm.

* SurveillanceAsThePlotDemands: Marge finally has enough with the tether binding Homer and Bart and severs it with a kitchen knife. Judge Harm is aware of this and video calls them, ''through the frayed cord'', via the "magic of fiber optics" to order the three of them back to court for the sentencing of violating the terms of their punishment.
* TakeThat: Judge Harm says she'll read [[Creator/ErnestHemingway Hemingway]] if she wants "a cock and bull story". The Brazilian dub has her saying she'll read a tabloid.

* WitchWithACapitalB: Homer and Marge pin a sign on Judge Harm's boathouse that initially appears to read "BI" but it turns out to read "Big Meanie." Homer even calls Harm a "super witch" while they are doing it.
* YouRemindMeOfX: During Bart's trial, Judge Harm tells him "You remind me of me when I was a little boy." Only Snake gets weirded out by [[UnsettlingGenderReveal its implications]].

* BurningWithAnger: After being incensed by Homer's attempt to explain away violating his punishment, the frayed cord of the tether ignites with her fuming.

* HollywoodLaw: This episode shows that [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure Judge Snyder]] and [[HangingJudge Judge Harm]] are both incompetent, for opposite reasons. Snyder is ''way'' too lenient, willing to let Bart off with a scolding for an admitted felony (it is suggested he's the reason Bart tends to get away with everything). Harm, on the other hand, is way too strict, handing down sentences that would likely be considered torture (and later, commits a ''very'' serious legal taboo, presiding over a case dealing with a crime where she was the victim). The episode also shows Judge Harm presiding at the same time over juvenile and regular criminal courts (which doesn't happen in real life for the same reason you don't see an OmnidisciplinaryLawyer), as well as Snyder replacing Harm in the middle of the hearing (which wouldn't happen without the first judge's agreement, and Harm very much did ''not'' agree).

* SlapstickKnowsNoGender: Upon returning home after Judge Harm tethers them, Homer and Bart race each other to the kitchen, [[https://frinkiac.com/gif/S13E02/462295/464172/ resulting in Lisa getting caught by the neck and knocked down]].

* AluminumChristmasTrees: According to the writers, the episode was inspired by some RealLife incidents of judges sentencing children to be tethered to parents--though presumably there was a clear time frame in those cases, unlike in the case of Homer and Bart, who are tethered indefinitely until Marge puts a stop to it.