History Recap / TheSimpsonsS16E21TheFatherTheSonAndTheHolyGuestStar

* BrokenAesop: One would think Bart and Homer had converted to Satanism or Scientology based on the way Marge, Lovejoy, Ned, and the rest of the town treat them. The only negative aspects of Catholicism that are actually mentioned in the episode are the lack of meat on Fridays (which most Catholics only observe during Lent) and a subtle joke about Catholic priests doing inappropriate things with children. This, combined with the fact that characters of other religions, such as Krusty or Apu, rarely if ever get chastised for their beliefs, means that the message about Christians learning to be accepting of those of different religious branches is highly lessened, as the Catholics in this episode had [[InformedWrongness no real reason to be hated in the first place]].

* DoubleStandard: Bart and Homer's conversion to Catholicism is met with hatred and disgust (especially from Marge), the town ostracizing Marge for their change of faith, and Marge, Lovejoy, and Ned ''kidnapping'' Bart in an attempt to get him to change back, while the worst Lisa got upon [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS13E6SheOfLittleFaith converting to Buddhism]] was Ned hiding his sons in a bunker and Marge and Lovejoy trying to use Christmas to win her back.

* EskimosArentReal: When Lisa mentions how she decided to convert to Buddhism, Father Sean thinks she's talking about an imaginary friend
* FluffyCloudHeaven: Marge's ImagineSpot.
* JerkassBall: In most other episodes, Marge is usually [[WomenAreWiser the reasonable and friendly]] {{Foil}} when Homer is being foolish or reckless or InnocentlyInsensitive. In this episode, however, Marge suddenly has a fear and hatred of Catholics [[CompressedVice for no apparent reason other than because the plot says so]]. She doesn't even get a FreudianExcuse explaining why.

* KarmaHoudini: Groundskeeper Willie didn't get punished for the stunt he pulled and let Bart take the blame.

* TheScapegoat: Bart was forced to take the blame, despite the fact he had nothing to with the mayhem Willie did.

* JerkassBall: [[WomenAreWiser Marge]] is usually the reasonable and friendly {{Foil}} when Homer is being foolish or reckless or InnocentlyInsensitive. In this episode, however, Marge suddenly has a fear and hatred of Catholics [[CompressedVice for no apparent reason other than because the plot says so]]. She doesn't even get a FreudianExcuse explaining why.

* TooSoon, ScheduleSlip, and BannedEpisode: This episode wasn't supposed to be the season finale for season 16, but Pope John Paul II died around the time of its original airdate and FOX (not wanting to piss off any Catholic viewers), rescheduled the episode to air as a finale while the originally-intended finale ("The Girl Who Slept Too Little") was pushed to season 17.

* JerkassBall: [[WomenAreWiser Marge]] is usually the reasonable and friendly {{Foil}} when Homer is being foolish or reckless. In this episode, however, Marge suddenly has a fear and hatred of Catholics [[CompressedVice for no apparent reason other than because the plot says so]]. She doesn't even get a FreudianExcuse explaining why.

* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: Last part was set 1000 years in the future.

When Bart is expelled for an incident at a medieval-themed fair at school (even though it was Groundskeeper Willie's fault because he wasn't chosen to be a cooper [barrel maker]), he’s sent to a Catholic private school led by an Irish priest (voiced by guest star Creator/LiamNeeson) who shows Bart and Homer the fun side of the Catholic religion. Naturally, Ned, Marge, and Reverend Lovejoy (who are Protestant) don't agree.

** MundaneAfterlife: Protestant Heaven has cricket and badminton, while Catholic Heaven has a Mexican fiesta, Italian dinner, and Irish dancing.

* BadassPreacher: Father Sean, Lovejoy, and Bart

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: It's never shown how Bart gets back into Springfield Elementary or if he is ever proven innocent of Willie's prank.

* DistantFinale: After Bart convinces the Catholics and Protestants to get along, the episode ends on a GilliganCut to 1000 years later, where two armies are fighting over the words of "God's last prophet, Bart Simpson."
* DramaticGunCock: Parodied in the climactic MexicanStandoff when all four get a closeup of pumping their guns.

* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: Last part was set 1000 years in the future.]

* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: Last part was set 1000 years in the future.]

* DramaticGunCock: Parodied in the climactic MexicanStandoff when all four get a closeup of loading their guns.

* DramativGunCock: Parodied in the climactic MexicanStandoff when everybody gets a closeup they load their guns.

* FluffyCloudHeaven: Marge’s thought

* JerkassRealization: Bart once again, he calms everyone down when he explains that [[spoiler: Catholics and Protestants are both Christians, which got both sides to agree]].

* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: [[spoiler: Last part was set 1000 years in the future.]]

* DramaticIrony: Audience members can't help but feel sorry for Bart when he's getting flak from everyone for something they know Willie was responsible for.

When Bart is expelled for an incident at a medieval-themed fair at school (even though it was Groundskeeper Willie's fault because he wasn't chosen to be a cooper [barrel maker]), he’s sent to a Catholic private school led by an Irish priest (voiced by guest star LiamNeeson) who shows Bart and Homer the fun side of the Catholic religion. Naturally, Ned, Marge, and Reverend Lovejoy (who are Protestant) don't agree.

* TooSoon: This episode wasn't supposed to be the season finale for season 16, but Pope John Paul II died around the time of its original airdate and FOX (not wanting to piss off any Catholic viewers), rescheduled the episode to air as a finale while the originally-intended finale ("The Girl Who Slept Too Little") was pushed to season 17.

When Bart is expelled for an incident at a medieval-themed fair at school, he’s sent to a private school where he finally meets a priest, who had sympathy for him. When Homer gets involved, Marge, Ned, And Lovejoy start to panic.

* AdultsAreUseless: Just because the school hates Bart doesn’t mean… no, let’s just face it they hate HIM to the point it was easy just to expel and let Willie get away. The only few exception would have to be Father Sean.

* CrisisOfFaith: The episode

** MundaneAfterlife: Protestant heaven has a cricket and Badminton, while Catholic heaven has a Mexican fiesta including a Piñata, Italian dinner, and Irish dancing.

* NotMeThisTime: Bart tries to explain he’s innocent and didn’t do anything wrong despite having a reason to sabotage the fair, which it’s true.

* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: [[spoiler: Last part was set 1000 years in the future.]]
* YouHaveToBelieveMe: Bart tries to explain he’s innocent and didn’t do anything wrong despite having a reason to sabotage the fair, which it’s true.

* Crisis of Faith: The episode

* CelestialBureaucracy: A follow inhabitant of Protestant explains this to Marge.

* JerkassRealization: Bart once again, he calms everyone down when he explains that [[spolier: Catholics and Protestants are both Christians, which got both sides to agree]].

* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: Last part was set 1000 years in the future.