History Recap / TheSimpsonsS21E20ToSurveilWithLove

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Ned would have never found out about the blind spot in the Simpsons backyard and the shenanigans Homer and Bart were leading the rest of the town in there if Marge hadn't tattled on them to Ned.

* CrossesTheLineTwice: While in the blind spot, Brandine Spuckler is seen smoking and drinking from a jug of moonshine. The camera then pans down to show her pregnant belly as she comments "That stopped the kicking."

* HurricaneOfEuphemisms: After Bart [[{{Mooning}} moons the cameras]] and discovers there is a blind spot, he tests where it is by keeping his pants down and walking around his house marking the moment where Ned tries to nag him by using a barrage of synonyms for "butt" (like "heinie"). The TimeSkip implies that Ned tossed said euphemisms for at least a whole hour.

* AdHominem: Lisa is humiliated in the debate at the beginning (and thus starts her sub-plot) when the defense the other speaker at the debate uses (which ends up working) is constantly pointing out that she's blonde, so that means that she's a DumbBlonde, so anything she says must be automatically wrong because of her appearance.

* {{Expy}}: That bomb squad specialist is clearly based on Creator/ClintEastwood.

-->'''Bart:''' Blonde ''guys'' aren't dumb, they're ''evil.'' Like in ''Karate Kid'' or [[ThoseWackyNazis World War II]].

* WretchedHive: After discovering that the surveillance network has a blind spot located on the Simpsons' backyard, Homer and Bart invite everybody to do whatever they can't do because of Ned's incessant nagging right there. It quickly becomes a miniature den of debauchery, and Homer's [[WhatTheHellHero What The Hell Hero Speech]] at Ned (once he finds out about the blind spot, courtesy of Marge) is that this is the result of his actions, saying that in no uncertain terms that no matter how hard he tries, he can't make evil go away. He just makes it more determined to find a place where it can go on undisturbed.

* JerkassHasAPoint: Upon discovering a blind spot in their backyard where Ned can't see them through the cameras, Homer and Bart exploit it by turning it into a hotspot where people pay them for access to it so they can do the things Ned nagged them for over the cameras. When Ned finds out and goes to put an end to it, Homer defends his actions by pointing out Ned's invasion of everyone's privacy forced their unwholesome behavior into one small spot, causing them to act out more than if Ned left them alone.

* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: As part of FOX's "FOX Rocks" gimmick at the time, the opening for this episode was redone as an animated music video for the Ke$ha song "[=TiK ToK=].

* DrunkWithPower: The closed-circuit television system is meant to keep track of actual crimes, terrorist threats, and emergencies. Ned instead uses it to literally nag the whole town into becoming a submissive dystopia.

(''Chalmers runs by with nunchucks in a ballerina outfit'')

'''Ned:''' But neighbor, why did you have to do this? I've tattled this town into a paradise! This used to be just a little part of me.\\

'''Homer:''' Well, if you ask me, you were trying to [[PlayingGod play God]].\\

* AdultsAreUseless: With the exceptions of Ned and Marge, pretty much everyone in Springfield resfuses to listen to Lisa because she’s a blonde, despite near everyone in Springfield knowing that Lisa is a genius.

After a radiation scare due to Homer's usual brand of idiocy, Springfield is placed under closed-circuit TV surveillance but has a group of civilian control, which includes Flanders. At the same time, Lisa is forced to dye her hair brown after being called out for not being a DumbBlonde

* AdHominem: Lisa is humiliated in the debate at the beginning (and thus starts her sub-plot) when the defense the other speaker at the debate uses (which ends up working) is constantly pointing out that she's blonde, so that means that she's a DumbBlonde, so anything she says must be automatically wrong because she's a dumb blonde.
* AdultsAreUseless: With the exceptions of Ned and Marge, pretty much everyone in Springfield resfuses to listen to Lisa because she’s a blonde. Despite near everyone in Springfield knowing that Lisa is a genius.

* {{Expy}}: That bomb squad specialist is clearly based on Creator/ClintEastwood
* BigBrotherIsWatchingYou: Ned Flanders literally nags Springfield into submission in this episode. Even referenced by Ned when he has his MyGodWhatHaveIDone moment, saying that he didn't wanted to be a "Big Brother", but rather a "little sister".

* DrunkWithPower: The closed-circuit television system is meant to keep track of actual crimes, terrorist threats, and emergencies. Ned instead uses it to literally nag the whole town into becoming a submissive fascist milquetoast dystopia.
* DumbBlonde: Lisa's subplot involves people thinking that she's this. She tries proving to people that she's not this and that generalizing people based on certain traits is a bad thing.
* EveryoneHasStandards: Marge soon leaves her job because she felt uncomfortable with getting involved with peoples privacy. This is also why she tattles on Homer and Bart's leading the civilians' troublemaking in the blind spot to Ned.

* PlayingGod: Homer claims that Ned trying to control the whole towns actions came off as him trying to be God. This horrifies Ned.

--->'''Lou''': Uh, Chief, I Think we got a misuse of police equipment on ZZ-99.
--->(Wiggum looks, before switching the cameras back to normal after looking at Edna sunbathing topless.)
--->'''Chief Wiggum''': Killjoy
* TheReveal: The entire episode -- at least the main story -- is a hidden-camera reality show that airs on British TV and is considered the Queen's and Prince Charles' favorite show.

** The Gay Bar is full with Sesame Street like people.

!!Tropes of this episode: ([[YMMV/TheSimpsonsS21E20ToSurveilWithLove YMMV Here]])
* AdHominem: Lisa is humiliated in the debate at the beginning (and thus starts her sub-plot) when the defense the other speaker at the debate uses (and ends up working) is constantly pointing out that she's blonde, so that means that she's a DumbBlonde, so anything she says must be automatically wrong because she's a dumb blonde.
* AdultsAreUseless: With the exceptions of Ned and Marge, pretty much not a lot of don’t listen to Lisa because she’s a blonde. Despite near everyone in Springfield knowing that Lisa is a genius.

%%* ComicallyMissingThePoint: Abe pretty doesn’t help Lisa.

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Bart discovers the blind spot by trying to moon the cameras when he gets fed up with Ned's nagging and ''doesn't'' has Ned instantly tattling on it.

%%* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Nelson is like this to Lisa.

* ComicallyMissingThePoint: Abe pretty doesn’t help Lisa.

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Nelson is like this to Lisa.

* TakeThat: After TheReveal is discovered, the Queen says that she will miss [[TheDitz Ralph Wiggum]], comparing him to her son. Cue Prince Charles coming in with his own cat and spouting Ralph's one-liner.