History Recap / TheSimpsonsS2E10BartGetsHitByACar

* BackAlleyDoctor: Dr. Nick Riviera makes his first appearance in this episode, and what he does is make sure Bart looks a lot more injured that he really is, including virtually mummifying him in bandages. Marge says in her statement that she really doesn't think he's certified at all.
* BackhandedApology: Zigzagged. Though Marge genuinely feels bad about ruining Homer's lawsuit, she words it as wanting Homer to "forgive [her] for doing the right thing." She never directly apologizes for it.

* OpenMouthInsertFoot: Marge openly brings up the “phony doctors” whilst at Mr Burns's Mansion, while he and Smithers were spying on them. She may not have known this fact, but she should have remembered to be careful of what she said regardless.

* In later episodes, Orville Simpson looks [[IdenticalGrandson almost identical to either Homer or Abe.]] Here, he looks like neither, though this could be due to his appearance being entirely in Bart's imagination.

'''Hutz:''' ''(sarcastically chill)'' Oh isn't that nice? Bart says he's fine. (''Right in Bart's face'') '''''[[SuddenlyShouting WRONG!!!]]''''' '''YOU ARE''' '''''NOT''''' '''FINE!!! YOU ARE IN''' '''''CONSTANT PAIN!!!'''''

--> '''Hutz:''' ''(rehearsing with Bart for the trial'' Now let's pretend you're on the witness stand. How are you today Bart?\\

'''Hutz:''' ''(pleasantly chill)'' Oh isn't that nice? Bart says he's fine. (''Right in Bart's face'') '''''[[SuddenlyShouting WRONG!!!]]''''' '''YOU ARE''' '''''NOT''''' '''FINE!!! YOU ARE IN''' '''''CONSTANT PAIN!!!'''''

--> '''Hutz:''' ''(rehearsing with Bart for the courtroom)'' Now let's pretend you're on the witness stand. How are you today Bart?\\

'''Hutz:''' ''(pleasantly chill)'' Oh isn't that nice? Bart says he's fine. '''''[[SuddenlyShouting WRONG!!!]]''''' '''YOU ARE''' '''''NOT''''' '''FINE!!! YOU ARE IN''' '''''CONSTANT PAIN!!!'''''

'''Hutz:''' ''(pleasantly chill)'' Oh isn't that nice? Bart says he's fine. '''''[[SuddenlyShouting WRONG!]]''''' '''YOU ARE''' '''''NOT''''' '''FINE! YOU ARE IN''' '''''CONSTANT PAIN!!!'''''

'''Hutz:''' ''(pleasantly chill)'' Oh isn't that nice? Bart says he's fine. [[SuddenlyShouting '''''WRONG!''''']] '''YOU ARE''' '''''NOT''''' '''FINE! YOU ARE IN''' '''''CONSTANT PAIN!!!'''''

'''Hutz:''' ''(pleasantly chill)'' Oh isn't that nice? Bart says he's fine. [[SuddenlyShouting '''''WRONG!''''' '''YOU ARE''' '''''NOT''''' '''FINE! YOU ARE IN''' '''''CONSTANT PAIN!!!''''']]

--> '''Bart:''' Fine.\\
--> '''Hutz:''' ''(pleasantly chill)'' Oh isn't that nice? Bart says he's fine. '''''WRONG!''''' '''YOU ARE''' '''''NOT''''' '''FINE! YOU ARE IN''' '''''CONSTANT PAIN!!!'''''

--> '''Hutz:''' ''(pleasantly chill)'' Oh isn't that nice? Bart says he's fine. [[SuddenlyShouting '''''WRONG!''''' '''YOU ARE''' '''''NOT''''' '''FINE! YOU ARE IN''' '''''CONSTANT PAIN!!!''''' ]]

** Satan says: ''"Please, allow me to introduce myself"'', which is a reference to the first line in Music/TheRollingStones' song "Sympathy for the Devil" from ''Music/BeggarsBanquet''.

** Marge comparing the "hardships" of Bart's injuries to the $5 she pays him to take out the trash every week. While Dr. Nick did exaggerate Bart's injuries and Homer's lawsuit was frivolous, Marge seems remarkably unconcerned about the fact that Bart was injured at all after the hub-bub died down.

In '''Bart Gets Hit By A Car''', [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Bart is hit by Mr. Burns's car]] and falls into a coma. When he wakes up his family tries to create a lawsuit against Mr. Burns. Both Burns and the Simpsons exaggarate Bart's injuries, which leads to yet another strain on Marge and Homer's marriage.

-->'''Bart''': I did go away, Mom! I was miles and miles and miles away, writhing in agony in the pits of Hell. And you were there, and you, and you, and you... ''[to Hutz]'' You I've never seen before.

* TheBadGuyWins: Homer could've taken the offer and walked away but let his ego get the better of him. Mr. Burns manages to find out about the phony doctors after overhearing Marge. Then he has her come to the stand in court the next day. Not surprisingly, she winds up blowing it for Homer and winning the case for Mr. Burns. [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] in that, as evil as Burns is, Homer's lawsuit against him is by no means moral and is driven by pure greed.

-->'''Mr. Burns''': ''[after giving his testimony and seeing everyone in the courtroom (even Smithers) glaring at him]'' [[DeathGlare What are you looking at me like that for?!]] You believed ''his'' cock-and-bull story!

-->'''Homer:''' Mr. Burns, are you trying to get me drunk?
-->'''Mr. Burns:''' Yes.

* DeathSeeker: Burns' account of the incident during the trial depicts Bart as LaughingMad and intentionally hurtling himself in front of Burns' car. Naturally the court doesn't quite buy it.

** This is one of the few ''Simpsons'' episodes, save for the "Treehouse of Horror" ones, where the title appears on the screen at the start of the episode. (The writers said they included it so people would wonder if all the previous episodes had onscreen titles and they just hadn't noticed.)

** Mr. Burns is driving himself as he hits Bart when the later episode "Homer the Smithers" establishes that Burns avoids doing anything for himself, including driving.
* EpisodeTitleCard: Parodied. Just as the title dissolves during the opening credits, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Bart is hit.]]

--> '''Smithers:''' Uh-oh, I think the boy's hurt.
--> '''Burns:''' Oh, for crying out loud, just give him a nickel and let's get going.

-->'''Lionel Hutz''': Doctor, are you sure there isn't a little soft tissue trauma in the facial area?\\

* GrayAndGrayMorality: Mr. Burns is just as wretched as ever and is completely unconcerned when he hits Bart. However it really was an honest accident on Burns' part, Bart's jaywalking on his skateboard was as much to blame, and Homer's lawsuit against him is [[FrivolousLawsuit completely frivolous]] as Bart's injuries weren't particularly grievous or expensive, which is why Burns' win doesn't make him a KarmaHoudini. Everyone's in the wrong here.

** Mr. Burns scathingly tells Smithers to "just give [Bart] a nickel and let's get going", showing his obvious [[NoSympathy lack of concern for Bart's safety.]]

* MyCard: Lionel Hutz gives the Simpsons a card that "turns into a sponge when you put it in water".

* OffModel: During the cross-examination of Marge, when the Blue-Haired Lawyer asks her for her opinion on Dr. Nick Riviera, [[https://frinkiac.com/img/S02E10/1019902.jpg a shot of him mistakenly has him appear in both the foreground and background]], while previous iterations of the same shot, such as [[https://frinkiac.com/img/S02E10/1008441.jpg this one]], correctly has him only appear in the foreground.

** Bart arrives in Hell where he sees a scene from Creator/HieronymusBosch's triptych of the ''"Garden Of Earthly Delights"''.
** Satan says: ''"Please, allow me to introduce myself"'', which is a reference to the first line in Music/TheRollingStones ' song ''"Sympathy For The Devil"'' from ''Music/BeggarsBanquet''.
** Bart lying in bed and saying ''"And you were there, and you..."'' is a reference to the ending of ''Film/TheWizardOfOz''.

* TimeMarchesOn: Satan says Bart isn't supposed to arrive in Hell, until ''"the Yankees wins the pennant. That's nearly a century from now."'' In RealLife the Yankees have won the A.L. pennant 7 times and the World Series 5 times since the episode aired, the first time for each in 1996.[[note]](As of January 1, 2015.)[[/note]]

** Vocal example: Lionel Hutz sounded more like Troy [=McClure=] in this episode, no doubt because Phil Hartman was still [[VocalEvolution finding his character.]]

* LaughingMad: [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_2h23xworH0&t=107s And how!]]

* NeverMyFault: Homer refuses to take Mr. Burns's offer, and Marge tells him that she doesn't like the situation they're in, including Homer's greed and "phony doctors". Burns overhears this and has Marge up to the stands to confess everything. Homer confesses that he isn't sure if he loves Marge anymore for blowing their chance at $1 million.

* NeverMyFault: Homer refuses to take Mr. Burns' offer, and Marge tells him that she doesn't like the situation they're in, including Homer's greed and "phony doctors". Burns overhears this and has Marge up to the stands to confess everything. Homer confesses that he isn't sure if he loves Marge anymore for blowing their chance at $1 million.

* RashomonStyle: Both Bart and Mr. Burns deliver different retellings of the accident to the court, exaggerating things to make themselves look more sympathetic in order to win the case. Bart claims that Mr. Burns intentionally tried to run him down, while Mr. Burns says that the boy moved wildly all over the road as he desperately tried to avoid hitting Bart (and let out an emotional BigNo and TakeMeInstead when he did). Neither are remotely true, but the court clearly sides with Bart and doesn't buy Mr. Burns' story for a second.

[[caption-width-right:350: [[BlatantLies Mr. Burns' accurate testimony]].]]

In '''Bart Gets Hit By A Car''', [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Bart is hit by Mr. Burns' car]] and falls into a coma. When he wakes up his family tries to create a lawsuit against Mr. Burns. Both Burns and the Simpsons exaggarate Bart's injuries, wich leads to yet another strain on Marge and Homer's marriage.

* ArtisticLicenseBiology: Mr. Burns has a rhinoceros trophy which he describes as "the last Indonesian rhino on Earth". Not only there is no species called an Indonesian rhino in real life, but Indonesia actually has two kinds of rhinos, the Javan rhino and the Sumatran rhino (both still extant, but critically endangered). Also, the trophy looks more an African species of rhino than any of the Indonesian species.
* BackAlleyDoctor: Dr. Nick Riviera makes his first appearance in this episode, and what he does is make sure Bart looks a lot more injured that he really is, including virtually mummifying him in bandages. Marge says in her statement that she really doesn't thinks he's certified at all.

* CharacterizationMarchesOn: Hutz is portrayed as more competent than he would be in later episodes, coming very close to winning the court case against Mr. Burns, and losing only due to the actions of the Simpsons. Later episodes would go on to show how he's not only a comically inept lawyer, but that he may not be qualified to even ''be'' one.
* ChildHater: When Burns runs over Bart, he is totally unconcerned about what he did and tells Smithers to just toss the (apparently dead) kid a nickel so they could move on, and he says in court ''under oath'' that he should be allowed to run over any kids he wants. Bart's faked statement of what happened exaggerates this, with Burns deliberately racing towards him while cackling like a madman with a car that is modified for killing people. Burns' statement makes Smithers the one who hates kids.

* DecoyProtagonist: Bart is the title character whose accident sets the plot in motion. But not long after being hit, he get pushed to the side as the episode moves into the court proceedings.

* EvenTheDogIsAshamed: Well, right-hand man. Even Smithers scowls unimpressed at Burns' false testimony. Not helped the least that he vilified him in his retelling to make himself look good.

** The irony being they would have gotten something, at least covering Bart's hospital bill as Marge wanted, if they had just told the truth at trial rather than make up false claims. Or if Homer had just taken the half million Burns had offered him and went home. They ended up with nothing because Homer was greedy.

* HonorBeforeReason: Marge telling the whole truth when she is summoned as a witness by Burns' ArmyOfLawyers. Even more stupid because while there is truth that Hutz is exaggerating Bart's injuries for the sake of getting the jury's sympathy and thus getting extra settlement money, she doesn't seems to care that Bart was hurt bad enough to be ''put in the hospital'' (and '''die''' for a while -- then again, she probably doesn't know that this happened to him), and she doesn't insists that Burns should at least cover the bill.

* NeverMyFault: Homer refuses to take Mr. Burns' offer, and Marge tells him that she doesn't like the situation they're in, including Homer's greed and "phony doctors". Burns overhears this, and has Marge up to the stands to confess everything. Homer confesses that he isn't sure if he loves Marge anymore for blowing their chance at $1 million.

* OffModel: During the cross-examination of Marge, when the Blue Haired Lawyer asks her for her opinion on Dr. Nick Riviera, [[https://frinkiac.com/img/S02E10/1019902.jpg a shot of him mistakenly has him appear in both the foreground and background]], while previous iterations of the same shot, such as [[https://frinkiac.com/img/S02E10/1008441.jpg this one]], correctly has him only appear in the foreground.

* SpannerInTheWorks: The lawsuit was definitely going to be won by Hutz and Homer, up until Marge makes clear out loud one time too many that she doesn't feels comfortable about being part of it. She then cinches it by confessing in court (thanks to Burns' lawyers summoning her as a witness) that Bart wasn't hurt too badly (that she knows of) as a result of being hit by the car.

* TakeMeInstead: Mr. Burns' cry when Bart is hit by a car, according to his testimony.

* WeaponizedCar: Bart's exaggerated account of the events has him imagining that Burns' antique car has modifications for deliberate hit-and-runs that wouldn't look out of place in ''Film/DeathRace2000'', including a reinforced bumper, a sight for aiming the car on the driver's side and Smithers acting like a navigator.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Burns really hates his own lawyers.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Burns really hates his own lawyers.

** Mr. Burns scathingly tells Smithers to "just give [Bart] a nickel and let's get going", showing his obvious lack of concern for Bart's safety.