History Recap / TheSimpsonsS2E11OneFishTwoFishBlowfishBlueFish

* DefyingTheCensors: The censors did not like Bart and Lisa singing the theme from ''Film/{{Shaft}}'', so the producers had to show a clip from the Academy Awards when that song was nominated, as proof that it had previously been performed on prime time television without repercussions.

* NeverMyFault: Homer grumbles about how he wouldn’t be in his situation if he didn’t agree to eat at a sushi bar, never mind the fact HE was the one who didn’t listen to the staff’s warnings when they tried to tell him, instead ordering them to bring him food without question.

* TooDumbToLive: Homer orders the Fugu blowfish platter, which the waiter tries to warn him about the dangers of that particular dish. However, Homer ignores the warning and tells him to give him his dish because he was impatient. Then he inadvertently caused the amateur chef to mess up the cutting with his impatient shout, “I WANT MY FUGU!”

** In RealLife, this would never have even been attempted. The Japanese take proper fugu preparation VERY seriously, requiring years of schooling and experience to obtain a license to handle it. Even at the time of airing, despite sushi being far less ubiquitous than it is today, America had very strict regulation of the fish. Most sushi restaurants back then, and even today, have the fugu safely sliced in Japan and freeze-flown to the United States. Had Homer actually died from this mishap, the restaurant would have been in ENORMOUS legal trouble. A more likely outcome would be for the chef to adamantly refuse making it.

* SmallRoleBigImpact: Mrs. Krabappel's role consists on having sex with the only chef in the Happy Sumo to have the required experience to cut fugu. If not for that, Homer would not have spent the rest of the episode thinking he was poisoned and would die from it.

The Simpsons have dinner out at a Japanese restaurant, which turns deadly when Homer eats some improperly-cut fugu and is told by Dr. Hibbert that he has only 22 hours left to live.

* ArtMajorBiology: Contrary to how Fugu's poison is potentially depicted here, the actual Fugu poison is a paralytic, meaning that Homer would have known almost immediately if he had been poisoined. The toxin (known as tetrodotoxin) causes paralysis by blocking sodium ions in nerve axons, preventing any signals from being sent and causing muscles to cease movement, including involuntary breathing muscles, and the actual death comes from the person being unable to breathe. The other difference is that treatment for fugu (if one can do it fast enough) is to be placed on life support until the poison is metabolized and the body can regain function. It is not the untreatable and delayed death sentence that fugu is shown to be here. After only a very short period, Homer would have known if he had been poisoned, and then realized he would have been fine.

* SmallRoleBigImpact: Mrs. Krabappel's role consists on having sex with the only chef in the Happy Sumo to have the required experience to cut fugu. If not for that, Homer wouldn't have spent the rest of the episode thinking he was poisoned and would die from it.

* ArtMajorBiology: Contrary to how Fugu's poison is potentially depicted here, the actual Fugu poison is a paralytic, meaning that Homer would have known almost immediately if he ate poison. The toxin (known as tetrodotoxin) causes paralysis by blocking sodium ions in nerve axons, preventing any signals from being sent and cuasing muscles to cease movement, including involuntary breathing muscles, and the actual death comes from the person being unable to breathe. The other difference is that treatment for fugu (if one can do it fast enough) is to be placed on life support until the body can regain function. It is not the untreatable and delayed death sentence that Fugu is shown to be here. After only a short period, Homer would have known if he had been poisoned, and then realized he would have been fine.

* ArtMajorBiology: Contrary to how Fugu's poison is potentially depicted here, the actual Fugu poison is a paralytic, meaning that Homer would have known immediately if he ate poison. The toxin (known as Tetrodotoxin) causes paralysis by blocking sodium ions in nerve axons, preventing any signalas from being sent and cuasing muscles to cease, and the actual death comes from the person being unable to breathe. The other difference is the fact that treatment is being placed on life support until the body can regain function; not the untreatable and delayed death sentence that Fugu is shown to be here. After only a short period,

* ArtMajorBiology: Contrary to how Fugu's poison is potentially depicted here; the actual Fugu poison is a paralytic. Meaning that Homer would have known immediately if he ate poison; which causes paralysis and the actual death comes from the person being unable to breathe. The other difference is the fact treatment is being placed on life support until the body can regain function; not the untreatable death sentence that Fugu is shown to be here.
* AsHimself: Larry King (reading The Bible on tape)

* SequentialSymptomSyndrome: Homer starts suffering the symptoms of fugu poisoning as soon as Dr. Hibbert describes each one of them.

* EskimosArentReal: When Lisa says she wants to go somewhere without burgers, pork chops, or fried chicken, Homer says, "[[SarcasmMode We'll go to Mars!]]", indicating he doesn't believe restaurants exist that don't sell those entrees.

* RecycledAnimation: The animation of Homer watching bowling on TV and eating Pork Rinds Lite is reused from Season 1. It originally showed Homer choking on the pork rinds, but that was cut out and Homer's chewing was put on a cycle.

* CreatorCameo: Richie Sakai appears as himself at the karaoke bar, although Creator/DanCastellaneta voices him using his natural voice.

* DefyingTheCensors: The censors did not like Bart and Lisa singing the theme from ''Film/{{Shaft}}'', so the producers had to show a clip from the Academy Awards when that song was nominated and performed on television.

* StockFootage: The animation of Homer watching bowling on TV and eating Pork Rinds Lite is reused from Season 1. It originally showed Homer choking on the pork rinds, but that was cut out and Homer's chewing was put on a cycle.

* VideoWill: Homer tries to film one for Maggie, but is interrupted by a phone call from Milhouse.

* AesopAmnesia: When Homer is ecstatic that he's alive, he vows to live life to its fullest. The next scene is Homer watching TV and eating pork rinds. (Perhaps that ''is'' living life to its fullest, by Homer's standards.)

* ArtisticLicenseBiology: Contrary to how Fugu's poison is potentially depicted here; the actual Fugu poison is a paralytic. Meaning that Homer would have known immediately if he ate poison; which causes paralysis and the actual death comes from the person being unable to breathe. The other difference is the fact treatment is being placed on life support until the body can regain function; not the untreatable death sentence that Fugu is shown to be here.

* ArtMajorBiology: Contrary to how Fugu's poison is potentially depicted here; the actual Fugu poison is a paralytic. Meaning that Homer would have known immediately if he ate poison; which causes paralysis and the actual death comes from the person being unable to breathe. The other difference is the fact treatment is being placed on life support until the body can regain function; not the untreatable death sentence that Fugu is shown to be here.

* CreatorCameo: Richie Sakai appears as himself at the karaoke bar.
** Although Dan Castellaneta voices him. Using his natural voice.

* NotHelpYourCase: During Homer's VideoWill recorded for Maggie, he tries to eulogize himself as "a simple man. A kind man. A gentle man who loved his children and-- D'oh!" He's been interrupted by a phone call from Milhouse, so he ends up standing up close to the camera, scratching his butt and exclaiming, "Bart, get your butt down here!"

* VideoWill: Homer tries to film one for Maggie, but is interrupted by a phone call.