History Recap / TheSimpsonsS2E6DeadPuttingSociety

** At the end of the episode, Flanders mentions being in a fraternity--where he apparently wore a dress as a gag/hazing ritual. This is very inconsistent with the religious, overly moralistic persona he would take on a few seasons later.

** Flanders is right-handed in this episode, when future episodes not only states he is left-handed, but make it a main part of his personality, including opening his left-handed store.

** Also the mention of him being in a fraternity- where he apparently wore a dress as a gag/hazing ritual. This is very inconsistent with the religious, overly moralistic persona he would take on a few seasons later.
** Todd is also depicted as a more self aware AdorablyPrecociousChild compared to the extremely influential KiddieKid he is in most later appearances.
** Homer is also perpetually miserable and agitated throughout much of the episode. Not much of his happy-go-lucky personality was visible here. Though it's because he has to deal with Flanders and it's been made clear he doesn't like him.
** While Lisa's precocious personality is mostly established by this point, much like in "Bart the Genius" she is still seen [[ActuallyPrettyFunny laughing unashamedly at Homer's and Bart's heckling over Flanders' letter]].
** Flanders are right-handed in this episode, when future episodes not only states he is left-handed, but make it a main part of his personality, including opening his left-handed store.
** Flanders saying "Mercy is for the weak, Todd!" comes across as out-of-character in hindsight, given that shortly after this episode, he would settle into his now-familiar, extremely generous and jovial Christian persona.

* ICallItVera: Homer tells Bart to give his putter a name. Bart says "Mr. Putter," so he specifies it should be a girl's name. Bart selects "Mom," to which Homer snaps [[Film/FullMetalJacket "Your putter's name is Charlene!"]]

** While Lisa's precocious personality is mostly established by this point, much like in "Bart the Genius" she is still seen [[ActuallyPrettyFunny laughing unashamed at Homer and Bart's heckling over Flanders' letter]].

Todd and Bart are both interested in entering a miniature golf tournament, and Homer uses this as an excuse to try and show up Ned once and for all by goading him into making a bet where the father of the 'boy-who-doesn't-win' has to mow the winner's lawn in his wife's Sunday dress. Ned agrees, and Homer begins to put Bart through his paces so that he'll easily beat Todd.

-->'''Ned''': "Mercy is for the weak, Todd!"

* XMustNotWin: Homer is willing to accept both Ned and him facing the losing penalty so long at it means Ned suffers. Unfortunately for Homer, Ned enjoys it due to being reminded of his fraternity days.

* OffModel: Krusty appears in one sequence with his face having yellow skin.

* ActuallyPrettyFunny: After the boys forfeit, Homer insists this means he and Ned ''both'' must commit to the penalty (believing it will be worth so long as Ned suffers as well). To Homer's aggravation however, Ned finds humour in the situation and begins waving at the laughing public. (Bart can also be seen quietly snickering while the rest of the family mourns the embarrassment.)

** Flanders ''drinking''? Later episodes do feature a beer tap in the Flanders family basement so it is possible that Ned enjoys a good beer now and then. Also it is a way to avoid Moe's Tavern.

** Both Bart and Flanders are right-handed in this episode.

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: "Mercy is for the weak, Todd!"

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Had Ned allowed the contract to read "father of the loser" instead of insisting on "father of the boy who doesn't win", Homer wouldn't have been able to pull off his ExactWords ploy.

Until season 29, this was the last ''Simpsons'' episode with music composed by somebody ''other'' than Alf Clausen. This episode was composed by Ray Colcord,[[note]]music composer for Embassy Television sitcoms like ''Series/TheFactsOfLife''[[/note]] in his one and only contribution to the show.

* ExactWords: Homer and Ned's bet states that the father of the boy who "doesn't win" has to put on his wife's Sunday dress and mow the other father's lawn; it initially says "father of the loser," but Ned changes the terms to sound nicer. When Bart and Todd decide to call the match a tie, Homer points out that a draw isn't the same thing as a victory, meaning that both boys "didn't win." As such, Homer and Ned are both made to fulfill the bet and mow each other's lawns (unfortunately, Homer is denied seeing Flanders embarrassed because the latter thinks it's funny).

* {{Unishment}}: Bart and Todd end up competing against each other in mini-golf and Homer, always looking for an opportunity to mess with Flanders, makes a side bet: The "father of the boy who doesn't win"[[note]]Ned insisted on this wording since didn't want to hurt either boy's feelings with "loser"[[/note]] would have to mow the other's lawn in his wife's best Sunday dress. In the end Bart and Todd both forfeit because the game isn't fun anymore; Ned thinks it's over, but Homer points out that neither boy won, so they ''both'' have to go through with the bet. However, Ned actually ends up having fun since it reminds him of his college days, while Homer made an ass of himself for nothing.

Episode - 7F08\\
First Aired - 11/15/1990

** Homer is also perpetually miserable and agitated throughout much of the episode. Not much of his happy-go-lucky personality was visible here.