History Recap / TheSimpsonsS7E11MargeBeNotProud

* DarkerAndEdgier: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM6NcxTC-rI There was in fact a Tracey Ullman short in which Bart was caught shoplifting]], in which the crime and punishment are PlayedForLaughs. Here, Bart's act of shoplifting is a much bigger deal with more realistic consequences. The security guard is actually intimidating (compared to the SmallNameBigEgo Bart mocks in the short) and the act ran the risk of heavily damaging Bart's relationship with Marge, who is numbed by the experience compared to her usual comical nagging in the short. To be fair, it's also a far more serious theft in this episode (a video game priced around $70, vs. a bunch of candy bars in the Ullman short).

* OffModel: Marge is missing part of her left arm when she and Homer are chastising Bart for shoplifting.

* AluminumChristmasTrees: There actually was a game called ''VideoGame/BloodStorm''.

* DarkerAndEdgier: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM6NcxTC-rI There was in fact a Tracey Ullman short in which Bart was caught shoplifting]], in which the crime and punishment are played for laughs. Here, Bart's act of shoplifting is a much bigger deal with more realistic consequences. The security guard is actually intimidating and the act ran the risk of heavily damaging Bart's relationship with Marge. To be fair, it's also a far more serious theft in this episode (a video game priced around $70, vs. a bunch of candy bars in the Ullman short).

* AsinineAlternateActivity: Bart wants to get the new video game ''Bonestorm'' for Christmas, but Marge finds it too violent and suggests getting ''Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge''. At the end, after their relationship falls apart and is subsequently repaired, Marge reveals that she bought him a certain video game as a surprise gift. [[BrickJoke Take a good guess what it was.]]

* DarkerAndEdgier: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM6NcxTC-rI There was in fact a Tracy Ulman short in which Bart was caught shoplifting]], in which the crime and punishment are played for laughs. Here, Bart's act of shoplifting is a much bigger deal with more realistic consequences. The security guard is actually intimidating and the act ran the risk of heavily damaging Bart's relationship with Marge.

* PetTheDog: Luann, who's constantly kicking Bart out of her house (and who's forbidden Milhouse from playing with him in the past), is touched when he asks her if he can hang out with her while she does "mom stuff," and lets him stamp her Christmas cards as she's sealing the envelopes.

* ThenLetMeBeEvil: "Everybody thinks I'm the [[BlackSheep black sheep]]. Well, I'll show 'em what a black sheep can do!"--[[SubvertedTrope make up for his mistake, on his own dime]].

* BaitAndSwitch: Bart gets caught shoplifting and the security guard threatened him with juvenile hall if he caught him in the store again. He hides the message so the family remain unaware but soon learns that they are going to have their picture taken at the same store. Suddenly steam appears to shoot out his ears accompanied by a loud whistle. Marge then announces her teapots are ready and reveals two hot kettles previously hidden behind Bart's head.

* CruelToBeKind: After catching Bart shoplifting, Marge sadly laments to Homer that maybe it's the result of her smothering him and she needs to give him some space. Unfortunately Bart notices the change in behaviour.

* PoorCommunicationKills: Marge, who never believed that Bart would shoplift, realizes that (as he pointed out earlier) she's failed to account for the fact that he's not a little kid anymore, and thinks it will help if she gives him a little space and lets him do things for himself, like add his own marshmallows to his hot chocolate. She also stops the cutesy nightly tuck-in routine he's been complaining about. Bart has no idea why she's changed her behavior and thinks she doesn't love him anymore.

* ThenLetMeBeEvil: "Everybody thinks I'm the black sheep. Well, I'll show 'em what a black sheep can do!"--[[SubvertedTrope a good deed, on his own dime]].

* PoorCommunicationKills: Marge, who never believed that Bart would shoplift, realizes that (as he pointed out earlier) she's failed to account for the fact that he's not a little kid anymore, and thinks it will help if she gives him a little space and lets him do things for himself, like add his own marshmallows to his hot chocolate. She also stops her cutesy nightly tuck-in routine. Bart has no idea why she's changed her behavior and thinks she doesn't love him anymore.

Episode - 3F07\\
First Aired - 12/17/1995

** Detective Don Brodka. He has [[JerkassHasAPoint every right to be pissed about Bart's shoplifting]], (attempt to) notify his parents, and ban him from the store...but when Bart and his family come back to get their picture taken, Brodka could have at least waited until their picture was done before he chastises the boy again. But he doesn't, and the picture shows a husky arm grabbing Bart. Also, when calling Bart's parents to tell them about said shoplifting initially, he played it like he was actually speaking to them, only to reveal he left a message because they weren't home.