History Recap / TheSimpsonsS9E22TrashOfTheTitans

* PoorCommunicationKills: Homer ''really'' should've told Marge the reason he fought with the garbage men was due to how unprofessionally they acted. Otherwise she probably would've written a letter complaining about that instead of forging Homer's apology. This is repeated Ray Patterson, who is initially depicted as a ReasonableAuthorityFigure that Homer [[WrongGenreSavvy assumes is a bullying corporate]]. Rather than make any direct referral to the mistreatment he suffered from some of his staff, Homer starts childishly antagonising the bewildered and angry Patterson, who insults him back, starting the disastrous war.

* EtTuBrute: If somewhat justifiably, not a single person opposes to brutally punishing Homer for ruining the town. To punctuate this most of Homer's close friends and family members can be seen in the front rows glaring stoic as the vote is given.

* PoorCommunicationKills: Homer ''really'' should've told Marge the reason he fought with the garbage men was due to how unprofessionally they acted. Otherwise she probably would've written a letter complaining about that instead of forging Homer's apology.

* DeadpanSnarker: Ray Patterson, being played by Creator/SteveMartin and all.

** Ray Patterson is tormented by Homer, and the townspeople who fall for Homer's insanity.

* LetsSeeYouDoBetter: Homer is quite assured he can completely surpass Ray Patterson's sanitation of Springtime. Rather surprisingly, he does actually start providing exceptional service. Less surprisingly, it doesn't last very long, and things get worse from there.

%%* AllElectionsAreSeriousBusiness

--->'''Ray:''' Simpson, the American people have never tolerated incompetence from its elected officials. You are going to ''crash and burn'', my fat-headed friend.\\

* Oireland: Homer gets in backstage to the U2 concert by pretending to be the "Potatoe man", who apparent had been expected.

* {{Jerkass}}: You can see why some consider season nine a turning point in Homer's characterization (and a reason behind the show's decline, besides the fact that the stories were getting more and more unrealistic and derivative). He [[DisproportionateRetribution cuts off his family's garbage service over a petty argument]] and runs for sanitation commissioner rather than apologize. Once he gets elected, he renders the entire town uninhabitable in a matter of months. It's implied that he has been forging Marge's name on loan applications and wills, and doesn't see a problem with that. It's also implied that he tampered with the brakes in Ray Patterson's car, putting him in serious danger. He also continuously makes Ray's life a living hell by tossing lies (bringing children to his gingerbread house) and belittling him at every opportunity. When Homer wins, he laughs it all off to a fuming Ray that they were all lies and that they can keep being friends.

* {{Jerkass}}: You can see why some consider season nine a turning point in Homer's characterization (and a reason behind the show's decline, besides the fact that the stories were getting more and more unrealistic and derivative). He [[DisproportionateRetribution cuts off his family's garbage service over a petty argument]] and runs for sanitation commissioner rather than apologize. Once he gets elected, he renders the entire town uninhabitable in a matter of months. He also continuously makes Ray's life a living hell by tossing lies (bringing children to his gingerbread house) and belittling him at every opportunity. When Homer wins, he laughs it all off to a fuming Ray that they were all lies and that they can keep being friends.

-->'''Ray:''' ''(happy sigh)'' Oh gosh. You know, I'm not much on speeches, but it's so gratifying to-- ''(growling)'' leave you wallowing in the mess you've made. [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere You're screwed, thank you, bye.]]\\

-->'''Ray:''' Oh gosh. You know, I'm not much on speeches, but it's so gratifying to-- ''(sighs)'' leave you wallowing in the mess you've made. You're screwed, thank you, bye.\\

* {{Jerkass}}: You can see why some consider season nine a turning point in Homer's characterization (and a reason behind the show's decline, besides the fact that the stories were getting more and more unrealistic and derivative). He [[DisproportionateRetribution cuts off his family's garbage service over a petty argument]] and runs for sanitation commissioner rather than apologize. Once he gets elected, he renders the entire town uninhabitable in a matter of months. He also continuously make Ray's life a living hell by tossing lies (bringing children to his gingerbread house) and belittling him at every opportunity. When Homer wins, he laughs it all off to a fuming Ray that they were all lies and that they can keep being friends.

----

* {{Jerkass}}: You can see why some consider season nine a turning point in Homer's characterization (and a reason behind the show's decline, besides the fact that the stories were getting more and more unrealistic and derivative). He [[DisproportionateRetribution cuts off his family's garbage service over a petty argument]] and runs for sanitation commissioner rather than apologize. Once he gets elected, he renders the entire town uninhabitable in a matter of months.

''[[ChirpingCrickets (dead silence)]]]''

* DownerEnding[=/=]GainaxEnding: Springfield is so badly trashed that the only solution is to move the whole town five miles down the road.

* CryingIndian: Parodied. The Crying Indian is seen and does cry when he sees a can carelessly thrown at his feet, but another Indian appears next to him and tells him not to turn around and see the true horror that pollution has wrought on [[spoiler:the former location of]] Springfield. Unfortunately, the Crying Indian does turn around and screams, and the second one lectures, "I ''told'' you not to turn around."

* AbandonedMine: Homer's solution for solving the Springfield Sanitation Department's budget crisis is to allow other major U.S. cities to dump their unwanted garbage in one (located on the outskirts of the city) in exchange for money. [[spoiler: The plan backfires when the garbage starts erupting from the ground all over the town.]]

* DownerEnding[=/=]GainaxEnding: [[spoiler:Springfield is so badly trashed that the only solution is to move the whole town five miles down the road.]]
* EasilyForgiven: PlayedWith. All of Springfield unanimously agrees to horse-whip Homer for messing up Springfield, but strangely, [[spoiler:as Springfield is being moved five miles down the road,]] Homer gets amicably welcomed by Moe when he heads into his tavern.

* HereWeGoAgain: Lisa points that even though [[spoiler:Springfield is being moved five miles down the road]], they'll just trash it like they did to [[spoiler:the old location]].

-->'''Bono:''' Hold on, people. He's talking about waste management, that affects the whole damn planet!
-->'''The Edge:''' Aww, here we go...

-->'''The Edge:''' ''[to Larry Mullen]'' What do you say we slip out to Moe's for a pint?
-->'''Adam:''' Can I come?
-->''({{beat}})''
-->'''The Edge:''' No.

--->'''Ray:''' Hey, leave the bird alone!
--->'''Homer:''' Never! ''[continues shaking bird cage]''

--->'''Ray:''' Simpson, the American people have never tolerated incompetence from its elected officials. You are going to ''crash and burn'', my fat-headed friend.
--->'''Homer:''' [[ComicallyMissingThePoint See, we're still friends.]] Come on, how about a hug?

-->'''Ray:''' You told people I lured children into ''[[Literature/HanselAndGretel my gingerbread house]]''.
-->'''Homer:''' Heheheheh. Yeah, that was just a lie.

-->'''Bono:''' Why should they vote for you?
-->'''Homer:''' That's a good question, Bono. 'Cause I'd be the most whack, tripped-out sanitation commissioner ever! Can you dig it?
-->''[dead silence]''
* TakeThat: To the gift/greeting card industry for creating "Love Day" purely to boost revenue. Love Day bears a marked resemblance to Sweetest Day, a Valentine's Day-like manufactured holiday created in Cleveland in 1922.

-->'''Ray:''' Oh gosh. You know, I'm not much on speeches, but it's so gratifying to- [sighs] leave you wallowing in the mess you've made. You're screwed, thank you, bye.
-->'''Moe:''' He's right. He ain't much on speeches.

In this, the 200th episode, Homer's {{jerkass}} antics gets the family's garbage collection cut off, and Marge writes an apology to the garbagemen on Homer's behalf. Incensed that Marge would do something like this, Homer takes on sanitation commissioner Ray Patterson (voiced by comedian, actor, and one of ''SaturdayNightLive'''s most frequent and memorable hosts, Creator/SteveMartin) in an upcoming election and wins his seat with a campaign that promises more than it can deliver.

In this, the 200th episode, Homer's {{jerkass}} antics gets the family's garbage collection cut off, and Marge writes an apology to the garbagemen on Homer's behalf. Incensed that Marge would do something like this, Homer takes on sanitation commissioner Ray Patterson (voiced by comedian, actor, and one of ''SaturdayNightLive'''s most frequent and memorable hosts, SteveMartin) in an upcoming election and wins his seat with a campaign that promises more than it can deliver.

* AllElectionsAreSeriousBusiness

* DeadpanSnarker: Ray Patterson, being played by SteveMartin and all.

-->'''Ray:''' Hey, leave the bird alone!
-->'''Homer:''' Never! ''[continues shaking bird cage]''

-->'''Ray:''' Simpson, the American people have never tolerated incompetence from its elected officials. You are going to ''crash and burn'', my fat-headed friend.
-->'''Homer:''' [[ComicallyMissingThePoint See, we're still friends.]] Come on, how about a hug?
* InkSuitActor: Ray Patterson looks just like SteveMartin.

* XMustNotWin: Shown to quite a detrimental level, since Homer's campaign is based largely on a spite war towards Patterson, he proves completely incompetent when he finally gets the job.