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Context Recap / TheSimpsonsS16E21TheFatherTheSonAndTheHolyGuestStar

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1[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/647648.jpg]]
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3'''Original air date:''' 5/15/2005
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5'''Production code:''' GABF-09
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7When Bart is unjustly expelled for an incident at a medieval-themed fair at school that [[NotMeThisTime wasn't his fault]], he's sent to a Catholic private school led by an Irish priest (voiced by guest star Creator/LiamNeeson) who shows Bart and Homer the fun side of the Catholic religion. Naturally, Ned, Marge, and Reverend Lovejoy (who are Protestant) don't agree.
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9!!Tropes:
10* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Lisa claims that Latin is the language of Plutarch. Plutarch actually wrote in Greek.
11* BadBoss: Skinner gives Willie the single worst job in the fair, encouraging kids to throw things at him.
12* BadFuture: 1000 years in future, the world becomes a [[TabletopGame/Warhammer40000 Warhammer-esque dystopia]] where Bart somehow is worshipped as a prophet and people wearing Bart themed gear are fighting wars over his words of peace and tolerance using strange war machines.
13* BorrowedCatchphrase: The two crusading armies in the DistantFinale use Bart's ''Eat my shorts'' and ''Cowabunga'' as their battlecry.
14* CassandraTruth: Practically nobody believes in Bart's pleas of innocence regarding the prank he was expelled for, what with his history of playing pranks on people.
15* CelestialBureaucracy: A follow inhabitant of Protestant Heaven explains this to Marge.
16* CharacterCatchphrase: Bart introduces himself to his new school with a very bored, "Yeah, yeah, I'm Bart Simpson. Ay, caramba. Do the Bartman. Etc., etc."
17* ContinuityNod: After Lisa explains to Homer who the ancient historian Plutarch was, Homer complains that thanks to her teaching him that, he's now forgotten who won Bud Bowl VIII, referencing his comment in "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS5E22SecretsOfASuccessfulMarriage Secrets of a Successful Marriage]]" about how "every time (he) learns something new, it pushes some old stuff out of (his) brain."
18* CoolTeacher: You've got to be pretty cool to nearly turn [[TheHedonist both Bart and Homer Simpson]] Catholic. Unlike the classically SternNun who represents Bart's first glimpse of Catholic education, Father Sean is a good-natured guy who understands where Bart is coming from due to having [[FormerTeenRebel a similar past himself]].
19* CrisisOfFaith: The premise of the episode. Bart and Homer convert to Catholicism after the former is sent to a Catholic school, while Marge, Ned and Lovejoy disapprove.
20* DistantFinale: After Bart convinces the Catholics and Protestants to get along, the episode ends on a fade to 1000 years later, where two armies are fighting over the words of "God's last prophet, Bart Simpson." Apparently Milhouse became Bart's Judas.
21* DramaticGunCock: Parodied in the climactic MexicanStandoff when [[https://frinkiac.com/gif/S16E21/1191943/1195071/ all four get a closeup of pumping their guns]].
22* DramaticIrony: Audience members can't help but feel sorry for Bart when he's getting flak from everyone for something they [the audience] know Willie was responsible for.
23* DriverFacesPassenger: Reverend Lovejoy spends a disturbingly long time looking ''backwards'' while driving. Jesus must have taken the wheel.
24* DumbassHasAPoint: Lisa agrees with Homer when he declares that he and Bart should be allowed to pick their own religion and helps him and Father Sean by telling them where Marge took Bart.
25* EasilyCondemned: Bart is expelled for Willie's prank, even when he says he didn't do it. In fact his ''family'' refuses to believe him. But given his history of trouble making it's easy to come to conclusion he may have done it.
26* EskimosArentReal: When Lisa mentions how she decided to convert to Buddhism, Father Sean thinks she's talking about an imaginary friend.
27* FluffyCloudHeaven: Marge's ImagineSpot has Heaven depicted up in the clouds.
28* FormerTeenRebel: Father Sean can relate to Bart because he used to be a troublemaker himself, and notes the TruthInTelevision that St. Augustine "got his start stealing pears."
29* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Father Sean states if he'd fail to keep Bart within his flock, he'd be the worst priest ever, "Except for, [[PedophilePriest you know]]...", prompting awkward looks and coughing from Homer and Lisa.
30* HellOfAHeaven: Protestant Heaven is this for Marge since Homer and Bart are in Catholic Heaven.
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32* JerkassBall: In most other episodes, Marge is usually [[WomenAreWiser the reasonable]] and friendly {{Foil}} when Homer is being foolish or reckless or InnocentlyInsensitive. In this episode, however, Marge suddenly has a fear and hatred of Catholics [[CompressedVice for no apparent reason other than because the plot says so]]. She doesn't even get a FreudianExcuse explaining why. It even gets lampshaded by Bart [[HypocrisyNod pointing out she's essentially going against something she was BEGGING Bart to do before]].
33--> '''Bart''': You're always nagging me to go to church, and now that I ''am'', it's the '''wrong one.'''
34** Flanders and Lovejoy are even more intolerant than usual and help kidnap Bart. And then when they agree to get along with Catholics, Flanders agrees that they need to unite against monogamous gays and stem cells.
35* JerkassRealization: Bart once again, he calms everyone down when he explains that Catholics and Protestants are both Christians, which got both sides to agree.
36* KarmaHoudini: Groundskeeper Willie doesn't get punished for the stunt he pulled and lets Bart take the blame.
37* MundaneAfterlife: Protestant Heaven has cricket and badminton, while Catholic Heaven has a Mexican fiesta, Italian dinner, and Irish dancing.
38* NoodleIncident: In the distant future, Bart is revered as a prophet. One sect claims Bart was betrayed by Milhouse.
39* NotHelpingYourCase: Despite Bart's innocence, happily rolling with the whole thing right in front of Skinner didn't exactly sell the fact he didn't do it, to say the least.
40* NotMeThisTime: Bart tries to explain he’s innocent and didn’t do anything wrong despite having a reason to sabotage the fair, which is true, but nobody believes him.
41-->'''Bart:''' I didn't do it! [[CryingWolf Unlike all the other stuff I told you I didn't do, which I did!]]
42* OverlySpecificAfterlife: Marge has a daydream where Heaven is divided between the Protestants and the Catholics after Bart and Homer convert to the latter.
43* TheScapegoat: Bart is forced to take the blame for the accident, despite the fact it was all Willie's doing.
44* ShoutOut: Lovejoy and Flanders drive around in [[Franchise/ScoobyDoo the Ministry Machine]].
45* StandingInTheHall: Bart is forced into this while at a private Catholic school.
46* SternNun: Enrolled at a Catholic school, Bart naturally tangles with one of these first thing.
47* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: It's never shown how Bart gets back into Springfield Elementary or if he is ever proven innocent of Willie's prank.
48* WhiteAngloSaxonProtestant: During Marge's ImagineSpot, Protestant heaven is populated by herself and snobby yuppies playing croquet.

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