Irritated by a classmate's impressive tale about his grandfather, Verne decides he needs something for a show-and-tell about his own ancestor. Against Marty's advice, he travels back to get his grandfather's picture. Right off the bat, trouble mounts when Grandfather Clayton fails to impress not only Verne, but also his future wife, who falls in love with Marty. With his family in danger, Doc hits the Oregon Trail in an attempt to get history back on course.
This episode includes examples of the following tropes:
- Call-Back: When Marty cautions Verne about his plan, he tells the boy that he definitely knows how risky it is to meet one's ancestors. This refers to the first film, which the events of the episode replicate.
- Distracted by the Sexy: Martha is quite pretty and Daniel Clayton, Verne's grandfather, tells the boys he's had a lot of trouble concentrating on his butterfly specimens since she joined the caravan.
- Lampshade Hanging: Verne imitates a speech his mother gives, complete with it being delivered by Clara's voice actor as is sometimes done with cartoons. Once he's finished, Marty remarks on the uncanny accuracy of the impression, and Verne says he sometimes uses it to call himself in sick to school.
- Masculine Girl, Feminine Boy: Martha O'Brien, Verne's grandmother, is a trailblazer who is quite comfortable in rough clothes, riding a horse through uncharted territory and shooting buffalo. Her husband-to-be, Daniel Clayton, is a shy bookworm from back East. This dynamic throws Verne, who had expected that his grandfather was the rough-and-ready pioneer and is disappointed by the reality.
- A Match Made in Stockholm: Martha O'Brien, Verne's maternal grandmother, takes a fancy to Marty on first sight and tries to coax a promise of marriage out of him by tying him up on her horse.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero:
- Verne is responsible for the entire plot, as his trip into the past disrupts his grandparents' romance.
- On a smaller scale, Martha manages to grab Wild Bill Tannen's firearm and hold him at bay, until Verne arrives to protect her. With Martha distracted, Tannen manages to grab back the pistol.
- No Guy Wants an Amazon: Midway through the episode, Martha puts on a dress in an attempt to win over Marty, who has been resistant to her advances so far. Unbeknownst to her, his reasons are completely different.
