Rosie is now an alderman. However, he finds that getting elected is just the beginning.
Tropes:
- Accidental Dance Craze: When Nia wins a spot to win in a TV dance program for black people, she is forced to do it wearing an itchy sweater her mother bought for her. This causes her to break from the scripted dance moves and start itching, which the other dances deem "The Itchy" and start dancing like her.
- Anachronism Stew: The Expository Theme Tune that plays for this episode, "Shining Star" by Earth, Wind & Fire, was released a year after the events in which this episode takes place.
- Better the Devil You Know: At the end of the episode, Rosie goes back to work at Mohican on a part-time basis. Though he still hates the job, he takes comfort from the fact that he is good at it, in contrast to his struggles against Tangenti's political machine.Rosie: Oriskany, New York! Home of romance and Boston baked beans!
- A Day in the Limelight: This episode shows us a day in the life of Rosie instead of the Murphy family, with only Frank showing up at all.
- Flipping the Bird: Plenty of workers causing havoc in Rosie's neighborhood, under secret order by the crooked mayor, give Rosie this.
- Freeze-Frame Bonus: Smokey's typed letter is profane, has multiple misspellings, and is full of threats for Mayor Tangenti. Rosie throws it away after distracting Smokey.
- Hope Spot: After spending the entire episode learning how corrupt the political system in his town really is, and how some of his long-time friends are involved in the corruption, Rosie is about to give up hope. The family then sees Jim Jeffords being placed on leave after being caught on camera in a racist tirade, triggered by Nia's allergy-driven dance routine. He is replaced by a Black anchor, Curtis Higgins. Georgia points out that if a child like Nia can inspire change, that Rosie is certainly capable. The fire hydrants are being closed off, improving both the water pressure and water quality of the Twelfth Ward, which is a victory for Rosie.
- Insistent Terminology: When Jim Jeffords is fired for his racially insensitive comments on Funk Implosion, he tells the audience that he is taking a "preplanned vacation". Even when the new host immediately announces next that the top story is that Jim Jeffords has been place on an indefinite leave of absence, Jim pipes in that he still calls it a preplanned vacation.
- Ironic Echo: Frank is having to cover Rosie's job as a sky cap. Lacking Rosie's gifts for flattery and being personable, his customers treat him rudely and call him out on his insincerity. A frustrated Frank repeats the last words spoken by Chet when he was dying in the hospital.Frank: Make it the last night, Charlie.
- Mirror Character: Rosie finds that his job as alderman is a lot like Frank's job at Mohican Airways and gets a better understanding of Frank's frustrations at work and that being in charge really isn't easy.
- Mixed Metaphor: Mayor Tangenti uses one to try to entice Rosie into accepting bribes and kickbacks in exchange for supporting Tangenti's corrupt deals.Tangenti: You wash my hands, I scratch your back!
- Sell-Out: When Rosie admits that he's having trouble navigating the entrenched corruption in City Hall, his friends and neighbors refer to him as this, accusing him of being worse than the previous alderman because they believed he would be able to get more done.
- Special Edition Title: The title sequence features Rosie instead of Frank for this episode, showing that it will be A Day in the Limelight.
