After spanking Dooley in school for pantsing her, Peggy becomes feared, especially when she gets an old spanking paddle and becomes Paddlin' Peggy Hill.
Tropes:
- Acquired Situational Narcissism: Peggy lets the Paddlin' Peggy Hill thing go to her head, even taking pride in being dreaded. So much so, she was prepared to spank Joseph on live TV during a news report about her.
- Analogy Backfire: Dale confirms his anti-spanking stance saying "Spare the rod and spoil the child". Although the saying means one is in favor of spanking as Hank points out to him.
- Artistic License – Education: Realistically, Peggy should have been fired (and perhaps get into legal trouble) after bringing in a mace with her in the end, especially since the school zero-tolerance policy in bringing in weapons to school. (Something Hank would get in trouble with in a later episode after he has his students bring tools to school).
- Asshole Victim: Considering all that Dooley put Peggy through, even his parents felt he deserved that spanking.
- Assurance Backfire: Before being fired, Peggy ponders about her future and says she could make software. And after she gets fired, Hank tries to cheer her up and gets her a book on designing software, but it only makes her feel worse.
- Bait-and-Switch Comment: At dinner, an excited Luanne makes a comment telling them to guess who won best French manicure at the beauty academy. It's met with silence, not to mention tension from the family directed at Peggy. And after Hank and Peggy end their argument, Luanne says it was Sharona Johnson who won and then complains about how unfair it is because she works hard.
- The Bully: Dooley and Clark who both pick on Peggy, especially the former. Dale later calls Peggy this after she threatens to spank Joseph.
- By-the-Book Cop: Not a cop, but Principal Moss is like this: getting a statement from Peggy and Dooley's parents before she's fired, examining the spanking regulations Peggy violated, going through the firing procedures and having hall monitor Emily escort her off campus.
- Cool Teacher: What Peggy becomes in the end. She comes to class and sees Dooley left her a funny drawing of her pantsed on her map and the class laughs at her. Peggy then sees the handle of what appears to be Ol' Spanky and threatens them. She pulls it out, revealing it's actually a mace. She uses it to destroy the drawing and then dives into telling the class about the Spanish Inquisition, which peaks their interests.
- Corporal Punishment: After getting fired by spanking by hand due to it being illegal, Peggy gets her job back and threatens to spank the legal way: with the old paddle known as Ol' Spanky.
- The Dreaded: Peggy becomes this as "Paddlin' Peggy Hill", to the point where Joseph has nightmares about her and even Bobby is uncomfortable being around her.
- Drunk with Power: Peggy, to the point she threatens other people such as drivers who cut her off while driving.
- Easily Forgiven: Dooley’s parents actually wanted to apologize to Peggy for their son's behavior, admitting their familiarity with his terrible behavior and figuring he set her off.Peggy: What are you saying?Dooley's Mom: You did good.
- Everyone Has Standards: Cotton may be a bastard, but he doesn't want to see Peggy cry, and especially is on her side when she finds out why she got fired.
- Good Parents: Dale claims he threw away Ol' Spanky in the trash just as Peggy is about to spank Joseph and says that he did it because she was going crazy. He then takes Joseph and comforts him.
- Even Dooley’s parents where they admit that their son deserves to get spanked for causing trouble for Peggy.
- Heel Realization: Right after almost spanking Joseph, Peggy has one, pondering that she was scared after being bullied and decides to find some way to bring back the old Peggy.
- Hypocritical Humor: While campaigning for her job back, a teacher approaches Peggy and supports her, even praising her for bringing discipline to the schools and first becomes known as Paddlin' Peggy. Peggy then insinuates that it's just the VFW guys being silly. Then she gives a teacher a pin that's in support of Paddlin' Peggy.
- I Call It "Vera": The spanking paddle known as Ol' Spanky.
- Immediate Self-Contradiction :
- Hank tells how he was spanked while he was in school and he turned out OK, only to grimace after thinking about what he went through.
- And from Bill:
- Kick the Dog: Dooley, who shoots at Peggy with a nerf gun, and when she pulls him up front as a volunteer, eats her lunch. This of course causes Peggy's class to fall into chaos, causing her to get a bad evaluation. And the next day, with Dooley and Clark blinding her with glare from watches and ultimately pantsing her.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Peggy twice:
- After she spanks Dooley and seeing the shocked reaction from the whole class.
- And just right as she's about to spank Joseph when she thinks he threw away the paddle.
- Names to Run Away from Really Fast: Peggy, with the help of Ol' Spanky, becomes Paddlin' Peggy Hill. And also Hank and the guys' old principal, known as Jeter the Beater.
- Nightmare Fuel: In-universe example. Joseph has nightmares about being spanked by Peggy. Bill though insinuates that it's not that bad.
- Noodle Incident: During an argument with Hank, Peggy demands respect for her profession and mentions that she didn't stick her nose at him for his "Spatula Tuesday" fiasco.
- Pants-Pulling Prank: Dooley does this to Peggy in class, which gets her laughed at by everyone. This ends up being her Rage Breaking Point, causing Peggy to spank Dooley.
- Pet the Dog: Cotton, with the help of the VFW, helps Peggy get her teaching job back.
- Pre-Asskicking One-Liner: Peggy let's out a very angry "HO YEAH!" right before spanking Dooley multiple times.
- Sadist Teacher: Peggy acts as this when she embraces the Paddlin' Peggy role, taking joy in threatening students with Ol' Spanky.
- The Stool Pigeon: The school nerd Randy tells Peggy it was Dooley that was shooting at her with the Nerf gun. Dooley then tells him he's dead, then repeats it in Spanish after Peggy tells them to keep speaking "en Espanol".
- Uncool Undies: Being pantsed by Dooley reveals Peggy wearing pink granny panties.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Bobby gave one to this to Peggy for spanking Dooley. Saying how (most likely based upon his own experience) Dooley always pantses people, and after it happens, she should have simply pulled up her pants and moved on.
