Harriet Oleson has managed to put poor henpecked husband Nels in another mess with one of her patented whims. This time, as a result of this latest bothersome excursion, he finds himself caught between the middle of two bumbling would-be robbers who hold him up at gunpoint! Normally, this would be a bad thing, but clever Nels recognizes that the crooks are no threat to him at all and just trying to put on airs. However, after this latest misadventure caused by shrewish Harriet, he's not exactly in a forgiving mood...
Nels, finally annoyed with his wife's antics, decides to repay her by playing a huge practical joke. Instead of leading the thieves to arrest, as they are too inept to be of any real harm, Nels decides to "help" them pull off a huge robbery. He surprises Harriet in disguise, pretending to take her hostage as "Black Jake", assuming the role of the robbers' competent ringleader and guilt-tripping Harriet into a lesson she won't soon forget.
Tropes associated with this episode:
- Dead Person Impersonation: Nels covers himself with flour and pretends to be a ghost to make Harriet feel guilty about getting him kidnaped, making her think the thieves shot him and he's come back from the grave to haunt her.
- The Dog Bites Back: After learning that Harriet refused to pay for his ransom, Nels seeks revenge by offering to help the bumbling crooks keeping him hostage as part of an elaborate practical joke on his wife to get back at her for her avarice.
- Fainting: In the final scene, with Mrs. Oleson and Nancy, when Nels comes home. Willie keeps conscious and is grateful that his father is safe.
- Henpecked Husband: Once again, Nels is on the receiving end, but this time he's had enough and decides to make Harriet the one who gets put through the paces.
- Hilarity Ensues: The events involve Harriet putting her husband at risk by refusing to pay for ransom, which could easily put him in harm's way if the kidnappers weren't so bumbling, Nels faking his death to teach her a lesson, and at one point leading their children to think their father is dead. All of this is Played for Laughs, of course, as the last scene has Nels suddenly showing up alive and well, Harriet and Nancy fainting and Willie just brushing it off and going to fish with his father.
- Stupid Crooks: The two would-be robbers who take Nels hostage are too stupid to pose a threat, to the point that he could easily lead them to arrest, but instead makes them his Unwitting Pawns in his revenge against Harriet.
- What You Are in the Dark: This episode shows that Nancy, for all her faults, truly does love Harriet and Nels as her parents and together with Willie tried to figure out what they could do to help their parents.
