Moe's dishrag (voiced by Jeremy Irons) tells viewers the story of how it went from a beautiful medieval tapestry to being Moe's most-used and most-seen prop. Meanwhile, Bart tries to win Milhouse's friendship back after Milhouse is offended over Bart comparing him to Moe's dishrag.
Tropes:
- And I'm the Queen of Sheba: In response to the dishrag's claims of being originally a beautiful tapestry, a sponge sarcastically claims to be the Gutenberg Bible.
- And There Was Much Rejoicing: When the Duke of Springfield's Medieval France counterpart dies, several people whack his body in celebration.
- Animate Inanimate Object: Moe's dishrag, voiced by Jeremy sodding Irons, and a sponge.
- Aristocrats Are Evil: Mr. Burns' counterpart from Medieval France.
- Celebrity Paradox: Jeremy Irons had been referenced on the show in Season 6's "Lisa's Rival".
- Cheese-Eating Surrender Monkeys: Whacking the corpse of the recently deceased Duke is considered by one of the rejoicers as the peak of French courage.
- Hypocritical Humor:Homer: "...and that's why I don't believe there is a God. Thank you, and God bless America."
- Riches to Rags: The central (and quite literal) story arc of the episode.
- Not Allowed to Grow Up: Bart's and Lisa's Medieval France counterparts didn't grow up during the years their mother spent on the tapestry ordered by the Duke because they had too little food.
- Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Back when it was a beautiful tapestry, Moe's dishrag had predictions of what'd happen to it. A character decides to bite the tapestry after seeing that action being predicted.
- Shout-Out:
- Two of the Persian king's rejected wives resemble Jasmine and Jeannie.
- The Couch Gag features The Simpsons as characters from The Honeymooners, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Brady Bunch, and Cheers. Sideshow Bob makes a (silent) cameo appearance during the Cheers segment, a reference to his VA Kelsey Grammer's work on both that show and Frasier.
