Marge is inspired by a Japanese book on minimalism to adapt to a new way of living, so the Simpsons have to part with items that no longer bring them joy, which includes Homer finding a new home for the family pig.
This episode provides examples of:
- Accidental Truth: Plopper really does serve the proper function of a therapy animal to Homer, making him happier with life and putting his emotions on a more even keel.
- Anything but That!: Homer's reaction to Marge's ultimatum:Marge: If you don't find a home for that pig, I'm going to withhold...
Homer: No, whatever you're going to withhold... anything but that! I'll find him a home! - Berserk Button: Marge is impressed when Bart turns over a gravy boat and Homer is unfazed, noting that spilled gravy is in his "top three strangulation triggers."
- Behind the Black: When Lisa donates her fad-based Malibu Stacys to Comic Book Guy, she walks off screen, and Comic Book Guy (who just told her they were worth nothing) immediately starts putting expensive price tags on them. Then Lisa catches him in the act, since she never actually left the store.
- The Bus Came Back: Or in this case, possibly never left at all: it turns out that Plopper, who has only made sporadic appearances around Springfield in the decade following The Movie, has been living in the family's backyard for some time, which has never come up because Marge is the only one who takes care of him. Bart is surprised to discover that they still have a pig at all.
- Caption Humor:SO THE PIG, AND PLOPPER, WERE REUNITED. CHYRON BY BART.
- Continuity Nod: The family's tossed-out possessions include Homer's Mr. Plow jacket. Not to worry: Marge secretly saved everything the family "threw out" in a storage unit, where we also see a "Gnome in Your Home" from the previous episode (apparently Marge managed to spare at least one from Maggie's rampage).
- Everyone Has Standards: Even the creator of Lisa Lionheart is happy to get rid of "Businesswoman Malibu Stacy, Plus-Size Malibu Stacy, and Non-Gender-Normative Malibu Stacy."Lisa: Your attempts to enter the 21st century brought joy to no one.
- Forgetful Jones: Homer on the word "wallow":Marge: (discussing Plopper) Look, I'm the only one who feeds him, cleans him, and maintains his wallow.
Homer: I am grateful beyond words.
Marge: I bet you didn't even know it was called a wallow.
Homer: I certainly did!
Marge: Then tell me what it's called.
Homer: What what was called?
Marge: The word I just said.
Homer: Marge, I don't know what the word is. Let's not wallow in this all day.
(Marge groans) - Meadow Run: Played for Laughs with Homer and Plopper's reunion at the end.
- Morality Pet: Homer won't strangle Bart in front of Plopper and in fact has no desire to.
- My Country Tis of Thee That I Sting: Marge describes the storing business as the only growing industry in America.
- Negative Continuity: Smithers mentions having figured out that Bart is El Barto, which, as of "Exit Through the Kwik-E-Mart," should no longer be a secret.
- Recut: The August 27, 2017 airing of this episode replaced the Title Sequence with a blinded Homer making a public announcement about the recent solar eclipse.
- Obfuscating Disability: Homer fakes the symptoms of anxiety and receives a diagnosis so that Plopper can become his therapy animal, albeit he ends up having an actual anxiety attack when the pig is injured by Burns' hounds.
- Oh, Crap!: When Lisa says she thought the family meeting was about reducing the carbon footprint of her college fund, Homer tells her he just did. When she asks why it was so easy to do, she realizes it's because she doesn't 'have' a college fund.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Homer is so desperate to keep Plopper that he's willing to give up beer. Marge agrees to this deal instantly.
- Pet the Dog: After telling Lisa he understands what it's like to believe that life is horrible because he felt that way when she was born, Bart hijacks the school's P.A. system to play one of her jazz compositions, reviving her love for her art.
- Sequel Episode: To The Simpsons Movie, showing that the family still has Plopper (alias Spider-Pig), and having to decide what to do with him.
- Status Quo Is God: Homer gets the family pig back and the items the Simpsons parted with were actually stored away.
- Think of the Children!: Spoofed:Homer: Marge, before you go cuckoo with cleanliness and throw everything out, think of the kids — the kids working in overseas factories to make this crap.
