Homer talks with an online psychologist about a time he went looking for his mother as a teenager.
- The Bus Came Back: Annette, Lisa's therapist from "Springfield Splendor", returns. So does Santa’s Little Helper’s mom.
- Call-Back: The space coyote from "El Viaje Misterioso De Nuestro Jomer" is briefly seen looking at Homer driving through the desert.
- Call-Forward:
- Homer and Abe are shown living in the same house the latter lived in until the flashbacks of Lisa’s First Word.
- The FBI use the alias "Flowers By Irene" while undercover.
- Continuity Snarl: This episode reveals Homer realised his mother wasn’t dead as a teenager, whereas her first appearance hinged on him having believed she was dead until he actually visited what was supposedly her grave.
- "Could Have Avoided This!" Plot: Homer realizes that he could have gone to catch up to Mona before she could leave before going back for Abe.
- Early Personality Signs: As a newborn baby, Bart mooned Homer.
- Flintstone Theming: Santa’s Little Helper watches “Game of Bones” on Dogflix.
- Missed Him by That Much: Rather tragically, Mona had to move on to another life just as Homer was about to find and reunite with her.
- Or Was It a Dream?: Homer has no idea whether the Doctor who walked in soon after Bart’s birth was Mona in disguise, despite Abe also being there and confirming it was real.
- Police Are Useless:
- When Wiggum was a newly hired cadet, he ignored Homer’s property damage.
- The FBI aren’t much better, given that they spend more time and effort trying to find one woman who they have no concrete proof of guilt for, rather than actually dangerous criminals.
- Skewed Priorities: The only reason the white FBI agent doesn’t think too hard about not focusing on serial killers over Mona is that he doesn’t read the news.
