History Recap / TheSimpsonsS11E21ItsAMadMadMadMadMarge

* ContrivedCoincidence: Played with. Ordinarily, Marge finding Becky giving mouth-to-mouth to Homer at the ice cream parlor just as Marge reached her breaking point would qualify as this, except [[BigEater this is "Homer"]] and ice cream related mishaps cannot be that uncommon for him. Marge arriving home to Bart's filming a music video with the family suggestively in peril is a more straightforward example.

* ContrivedCoincidence: Played with. Ordinarily, Marge finding Becky giving mouth-to-mouth to Homer at the ice cream parlor just as Marge reached her breaking point would qualify as this, except [[BigEater this is ''Homer'']] and ice cream related mishaps cannot be that uncommon for him. Marge arriving home to Bart's filming a music video with the family suggestively in peril is a more straightforward example.

* ContrivedCoincidence: Played with. Ordinarily, Marge finding Becky giving mouth-to-mouth to Homer at the ice cream parlor just as Marge reached her breaking point would qualify as this, except this is Homer and ice cream related mishaps cannot be that uncommon for him. Marge arriving home to Bart's filming a music video with the family suggestively in peril is a more straightforward example.

* ContrivedCoincidence: Played with. Ordinarily, Marge finding Becky giving mouth-to-mouth to Homer at the ice cream parlor just as Marge reached her breaking point would qualify as this, except this is Homer and ice cream related mishaps cannot be that uncommon for him. Marge arriving home to [[spoiler: Bart's filming a music video]] is a more straightforward example.

* PoliceAreUseless: Well, they're powerless to ''protect'' Marge but not to ''punish'' her.

** Marge looks up old newspaper clippings at the library to try to find evidence that Becky's a criminal. Every time, Marge reads only part of the headline and gasps, but then reads the rest, which clears Becky of any wrongdoing.
--->'''Marge:''' [[LampshadeHanging I really should read the whole headline before I react.]]

** A double one in the climax: Marge comes home, convinced Becky isn't a threat... and sees the rest of the family chained up in S&M gear as it looks like Becky is about to torture them all. It turns out Bart was filming his school project and complained about Marge entering his shot.
* BondageIsBad: Subverted, although it at least seems to be the theme of Becky's video.

* DisproportionateRetribution: If we assume Becky ''[[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation wasn't]]'' being sarcastic, she would have killed Marge and stolen her family for forcing her to split up with Otto (who wasn't that good a marriage prospect, to say the least).

* FiveSecondForeshadowing: It was quickly apparent that Otto and Becky were not going to get married when Otto interrupts Becky's accepting of his marriage proposal... just so he could listen to the guitar solo in "Every Rose Has Its Thorn".

* MistakenForMurderer: Marge was convinced by her sisters Patty and Selma that Becky will attempt to seduce her husband Homer and kill her. When Marge claiming that she's planning to murder her, this leading to her being labeled insane. Subverted when turns out Becky was trying to kill Marge(if she wasn't being sarcastic that is).
* OffModel: The character model used for Dr. Foster uses the wrong version of the character.[[note]]This episode uses the younger version of the character when explaining how he treated Ned Flanders in "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS8E8HurricaneNeddy Hurricane Neddy]]", not the older version with grey, balding hair and aging cheeks.[[/note]]

* RightForTheWrongReasons: Selma and Patty brought up the idea that Becky was going to kill Marge, when turns out to be true had Becky not abandon the plan.

* SoapboxSadie: The whole plot happens because Marge can't stop herself from meddling with a couple's love life when she was not asked to.

* IsntItIronic: Otto proposes to Becky by playing the Music/{{Poison}} song "Every Rose Has its Thorn", which is actually a breakup song.

* ProperlyParanoid: Becky ''was'' planning to murder Marge, at least originally(unless she was being sarcastic). (She had gotten to the part where she had been making plans to bury her, but after having too much trouble buying a shovel, she decided to scrap the whole idea.)

* DisproportionateRetribution: [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation If we assume Becky ''wasn't'' being sarcastic]], she would have killed Marge and stolen her family for forcing her to split up with Otto (who wasn't that good a marriage prospect, to say the least).

* DisproportionateRetribution: If we assume Becky ''wasn't'' being sarcastic, she would have killed Marge and stolen her family for forcing her to split up with Otto (who wasn't that good a marriage prospect, to say the least).

--> '''Bart:''' [[LampshadeHanging Kills again?]] [[ArmorPiercingResponse She hasn't killed once]]!

* HalfwayPlotSwitch: The first act focuses on Otto and Becky's intended wedding, up until [[UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom Marge]] gives her some advice, leading the two to ''break up at the altar''. The rest of the episode focuses on Marge's brewing concern and jealousy with Becky.

* ProperlyParanoid: Becky ''was'' planning to murder Marge, at least originally. (She had gotten to the part where she had been making plans to bury her, but after having too much trouble buying a shovel, she decided to scrap the whole idea.)

* MistakenForMurderer: Marge was convinced by her sisters Patty and Selma that Becky will attempt to seduce her husband Homer and kill her. When Marge claiming that she's planning to murder her, this leading to her being labeled insane. Subverted when turns out Becky was trying to kill Marge.

** At Marge's trial:
--> '''Judge''': Marge Simpson, you give us no choice but to declare you utterly-\\
'''Marge''': I'm not insane!\\
'''Judge''': You didn't let me finish. ''INSANE''!

--> '''Becky''': And if you pick up some semolina, I can make couscous for Lisa.\\
'''Lisa''': It's my favorite!\\
'''Marge''': It is?\\
'''Becky''': Oh, yeah. You can learn a lot from your kids if you just listen to 'em.\\

'''Marge''': Why do I always think of the perfect thing to say when it's too late? "Shut up, Becky!" Oh, that would've been ''sweet''.

--> '''Marge''': Don't mess with me! I've got jimmies!\\

'''Employee''': I can only see a horrible rainbow!

* OutOfCharacterMoment: Some fans hated this episode because Marge was jealous of Becky for no reason (other than her sisters scaring her into thinking that having Becky in the house will turn her life into ''Film/TheHandThatRocksTheCradle'') and tried to attack her.

* RuleOfThree: Bart heard a rumor that Marge shows up to those who scream "Bloody Marge" three times.

** The title is a play-on to the 60s film "ItsAMadMadMadMadWorld".

Otto breaks up with his fiancee Becky at the altar, leaving her to stay at the Simpson's house, where Marge fears Becky will replace her as a better wife and mother. Meanwhile, Principal Skinner assigns Bart's class into making a video (so long as it's not a parody or rip-off of ''The Blair Witch Project''), which the school was able to afford by cutting geography lessons from their budget.

** The Dancing Marges is a parody of the "Dancing [Judge] Itos" during the OJ Simpson trial.

* TooSoon: Bart's InUniverse reaction to the "Dancing Marges" sketch.

* JerkassRealization: While explaining what Becky would do to her, Marge reminds Selma and Patty who’s their brother-in-law [[note]]Homer[[/note]], making the sisters react with Patty responding, ''It’s an act of violence, not love''.
* MistakenForMurderer: Marge was convinced by her sisters Patty and Selma that Becky will attempt to seduce her husband Homer and kill her. When Marge claiming that she's planning to murder her, this leading to her being labeled insane. Subverted when turns out Becky was trying to kill Marge.

* RuleOfThree: Bart heard a rumor that Marge shows up to those who scream "Mad Marge" three times.
* ShoutOut: