History Recap / TheSimpsonsS1E8TheTelltaleHead

* {{Heaven}}: Discussed in Bart's Sunday school class. Bart stumps the teacher by asking her who/what will be there. Lisa is told a flat "No" when she asks [[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman if pets go to Heaven]].

'''Teacher''': For the last time, Bart, yes!\\
''(later...)''\\
'''Teacher''': ''(exasperated)'' The ventriloquist goes to Heaven, but the dummy doesn't. ''(Bart raises his hand)'' Bart?\\

** This episode opens with a CouchGag that continues into the shot of the television screen. The next episode to have this is "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS26E2TheWreckOfTheRelationship The Wreck of the Relationship]]" from Season 26.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The statue of Jebediah Springfield does not have his motto, "A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man", engraved on it. The motto itself would not debut until Season 7.

* VocalEvolution: Jimbo is voiced by Tress [=MacNeille=] in this episode. In all other appearances, he's voiced by Pamela Hayden.

** Dolph, Jimbo, and Kearney may be petty thugs, but when they hear that someone defaced the statue of Jebediah Springfield, they want to bash his face in, explaining that what they said about wanting to deface the statue themselves was just "cloud talk".

* EarlyBirdCameo: Sideshow Bob appears in this episode briefly on Krusty's show.

* LimitedAnimation: In the third act, when Marge says, "Homer...", her mouth only has two unique frames: Open and closed. And it only opens and closes once, whereas a double syllable word like "Homer" should've at least opened and closed twice.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The statue of Jebediah Springfield does not have his motto, "A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man," engraved on it. The motto itself would not debut until Season 7.

* ArmorPiercingQuestion: "Is the Lincoln Memorial just a statue!? Is the Statue of Liberty just a statue?!"

* RevisedEnding: In the original broadcast, after congratulating Bart for pacifying the mob at the end of the episode, Homer tells him, "I can’t wait to get home and start punishing you." In reruns and the DVD version, he instead tells him to remember that most mobs aren't as nice.

* {{Heaven}}: Discussed in Bart's Sunday school class. Bart stumps the teacher by asking her who/what will be there.

* InsultBackfire: Bart refers to Kearney and Jimbo as "the worst kids in school", prompting the latter to eagerly reply, "Thanks!"
* LastSecondWordSwap: In church, Homer's listening to the football game on headphones. Homer's football team scores, causing Homer to jump up and shout, "It's GOOD! It's GOOD!" The whole congregation stares at him, and he adds more, "It's... good to see you all in church." Nobody buys it.

This is one of four episodes series creator Matt Groening has a writing credit on.

* TheCameo: Sideshow Bob.

* HowWeGotHere: The use of this trope is parodied when, after Homer agress to come with Bart to put the head back on the statue, the opening sequence repeats until the mob interrupts the story, saying they already know that part.

* HeelRealization: Homer has one when his advice to Bart (being cool is the most important thing in the world) backfires on him after Bart reveals he was the one who cut off the statue head.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Marge holds Homer responsible for inspiring Bart of his popularity advice that caused him to commit the crime in the first place.

* SpecialEditionTitle: {{Downplayed|Trope}} in that the TitleSequence had Bart fall past the screen during the "Created By/Developed By" part (due to the CouchGag having Homer force Bart out of the couch).[[note]]This particular opening is also used in "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS1E8TheTelltaleHead The Telltale Head]]", which had the same Couch Gag.[[/note]]

* LimitedAnimation: In the third act, when Marge says, "Homer...", her mouth only has two unique frames: Open and closed.