History Recap / TheSimpsonsS24E12LoveIsAManySplinteredThing

* OnlyTheLeadsGetAHappyEnding: DoubleSubverted: when Mary doesn't take Bart back, he questions why he doesn't get a happy ending as he's "[[LeaningOnTheFourthWall the main guy in this story]]", to which the Brazilian record producer's son asserts that [[HeroOfAnotherStory everyone is the "main guy" in their own story]] and leaves with Mary. However, [[NoodleIncident he's dead by the end of the episode, assuming he's the guy Mary married]], and Bart gets another shot.

%* IHaveNoSon: Marge disowns Bart because he sided with his father over their argument about love.

* IHaveNoSon: Marge disowns Bart because he sided with his father over their argument about love.

** Homer and Marge’s storyline is arguably worse as, besides taking Maggie to Moe's, he never really did anything wrong. Marge cased an accident by yelling at Homer to listen to the GPS, causing him to get distracted and take a wrong turn, and later got angry at him for not going to her sisters event, when she told him that he didn't have to. This is what caused Bart to call her out. All in all, while the Aesop of the episode seems to want to be men should treat their wives better, in actuality it comes across more like relationships are AllTakeAndNoGive based entirely in the woman’s favor ,and even if the man accepts this, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will get a happy ending. It also doesn’t help that the episode tries to present the same BrokenAesop as "Recap/TheSimpsonsS8E6AMilhouseDivided", if Mary’s brutal breakup song and the fact that Bart and Homer were lumped in with dads who give their children drugs is anything to go by.

* TheUnfairSex: The episode tries to present Bart as being neglectful of Mary, with Lisa repeatedly telling him that he’ll never find anyone better. The problem with this is that Bart never really treated Mary any different than she did him, and unlike her he tried to fix his mistakes. Bart did play video games despite her disinterest, yet he also went to her house to listen to music. However, he is presented as in the wrong when he finally gets bored (despite it being hinted that they were doing it for a relatively long time). It also doesn’t help that Bart just found something else to do while listening, yet Mary complained the whole time when they were doing something he likes. There was also never any compromise between the two - if Bart didn’t do everything Mary wanted to do and cater to her needs 24/7, he was portrayed as a bad boyfriend. The catalyst to them breaking up was Bart not wanting to sit around as she flirted with the son of a producer.
** Homer and Marge’s storyline is arguably worse as, besides taking Maggie to Moe's, he never really did anything wrong. Marge cased an accident by yelling at Homer to listen to the GPS, causing him to get distracted and take a wrong turn, and later got angry at him for not going to her sisters event, when she told him that he didn't have to. This is what caused Bart to call her out. All in all, while the Aesop of the episode seems to want to be men should treat their wives better, in actuality it comes across more like relationships are AllTakeAndNoGive based entirely in the woman’s favor ,and even if the man accepts this, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will get a happy ending.
** It also doesn’t help that the episode tries to present the same BrokenAesop as "Recap/TheSimpsonsS8E6AMilhouseDivided", if Mary’s brutal breakup song and the fact that Bart and Homer were lumped in dad’s who give their children drugs is anything to go by.

* JerkassBall: Marge is at her worst here by not only kicking Homer out of the house but ''Bart'' as well. She had already resented Bart in ''Marge Be Not Proud'' and ''Bart the Mother'', but she had reason to in those episodes. Here, she outright sends him outside ([[FridgeHorror into a dangerous town]] [[OffingTheOffspring and she knows it]]) just for petty reasons.

* DownerEnding: While Homer wins Marge back after going through leaps and bounds (once again), Mary dumps Bart and is now dating the son of a Brazilian producer.
** HopeSpot: The episode ends with her relationship status updating from 'married' to 'single', which excites Bart when she messages him back.

* OnlyTheLeadsGetAHappyEnding: DoubleSubverted: when Mary doesn't take Bart back, he questions why he doesn't get a happy ending as he's "[[LeaningOnTheFourthWall the main guy in this story]]", to which the Brazilian record producer's son asserts that [[HeroOfADifferentStory everyone is the "main guy" in their own story]] and leaves with Mary. However, [[NoodleIncident he's dead by the end of the episode, assuming he's the guy Mary married]], and Bart gets another shot.

In this ValentinesDayEpisode written by Tim Long, Bart reunites with Mary (Cletus the Slack-Jawed Yokel's daughter who moved to New York and writes for ''Saturday Night Live''), but their relationship drifts apart and Bart must win back Mary or lose her forever.

* TheUnfairSex: The episode tries to present Bart as being neglectful of Mary with Lisa repeatedly telling him that he’ll never find anyone better. The problem with this is that Bart never really treated Mary any different then she did him and unlike her he tried to fix it. Bart did play video games despite her disinterest yet he also went to her house to listen to music. However he is also presented as in the wrong when he finally gets bored (despite it being hinted that they were doing it for a relatively long time). It also doesn’t help that Bart just found something else to do while listening yet Mary complained the whole time when they were doing something he likes. There was also never any compromise between the two if Bart didn’t everything Mary wanted to do and cater to her needs 24/7 he is a bad boyfriend. The catalyst to them breaking was Bart not wanting to sit around as she flirted with the son of a producer.
** Homer and Marge’s storyline is arguably worse as besides taking Maggie to Moes he never really did anything wrong. Marge cased an accident by yelling at Homer over the GPS at Homer to listen to the GPS causing him to the get distracted an take a wrong turn and later getting angry at him for not going to her sisters event when she told him that he didn't have to. This is what caused Bart to call her out as his problem was that while he knew something needed to be done but not knowing what exactly what to do. All in all while the Aesop of the episode seems to want to be men should treat their wives better in actuality it comes across more like relationships are AllTakeAndNoGive based entirely in the woman’s favor and even if the man accepts this it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will get a happy ending.
** It also doesn’t help that the episode tries to present the same BrokenAesop as Milhouse Divide if Mary’s brutal breakup song and the fact that Bart and Homer were lumped in dad’s who give their children drugs is anything to go by.

* WholePlotReference: The episode is very heavy on the references to ''Film/AnnieHall'', Bart has a FramingDevice dressed like Creator/WoodyAllen's Alfie talking directly to the camera, numerous FlashBack and FlashForward gags and a Woody Allen-esque figure hanging around for a couple scenes AND the framing device. Lisa shows up at the end dressed like Annie Hall too, just to complete the homage.

* HopeSpot: The episode ends with her relationship status updating from 'married' to 'single.'

In this ValentinesDayEpisode, Bart reunites with Mary (Cletus the Slack-Jawed Yokel's daughter who moved to New York and writes for ''Saturday Night Live''), but their relationship drifts apart and Bart must win back Mary or lose her forever.

** Homer and Marge’s storyline is arguably worse as besides taking Maggie to Moes he never really did anything wrong. Marge cased an accident by yelling at Homer over the GPS at Homer to listen to the GPS causing him to the get distracted an take a wrong turn and later getting angry at him for not going to her sisters event when she told him to he didn’t have to. This is what caused Bart to call her out as his problem was that while he knew something needed to be done but not knowing what exactly what to do. All in all while the Aesop of the episode seems to want to be men should treat their wives better in actuality it comes across more like relationships are AllTakeAndNoGive based entirely in the woman’s favor and even if the man accepts this it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will get a happy ending.

* TheUnfairSex:

** HopeSpot: The episode ends with her relationship status updating from 'married' to 'single.'

* ItsAllAboutMe: Don't disagree with Marge, otherwise you're left to die on the streets, even if [[OffingTheOffspring you're her son]].
* TheUnfavourite: Kicking him out just because of his bitterness towards Mary makes Bart this to Marge.

* AbusiveParents: ''Marge'', of all people, comes off as this when [[IHaveNoSon she throws Bart out of the house]] just because he agrees with Homer that LoveHurts.

* IHaveNoSon: Marge disowns Bart because he sided with his father over their argument about love.

** HopeSpot: The episode ends with her relationship status updating from 'married' to 'single.'

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:While Homer wins Marge back after going through leaps and bounds (once again), Mary dumps Bart and is now dating the son of a Brazilian producer.]]
** [[spoiler: HopeSpot: The episode ends with her relationship status updating from 'married' to 'single.']]

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:While Homer wins Marge back after going through leaps and bounds (once again), Mary dumps Bart and is now dating the son of a Brazilian producer.]]

* DisproportionateRetribution: Marge not only kicks Homer out, but ''Bart'' as well, all because of a frustrated response about women never saying what they mean (shorty after Mary broke up with him over the phone).

* DisappropiateRetribution: Marge not only kicks Homer out, but ''Bart'' as well, all because of a frustrated response about women never saying what they mean (shorty after Mary broke up with him over the phone).