History Recap / TheSimpsonsS3E1StarkRavingDad

* EvolvingCredits: The theme music was re-arranged by Alf Clausen starting with this episode. This version of the theme song is still in use, and the animation (which debuted in Season 2) remained the same until the show went UsefulNotes/HighDefinition in Season 20.

* GoAmongMadPeople: Homer gets committed and the doctors refuse to believe he's sane (as they thought Bart was just a delusion). Homer laments being separated from his family, but his experience in the hospital is nicer than other examples of this trope: the other patients are quirky but friendly, the doctors are mostly competent, and the therapy is relaxed. Homer ends up happier here than at work.

* CassandraTruth: When Homer tried to explain that the reason his shirt was pink was because Bart put his red cap in the laundry, Mr. Burns didn't believe him. ("Spare me the tiresome antics of the Simpson family!") Even Dr. Monroe is convinced he's insane without giving him a psychiatric evaluation.

-->'''Homer''': [[UnstoppableRage Boy, when I get home, I'm gonna wrap my hands around your neck]]... ''(Homer [[OhCrap notices]] [[DeathGlare the orderlies glowering at him]])'' ...and smother you with kisses.\\
'''Bart:''' Homer, whatever they've got you on, cut the dose!

** Homer blames Bart for having him committed because he made Bart fill out his psychiatric evaluation for him when he should have done it himself. Of course, he was likely afraid he'd mess it up, so he asked his family to do it for him.

* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Lisa says she'll fill out Homer's psychiatric evaluation for him if he'll listen to her poem first. Homer agrees, but then has this response partway through the wangsty poem.

** The fact that "Michael" was allowed to leave with Homer as well as his claim he was only there voluntarily make a lot more sense after it's revealed he's well aware he isn't Michael Jackson.

* LastSecondWordSwap: At the asylum, Homer's calls his house and becomes livid when Bart answers; he, at first, vows threats of violence he'll act upon when he returns. But Homer quickly changes tactics when he notices the orderlies glaring at him.

* LastSecondWordSwap: Homer does this when Bart answers the phone; angrily vowing threats of violence when he gets back to the house, Homer quickly changes tactics when he notices the orderlies glaring at him.

* IrrationalHatred: Homer's hatred of Bart is deemed as "persecution complex" and "extreme paranoia" by the doctors of the insane asylum, and one doctor is actually horrified at finding out from Marge that Bart ''isn't'' some kind of hallucination Homer has.

* IrrationalHatred: A rare InUniverse example. Homer's hatred of Bart is deemed as "persecution complex" and "extreme paranoia" by the doctors of the insane asylum, and one doctor is actually horrified at finding out from Marge that Bart ''isn't'' some kind of hallucination Homer has.

* ElephantInTheLivingRoom: Although Jackson's skin color had already lightened in 1991, people in this episode still refer to Michael Jackson as being black. Bart even shows Leon a ''Thriller'' record jacket exclaiming "''This'' is what Michael Jackson looks like!" despite the album being 9 years old and the real Jackson no longer looking like how he did in ''Thriller'' at the time.

** When Homer is scared in the asylum, "Michael" sings "Ben" for him, which was Jackson's first solo hit. After Homer falls asleep, he says to his stuffed animal: "Bubbles, it's gonna be a long night." Bubbles was Jackson's chimpanzee.

** When Homer is scared in the asylum, "Michael" sings "Ben" for him, which was Jackson's first solo hit. After Homer falls asleep, he says to his stuffed animal: "It's going to be a long night, Bubbles." Bubbles was Jackson's chimpanzee.

** Homer blames Bart for having him committed because he made Bart fill out his psychiatric evaluation for him when he should have done it himself. Of course, he was likely afraid he'll mess up and asked his family to do it for him.

* SkewedPriorities: Subverted. Homer, about to enjoy a stack of pancakes at the asylum, yells, "D'oh!" on being told he has a visitor. He changes his tune when he sees that it's Marge.

* CannotKeepASecret: Homer promises the patient (who claims to be Music/MichaelJackson) that he won't tell anyone he will be coming over, but then calls Bart and tells him not to tell anyone that "Michael Jackson" is coming to their house. Bart tries to stay quiet, but he impulsively calls Milhouse and asks him "Milhouse, can you keep a secret?". Milhouse responds with "no" and Bart brushes it off and says "Who cares?! Michael Jackson is coming over!".

-->Happy birthday to me,
-->Happy birthday to me,
-->Happy birthday, overlooked middle child,
-->Happy birthday to me.

* GoAmongMadPeople: Homer gets committed and the doctors refuse to believe he's sane (as they thought Bart was just a delusion). Homer laments being separated from his family, but his experience in the hospital is nicer than other examples of this trope: the other patients are quirky but friendly, the doctors are mostly competent, and the therapy is relaxed. Homer's ends up happier here than at work.