History Recap / TheSimpsonsS5E18BurnsHeir

* DudeNotFunny: At first, Bart and Mr. Burns have fun watching ''Itchy & Scratchy'' together, but then [[EveryoneHasStandards Bart becomes uncomfortable when Mr. Burns laughs at Scratchy's death for a lot longer than he does]].

* TerribleIntervieweesMontage: Mr. Burns' auditions to be his heir. Milhouse says that he has nothing to offer Mr. Burns "but his love", Nelson threatens to beat him up, Martin sings a song and Nelson punches him, Lisa attempts to call Mr. Burns out for his sexism on only letting boys audition, and Bart reads an awful script from Homer.

* AreYouPonderingWhatImPondering: Marge and Homer after Mr. Burns signed the papers naming Bart his heir.
--> '''Homer:''' Yeah, let's push him down the steps.

** Krusty reads a telegram in a 1982 episode of his show, even though he is supposed to be [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS1E12KrustyGetsBusted illiterate]]. Though he also read a telegram on the [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS4E10LisasFirstWord Soviet boycott of the 1984 Olympics]]. Though he could have already understood those words in the cards.

* TemptingFate: Krusty explains how he can deliver a pizza to Mr. Burns' mansion while his show is on live by saying he put on an old rerun, and no-one will tell the difference.
-->'''Rerun!Krusty:''' ''(is handed a telegram)'' Children, remain calm. The Falkland Islands have just been invaded. I repeat, the Falklands have just been invaded![[note]][[DontExplainTheJoke thus dating the rerun]] to ''1982''[[/note]]

* BeeAfraid:

* ContinuitySnarl: Krusty reads a telegram in a 1982 episode of his show, even though he is supposed to be [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS1E12KrustyGetsBusted illiterate]]. Though he also read a telegram on the [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS4E10LisasFirstWord Soviet boycott of the 1984 Olympics]]. Though he could have already understood those words in the cards.

** In this episode, Mr. Burns mentions that he thought the movie ''Sliver'' was a delightful romp, but in "Homer Defined"[[note]]the season three episode where Homer accidentally saves the town from a nuclear meltdown and feels guilty that it was a fluke, while Bart gets banned from being Milhouse's friend[[/note]], Mr. Burns hated the movie because of its raw sexuality (which, considering how old and outdated his way of thinking is, would be considered tasteless).

* BeeAfraid[=/=]BreadEggsBreadedEggs:

'''Homer:''' Or what? You'll release the dogs, or the bees, or the dogs with bees in their mouths and when they bark they shoot bees at you?!

-->'''Rerun!Krusty:''' ''(is handed a telegram)'' Children, remain calm. The Falkland Islands have just been invaded. I repeat, the Falklands have just been invaded!

* DisproportionateRetribution: Homer grounds Bart, not for throwing peas at Lisa, but for feeding his meatloaf cut (which was the end piece) to Santa's Little Helper.

* SkewedPriorities: Homer tells Bart that being abusive to the family is one thing, but he would not stand idly by and watch him feed a hungry dog.

* LiteralAssKicking: Mr. Burns does this to Bart after the latter's horrible audition. Homer still cracks up over it when giving his "never try" lesson to his kids.

* ParentalFavoritism: Homer telling Lisa to stop getting on the way of the peas her rich brother throws.

*** It doesn't help that "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsWhoShotMrBurns Who Shot Mr. Burns? Part 1]]" has Mr. Burns recalling both "Rosebud" and this episode... in the same scene.
*** Even the ''Springfield's Most Wanted'' special does it when showing Mr. Burns' background.
*** Though perhaps the "twisted, loveless billionaire" is his grandfather who appeared in the previous episode "Last Exit to Springfield", who probably disowned his own son, hence they're poor.

* FauxHorrific: The robotic Richards Simmons from the deleted scene is treated as Burns' ultimate weapon, even though all it does is impersonate Simmons' workout routine to the tune of "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty". It sends Homer running away screaming in terror, and causes Burns, Smithers, and Bart to panic when it turns its attention towards them.

* DudeNotFunny: An in-universe example. At first, Bart and Mr. Burns have fun watching ''Itchy & Scratchy'' together, but then [[EveryoneHasStandards Bart becomes uncomfortable when Mr. Burns laughs at Scratchy's death for a lot longer than he does]].

'''Burns'''': [[CallingMeALogarithm I do not know what "phallocentric" means]], but I strictly said ''no girls''!!\\
'''Milhouse''': [looking down [[SweetPollyOliver at his girl disguise]]] There goes my Plan "B".

* DudeNotFunny: An in-universe example. At first, Bart and Mr. Burns have fun watching ''Itchy & Scratchy'' together, but then [[EveryoneHasStandards Bart becomes uncomfortable when Mr. Burns laughs at Scratchy's death for a lot longer than he does.]]

* EpicFail: Mr. Burns is so weak that having a sponge placed over him causes him to sink and nearly drown in the bathtub. (Yet he's strong enough to strangle Smithers, for putting the sponge on his head.)

* BadBadActing: The actors that Mr. Burns hired to impersonate Homer, Marge and Lisa Simpson were like this, with deadpan delivery and off-sounding voices, most notably "Homer" saying "B'oh!" (rather than "D'oh.")

* SpoofAesop: "Kids, you tried your best, and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try."
* StrawFeminist: [[SoapboxSadie Lisa again]], who decides to present herself at Burns' heir audition to try to convince him with a speech.

* BrickJoke: Homer and Marge hire a private detective deprogrammer to bring Bart back to them. However, he grabs Hans Moleman instead, to whom Homer takes an shine immediately. Later, when Bart returns home, Homer introduces Moleman (dressed in Bart's clothes and carrying a skateboard) as his new brother

*** It doesn't help that "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsWhoShotMrBurns Who Shot Mr. Burns? Part 1]]" has Mr. Burn recalling both "Rosebud" and this episode... in the same scene.

-->'''Lisa''': I do not see why a heir could not be a girl, in this phallocentric society of today...\\

-->'''Lisa''': I do not see why a heir could not be a girl, in this phallocentric society...\\
'''Burns'''': [[CallingMeALogarithm I do not know what "phallocentric" means]], but I strictly said ''no girls''.\\