History Recap / TheSimpsonsS8E11TheTwistedWorldOfMargeSimpson

* JerkassBall: Helen Lovejoy and Maude Flanders clutch this ''hard'' through most of the episode to the point where they're just as bad as the unpleasant and abusive Agnes Skinner while Edna and Luanne are a bit more downplayed than usual.

* CompetitionCouponMadness: [[DidNotThinkThisThrough Backfires big time on Marge]], because she didn't thought on placing a "only worth one free pretzel '''per customer'''" label on some coupons she printed out for her business, Cletus manages to swindle her out of ''three hundred'' pretzels to feed his (absurdly large) family (even if she did think of placing that label, Cletus would have still gotten thirty or so free pretzels from her).

* {{Yakuza}}: The Investorettes unwittingly utilize them as a ConflictKiller when they unleash them onto the Simpsons just as Fat Tony was going to do whatever he was going to do because Marge wasn't going to give him the pretzel money.

* VillainousRescue: The Investorettes showcase how vile they are by hiring the Yakuza to kill Marge and her family in revenge for their Fleet-A-Pita truck being blown up by the Springfield Mafia (not knowing that Marge had nothing to do with it), just as Fat Tony and his crew are going to dome something unpleasant to the Simpsons because Marge will not pay. The resulting MobWar saves the Simpsons' lives.

* CompetitionCouponMadness: [[DidNotThinkThisThrough Backfires big time on Marge]], because she didn't thought on placing a "only worth one free pretzel '''per customer'''" label on some coupons she printed out for her business, Cletus manages to swindle her out of ''three hundred'' pretzels to feed his (absurdly large) family (even if she did thought of placing that label, Cletus would have still gotten thirty or so free pretzels from her).

* ConflictKiller: The third act is the build-up to the confrontation between the Simpson family and the Springfield Mafia... which abruptly ends when the Investorettes barge in and announce that they made a deal with the Yakuza to get even for the Fleet-A-Pita truck's explosion, unleashing them at the Mafia.

* {{Expy}}: Frank Ormand was based on Shelley Leven from ''Film/GlengarryGlenRoss'', who was also played by Creator/JackLemmon.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: It's made obvious that Marge's investing in the pretzel business is going to suck when she eagerly asks Frank Ormand what's her franchise territory and Ormand, [[OhCrap with some hesitation]], makes an uplifting speech that Marge will be anywhere that people need snacks.

* NotSoInnocentWhistling: Bart does it after he short-circuits Investo, the franchise fair's robot mascot, with his drink.

* VillainousRescue: The Investorettes showcase how vile they are by hiring the Yakuza to kill Marge and her family in revenge for their Fleet-A-Pita truck being blown up by the Springfield Mafia (not knowing that Marge had nothing to do with it), just as Fat Tony and his crew are going to dome something unpleasant to the Simpsons because Marge will not pay. The resulting MobWar saves the Simpsons' lives.

Marges falls out with the Springfield Investorettes over their risky practices, and she invests in a fledging pretzel franchise out of spite, However, she struggles to stay in business, and Homer resorts to desperate measures to help her.

* RaceAgainstTheClock: Fat Tony's ultimatum to Marge.

* CompetitionCouponMadness: [[DidNotThinkThisThrough Backfires big time on Marge]], because she didn't thought on placing a "only worth one free pretzel '''per customer'''" label on some coupons she printed out for her business, Cletus manages to swindle her out of ''two hundred'' pretzels to feed his (absurdly large) family (even if she did thought of placing that label, Cletus would have still gotten thirty or so free pretzels from her).

* NoEnding: The episode ends abruptly in the middle of the mob war.
** According to the audio commentary, the writers decided to ThrowItIn, as they were stumped for an ending.

* BlatantLies: Principal Skinner claiming he injured his hands in a boating accident (it's fairly obvious he's been whacked by the Mafia to buy pretzels off Marge)

* AluminuimChristmasTrees: Disco Stu's platform shoes with live (well, [[ForgotToFeedTheMonster initially]]) goldfish in them? [[http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/goldfish/discoshoes.php Real.]] As you might've guessed, the goldfish typically didn't live through one trip to the disco.

!!This episode contains examples of ([[YMMV/TheSimpsonsS8E11TheTwistedWorldOfMargeSimpson YMMV Here]]):

* JapanesePoliteness: "Forgiveness, please!", said after crashing through the Simpsons' kitchen window.

* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome / StrollingThroughTheChaos: The little guy in the Yakuza who is standing perfectly still as the fight rages around him. Homer wants to see him fight and knows it'll be good, but the second Marge gets him to come inside, we hear a barrage of screaming and punching. The episode ends with him coming crashing through the family's kitchen window; he [[JapanesePoliteness apologizes]] to them before hurrying back outside.

* ShoutOut: Two of Cletus' children are Rumer and Scout, which are also the names of two of Creator/BruceWillis and Creator/DemiMoore's daughters.

* TickerTapeParade: Marge stages a fake ticker tape parade (with Lisa as an astronaut) to avoid littering laws when she throws flyers for her pretzel business off the buildings.

* TemptingFate: After Marge tells her family about no longer being one of the [[FiveBadBand Investorettes]], Homer tells her that she doesn't need to worry about that for as long as he can provide for them. Right after that, he hits one of his eyes with a hot dog he's trying to eat and it makes him unable to work.

Marges falls out with the =Springfield Investorettes over their risky practices, and she invests in a fledging pretzel franchise out of spite, However, she struggles to stay in business, and Homer resorts to desperate measures to help her.

* HopeSpot: Marge manages to give away a pretzel to every single person that goes to a baseball game and Bart even mentions that the moment they get a taste of the pretzel, they will not stop asking for more. The very split second before everybody takes a bite, Mr. Burns wins a raffle giving away a 1997 Pontiac Astrowagon and every single person in the stadium tosses their pretzels at Burns in disgust.

* HopeSpot: Marge manages to give away a pretzel to every single person that goes to a baseball game and Bart even mentions that the moment they get a taste of the pretzel, they will not stop asking for more. The very split second before everybody takes a bite, Whitey Ford is paraded through the playing field and every single person in the stadium tosses their pretzels at Ford in disgust.

* ProducePelting: Marge tries to sell her pretzels at a ballgame, but the sports fans end up hurling them at Whitey Ford.

Marges falls out with the [[FiveBadBand Springfield Investorettes]] over their risky practices, and she invests in a fledging pretzel franchise out of spite, However, she struggles to stay in business, and Homer resorts to desperate measures to help her.

* FiveBadBand: The Investorettes serve as the [[BigBadDuumvirate main antagonists]] of the episode, and the end outright has them cross into villainy because of Homer hiring the Springfield Mafia.
** BigBad: Helen Lovejoy
** TheDragon: Maude Flanders
** TheBrute: Agnes Skinner
** TheEvilGenius: Edna Krabappel
** TheDarkChick: Luanne Van Houten
** SixthRanger: The Yakuza

* HopeSpot: Marge manages to sell a pretzel to every single person that goes to a baseball game and Bart even mentions that the moment they get a taste of the pretzel, they will not stop asking for more. The very split second before everybody takes a bite, Whitey Ford is paraded through the playing field and every single person in the stadium tosses their pretzels at Ford in disgust.