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Changed line(s) 243 (click to see context) from:
* AudienceParticipation: The Season 22 finale ended with an invitation for viewers to vote online on whether or not they want Ned Flanders and Edna Krabappel to become a couple.
to:
* AudienceParticipation: The Season 22 finale ended with an invitation for viewers to vote online on whether or not they want Ned Flanders and Edna Krabappel to become a couple. Others include: the "Who Shot Mr. Burns" contest and a recent one where viewers get to design their own couch gag for the season 24 finale episode.
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** Homer's other choices for his new name included Hercules Rockerfeller, Rembrandt Q. Einstein, and Handsome B. Wonderful.
to:
** Homer's other choices for his new name included Hercules Rockerfeller, Rembrandt Q. Einstein, and Handsome B. Wonderful.Wonderful (which the judge rejected as they were all misspelled, though the judge really has no say in how Homer should spell any of his new names).
Changed line(s) 251 (click to see context) from:
* BackFromTheDead: Dr. Monroe, Dr. Nick and Poochie.
to:
* BackFromTheDead: Dr. Monroe, Monroe (though now he's gone again), Dr. Nick Nick, and Poochie.Poochie (even though "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show" established that Krusty went through the trouble in getting a legal document stating that Poochie, by law, is not allowed back on the show).
Changed line(s) 260 (click to see context) from:
* BadassAdorable: Again, Maggie Simpson. She shot Mr. Burns. Oh, and she also shot the mobsters who were threatening to murder Homer. Homer didn't know she did the latter, but when he heard the gunshots and saw those mobsters fall to the ground, he said "I must have a guardian angel with a rifle." This might actually have put her into a borderline EnfanteTerrible AntiHero category if not for how obvious it was that [[PayEvilUntoEvil her targets deserved it]]. In a later episode when Homer was imprisoned in a basement of a tow truck driver, Maggie saved him by riding on Santa's Little Helper to the place, and attaching the guy's towhook to the cellar window bars.
to:
* BadassAdorable: Again, Maggie Simpson. She shot Mr. Burns.Burns (though that was said to be an accident, as Burns' gun fell from his holster, and he didn't have the safety on). Oh, and she also shot the mobsters who were threatening to murder Homer. Homer didn't know she did the latter, but when he heard the gunshots and saw those mobsters fall to the ground, he said "I must have a guardian angel with a rifle." This might actually have put her into a borderline EnfanteTerrible AntiHero category if not for how obvious it was that [[PayEvilUntoEvil her targets deserved it]]. In a later episode when Homer was imprisoned in a basement of a tow truck driver, Maggie saved him by riding on Santa's Little Helper to the place, and attaching the guy's towhook to the cellar window bars.
Changed line(s) 262,263 (click to see context) from:
* BadassGrandpa: Abe Simpson is usually shown to be a rambling, partially senile old man. However, in one episode it is revealed [[RetiredBadass he was once part of a crack squad known as the Flying Hellfish during WW2]] and is still capable of kicking ass when the need arises.
* BadBadActing: In the episode "Burns's Heir", Mr. Burns hires actors to portray the rest of the Simpson family in order to persuade Bart that they don't love him. They do this in the most wooden way imaginable.
* BadBadActing: In the episode "Burns's Heir", Mr. Burns hires actors to portray the rest of the Simpson family in order to persuade Bart that they don't love him. They do this in the most wooden way imaginable.
to:
* BadassGrandpa: Abe Simpson is usually shown to be a rambling, partially senile old man. man who crushed his son's self-esteem and abused him the same way Homer abuses Bart. However, in one episode it is revealed [[RetiredBadass he was once part "Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in, 'Curse of a crack squad known as the Flying Hellfish during WW2]] Hellfish'" revealed that he was a competent military officer and is still capable of kicking he kicked Mr. Burns' ass when for trying to steal the need arises.
stolen art tontine and for nearly drowning Bart.
* BadBadActing: In the episode "Burns's Heir", Mr. Burns hires actors to portray the rest of the Simpson family in order to persuade Bart that they don't love him. They do this in the most wooden wayimaginable.imaginable (even though the actors picked to play the family only gave a crummy performance because of how bad the script was[[note]]the actor playing Homer couldn't understand the motivation behind playing someone like Homer, who most likely suffers from neurological impairments, and the actress playing Marge states that the dialogue doesn't have the wit and sparkle of ''Murphy Brown''[[/note]].
* BadBadActing: In the episode "Burns's Heir", Mr. Burns hires actors to portray the rest of the Simpson family in order to persuade Bart that they don't love him. They do this in the most wooden way
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-->'''Fake Homer''': *Drops his sandwich* B'oh!
to:
-->'''Fake Homer''': *Drops his sandwich* B'oh!B'oh! ''(and later, "Duh-Oh")''
Changed line(s) 273,274 (click to see context) from:
* BadFuture: The year 1,000,000 A.D. at the end of "Rosebud": The Earth is a barren place and [[PlanetOfTheApes humans are slaves to apes.]] Worst of all, Mr. Burns is still alive!
* BadJobWorseUniform: The teenagers who work at Krusty Burger or Phineas Q. Butterfat's ice cream parlor. Also Homer, on the many episodes where he doesn't work at the nuclear plant, and Barney, when he was hired to pass out flyers in front of a baby furniture store called Lullabuy$, clad only in a diaper and bonnet (it was the dead of winter at the time).
* BadJobWorseUniform: The teenagers who work at Krusty Burger or Phineas Q. Butterfat's ice cream parlor. Also Homer, on the many episodes where he doesn't work at the nuclear plant, and Barney, when he was hired to pass out flyers in front of a baby furniture store called Lullabuy$, clad only in a diaper and bonnet (it was the dead of winter at the time).
to:
* BadFuture: The year 1,000,000 A.D. at the end of "Rosebud": The Earth is a barren place place, the only human alive is Homer (who has been cloned and [[PlanetOfTheApes humans are slaves used as slave labor to apes.]] Worst of all, apes, who have taken over the world), and Mr. Burns is and Smithers are still alive!
alive, albeit as cyborgs (with Smithers as a cyborg dog).
**"The Good, The Sad, and the Drugly" mentioned this trope in the subplot where Lisa researches what life will be like in 50 years, and becomes paranoid and depressed (to the point that she has to be put on anti-depressants) over predictions of Springfield becoming a barren wasteland.
* BadJobWorseUniform: The teenagers who work at Krusty Burger or Phineas Q. Butterfat's ice cream parlor. Also Homer, on the many episodes where he doesn't work at the nuclear plant, and
**Also Barney, when he was hired to pass out flyers in front of a baby furniture store called Lullabuy$, clad only in a diaper and bonnet (it was the dead of winter at the time).
**"The Good, The Sad, and the Drugly" mentioned this trope in the subplot where Lisa researches what life will be like in 50 years, and becomes paranoid and depressed (to the point that she has to be put on anti-depressants) over predictions of Springfield becoming a barren wasteland.
* BadJobWorseUniform: The teenagers who work at Krusty Burger or Phineas Q. Butterfat's ice cream parlor.
**Also Barney, when he was hired to pass out flyers in front of a baby furniture store called Lullabuy$, clad only in a diaper and bonnet (it was the dead of winter at the time).
Changed line(s) 276 (click to see context) from:
* BadPresent: In "The Springfield Files", a man wakes up from a 23-year coma and asks if Sonny and Cher still have "that stupid variety show". Kent Brockman answers, "She won an Oscar, and he's a Congressman." The man promptly dies, yelling, "Good night!"
to:
* BadPresent: In "The Springfield Files", a man wakes up from a 23-year coma and asks if Sonny and Cher still have "that stupid variety show". Kent Brockman answers, "She replies that Cher won an Oscar, Oscar and he's Sonny (before he died in the mid-to-late 1990s) is a Congressman." Congressman. The man promptly dies, yelling, says, "Good night!"night!" and dies.
Changed line(s) 287,288 (click to see context) from:
* BannedInChina: Let's just say that if the series had an episode satirizing or making fun of another country, the chances of the particular episode being banned in said country is quite high. Check the main page for more details.
* BathtubScene: Edna gets one in "Bart the Lover". Selma gets one in "Black Widower". Homer gets one in "A Milhouse Divided". Homer and Marge try to spice up their romantic life by having a bath together in "Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy". Marge gets one in "Homer Alone".
* BathtubScene: Edna gets one in "Bart the Lover". Selma gets one in "Black Widower". Homer gets one in "A Milhouse Divided". Homer and Marge try to spice up their romantic life by having a bath together in "Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy". Marge gets one in "Homer Alone".
to:
* BannedInChina: Let's just say Some episodes have been skipped over in other countries due to jokes against the country that if the series had an episode satirizing or making fun of another country, the chances of the particular episode being really bordered on offensive:
**"Goo Goo Gai Pan" was banned insaid China because of Homer's line about Mao Zedung being a "...little angel who killed 50 million people" and the scene parodying the Tiennamen Square incident (which any mention of in China will get your ass arrested and possibly deported),
**"Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo" was banned in Japan for the "Battling Seizure Robot" scene[[note]]which parodied the infamous ''Pokemon'' episode that gave a large number of children seizures due to the constant blinking lights[[/note]] and the part where Homer tosses the Japanese emperor into a sumo thong Dumpster,
**"E. Pluribus Wiggum" was banned in some Latin American countries due to Lenny and Carl's dialogue about Argentinean leader Juan Peron (who was implied to be behind the disappearances of a lot of political dissidents),
**"Blame It On Lisa" was banned in Brazil for depicting the country as a run-down slum where everyone isquite high. Check into soccer and the main page for children's shows are more details.
risque than what airs in America.
*BathtubScene: Edna BathtubScene:
**Edna gets one in "Bart theLover". Selma Lover" when she reads "Woodrow"'s love letter.
**Selma gets one in "BlackWidower". Homer Widower" (also reading a love letter she got from a man).
**Homer gets one in "A MilhouseDivided". Homer Divided" (when Bart breaks a chair over Homer's head to see if he can withstand the pain from the hit).
**Homer and Marge try to spice up their romantic life by having a bath together in "Grampa vs. SexualInadequacy". Marge Inadequacy" (which fails, as Homer is too fat to fit in the tub, the water kills the light on all the candles, and the two have to call the kids in to get out).
**Marge gets one in "HomerAlone".Alone" (the scene where she watches ''ThelmaAndLouise'' while eating a hot fudge sundae with a chocolate chip cheesecake and drinking tequila)
**"Goo Goo Gai Pan" was banned in
**"Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo" was banned in Japan for the "Battling Seizure Robot" scene[[note]]which parodied the infamous ''Pokemon'' episode that gave a large number of children seizures due to the constant blinking lights[[/note]] and the part where Homer tosses the Japanese emperor into a sumo thong Dumpster,
**"E. Pluribus Wiggum" was banned in some Latin American countries due to Lenny and Carl's dialogue about Argentinean leader Juan Peron (who was implied to be behind the disappearances of a lot of political dissidents),
**"Blame It On Lisa" was banned in Brazil for depicting the country as a run-down slum where everyone is
*
**Edna gets one in "Bart the
**Selma gets one in "Black
**Homer gets one in "A Milhouse
**Homer and Marge try to spice up their romantic life by having a bath together in "Grampa vs. Sexual
**Marge gets one in "Homer
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* BeYourself: Tacked on at the end of "Homer to the Max" to explain why Homer changed his name back from Max Power to Homer Simpson.
to:
* BeYourself: Tacked on at the end of "Homer to the Max" to explain why Homer changed his name back from Max Power to Homer Simpson. Also the Aesop for the episode "Lisa Goes Gaga".
Changed line(s) 308 (click to see context) from:
* BigBad: WordOfGod says that Homer Jay Simpson will always be the true villain of the series.
to:
* BigBad: WordOfGod says that Homer Jay Simpson will always be the true villain of the series.series, even though there are people in the series who have done worse, like Mr. Burns.
Changed line(s) 310 (click to see context) from:
* BigEater: Homer, of course.
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* BigEater: Homer, of course.bordering on ExtremeOmnivore
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* BlandNameProduct: Malibu Stacy, obviously based on Malibu {{Barbie}}).
to:
* BlandNameProduct: Malibu BlandNameProduct:
**Malibu Stacy, obviously based on Malibu {{Barbie}}).
**Malibu Stacy, obviously based on Malibu {{Barbie}}).
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** The Mapple MyPod.
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since that was added on that page..
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* BlackAndGrayMorality
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* AllJustADream: In ''Thank God It's Doomsday'', when Homer went up there by himself to wait for the Rapture to come, it turns out that when it seems like the Rapture actually occurs, but then he wakes up, it turns out he was dreaming.
-->'''Homer''': Oh, it was all just a dream. [[DreamWithinADream Wait, what are these wings?]] Oh, it's just a seagull stuck to my back.
-->'''Homer''': Oh, it was all just a dream. [[DreamWithinADream Wait, what are these wings?]] Oh, it's just a seagull stuck to my back.
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* AllJustADream: In ''Thank God It's Doomsday'', when Homer went up there by himself to wait for the Rapture to come, it turns out that when it seems like the Rapture actually occurs, but then he wakes up, it turns out he was dreaming.
-->'''Homer''': Oh, it was all just a dream. [[DreamWithinADream Wait, what are these wings?]] Oh, it's just a seagull stuck to my back.
-->'''Homer''': Oh, it was all just a dream. [[DreamWithinADream Wait, what are these wings?]] Oh, it's just a seagull stuck to my back.
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Changed line(s) 251 (click to see context) from:
* BackFromTheDead: Dr. Monroe and Dr. Nick
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* BackFromTheDead: Dr. Monroe Monroe, Dr. Nick and Dr. NickPoochie.
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Changed line(s) 308 (click to see context) from:
* BigBad: Charles Montgomery Burns.
to:
* BigBad: Charles Montgomery Burns.WordOfGod says that Homer Jay Simpson will always be the true villain of the series.
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Crosswicking from the Assurance Backfire trope page.
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* AssuranceBackfire: When Lisa is feeling depressed after seeing an unflattering caricature of her, Marge attempts to cheer her up by singing "There Once Was an Ugly Duckling," but then Lisa says, "So you think I'm ugly, then?" and Marge hastily says, "No, you're one of the good-looking ones...who makes fun of the ugly one."
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** The show shifted to computer-based animation in the 14th season, so recent episodes look somewhat different.
to:
** The show shifted to computer-based animation in the 14th 15th season, so recent episodes look somewhat different.
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Removing wick to Did Not Do The Research per rename at TRS.
Changed line(s) 264 (click to see context) from:
-->'''Fake Homer''': *Drops his sandwich* [[DidNotDoTheResearch B'oh!]]
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-->'''Fake Homer''': *Drops his sandwich* [[DidNotDoTheResearch B'oh!]]B'oh!
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** When the Simpsons went to Japan, they checked in a hotel with a sign reading "Now with 20% more bowing".
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* ApocalypseAnarchy: After Springfield is nuked by France Homer takes the opportunity to dance naked in the First Church of Springfield.
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Changed line(s) 194 (click to see context) from:
-->'''Bart''': You gotta help me! These two guys work me night and day! They don't feed me. They make me sleep on the floor. They put anti-freeze in the wine and they gave my red hat to the donkey[[hottip:*:On the subject on that last one, there may be a bit of hidden FridgeBrilliance. In the earlier seasons, Bart's hat, when it appeared was considered to be his "lucky red hat," and to him, that fact may have been the worst offense.]].
to:
-->'''Bart''': You gotta help me! These two guys work me night and day! They don't feed me. They make me sleep on the floor. They put anti-freeze in the wine and they gave my red hat to the donkey[[hottip:*:On donkey[[note]]On the subject on that last one, there may be a bit of hidden FridgeBrilliance. In the earlier seasons, Bart's hat, when it appeared was considered to be his "lucky red hat," and to him, that fact may have been the worst offense.]].[[/note]].
Changed line(s) 248 (click to see context) from:
** Strangely, Homer shows some elements of this, especially in [[TheSimpsonsMovie the movie]]. In the main series, he's often got involved in car chases that required him to kick someone's ass.
to:
** Strangely, Homer shows some elements of this, especially in [[TheSimpsonsMovie [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsonsMovie the movie]]. In the main series, he's often got involved in car chases that required him to kick someone's ass.
Changed line(s) 304 (click to see context) from:
* BigDamnMovie: ''TheSimpsonsMovie'' is about rescuing Springfield from ecological destruction.
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* BigDamnMovie: ''TheSimpsonsMovie'' ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsonsMovie'' is about rescuing Springfield from ecological destruction.
Changed line(s) 369 (click to see context) from:
* BitingTheHandHumor: They mocked Fox (and the many DuelingShows The Simpsons has had over the years, including ''FamilyGuy'') countless times.
to:
* BitingTheHandHumor: They mocked Fox (and the many DuelingShows The Simpsons has had over the years, including ''FamilyGuy'') ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'') countless times.
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Changed line(s) 128 (click to see context) from:
--> '''Bart''': So then I says to Mabel, I says...
to:
--> '''Bart''': '''Bart:''' So then I says to Mabel, I says...\\
'''Homer:''' Hi, kids!\\
'''Bart:''' I'll finish this later. Hi, Dad.
'''Homer:''' Hi, kids!\\
'''Bart:''' I'll finish this later. Hi, Dad.
Changed line(s) 130,132 (click to see context) from:
--> '''Homer''': So then I said: "You can take your free tetanus shot and shove it!"
--> '''Bart''': You told her, dad!
--> '''Homer''': You better... ''(jaw locks shut; says next line through gritted teeth)'' believe I did!
--> '''Bart''': You told her, dad!
--> '''Homer''': You better... ''(jaw locks shut; says next line through gritted teeth)'' believe I did!
to:
--> '''Homer''': '''Homer:''' So then I said: "You can take your free tetanus shot and shove it!"
--> '''Bart''':it!"\\
'''Bart:''' You told her,dad!
--> '''Homer''':dad!\\
'''Homer:''' You better... ''(jaw locks shut; says next line through gritted teeth)'' believe I did!
--> '''Bart''':
'''Bart:''' You told her,
--> '''Homer''':
'''Homer:''' You better... ''(jaw locks shut; says next line through gritted teeth)'' believe I did!
Changed line(s) 134 (click to see context) from:
--> '''Homer''': (drunk) So I sez, 'Yeah, if you want that money, come and find it, 'cuz I don't know where it is, ya baloney. ''You'' make me wanna ''retch''." ''(immediately falls asleep)''.
to:
--> '''Homer''': (drunk) '''Homer:''' ''(drunk)'' So I sez, 'Yeah, "Yeah, if you want that money, come and find it, 'cuz I don't know where it is, ya baloney. ''You'' make me wanna ''retch''." ''(immediately falls asleep)''.asleep)''
Changed line(s) 136 (click to see context) from:
--> '''Homer''': (drunk) So I says, "Blue M&M, red M&M, they all wind up the same color in the end."
to:
--> '''Homer''': (drunk) '''Homer:''' ''(drunk)'' So I says, "Blue M&M, red M&M, they all wind up the same color in the end."
Changed line(s) 138 (click to see context) from:
--> '''Barney''': So the next time someone tells you carnies are good honest people, you can spit in their face for me!
to:
--> '''Barney''': '''Barney:''' So the next time someone tells you carnies are good honest people, you can spit in their face for me!
Changed line(s) 140 (click to see context) from:
--> '''Homer''': So I said to him, "Look, buddy, your car was upside down when we got here. And as for your Grandma, she shouldn't have mouthed off like that!"
to:
--> '''Homer''': '''Homer:''' So I said to him, "Look, buddy, your car was upside down when we got here. And as for your Grandma, she shouldn't have mouthed off like that!"
Changed line(s) 144 (click to see context) from:
--> '''Bart''': [[BrickJoke So anyway, I says to Mabel, I says…]]
to:
--> '''Bart''': '''Bart:''' [[BrickJoke So anyway, I says to Mabel, I says…]]
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* AtArmsLength: Done to Bart by Nelson in "Bart the General".
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** In "Lisa's Sax", Homer flashes back to having said to Barney as a kid "Let's Never Drink Again!" Then in the present day he says, holding a beer, "And we never did!" as he proceeds to take a sip.
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* AlcoholInducedIdiocy: displayed often by Homer (and sometimes Barney).
to:
* AlcoholInducedIdiocy: displayed Displayed often by Homer (and sometimes Barney).
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Changed Namespace.
Changed line(s) 51 (click to see context) from:
* AesopCollateralDamage: Parodied in a Treehouse of Horror episode where the entire family suffered painful transformations because Homer insulted a gypsy woman. All Homer had to do was [[CurseEscapeClause apologize]], and he would've resurrected his ''dead son''.
to:
* AesopCollateralDamage: Parodied in a Treehouse of Horror episode where the entire family suffered painful transformations because Homer insulted a gypsy woman. All Homer had to do was [[CurseEscapeClause apologize]], and he would've resurrected his ''dead son''.
Changed line(s) 231 (click to see context) from:
* AttackBackfire: From one episode parodying stories from TheBible, when Moses (Milhouse) sends a plague of frogs to vex the Pharoah, (Principal Skinner) he and the other Egyptians just end up eating the frogs' legs. The Pharoah comments that Ra must be rewarding them for punishing their slaves.
to:
* AttackBackfire: From one episode parodying stories from TheBible, Literature/TheBible, when Moses (Milhouse) sends a plague of frogs to vex the Pharoah, (Principal Skinner) he and the other Egyptians just end up eating the frogs' legs. The Pharoah comments that Ra must be rewarding them for punishing their slaves.
Changed line(s) 240,241 (click to see context) from:
[[/folder]]
to:
Changed line(s) 362,365 (click to see context) from:
** In one episode Homer gives Marge a bowling ball for her birthday - dispite the fact that she doesn't bowl. He even got it inscribed with ''his'' name, on the assumption that she'd give it to him to use. She takes up bowling just to spite him, claiming that Homer is the name of her ball.
** In the MichaelJackson episode, Lisa turns 8. Nobody pays attention. In the end, Michael & Bart write a song for her.
-->Lisa it's your birthday
-->Happy birthday Lisa!
** In the MichaelJackson episode, Lisa turns 8. Nobody pays attention. In the end, Michael & Bart write a song for her.
-->Lisa it's your birthday
-->Happy birthday Lisa!
to:
** In one episode Homer gives Marge a bowling ball for her birthday - dispite the fact that she doesn't bowl. He even got it inscribed with ''his'' name, on the assumption that she'd give it to him to use. She takes up bowling just to spite him, claiming that Homer is the name of her ball.
ball.
** In the MichaelJackson episode, Lisa turns 8. Nobody pays attention. In the end, Michael & Bart write a song forher.
her.
-->Lisa it's yourbirthday
birthday
-->Happy birthdayLisa! Lisa!
** In the MichaelJackson episode, Lisa turns 8. Nobody pays attention. In the end, Michael & Bart write a song for
-->Lisa it's your
-->Happy birthday
Changed line(s) 516 (click to see context) from:
[[/folder]]
to:
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** In "Homer Alone", when Marge has a nervous breakdown after Maggie spills milk all over the car.
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* BirthdayEpisode:
** In one episode Homer gives Marge a bowling ball for her birthday - dispite the fact that she doesn't bowl. He even got it inscribed with ''his'' name, on the assumption that she'd give it to him to use. She takes up bowling just to spite him, claiming that Homer is the name of her ball.
** In the MichaelJackson episode, Lisa turns 8. Nobody pays attention. In the end, Michael & Bart write a song for her.
-->Lisa it's your birthday
-->Happy birthday Lisa!
** In one episode Homer gives Marge a bowling ball for her birthday - dispite the fact that she doesn't bowl. He even got it inscribed with ''his'' name, on the assumption that she'd give it to him to use. She takes up bowling just to spite him, claiming that Homer is the name of her ball.
** In the MichaelJackson episode, Lisa turns 8. Nobody pays attention. In the end, Michael & Bart write a song for her.
-->Lisa it's your birthday
-->Happy birthday Lisa!
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* AlliterativeList: In "The Itchy & Scratchy Movie", Homer tells the class that he taught Lisa the three R's: "Reading TV Guide, writing to TV Guide, and renewing TV Guide."
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* {{Ahem}}: In "Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder", Homer is late for work and says he'd hate to see the look on Mr. Burns's face. Sure enough, Mr. Burns is right behind him and lets out an "Ahem." After realizing who it is, Homer refuses to turn around, stating that he can't get in trouble if he can't see him.
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* ArgentinaIsNaziland: The international prank calls by Bart in "Bart vs. Australia" almost reaches a Hitler-lookalike in Chile.
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Changed line(s) 156 (click to see context) from:
'''Bart:''' Since when could you write a song?\\
to:
'''Bart:''' Since when could you write a song?\\ song?\\
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Changed line(s) 153,155 (click to see context) from:
-->'''Lisa:''' How come we never heard about this until today?\\
'''Bart:''' Yeah, and what happened to the money you made?\\
'''Lisa:''' Why haven't you hung up your gold records?\\
'''Bart:''' Yeah, and what happened to the money you made?\\
'''Lisa:''' Why haven't you hung up your gold records?\\
to:
-->'''Lisa:''' How come we never heard about this until today?\\
today?\\
'''Bart:''' Yeah, and what happened to the money youmade?\\
made?\\
'''Lisa:''' Why haven't you hung up your goldrecords?\\ records?\\
'''Bart:''' Yeah, and what happened to the money you
'''Lisa:''' Why haven't you hung up your gold
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* AnotherStoryForAnotherTime: In "Homer's Barbershop Quartet", Bart and Lisa have so many questions after Homer's story of a [[Music/TheBeatles Beatles-esque]] career.
-->'''Lisa:''' How come we never heard about this until today?\\
'''Bart:''' Yeah, and what happened to the money you made?\\
'''Lisa:''' Why haven't you hung up your gold records?\\
'''Bart:''' Since when could you write a song?\\
'''Homer:''' (laughs) There are perfectly good answers to those questions, but they'll have to wait for another night.
-->'''Lisa:''' How come we never heard about this until today?\\
'''Bart:''' Yeah, and what happened to the money you made?\\
'''Lisa:''' Why haven't you hung up your gold records?\\
'''Bart:''' Since when could you write a song?\\
'''Homer:''' (laughs) There are perfectly good answers to those questions, but they'll have to wait for another night.
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* AesopCollateralDamage: Parodied in a Treehouse of Horror episode where the entire family suffered painful transformations because Homer insulted a gypsy woman. All Homer had to do was [[CurseEscapeClause apologize]], and he would've resurrected his ''dead son''.
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* BondVillainStupidity: In "Cape Feare", Bart is successfully able to stall Sideshow Bob from killing him by saying he has such a beautiful voice and asking him to sing the entire score of the ''H.M.S. Pinafore''.
** Later, in "Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming", this is both averted and played straight:
--> '''Bart''': So, Krusty double crossed you. But your basic plan was pure genius. Where do you get your ideas?
--> '''Sideshow Bob''': Oh ''please''. Let's not embarrass us both with that hoary old "stall the villain with flattery" scheme.
--> '''Bart''': I...should have known you were too smart to fall for that.
--> '''Sideshow Bob''': Really? What type of smart? Book smart? Because there are a lot of people who are book smart but it takes a special type of genius to... (Chief Wiggum tells him to come out with his hands up)
** Later, in "Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming", this is both averted and played straight:
--> '''Bart''': So, Krusty double crossed you. But your basic plan was pure genius. Where do you get your ideas?
--> '''Sideshow Bob''': Oh ''please''. Let's not embarrass us both with that hoary old "stall the villain with flattery" scheme.
--> '''Bart''': I...should have known you were too smart to fall for that.
--> '''Sideshow Bob''': Really? What type of smart? Book smart? Because there are a lot of people who are book smart but it takes a special type of genius to... (Chief Wiggum tells him to come out with his hands up)
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-> View the main page [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons HERE]]
--> Tropes C-D [[TheSimpsons/TropesCToD HERE]]
--> Tropes E-H [[TheSimpsons/TropesEToH HERE]]
--> Tropes I-M [[TheSimpsons/TropesIToM HERE]]
--> Tropes N-R [[TheSimpsons/TropesNToR HERE]]
--> Tropes S-Z [[TheSimpsons/TropesSToZ HERE]]
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[[folder:#]]
* TwentyPercentMoreAwesome: One member of the committee creating Poochie says, "I feel we should [[BuffySpeak rasta-fy]] him by ... 10 percent or so."
[[/folder]]
[[folder:A]]
* AbnormalLimbRotationRange: In "When You Dish Upon a Star", Homer twists his neck around ''360 degrees'' while giving the stink eye to the kids in the backseat of the car and then looking out his window without turning his head back to normal.
--> '''Marge''': Homer, your spine!
** Done again in a TreehouseOfHorror short, in a {{Parody}} of / ShoutOut to ''Film/TheExorcist''. A possessed Homer climbs on the wall and ceiling, and rotates his head around 180 degrees. When Marge says she'll call Mr. Burns that he can't go to work, he falls back on the bed in success, with his head still backwards.
** [[CreepyChild Maggie has also done this before.]]
* AbnormalAmmo: {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d in "Take My Wife, Sleaze".
--> '''Meathook''': We all knew it would come to this.\\
'''Homer''': You and me... chopper to... '''''chopper!'''''
* AbortedDeclarationOfLove: Smithers, to Mr. Burns in "Bart's Inner Child": "I... love you. (Burns looks up) I-in those colors!" (after Burns walks away) "Oh, who am I kidding? The boathouse was the time!"
* AbsurdlyIneffectiveBarricade: On the episode where there was a hurricane coming, Homer removed the back door of the house and then nailed it diagonally over the now-exposed doorway, leaving a big gap at the top & bottom of the doorway.
* AccidentalArt: In "Mom and Pop Art," Homer's failed attempt at making a backyard grill is discovered by an art critic, who thinks it's art.
* AccidentalAthlete: Several examples, most notably Lisa as goalie and Bart as a ''danseur''.
* AccidentalPervert: When Homer sees a candy stuck to the rear of a college girl's pants, he rips the candy off, [[WhatAnIdiot drooling while he does it]]. Naturally, said girl mistakes it for something else and soon you see an angry mob outside Homer's house.
* {{Acrofatic}}: Homer in "Sex, Pies, and Idiot Scrapes," who does complex acrobatics to escape Ned. This is rather odd, since Homer has often been shown out of breath from even the simplest movements (like running only a few feet in "The Springfield Connection" and "New Kids on the Blecch").
** Then again, one flashback shows him to be a very talented gymnast in high school.
** He also performed ninja-like feats of acrobatics while practicing killing snakes for Whacking Day.
* AcronymConfusion: One ''RunningGag'' example of the "sharing an initialism" variety.
--> '''Krusty''': Now it's time for Krusty Komedy Klassics! ...KKK? That's not good!
** For the record, Krusty was performing at the Apollo Theater, making it that much worse.
** Another having nothing to do with sharing an initialism:
-->'''Chief Wiggum:''' Uh, Mrs. Simpson, I have some bad news. Your husband was found DOA.
-->'''Marge:''' Oh my God! He's ''dead''?
-->'''Chief Wiggum:''' Oh wait, I mean DWI. I always get those two mixed up.
-->''Mrs. Phillips walks in.''
-->'''Mrs. Phillips:''' My name's Mrs. Phillips. You said my husband is DWI?
-->'''Chief Wiggum:''' Uh, why don't you talk to that officer over there? I'm going out to lunch.
** From "Days of Wine and D'oh'ses":
--> '''Barney''': My name is Barney, and I'm an alcoholic.
--> '''Clerk''': I feel for you, pally, but, uh, you want AA; this is Triple A.
* ActingUnnatural: Skinner and Chalmers do it in "500 Keys" while waiting to snatch the key to the hidden classroom of Lisa.
* ActionMom: Homer's mother is pretty {{Badass}}.
** Marge was a policewoman.
* ActorAllusion: Both subverted and played straight at the same time with Rodney Dangerfield as Larry Burns. Instead of the actor's trademark Catchphrase of "no respect," Larry talks about how he don't get "No regard. No esteem either."
** Done by new kid Alex (voiced by Lisa Kudrow) who says "Woah don't be a Phoebe" to Lisa alluding to her best known character Phoebe Buffay on Friends
* AddedAlliterativeAppeal:
-->'''Mr. Burns:''' You clinking, clattering, cacaphony of colligenous cogs and camshifts...
*** This is also a ShoutOut to TheWizardOfOz
* AdviceBackfire: In "The Love-Matic Grampa" (part of "Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase"), Abe tells Moe to tell his date that her rump is as big as the queen's, and twice as fragrant. Moe reluctantly does so, and in the [[GilliganCut next cut]], he's covered in food dumped on him by his date.
* AffectionateGestureToTheHead: In an [[ShowWithinAShow educational film]], Troy [=McClure=] does this to little Tommy at the end.
-->'''Tommy''': You're...hurting...me.
* AffectionatePickpocket:
** In "Curse of the Flying Hellfish", Mr. Burns forces Grampa to give up his key to the Hellfish fortune. Bart throws himself at Burns and wraps his arms around him, saying "Can I go with you to get the treasure? I won't eat much and I don't know the difference between right and wrong." This seems like a very in-character thing for Bart to do; but when Burns leaves (without Bart) Bart shows to Grampa that he picked Burns' pocket, so now ''he'' has both keys needed.
** In "Bart Carny", Bart swipes Marge's pearls while hugging her, a move taught to him by Spud.
* AfterSchoolCleaningDuty: Bart has been punished in this manner more than a few times.
* AggressiveCategorism: Played straight with Lampshade as Moe Szyslak explains why he doesn't want Mr. Burns on the bowling team: "''Call this an unfair generalization if you must, but old people are no good at everything.''"
** From "The Seven Beer Snitch":
--> '''Bart''': All plays suck, all the time, and always will, and everyone knows it.
* TheAhnold: Rainier Wolfcastle.
* AlanSmithee: "The Simpsons 138th Spectacular" was directed by David Silverman under the pseudonym "Pound Foolish".
** In-show example: At the end of the power plant commercial, Mr. Burns is credited as "Alan Smithee".
* AlcoholInducedIdiocy: displayed often by Homer (and sometimes Barney).
* AlienAutopsyVideo: The episode "Worst Episode Ever" sees Bart and Milhouse uncover a secret room in Comic Book Guy's shop which houses a secret stash of bootleg videos and other illegal video clips. Among the video titles mentioned are "Alien Autopsy" and "Illegal Alien Autopsy".
* AlienGeometries: Homer and Marge's bedroom's orientation changes often. Including in some impossible ways.
* AliensSpeakingEnglish: Subverted the hell out of with Kang, Kodos, and their [[StarfishAliens entire species]]: They are actually speaking Rigelian, which [[ContrivedCoincidence just]] ''[[ContrivedCoincidence happens]]'' to be identical to English.
* TheAllegedCar: Many examples, especially the car Crazy Vaclav tries to sell Homer in "Mr. Plow." It has three wheels, comes from a country that no longer exists, and does "300 [[UnitConfusion hectares]] on a single tank of kerosene".
** "Put it in H!"
* AllGirlsLikePonies: Including Lisa.
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Lisa having a crush on Nelson Muntz in "Lisa's Date with Density."
** Also in "Bart's Girlfriend":
-->'''Jessica''': [walking up] You're ''bad'', Bart Simpson.
-->'''Bart''': [plaintive] No, I'm not! I'm really --
-->'''Jessica''': Yes, you are. You're bad...and I like it.
-->'''Bart''': [suave] I'm bad to the bone, honey.
** Little would he know that she's ''even worse'' than him. And she's Rev. Lovejoy's daughter, mind.
* AllNaturalGemPolish: The diamonds in the African mine owned by the crazy woman who used ape slave labor.
* AllThereInTheManual: Although rare, some information tidbits only come from WordOfGod, such as [[spoiler:how the family escaped The Island after ''The Computer Wore Menace Shoes''. (the army raided the Island, arrested the villains and saved the captives, including the Simpsons)]]
* AllWorkVsAllPlay: Marge and Lisa are All Work while Homer and Bart are All Play. This gets lampshaded a couple of times.
* AlphabetNewsNetwork: In the year 2010 in "Lisa's Wedding", Kent Brockman is now a news anchor on CNNBCBS (a division of ABC).
* AlwaysInClassOne: "Remedial Science 1-A" in "The Front".
* AmazinglyEmbarrassingParents: Agnes embarrasses Skinner more than once.
--> '''Agnes''': Seymour needs to use the toilet! His bladder's full! Full of urine!
** Homer and Marge turn into these whenever they find themselves interacting with Bart and Lisa's classmates (or future fiances).
* AmbiguouslyGay: Waylon Smithers in earlier seasons; Lenny and Carl in later ones.
** Also, Milhouse is Ambiguously Bisexual.
* AmnesiacLover: The episode, "Regarding Margie," has the plot based on this trope.
* AmplifiedAnimalAptitude
* AmusingInjuries: Homer suffers many of them. So does Hans Moleman. Hans even made a short film entitled "Man Getting Hit By Football."
--> '''Homer''': But... the ball! His groin! A-ha! It works on so many levels!
* AnalProbing: The short "Citizen Kang" from [[HalloweenEpisode "Treehouse Of Horror VII"]] saw Homer abducted by Kang and Kodos. Homer's reaction to this is to say, "I suppose you want to probe me. Well, you might as well get it over with" and immediately drop his pants and moon his alien captors. Kang and Kodos respond to this in shock horror, begging, "Stop! We have reached the limits of what rectal probing can teach us!"
** Another one in which Bart and Lisa are chased around an Air Force base sees an airman open a door before quickly closing it again after seeing a [[TheGreys Grey]] with a glowstick. The airman proclaims, "Oh no, he's got the probe!"
** When Homer and Flanders marry floozies in Vegas, Homer decides they should tell their wives they were abducted by aliens, who "gang-probed" Ned.
-->'''Ned:''' Do we really have to tell them I was "gang probed"?
-->'''Homer:''' Would you rather tell them the ''truth''?
-->'''Ned:''' [Sigh] What do the aliens look like?
-->'''Homer:''' Well, ''I'' only saw them from the back 'cause they were so busy gang probing you!
* AnalogyBackfire: In "How I Spent My Strummer Vacation", Homer tries to deliver an analogy which he believes will prove he doesn't hate his family. It doesn't work.
--> '''Homer''': Marriage is like a coffin, and each kid is another nail. But as coffins go-
--> '''Lisa''': Please don't say any more!
* AndIMustScream: While it's a funny gag and meant purely for laughs, one still can't help but feel bad for Ozzie Smith's fate in "Homer at the Bat." The guy is being catapulted through space and time in an unknown dimension, with no possible way of getting out ever. It's made even worse by the fact that he did nothing wrong to deserve such a fate.
** Though it's apparently amazing enough to him to whip out his camera and start sight-seeing.
* AndKnowingIsHalfTheBattle: Parodied, of course, in "Bart Star":
--> '''Joe Namath''': (as Bart is taken to jail in Wiggum's cop car) Hehe, poor Bart. You know, we had a lot of fun tonight. But, there's nothing funny about... vapor lock. It's the third most common cause of stalling. So please, take care of your car and get it checked. I'm Joe Namath. Good night. ({{Beat}})
** In "Bart the General":
--> '''Bart''': Contrary to what you've just seen, war is neither glamorous nor fun. There are no winners, only losers. There are no good wars, with [[TheRevolutionWillNotBeVilified the following exceptions]]: the American Revolution, WorldWarII, and the StarWars Trilogy. If you'd like to learn more about war, there's lots of books in your local library, many of them with cool gory pictures.
** In "New Kids on the Blecch":
--> '''Justin''':You know, we've had a lot of fun tonight, at the expense of the U. S. Navy.
--> '''Lance''': But they're out there every day protecting us from Godzilla.
--> '''Chris''': And don't forget pirates!
--> '''J. C.''': And jellyfish.
--> '''Joey''': Those whack invertebrates will sting you, [[RunningGag old-school!]]
--> '''Justin''': So check out the Navy for a two, or four-year hitch.
--> '''Lance''': We signed J. C. up yesterday.
--> '''J. C.''': What? (is dragged away) [[BigNo Nooooooooo!]]
** In "Treehouse of Horror XVI":
--> '''Moe''': Okay, this concludes this year's Halloween show. We hope you had as much fun watching our show as the Koreans did animating it. But there's one group for whom every day is Halloween. I'm talking about adult illiterates. For them, trying to read the morning newspaper is more terrifying than any goblin, ghoul, spook or spirit.
--> '''Lenny''': So won't you please donate a children's book or something?
--> '''Dennis Rodman''': Together, we can make reading a slam dunk.
--> '''Moe''': Dennis Rodman, what are you doing here?
--> '''Dennis Rodman''': Working off a speeding ticket. Happy Halloween, everybody!
* AndTheRest: In one Treehouse of Horror episode, Homer believes he's the last man alive and mourns each member of the "main" family and "all the rest", which includes the pets, Maggie and the TV.
** In the episode "Eight Misbehavin'," Apu and Manjula's octuplets are made the stars of a show called "Octopia" at the Springfield Zoo. Only four of the babies are explicitly given stage character names and are introduced to the audience. The others are introduced as "AndTheRest."
* AndThenISaid: From "El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer":
--> '''Bart''': So then I says to Mabel, I says...
** From "Maximum Homerdrive":
--> '''Homer''': So then I said: "You can take your free tetanus shot and shove it!"
--> '''Bart''': You told her, dad!
--> '''Homer''': You better... ''(jaw locks shut; says next line through gritted teeth)'' believe I did!
** From "New Kid on the Block":
--> '''Homer''': (drunk) So I sez, 'Yeah, if you want that money, come and find it, 'cuz I don't know where it is, ya baloney. ''You'' make me wanna ''retch''." ''(immediately falls asleep)''.
** From "The Springfield Files":
--> '''Homer''': (drunk) So I says, "Blue M&M, red M&M, they all wind up the same color in the end."
** From "Homer Defined":
--> '''Barney''': So the next time someone tells you carnies are good honest people, you can spit in their face for me!
** From "Homer the Vigilante":
--> '''Homer''': So I said to him, "Look, buddy, your car was upside down when we got here. And as for your Grandma, she shouldn't have mouthed off like that!"
** From "Days of Wine and D'oh'ses"
--> '''Lenny:''' So I says to the cop, "No, ''you're'' driving under the influence -- of being a jerk!"
** Finally: From "El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer":
--> '''Bart''': [[BrickJoke So anyway, I says to Mabel, I says…]]
* AndYouWereThere: Said in "Bart Gets Hit By a Car" (at the end of pointing everyone out, he mentions that he's never seen Lionel Hutz before)
** In "Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in 'The Curse of the Flying Hellfish'" Abe wearily recounts how several family members were there when an assassin made an attempt on his life. In actuality, the assassin, Mr. Burns, and Smithers had dressed as the Simpsons to get close to Abe.
* AnimalAthleteLoophole: Parodied; after adopting a horse, Homer spends hours training it as a placekicker, ''then'' checks the rulebook to see whether horses can play in the National Football League. (Turns out, there ''is'' a rule.)
** Homer participated in a robot fighting league disguised as a robot. When he's found out, two officiators share:
-->'''Officiator 1''': And the winner is nature's greatest killing machine... man!
-->'''Audience''': Boo!
-->'''Officiator 1''': Show me where in the rulebook it says that a human can't be a robot.
-->'''Officiator 2''': Right here. Rule one.
* {{Animeland}}: The Simpsons were attacked by {{Kaiju}} on the plane back home.
* AntiAdvice: Homer has a card in his wallet that tells him "Always do the opposite of what Bart says."
* AntiHumor: In "The Sweetest Apu", when Homer and Marge find out about Apu cheating on Manjula:
--> '''Homer''': Let's tell Krusty.
--> '''Marge''': What would that accomplish?
--> '''Homer''': That guy's hilarious. His reaction would be priceless.
--> '''Homer''': Apu is cheating!
--> '''Krusty''': (somber) That's sad. All those kids.
--> '''Homer''': I think he's building to something.
* AntiquatedLinguistics: Mr. Burns seems to have a lexicon dating back to roughly 1911.
** Abe Simpson also tends to lapse into long, meandering stories full of 1940s slang.
* ApocalypseHow: Class-Z, when aliens open up a wormhole that's powerful enough to even suck {{God}} into it, leaving nothing but a blank slate. Of course, this was done as a joke.
* AppliedMathematics: When Homer is an inventor. During a montage, he's shown writing equations on a blackboard. After he's done, the camera moves to shot of the house -- where there's a massive explosion. Cut back to Homer: who examines his equation and replaces his less than symbol with a greater than or equal to symbol. This results in another, ''bigger'' explosion. He goes back to the board, and removes "TNT" from the equation.
* ArentYouGoingToRavishMe: Demonstrated in "Take My Wife, Sleaze" when Marge is surprised that the bikers who kidnapped her don't want to have sex with her.
--> '''Marge:''' Could you at least tell me what you're planning to do with me?\\
'''Meathook:''' Oh, don't worry, you're completely safe. None of us finds you sexually attractive.\\
'''Marge:''' None of you? Really? I could have sworn that Ramrod... ''(Ramrod shakes his head)'' Hmm. Well, did you see that picture of me in... ''(gang nods)'' And you still don't... ''(gang shakes their heads)''\\
'''Meathook:''' Sorry.\\
'''Marge:''' Well, good, I guess.
* AreYouSureYouCanDriveThisThing: {{Subverted|Trope}} where Homer is dangling in a gorge and Marge asks Bart to drive the car, to pull Homer up using a rope attached to the bumper; Bart at first acts nervous about it, but then reveals he has his own set of keys and his own driving gloves.
** Bart stole Otto's bus. In front of Metallica.
* ArmorPiercingQuestion: Burns of all characters asks one in Who Shot Mr. Burns, when Springfield's hatred of him was even more intense than usual.
-->'''[=McCallister=]''': Arr, Burns, your scurvy schemes will earn ye a one-way passage to the boneyard!\\
'''Ned''': I'd like to hear from Sideshow Mel!\\
'''Mel''': I'll see to it that Burns suffers the infernal machinations of hell's grim tyrant!\\
'''Otto''': Yeah!\\
'''Burns''': Oh, you all talk big, but who here has the guts to stop me?
** From "Scenes From the Class Struggle in Springfield":
--> '''Marge''': (to Lisa) Why do you always have to question everything I do?!
* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: The Trope formerly known as "Bus Full Of Nuns".
** To elaborate, Snake received the death penalty from the three-strike system by burning down an orphanage, blowing up a bus full of nuns (which he claims was in self-defense), and smoking inside the Kwik-E-Mart.
*** The show's overall style is full of "ArsonMurderAndJaywalking" moments. Plenty of "lists" in various episodes end off with the least significant example of something. Arguably the clearest example is in "The Crepes of Wrath", when Bart describes to a policeman, (in French, but with the on-screen subtitles translating it) what the winemakers were doing to him. Here is what the subtitles say:
-->'''Bart''': You gotta help me! These two guys work me night and day! They don't feed me. They make me sleep on the floor. They put anti-freeze in the wine and they gave my red hat to the donkey[[hottip:*:On the subject on that last one, there may be a bit of hidden FridgeBrilliance. In the earlier seasons, Bart's hat, when it appeared was considered to be his "lucky red hat," and to him, that fact may have been the worst offense.]].
* ArtEvolution: The oldest episodes seem remarkably crude, when compared to the standard of the more recent ones.
** The original shorts on The Tracy Ullman Show look even more crude.
** The show shifted to computer-based animation in the 14th season, so recent episodes look somewhat different.
* ArtifactTitle: Only the first ''Treehouse of Horror'' episode takes place in a treehouse.
* ArtisticLicense: The writers will do extensive research on the place the family is going, and then ignore many of the facts because they aren't funny, preferring instead to make things up.
* ArtisticLicenseHistory: If ''The Simpsons'' were to be believed, a voice actress named June Bellamy (voiced by Tress [=MacNeille=]) provided the "meep meep" for the Road Runner, whereas in actuality it was done by background artist Paul Julian.
* ArtShift:
** The couch gag for ''Bart Stops To Smell The Roosevelts'' done by JohnK.
** Ren and Stimpy's cameo in "Brother From The Same Planet"
** Bart's "Dark Stanley" story in "Yokel Chords."
** Lisa's daydream about the politicians in "Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington."
** The Amendment Song in "The Day the Violence Died" is done in the style of SchoolhouseRock.
** The California Raisins parody in "Tis the Fifteenth Season" is done in claymation, as is the {{Gumby}} couch gag.
** The "Cards" parody in "Mommie Beerest" is done in CG, as is Homer in the 3D world in "Homer³" (part of "Treehouse of Horror VI").
** The DaveyAndGoliath parody in "HOMЯ".
** The Tintin cutaway in "Husbands and Knives."
** The ''MadMen'' title sequence to "How to Get Ahead in Dead-vertising" (part of "Treehouse of Horror XIX").
** Homer's fire pepper hallucinations in "The Mysterious Voyage of Homer."
** The puppet/live-action story featuring KatyPerry on "The Fight Before Christmas."
** In one episode, Homer briefly imagines Bart and Lisa as their real-life equivalents. Of course, they're hideous.
** There is a definite difference in art quality from Maggie's P.O.V. whenever she feels threatened or terrified, namely, everything from her angle appears to look distorted and monstrous. Even in "Hello Gudder, Hello Fadder", when at a father-child swimming class, when she imagined Homer as a Kappa-like creature, the water around him began to take on a distinct orange color.
** The opening to "The Love-Matic Grampa" in "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase".
** The [=1930s=] cartoons couch gag, where the characters are drawn in rubber hose style and the picture is black and white.
** Some of the Itchy and Scratchy cartoons in "Itchy and Scratchy: The Movie" were a parody of the animation style of the 1920s and 1940s cartoons. In "The Day The Violence Died" parodies of ''WesternAnimation/FritzTheCat'', 1920s cartoons and ''WesternAnimation/SchoolhouseRock'' can be found.
** In "AngryDad: The Movie" parodies ''TheTripletsOfBelleville'', ''{{Persepolis}}'', ''WallaceAndGromit'' and {{Pixar}}.
* AscendedMeme: "D'oh!" was added to the Oxford English Dictionary.
** As was "meh" (an adjective describing something boring or mediocre or an interjection expressing boredom or indifference), "[[PerfectlyCromulentWord cromulent]]" (an adjective describing something that's valid, adequate, or appropriate for a certain situation), and "embiggen" (a verb meaning "to empower or raise someone's spirits").
** A critic once wrote a negative article on the subject of TheSimpsons, which was titled "Worst Episode Ever!" Since then, the phrase [[WorstWhateverEver "Worst. X. Ever!"]] became Comic Book Guy's catchphrase.
* AscendedToCarnivorism: In "Helter Shelter", the retirement home residents are watching a nature show about elderly animals. An elderly lion runs out of energy, whereupon the zebra turns around and takes a bite out of it.
* AshesToCrashes: Homer's mom wants him to spread her ashes at a certain place at a certain time; it turns out it was her last act of uncivil disobedience, as her ashes interfere with the launch of a missile sending nuclear waste from the power plant to the Amazon rain forest.
* AsianRudeness: Cookie Kwan. Stay off the west side!
* AsianStoreOwner: Apu (who is from India), Apu's Korean counterpart in "Lemon of Troy," and a man who looks like Apu if he were from the Middle East in "Summer of 4'2''".
** Apu even has a counterpart in ''India''.
* AsideComment: In "Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner?", Homer says, "We'll be right back" to the camera.
** In "Pygmoelian", Carl tells the camera, "See, this is why I don't talk much." when he insults Homer, Barney, and Lenny and they break down crying.
* AsideGlance: In "Little Big Girl", Mr. Burns gives one to the camera when Smithers, who is on fire, shouts that he's flaming.
* AsTheGoodBookSays: Used many times, often for comedic effect. Some examples: "Homer the Heretic" (Matthew 7:26 and 21:17), "Bart's Girlfriend" (Matthew 7:1), "Lisa's Sax" (John 8:7), "The Otto Show" (Matthew 25:40), "Dead Putting Society" (Matthew 19:19).
** {{Subverted}} in "Catch Them If You Can", where Homer says, "As the Bible says... 'Screw that'!"
* AttackBackfire: From one episode parodying stories from TheBible, when Moses (Milhouse) sends a plague of frogs to vex the Pharoah, (Principal Skinner) he and the other Egyptians just end up eating the frogs' legs. The Pharoah comments that Ra must be rewarding them for punishing their slaves.
* AttackOfThePoliticalAd: When Sideshow Bob ran for Mayor of Springfield, his campaign took out an ad against Mayor Quimby parodying George H.W. Bush's "Revolving Door Prison" attack ad from the 1988 election. In the ad, prisoners are seen leaving the Springfield State Prison through a revolving door and over the walls on escalators and ski lifts while a narrator lets us know,
-->"Mayor Quimby supports revolving door prisons. Mayor Quimby even released Sideshow Bob, a man twice convicted of attempted murder. Can ''you'' trust a man like Mayor Quimby? [[HypocriticalHumor Vote Sideshow Bob for Mayor.]]"
* AudienceMurmurs: When the Flanders walk into church after Ned is arrested in "Homer Loves Flanders", the congregation immediately start murmuring disparaging things about Ned, including someone who thinks Ned is the one who wrote "Homer" all over the bathroom.
* AudienceParticipation: The Season 22 finale ended with an invitation for viewers to vote online on whether or not they want Ned Flanders and Edna Krabappel to become a couple.
* AuthorAvatar: Comic Book Guy is this for Matt Groening. According to Matt, "He's what I think I look like to other people".
* AwesomeMcCoolname: Max Power! He's the man whose name you'd love to touch, but you musn't touch!
** Homer's other choices for his new name included Hercules Rockerfeller, Rembrandt Q. Einstein, and Handsome B. Wonderful.
** Bart has stated that when he grows up he plans to change his name to Joe Kickass, a name that is so cool Homer doesn't mind that it will be the end of the Simpson family name.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:B]]
* BackFromTheDead: Dr. Monroe and Dr. Nick
* BadassFamily: It's a bit of a RunningGag that [[BadassAdorable Maggie]] [[LittleMissBadass Simpson]] is the most {{Badass}} member of the family.
** Strangely, Homer shows some elements of this, especially in [[TheSimpsonsMovie the movie]]. In the main series, he's often got involved in car chases that required him to kick someone's ass.
** He is also handy with a chain and cement block (which he calls "The Defender"), as well as being able to wield a ''motorcycle''. Marge has thrill issues. Bart can hit a target with his slingshot at what is practically sniper range, and was able to perfectly wield a grenade launcher on his first use, even managing to hit Skinner's car at Springfield Elementary from his new military school (Springfield wasn't visible in the background). Really, all the characters have occasional flashes of this. With the possible exception of Lisa.
*** Lisa has her moments, most notably with the episode Lisa on Ice.
*** There's also the time that Lisa one-hit KO'd Bart in a MMA ring.
*** She also connects a gloriously-animated punch on Bart in the movie.
** Lampshaded by ''Marge'' of all people in an early episode, when Homer worries about his parenting.
--> '''Marge''': The way I see it, if you raise 3 kids that can knock out and hog-tie a perfect stranger, then you must be doing ''something'' right!
* BadassAdorable: Again, Maggie Simpson. She shot Mr. Burns. Oh, and she also shot the mobsters who were threatening to murder Homer. Homer didn't know she did the latter, but when he heard the gunshots and saw those mobsters fall to the ground, he said "I must have a guardian angel with a rifle." This might actually have put her into a borderline EnfanteTerrible AntiHero category if not for how obvious it was that [[PayEvilUntoEvil her targets deserved it]]. In a later episode when Homer was imprisoned in a basement of a tow truck driver, Maggie saved him by riding on Santa's Little Helper to the place, and attaching the guy's towhook to the cellar window bars.
** Maggie also led a Great Escape-esque mission through a daycare in order to secure pacifiers for all of the babies there.
* BadassGrandpa: Abe Simpson is usually shown to be a rambling, partially senile old man. However, in one episode it is revealed [[RetiredBadass he was once part of a crack squad known as the Flying Hellfish during WW2]] and is still capable of kicking ass when the need arises.
* BadBadActing: In the episode "Burns's Heir", Mr. Burns hires actors to portray the rest of the Simpson family in order to persuade Bart that they don't love him. They do this in the most wooden way imaginable.
-->'''Fake Homer''': *Monotone* I do not miss Bart at all.
-->'''Fake Marge''': *Also monotone* I am glad he's gone.
-->'''Fake Lisa''': *Also monotone* As am I.
-->'''Fake Homer''': *Drops his sandwich* [[DidNotDoTheResearch B'oh!]]
-->'''Bart''': It's probably my imagination, but something about them just didn't feel right.
** Another example of bad acting occurs in "D'oh-in' in the Wind": Homer, Lenny, and Carl acting in Mr. Burns's Power Plant commercial.
-->'''Homer''': Well, there were script problems from day one.
-->'''Bart''': Didn't seem like anybody even read the script.
-->'''Homer''': That was the problem.
* BadFuture: The year 1,000,000 A.D. at the end of "Rosebud": The Earth is a barren place and [[PlanetOfTheApes humans are slaves to apes.]] Worst of all, Mr. Burns is still alive!
* BadJobWorseUniform: The teenagers who work at Krusty Burger or Phineas Q. Butterfat's ice cream parlor. Also Homer, on the many episodes where he doesn't work at the nuclear plant, and Barney, when he was hired to pass out flyers in front of a baby furniture store called Lullabuy$, clad only in a diaper and bonnet (it was the dead of winter at the time).
-->'''Barney''' (after his diaper flies away in the breeze and he runs naked down the street): Hi, Ma!
* BadPresent: In "The Springfield Files", a man wakes up from a 23-year coma and asks if Sonny and Cher still have "that stupid variety show". Kent Brockman answers, "She won an Oscar, and he's a Congressman." The man promptly dies, yelling, "Good night!"
** Lampshaded in "Bart to the Future":
--> '''Homer:''' What a bleak and horrible future we live in!\\
'''Bart:''' Don't you mean, "present"?\\
'''Homer:''' Right, right, present.
* BaitAndSwitch: The absolute master of this form of humor, and arguably one of the first comedies to use it on a regular basis.
* BangingPotsAndPans: In a FlashBack to when Bart was two and Marge was pregnant with Lisa, we see Bart with a pot on his head, banging another pot.
-->'''Bart''': I am so great! I am so great! Everybody loves me, I am so great!\\
'''Marge''': Honey, honey, honey, honey, honey. Could you please be quiet?\\
'''Bart''': Quiet! Quiet! Quiet! Quiet! Quiet! Quie ---\\
'''Marge''': Bart, get out!
* BannedInChina: Let's just say that if the series had an episode satirizing or making fun of another country, the chances of the particular episode being banned in said country is quite high. Check the main page for more details.
* BathtubScene: Edna gets one in "Bart the Lover". Selma gets one in "Black Widower". Homer gets one in "A Milhouse Divided". Homer and Marge try to spice up their romantic life by having a bath together in "Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy". Marge gets one in "Homer Alone".
* BatSignal: Accidental example when Homer stands in front of a lighthouse, causing his silhouette to be projected onto the clouds.
-->'''Bart:''' Hey look! Is that Dad?
-->'''Lisa:''' [[LopsidedDichotomy Either that or Batman's really let himself go.]]
* BawdySong and TakeOurWordForIt: On "Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo," The Simpsons are seated at a restaurant table shaped like Massachusetts:
-->'''Homer''': Hey, you know, I once knew a man from Nantucket.
-->'''Bart''': And?
-->'''Homer''': Let's just say the stories about him are greatly exaggerated.
** Another time, Homer referred to the poem in a very PurpleProse manner, still stopping before he got to "the good part".
* BeachBury: Ned is buried like this and Homer parks his car on top of him.
-->'''Flanders:''' Homer, is that my muffler?
* BeatStillMyHeart: On "New Kid on the Block," after Bart is crushed to hear that Laura has a boyfriend, he imagines Laura ripping his heart out and kicking it into a garbage can, complete with blood trail. In "Goo Goo Gai Pan," a monk rips Homer's heart out and puts it back in, without Homer feeling any pain. Also, "Homer's Triple Bypass" had an inside look on Homer's heart reacting to Mr. Burns yelling at him.
* TheBeard: Apu pretending to be married to Marge so he won't have to go through with an arranged marriage in "The Two Nahasapeemapetilons".
* BeardOfSorrow: Homer has grown one before when separated from Marge.
* BearTrapBed: Seen in "Pokey Mom".
* BedsheetLadder: Used by the couch to escape from the Taj Mahal in a CouchGag.
* BeforeIChangeMyMind: In "Simpson and Delilah", Mr. Burns almost fires Homer for making a "mockery" of the morning meeting (merely due to being bald), but decides not to because he can empathize with Homer's baldness. He lets him return to his Sector 7G job, but states "Now get outta here before I reconsider."
* BellyButtonless: In one episode, Homer's life is invaded by an army of clones of himself. The clones, predictably enough, lack belly buttons.
* BeYourself: Tacked on at the end of "Homer to the Max" to explain why Homer changed his name back from Max Power to Homer Simpson.
* TheBGrade: Lisa freaks out in "Kamp Krusty" when she's given a "B" in "Conduct". She also stresses when she gets an "A-" in "Bart vs. Lisa vs. The Third Grade", especially since Bart scored a solid "A".
* BigBad: Charles Montgomery Burns.
* BigDamnMovie: ''TheSimpsonsMovie'' is about rescuing Springfield from ecological destruction.
* BigEater: Homer, of course.
* BiggerThanJesus: In the episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet," Homer's titular band with a history that very much resembles that of TheBeatles is alleged to have frequently [[BlasphemousBoast boasted]] to be "bigger than Jesus" and even titled their sophomore album as such with a cover that shows the band [[WalkOnWater Walking On Water]] in the AbbeyRoadCrossing pose.
** A later episode referenced TheBeatles controversy when it turns out that Ned Flanders has a huge collection of Beatles memorabilia. Why? Because they were bigger than Jesus!
* BilingualBonus: Done frequently with Bumblebee Man sketches; whilst they're always non-sequiturs, what is gibberish to the layman becomes funny gibberish to the bilingual:
--> Original "¿Dónde Está Justice?" transcript:
--->'''Plaintiff''': ¡El Ford Escort que me vendío es un limón!
--->'''Defendant''': No no no no no. No es un limón. Es un carro fuerte.
--->'''Judge''': Hmm, limón... fuerte... limón... fuerte... limón... ay-yi-yi-yi-yi, ¡mi estómago!
--> Translated:
--->'''Plaintiff''': The Ford Escort he sold me is a lemon!
--->'''Defendant''': No no no no no. It's not a lemon. It's a strong car.
--->'''Judge''': Hmm, lemon... strong... lemon... strong... lemon... ay-yi-yi-yi-yi my stomach!
* BigLittleMan: Moe has a date set up with a dwarf girlfriend, but he thinks she's bigger since her online photo was of her looking tall in front of the Empire State Building (actually the one in Lego Land).
* BigNever
** Particularly in "Two Bad Neighbors":
--->'''Homer:''' For the last time, Bush, apologize for spanking my boy!\\
'''Bush:''' Never! You make him apologize for destroying my memoirs.\\
'''Homer:''' ''(to Bart)'' You didn't tell me you destroyed his memoirs... ''(to Bush)'' Never!
** In the school play about the founding of America in "I Love Lisa":
--> '''Lisa''' (as Martha Washington): Wouldn't it just be easier to give in to the British?
--> '''Ralph''' (as George Washington): ''NEVER!'' (audience applauds)
* BigNo and SlowNo: Many, many instances in several episodes:
** "Bart's Comet": Skinner shouts this [[RuleOfThree three times]]: Once, when he hears the other end of a phone conversation that congratulates Bart for discovering a comet; twice, when he accidentaly releases the "Hi! I'm Big-Butt Skinner" balloon and it floats away; and third when a paperboy throws a paper at Skinner's feet with the headline: "Prez Sez: School is for losers."
** "Duffless": Shouted in slow motion when Lisa's giant tomato is thrown at Skinner's butt.
** "Homer: Bad Man": Shouted by Godfrey Jones when Homer comes towards him during the interview.
** "King-Size Homer": Homer shouts this when he's forced to join the calisthenics class.
** "On a Clear Day I Can't See My Sister": Played with, as Grampa is actually shouting "Gnomes!"
** "She Used To Be My Girl": Marge shouts this after a daydream.
** "Bart's Dog Gets an F": Homer shouts this after SLH eats apart his brand new ASSASSINS sneakers. Only it morphs into a howl when Homer says it at the same time.
** The German dub turns all of Homer's [[CatchPhrase D'oh]]s into {{Little No}}s (''Nein!'')
** "Elementary School Musical": Lisa says this after spending a week in an arts camp, which Lisa explains to Marge via digital camera.
** "Marge's Son Poisoning": Marge shouts this when she envisions herself and Bart as older singing karaoke together.
** "Homer and Lisa Exchange Cross Words":
-->'''Lisa''': "My name is now Lisa Bouvier"
-->'''Nelson''': Hi, Mr. S. Lisa B.
-->'''Homer''': "NOOOOOOOO!!!!!"
-->'''Janey''': "Want to buy some band candy?"
-->'''Homer''': "[[BigYes YESSSSSS!!!!!]]"
** "I Love Lisa": Said by Lisa in a live audience at the Krusty Anniversary special:
-->'''Krusty''': And is this your girlfriend, Ralph?
-->'''Ralph''':Yes, I love Lisa Simpson, and when I grow up, i'm going to marry her.
-->'''Lisa''': Noooooooooooooo!!! Now you listen to me. I don't like you. I never liked you. And the only reason I gave you that stupid valentine is that nobody else would!
** "And Maggie Makes Three": Happens the moment Homer finally finds out about Marge's pregnancy:
-->'''Maude''': By the way, congratulations on your new job, Homer.
-->'''Homer''': New job? ...Marge is pregnant?! [pulls hair out] Noooooo! [runs up stairs screaming, slams bedroom door]
** "Hurricane Neddy":
-->'''Ned''': I just attacked all my friends and neighbors just for trying to help me. I'd like to commit myself.
-->'''Nurse''': Very well. Shall I show you to your room, or would you prefer to be dragged off kicking and screaming?
-->'''Ned''': Ooh, kicking and screaming, please.
-->'''Nurse''': As you wish.
-->[two men in white grab hold of him and drag him away]
-->'''Ned''': Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
** In "Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily", when Homer stops Ned from baptizing Bart.
* ABirthdayNotABreak:
-->'''Homer:''' I can't believe it. I'm being mocked. By my own children. On my birthday!\\
'''Bart:''' It's your birthday?\\
'''Homer:''' Yes! Remember, it's the same day as the dog's.\\
'''Lisa:''' Santa's Little Helper, it's your birthday? Ooh! We've gotta get you a present.
* BitingTheHandHumor: They mocked Fox (and the many DuelingShows The Simpsons has had over the years, including ''FamilyGuy'') countless times.
* BlackBeltInOrigami: In one episode, Homer tries to bluff his way into getting a veteran's discount by pretending to have served in Vietnam. He shouts several Asian words (up to and including MargaretCho) as reference to specific battles he was supposedly involved with.
* BlackComedyBurst: The examples listed under DarkerAndEdgier. "Homer's Enemy," in particular, is among the series' darkest episodes.
* BlandNameProduct: Malibu Stacy, obviously based on Malibu {{Barbie}}).
** One episode featured Red Umbrella Insurance, a takeoff of the Travelers Insurance Company logo.
* BlatantLies: Played with on a couple occasions:
** In "Homer vs. the 18th Amendment", when Homer is questioned by Marge about where he's going (that is, to go to the bowling alley to roll alcohol in bowling balls to Moe's), Homer replies with, "I'm not gonna lie to you, Marge...... so long!"
** In "Milhouse Doesn't Live Here Anymore", Marge questions where Homer's getting all the extra money. Homer replies that he's not going to lie to her... only to not say another word and continue reading the paper.
* BlazingInfernoHellfireSauce: The Merciless Pepper of Quetzalacatenango, also known as the Guatemalan Insanity Pepper. Homer has to lacquer his mouth and esophagus in order to eat one.
* BleepDammit: At a yard sale in "Two Bad Neighbors", the Simpsons sell a T-shirt with "Ayatollah A*saholla" written on it, with one of the S's in the second word always censored by Marge's hand, a fold, etc.
* BlindingCameraFlash: Used as a weapon against crazed robot Itchys and Scratchys at Itchy And Scratchy Land. Flashing them causes their brains to go haywire.
* {{Blipvert}}: GABBO! GABBO!! '''GABBO!!!'''
* BluntYes: [[TheBully Nelson]] uses this twice in a row during "22 Short Films About Springfield," when confronted by someone he pointed and laughed at.
-->'''Very Tall Man:''' Do you find something comical about my appearance when I'm driving my automobile?
-->'''Nelson :''' ... yeah.
-->'''Very Tall Man::''' Everyone needs to drive a vehicle, even the very tall. This was the largest auto that I could afford. Am I therefore to be made the subject of fun?
-->'''Nelson:''' ... I guess so.
* BlondGuysAreEvil: In an episode where the Simpsons play up the DumbBlonde jokes, Lisa is offended by them and asks why Bart finds them funny, cue lampshade hanging by Bart, "Only blonde girls are dumb, the boys are evil!"
** Note that Bart and Lisa are themselves blonde.
*** Technically, Bart's hair is naturally red, but he intentionally sun-bleaches it to evade being called "Rusty."
* BobHaircut: Lisa Simpson in the "To Surveil With Love" subplot in which she dyed her hair brown to demonstrate the DumbBlonde stereotype.
** Luanne Van Houten also has this hairstyle.
* BodyScreenFillUp: Several:
** "Lisa's Pony" in a scene where Homer's playing tea party with Lisa and Bart and Milhouse make fun of him. Homer notices them and immediately charges at them. He runs towards the camera and his stomach fills up the screen making it completely white.
** "Girls Just Want to Have Sums" where Nelson is about to beat up the disguised Lisa
** "Selma's Choice" Bart and Lisa try to get Selma off a bench and ride a rollercoaster.
** "Much Apu About Nothing" near the beginning where Homer tries to get beer from the fridge. "Let's all calm down. Everyone's going to be just fine. As long as I have enough beers."
** "The Dad Who Knew Too Little" where Homer is about to charge towards some free sample stands.
** "Brother's Little Helper" The scene where Bart walks into an army base where soldiers are taking showers. He is walking into the camera with a twitchy look on his face
* '''BoldInflation''': '''Kang and Kodos'''
* BondOneLiner: [=McBain=] has quite a few of these: "Ice to see you." after breaking out of an ice sculpture and shooting up the place; "Meeting adjourned" after shooting up a villain board meeting.
** Principal Skinner in "Lisa the Beauty Queen": "Copyright expired."
* BonnieScotland: Groundskeeper Willie.
* BookDumb: Bart.
** Really most of Springfield qualifies.
* BoomerangBigot: Played for laughs by Willie.
-->'''Groundskeeper Willie:''' "Damn Scots! They ruined Scotland!"
** Also subverted when Krusty comes to doubt his own credentials as a Jew:
---> "I thought I was a self-hating Jew, but it turns out I'm just a plain old anti-Semite!"
** In the episode in which they want to throw out the illegal immigrants, Moe is one of the most vocal about it, but he turns out to be an illegal immigrant himself.
* BootCampEpisode: "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson": Bart is sent to MilitarySchool for doing mischief; Lisa joins so she can attend the camp's superior school.
* BorrowedCatchphrase: In "Summer of 4'2''", Lisa says "Ay caramba!" and "Don't have a cow, man!"
** In "Natural Born Kissers", Moe says "Won't somebody please think of the children?!", which is usually said by Helen Lovejoy.
* BottomlessMagazines: Just about any time gun usage is shown, usually per RuleOfFunny.
** In "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson", Lisa fires an M-16 wildly for almost 10 seconds ("Help! It's stuck on auto-fire!").
** In "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase" and many other episodes where Chief Wiggum uses his gun, he fires well over six times despite its being a revolver. ([[ATeamFiring He's also a terrible shot.]])
* TheBoxingEpisode: "The Homer They Fall"
* ABoyAGirlAndABabyFamily
* BoyBand: Bart, Milhouse, Nelson, and Ralph form The Party Posse in "The New Kids On The Blecch," which is being used as a recruitment tool for the US Navy.
* BracesOfOrthodonticOverkill: The Trope formerly known as "LisaNeedsBraces".
* BrainDrain: One company attempted this, first unsuccessfully on Smithers, then successfully on Homer. It was successful for them for a brief while -- Homer's ideas worked for them.
* BrainFood: The zombies in "Dial Z For Zombie" (part of "Treehouse of Horror III") crave delicious brains. Amusingly, they turn down Homer because apparently, he has no brains.
** He actually is offended by this and starts yelling at the zombies over it.
* BrakeAngrily: Ned in "Viva Ned Flanders".
-->'''Ned:''' [[GoshDangItToHeck Gosh darn it!]] Am I that pre-diddly-ictable?
* BrandNamesAreBetter: One of the running jokes in the show is how The Simpsons can't afford the brand name products and have to get generic, obscure brands instead.
* BrandishmentBluff: Happens during "The Seemingly Never-Ending Story", as Moe, Mr. Burns and Rich Texan are facing off:
-->'''Rich Texan:''' (''taking the gold from Marge'') I'll take that gold...
-->'''Mr. Burns:''' No so fast, Shady Bird Johnson!
-->(''Burns steps out from behind a stalagtite'')
-->'''Burns:''' ''I'll'' take that gold...
-->'''Moe Szyslak:''' (''enters from the shadows, holding a baseball bat'') Yeah, you'll take it, and then you'll give it to me if you know what's good for ya.
-->(''Burns and Rich Texan aim their guns at Moe'')
-->'''Moe:''' [[OhCrap You guys have guns?!]] Well, so do I! (''steps back into shadows, making gun-cocking noises'') Heh? Heh?
* BratsWithSlingshots: Bart Simpson in the early episodes and on early 1990s merchandise.
* BrawnHilda: Bart's impression of an [[EastGermany East German]] woman consists of a fake moustache and saying "Kiss me or I crush you!" in a deep voice.
* BreadEggsBreadedEggs
-->'''Mr Burns:''' I suggest you leave immediately.
-->'''Homer:''' Or what? You'll release the dogs? Or the bees? Or the dogs with bees in their mouths [[BeeBeeGun and when they bark they shoot bees at you?]]
** From "Itchy & Scrathy The Movie" when Homer and Marge leave for a parent-teacher conference:
--->'''Marge:''' So long, kids. We'll bring back dinner.
--->'''Lisa:''' What are we having?
--->'''Homer:''' Well, that depends on how kids have been. If you've been good: pizza. If you've been bad... Let's see, uh... Poison.
--->'''Lisa:''' What if one of us has been good and one of us has been bad?
--->'''Bart:''' Poisoned pizza.
--->'''Homer:''' Oh, no! I'm not making two stops!
* BreakTheCutie: Subverted in Dog Of Death. When Burns gets a hold of Bart's friendly, gentle pet dog, he does to the dog what was done to Alex in ''Film/AClockworkOrange'' to, as Burns himself put it, turn the dog into "a vicious, soulless killer." However, when Burns sends said dog after Bart, the dog's memories of good times with Bart prompt him to lick Bart's face instead of attacking him. When the other dogs come after Bart, said pet dog [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome growls at the other dogs and scares them off]], only to proceed to lick Bart's face AGAIN. Burns' attempt at breaking the dog's spirit yields, if any change in the dog at all, a result of the dog [[TookALevelInBadass taking a level in badass]] while no longer being on Burns' side in the long run.
* BreakUpBonfire: When Milhouse's parents get divorced, Luann carefully boxes up all of Kurt's possessions and then sets fire to the box.
* BribeBackfire
-->Wiggum: I hope you're not suggesting that I would take that necklace as a bribe. Think again, dirtbag, cause I can swipe it later from the evidence locker.
-->Wiggum: (As a reaction, when Bart tries to bribe him with precious ''wedding day dishes'') What does it say on my badge? (badge says: ''Cash Bribes Only'')
** Subverted in "Bart Carny": Wiggum is actually the one who initiates the bribe idea, but Homer is so clueless that he doesn't realize Wiggum is asking for a bribe. Wiggum shuts down Homer's carny game as a result of his failure to bribe Wiggum to keep it open.
* BrickJoke: During "24 Minutes", Bart makes a phone call that accidentally gets crossed with that of [[Series/TwentyFour Jack Bauer]], so he leaves him a prank call. At the end of the episode, Bauer arrives to arrest Bart for the call.
** We get a triple-whammy in "Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder". In the opening, Moleman is seen being hassled by a pushy New Yorker, and is seen as defenseless. When he reappears later in the episode, he is revealed to be the king of the Mole People, and about to use an earthquake machine. His CMOA and PreAssKickingOneLiner, "No One Escapes From The Fortress Of The Mole People", is immediately dashed, as the bungie cord both Homer and Otto were on rebounds and sends them back to the surface, to which Moleman dejectedly says "Well, except for that."
** In "Alone Again, Natura-Diddly", Homer presents a dating video he made for Ned, warning him, "The audio needs some tweaking and there's some footage of Maggie being born that I couldn't get rid of." They watch the tape, and at the end the video abruptly cuts to Marge in labor with Maggie, to Ned's disgust.
* BrilliantButLazy: Bart in "Bart Gets an F" (especially where Bart cries over failing his test, cites a failed battle fought by George Washington, and ends up passing), and "Lisa the Simpson" (which revealed that he was smart as a kid, but became dumb due to the Simpson gene -- though "Lisa's Sax" revealed that Bart became a bad student because his kindergarten teacher hated him and he had a bad first day of school).
* BritishBrevity: Parodied with the ShowWithinAShow ''Do Shut Up'' from the episode "Missionary: Impossible". The PBS hosts describe it as Britain's longest-running series, then say they'll be showing "all seven episodes".
* BritishRockstar
* BritishRoyalGuards: The episode "The Regina Monologues" sees the family vacation in London, where Homer crashes their car through the front gate at Buckingham Palace and into the Queen's carriage. Royal guards beat Homer senselessly but stop half-way through to observe the Changing of the Guard. Homer's beating continues at the hands of the next group of guards on duty.
** In "Bart Vs. Australia," Homer mistakes a US Marine posted outside the American Embassy for one of these guards. The Marine punches Homer in the face after he starts making funny faces at him and curtly explains that he is not a BritishRoyalGuard.
--> '''Homer:''' Hey! Are you like one of those English guards who can't laugh or smile or anything? [makes noises and faces at him][gets punched in the face] Ow!
--> '''Marine:''' No, Sir! US Marine Corps, Sir!
** And yet another episode has Homer mistake Shaolin Monks as the British guards. He's met with similar results.
* BrokenGlassPenalty: With a remote-control plane instead of a ball. Although it was technically Nelson and Milhouse that crashed it, Bart goes to get it and gets caught, setting off the episode's A plot of Bart working in a burlesque house.
* BrokenRecord:
** '''Young Bart:''' "Can't sleep. Clown will eat me."
** '''Lenny Leonard:''' "Dental plan."
--> '''Marge:''' "Lisa needs braces."
** '''Bart and Lisa:''' "Can we have a pool, Dad? Can we have a pool, Dad? Can we have a pool, Dad? Can we have a pool, Dad? Can we have a pool, Dad?"
** '''Bart and Lisa:''' "Will you take us to Mt. Splashmore?"
** '''Ned Flanders:''' "We're done-diddly-doodily, done-diddly-doodily, done-diddly-doodily, done-diddly-doodily--" ([[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan SLAP!]])
** '''Bart and Lisa:''' "Are we there yet?"
** '''Homer and Apu:''' "Are we in India Yet?" "No." "Are we in India Yet?" "No." "Are we in India Yet?" "No." "Are we in India Yet?" "No." "Are we in India Yet?" "No." "Are we in India Yet?" "No... wait... now we are!"
** "Dental plan." "Lisa needs braces." "Dental plan." "Lisa needs braces." "Dental plan." "Lisa needs braces."...
** A literal example in "The Great Wife Hope": When all the men of Springfield abandon their usual hangouts to watch an MMA fight at the stadium, we get a shot of an empty Moe's Tavern, where the record player is stuck on a few-second-loop of "Monster Mash".
* BrotherSisterIncest: Cletus and Brandine are related to each other in all sorts of ways. One of them being as brother and sister.
** Subverted in "Money BART" in which Nelson makes an incest joke about Bart and Lisa's conversation, but Lisa retaliates that they're brother and sister, nothing more.
-->'''Lisa''': I need to do a little research.
-->'''Bart''': A little is not going to be enough, honeypie.
-->'''Lisa''': Don't call me, honeypie.
-->'''Bart''': You got it, tootsie pop.
-->'''Lisa''': [Lisa grunts in frustration]
-->'''Nelson''': GetARoom, you two.
-->'''Lisa''': We're brother and sister.
-->'''Milhouse''': So are my parents. I think.
** Subverted in the episode, "Little Girl in the Big Ten", where Lisa is pretending to be a college student. When asked if any of the boys in her house are cute, she responds with "Well, Bart is kinda... [[NoJustNoReaction NO!]]"
** Subverted in "Dangerous Curves". In the beginning of the third act of the episode, Bart and Lisa, while driving a pedal car along with Maggie, argue [[LikeAnOldMarriedCouple as if they're a 'married couple']].
** Subverted in "Kill the Alligator and Run" with this quote:
-->'''Homer''': Yep, this place is great. And some day, when Lisa and Bart get married, it'll all be theirs.
-->'''Bart and Lisa''': Yuck!
-->'''Marge''': You mean when they marry other people.
-->'''Homer''': Okay, but I ain't paying for two weddin's.
* BroughtHomeTheWrongKid: Inverted; Grandpa is meant to babysit Bart and Lisa and goes to the Flanders' house by mistake.
* BubblePipe: Bart blows in one when he falls in love with an older girl and ends up dressing like Hugh Heffner. And again when he visits the actual Hugh Heffner.
* BuccaneerBroadcaster: In "Wild Barts Can't Be Broken".
* BuffySpeak: In "Homer the Smithers", after Mr. Burns gives a series of tasks to Homer:
--> '''Homer''': Um, can you repeat the part of the stuff where you said all about the...things? Uh... the things?
* BulletCatch: In the pilot episode of "Police Cops", Detective Homer Simpson catches a bullet with his fingers and throws it back at the bad guy who shot at him in the first place.
* TheBully: Nelson, Jimbo, Kearny and Dolph.
** There's also Francine Rhenquist in "Bye Bye Nerdie".
* BullyHunter: Bart pulls the trope off in "Bart the General" when he and the entire class bombard Nelson and his gang with balloons until they surrender... literally, as in sign a treaty.
* BumblingDad: Homer.
* BusbyBerkeleyNumber: There are no lyrics, but in "Bart of Darkness", the swimmers perform a choreographed routine, part of which is shot from above and features a visual very similar to what's on the trope page.
* ButThisIsRidiculous: A blue wall-imprisoned Krusty, in "Wiz Kids" (part of "Treehouse of Horror XII"):
--> '''Krusty''': [[InformedJudaism I've heard of a wailing wall before]], but this is ridiculous!
--> '''Comic Book Guy''': [[IncrediblyLamePun Ugh, I'm so sick of that joke!]]
* ButYouScrewOneGoat: It's heavily implied that Troy [=McClure's=] career went down the drain at least in part due to the fact he has a fetish for fish. Naturally, [[NeverLiveItDown this is all he is remembered for]], his [[YouMightRememberMeFrom many B-movie roles]] notwithstanding.
-->'''Louie:''' Troy McClure!? You said he was dead!
-->'''Fat Tony:''' No, what I said is that he sleeps with the fishes! You see...
-->'''Louie:''' Uh, Tony, please, no. I just ate a whole plate of dingamagoo.
* ButtMonkey: Quite a few, actually: Hans Moleman, Milhouse, Milhouse's dad after he got divorced, Grampa Simpson, Sideshow Mel, and Gil.
** And there's Homer himself...
* ByNoIMeanYes: From "The Springfield Files":
--> '''Leonard Nimoy''': I'm Leonard Nimoy. The following tale of alien encounters is true. And by true, I mean, false. It's all lies. But they're entertaining lies. And in the end, isn't that the real truth? The answer, is no.
[[/folder]]
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-> View the main page [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons HERE]]
--> Tropes C-D [[TheSimpsons/TropesCToD HERE]]
--> Tropes E-H [[TheSimpsons/TropesEToH HERE]]
--> Tropes I-M [[TheSimpsons/TropesIToM HERE]]
--> Tropes N-R [[TheSimpsons/TropesNToR HERE]]
--> Tropes S-Z [[TheSimpsons/TropesSToZ HERE]]
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* TwentyPercentMoreAwesome: One member of the committee creating Poochie says, "I feel we should [[BuffySpeak rasta-fy]] him by ... 10 percent or so."
[[/folder]]
[[folder:A]]
* AbnormalLimbRotationRange: In "When You Dish Upon a Star", Homer twists his neck around ''360 degrees'' while giving the stink eye to the kids in the backseat of the car and then looking out his window without turning his head back to normal.
--> '''Marge''': Homer, your spine!
** Done again in a TreehouseOfHorror short, in a {{Parody}} of / ShoutOut to ''Film/TheExorcist''. A possessed Homer climbs on the wall and ceiling, and rotates his head around 180 degrees. When Marge says she'll call Mr. Burns that he can't go to work, he falls back on the bed in success, with his head still backwards.
** [[CreepyChild Maggie has also done this before.]]
* AbnormalAmmo: {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d in "Take My Wife, Sleaze".
--> '''Meathook''': We all knew it would come to this.\\
'''Homer''': You and me... chopper to... '''''chopper!'''''
* AbortedDeclarationOfLove: Smithers, to Mr. Burns in "Bart's Inner Child": "I... love you. (Burns looks up) I-in those colors!" (after Burns walks away) "Oh, who am I kidding? The boathouse was the time!"
* AbsurdlyIneffectiveBarricade: On the episode where there was a hurricane coming, Homer removed the back door of the house and then nailed it diagonally over the now-exposed doorway, leaving a big gap at the top & bottom of the doorway.
* AccidentalArt: In "Mom and Pop Art," Homer's failed attempt at making a backyard grill is discovered by an art critic, who thinks it's art.
* AccidentalAthlete: Several examples, most notably Lisa as goalie and Bart as a ''danseur''.
* AccidentalPervert: When Homer sees a candy stuck to the rear of a college girl's pants, he rips the candy off, [[WhatAnIdiot drooling while he does it]]. Naturally, said girl mistakes it for something else and soon you see an angry mob outside Homer's house.
* {{Acrofatic}}: Homer in "Sex, Pies, and Idiot Scrapes," who does complex acrobatics to escape Ned. This is rather odd, since Homer has often been shown out of breath from even the simplest movements (like running only a few feet in "The Springfield Connection" and "New Kids on the Blecch").
** Then again, one flashback shows him to be a very talented gymnast in high school.
** He also performed ninja-like feats of acrobatics while practicing killing snakes for Whacking Day.
* AcronymConfusion: One ''RunningGag'' example of the "sharing an initialism" variety.
--> '''Krusty''': Now it's time for Krusty Komedy Klassics! ...KKK? That's not good!
** For the record, Krusty was performing at the Apollo Theater, making it that much worse.
** Another having nothing to do with sharing an initialism:
-->'''Chief Wiggum:''' Uh, Mrs. Simpson, I have some bad news. Your husband was found DOA.
-->'''Marge:''' Oh my God! He's ''dead''?
-->'''Chief Wiggum:''' Oh wait, I mean DWI. I always get those two mixed up.
-->''Mrs. Phillips walks in.''
-->'''Mrs. Phillips:''' My name's Mrs. Phillips. You said my husband is DWI?
-->'''Chief Wiggum:''' Uh, why don't you talk to that officer over there? I'm going out to lunch.
** From "Days of Wine and D'oh'ses":
--> '''Barney''': My name is Barney, and I'm an alcoholic.
--> '''Clerk''': I feel for you, pally, but, uh, you want AA; this is Triple A.
* ActingUnnatural: Skinner and Chalmers do it in "500 Keys" while waiting to snatch the key to the hidden classroom of Lisa.
* ActionMom: Homer's mother is pretty {{Badass}}.
** Marge was a policewoman.
* ActorAllusion: Both subverted and played straight at the same time with Rodney Dangerfield as Larry Burns. Instead of the actor's trademark Catchphrase of "no respect," Larry talks about how he don't get "No regard. No esteem either."
** Done by new kid Alex (voiced by Lisa Kudrow) who says "Woah don't be a Phoebe" to Lisa alluding to her best known character Phoebe Buffay on Friends
* AddedAlliterativeAppeal:
-->'''Mr. Burns:''' You clinking, clattering, cacaphony of colligenous cogs and camshifts...
*** This is also a ShoutOut to TheWizardOfOz
* AdviceBackfire: In "The Love-Matic Grampa" (part of "Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase"), Abe tells Moe to tell his date that her rump is as big as the queen's, and twice as fragrant. Moe reluctantly does so, and in the [[GilliganCut next cut]], he's covered in food dumped on him by his date.
* AffectionateGestureToTheHead: In an [[ShowWithinAShow educational film]], Troy [=McClure=] does this to little Tommy at the end.
-->'''Tommy''': You're...hurting...me.
* AffectionatePickpocket:
** In "Curse of the Flying Hellfish", Mr. Burns forces Grampa to give up his key to the Hellfish fortune. Bart throws himself at Burns and wraps his arms around him, saying "Can I go with you to get the treasure? I won't eat much and I don't know the difference between right and wrong." This seems like a very in-character thing for Bart to do; but when Burns leaves (without Bart) Bart shows to Grampa that he picked Burns' pocket, so now ''he'' has both keys needed.
** In "Bart Carny", Bart swipes Marge's pearls while hugging her, a move taught to him by Spud.
* AfterSchoolCleaningDuty: Bart has been punished in this manner more than a few times.
* AggressiveCategorism: Played straight with Lampshade as Moe Szyslak explains why he doesn't want Mr. Burns on the bowling team: "''Call this an unfair generalization if you must, but old people are no good at everything.''"
** From "The Seven Beer Snitch":
--> '''Bart''': All plays suck, all the time, and always will, and everyone knows it.
* TheAhnold: Rainier Wolfcastle.
* AlanSmithee: "The Simpsons 138th Spectacular" was directed by David Silverman under the pseudonym "Pound Foolish".
** In-show example: At the end of the power plant commercial, Mr. Burns is credited as "Alan Smithee".
* AlcoholInducedIdiocy: displayed often by Homer (and sometimes Barney).
* AlienAutopsyVideo: The episode "Worst Episode Ever" sees Bart and Milhouse uncover a secret room in Comic Book Guy's shop which houses a secret stash of bootleg videos and other illegal video clips. Among the video titles mentioned are "Alien Autopsy" and "Illegal Alien Autopsy".
* AlienGeometries: Homer and Marge's bedroom's orientation changes often. Including in some impossible ways.
* AliensSpeakingEnglish: Subverted the hell out of with Kang, Kodos, and their [[StarfishAliens entire species]]: They are actually speaking Rigelian, which [[ContrivedCoincidence just]] ''[[ContrivedCoincidence happens]]'' to be identical to English.
* TheAllegedCar: Many examples, especially the car Crazy Vaclav tries to sell Homer in "Mr. Plow." It has three wheels, comes from a country that no longer exists, and does "300 [[UnitConfusion hectares]] on a single tank of kerosene".
** "Put it in H!"
* AllGirlsLikePonies: Including Lisa.
* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Lisa having a crush on Nelson Muntz in "Lisa's Date with Density."
** Also in "Bart's Girlfriend":
-->'''Jessica''': [walking up] You're ''bad'', Bart Simpson.
-->'''Bart''': [plaintive] No, I'm not! I'm really --
-->'''Jessica''': Yes, you are. You're bad...and I like it.
-->'''Bart''': [suave] I'm bad to the bone, honey.
** Little would he know that she's ''even worse'' than him. And she's Rev. Lovejoy's daughter, mind.
* AllNaturalGemPolish: The diamonds in the African mine owned by the crazy woman who used ape slave labor.
* AllThereInTheManual: Although rare, some information tidbits only come from WordOfGod, such as [[spoiler:how the family escaped The Island after ''The Computer Wore Menace Shoes''. (the army raided the Island, arrested the villains and saved the captives, including the Simpsons)]]
* AllWorkVsAllPlay: Marge and Lisa are All Work while Homer and Bart are All Play. This gets lampshaded a couple of times.
* AlphabetNewsNetwork: In the year 2010 in "Lisa's Wedding", Kent Brockman is now a news anchor on CNNBCBS (a division of ABC).
* AlwaysInClassOne: "Remedial Science 1-A" in "The Front".
* AmazinglyEmbarrassingParents: Agnes embarrasses Skinner more than once.
--> '''Agnes''': Seymour needs to use the toilet! His bladder's full! Full of urine!
** Homer and Marge turn into these whenever they find themselves interacting with Bart and Lisa's classmates (or future fiances).
* AmbiguouslyGay: Waylon Smithers in earlier seasons; Lenny and Carl in later ones.
** Also, Milhouse is Ambiguously Bisexual.
* AmnesiacLover: The episode, "Regarding Margie," has the plot based on this trope.
* AmplifiedAnimalAptitude
* AmusingInjuries: Homer suffers many of them. So does Hans Moleman. Hans even made a short film entitled "Man Getting Hit By Football."
--> '''Homer''': But... the ball! His groin! A-ha! It works on so many levels!
* AnalProbing: The short "Citizen Kang" from [[HalloweenEpisode "Treehouse Of Horror VII"]] saw Homer abducted by Kang and Kodos. Homer's reaction to this is to say, "I suppose you want to probe me. Well, you might as well get it over with" and immediately drop his pants and moon his alien captors. Kang and Kodos respond to this in shock horror, begging, "Stop! We have reached the limits of what rectal probing can teach us!"
** Another one in which Bart and Lisa are chased around an Air Force base sees an airman open a door before quickly closing it again after seeing a [[TheGreys Grey]] with a glowstick. The airman proclaims, "Oh no, he's got the probe!"
** When Homer and Flanders marry floozies in Vegas, Homer decides they should tell their wives they were abducted by aliens, who "gang-probed" Ned.
-->'''Ned:''' Do we really have to tell them I was "gang probed"?
-->'''Homer:''' Would you rather tell them the ''truth''?
-->'''Ned:''' [Sigh] What do the aliens look like?
-->'''Homer:''' Well, ''I'' only saw them from the back 'cause they were so busy gang probing you!
* AnalogyBackfire: In "How I Spent My Strummer Vacation", Homer tries to deliver an analogy which he believes will prove he doesn't hate his family. It doesn't work.
--> '''Homer''': Marriage is like a coffin, and each kid is another nail. But as coffins go-
--> '''Lisa''': Please don't say any more!
* AndIMustScream: While it's a funny gag and meant purely for laughs, one still can't help but feel bad for Ozzie Smith's fate in "Homer at the Bat." The guy is being catapulted through space and time in an unknown dimension, with no possible way of getting out ever. It's made even worse by the fact that he did nothing wrong to deserve such a fate.
** Though it's apparently amazing enough to him to whip out his camera and start sight-seeing.
* AndKnowingIsHalfTheBattle: Parodied, of course, in "Bart Star":
--> '''Joe Namath''': (as Bart is taken to jail in Wiggum's cop car) Hehe, poor Bart. You know, we had a lot of fun tonight. But, there's nothing funny about... vapor lock. It's the third most common cause of stalling. So please, take care of your car and get it checked. I'm Joe Namath. Good night. ({{Beat}})
** In "Bart the General":
--> '''Bart''': Contrary to what you've just seen, war is neither glamorous nor fun. There are no winners, only losers. There are no good wars, with [[TheRevolutionWillNotBeVilified the following exceptions]]: the American Revolution, WorldWarII, and the StarWars Trilogy. If you'd like to learn more about war, there's lots of books in your local library, many of them with cool gory pictures.
** In "New Kids on the Blecch":
--> '''Justin''':You know, we've had a lot of fun tonight, at the expense of the U. S. Navy.
--> '''Lance''': But they're out there every day protecting us from Godzilla.
--> '''Chris''': And don't forget pirates!
--> '''J. C.''': And jellyfish.
--> '''Joey''': Those whack invertebrates will sting you, [[RunningGag old-school!]]
--> '''Justin''': So check out the Navy for a two, or four-year hitch.
--> '''Lance''': We signed J. C. up yesterday.
--> '''J. C.''': What? (is dragged away) [[BigNo Nooooooooo!]]
** In "Treehouse of Horror XVI":
--> '''Moe''': Okay, this concludes this year's Halloween show. We hope you had as much fun watching our show as the Koreans did animating it. But there's one group for whom every day is Halloween. I'm talking about adult illiterates. For them, trying to read the morning newspaper is more terrifying than any goblin, ghoul, spook or spirit.
--> '''Lenny''': So won't you please donate a children's book or something?
--> '''Dennis Rodman''': Together, we can make reading a slam dunk.
--> '''Moe''': Dennis Rodman, what are you doing here?
--> '''Dennis Rodman''': Working off a speeding ticket. Happy Halloween, everybody!
* AndTheRest: In one Treehouse of Horror episode, Homer believes he's the last man alive and mourns each member of the "main" family and "all the rest", which includes the pets, Maggie and the TV.
** In the episode "Eight Misbehavin'," Apu and Manjula's octuplets are made the stars of a show called "Octopia" at the Springfield Zoo. Only four of the babies are explicitly given stage character names and are introduced to the audience. The others are introduced as "AndTheRest."
* AndThenISaid: From "El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer":
--> '''Bart''': So then I says to Mabel, I says...
** From "Maximum Homerdrive":
--> '''Homer''': So then I said: "You can take your free tetanus shot and shove it!"
--> '''Bart''': You told her, dad!
--> '''Homer''': You better... ''(jaw locks shut; says next line through gritted teeth)'' believe I did!
** From "New Kid on the Block":
--> '''Homer''': (drunk) So I sez, 'Yeah, if you want that money, come and find it, 'cuz I don't know where it is, ya baloney. ''You'' make me wanna ''retch''." ''(immediately falls asleep)''.
** From "The Springfield Files":
--> '''Homer''': (drunk) So I says, "Blue M&M, red M&M, they all wind up the same color in the end."
** From "Homer Defined":
--> '''Barney''': So the next time someone tells you carnies are good honest people, you can spit in their face for me!
** From "Homer the Vigilante":
--> '''Homer''': So I said to him, "Look, buddy, your car was upside down when we got here. And as for your Grandma, she shouldn't have mouthed off like that!"
** From "Days of Wine and D'oh'ses"
--> '''Lenny:''' So I says to the cop, "No, ''you're'' driving under the influence -- of being a jerk!"
** Finally: From "El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer":
--> '''Bart''': [[BrickJoke So anyway, I says to Mabel, I says…]]
* AndYouWereThere: Said in "Bart Gets Hit By a Car" (at the end of pointing everyone out, he mentions that he's never seen Lionel Hutz before)
** In "Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in 'The Curse of the Flying Hellfish'" Abe wearily recounts how several family members were there when an assassin made an attempt on his life. In actuality, the assassin, Mr. Burns, and Smithers had dressed as the Simpsons to get close to Abe.
* AnimalAthleteLoophole: Parodied; after adopting a horse, Homer spends hours training it as a placekicker, ''then'' checks the rulebook to see whether horses can play in the National Football League. (Turns out, there ''is'' a rule.)
** Homer participated in a robot fighting league disguised as a robot. When he's found out, two officiators share:
-->'''Officiator 1''': And the winner is nature's greatest killing machine... man!
-->'''Audience''': Boo!
-->'''Officiator 1''': Show me where in the rulebook it says that a human can't be a robot.
-->'''Officiator 2''': Right here. Rule one.
* {{Animeland}}: The Simpsons were attacked by {{Kaiju}} on the plane back home.
* AntiAdvice: Homer has a card in his wallet that tells him "Always do the opposite of what Bart says."
* AntiHumor: In "The Sweetest Apu", when Homer and Marge find out about Apu cheating on Manjula:
--> '''Homer''': Let's tell Krusty.
--> '''Marge''': What would that accomplish?
--> '''Homer''': That guy's hilarious. His reaction would be priceless.
--> '''Homer''': Apu is cheating!
--> '''Krusty''': (somber) That's sad. All those kids.
--> '''Homer''': I think he's building to something.
* AntiquatedLinguistics: Mr. Burns seems to have a lexicon dating back to roughly 1911.
** Abe Simpson also tends to lapse into long, meandering stories full of 1940s slang.
* ApocalypseHow: Class-Z, when aliens open up a wormhole that's powerful enough to even suck {{God}} into it, leaving nothing but a blank slate. Of course, this was done as a joke.
* AppliedMathematics: When Homer is an inventor. During a montage, he's shown writing equations on a blackboard. After he's done, the camera moves to shot of the house -- where there's a massive explosion. Cut back to Homer: who examines his equation and replaces his less than symbol with a greater than or equal to symbol. This results in another, ''bigger'' explosion. He goes back to the board, and removes "TNT" from the equation.
* ArentYouGoingToRavishMe: Demonstrated in "Take My Wife, Sleaze" when Marge is surprised that the bikers who kidnapped her don't want to have sex with her.
--> '''Marge:''' Could you at least tell me what you're planning to do with me?\\
'''Meathook:''' Oh, don't worry, you're completely safe. None of us finds you sexually attractive.\\
'''Marge:''' None of you? Really? I could have sworn that Ramrod... ''(Ramrod shakes his head)'' Hmm. Well, did you see that picture of me in... ''(gang nods)'' And you still don't... ''(gang shakes their heads)''\\
'''Meathook:''' Sorry.\\
'''Marge:''' Well, good, I guess.
* AreYouSureYouCanDriveThisThing: {{Subverted|Trope}} where Homer is dangling in a gorge and Marge asks Bart to drive the car, to pull Homer up using a rope attached to the bumper; Bart at first acts nervous about it, but then reveals he has his own set of keys and his own driving gloves.
** Bart stole Otto's bus. In front of Metallica.
* ArmorPiercingQuestion: Burns of all characters asks one in Who Shot Mr. Burns, when Springfield's hatred of him was even more intense than usual.
-->'''[=McCallister=]''': Arr, Burns, your scurvy schemes will earn ye a one-way passage to the boneyard!\\
'''Ned''': I'd like to hear from Sideshow Mel!\\
'''Mel''': I'll see to it that Burns suffers the infernal machinations of hell's grim tyrant!\\
'''Otto''': Yeah!\\
'''Burns''': Oh, you all talk big, but who here has the guts to stop me?
** From "Scenes From the Class Struggle in Springfield":
--> '''Marge''': (to Lisa) Why do you always have to question everything I do?!
* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: The Trope formerly known as "Bus Full Of Nuns".
** To elaborate, Snake received the death penalty from the three-strike system by burning down an orphanage, blowing up a bus full of nuns (which he claims was in self-defense), and smoking inside the Kwik-E-Mart.
*** The show's overall style is full of "ArsonMurderAndJaywalking" moments. Plenty of "lists" in various episodes end off with the least significant example of something. Arguably the clearest example is in "The Crepes of Wrath", when Bart describes to a policeman, (in French, but with the on-screen subtitles translating it) what the winemakers were doing to him. Here is what the subtitles say:
-->'''Bart''': You gotta help me! These two guys work me night and day! They don't feed me. They make me sleep on the floor. They put anti-freeze in the wine and they gave my red hat to the donkey[[hottip:*:On the subject on that last one, there may be a bit of hidden FridgeBrilliance. In the earlier seasons, Bart's hat, when it appeared was considered to be his "lucky red hat," and to him, that fact may have been the worst offense.]].
* ArtEvolution: The oldest episodes seem remarkably crude, when compared to the standard of the more recent ones.
** The original shorts on The Tracy Ullman Show look even more crude.
** The show shifted to computer-based animation in the 14th season, so recent episodes look somewhat different.
* ArtifactTitle: Only the first ''Treehouse of Horror'' episode takes place in a treehouse.
* ArtisticLicense: The writers will do extensive research on the place the family is going, and then ignore many of the facts because they aren't funny, preferring instead to make things up.
* ArtisticLicenseHistory: If ''The Simpsons'' were to be believed, a voice actress named June Bellamy (voiced by Tress [=MacNeille=]) provided the "meep meep" for the Road Runner, whereas in actuality it was done by background artist Paul Julian.
* ArtShift:
** The couch gag for ''Bart Stops To Smell The Roosevelts'' done by JohnK.
** Ren and Stimpy's cameo in "Brother From The Same Planet"
** Bart's "Dark Stanley" story in "Yokel Chords."
** Lisa's daydream about the politicians in "Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington."
** The Amendment Song in "The Day the Violence Died" is done in the style of SchoolhouseRock.
** The California Raisins parody in "Tis the Fifteenth Season" is done in claymation, as is the {{Gumby}} couch gag.
** The "Cards" parody in "Mommie Beerest" is done in CG, as is Homer in the 3D world in "Homer³" (part of "Treehouse of Horror VI").
** The DaveyAndGoliath parody in "HOMЯ".
** The Tintin cutaway in "Husbands and Knives."
** The ''MadMen'' title sequence to "How to Get Ahead in Dead-vertising" (part of "Treehouse of Horror XIX").
** Homer's fire pepper hallucinations in "The Mysterious Voyage of Homer."
** The puppet/live-action story featuring KatyPerry on "The Fight Before Christmas."
** In one episode, Homer briefly imagines Bart and Lisa as their real-life equivalents. Of course, they're hideous.
** There is a definite difference in art quality from Maggie's P.O.V. whenever she feels threatened or terrified, namely, everything from her angle appears to look distorted and monstrous. Even in "Hello Gudder, Hello Fadder", when at a father-child swimming class, when she imagined Homer as a Kappa-like creature, the water around him began to take on a distinct orange color.
** The opening to "The Love-Matic Grampa" in "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase".
** The [=1930s=] cartoons couch gag, where the characters are drawn in rubber hose style and the picture is black and white.
** Some of the Itchy and Scratchy cartoons in "Itchy and Scratchy: The Movie" were a parody of the animation style of the 1920s and 1940s cartoons. In "The Day The Violence Died" parodies of ''WesternAnimation/FritzTheCat'', 1920s cartoons and ''WesternAnimation/SchoolhouseRock'' can be found.
** In "AngryDad: The Movie" parodies ''TheTripletsOfBelleville'', ''{{Persepolis}}'', ''WallaceAndGromit'' and {{Pixar}}.
* AscendedMeme: "D'oh!" was added to the Oxford English Dictionary.
** As was "meh" (an adjective describing something boring or mediocre or an interjection expressing boredom or indifference), "[[PerfectlyCromulentWord cromulent]]" (an adjective describing something that's valid, adequate, or appropriate for a certain situation), and "embiggen" (a verb meaning "to empower or raise someone's spirits").
** A critic once wrote a negative article on the subject of TheSimpsons, which was titled "Worst Episode Ever!" Since then, the phrase [[WorstWhateverEver "Worst. X. Ever!"]] became Comic Book Guy's catchphrase.
* AscendedToCarnivorism: In "Helter Shelter", the retirement home residents are watching a nature show about elderly animals. An elderly lion runs out of energy, whereupon the zebra turns around and takes a bite out of it.
* AshesToCrashes: Homer's mom wants him to spread her ashes at a certain place at a certain time; it turns out it was her last act of uncivil disobedience, as her ashes interfere with the launch of a missile sending nuclear waste from the power plant to the Amazon rain forest.
* AsianRudeness: Cookie Kwan. Stay off the west side!
* AsianStoreOwner: Apu (who is from India), Apu's Korean counterpart in "Lemon of Troy," and a man who looks like Apu if he were from the Middle East in "Summer of 4'2''".
** Apu even has a counterpart in ''India''.
* AsideComment: In "Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner?", Homer says, "We'll be right back" to the camera.
** In "Pygmoelian", Carl tells the camera, "See, this is why I don't talk much." when he insults Homer, Barney, and Lenny and they break down crying.
* AsideGlance: In "Little Big Girl", Mr. Burns gives one to the camera when Smithers, who is on fire, shouts that he's flaming.
* AsTheGoodBookSays: Used many times, often for comedic effect. Some examples: "Homer the Heretic" (Matthew 7:26 and 21:17), "Bart's Girlfriend" (Matthew 7:1), "Lisa's Sax" (John 8:7), "The Otto Show" (Matthew 25:40), "Dead Putting Society" (Matthew 19:19).
** {{Subverted}} in "Catch Them If You Can", where Homer says, "As the Bible says... 'Screw that'!"
* AttackBackfire: From one episode parodying stories from TheBible, when Moses (Milhouse) sends a plague of frogs to vex the Pharoah, (Principal Skinner) he and the other Egyptians just end up eating the frogs' legs. The Pharoah comments that Ra must be rewarding them for punishing their slaves.
* AttackOfThePoliticalAd: When Sideshow Bob ran for Mayor of Springfield, his campaign took out an ad against Mayor Quimby parodying George H.W. Bush's "Revolving Door Prison" attack ad from the 1988 election. In the ad, prisoners are seen leaving the Springfield State Prison through a revolving door and over the walls on escalators and ski lifts while a narrator lets us know,
-->"Mayor Quimby supports revolving door prisons. Mayor Quimby even released Sideshow Bob, a man twice convicted of attempted murder. Can ''you'' trust a man like Mayor Quimby? [[HypocriticalHumor Vote Sideshow Bob for Mayor.]]"
* AudienceMurmurs: When the Flanders walk into church after Ned is arrested in "Homer Loves Flanders", the congregation immediately start murmuring disparaging things about Ned, including someone who thinks Ned is the one who wrote "Homer" all over the bathroom.
* AudienceParticipation: The Season 22 finale ended with an invitation for viewers to vote online on whether or not they want Ned Flanders and Edna Krabappel to become a couple.
* AuthorAvatar: Comic Book Guy is this for Matt Groening. According to Matt, "He's what I think I look like to other people".
* AwesomeMcCoolname: Max Power! He's the man whose name you'd love to touch, but you musn't touch!
** Homer's other choices for his new name included Hercules Rockerfeller, Rembrandt Q. Einstein, and Handsome B. Wonderful.
** Bart has stated that when he grows up he plans to change his name to Joe Kickass, a name that is so cool Homer doesn't mind that it will be the end of the Simpson family name.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:B]]
* BackFromTheDead: Dr. Monroe and Dr. Nick
* BadassFamily: It's a bit of a RunningGag that [[BadassAdorable Maggie]] [[LittleMissBadass Simpson]] is the most {{Badass}} member of the family.
** Strangely, Homer shows some elements of this, especially in [[TheSimpsonsMovie the movie]]. In the main series, he's often got involved in car chases that required him to kick someone's ass.
** He is also handy with a chain and cement block (which he calls "The Defender"), as well as being able to wield a ''motorcycle''. Marge has thrill issues. Bart can hit a target with his slingshot at what is practically sniper range, and was able to perfectly wield a grenade launcher on his first use, even managing to hit Skinner's car at Springfield Elementary from his new military school (Springfield wasn't visible in the background). Really, all the characters have occasional flashes of this. With the possible exception of Lisa.
*** Lisa has her moments, most notably with the episode Lisa on Ice.
*** There's also the time that Lisa one-hit KO'd Bart in a MMA ring.
*** She also connects a gloriously-animated punch on Bart in the movie.
** Lampshaded by ''Marge'' of all people in an early episode, when Homer worries about his parenting.
--> '''Marge''': The way I see it, if you raise 3 kids that can knock out and hog-tie a perfect stranger, then you must be doing ''something'' right!
* BadassAdorable: Again, Maggie Simpson. She shot Mr. Burns. Oh, and she also shot the mobsters who were threatening to murder Homer. Homer didn't know she did the latter, but when he heard the gunshots and saw those mobsters fall to the ground, he said "I must have a guardian angel with a rifle." This might actually have put her into a borderline EnfanteTerrible AntiHero category if not for how obvious it was that [[PayEvilUntoEvil her targets deserved it]]. In a later episode when Homer was imprisoned in a basement of a tow truck driver, Maggie saved him by riding on Santa's Little Helper to the place, and attaching the guy's towhook to the cellar window bars.
** Maggie also led a Great Escape-esque mission through a daycare in order to secure pacifiers for all of the babies there.
* BadassGrandpa: Abe Simpson is usually shown to be a rambling, partially senile old man. However, in one episode it is revealed [[RetiredBadass he was once part of a crack squad known as the Flying Hellfish during WW2]] and is still capable of kicking ass when the need arises.
* BadBadActing: In the episode "Burns's Heir", Mr. Burns hires actors to portray the rest of the Simpson family in order to persuade Bart that they don't love him. They do this in the most wooden way imaginable.
-->'''Fake Homer''': *Monotone* I do not miss Bart at all.
-->'''Fake Marge''': *Also monotone* I am glad he's gone.
-->'''Fake Lisa''': *Also monotone* As am I.
-->'''Fake Homer''': *Drops his sandwich* [[DidNotDoTheResearch B'oh!]]
-->'''Bart''': It's probably my imagination, but something about them just didn't feel right.
** Another example of bad acting occurs in "D'oh-in' in the Wind": Homer, Lenny, and Carl acting in Mr. Burns's Power Plant commercial.
-->'''Homer''': Well, there were script problems from day one.
-->'''Bart''': Didn't seem like anybody even read the script.
-->'''Homer''': That was the problem.
* BadFuture: The year 1,000,000 A.D. at the end of "Rosebud": The Earth is a barren place and [[PlanetOfTheApes humans are slaves to apes.]] Worst of all, Mr. Burns is still alive!
* BadJobWorseUniform: The teenagers who work at Krusty Burger or Phineas Q. Butterfat's ice cream parlor. Also Homer, on the many episodes where he doesn't work at the nuclear plant, and Barney, when he was hired to pass out flyers in front of a baby furniture store called Lullabuy$, clad only in a diaper and bonnet (it was the dead of winter at the time).
-->'''Barney''' (after his diaper flies away in the breeze and he runs naked down the street): Hi, Ma!
* BadPresent: In "The Springfield Files", a man wakes up from a 23-year coma and asks if Sonny and Cher still have "that stupid variety show". Kent Brockman answers, "She won an Oscar, and he's a Congressman." The man promptly dies, yelling, "Good night!"
** Lampshaded in "Bart to the Future":
--> '''Homer:''' What a bleak and horrible future we live in!\\
'''Bart:''' Don't you mean, "present"?\\
'''Homer:''' Right, right, present.
* BaitAndSwitch: The absolute master of this form of humor, and arguably one of the first comedies to use it on a regular basis.
* BangingPotsAndPans: In a FlashBack to when Bart was two and Marge was pregnant with Lisa, we see Bart with a pot on his head, banging another pot.
-->'''Bart''': I am so great! I am so great! Everybody loves me, I am so great!\\
'''Marge''': Honey, honey, honey, honey, honey. Could you please be quiet?\\
'''Bart''': Quiet! Quiet! Quiet! Quiet! Quiet! Quie ---\\
'''Marge''': Bart, get out!
* BannedInChina: Let's just say that if the series had an episode satirizing or making fun of another country, the chances of the particular episode being banned in said country is quite high. Check the main page for more details.
* BathtubScene: Edna gets one in "Bart the Lover". Selma gets one in "Black Widower". Homer gets one in "A Milhouse Divided". Homer and Marge try to spice up their romantic life by having a bath together in "Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy". Marge gets one in "Homer Alone".
* BatSignal: Accidental example when Homer stands in front of a lighthouse, causing his silhouette to be projected onto the clouds.
-->'''Bart:''' Hey look! Is that Dad?
-->'''Lisa:''' [[LopsidedDichotomy Either that or Batman's really let himself go.]]
* BawdySong and TakeOurWordForIt: On "Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo," The Simpsons are seated at a restaurant table shaped like Massachusetts:
-->'''Homer''': Hey, you know, I once knew a man from Nantucket.
-->'''Bart''': And?
-->'''Homer''': Let's just say the stories about him are greatly exaggerated.
** Another time, Homer referred to the poem in a very PurpleProse manner, still stopping before he got to "the good part".
* BeachBury: Ned is buried like this and Homer parks his car on top of him.
-->'''Flanders:''' Homer, is that my muffler?
* BeatStillMyHeart: On "New Kid on the Block," after Bart is crushed to hear that Laura has a boyfriend, he imagines Laura ripping his heart out and kicking it into a garbage can, complete with blood trail. In "Goo Goo Gai Pan," a monk rips Homer's heart out and puts it back in, without Homer feeling any pain. Also, "Homer's Triple Bypass" had an inside look on Homer's heart reacting to Mr. Burns yelling at him.
* TheBeard: Apu pretending to be married to Marge so he won't have to go through with an arranged marriage in "The Two Nahasapeemapetilons".
* BeardOfSorrow: Homer has grown one before when separated from Marge.
* BearTrapBed: Seen in "Pokey Mom".
* BedsheetLadder: Used by the couch to escape from the Taj Mahal in a CouchGag.
* BeforeIChangeMyMind: In "Simpson and Delilah", Mr. Burns almost fires Homer for making a "mockery" of the morning meeting (merely due to being bald), but decides not to because he can empathize with Homer's baldness. He lets him return to his Sector 7G job, but states "Now get outta here before I reconsider."
* BellyButtonless: In one episode, Homer's life is invaded by an army of clones of himself. The clones, predictably enough, lack belly buttons.
* BeYourself: Tacked on at the end of "Homer to the Max" to explain why Homer changed his name back from Max Power to Homer Simpson.
* TheBGrade: Lisa freaks out in "Kamp Krusty" when she's given a "B" in "Conduct". She also stresses when she gets an "A-" in "Bart vs. Lisa vs. The Third Grade", especially since Bart scored a solid "A".
* BigBad: Charles Montgomery Burns.
* BigDamnMovie: ''TheSimpsonsMovie'' is about rescuing Springfield from ecological destruction.
* BigEater: Homer, of course.
* BiggerThanJesus: In the episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet," Homer's titular band with a history that very much resembles that of TheBeatles is alleged to have frequently [[BlasphemousBoast boasted]] to be "bigger than Jesus" and even titled their sophomore album as such with a cover that shows the band [[WalkOnWater Walking On Water]] in the AbbeyRoadCrossing pose.
** A later episode referenced TheBeatles controversy when it turns out that Ned Flanders has a huge collection of Beatles memorabilia. Why? Because they were bigger than Jesus!
* BilingualBonus: Done frequently with Bumblebee Man sketches; whilst they're always non-sequiturs, what is gibberish to the layman becomes funny gibberish to the bilingual:
--> Original "¿Dónde Está Justice?" transcript:
--->'''Plaintiff''': ¡El Ford Escort que me vendío es un limón!
--->'''Defendant''': No no no no no. No es un limón. Es un carro fuerte.
--->'''Judge''': Hmm, limón... fuerte... limón... fuerte... limón... ay-yi-yi-yi-yi, ¡mi estómago!
--> Translated:
--->'''Plaintiff''': The Ford Escort he sold me is a lemon!
--->'''Defendant''': No no no no no. It's not a lemon. It's a strong car.
--->'''Judge''': Hmm, lemon... strong... lemon... strong... lemon... ay-yi-yi-yi-yi my stomach!
* BigLittleMan: Moe has a date set up with a dwarf girlfriend, but he thinks she's bigger since her online photo was of her looking tall in front of the Empire State Building (actually the one in Lego Land).
* BigNever
** Particularly in "Two Bad Neighbors":
--->'''Homer:''' For the last time, Bush, apologize for spanking my boy!\\
'''Bush:''' Never! You make him apologize for destroying my memoirs.\\
'''Homer:''' ''(to Bart)'' You didn't tell me you destroyed his memoirs... ''(to Bush)'' Never!
** In the school play about the founding of America in "I Love Lisa":
--> '''Lisa''' (as Martha Washington): Wouldn't it just be easier to give in to the British?
--> '''Ralph''' (as George Washington): ''NEVER!'' (audience applauds)
* BigNo and SlowNo: Many, many instances in several episodes:
** "Bart's Comet": Skinner shouts this [[RuleOfThree three times]]: Once, when he hears the other end of a phone conversation that congratulates Bart for discovering a comet; twice, when he accidentaly releases the "Hi! I'm Big-Butt Skinner" balloon and it floats away; and third when a paperboy throws a paper at Skinner's feet with the headline: "Prez Sez: School is for losers."
** "Duffless": Shouted in slow motion when Lisa's giant tomato is thrown at Skinner's butt.
** "Homer: Bad Man": Shouted by Godfrey Jones when Homer comes towards him during the interview.
** "King-Size Homer": Homer shouts this when he's forced to join the calisthenics class.
** "On a Clear Day I Can't See My Sister": Played with, as Grampa is actually shouting "Gnomes!"
** "She Used To Be My Girl": Marge shouts this after a daydream.
** "Bart's Dog Gets an F": Homer shouts this after SLH eats apart his brand new ASSASSINS sneakers. Only it morphs into a howl when Homer says it at the same time.
** The German dub turns all of Homer's [[CatchPhrase D'oh]]s into {{Little No}}s (''Nein!'')
** "Elementary School Musical": Lisa says this after spending a week in an arts camp, which Lisa explains to Marge via digital camera.
** "Marge's Son Poisoning": Marge shouts this when she envisions herself and Bart as older singing karaoke together.
** "Homer and Lisa Exchange Cross Words":
-->'''Lisa''': "My name is now Lisa Bouvier"
-->'''Nelson''': Hi, Mr. S. Lisa B.
-->'''Homer''': "NOOOOOOOO!!!!!"
-->'''Janey''': "Want to buy some band candy?"
-->'''Homer''': "[[BigYes YESSSSSS!!!!!]]"
** "I Love Lisa": Said by Lisa in a live audience at the Krusty Anniversary special:
-->'''Krusty''': And is this your girlfriend, Ralph?
-->'''Ralph''':Yes, I love Lisa Simpson, and when I grow up, i'm going to marry her.
-->'''Lisa''': Noooooooooooooo!!! Now you listen to me. I don't like you. I never liked you. And the only reason I gave you that stupid valentine is that nobody else would!
** "And Maggie Makes Three": Happens the moment Homer finally finds out about Marge's pregnancy:
-->'''Maude''': By the way, congratulations on your new job, Homer.
-->'''Homer''': New job? ...Marge is pregnant?! [pulls hair out] Noooooo! [runs up stairs screaming, slams bedroom door]
** "Hurricane Neddy":
-->'''Ned''': I just attacked all my friends and neighbors just for trying to help me. I'd like to commit myself.
-->'''Nurse''': Very well. Shall I show you to your room, or would you prefer to be dragged off kicking and screaming?
-->'''Ned''': Ooh, kicking and screaming, please.
-->'''Nurse''': As you wish.
-->[two men in white grab hold of him and drag him away]
-->'''Ned''': Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
** In "Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily", when Homer stops Ned from baptizing Bart.
* ABirthdayNotABreak:
-->'''Homer:''' I can't believe it. I'm being mocked. By my own children. On my birthday!\\
'''Bart:''' It's your birthday?\\
'''Homer:''' Yes! Remember, it's the same day as the dog's.\\
'''Lisa:''' Santa's Little Helper, it's your birthday? Ooh! We've gotta get you a present.
* BitingTheHandHumor: They mocked Fox (and the many DuelingShows The Simpsons has had over the years, including ''FamilyGuy'') countless times.
* BlackBeltInOrigami: In one episode, Homer tries to bluff his way into getting a veteran's discount by pretending to have served in Vietnam. He shouts several Asian words (up to and including MargaretCho) as reference to specific battles he was supposedly involved with.
* BlackComedyBurst: The examples listed under DarkerAndEdgier. "Homer's Enemy," in particular, is among the series' darkest episodes.
* BlandNameProduct: Malibu Stacy, obviously based on Malibu {{Barbie}}).
** One episode featured Red Umbrella Insurance, a takeoff of the Travelers Insurance Company logo.
* BlatantLies: Played with on a couple occasions:
** In "Homer vs. the 18th Amendment", when Homer is questioned by Marge about where he's going (that is, to go to the bowling alley to roll alcohol in bowling balls to Moe's), Homer replies with, "I'm not gonna lie to you, Marge...... so long!"
** In "Milhouse Doesn't Live Here Anymore", Marge questions where Homer's getting all the extra money. Homer replies that he's not going to lie to her... only to not say another word and continue reading the paper.
* BlazingInfernoHellfireSauce: The Merciless Pepper of Quetzalacatenango, also known as the Guatemalan Insanity Pepper. Homer has to lacquer his mouth and esophagus in order to eat one.
* BleepDammit: At a yard sale in "Two Bad Neighbors", the Simpsons sell a T-shirt with "Ayatollah A*saholla" written on it, with one of the S's in the second word always censored by Marge's hand, a fold, etc.
* BlindingCameraFlash: Used as a weapon against crazed robot Itchys and Scratchys at Itchy And Scratchy Land. Flashing them causes their brains to go haywire.
* {{Blipvert}}: GABBO! GABBO!! '''GABBO!!!'''
* BluntYes: [[TheBully Nelson]] uses this twice in a row during "22 Short Films About Springfield," when confronted by someone he pointed and laughed at.
-->'''Very Tall Man:''' Do you find something comical about my appearance when I'm driving my automobile?
-->'''Nelson :''' ... yeah.
-->'''Very Tall Man::''' Everyone needs to drive a vehicle, even the very tall. This was the largest auto that I could afford. Am I therefore to be made the subject of fun?
-->'''Nelson:''' ... I guess so.
* BlondGuysAreEvil: In an episode where the Simpsons play up the DumbBlonde jokes, Lisa is offended by them and asks why Bart finds them funny, cue lampshade hanging by Bart, "Only blonde girls are dumb, the boys are evil!"
** Note that Bart and Lisa are themselves blonde.
*** Technically, Bart's hair is naturally red, but he intentionally sun-bleaches it to evade being called "Rusty."
* BobHaircut: Lisa Simpson in the "To Surveil With Love" subplot in which she dyed her hair brown to demonstrate the DumbBlonde stereotype.
** Luanne Van Houten also has this hairstyle.
* BodyScreenFillUp: Several:
** "Lisa's Pony" in a scene where Homer's playing tea party with Lisa and Bart and Milhouse make fun of him. Homer notices them and immediately charges at them. He runs towards the camera and his stomach fills up the screen making it completely white.
** "Girls Just Want to Have Sums" where Nelson is about to beat up the disguised Lisa
** "Selma's Choice" Bart and Lisa try to get Selma off a bench and ride a rollercoaster.
** "Much Apu About Nothing" near the beginning where Homer tries to get beer from the fridge. "Let's all calm down. Everyone's going to be just fine. As long as I have enough beers."
** "The Dad Who Knew Too Little" where Homer is about to charge towards some free sample stands.
** "Brother's Little Helper" The scene where Bart walks into an army base where soldiers are taking showers. He is walking into the camera with a twitchy look on his face
* '''BoldInflation''': '''Kang and Kodos'''
* BondOneLiner: [=McBain=] has quite a few of these: "Ice to see you." after breaking out of an ice sculpture and shooting up the place; "Meeting adjourned" after shooting up a villain board meeting.
** Principal Skinner in "Lisa the Beauty Queen": "Copyright expired."
* BonnieScotland: Groundskeeper Willie.
* BookDumb: Bart.
** Really most of Springfield qualifies.
* BoomerangBigot: Played for laughs by Willie.
-->'''Groundskeeper Willie:''' "Damn Scots! They ruined Scotland!"
** Also subverted when Krusty comes to doubt his own credentials as a Jew:
---> "I thought I was a self-hating Jew, but it turns out I'm just a plain old anti-Semite!"
** In the episode in which they want to throw out the illegal immigrants, Moe is one of the most vocal about it, but he turns out to be an illegal immigrant himself.
* BootCampEpisode: "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson": Bart is sent to MilitarySchool for doing mischief; Lisa joins so she can attend the camp's superior school.
* BorrowedCatchphrase: In "Summer of 4'2''", Lisa says "Ay caramba!" and "Don't have a cow, man!"
** In "Natural Born Kissers", Moe says "Won't somebody please think of the children?!", which is usually said by Helen Lovejoy.
* BottomlessMagazines: Just about any time gun usage is shown, usually per RuleOfFunny.
** In "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson", Lisa fires an M-16 wildly for almost 10 seconds ("Help! It's stuck on auto-fire!").
** In "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase" and many other episodes where Chief Wiggum uses his gun, he fires well over six times despite its being a revolver. ([[ATeamFiring He's also a terrible shot.]])
* TheBoxingEpisode: "The Homer They Fall"
* ABoyAGirlAndABabyFamily
* BoyBand: Bart, Milhouse, Nelson, and Ralph form The Party Posse in "The New Kids On The Blecch," which is being used as a recruitment tool for the US Navy.
* BracesOfOrthodonticOverkill: The Trope formerly known as "LisaNeedsBraces".
* BrainDrain: One company attempted this, first unsuccessfully on Smithers, then successfully on Homer. It was successful for them for a brief while -- Homer's ideas worked for them.
* BrainFood: The zombies in "Dial Z For Zombie" (part of "Treehouse of Horror III") crave delicious brains. Amusingly, they turn down Homer because apparently, he has no brains.
** He actually is offended by this and starts yelling at the zombies over it.
* BrakeAngrily: Ned in "Viva Ned Flanders".
-->'''Ned:''' [[GoshDangItToHeck Gosh darn it!]] Am I that pre-diddly-ictable?
* BrandNamesAreBetter: One of the running jokes in the show is how The Simpsons can't afford the brand name products and have to get generic, obscure brands instead.
* BrandishmentBluff: Happens during "The Seemingly Never-Ending Story", as Moe, Mr. Burns and Rich Texan are facing off:
-->'''Rich Texan:''' (''taking the gold from Marge'') I'll take that gold...
-->'''Mr. Burns:''' No so fast, Shady Bird Johnson!
-->(''Burns steps out from behind a stalagtite'')
-->'''Burns:''' ''I'll'' take that gold...
-->'''Moe Szyslak:''' (''enters from the shadows, holding a baseball bat'') Yeah, you'll take it, and then you'll give it to me if you know what's good for ya.
-->(''Burns and Rich Texan aim their guns at Moe'')
-->'''Moe:''' [[OhCrap You guys have guns?!]] Well, so do I! (''steps back into shadows, making gun-cocking noises'') Heh? Heh?
* BratsWithSlingshots: Bart Simpson in the early episodes and on early 1990s merchandise.
* BrawnHilda: Bart's impression of an [[EastGermany East German]] woman consists of a fake moustache and saying "Kiss me or I crush you!" in a deep voice.
* BreadEggsBreadedEggs
-->'''Mr Burns:''' I suggest you leave immediately.
-->'''Homer:''' Or what? You'll release the dogs? Or the bees? Or the dogs with bees in their mouths [[BeeBeeGun and when they bark they shoot bees at you?]]
** From "Itchy & Scrathy The Movie" when Homer and Marge leave for a parent-teacher conference:
--->'''Marge:''' So long, kids. We'll bring back dinner.
--->'''Lisa:''' What are we having?
--->'''Homer:''' Well, that depends on how kids have been. If you've been good: pizza. If you've been bad... Let's see, uh... Poison.
--->'''Lisa:''' What if one of us has been good and one of us has been bad?
--->'''Bart:''' Poisoned pizza.
--->'''Homer:''' Oh, no! I'm not making two stops!
* BreakTheCutie: Subverted in Dog Of Death. When Burns gets a hold of Bart's friendly, gentle pet dog, he does to the dog what was done to Alex in ''Film/AClockworkOrange'' to, as Burns himself put it, turn the dog into "a vicious, soulless killer." However, when Burns sends said dog after Bart, the dog's memories of good times with Bart prompt him to lick Bart's face instead of attacking him. When the other dogs come after Bart, said pet dog [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome growls at the other dogs and scares them off]], only to proceed to lick Bart's face AGAIN. Burns' attempt at breaking the dog's spirit yields, if any change in the dog at all, a result of the dog [[TookALevelInBadass taking a level in badass]] while no longer being on Burns' side in the long run.
* BreakUpBonfire: When Milhouse's parents get divorced, Luann carefully boxes up all of Kurt's possessions and then sets fire to the box.
* BribeBackfire
-->Wiggum: I hope you're not suggesting that I would take that necklace as a bribe. Think again, dirtbag, cause I can swipe it later from the evidence locker.
-->Wiggum: (As a reaction, when Bart tries to bribe him with precious ''wedding day dishes'') What does it say on my badge? (badge says: ''Cash Bribes Only'')
** Subverted in "Bart Carny": Wiggum is actually the one who initiates the bribe idea, but Homer is so clueless that he doesn't realize Wiggum is asking for a bribe. Wiggum shuts down Homer's carny game as a result of his failure to bribe Wiggum to keep it open.
* BrickJoke: During "24 Minutes", Bart makes a phone call that accidentally gets crossed with that of [[Series/TwentyFour Jack Bauer]], so he leaves him a prank call. At the end of the episode, Bauer arrives to arrest Bart for the call.
** We get a triple-whammy in "Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder". In the opening, Moleman is seen being hassled by a pushy New Yorker, and is seen as defenseless. When he reappears later in the episode, he is revealed to be the king of the Mole People, and about to use an earthquake machine. His CMOA and PreAssKickingOneLiner, "No One Escapes From The Fortress Of The Mole People", is immediately dashed, as the bungie cord both Homer and Otto were on rebounds and sends them back to the surface, to which Moleman dejectedly says "Well, except for that."
** In "Alone Again, Natura-Diddly", Homer presents a dating video he made for Ned, warning him, "The audio needs some tweaking and there's some footage of Maggie being born that I couldn't get rid of." They watch the tape, and at the end the video abruptly cuts to Marge in labor with Maggie, to Ned's disgust.
* BrilliantButLazy: Bart in "Bart Gets an F" (especially where Bart cries over failing his test, cites a failed battle fought by George Washington, and ends up passing), and "Lisa the Simpson" (which revealed that he was smart as a kid, but became dumb due to the Simpson gene -- though "Lisa's Sax" revealed that Bart became a bad student because his kindergarten teacher hated him and he had a bad first day of school).
* BritishBrevity: Parodied with the ShowWithinAShow ''Do Shut Up'' from the episode "Missionary: Impossible". The PBS hosts describe it as Britain's longest-running series, then say they'll be showing "all seven episodes".
* BritishRockstar
* BritishRoyalGuards: The episode "The Regina Monologues" sees the family vacation in London, where Homer crashes their car through the front gate at Buckingham Palace and into the Queen's carriage. Royal guards beat Homer senselessly but stop half-way through to observe the Changing of the Guard. Homer's beating continues at the hands of the next group of guards on duty.
** In "Bart Vs. Australia," Homer mistakes a US Marine posted outside the American Embassy for one of these guards. The Marine punches Homer in the face after he starts making funny faces at him and curtly explains that he is not a BritishRoyalGuard.
--> '''Homer:''' Hey! Are you like one of those English guards who can't laugh or smile or anything? [makes noises and faces at him][gets punched in the face] Ow!
--> '''Marine:''' No, Sir! US Marine Corps, Sir!
** And yet another episode has Homer mistake Shaolin Monks as the British guards. He's met with similar results.
* BrokenGlassPenalty: With a remote-control plane instead of a ball. Although it was technically Nelson and Milhouse that crashed it, Bart goes to get it and gets caught, setting off the episode's A plot of Bart working in a burlesque house.
* BrokenRecord:
** '''Young Bart:''' "Can't sleep. Clown will eat me."
** '''Lenny Leonard:''' "Dental plan."
--> '''Marge:''' "Lisa needs braces."
** '''Bart and Lisa:''' "Can we have a pool, Dad? Can we have a pool, Dad? Can we have a pool, Dad? Can we have a pool, Dad? Can we have a pool, Dad?"
** '''Bart and Lisa:''' "Will you take us to Mt. Splashmore?"
** '''Ned Flanders:''' "We're done-diddly-doodily, done-diddly-doodily, done-diddly-doodily, done-diddly-doodily--" ([[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan SLAP!]])
** '''Bart and Lisa:''' "Are we there yet?"
** '''Homer and Apu:''' "Are we in India Yet?" "No." "Are we in India Yet?" "No." "Are we in India Yet?" "No." "Are we in India Yet?" "No." "Are we in India Yet?" "No." "Are we in India Yet?" "No... wait... now we are!"
** "Dental plan." "Lisa needs braces." "Dental plan." "Lisa needs braces." "Dental plan." "Lisa needs braces."...
** A literal example in "The Great Wife Hope": When all the men of Springfield abandon their usual hangouts to watch an MMA fight at the stadium, we get a shot of an empty Moe's Tavern, where the record player is stuck on a few-second-loop of "Monster Mash".
* BrotherSisterIncest: Cletus and Brandine are related to each other in all sorts of ways. One of them being as brother and sister.
** Subverted in "Money BART" in which Nelson makes an incest joke about Bart and Lisa's conversation, but Lisa retaliates that they're brother and sister, nothing more.
-->'''Lisa''': I need to do a little research.
-->'''Bart''': A little is not going to be enough, honeypie.
-->'''Lisa''': Don't call me, honeypie.
-->'''Bart''': You got it, tootsie pop.
-->'''Lisa''': [Lisa grunts in frustration]
-->'''Nelson''': GetARoom, you two.
-->'''Lisa''': We're brother and sister.
-->'''Milhouse''': So are my parents. I think.
** Subverted in the episode, "Little Girl in the Big Ten", where Lisa is pretending to be a college student. When asked if any of the boys in her house are cute, she responds with "Well, Bart is kinda... [[NoJustNoReaction NO!]]"
** Subverted in "Dangerous Curves". In the beginning of the third act of the episode, Bart and Lisa, while driving a pedal car along with Maggie, argue [[LikeAnOldMarriedCouple as if they're a 'married couple']].
** Subverted in "Kill the Alligator and Run" with this quote:
-->'''Homer''': Yep, this place is great. And some day, when Lisa and Bart get married, it'll all be theirs.
-->'''Bart and Lisa''': Yuck!
-->'''Marge''': You mean when they marry other people.
-->'''Homer''': Okay, but I ain't paying for two weddin's.
* BroughtHomeTheWrongKid: Inverted; Grandpa is meant to babysit Bart and Lisa and goes to the Flanders' house by mistake.
* BubblePipe: Bart blows in one when he falls in love with an older girl and ends up dressing like Hugh Heffner. And again when he visits the actual Hugh Heffner.
* BuccaneerBroadcaster: In "Wild Barts Can't Be Broken".
* BuffySpeak: In "Homer the Smithers", after Mr. Burns gives a series of tasks to Homer:
--> '''Homer''': Um, can you repeat the part of the stuff where you said all about the...things? Uh... the things?
* BulletCatch: In the pilot episode of "Police Cops", Detective Homer Simpson catches a bullet with his fingers and throws it back at the bad guy who shot at him in the first place.
* TheBully: Nelson, Jimbo, Kearny and Dolph.
** There's also Francine Rhenquist in "Bye Bye Nerdie".
* BullyHunter: Bart pulls the trope off in "Bart the General" when he and the entire class bombard Nelson and his gang with balloons until they surrender... literally, as in sign a treaty.
* BumblingDad: Homer.
* BusbyBerkeleyNumber: There are no lyrics, but in "Bart of Darkness", the swimmers perform a choreographed routine, part of which is shot from above and features a visual very similar to what's on the trope page.
* ButThisIsRidiculous: A blue wall-imprisoned Krusty, in "Wiz Kids" (part of "Treehouse of Horror XII"):
--> '''Krusty''': [[InformedJudaism I've heard of a wailing wall before]], but this is ridiculous!
--> '''Comic Book Guy''': [[IncrediblyLamePun Ugh, I'm so sick of that joke!]]
* ButYouScrewOneGoat: It's heavily implied that Troy [=McClure's=] career went down the drain at least in part due to the fact he has a fetish for fish. Naturally, [[NeverLiveItDown this is all he is remembered for]], his [[YouMightRememberMeFrom many B-movie roles]] notwithstanding.
-->'''Louie:''' Troy McClure!? You said he was dead!
-->'''Fat Tony:''' No, what I said is that he sleeps with the fishes! You see...
-->'''Louie:''' Uh, Tony, please, no. I just ate a whole plate of dingamagoo.
* ButtMonkey: Quite a few, actually: Hans Moleman, Milhouse, Milhouse's dad after he got divorced, Grampa Simpson, Sideshow Mel, and Gil.
** And there's Homer himself...
* ByNoIMeanYes: From "The Springfield Files":
--> '''Leonard Nimoy''': I'm Leonard Nimoy. The following tale of alien encounters is true. And by true, I mean, false. It's all lies. But they're entertaining lies. And in the end, isn't that the real truth? The answer, is no.
[[/folder]]
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