The Norwegian-born citizens of Ogdenville migrate to Springfield after their tainted barley crop (which was put into Krusty Burger's latest sandwich) causes an economic collapse.
Tropes:
- Absolute Xenophobe: At first, the town of Springfield blames the Norwegian-born Ogdenvillians for all of their problems and try to forcibly run them out of town. Fortunately, the Springfielders end up subverting this by the end, realizing that they and the Ogdens share more similarities than differences and allowing them to stay.
- Angry White Man: The "Star-Spangled Goofballs" are a vigilante team headed by Homer, who aim to keep the Ogdenville people out of Springfield while invoking "America's proud history of citizens rising up to defend our way of life." This isn't helped by Cletus earnestly suggesting that the group call themselves "The Klan" or "The Nazis."
- Balloonacy: Homer tries to patrol the Springfield border from a lawnchair on balloons, but as soon as he sits down the chair collapses. Lenny and Carl get on instead, and are instantly propelled into the stratosphere, and suffer the frigid cold therein (the Up house can also be seen in the distance).
- Beyond the Impossible: A Krusty Burger is somehow so unhealthy that its worse for you than a double Krusty Burger, literally the exact same sandwich with only an extra patty on it.
- Big Eater: Homer, as usual, who puts away twelve Mother Nature burgers at Krusty Burger. Too bad for him they turned out to be tainted. He even asks himself why he ate so many of the burgers when rushing to vomit.
- Continuity Nod: Lisa counters Homer's xenophobia toward Ogdenville by reminding him that "we were all immigrants at one point." While this is a common talking point on the issue of immigration in the United States as indigenous Americans are a minority, in the case of the Simpson family it's quite literally true—they emigrated through Ellis Island after briefly fleeing the country in "Bart Mangled Banner".
- Dance Party Ending: The Ogdenvillians happily reunite with the Springfielders only for the police to show up...to throw them a welcoming party.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: Throughout the episode, Springfield serves as a stand-in for America as a whole while Ogdenville, with its Norwegian-derived American populace, is treated as a foreign country.
- Doomed Hometown: Ogdenville. Once word gets out that their tainted barley caused widespread sickness, their economy collapses like a biscuit in a cup of tea.
- Gargle Blaster: Moe's starts serving Aquavit, Ogdenville's tipple of choice, which stuns hardened alcoholic Homer Simpson on the spot.Homer: Hey, where did that Homer guy go?! (falls face-forward onto the bar) More Aquavit, please.
- Is This Thing Still On?: If at least the farmer giving the interview minded the trope.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: The Springfielders as a group. No sooner have they finished the fence to keep out the former Ogdenvillians than they want them back in.
- Lethal Eatery: Krusty Burger, as usual. Their signature burger is the most unhealthy item ever seen, and when they start selling veggie burgers, they turn out to be made with tainted barley, resulting in everyone getting sick.
- Malaproper: At the town meeting, Homer confesses to "xylophobia" concerning the Ogdenvillians. Lisa tells him he means "xenophobia", because "xylophobia" is the fear of xylophonesnote . Homer counters that he's also afraid of xylophones (because of the Xylophones for Walking Bones trope). Mayor Quimby decides to ban the Ogdenvillians and xylophones.
- Minnesota Nice: The former citizens of Ogdenville are soft-spoken, kind and humble people of Norwegian extraction. They're also Minnesota Vikings fans.
- My Country Tis of Thee That I Sting: This episode skewers the USA's attitude toward immigration quite thoroughly; neither side is portrayed as completely right, but the anti-immigration side ends up getting it with both barrels.Homer: Men, our negative energy has been harnessed to help keep Springfield's borders secure from Ogdenvillians. But first, our group needs a name that evokes America's proud history of citizens rising up to defend our way of life.
Cletus: The Klan?
Homer: Well, there are no bad ideas, but let's keep trying.
Cletus: The Nazis!
Homer: Okay, you stop trying. - Never My Fault:
- Bart tells his mother that the reason his arm got dislocated was because some kids from Ogdenville dared him to perform a risky skateboarding move, despite the fact that the incident was a result of him trying to show off in front of the newcomers.
- Homer also blames the Ogden's liquor for costing him his job, even though he was the one who chose to drink it and clearly didn't take enough precautions to avoid getting drunk.
- On a more general note, the Ogdenville people are blamed for overcrowding Springfield's hospitals, but that probably wouldn't have happened if they weren't put to work as day laborers without proper safety precautions put in place (many of Springfield's businesses are already noteworthy for their lack of regard for employee safety.)
- Not So Above It All: Marge is initially against scapegoating the people from Ogdenville, but changes her tune and joins in the xenophobic fervor when she hears Maggie say the word "ja," which she picked up from the Ogden nanny Marge hired. note
- "Not So Different" Remark: Ned makes one to a former Ogdenville resident as the two place barbed wire over the fence from opposite sides while discussing cardigans. Meanwhile, Snake and an Ogdenvillian are griping cheerfully about their respective girlfriends until the completion of their section of the wall cuts the conversation off, while an Ogdenville kid advises Bart to use primer on his graffiti.
- No Wrong Answers Except That One: Homer and some of his friends have been hired as border patrol to keep the citizens of Ogdenville out. First, they need to agree on a name.Cletus: The Klan!Homer: Well, there are no bad ideas, but let's keep trying.Cletus: The Nazis!Homer: Okay, you, stop trying.
- Obvious Stunt Double: A variant; when Krusty Burger adds the Mother Nature burger to their menu, Krusty uses footage of a customer taking a bite out of the sandwich just as he looks like he's about to in the commercial advertising it.
- Oh, Crap!: Homer when he finally realises he has food poisoning and is about to be sick because the Mother Nature burgers were tainted. Then again when he vomits into Lisa's saxophone and can't get his mouth off the end.
- Overpopulation Crisis: When the Ogdenvillians came to Springfield they were welcomed with open arms, however, hospitals were soon being overcrowded and Springfielders were losing their jobs.
- Police Are Useless: As soon as the border patrol is established, Wiggum not only ends up letting an Ogdenvillian slip past his legs with zero attempt to catch him, he outright lets another one riding a donkey through after telling him it's free to cross.
- Rhetorical Question Blunder: When Lisa points out that they were all immigrants at one time, Homer asks her if she still likes milk and hugs, since she used to be a baby. She says yes and requests both on the spot, which Homer provides.Homer: Hey, this is all right.
- Right-Wing Militia Fanatic: Since the police can't do anything about border control, Mayor Quimby hands out guns to a group of self-appointed vigilantes (Homer, Carl, and Lenny among them) who call themselves "The Star-Spangled Goofballs."
- Rule of Three: Two in quick succession. Homer's stomach rumbles three times before he realizes he has food poisoning. He then tries to find a bathroom three times, only to find all three occupied (Marge in the downstairs bathroom, Bart in the upstairs bathroom, and Lisa in Homer and Marge's en suite). So he decides to vomit into Lisa's saxophone instead.
- Shout-Out: While Lenny and Carl are floating in the balloon chair, they are passed by a house held afloat by balloons. Up was released nearly two weeks later.
- Take That!: It’s obvious that the episode is a take on America's immigration issues.
- Vomit Discretion Shot: The audience is spared the more gruesome details of Springfield's food poisoning epidemic (which includes Homer yakking into Lisa's saxophone).
- Where the Hell Is Springfield?: Upon discovering that the Ogdenville immigrants are Minnesota Vikings fans, Milhouse comments, "This is Tennessee Titans territory!"
- Xylophones for Walking Bones: Homer claims to be afraid of xylophones because they produce "the music you hear when skeletons are dancing."
