"The "A" Team": Francine and Brain make the all-star soccer team.
"The "A" Team" contains examples of:
- Be Careful What You Wish For: Brain and Francine wanted a more serious soccer team and they got one, alright. It comes at the cost of having any fun playing soccer, and even some of their time and life outside of the sport.
- Both Sides Have a Point: The conflict of the episode comes from Francine and Brain being tired of their team not taking the game too seriously and consequently not being that great of players. This is a valid concern since a sport is a competition, but they end up going too far in the other direction by joining the All-Stars, who are run by a Drill Sergeant Nasty to the point they regularly suffer defections. While the episode makes it clear the All-Stars do earn their victories via hard work ethic, Francine and Brain ultimately decide to return to their old team to have fun again.
- Curb-Stomp Cushion: When Ed praises his team, Muffy points out they still lost to the All-Stars 3-1. Ed counters that they actually managed to score one on their opponents which is more than worthy of praise.
- Drill Sergeant Nasty: Coach Raggett is pretty tough on his players because of their very high standards. It’s to the point he's used to losing three players a season because of the harsh conditions.
- Hidden Depths: Mr. Crosswire turns out to be a great soccer coach, being very supportive and loyal to his team, and giving them nice rewards like an ice cream and pizza party.
- I Gave My Word: This is why Francine and Brain stick it out so long, unwilling to quit their new team.
- Loophole Abuse: This is how Brain and Francine decide to rejoin their old team, claiming they're honoring their first commitment.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Coach Raggett ultimately turns out to be this, as he accepts Brain and Francine leaving without any bad blood since he's used to losing three players a season and understands that some people have other commitments, telling the team not to mock somebody who quit the team for these reasons and accepting Brain quitting for the sake of his school's computer club. Additionally, while he does force his players to continue practicing and playing during rain and mud, he doesn't hold practice if it's a thunderstorm for their safety. He also doesn't tolerate his team mocking Crosswire's team since they're still a team that can beat them.
"Emily Swallows a Horse": Emily lies that she found a ball instead of D.W. so she can keep it for herself; this escalates into a series of lies.
"Emily Swallows a Horse" contains examples of:
- Attack of the 50-Foot Whatever: In Emily’s nightmare, she is chased by a giant D.W.. She hides in a shelter, but D.W. rips off the roof and grabs her.
- Cool Old Lady: In Emily's nightmare, she hides from the giant D.W. in the house of an old woman who claims she has magic powers that will keep her safe. But it's Subverted when it turns out the woman lied about having magic powers.
- Consummate Liar: Emily is able to trick everyone with her lies, until the end of the episode.
- Disappointed by the Motive: D.W. is completely baffled that Emily went through all of that trouble just to keep a rubber ball that the other kids wanted to play with. It doesn't even bounce well anymore.
- Easily Forgiven: Though D.W. is disappointed by Emily's motive, she and the Tibbles are quick to forgive her after she confesses to her Snowball Lie.
- Guilt-Induced Nightmare: Emily's guilt over her Snowball Lie triggers a nightmare where she is chased by a giant D.W. who calls her a liar. She takes shelter in an old woman's house, but the giant D.W. ends up finding her anyway.
- Liar Revealed: In the end, Emily confesses that she was lying to her classmates so that she could keep the rubber ball for herself.
- Never Say "Die": Averted.Ms. Morgan: There was an old lady who swallowed a horse!
Kids: She died, of course! - Ship Tease: James is shown pushing D.W. on a swing in the preschool playground before she finds the rubber ball, and he later smiles delightedly when she sits next to him in class. Given that this episode aired after "Kiss and Tell", there is no way the Ship Teasing isn't deliberate.
- Shout-Out: Ms. Morgan has her preschool class sign the nursery rhyme "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
". - Snowball Lie: To get the rubber ball that D.W. found for herself, Emily lies that it's a souvenir her nanny got her from France called a "cheval"note and then tells more lies to embellish the original one until she confesses at the end.
- Taken During the Ending: D.W. and Emily ultimately leave the rubber ball that the latter lied to try and keep on the playground of their preschool. It is then picked up by James, who puts it into his pants' pocket and walks off screen right before the episode ends.
- Talking Animal: In Emily's nightmare, she rides on a talking but otherwise non-anthropomorphic horse to escape from the giant D.W..
