After Sandi establishes a new rule to ban overweight people from the Fashion Club, she breaks her leg in an accident and returns having gained a lot of weight. Quinn must deal with Sandi's situation, while Daria and Jane make side bets on what's next for the Fashion Club.
Tropes present in this episode:
- A Day in the Limelight: The Fashion Club are essentially the main players of the episode.
- And There Was Much Rejoicing: Stacy and Tiffany are both overjoyed at the idea of Quinn becoming the new president and Sandi being gone. When Quinn announces she's stepping down out of respect to Sandi, Stacy bursts into tears.
- Annoying Younger Sibling: Sandi's two brothers disrupt the Fashion Club meeting with their bickering and inadvertently cause Sandi's leg-breaking tumble down the stairs. Later, they're shown snickering at their miserable sister after they admit Quinn (with whom they're both enamoured) into the house despite Sandi's "no visitors" policy.
- Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: Quinn and Sandi exchange tearful proclamations of love after Quinn vows to help her despondent friend reclaim her slim figure.
- Book Ends: The Fashion Club resume their review of membership requisites near the episode's end, only this time with a slightly less tyrannical Sandi at the helm.
- Brief Accent Imitation: Stacy mockingly imitates Tiffany's drawl during her Rage Quit of the Fashion Club.
- Come to Gawk: Sandi to Quinn.
- Demoted to Extra: Daria and Jane have minor roles in this episode, since the focus of the episode falls on The Fashion Club.
- Drill Sergeant Nasty: Quinn acts as a coach for Sandi to make her lose weight. She starts verbally grilling Sandi after some laps at the swimming pool.
- Everyone Has Standards: The rest of the Fashion Club weren't comfortable with Sandi's new weight restrictions, as even they could tell she wasn't being realistic. Unfortunately she pulls rank and has the rule implemented, which she later pays for.
- The Fat Episode: For Sandi, who gains a few pounds after breaking her leg and staying home from school for a couple of weeks. Downplayed in that she's only barely chubby, but everyone in the Fashion Club react as though she's morbidly obese.
- Foreshadowing: The end of the episode implies that Sandi's control of the Fashion Club is starting to weaken. The club eventually disbands in "Is It College Yet", with Sandi being the last to resign.
- At the same time, Stacey lashing out at Tiffany near the end of the episode shows she's showing more of a backbone, which also has a hand at the end of the Fashion Club as her resignation causes everyone else to follow.
- The Friend Nobody Likes: It's pretty clear that Stacy and Tiffany are not upset about Sandi's absence. Averted with Quinn herself, who genuinely does feel for Sandi and gets an Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other moment with her.
- Hidden Disdain Reveal: Stacy and Tiffany aren't in a hurry for Sandi's return.
- Hollywood Pudgy: After breaking her leg, Sandi gains a few pounds and is visibly chubby, but everyone, including herself, are treating it like she is a cripple now.
- It's All About Me: Tiffany as a leader was pointless, since she only was looking at herself on the mirror and asking if anything would look on her. Stacy was clearly frustrated by this.
- Manipulative Bitch: Daria and Jane's only real role in the episode involves them manipulating the Fashion Club for a bet. Jane figures the club will finally fall apart while Daria figures they're too obnoxious to stay down for long, so they take it upon themselves to push Quinn and the others into the direction they want. Daria wins.
- Nervous Wreck: Sandi acclimates miserably to the loss of her slender figure, and has what resembles a panic attack after fleeing the school.
- Rage Breaking Point: Stacy hits hers after the disastrous decision to admit the Three Js into the Fashion Club.
- Rage Quit: Despite Tiffany being the nominal leader after Quinn had to step down, Stacy was the one managing everything, while Tiffany only looked at herself on the mirror. Stacy finally explodes at her and quits if Tiffany isn't willing to do anything else. Only for Tiffany to quit as well.
- Serious Business: Sandi exiles herself to solitude, misery, and depressive binge eating after her "life-ending disfigurement" (read: gaining a few easily-sheddable pounds) and the Fashion Club grant their succession crisis presidential gravitas.
- Side Bet: Daria and Jane keep having small bets on random stuff until they see the Fashion Club situation and they decide to bet on it as well, with Jane saying it's over, and Daria saying it will stay. They even start having a hand with the outcomes, like Jane indirectly making Quinn feel guilty of accepting the leadership, or Daria giving Quinn the idea of making Sandi lose weight.
- Those Wacky Nazis: An episode of Sick, Sad World features Hitler supposedly reborn as "a madcap leggy blonde!"Announcer: "There's Something About Hitler" tonight!
- Took a Level in Kindness: Sort of. After Sandi reinstates herself as president of the Fashion Club, she changes the club's rules on "Weight requirements" to be less rigid. Also, when she attempts another browbeating on Quinn, Quinn offers a good defense, to which Sandi (possibly out of gratitude for Quinn helping her lose weight) slowly accepts without arguing.
- Toxic Friend Influence: Sandi's rigid overbearing attitude is highlighted by her absence from the Fashion Club. While she's at home with her broken leg, Quinn, Stacy, and Tiffany are shown simply relaxing at Quinn's house and enjoying one another's company. The moment Sandi calls, Stacy and Tiffany snap into position and have a hard time agreeing when Quinn mentions she's missed Sandi.
