In Helen and T.D.'s classroom, they (and Martha) explain that the episode is about languages. Then, Helen and her classmates are seen learning Spanish at school, but T.D. and Alice are getting bad grades. The teacher (not Mrs. Clusky) assigns them an oral report in Spanish, but Alice and T.D. are none too pleased. Helen, however, is happy with the assignment and tries to get her friends to put it in perspective, but Alice is still unhappy since she's only learnt "Buenos dias".
At the Lorraine residence, Helen and T.D. claim that Alice knows more than just "Buenos dias", but Alice reveals that whenever the Spanish teacher (whose name is revealed to be Senor Craig) calls for answers, she only raises her hand after he calls on someone, and when he asks her to read aloud, she pretends she's lost her voice or deliberately spills her water. Mariella and Jake enter, and Mariella reveals that Helen's uncle Jorge is visiting, who cooks Mexican food, and invites T.D. and Alice to stay. T.D. asks if Jorge takes requests.
Jorge arrives, with Carolina, and reveals that he has taken T.D.'s request. That evening, he serves the request (alphabet soup with meatballs) along with enchiladas and chalupas. When Alice is about to eat her soup, T.D. lies that she's allergic to meatballs and drags her outside. There, he feeds Martha Alice's soup and claims he's helping her with her report. Then, Martha starts speaking only in Spanish. T.D. tells Alice to tell Martha what to say, record it, and then recite it when it's time, so she does.
She gets an A+, but that night, she has a nightmare in which a Spanish interpreter falls sick and she has to sub for him, but fails because she doesn't speak Spanish. The next day at school, she tells Senor Craig what she did, but he doesn't consider it cheating, since everyone learns from memory.
This episode provides examples of
- Amazingly Embarrassing Parents: Carolina is embarrassed by Jorge being a Large Ham (even though she's one herself).
- Catapult Nightmare: After having her nightmare, Alice sits bolt upright and gasps.
- Death Glare:
- In Alice's imagination, Senor Craig glares at her for only saying, "Buenos dias" in her report.
- Helen glares at T.D. for calling Alice his "new hero" for deceiving Senor Craig, then Martha glares at Helen for not letting her eat her (Helen's) ice cream.
- Department of Redundancy Department: In Alice's imaginary oral report, she just says, "Buenos dias" seven times.
- Fantasy Sequence: Alice imagines doing her oral report, which consists of nothing but "Buenos dias".
- Flashback:
- When Helen remembers Alice's first day of Spanish class, we see her on the day saying, "Buenos dias!".
- One scene shows Alice avoiding speaking in Spanish class in the past.
- Guilt-Induced Nightmare: After doing her report, Alice worries that she cheated by recording Martha, so she has a nightmare about being made to sub for an interpreter.
- Intentional Mess Making: Alice admits to having deliberately spilled her water in the past to avoid speaking in Spanish class.
- Language Barrier: In Alice's dream, she fails at translating a man's Spanish dialogue.
- Lost Food Grievance: Alice becomes angry when T.D. feeds her alphabet soup to Martha.
- Out Sick: In Alice's nightmare, an interpreter gets sick, so she has to sub for him.
- Plot Allergy: T.D. stops Alice from eating by pretending she's allergic to meatballs.
- Pun: When Martha says, "Si!", T.D. replies, "See?".
- Puppy-Dog Eyes: Martha gives Helen big eyes to try to convince her to give her ice cream, but it doesn't work.
- Questioning Title?: The title translates to "What's Up, Martha?".
- Speak in Unison: In Alice's nightmare, a man and woman chant, "Cheater!" in unison.
- Supreme Chef: Jorge apparently cooks "the best Mexican food".
- Voice Change Surprise: Martha gasps when she starts speaking in Spanish instead of English.
