Production code: FABF-22
Marge bumps into Chloe Talbot, an old high-school acquaintance (voiced by Kim Cattrall from Sex and the City) who is now a successful news reporter. While Marge becomes jealous of her friend's success and wonders what may have been had she not stayed with Homer, Lisa becomes inspired by this new, strong woman.
Tropes:
- The Ace: Chloe Talbot is a massive success as a reporter and has been all over the world, had many passionate affairs and has won many awards.
- Actor Allusion: Near the end of the episode when Chloe has Pity Sex with Barney (in his helicopter), the theme from Sex and the City plays.
- Bewildering Punishment: When Marge goes to tell Homer that they need to find Lisa, he's strangling Bart for no apparent reason.Homer: While I'm gone, boy, you think about what you did.Bart: What did I do?!Homer: You, uh...Why, you little! (strangling Bart again) You need a reason for strangling, do you?! I'll fix your wagon!
- Big Damn Heroes: After Lisa is saved from the lava flow by Marge, Chloe is left behind on a burning tree... and then a surprisingly sober Barney shows up in a helicopter to pull her out of danger.
- Big "NO!": Marge's Imagine Spot at the end of the episode shows her as a reporter, with her story being that the "Miracle on Ice
" never happened, causes her to give one of these (to the rest of the family's confusion). - Comically Missing the Point: When Chloe and Homer are reintroduced, she brings up the fact that he threw up in her tuba back when they were high schoolers and he argues that the tuba belonged to the school.
- Convection, Schmonvection: Marge, Lisa, Chloe and Barney all get within arm's reach of lava without batting an eyelid.
- Conveniently Timed Distraction: When Chloe tries to get Mayor Quimby to answer some questions about his multiple paternity suits filed against him, she gets distracted when she sees Marge again allowing Mayor Quimby to run back into his office to avoid answering her questions.
- When Tom Brokaw and Dan Rather are picking on Kent Brockman by teasingly dangling his microphone out of his reach, they get distracted when Chloe greets them giving Kent the opportunity to take back his microphone.
- Emergency Multifaith Prayer: Lisa, while stuck in the back of Chloe's car, prays to God, Buddha, and Spongebob.
- Green-Eyed Monster: Marge is jealous of Chloe and her many successes when they reunite, as well as heavily depressed and jealous that Lisa admires her to the point that Marge refuses to let them hang out just to spite Chloe.
- Hot Scoop: Chloe Talbot is willing to get close to an erupting volcano to get a scoop, and risk the life of Lisa as a camera operator when the one the station gave her ran away.
- Intrepid Reporter: Chloe doesn’t bat an eyelid at her assignment being changed from a conference to a volcanic eruption.
- Jerkass Ball: Marge is resentful and jealous of Chloe's success and that Lisa admires Chloe so much that Marge starts a fight with Chloe out of jealousy and stops them from spending time together.
- Kick the Dog: Homer twice strangles Bart for no reason, the second time being after Bart asks what he did wrong in the first place.
- Mama Bear: Marge is willing to skip her way through a river of lava to save Lisa. It is this act that makes Lisa reconsider Marge.
- Mondegreen Gag: When Marge tells Choe she now lives in Evergreen Terrace, she whispers the "Terrace" part, causing Chloe to mishear "Terrace" as "Paris". This causes Chloe to believe Marge now lives in Paris, France till Marge corrects her.
- Noodle Incident: Invoked by Homer who shows all guests his court ordered ankle bracelet, as well as Homer throwing up in Chloe's tuba.
- Self-Made Woman: Chloe went to high school with Marge and the two were best friends. They were both star reporters and had promising futures, however Marge decided to stay with Homer, but Chloe abandoned her sweet-heart (Barney Gumble) for success. She would later return to Springfield as a successful reporter.
- Sex Sells:Kent Brockman: Channel Six News rocks. A car chase every night, or the weather girl wears a tube top. And if she doesn't, you win a pizza!
- Shout-Out: Having "no time to be picky", Lisa was desperately praying to Buddha, Jesus and SpongeBob.
- This Just In!: Kent Brockman was upset at the reporters who were teasingly dangling his microphone out of his reach.Kent Brockman: This just in; I'm pissed off!
- Too Dumb to Live: A chicken bone causes Homer to choke. A few minutes later, Homer chokes again from trying to eat that same bone.
- Trojan Veggies: Marge tries to help Bart administer a pill to Santa's Little Helper by wrapping it in cheese, but Homer eats the "free cheese" instead.
- Ungrateful Bastard: Moe spat in the food at the high school despite them giving him his first job out of prison.
- What If?: Lisa wonders aloud how things would have turned out if Marge had followed her dreams as a reporter. Somehow, it would have led to never having "Miracle On Ice" during the 1980 Winter Olympics, which terrifies her but confuses her family.
