Marge pesters Bart by following him everywhere after Bart denies being involved in a bulldozer crash. Meanwhile, Flanders adopts a pet dog that Homer loves more than Santa's Little Helper.
Tropes:
- Borrowed Catch Phrase: When Marge learns that Bart really was involved with the bulldozer, she's so mad that she nearly strangles Bart, even saying "why you little" as she reaches out for him. Bart stops her by hugging her, as Homer points out that strangling Bart isn't as easy as it looks.
- Cassandra Truth: Subverted. For most of the episode, Bart plausibly denies he had anything to do with the bulldozer, while Marge is portrayed as a paranoid jerk. Then it turns out that Bart did play with the bulldozer.
- Double Standard: When Marge follows Bart to school:
Bart: Mom, Dad does plenty of stuff you don't like. Why don't you follow him?
Marge: Following an adult is creepy, following your kid is parenting.
- Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas: Bart gives up on a plan because he wanted to recover his mother's love.
- Felony Misdemeanor: Marge feels extremely guilty for...wiping off a little stain of ice cream she accidentally dropped.
- I Have No Son!: Similar to in "Bart the Mother", Marge ends up giving up on Bart when he denies the bulldozer too many times. She even declares her parenting to him "stops now".
- I Resemble That Remark!: Homer scoffs at Ned telling him that the dog likes him only because his sweat tastes like cheeseburgers, and then he takes out a cheeseburger and uses the bun to wipe his head.
- I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Flanders considers giving his dog to Homer because the dog loves Homer more.
- Mood Whiplash: After Marge decides to give up on Bart again, she briefly stops to wipe mud off Bart's face before leaving. And then a leper come out to leave the island on a boat, only for his arms to come off upon attempting to use the oars.
- No Sense of Personal Space: When Marge asks the store clerk to help her do something about her phone's unlock button, he instead decides to check her photos. Then it turns out she was talking to a random guy (who likes to take off his shirt).
- Not Helping Your Case: When Bart hides his latest plan under a blanket from Marge (who decided to ignore him from now on):
Marge: Bart, I'm not butting in anymore, so you don't have to hide things under your blankie.
Bart: It isn't a blankie anymore! Hasn't been for three months!
- Opening Shout-Out: At one point, Marge is so committed to keeping an eye on Bart, she chases him through a nighttime version of the scene in the intro where he rides past pedestrians. We also get to see what happens when Bart is gone:
Moe: (sighs) Well, the kid passed through again. We can all go inside.
(Everyone enters Moe's Tavern.)
- Parental Favoritism: When Homer joins Lisa in her angry muttering to cheer her up, he quietly says that while he knows he should never say it, she's his favorite child.
- Pet the Dog: Homer gives Ned the dog back after seeing how much parting with it is hurting him.
- Properly Paranoid: As it turns out, Marge was right to suspect Bart was up to mischief.
