Homer and Marge attempt to work on their marriage, not knowing that Mr. Burns and and his old friend Nigel have a bet on whether Nigel can break them apart. With the successful, albeit unconventional, help of Moe, the couple gets back their mojo.
This episode contains examples of:
- Affectionate Nickname: Marge finally calls out Moe for affectionately calling her "Midge" after all these years insteadof her regular name. Even Moe doesn't know the reason for it. (As for Homer, he had no idea that the "Midge" whose praises Moe was singing was Marge the entire time; when Moe clears this up, Homer decks him.)
- The Bet: Mr. Burns bets Nigel that he can't break up Homer and Marge. When he notices Moe's infatuation with Marge, Nigel gives him a new upscale bar as part of his plan to win the bet.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: The piano man at the end of the episode sums up everything returning to how it was, including Moe moving back to his bar. He ends by singing "And that's the end of the show.... except for The Tag."
- Continuity Nod:
- Smithers revises his contract with Burns to forestall some of his more serious abuse but still agrees to be mummified with him when he dies, recalling "Burns' Heir."
- Ned is shown giving harps to the spirits of both of his previous wives, Maude and Edna, cementing that Edna was Killed Offscreen.
- Corrupt Cop: Chief Wiggum's gift to his wife is a piece of jewelry from the evidence box.
- The Dog Bites Back: Smithers tricks Burns into believing he hallucinated Nigel and their bet as revenge for betting him.
- Expository Hairstyle Change: After Moe opens Moho House, Marge's hair inexplicably changes from her typical beehive to a more modern, shoulder-length hairstyle, and stays that way for the rest of the episode. This change in hairstyle is never mentioned or acknowledged, and Marge is back to her normal hair by the next episode. It's most likely to signal an abandonment of Homer and her old life.
- Fourth Wall Psych: After Moe flirts with Marge, he seemingly makes an Aside Comment about getting a chance with her. The camera then changes angles to show he is actually talking to Sideshow Mel.Sideshow Mel: Why are you telling me?
Moe: I always considered us friends. - Insistent Terminology: Homer didn't buy flowers at a gas station. He bought them at a market that sells gas.
- Insult Backfire: While following Marge down the hallway on his knees, Homer stops to tell Bart and Lisa that he hopes they haven't lost any respect for him. Bart tells him you can't lose something you don't have, to which Homer contentedly thanks him.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: After being completely ready to move in on Marge for many, many seasons, Moe, when he has a real opening, finds he can't bring himself to do it to Homer and unites the pair instead.
- Lampshade Hanging: Moe tells Marge that she looks lovely in a strapless dress. He was complimenting the dress she's wearing for his party, forgetting her regular clothing is a strapless dress.
- Logo Joke: In-episode example: the flip-book Homer makes for Marge ends with a Homer-drawn Gracie Films logo.
- Lost Him in a Card Game: Nigel asks for Smithers as part of his wager. Smithers argues that he can't be used as collateral, until it is pointed out that his contract allows it. In The Stinger he renegotiates his contract so that it doesn't happen again.
- Mandatory Line: Bart only has one line in this episode: "Uh, can't lose what you don't have." Lisa, on the other hand, remains silent throughout the entire episode.
- Poor Communication Kills: Homer is determined to go straight home to Marge to make it up to her for being late the previous evening, but Nigel holds him up by giving him reason to believe that his job could be at stake. Instead of communicating this when he texts her, Homer just slings Marge a couple of emojis and assumes she'll understand what they mean. When he does get home and insists he had a good reason to be delayed, she completely refuses to hear him out and ends up crying all night.
- Title-Only Opening: This episode foregoes the usual Title Sequence with a tracking shot across Springfield as Moe narrates, with the show title only appearing as the camera approaches the Simpsons' house. As a result, the Couch Gag appears before this sequence.
- Whole-Plot Reference: With Trading Places, regarding two wealthy men wagering a bet regarding the lives of more common people. Rather than switching a rich stockbroker and a poor homeless man, it is on the stability of Homer and Marge's marriage.
