General sandbox for doing wick checks. In case of doubt, re-read How to Do a Wick Check.
Current trope being checked: House Inspection:
Laconic
Inspectors are coming; the house is a mess despite your best efforts.
Problem
Half the examples are about the government or social workers inspecting a house to determine whether it's fit for children. The other half is The Same, but More Specific with respect to The Inspector Is Coming (laconic: the inspector is coming, so the employees rush to make everything look perfect); in other words, inspecting the house because the owner wants to join a club or win a contest, with said owner making the impossible to make their home look perfect.
I argue that the difference with The Inspector Is Coming is not significant enough (proved by the low wick count of the trope) and that the "child services inspection" is a suitable Sub-Trope (evidenced by the wick count).
Randomization results
Wicks picked
Not needed, the trope only has 42 wicks.
Notes
Not gonna count the King of the Hill wick because it contains both cases.
Categories
open/close all folders
About child services inspections (12/ 42 or 28.6%)
- Criminal Case: The Conspiracy
In "Case 25: Muddying the Waters", Aubrey Coprolite, the victim's wife, explains they had been trying to adopt for years before they were given a chance. Unfortunately, Jordan completely blew it when, during the home inspection, he got so drugged he actually thought they were going to adopt the adoption agent. This led to their family getting blacklisted from every adoption agency in the country, which didn't sit well with Aubrey at all. - Persona Non Grata
In "Case 25: Muddying the Waters", Aubrey Coprolite, the victim's wife, explains they had been trying to adopt for years before they were given a chance. Unfortunately, Jordan completely blew it when, during the home inspection, he got so drugged he actually thought they were going to adopt the adoption agent. This led to their family getting blacklisted from every adoption agency in the country, which didn't sit well with Aubrey at all. - Criminal Case: The Conspiracy - Case 25: Muddying the Waters
Persona Non Grata: Aubrey Coprolite, the victim's wife, explains they had been trying to adopt for years before they were given a chance, but Jordan completely blew it when, during the home inspection, he got so drugged he actually thought they were going to adopt the adoption agent. This led to their family getting blacklisted from every adoption agency in the country, which didn't sit well with Aubrey at all. - King of the Hill S1 E1 "Pilot"
A worker from the Department of Child Services catches wind of perceived abuse, as well as a poorly timed injury from Peggy and hearing Bobby exaggerate Hank's blustered threats to someone who had angered him and sends an investigator out. The investigator finds zero evidence of abuse, and the Worker gets chewed out by his boss for jumping to conclusions and taking matters into his own hands, getting shilled off to some far-off place he can't embarrass his company anymore. - The Simpsons
In "Home Sweet Homediddily-Dum-Doodily", Principal Skinner is convinced that something wrong is going on at the Simpson placenote and sends Child Services to look in. They find the house is a mess, with stacks of decades-old newspapers, Maggie drinking from the dog's water dish, and Grandpa asleep on the sofa in his own filth. Of course, the whole thing is an insane coincidence, but they still take the kids away and put them with the Flanders. - The Simpsons S7 E3 "Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily"
Principal Skinner is convinced that something wrong is going on at the Simpson placenote and sends Child Services to look in. They find the house is a mess, with stacks of decades-old newspapers, Maggie drinking from the dog's water dish, and Grandpa asleep on the sofa in his own filth. Of course, the whole thing is an insane coincidence, but they still take the kids away and put them with the Flanders. - The Sims 2
Getting your child into a private school requires undergoing House Inspection by the headmaster. This is one of the more challenging things to do in the game; not only should your house be good-quality and clean, but the kid and all house residents need to be on their best behavior. Being rejected from a private school is the most likely outcome. - Buffy the Vampire Slayer
In "Gone", Buffy finds herself entirely unprepared for a home inspection by a social worker who comes to check on whether it's appropriate for Dawn. She encounters a mess, Spike who does his best but doesn't exactly come across as wholesome, and Willow with a bag of "magic herbs" (actual magical herbs). To make it worse, Buffy knew the inspector was coming ahead of time but failed to realize what day it was (Buffy's life is hectic, but it's hard to explain in any meaningful way to the inspector.) - Buffy The Vampire Slayer S 6 E 11 Gone
Buffy finds herself entirely unprepared for a home inspection by a social worker who comes to check on whether it's appropriate for Dawn. She encounters a mess, Spike who does his best but doesn't exactly come across as wholesome, and Willow with a bag of "magic herbs" (actual magical herbs). To make it worse, Buffy knew the inspector was coming ahead of time but failed to realize what day it was (Buffy's life is hectic, but it's hard to explain in any meaningful way to the inspector.) - House
In "Painless", Cuddy is very worried about a Child Services inspection that she needs to pass in order to keep her adopted daughter. Naturally, when the inspector arrives, the house is a complete mess due to her cleaning lady arriving late and the inspector arriving an hour early. The inspector finds a messy house, a dirty diaper hastily hidden in an attaché case, and ants on the floor...and passes Cuddy anyway due to her having a steady income, being apparently loving and actually worried about her messy house, all of which makes her better than most of the applicants he visits. - House S 5 E 12 Painless
Cuddy is very worried about a Child Services inspection that she needs to pass in order to keep her adopted daughter. Naturally, when the inspector arrives, the house is a complete mess due to her cleaning lady arriving late and the inspector arriving an hour early. The inspector finds a messy house, a dirty diaper hastily hidden in an attaché case, and ants on the floor...and passes Cuddy anyway due to her having a steady income, being apparently loving and actually worried about her messy house, all of which makes her better than most of the applicants he visits. - Despicable Me
In the short film "Home Makeover", a social worker is coming while Gru is away, so Gru's daughter must redecorate the house (with Minions' help) to make the supervillain-lair-looking house looks safe for children or else they will be sent back to their old Orphanage of Fear.
The Inspector Is Coming but about a house (21/ 42 or 50%)
- King of the Hill
The only way for it to work out would be to fail the home inspection, which would ruin Hank's reputation. - King Of The Hill S 12 E 17 Six Characters In Search Of A House
Hank's skills come in handy when he fakes grievous damage to his house in an attempt to discourage a very interested buyer from acquiring Hank's family house; so, invoked. The inspector fails them, but after the customer leaves, he reveals that he knows the place is in perfect shape and recognizes Hank's craftsmanship. - The Hot L Baltimore
It's The '70s and a Rag Tag Bunch Of Misfits inhabit the decaying Hotel Baltimore. When said building fails the safety inspection, the tenants now run the risk of getting evicted, which prompts them to try all sorts of hijinks among the (ab)normal fare of their lives. - Holmes on Homes
Every episode!
The spinoff Holmes: Buy It Right is nothing but home inspections. In each episode, the client provides a shortlist of three houses they're considering buying, and Mike goes through each of them pointing out what needs to be replaced/repaired immediately, what should be worked on within a few years, and what both lists would cost. - The MLP Loops
In the first "Daughters" loop, Twilight Sparkle is Queen of Equestria, while the Cutie Mark Crusaders are her daughters. She leaves them alone for a thousand years while she goes off doing science, and they create a utopia based largely around the Wild Teen Party. They only remember she's coming back at the last minute, and have to clean up a thousand years of parties in a day. - How I Met Your Mother
Inverted in "Home Wreckers". Ted goes house-hunting and hires an inspector to look at a house. The inspector gets about halfway through before telling Ted the place is a deathtrap. Too bad he's already bought it. - How I Met Your Mother S 5 E 20 Home Wreckers
Inverted. Ted goes house-hunting and hires an inspector to look at a house. The inspector gets about halfway through before telling Ted the place is a deathtrap. Too bad he's already bought it. - Home Improvement
Used for just a quick gag in "My Dinner with Wilson", as the inspector was supposed to go to their neighbor Wilson's but got the wrong house. He still showed up right when the Taylors had a dead rat in one of their walls. - Home Improvement S 4 E 09 My Dinner With Wilson
Used for just a quick gag as the inspector was supposed to go to their neighbor Wilson's but got the wrong house. He still showed up right when the Taylors had a dead rat in one of their walls. - Animal Crossing
The HRA (later HHA) are never seen actually rating your house, but leave you a message in the mail with your score. "City Folk" has an actual building for them, where you can get a more detailed score plus a view of a house/room that can currently get you more points. The trope's commonly used plot point is sometimes lampshaded by the townsfolk. - The Backyardigans
In "What's Bugging You?", Tasha's house is being inspected by Mr. Spiffy (Pablo) so she can join the Spiffy Club. When she finds out a worman is in her house, she calls Uniqua and Tyrone from Best Pest Control. Unfortunately, everything Uniqua and Tyrone do seems to attract even more wormen. Then Mr.Spiffy arrives, which means that Tasha, Uniqua, and Tyrone not only have to do their jobs quickly, but they also have to do it in secret. Thus the "Fawlty Towers" Plot. - The Backyardigans S 3 E 5 Whats Bugging You
Tasha's house is being inspected by Mr. Spiffy (Pablo) so she can join the Spiffy Club. When she finds out a worman is in her house, she calls Uniqua and Tyrone from Best Pest Control. Unfortunately, everything Uniqua and Tyrone do seems to attract even more wormen. Then Mr.Spiffy arrives, which means that Tasha, Uniqua, and Tyrone not only have to do their jobs quickly, but they also have to do it in secret. Thus the "Fawlty Towers" Plot. - The Beverly Hillbillies
In "The Social Climbers", a "rich" socialite from back home comes to visit the Clampetts, with the Hidden Agenda of trying to marry Jed for his money. She gives the place the once over. - The Beverly Hillbillies S 6 E 10 The Social Climbers
A "rich" socialite from back home comes to visit the Clampetts, with the Hidden Agenda of trying to marry Jed for his money. She gives the place the once over. - Pepper Ann
One of mom's old friends has a TV show called "This Gorgeous House", and wants to feature their home. Of course, mom goes nuts decorating and dressing up the place like a classic farmstead. But when the old friend and her film crew arrive, the friend is saddened and upset. "I've been covering unrealistic, dolled-up houses for years. Just once I wanted to do a show on a REAL, living house with a real family." - Spongebob Squarepants
"Opposite Day": Squidward wants to move but is warned about having poor chances of selling his house if his neighbors are obnoxious. In order to keep SpongeBob out of the way, he tells him that it's "Opposite Day", assuming that will mean that SpongeBob will stay quiet and out of the way. Instead, he takes it to mean that he should act like Squidward and proceeds to do so when the realtor arrives.
"House Fancy": Squidward wants to show up his high school rival Squilliam by having his house on a TV show. Naturally, SpongeBob shows up to help and makes a mess of Squidward's home. Then the show host compliments him on his daring sense of style. - Sponge Bob Square Pants S 1 E 9 Nature Pants Opposite Day
Squidward wants to move but is warned about having poor chances of selling his house if his neighbors are obnoxious. In order to keep SpongeBob out of the way, he tells him that it's "Opposite Day", assuming that will mean that SpongeBob will stay quiet and out of the way. Instead, he takes it to mean that he should act like Squidward and proceeds to do so when the realtor arrives. - Sponge Bob Square Pants S 6 E 1 House Fancy Krabby Road
Squidward wants to show up his high school rival Squilliam by having his house on a TV show. Naturally, SpongeBob shows up to help and makes a mess of Squidward's home. Then the show host compliments him on his daring sense of style. - Legends of Tomorrow
Justified in "Tender Is the Nate". Hank makes an inspection on the Waverider due to the high expenditure. Naturally, it's a disaster. - Legends of Tomorrow S4 E6 "Tender Is the Nate"
Hank makes an inspection on the Waverider due to the high expenditure. Naturally, it's a disaster. - Dog Shirt
"Handy Manny did a home inspection on this video and he said we're good"
Indexes and misc. (9/ 42 or 21.4%)
