The Simpsons (animation)/Recap/S22/E17 Love is a Many-Strangled Thing

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Homer is enrolled in a "Fatherhood Enrichment Class" after making a laughing stock out of Bart at a baseball game. While there, the therapist discovers Homer's regular strangulation of his son and bullies him back until he eventually becomes a total pushover. In turn, Bart becomes a bully until he himself gets put into therapy. While there, the therapist decides to take matters into his own hands - literally.

Tropes used in Love is a Many-Strangled Thing include:
  • Black Comedy: Homer being repeatedly strangled (with gruesome sound affects to go along with it) as part of his therapy, Bart barely caring to save his father from dying while hanging with a noose around his neck, Homer and Bart sueiing the therapist for his home in a hollowed-out tree... the list goes on.
  • Deconstructed Trope: The episode portrays a rather more realistic reaction to the beloved running gag of Homer strangling his son as discipline. Your Mileage May Vary on how much they succeeded, though the general consensus is that the episode fails and that the strangulation gag should not be dealt with as if you think about it too long it becomes disturbing.
  • Pun: "I'm on a European vacation, but you're a-peeing everywhere!"