Bart vs. Australia (S06, E16-119)

I imagine in this canon New Zealand's flag is also the same but with red stars.

Plot Summary
There is something called the Coriolis Effect that, among other things, is believed to affect the direction in which water drains in a toilet or tub.  In truth, the water quantity is just too small to be affected, but this episode presumes it does, so lets pretend that the Coriolis Effect really does make water drain counter-clockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere.

Lisa tries to say as much to Bart, but Bart refuses to believe Lisa on the matter.  Attempting to prove her wrong, Bart tries to call multiple places in the southern hemisphere on long distance, but doesn't get anywhere.  After Lisa informs him that such calls are expensive (the later bill Homer pays without argument because he can't remember if he made those calls or not), Bart decides to call collect (remember that?) on one more locale: Australia.  A small boy picks up and informs Bart the drains flow clockwise there.  Bart tries to have the boy check the neighbor's drain, but with Bart being distracted elsewhere and the neighbor's house several hours away, the collect call charges pile up, ultimately costing $900 for a six-hour call.  The boy's father attempts to confront Bart about it, but Bart refuses to pay up, mocking him in the process.  Furious, the man takes it up with a farmhand, who is also his representative, and the two take it up with the prime minister who is relaxing naked in a pond.

Soon, Bart gets hit with letter after letter from Australia, which he ignores.  Soon, the US State Department has to intervene, as mid-90s relations with Australia were low this incident has only made things worse.  Ultimately its decided that Bart and the family fly down to Australia so that Bart can make a public apology.  As they arrive, Bart is informed by Lisa that foreign plants and animals aren't allowed.  Not willing to cause anymore damage, Bart drops off his pet bullfrog intending to pick him back up upon departure, but the bullfrog escapes and runs off with a kangaroo.

As Marge and Lisa tour the area, Homer and Bart go to court for Bart's apology.  He does so with apparent sincerity, but it turns out there's additional punishment in store to Bart much to both his and Homer's surprise.  Now, it seems, Bart must be punished by booting, using a rather gigantic boot.  Though booting is apparently one of Australia's proudest traditions, Homer is able to snatch the boot and make his escape with Bart.  They with the rest of the family just barely get back to the American embassy.

After some more deliberation, its agreed that Bart will still face a booting, but from a wing-tipped shoe from the prime minister at the embassy gate.  Marge objects, but Bart begins to fill with American patriotism and decides to agree to those terms.  At the gate, the prime minister readies his kick, but Bart dodges it and moons the crowd with the phrase "Don't tread on me" written rather well on his ass.  The Australians are outraged and break down the gate.  The Simpsons are able to escape via helicopter to be taken to a laundry ship on its way home.  The Simpsons notice the bullfrogs have since multiplied and are wreaking havoc on Australia's crops.  They laugh at how Australia's environment was unable to deal with a new species, unaware that a koala has latched onto the helicopter.

Quick Review
Bart vs. Australia is one of Season 6's weaker episodes, but still very solid in its own right.  The intentional inaccurate portrayal of Australia and its denizens didn't bother me any though I didn't really find too many of the jokes based on that portrayal all that funny either.  Some of the episode also seemed pretty dated which might've affected my enjoyment of the episode as well.  Still, a lot of the episode was well done and a few missteps shouldn't detract from the viewing experience.

Final Score: 8.5