Thelma & Louise: The 1991 film is parodied and referenced throughout the episode. There is even a lady in the diner who resembles the title character Susan Sarandon plays, and the waitress who complains about the waffles wears a uniform that represents hers.
The car that Ruth stole from her husband is a 1966 Ford Thunderbird convertible, the same vehicle that the film's titular characters drove in the film.
Sugarland Express: Also referenced in the episode, particularly in the scenes showing dozens of police cars pursuing Marge and Ruth.
The man in the telethon reading passages from his "Badger Falls" book is an obvious parody of Garrison Keillor and his Lake Wobegon stories.
The ending of the episode is an homage to the crime drama series Dragnet.
Lionel Hutz's line, "This isn't the YMCA" appears to be a reference to the Twilight Zone episode "Person or Persons Unknown", in which the protagonist snidely remarks at one point, "What? This isn't the YMCA?"
The distinctive four-note theme from Dragnet is played at the end of the closing sequence, just before the credits roll.
When Homer says "Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name," It is a possible reference to the song "Where Everybody Knows Your Name", the theme song for "Cheers".
Trivia[]
In the scene where Homer is talking through a bullhorn to Marge, Dan Castellaneta actually recorded the lines using a bullhorn.
This was the last episode until "The Strong Arms of the Ma" (nine seasons later) that Ruth Powers had a speaking role. Also, while her daughter, Laura, doesn't appear, she is mentioned by Ruth.
If Lionel Hutz made $8.00 for 32 hours, his pay averages exactly a quarter (25 cents) per hour. He originally wanted $175.00 per hour, which would mean he would make $5600 for 32 hours.
Homer apparently carries around a card that reminds him to always do the opposite of what Bart says (unless Bart says something like, "Don't give me the card").
The Springfield police badge displayed in the credits resembles the face of a clown.
Goofs[]
Marge with a pink bead
Marge doesn't wear a watch, but she wears it in one scene.
In this episode, Ruth says she divorced Laura's father because all he did was eat, sleep, and drink beer (implying that he's a lot like Homer). However, in "New Kid on the Block", Ruth implied that they divorced because he was too wrapped up in his career to focus on being a good husband/father (indicating that they got divorced because of him having workaholic tendencies).
Throughout most of the episode Ruth's cigarette appears and disappears between shots.
In the club where Ruth initially brings Marge, the man who hits on Marge changes from African-American to Caucasian between shots.
When Marge tries to figure out how to respond to Ruth's question about whether she'll support her car theft, the back-most bead on Marge's necklace repeatedly turns pink like her scarf.
