Always Need What You Gave Up: Robbie gets fed up with television that he threw it away. Immediately after however, that television was about to show the steps in how to get out of their predicament. Earl and Roy sports Death Glare at Robbie who could only sheepishly apologizes for his actions.
Comically Missing the Point: Neither Roy nor the old man grasp the obvious similarities between their stories and what that means. After they both leave, Robbie muses they'll figure it out eventually, to which a clueless Earl asks what there is to figure out.
Disappeared Dad: Roy lost his father when he was just an infant, either the latter abandoned him or got lost or even killed via tarpits. Turns out he's alive and has been trying to find his boy ever since then.
Dumbass Has a Point: By the time Baby returns with help, the others are almost completely submerged in tar. The old man takes a moment to discuss how Baby made the Friend-or-Idol Decision and has grown as a person, to which Roy (with only his mouth still visible at this point) suggesting this talk wait until after they're saved.
Failed a Spot Check: Roy doesn't realize that the old man they met at the end of the episode could be his Disappeared Dad and vice versa, in spite of the elderly Tyrannosaurus having Roy's father's name, Roy sharing his name with the man's missing son, and Robbie points out the similarities between their stories.
Fictional Video Game: While at Woody's house, Baby plays a video game called Tarpit Idiots, where he has to save three idiots who closely resemble Earl, Robbie, and Roy from sinking into in a tarpit. This ultimately reminds him that he should be saving Earl, Robbie, and Roy for real instead of playing a video game resembling it.
Friend-or-Idol Decision: Baby is torn between getting help for Earl, Robbie, and Roy and going back to Woody's to get candy. He ultimately decides to lead the old man back to the tarpit.
It's All About Me: This episode focuses on Baby's self-centered behavior and he finally averts this by saving his family.
Product Placement: The Wilderness Ritual instructional video mentions that after the child completes their ritual, they are taken out for a Happy Meal. Near the end of the episode, after Baby rescues Earl, Robbie, and Roy, he shouts "Want Happy Meal now!"note In 1992, McDonald's released plastic hinged moveable toys with finger-pumps of the Sinclair family in their Happy Meals.
Series Continuity Error: It's established that Roy wandered off on his wilderness day and hadn't seen his father since (unaware that his father is still looking for him in the woods and that Les is his father). In "The Howling", Roy tells Earl that the pencil set he gave to Robbie on his 13th birthday is the same one his father had given him, presumably at the same age.
Shout-Out: The video game that Baby and Woody play at Woody's house is Claymates, specifically the game's Final Boss.
You Sound Familiar: Baby Sinclair briefly befriends a little critter named Woody, who's performed by Steve Whitmire using the same voice he used for Wembley Fraggle.
