There's a girl Robbie likes, but she's interested in a more muscular guy. Spike tells Robbie that he's that way because he takes Thornoids, a drug that Robbie hasn't heard of. Spike tries to talk Robbie out of taking Thornoids, but he steals some from the other guy's locker, and they succeed in giving Robbie bigger muscles as well as spikes and a more aggressive and arrogant attitude. Robbie manages to score a date with her to the dance, but during the dance, he starts to get aggressive with her. She reveals to him that she liked him before he got his muscles. Spike criticizes Robbie for picking on girls, and Robbie decides to take on Spike, but Robbie's spikes end up getting him stuck into a locker. Rather than help Robbie out, Spike decides to keep Robbie there until he loses his muscles and spikes.
Includes examples of
- Anti-Role Model: While trying to convince Baby to eat peas, Fran asks if he wouldn't like to be like... upon taking a look at Earl, decides to use Robbie as a reference but Baby doesn't like the idea of looking like what Robbie usually does.
- Big Brother Bully: Robbie becomes this once his aggression grows from his taking of Thornoids, threatening Charlene into surrendering her bathroom time to him and crushing Baby's rattle. Granted, both younger siblings deserve it for making fun of him.
- Drugs Are Bad: The main point of the episode is that steroids are bad. Robbie becomes increasingly more aggressive the more he takes Thornoids and eventually lashes out at his own family and even Spike. By the end of the episode, Robbie comes to realize how bad Thornoids are and swears off them for good.
- Everyone Has Standards: Spike is a bit of a lowlife and a ne'er-do-well, but even he knows that a boy should back off when a girl says "No". Especially if she's uncomfortable and/or scared.Spike: For future references, when a girl says "Don't touch me" and runs off, that's a baaaaad date.
- Exact Words: Spike's idea of helping the Sinclairs to put their refrigerator back where the Thornoid-influenced Robbie took it from is to eat some of the food kept in there so it'll be lighter.
- Hangover Sensitivity: When Robbie is recovering from the Thornoids, he asks Spike to not speak so loud since he has a headache. Spike chooses to yell in his ear just to mess with him and to get back at him for his aggressive attitude.
- Jerk Jock: Robbie basically becomes one after gaining muscles.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Charlene taunts Robbie for being insecure about his masculinity. Robbie, fueled by Thornoids, later gets back at her by threatening her out of the bathroom.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Once the Thornoids wear off, Robbie realizes how awful he treated everyone.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Spike is usually the one to rope Robbie into his ne’er do-well antics. Here, however, he’s very noticeably nervous and unsure about Robbie’s decision to start taking drugs, even trying his best to talk him out of it. Makes you wonder if he had his own bad experience with them in the past.
- Privacy by Distraction: A Played for Drama example occurs when Robbie starts to bully and browbeat Caroline before the dance. Luckily for her, Spike intervenes by telling Caroline that there's a "crisis with the decorations". She quickly catches on, nods in agreement, and leaves; thus allowing Spike to confront Robbie about his aggressive behavior.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Spike doles one on the Thornoid-powered Robbie after the latter gets stuck into a locker.Spike: You admit you're eating Thornoids?
Robbie: Yeah, so what if I am?! Look at the body they got me!
Spike: Yeah. And look at what it's costing you. Caroline doesn't want to be with you, your family thinks you're psycho, and I've just about had it with you touching my jacket. - Very Special Episode: Unlike "A New Leaf", this episode takes the dangers of drugs a lot more seriously.
