When Peter takes Meg to a college interview, the two finally bond over partying. Meanwhile, Brian is forced to live outside after being sprayed by a skunk.
Tropes associated with this episode include:
- Afraid of Lightning: Brian insists that nothing will make him go back to an indoor life. Then a thunderstorm starts.
- Ambiguous Situation: When Peter rushes Meg out of the frat party after her...demonstration with the beer funnel; was it because he was terrified of what a house full of drunken men might do to his daughter in response or because he was deeply disturbed by the fact she can do it at all?
- All for Nothing: Lois singlehandedly destroys Meg's newfound relationship with Peter to ensure she has a chance to develop a new image at college. Her literal first day there, she contracted genital warts and got the Embarrassing Nickname "The Warthog".
- Bait-and-Switch: After Peter's disasters with the Petercopter and the Hindenpeter, where he crashed on and wrecked Joe's property, you might the Megcopter to have a similar fate. The Megcopter, which looks like the Petercopter except with a paint job that incorporates Meg's glasses and hat, works perfectly.
- Bank Robbery: How Peter says he pays for his various shenanigans. His attempt at performing one with Meg goes poorly.
- Brick Joke: Retep reappears a couple times, first tripping up Brian with a rock and later being observed committing a murder.
- Distant Finale: It ends with Meg giving a narrative about how she ended up getting into college, but was teased mercilessly and got an STD her first day there.
- Double-Meaning Title: "Meg Stinks" may seem like a Portmanteau of Meg's plot and the skunk plot, but when you think about it, Meg's willingness to neglect her college interview, among other things, kind of proves that this Meg stinks.
- Establishing Character Moment:My name is Retep, and I am evil."
- Evil Laugh: Retep during his two later appearances.
- Healing Factor: After Peter's hand gets severed by a bridge, not only does he regrow a new hand, but the severed hand grows into a clone of him.
- Ignored Expert: Lois cautioned Meg about how rough it can be trying to keep up with Peter's antics. Meg doesn't listen and ends up quite debilitated.
- "Not Making This Up" Disclaimer: Peter says he once dreamed of being a podiatrist. A cutaway shows him doing an effective job. Peter then looks at us and says he once had legitimate aspirations.
- Shout-Out:
- The J. Geils Band's 1981 hit "Love Stinks!"
- Also to Cast Away (Brian living outside and growing a shaggy beard)
- Smelly Skunk: The basis of the B-plot.
- Sdrawkcab Name: Peter's Evil Twin is named Retep.
- Suspiciously Similar Substitute: Subverted with the Megcopter, which looks like the ill-fated Petercopter except that its paint job reflects Meg's glasses and hat. Despite the Petercopter and its successor the Hindenpeter both crashing on Joe's lawn, the Megcopter is a subversion in that it works perfectly.
- Tempting Fate: Brian assuring Stewie that absolutely nothing will get him to move back inside. Then the lightning starts up.
- Took a Level in Badass: Brian goes from a meek dog struggling to survive outside to an assured, muscled up warrior. At least until the thunderstorm, anyway.
- Troll: As Brian initially struggles outside, Stewie mocks him by talking about how warm it is inside and how he's given a steak to Rupert.
- Twist Ending: The B-Plot. Adam West has been watching the whole thing through a crystal ball.
- Yank the Dog's Chain: Lois does everything she can to kill Meg and Peter's friendship, even though by all respects it ends up better for everyone involved, seemingly because she doesn't want Meg to enjoy herself. Peter is outright heartbroken to split the friendship. And to add insult to injury, Lois does it to make sure Meg can start fresh with a new identity at college... a shot Meg blows her first day there by contracting genital warts and getting the nickname "The Warthog". It ultimately makes Lois seem even crueler than Peter, as she doesn't even want Meg to be happy.
