Dale is running for re-election as the Arlen Gun Club president, but his chances seem to be shot when he accidentally discharges his gun and injures one of the members. His rival Mad Dog takes the opportunity to turn the club against Dale and mocks Dale for his made-up stories about being a badass bounty hunter. In an attempt to help Dale regain his confidence, Hank and the gang pretend to hire Dale to carry out a top secret mission but Dale's paranoia causes the fake job to go awry. Hank and the guys go to Mad Dog's to explain the situation but they set off Mad Dog's security end up being taken hostage by him along with the other members of the gun club. Dale learns his friends are in danger and sets off to rescue them. Although Dale is captured by Mad Dog, he bluffs that the CIA are on their way. When several flower delivery trucks arrive (previously ordered by Dale), he pretends they are having a coded conversation which frightens Mad Dog away. Dale unties the hostages and is proclaimed president of the gun club. The episode ends with the members begging Dale to recount the story of how he rescued them, which he happily obliges while adding more extravagant details.
Tropes:
- Batman Gambit: Dale impressively pulls one on Mad Dog, making a call to have several flower delivery trucks arrive outside Mad Dog's compound so that Dale can bluff that the CIA have arrived in the likely event that he gets captured, knowing that Mad Dog's paranoia will get the better of him and frighten him off.
- Becoming the Boast: Hank hopes to invoke this by hiring Dale for a fake mission so he can finally have a real story to impress his gun club buddies with.
- Big Damn Heroes: Dale easily gets past Mad Dog's security and even when he gets captured, he tricks Mad Dog (and the rest of the gun club) into believing he's affiliated with the CIA.
- Blatant Lies: Dale's stories to impress his gun club. Even at the end, he claims that he purposefully accidentally discharged his gun to test their loyalty.
- Calling Your Attacks:Dale: Pocket Sand!
- Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Although he screwed up a simple fake mission, Dale actually succeeds in rescuing his friends and scaring off Mad Dog permanently.
- Evil Counterpart: Mad Dog is Dale with his paranoia cranked up even further, no emotional attachments, and a much greater propensity towards violence.
- Karma Houdini: After being scared off by Dale and his CIA ploy, Mad Dog is last seen running away in the woods. He blows up the building where he held everyone hostage in an attempt to cover his tracks. Fortunately, everyone was outside of the building when it blows up (except for Bill, who quickly assures everyone he's okay). But Mad Dog still escaped and is still on the loose at the end of the episode.
- Paper-Thin Disguise: Hank's voice as "Mr. Big" is just him slightly deepening his voice. Nevertheless, Dale is completely fooled.
- The Paranoiac: Dale is obviously one but Mad Dog might even be worse.
- Special Guest: Gary Busey as Mad Dog.
- Twofer Token Minority: Dale notes that as long as Earl supports him as the Gun Club president, he has both the black vote and the gay vote.
- Vile Villain, Saccharine Show: Mad Dog. He's shown to be quite the dangerous threat when he holds Hank, Bill, and Boomhauer hostage and it appears he's about to kill them all had Dale not interfere. Unhinged and dangerous, Mad Dog wouldn't be out of place in a thriller or an action work.
