The gang splits up on a temporary hiatus, but to their surprise, they find each other again at Darrow University for future college prospects. Moreover, book-monster Char Gar Gothakon has come to life and is terrorizing the campus, forcing the gang to figure out what's going on.
The episode provides examples of:
- Added Alliterative Appeal: Harlan describes the monster with a frenzy of F-words (but not the F-Word)."I've been violated by a figment of a fantasist's fabricated falsehood for the sole function of fame and fortune!"
- As Himself: Harlan Ellison.
- Broken Pedestal: Why Hatecraft was nearly killed. Hatecraft finally admitted that he was lying about his novels being real, his biggest fan saw it as a betrayal.
- Cthulhumanoid: When Char Gar Gothakon is finally seen clearly, he's just a guy with a squid for a head.
- Darker and Edgier: One of the first episodes in the series to put the gang (and the villain) in serious, realistic peril.
- Fan Hater: In-Universe, Ellison doesn't seem to think very highly of fans. Though to his defense, the fan in question was asking him about the works of another writer rather than his own and one of Hatecraft's crazy fans tried to kill both of them.
- Green-Eyed Monster: Downplayed example with Ellison. He's very harsh on Hatecraft's work but it's implied that he's sick of people always talking about Hatecraft's work and not his new novels. Though once he heard that Hatecraft was in danger, he buried the hatchet and was open to working with him.
- Like Is, Like, a Comma: Harlan Ellison calls Shaggy out on this."What if 'like', like, were used in, like, its proper grammatical form and not, like, as a conversational pause, like every third, like word?"
- Monster of the Week: Char Gar Gothakon, a monster from the works of H.P. Hatecraft come to life at Darrow University, who uses its sonic cry to attack critics of its creator's work.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: After he witnesses the gang getting attacked by Char Gar Gothakon, Professor Hatecraft confesses to making the whole thing up in public. While well intentioned, this only causes the creature to target him.
- Noodle Incident: There’s apparently a rumour at Mayor Jones’ old frat that he ate a live bear. We never learn if it’s true or not.
- Ominous Latin Chanting: Follows the monster around everywhere. Quite fitting considering the works the story is homaging.
- Psycho Supporter: Much like his real-world counterpart, Hatecraft receives a lot of mockery from his critics. The poor professor has no idea that his Loony Fan will kill to protect his honor.
- Shout-Out:
- Mayor Jones exclaims “By Grabthar’s hammer!” at the beginning of the episode.
- One of the items in the Darrow family archives is a note with the Arc Numbers from Lost written on it.
- "Professor H.P. Hatecraft" is based on H. P. Lovecraft, creator of the Cthulhu Mythos, reimagined here as a contemporary author. His greatest fan is named "Howard E. Roberts", named after Robert E. Howard, who also contributed to the mythos.
- Tastes Like Feet: Daphne sniffs a book and compares the smell to "old clam chowder being gargled by a seal". Fred later sniffs a bookbag and declares that it smells like "a baboon smoking a cigar while bathing in a bath of moldy tuna and curdled ranch dressing". The culprit ends up revealing that the smell was from gluing real octopus legs to the mask.
- Teen Genius: Daphne's sisters, as their mother mentions in this episode, graduated at Darrow University back when they were thirteen.
- Testosterone Poisoning: Mu Gamma Tau members wrestle. Constantly. Including in pudding.
- This Is Reality: Mayor Jones complains that Shaggy picking his talking dog over a girl is straight out of a reality show and uses this trope to assure Fred. Well, Mystery Incorporated may not be a reality show, but it’s pretty close to one in cartoon terms.
- Velma: <Reading an letter from Mr.E> If the first Mystery Inc. had what's inside this trunk, maybe they never would have vanished in the first place.
<opening the chest, revealing to be the items relating to the Darrow Family Archives>
Fred: Wow! This looks like the entire history of crystal cove.
Velma: Gang, I think one mystery just turned into two.
