A Plot: When Adam writes a review on The Karate Kid, one of his favorite movies, in the school newspaper, his classmates think the other Adam Goldberg wrote it because the article was missing Adam's middle initial. After finding out, Adam's 11th grade namesake challenges him to a fight, with the winner keeping their name. But fighting isn't allowed on school grounds...so Coach Mellor decides to start a karate club.
B Plot: After their first kiss, Erica and Geoff start sneaking around and stealing kisses behind Evelyn's back. They decide they want their relationship to go public, but Erica doesn't like the way they got together upon seeing how hurt Evelyn is.
- Accent Upon The Wrong Syllable: Like the last time Barry brought it up, the last syllable of "Kara-te" is overly emphasized a few times.
- Arc Words: This episode is the culmination of all "the other Adam Goldberg" statements earlier in the season.
- The Cameo: In The Tag, Beverly, Marvin, Barry and Adam all enroll for Karate classes in a dojo where the instructor, Sensei John (played by Martin Kove, who coached the evil Cobra Kai team in the movie) is a really good guy and teaches with love, kindness and mercy.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall:
- When Barry and Adam come to Marvin's door for "Kara-te" training, Marvin asks them if it's already Thanksgiving. Marvin has previously only appeared in holiday-themed episodes.
- The other Adam Goldberg, admitting that he read Adam's Karate Kid review, says that it was good writing...not good enough for a book, but certainly for a sitcom.
- Paper Tiger: Seeing Adam return to the gym, the other Adam admits he doesn't know how to fight either and was just hoping Adam would wuss out. Since they're both into acting, they act out the last scene of the film, ending by performing double crane kicks to each other. The contest is declared a tie, and they both get to keep their names.
- Reformed Bully: To build up Adam's confidence at the tournament, Murray gives him a pep talk about how he used to be a bully until some kid bopped him one.
- Secret Test of Character: Barry interprets Marvin's admission that he's just been using him for housework as one of these, as otherwise his entire worldview will crumble. Marvin does not react to this positively.
- Wax On, Wax Off: Played with. Adam turns to his "black belt" brother Barry for help, and Barry brings him to his sensei; Uncle Marvin. Like the movie, Marvin uses household chores and cleaning in place of karate techniques...but it's because Marvin's too lazy to do his own cleaning. After learning about the upcoming tournament in which Adam could get injured if he practices his "teachings", Marvin admits to the kids that they've learned nothing about actually defending themselves.
- Whole-Plot Reference: To The Karate Kid.
- Wounded Gazelle Gambit: During the tournament's first round, when the Goldberg brothers are facing each other, Beverly tells Barry to "sweep the leg" so that Adam can fake an injury and get out of fighting. However, Adam is sick of being bullied, and combined with Murray's pep talk, he doesn't wuss out.
