A Plot: Adam is determined to write a novel in the vein of horror icon Stephen King, but he's at a loss for ideas until Beverly comes in the room and does her usual smothering. This inspires Adam to write about a monster called "The Veberly" who sucks the blood of children.
B Plot: Geoff Schwartz and Evey reveal they are going to the high school Halloween dance as Audrey and Audrey Jr. from Little Shop of Horrors, and Erica quickly lies that she is going with Lainey's hot cousin.
- Anachronism Stew: Adam begs Beverly not to break his ankles, referencing one of the most famous scenes in the movie version of Misery. However, that scene replaced a different scene in the original novel, where Annie cuts off Paul's foot instead. The novel was released in 1987, while the film was not out until November of 1990.
- Coordinated Clothes: Geoff and Evey dress as Audrey and Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors, so Erica tries to show them up by also dressing as Audrey and Audrey II with her date (who after Lainey's cousin backs out, ends up being Barry).
- Fake Relationship: Determined to not be shown up by Evey after Lainey's cousin backs out, Erica rents a superior Audrey Jr. costume and forces Barry to wear it and be her "date" to the dance. But Barry falls over a table at the dance and the costume head falls off, with everyone seeing that Erica went with her brother, embarrassing her.
- Halloween Episode: With plot A as a Stephen King homage, and plot B set at the high school Halloween dance.
- Pixelation: Done hilariously with Barry while wearing the Audrey II costume, which already covers his face, making the pixelation completely superfluous.
- Shout-Out:
- Along with the Whole-Plot Reference to Misery, Adam's plot also references It when he dresses like a clown on once scene, and The Tag has Murray suddenly be uncomfortable around family dog Lucky after forgetting a newspaper and reading Cujo in the bathroom.
- Barry wanted to dress up as Harry, the Bigfoot from Harry and the Hendersons.
- Uncool Undies: Beverly holds up a pair of Adam's underoos when telling him they're going underpants shopping the next day. Adam has to actually tell her he's too old for them when she asks.
- Whole-Plot Reference: A proud but clueless Beverly shares Adam's first few chapters with her book club, with all the members quickly realizing the monster is Beverly. Beverly then locks Adam in his room (a la the writer Paul Sheldon in Stephen King's Misery) until he rewrites the Veberly character in a nicer light.
