While taking the gang to visit his Uncle Nathaniel, Shaggy gets sidetracked by the smell of a cookout, leading the gang to a reunion with the Harlem Globetrotters, who are looking for peace and quiet. Unfortunately, both turn out to be in short supply when the group encounters first a trio of ghosts and then a lake monster.
This episode includes examples of the following tropes:
- All for Nothing: The culprits wanted to scare everyone away from a shipwreck to retrieve the gold in its hold. Uncle Nat informs them it's an old movie prop that got left behind after filming.
- Anti-Sneeze Finger: Three of the Globetrotters hide from the ghosts up the chimney, which unfortunately leads to one needing to sneeze. The others try to deter him with the "finger under the nose" trick, but it doesn't work.
- Bedsheet Ghost: Curly and Meadowlark scare Shaggy and Scooby by accidentally getting covered in sheets.
- Brief Accent Imitation: Shaggy briefly puts on a French accent while explaining a dress dummy to Scooby.
- Fine, You Can Just Wait Here Alone: When Shaggy and Scooby try to stay at the house while the others look into the sea serpent, Fred says it's fine if they want to stick around with the ghost.
- Got Volunteered: Meadowlark "volunteers" the rest of the Globetrotters by telling them "All those staying", and waiting until all of them have raised their hands in favor before adding "don't raise your hand!". The others can't recover from the reversal quickly enough to lower their hands in time.
- I Ate WHAT?!: Downplayed. Shaggy and Scooby, suffering from insomnia, go for a midnight snack. Finding something in a cauldron over the fire, they eat it happily...only for Uncle Nathaniel to tell them that it's soap. The two groan softly and Uncle Nathaniel says they look peaked.
- Improvised Weapon: When the last ghost tries to escape, Curly uses a basketball to bring him down.
- Late to the Realization: Uncle Nat doesn't realize that the extra guests his nephew brought are the Harlem Globetrotters until they start an impromptu basketball game in the mansion.
- Opinion Flip Flop: Initially, the guys who run the boat rental follow their hidden boss's instructions and refuse to let the gang and the Globetrotters rent boats, despite what their sign says. When the group threaten to complain to the sheriff about the false advertising, their boss has already walked away. The two cave, afraid of the sheriff finding something out while investigating. Their boss scolds them, saying that the sheriff, who would have stayed on land, would have been the better choice.
- Security Cling: In addition to Shaggy and Scooby doing their standard maneuvers, Curly jumps into Meadowlark's arms when the Stock Ness Monster appears.
- Stock Ness Monster: The gang stumbles across a lake creature that looks something like an aquatic dragon. Velma outright compares it to the Loch Ness Monster.
- Strong Family Resemblance: Shaggy's Uncle Nathaniel (and his other relatives in the paintings, including his Grandma Matilda) all look like him. Velma brings it up when Nat asks how they know who he is.
- Tempting Fate: The gang and the Globetrotters are looking forward to quiet and fun for the visit...so naturally they find another spooky mystery and spend most of it investigating.
