The gang get trapped in an Old, Dark House during a storm and are harassed by ghosts and a mysterious detective who has some incorrect assumptions about them and a stunning resemblance to Don Knotts.
This episode contains examples of:
- Artistic License – Law: At one point "Homer" pulls out a badge, and declares that he's holding the gang until he determines who's guilty. As a Private Investigator he would not have authority to do this. He could still make a Citizen's Arrest if he had probable cause, but his status as a P.I. would have nothing to do with that.
- Big Eater: Shockingly enough, it's Velma who shows hints of this when she requests a pretty huge order from Daphne as a midnight snack.
- Cassandra Truth:
- When Scooby tried to tell the gang he saw Don Knotts, or at least a guy that looks like him, they didn't believe him...until they see him for themselves.
- Homer Pipsqueak was initially under the impression that Fred, Daphne, Velma, and Shaggy were Captain Moody's nieces and nephews. It's not until the show is three-fourths over before they finally convince him otherwise.
- Dumbass Has a Point: Homer Pipsqueak is correct to suspect someone in Captain Moody's family of an attempted Inheritance Murder, something he's quick to lampshade once the case is closed.
- Evil Nephew: Captain Moody's nephews are plotting an Inheritance Murder.
- The Hermit: Captain Moody hasn't left his Old, Dark House in over 20 years.
- Hypocritical Humor: Fred urges Shaggy and Scooby to Stand Your Ground against the ghost, but when it scares him, he bowls them over while running for the door.
- Idiot Ball: Fred tries to help Shaggy relax before bed by loaning him his book. Said book's title is Shocking Tales of Terror, and Shaggy is already a Lovable Coward who is rattled by the storm and the creepy servants.
- Master of Disguise: Pipsqueak is a self-proclaimed man of 1000 disguises. He's actually pretty good at it, though the gang is quick to notice similarities to all his characters.
- Never Say "Die": Averted moreso than all previous episodes — since the plot involves an Inheritance Murder, words like "death" and "die" are all over the episode.
- Owls Ask "Who?": When Scooby tries to tell the gang he saw Don Knotts, an owl keeps saying "Who", causing Scooby to keep repeating himself, much to his irritation.
- Talk Like a Pirate: One of Pipsqueak's disguises is a peg-legged sailor who loves saying "argh" and other such piratical lines.
- They Have the Scent!: When Scooby wants to help, Pipsqueak decides to have him help track down Captain Moody by having him sniff his socks. Unfortunately, the initial attempt results in Scooby leading Pipsqueak to the Captain's sock drawer.Pipsqueak: You don't follow the smell of the socks, you follow the smell of the man who wore them!
- They Wasted a Perfectly Good Sandwich: A ghost sighting in the kitchen makes Shaggy and Scooby run away before they can eat the huge sandwiches they just prepared.
- The Unreveal: Is "Homer Pipsqueak" real or is it just Don Knotts in disguise? And did the gang really believe he was Homer Pipsqueak or were they just playing along?
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Moody's nieces Cynthia and Meg don't show up for the banquet that he invited them and their Inheritance Murder-plotting brothers or cousins to. Presumably they were delayed by the storm, but this is never confirmed.
