The rivalry between the Murphys and Chet escalates. Kevin tries to reconcile with his friends and rejoin the band. Maureen and Philip do their research to ensure that they will be picked for Hobo Jojo's ring toss. Bridget decides to stalk Bill in retaliation for him breaking up with her.
Tropes:
- Call-Back: The cow who was rolled into the tiger cage at the zoo after having narrowly escaped being hit by a train is shown on TV, having somehow escaped without a scratch, and her owner calling her his "little miracle." Unfortunately, a chimpanzee owned by another guest on the show violently attacks her, graphically ripping open her throat.
- Downer Ending: The episode ends with Nguyen-Nguyen being arrested for poisoning Chet in response to years of abuse, and Kevin being arrested for robbing a liquor store.
- Double Meaning:
- When Sue begs Nguyen-Nguyen to go to the authorities about Chet's abuse, Nguyen-Nguyen tells Sue that she's "trying to change Chet from the inside" while Sue tries to protest that the abuse is likely to get worse, not better. Sue finds out exactly what "changing him from the inside" means just a few minutes later.
- The episode's title counts as this, for the same reason.
- Made Out to Be a Jerkass: Chet tries to win over the neighbors with a pool party, making Frank and Sue appear to be unreasonable when they confront him.
- Obfuscating Stupidity: Invoked by Nguyen-Nguyen when she is arrested for poisoning Chet. Subsequent dialogue to Sue reveals that she knew exactly what she was doing.
- Tampering with Food and Drink: The neighborhood learns that Nguyen-Nguyen has been gradually poisoning Chet with cleaning solution. When the abuse got to be too much for her, she simply dosed him much more heavily, leading to his hospitalization and eventual death.
- The Stool Pigeon: The additional room that Chet had been helping Frank build onto his house as a nursery for the baby is anonymously reported to the city for not having a permit, resulting in Frank being forced to tear it down because of heavy fines. Chet himself reported Frank to the city despite having assisted Frank in building it and convincing Frank that he didn't need a permit to begin with.
