A robotic dog is terrorizing Crystal Cove and is framing Scooby. Meanwhile, the gang also meets Professor Pericles for the first time.
The episode provides examples of:
- Affectionate Parody: Of the Terminator franchise (and a dash of Alien), with a similar sting the movie is famous for being used several times.
- Ambiguous Situation: Pericles warns the gang about trusting those closest to them. He's especially talking to Fred. This can either be taken as being careful about trusting each other or being careful about trusting their own families.
- Big Eater: The first time someone other than Shaggy and Scooby gorges on food. In this case, it's Velma trying to imitate Scooby.
- Bond One-Liner: Fred tries one-liner after one-liner each time they think the Frighthound has been destroyed. When it finally goes down, Scooby delivers one that puts all of Fred's attempts to shame.
- Call-Back: The possibility of the Mystery Machine's engine being missing again is brought up.
- The Cameo: Yogi Bear can be seen being wheeled away on a gurney with a Hannibal Lector muzzle. Must've gone after too many pic-a-nic baskets.
- Criminal Doppelgänger: The Frighthound for Scooby.
- Cut Lex Luthor a Check: Mrs. Wyatt built a highly advanced remote-controlled robot that she is using for petty revenge. Justified in her own words as she states she gave up a career in robotics to raise her son.
- Disproportionate Retribution:Mrs. Wyatt: So naturally I did what any mother would do. I BUILT A DEMONIC ROBOT DOG TO DESTROY YOU!
- Easily Forgiven: When Velma realizes Jason was innocent and his mother was the criminal she apologizes for accusing him. Since almost no girl ever talks to or touches him, that is enough for him to forgive her.
- Everyone Has Standards: Jason was mad at Velma accusing him of being a criminal but he didn't approve of his mother attempting murder.
- Exact Words: Back in "The Legend of Alice May", Mr. E's The Dragon stated that whatever is going on in Crystal Cove resulted in the disappearance of four youths... and makes no mention of their mascot, Professor Pericles. It turns out that Pericles is already in jail.
- Expy: The Frighthound is a robot designed to look like a living thing who is also an Implacable Man. It's a dog version of the Terminator.
- Family-Friendly Firearms: Averted for the guards, but not that it helps any on a bullet-proof robot.
- Forklift Fu: How Scooby combats and eventually destroys Frighthound.
- Friend Versus Lover: Shaggy finally chooses friend, leaving a very bitter Velma behind.
- Hypocrite: Velma lets Jason down gently after acknowledging his feelings for her. However, when Shaggy does the exact same thing with the same speech, she completely goes off the handle.
- Implacable Man: The Frighthound. A barrage of gunfire only serves to destroy its disguise and it takes an incredible beating when Scooby fights it with a forklift. Even after it's crushed and burned on the factory assembly line it still isn't stopped until Scooby runs it over.
- Innocuously Important Episode: While the introduction of Professor Pericles was clearly important, the otherwise unrelated events of this episode end up being the reason for his escape, setting up a good amount of the rest of the series.
- Knight of Cerebus: Parodied with Professor Pericles in his cell. It's played straight and sticks when he becomes a recurring character.
- Let's Get Dangerous!: As the Frighthound is about to kill Shaggy and Velma, Scooby fights it with a forklift, and eventually destroys it.
- Mama Bear: Mrs. Wyatt sends Frighthound to kill the gang after they accuse her son of creating it.
- Mangled Catchphrase: Velma copies Scooby's catchphrase at one point, but she says it as "Relma Delma Doo!" Everyone else is not amused, as Scooby was just abducted.
- Monster of the Week: The Fright Hound, a monstrous, robotic Scooby Doo lookalike.
- Never My Fault: Mrs. Wyatt blames Velma for accusing Jason of building the Frighthound, even though she used it to make Scooby look like a criminal.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: The Fright Hound, with and without its pelt.
- Shout-Out:
- The Fright Hound is a canine pastiche of the Terminator, being a nigh-indestructible Killer Robot disguised as a real dog.
- Amongst the captured animals being returned to their cells at the animal asylum, one is a bear wearing Yogi's signature hat and tie.
- Stalker with a Crush: Jason, Velma's old lab partner. He even has a Stalker Shrine of her. Velma is not very pleased about it.
- Terminator Impersonator: The Fright Hound is a cybernetic canine Killer Robot disguised as Scooby-Doo. When attacking the animal asylum, part of its faux skin is shot off by the guards, exposing one glowing red robotic eye, and after the rest of its fake flesh is burned off the music starts homaging the theme to Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Even getting crushed by an industrial press doesn't stop it.
- Third-Person Person: Sheriff Bronson Stone reveals his full name in this manner.
- Took a Level in Badass: Scooby certainly grows a pair when he engages the Frighthound."Bad dog! [...] Play dead."
- The Worf Barrage: The guards at the asylum fire at the Frighthound, but all they do is destroy its disguise.
- Velma: <after her emotional breakdown> I got a text message, it's from Mr. E.
Daphne: What's it say?
Velma: It says, follow the parrot.
