For shooting off Uncle Fester's dynamite caps without his permission, Morticia punishes Wednesday by not letting her play with Homer, her pet spider, for the next two weeks. She decides to run away from home but goes only as far as hiding in Pugsley's room so she can watch her parents' reaction. Not knowing this, Morticia calls the police and drives a cranky Sgt. Haley batty—especially when Wednesday decides to run away for real.
This episode includes examples of the following tropes:
- Bizarre Taste in Food: At one point, Uncle Fester is eating a cactus leaf.
- Corporal Punishment: Defied by Morticia when Uncle Fester wants Wednesday to be punished this way.Uncle Fester: Morticia, Gomez, this child has got to be whacked!
Morticia: We do not go around whacking people in this house!
Gomez: Certainly not without good reason! - "Day of the Week" Name: Morticia tells Sgt. Haley that Wednesday's middle name is Friday.
- Reverse Psychology Backfire: After learning that Wednesday only hid in Pugsley's room instead of running away, Morticia and Gomez attempt to trick her into coming out by pretending to converse in her earshot about taking her back once she's had enough of slaving in a tuna cannery—provided they still have room—and they threaten to remove her pictures from the family album. Pugsley figures out what they're doing and informs Wednesday that they assume she doesn't have it in her to leave home for real, so she decides to run away to a tuna cannery.
- The Runaway: At first, Wednesday decides to run away to Pugsley's room. Later, she runs away for real and ends up at the police station.
- Unusual Pets for Unusual People: Homer, Wednesday's pet spider, who she takes with her when running away to the tuna cannery.Sgt. Haley: Would the nice young lady like a nice big strawberry ice-cream cone?
Wednesday: No, sir.
Sgt. Haley: Well, what would you like?
Wednesday: A dead fly.
Sgt. Haley: Fly?
Wednesday: For my spider. He's hungry.
