"I used to be a cool guy, right? With a cool car, hanging out all the time. And now I'm — what am I? I'm a chauffeur to a bunch of worm-sucking idiots!"
— Dennis
After missing the boat both figuratively and literally, the gang realize that the group dynamic might be harming them individually and decide to spend some time apart: Dennis attempts to sell his car and keep his rage in check, Mac tries to get back into the party scene, and Frank joins a new crew. Meanwhile, Charlie and Dee find themselves bonding in unexpected ways.
This episode provides examples of the following tropes:
- Arbitrarily Large Bank Account: Lampshaded at the beginning of the episode, when Dennis blames Frank and his "endless goddamn supply of money" for the gang's increasing levels of insanity.
- The Beard: Mac gives a woman angel dust in exchange for her pretending to have sex with him so that the rest of the gang will think he's straight.
- Brick Joke: At the start of the episode, Dennis hypothetically mentions Frank dressing up as a man-cheetah, which Frank actually does towards the end.
- Borrowed Catchphrase: Frank uses Mac's "guys guys guys, I've got news!" while trying to ingratiate himself with his new crew.
- Call-Back:
- Dee showcases her latest "crazy character", Captain Barnacle.
- Frank and Mac once again end up at a club together, the former wearing his toupee. This is lampshaded when Mac tells Frank to "stop acting like it's 2006".
- Dennis calls himself a "golden god".
- Frank surprises the gang with rum ham at the end of the episode.
- Camp Straight: Dennis is shown applying mascara in his rearview mirror during the cold open.
- Coming Straight Story: Subverted with Mac; he gives a speech to the rest of the gang that makes it seem as though he's finally coming out before introducing them to Dusty, an incredibly beautiful woman who he describes as the "love of his life", and claims that his speech was actually about having the confidence to go after tens. Then at the end of the episode it's revealed that he was actually just pretending to have sex with Dusty the entire time and is still probably gay after all.
- Continuity Nod:
- Frank attempts to recreate the plot of "Underage Drinking: A National Concern", since he wasn't around for that particular scheme. He also references the events of "The Gang Goes Jihad" and "Charlie Work".
- Charlie states that he likes making music.
- Dennis asks if Mac's new "girlfriend" has a dick.
- Cool Car: Dennis repeatedly insists that his Range Rover is this, even though the guy he's trying to sell it to considers it to be "a good starter car."
- Deconstruction: Frank's subplot is a deconstruction of the series itself by applying real world outcomes to the Gang's schemes. It turns out horribly for Frank's new gang.
- Deconstructed Character Archetype: This episode takes a good look at the True Companions trope and asks "What would happen if a friendship bond was incredibly toxic?" All sides of the Gang's relationship are put through the paces. For Dennis, Frank, and Mac, things get worse: without a group to lord over, Dennis becomes even more unbalanced and starts ranting at total strangers; Frank's illegal schemes and generally insane behavior end up getting realistically shut down because he doesn't have anyone enabling him; and Mac's obnoxious personality and deep denial of his homosexuality keep him from making any new friends whatsoever. Meanwhile, Charlie and Dee, who are usually treated horribly by the other three, are genuinely supportive of each other, help tame the other's bad habits and bring out the positive aspects of their personalities, and even develop a sexual attraction. By the end of the episode, when everything goes back to normal, it's clear that the Gang's extremely close ties are actually doing a ton of damage to their psyches, but since they're pretty much the only people capable of keeping themselves even remotely in line, they have to be together.
- Did They or Didn't They?: Charlie and Dee start making out in a heated moment before the scene cuts away. The next time we see them, they're acting exceedingly awkward around each other.
- Even the Girls Want Her: When Mac tries to defend himself by claiming that Dusty isn't even that attractive, Dee joins in with the rest of the guys in pointing out that she's extremely hot.
- Extreme Omnivore: Frank and Charlie are eating worms soaked in rum at the beginning of the episode. Charlie later tries to order a chicken sandwich "with the beak on the side" and seems amazed when Dee informs him that he doesn't have to eat beak at all.
- Failed Dramatic Exit: Dennis is irritated when Mac and Frank both steal his thunder by storming out of the bar before he has a chance to.
- Flanderization: Lampshaded to hell and back as Dennis gives an entire speech pointing out how insane the gang have become over the years.Dennis: And by the way, all of us have become so goddamn weird.
- Friendship Moment: Most of the scenes between Charlie and Dee have them being genuinely sweet and supportive towards each other away from the influence of the rest of the gang, at least until they ruin it by making out and possibly sleeping together.
- Giftedly Bad: Charlie and Dee's attempts at def poetry.Dee: Speaks like Zeus.Charlie: Smells like poops.Dee: Rage all over from his head down to his shoes.Dennis: Zeus, poops, and shoes?! Guys, you suck at def poetry!
- Gilligan Cut:Dennis: We are not missing that boat.(Cut to title card:'The Gang Misses the Boat'.)
- Insane Troll Logic: Dennis somehow thinks his Range Rover is naturally aquatic as well, driving it into a river in an attempt to catch a boat.
- Internal Deconstruction: The episode heavily explores the group dynamics that define the show and reveals a little more about them by splitting them up for an episode via Four Lines, All Waiting. Dennis instigates the separation and seems to only get angrier as he tries to sell a half-submerged car at full value. Frank inserts himself into a vaguely similar group of friends, but his efforts at crazy schemes ends up dramatically ruining their lives. Mac tries to go clubbing and get into random hook-ups, but finds himself trying to keep a certain image of himself to the gang. Charlie and Dee decide to hang out and find themselves both enjoying each others company while also tempering some of their off-putting behaviors, commenting that a lot of their choices come from pressure from the others. But it gets weird when it turns romantic.
- The Loins Sleep Tonight: Referenced when Dusty claims that Mac couldn't even get it up for her.
- Only Sane Man: Deconstructed somewhat with Dennis; he obviously considers himself to be this and blames the rest of the gang for his increasing instability, but in reality he has by far the worst time out of the five of them when they try to go their separate ways. In fact, without the limits of having to be the sane man, he ends up delving into his worst traits.
- Pet the Dog: The rest of the gang are actually fairly supportive when they think that Mac is coming out, and they even refrain from making fun of him after they find out he was only pretending to have sex with Dusty.
- Rage Breaking Point: A potential buyer calling Dennis's Range Rover a "starter car" that's slow and safe enough to get for his daughter sends Dennis into a frothing rage.Dennis: I have contained my rage for as long as possible, but I shall unleash my fury upon you LIKE THE CRASHING OF A THOUSAND WAVES! BE GONE, VILE MAN! BE GONE FROM ME!! A STARTER CAR?! THIS CAR IS A FINISHER CAR, A TRANSPORTER OF GODS!! THE GOLDEN GOD!!! I AM UNTETHERED AND MY RAGE KNOWS NO BOUNDS!!!!
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Dennis gives one to the rest of the gang at the beginning of the episode.
- Replacement Goldfish: Parodied when Frank decides that he's going to get a new crew and latches on to three random people who just happened to buy a bar, using them as replacements for the gang.Frank: You're Charlie. Nah, you're too tall... by any chance do you have homosexual tendencies? You, you could be Dee, but you're smaller. You've got a better body, I think... You, I don't know who the hell you are, 'cause we didn't have a black.
- Ship Tease: Charlie and Dee make out and possibly have sex after spending the episode supporting and encouraging each other.
- Small Name, Big Ego: It's shown in this episode that for Dennis, this even manifests in his car. The implication that his old Range Rover is anything less than the greatest car ever built turns out to be a Berserk Button.
- Status Quo Is God: By the end of the episode, the gang agree to take things back to the way they were.
- Suddenly Shouting: Dennis does this near the beginning as he vents his frustrations.
- Suspiciously Specific Denial:Dennis: Did you bomb and fail and bomb, just like I knew you would?Charlie: Oh, yeah! Yes, that's all that happened, and nothing else happened other than that.
- Toxic Friend Influence: Charlie more or less admits that he only makes fun of Dee due to the influence of Mac and Dennis. The guys also enjoy bullying Charlie, too—Charlie says he bullies Dee because Mac and Dennis will bully him first otherwise, and mentions that Frank makes him eat the beak first whenever they eat chicken. Dee tells him that he doesn't have to eat the beak, and he's stunned by the idea.
- On the whole, it's clear that Charlie and Dee actually get along great while the others aren't around—Charlie is able to politely tell Dee to stop trying to impress their diner waitress with one of her "crazy characters," while Dee keeps Charlie calm and, as mentioned above, prevents him from eating weird non-food items. They also do slam poetry together and genuinely have a good time. The fact that they start making out—and most likely have sex—is only further proof that they're remarkably compatible and would probably be a lot healthier if it weren't for the others.
