It's field trip day, but Menlo has refused to sign Mikey or Gus's permission slip forms for the trip to the Rootbeer Rabbit theme park and Randall has hoarded all of the good balls. Thus, they are excluded. Randall and Menlo join forces to blackmail the playground.
- Adults Are Useless: Both Prickly and Finster sign off on Randall and Menlo ending recess indefinitely as a means to keep everyone's attention on them. Finster has the excuse that she trusts Randall, but Prickly doesn't.
- Blackmail: Menlo knows all of the students' records and the secrets they would like to keep. He does this to intimidate Gretchen and demand that people do chores for them.
- Bread, Eggs, Breaded Eggs: Spinelli states Menlo went from being a dweeb, to a creep, to a jerk, to a dweeby creepy jerk after he stared hanging out with Randall.
- Continuity Nod: Menlo still has a crush on Ashley A., something which hasn't been mentioned since Officer Mikey in Season 1.
- Everyone Has Standards: The kids of recess agree to break up Menlo and Randall's alliance when Menlo uses his connections to get Mikey suspended for a relatively small misdemeanor. Going after T.J., Spinelli or Vince is one thing, but Mikey is definitely off-limits.
- Heel Realization: Menlo gets one after Battle Tag wraps up. He says that his power-hungry attitude was wrong, and goes to release Mikey from suspension.
- Mysterious Middle Initial: Randall threatens to reveal what the J stands for in TJ's name, which his friends took as a serious threat. TJ just said he didn't care and walked away, so we never find out what it is.
- Never My Fault: Neither Menlo nor Randall stops to consider that if they were nicer or more understanding about what the kids want, then they wouldn't have been excluded. They both shout at the same time that they are underappreciated while watching the Battle Tag fracas.
- Noodle Incident: Menlo notes that Gretchen has no black marks against her...except for a first-grade spelling bee in which she and a judge agreed on an incorrect spelling of "Mississippi."
- Not So Above It All: This ends up breaking the Randall-Menlo alliance. T.J. stages another Battle Tag game though it's now against the rules, and says that he picks Menlo for his team. Menlo is so excited about finally being picked that he goes in as Randall warns him it's a trick.
- Picked Last: The episode is kicked off by Randall and Menlo not even being picked for a game of Battle Tag.
- Poke the Poodle: Some of the demands Menlo and Randall ask for is just to be the third member in their recess playtime. At least, it starts out that way before the power gets to their head. Gus, Vince, and Spinelli are mortified regardless.
- Revenge by Proxy: After TJ stands up to Randall and Menlo and shows he isn't scared of any blackmail they try to use on him, they realize they can't get back at him directly, so instead they decide to go after Mikey in his place.
- Toxic Friend Influence: Menlo to his credit is hesitant about breaking the rules and using his influence to get Gus and Spinelli to play with them. He even warns Randall they could both get in trouble. As they start gaining more power over the other kids, however, Menlo starts bearing a Psychotic Smirk and even gives an Evil Laugh about blackmailing Gretchen.
