The arrival of Morticia's old friend Lionel Barker puts Gomez on edge, especially when the two seem to get along beautifully. With help from Fester, he hatches plans to make Lionel uncomfortable enough to leave, but these plans create more havoc by convincing Morticia she has a rival for her husband's affections.
This episode includes examples of the following tropes:
- Appetite Equals Health: When Gomez isn't hungry at breakfast, Morticia's immediate reaction is to feel his forehead and check for a fever.
- Con Man: Lionel—though his attempt to con Gomez into buying dodgy stock (his entire reason for visiting) fails completely, Gomez dismissing the idea in one sentence:Lionel: My pal is president of the South Tasmanian Oil Company—Gomez: If your pal put your money into South Tasmanian Oil, you ought to have him boiled in it.
- Driven to Suicide: Gomez attempts suicide twice (once by getting Uncle Fester to shoot him and once by asking Lurch to hang him) so that Morticia can legally marry Lionel. (He insists it isn't suicide, as he considers suicide to be cowardly and being killed by someone else to be preferable—but he's still clearly suicidal despite his attempt at Insistent Terminology.)
- Gold Digger: Lionel, who visits the Addamses hoping to run a financial scam, becomes interested in Mildred the maid when he sees signs she seems to know about stocks.
- Happily Failed Suicide: Gomez attempts suicide twice and fails both times, much to his dismay. However, he ends up pleased about it when he realizes Morticia saw Lionel simply as a friend.
- I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Gomez and Morticia each thought the other was preparing to stray, and each told the other they would step aside for the other's happiness. Fortunately, they each realize the truth before it's too late.
- Mistaken for Cheating: Morticia happens in on Gomez giving romance lessons to Mildred, the maid he hired to capture Lionel's attentions, and believes he's cheating on her.
- Not So Stoic: Morticia begins crying and apologizes to Thing for making herself a spectacle when she happens on Gomez holding Mildred in his arms and passionately kissing her.
- Our Better Is Different: As one of his plans, Gomez has Fester help him refurnish the guest room, changing the bed for a softer one, replacing the crows with a canary, and so on. This produces opposite effects as Lionel enjoys the changes and Morticia scolds Gomez for trying to make him uncomfortable.
- Poor Communication Kills: A literal example almost occurs during the episode. Gomez thinks Morticia is having an affair with an old friend. Rather than talking to her, he tries to commit suicide (with assistance from Uncle Fester and Lurch) to "free" her to remarry.
