A Plot: Beverly enlists the help of Barry and Erica to teach Adam to be more assertive.
B Plot: Murray resolves to be a better friend after learning that Vic doesn't think he can confide in him.
- Bread, Eggs, Milk, Squick: When Murray asks Bill to confide in him, Bill tells him how Murray's previously ignored him trying to talk about winning multiple boomerang throwing records, being in the navy, and having a third nipple on his shoulder that's scheduled for surgical removal...oh, and also thinking birds are really cool.
- Call-Back: Beverly still has the title of "Quaker Warden" from the previous episode, letting her do things like permit Erica and Barry on school grounds so they can eat free cafeteria lasagna.
- Cardboard Box of Unemployment: Lampshaded when Adam sees Helen with a box and recognizes this trope from all the movies he’s seen.
- The Confidant: The B Plot ends with Murray deciding that the best way to regain Vic's trust is to show his own trust in Vic, telling him about how he napped in Erica and Barry's rooms when they went off to college to help connect with how Vic's own daughter is heading to college soon.
- Disaster Dominoes: To try and teach Adam to be more assertive, Beverly, Barry, and Erica set up a trial scenario in which things get progressively worse, starting with Barry-as-shopkeep refusing to honor a refund and ending with Erica-as-other-customer calling Beverly-as-police on Adam for invading her personal space.
- Evil Teacher: Helen the lunchlady turns out to have skipped at least 17 work days and stolen cheese from the school for a personal party, among other issues. However, Adam still feels bad about his complaint being the last straw that gets her fired, and argues with Principal Earl Ball to hire her back.
- Forgetful Jones: When trying to connect with Vic, Murray fails to remember the name of Vic's daughter, or what college she's attending...even though the latter was mentioned less than a minute earlier in the conversation.
- Gone Horribly Right: When Adam starts showing Beverly-level assertiveness, he starts letting the power get to his head, doing things like sitting at the teacher's desk and letting his siblings convince him to ditch his less-assertive friends. He realizes how far he's gone when he sees Helen being fired.
- Hypocritical Humor: When Murray complains to Bill about Vic not trusting him, Bill tells Murray that he's got a habit of ignoring what his friends care about. Murray decides he should immediately start trying harder to be there for his friends...and then leaves the room to go see Vic while Bill tries to tell him about an upcoming surgery.
- Lampshade Hanging: Brea openly questions why Barry and Erica are still hanging around William Penn despite having graduated.
- Rage Breaking Point: Adam has one while his family is trying to teach him to act more assertive, yelling at them in bleeped-out swears. This turns out to be exactly what his family was hoping for.
- Teach Him Anger: The A Plot centers around Adam being taught assertiveness after repeatedly being taken advantage of and his relatives having to step in, with the final straw being Bev seeing him get the worst piece of lasagna in the school cafeteria. However, after being too assertive and unintentionally getting Helen the lunch lady fired, he decides he prefers being passive.
- Third Wheel: The B Plot starts with a platonic version, as Murray realizes that his old friend Vic is spending more time with Formica Mike than him.
