Filet Of Soul provides examples of:

• Covered in Mud: In the bumper after the episode, Dee Dee plays in the mud with toy pigs, much to Dexter's delight, then dismay, after she has one of her toy pigs kiss Dexter's cheek.
• Damsel in Distress: Dee Dee ends up becoming this when the sewer beyond tries to kidnap her.
• Parody Episode: The entire episode is a reference to the 1982 supernatural horror film Poltergeist. Similarly, Dee Dee gets trapped in another dimension much like the character Carol Anne.
• The Real Spoofbusters: The episode has Dexter and Dee Dee trying the to hunt down the ghost of their pet fish, with Dexter having his own proton pack-like device and even quoting the "Who ya gonna call?" catchphrase.
• Shout-Out: Dee Dee's reaction to being kissed by the ghost of the goldfish is near identical to Lucy's reaction to getting licked by Snoopy from It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
  Dee Dee: I've been kissed by a dead fish!
• Space Whale Aesop: Bury your deceased pets or they'll literally come back to haunt you.
• Unexpectedly Dark Episode: a slight case seeing that it's a Poltergeist parody, but this is one of the few episodes in the show where a character actually dies and Dee-Dee nearly suffering a Fate Worse than Death because she made the mistake of not flushing their pet fish down the toilet.

Golden Diskette provides examples of:

• Actor Allusion: Professor Hawk looks more like his voice actor Tom Kenny than Stephen Hawking.
• Charlie and the Chocolate Parody: This episode spoofs Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
• Composite Character: Professor Hawk is a combination of Willy Wonka and Stephen Hawking.
• Gainax Ending: Shortly after escaping the collapsing factory, Professor Hawk announces the winner, only to then announce HIMSELF as the winner, before speedily thanking the kids for playing before going back in his factory. Lampshaded by both Dexter and Dee Dee. Before the Iris out.
  Dexter: Dee Dee! I am confused.
  Dee Dee: [Happily] Good!
• Identical Stranger: The other boys share similar appearances to Dexter, two of which are implied to be Lee-Lee and Mee-Mee's brothers.
• Musical Episode: Partially.
• Rage Breaking Point: After destroying Professor Hawk's lab, he goes insane so hard that it causes him to break out of his robotic look and was able to talk normally, yet, he's happy about it.
• Throw the Dog a Bone: Even though Dee Dee won the Golden Diskette, Dexter is able to attend the event anyway since she's allowed to bring a guest, and their parents already said they couldn't.