This film contains examples of:
- Adam Westing: Bob Denver and Alan Hale, Jr. (foreshadowed by one of Michael's lines); Don Adams as the Harbor Master.
- Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: "You must represent darkness, evil, and godless Communism." "You forgot ugly, lazy, and disrespectful."
- As Himself: O.J. Simpson (or not?), Dick Dale, Fishbone, Pee-wee Herman, Barbara Billingsley, Jerry Matters, and Tony Dow.
- It's not clear that all the celebrities are playing themselves. Except Bob Denver, who is Gilligan.
- Call Back: Frankie's fake surfing for a commercial, and later Annette's "real" surfing with Troy.
- The Casanova: Troy (though in Annette's case he's a Casanova Wannabe).
- Chekhov's Skill: Michael's skill at making surfboards. In the end, he monetizes it, to Frankie's delight.
- Contrived Coincidence: The world's biggest wave which destroyed Frankie's career in Australia comes back to attack him in Los Angeles.
- Crowd Chant: Kahu-na! Kahu-na! Kahu-na!
- Deadpan Snarker: Bobby, so very much. Also Sandi.
- Deconstruction: Along with being an affectionate parody with lampshade hanging, it also deconstructs what would really happen when beach kids get older.
- Drowning My Sorrows
- The '80s
- First-Person Smartass: Bobby.
- Foreshadowing: "Am I crazy, or is this the plot to Gilligan's Island?"
- But more importantly, The Accident Story.
- Fridge Logic: Invoked Trope by the bartender, played by Bob Denver, who gripes that he knew "a guy who could build a nuclear reactor out of coconuts but couldn't fix a two-foot hole in a boat."
- Good Bad Girl: Annette's rival Connie. She spends a good chunk of time trying to steal Frankie - but has no real interest in Frankie. Why? Because she's supposed to, and it's a way for Annette to re-realize how good she has it with Frankie.Annette: I've always sort of wanted to be the bad girl...Connie: Impossible. But I'll tell you something. You sure have wasted an incredible pair of hooters.
- Hideous Hangover Cure: "Keith Richards lives on these things."
- Doubly funny as Frankie needs a minute to remember who Keith Richards is. Then again, he is outrageously hung over.
- Insistent Terminology: The Humanga Cowabunga from Downunder. Appropriate given it's kind of a memorable name.
- Irony: Frankie sings "California Sun", but it was Annette who covered it in 1963.
- Left the Background Music On: Troy, at one point.
- Medium Awareness: Annette, which is why she's never too upset. She knows the formula by heart, even if almost everyone has forgotten it.
- The Mickey Mouse Club: Referenced in flashback.
- Motorcycle Dominoes: Or surf board dominoes, in this case.
- Odd Friendship: Frankie and Michael.
- Oh, No... Not Again!: The bartender (AKA Gilligan) when his buddy (AKA The Skipper) turns up at the bar and cheerfully announces it's time for them to go on a trip...
- Operation: Jealousy: Toyed with by Annette.
- Overprotective Dad
- Pun: "Somebody get me a net. ...Well I didn't mean that kind of Annette."
- Redemption Quest: Frankie in the surfing contest.
- Reverse Psychology: Annette uses this on Bobby at one point.
- Running Gag: Everyone gets Frankie's nickname "Big Kahuna" wrong.
- Slumber Party: A pajama party
- Smug Snake: Bobbie. He's trying desperately to be hardcore and...isn't. Mostly because he's twelve.
- Surfer Dude: Mountain.
- Troubling Unchildlike Behavior: Bobby thrives on this (along with his switchblade). He's driven nuts because Annette thinks it's cute. He gets better.
- Voodoo Shark: The Humunga Cowabunga from Down Under.
