As with all episodes of Dennis the Menace, there are some good moments, some funny lines. But this might be the single weirdest episode of them all, and not because of any of the witch doctor costumes.
Indeed, it's just the entire feel of the episode from the time that Alice walks into the living room and announces that she's baking John Wilson a cake because she feels sorry for him staying alone in the Wilsons' house because Martha has "gone back east for a while," presumably to stay with George who by now has been out of town on his business trip for a few months.
(Who leaves a guest alone in the house, even a family member, for an extended period to take a trip?)
No, the problem with this episode is it simply doesn't fit. John Wilson has gone from being Martha's guest to being treated like he owns 625 Elm within a matter of six weeks or so. He's no longer "Mr. Wilson's brother" by the time of this episode, he's "the new Mr. Wilson." George Wilson is not mentioned once, and Martha gets the one mention from Alice.
In retrospect, it's a Season 3 episode that might as well be on an island. Call it Season 3 1/2 all on its own. The only reason that it doesn't quite belong in Season 4 is because Eloise Wilson hasn't made her first appearance and Dennis is wearing overalls for one last episode. That really is the only tie to the Joseph Kearns era that is evident in this installment. I think the writers were trying to prepare viewers for how Season 4 would look with George and Martha out and John (and later Eloise) in.
All of that is not to mention this episode being more heavy handed socially than any in the series, given the message of tolerance amid misunderstanding. This was before the race-related turmoil of the mid-60s, but it certainly gave a nod in that direction.