History Recap / SpongeBobSquarePantsS3E1TheAlgaesAlwaysGreenerSpongeguardOnDuty

* VolumetricMouth: When [=SpongeBob=] screams after imagining the fish as gravestones in the goo, his mouth expands to cover his entire body.

-->'''Customer:''' Well, "Mr. Funny Man"-[''holds up an '''absolutely horrifying''' Krabby Patty'']is ''this'' how you get your sick kicks?!\\

-->'''Customer:''' Well, "Mr. Funny Man..."[''holds up an '''absolutely horrifying''' Krabby Patty''] Is ''this'' how you get your sick kicks?!\\

-->'''Customer:''' Well, "Mr. Funny Man"...[''holds up an '''absolutely horrifying''' Krabby Patty''] Is ''this'' how you get your sick kicks?!\\

-->'''Customer:''' Well, "Mr. Funny Man", is ''this'' how you get your sick kicks?!\\

'''Plankton:''' What? It's just an ordinary Krabby— '''OH MY GOODNESS. ''SQUIDWARD!!!'''''

** Great things require great dedication and time management. It might seem glorious to own a popular restaurant, but it comes with obnoxious employees and customers, conniving rivals and logistical issues.

It's a sunny day at Goo Lagoon, and Patrick and [=SpongeBob=] are baking in the sun. When Larry the Lobster comes by, [=SpongeBob=] fantasizes about how cool it would be to be a lifeguard, but Patrick disagrees. [=SpongeBob=] thinks he's as cool as Larry and teases fate by saying that he will be struck by "a flying ice cream truck" if he's not. He only survives by screaming "and live" at the last second, letting him get out from under the truck without a scratch, save for the vanilla ice cream on his nose. Larry thinks it's sunscreen and asks [=SpongeBob=] to help out a fellow lifeguard. [=SpongeBob=] enjoys a montage of the popularity but runs into trouble when a fish is drowning. Larry rushes out to save him and [=SpongeBob=] learns there's more to lifeguarding than having fun. He freaks out when he imagines the lagoon has turned into a graveyard. He tries to call an emergency but gets caught in his bluff. When the people return to their swim, [=SpongeBob=] watches in horror as fish splash each other, water ski on top of each other, play with a ball inside of a killer whale's mouth, and throwing Scooter headfirst into a rock. [=SpongeBob=] gets everyone out with free ice cream and keeps them there with by tying them up with police tape. Things go south when Patrick charges through the tape to get his share of free ice cream and suffers a cramp in his butt when he runs on the surface of the lagoon. He begins to drown, and it's up to his best friend to save him... without swimming. [=SpongeBob=] tries to save him by throwing a life preserver that doesn't reach, drinking the lagoon which traps Patrick inside him, and rowing out to him with a "borrowed" boatmobile which Patrick destroys in a panic. The dopey duo struggle until Larry "rescues" them from the shallows. [=SpongeBob=] has to admit he's not a lifeguard and train with Patrick on how to swim as Larry watches on. They both get butt cramps, and Patrick complain he still didn't get his ice cream as the episode ends.

Plankton learns that the algae’s always greener when he switches lives with Mr. Krabs.

The episode starts with Plankton using a decoy ketchup bottle to launch himself onto a Krabby Patty that Old Man Waller purchased, but Old Man Walker’s aim launches him like a bullet into Mr. Krabs’ room. Mr. K freaks out when he thinks somebody is trying to shoot him but calms down when it turns out to just be Plankton and flicks him away. When Plankton gets home he gets fed up with his boring life eating “holographic meatloaf” for dinner and wishes to switch lives with him just to know what it’s like. Karen then suggests he use his "Switch-Lives-Just-To-Know-What-It's-Like-O-Mogrifier" which he uses it switch lives with Krabs, obviously. After being launched into a red tunnel Plankton wakes up at Krabs’ desk at the Krusty Krab dressed in his clothes. Plankton uses his authority to do a “bun inspection” and revel in his fame and fortune. That is until [=SpongeBob=] comes in for a weekly performance review. When pressed for an answer, Plankton says [=SpongeBob=] uses too much sauce. When [=SpongeBob=] starts whimpering at his criticism, Plankton is forced to promote [=SpongeBob=] to co-cashier and move Squidward to grill duty when he complains. Things don’t go much better when his daughter Pearl cries about not getting a bigger allowance, a customer complaining about Squidward’s “cooking”, and [=SpongeBob=] crying about how he “soiled the Krusty Krab’s good name” after he gave a customer a bigger drink by accident. When a siren starts blaring the customers and crew take cover much to Plankton’s confusion. The threat turns out to be none other than Krabs, Plankton’s business rival, trying to steal a Krabby Patty. [=SpongeBob=] stops the threat by shooting clothes at the naked nemesis, finally pinning a bra onto him. The customers and crew give a “victory screech” as Krabs promises to come back the next and the next day and so forth. Plankton can’t handle it and returns to his old life, a lot happier than before.

[[quoteright:260:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dreaming_8_1.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:260:"Just imagine, if I were a lifeguard."]]

[=SpongeBob=] learns that being a lifeguard is about “guarding lives”, not “being popular”.

It's a sunny day at Goo Lagoon and Patrick and [=SpongeBob=] are baking in the sun. When Larry the Lobster comes by, [=SpongeBob=] fantasizes about how cool it would be to be a lifeguard, but Patrick disagrees. [=SpongeBob=] thinks he's as cool as Larry and teases fate by saying that he will be struck by "a flying ice cream truck" if he’s not. He only survives by screaming “and live” at the last second, letting him get out from under the truck without a scratch, save for the vanilla ice cream on his nose. Larry thinks it’s sunscreen and asks [=SpongeBob=] to help out a fellow lifeguard. [=SpongeBob=] enjoys a montage of the popularity but runs into trouble when a fish is drowning. Larry rushes out to save him and [=SpongeBob=] learns there’s more to lifeguarding than having fun. He freaks out when he imagines the lagoon has turned into a graveyard. He tries to call an emergency but gets caught in his bluff. When the people return to their swim, [=SpongeBob=] watches in horror as fish splash each other, water ski on top of each other, play with a ball inside of a killer whale's mouth, and throwing Scooter headfirst into a rock. [=SpongeBob=] gets everyone out with free ice cream and keeps them there with by tying them up with police tape. Things go south when Patrick charges through the tape to get his share of free ice cream and suffers a cramp in his butt when he runs on the surface of the lagoon. He begins to drown and it’s up to his best friend to save him…without swimming. [=SpongeBob=] tries to save him by throwing a life preserver that doesn’t reach, drinking the lagoon which traps Patrick inside him, and rowing out to him with a “borrowed” boatmobile which Patrick destroys in a panic. The dopey duo struggle until Larry “rescues” them from the shallows. [=SpongeBob=] has to admit he’s not a lifeguard and train with Patrick on how to swim as Larry watches on. They both get butt cramps and Patrick complain he still didn’t get his ice cream as the episode ends.

The one with holographic meatloaf.

The one with gross misshapen bodies.

* HypocriticalHumor: Patrick rants against lifeguards showing off their "gross, misshapen bodies", as his belly sticks out. The guy sitting next to him asks him to "put that thing away".

* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: The episode's title is not a play on the saying "The Grass is always Greener (on the other side of the hill)" for nothing.

* AnAesop: As the title indicated, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

** Another aesop. Be happy with what you have.

* UnusuallyUninterestingSight: "Please do not land flying ice-cream trucks on the bathers!"

The episode starts with Plankton using a decoy ketchup bottle to launch himself onto a Krabby Patty Old Man Jenkins purchased, but Old Man Jenkins’ aim launches him like a bullet into Mr. Krabs’ room. Mr. K freaks out when he thinks somebody is trying to shoot him but calms down when it turns out to just be Plankton and flicks him away. When Plankton gets home he gets fed up with his boring life eating “holographic meatloaf” for dinner and wishes to switch lives with him just to know what it’s like. Karen then suggests he use his "Switch-Lives-Just-To-Know-What-It's-Like-O-Mogrifier" which he uses it switch lives with Krabs, obviously. After being launched into a red tunnel Plankton wakes up at Krabs’ desk at the Krusty Krab dressed in his clothes. Plankton uses his authority to do a “bun inspection” and revel in his fame and fortune. That is until [=SpongeBob=] comes in for a weekly performance review. When pressed for an answer, Plankton says [=SpongeBob=] uses too much sauce. When [=SpongeBob=] starts whimpering at his criticism, Plankton is forced to promote [=SpongeBob=] to co-cashier and move Squidward to grill duty when he complains. Things don’t go much better when his daughter Pearl cries about not getting a bigger allowance, a customer complaining about Squidward’s “cooking”, and [=SpongeBob=] crying about how he “soiled the Krusty Krab’s good name” after he gave a customer a bigger drink by accident. When a siren starts blaring the customers and crew take cover much to Plankton’s confusion. The threat turns out to be none other than Krabs, Plankton’s business rival, trying to steal a Krabby Patty. [=SpongeBob=] stops the threat by shooting clothes at the naked nemesis, finally pinning a bra onto him. The customers and crew give a “victory screech” as Krabs promises to come back the next and the next day and so forth. Plankton can’t handle it and returns to his old life, a lot happier than before.

* AbsenteeActor: To date, this is the only episode where main-universe [=SpongeBob=] does not appear, not counting his alternate-universe counterpart. This means that every character of the show has been absent for at least one episode.

The episode starts with Plankton using a decoy ketchup bottle to launch himself onto a Krabby Patty Old Man Jenkins purchased, but Old Man Jenkins’s aim launches him like a bullet into Mr. Krabs’ room. Mr. K freaks out when he thinks somebody is trying to shoot him but calms down when it turns out to just be Plankton and flicks him away. When Plankton gets home he gets fed up with his boring life eating “holographic meatloaf” for dinner and wishes to switch lives with him just to know what it’s like. Karen then suggests he use his "Switch-Lives-Just-To-Know-What-It's-Like-O-Mogrifier" which he uses it switch lives with Krabs, obviously. After being launched into a red tunnel Plankton wakes up at Krabs’ desk at the Krusty Krab dressed in his clothes. Plankton uses his authority to do a “bun inspection” and revel in his fame and fortune. That is until [=SpongeBob=] comes in for a weekly performance review. When pressed for an answer, Plankton says [=SpongeBob=] uses too much sauce. When [=SpongeBob=] starts whimpering at his criticism, Plankton is forced to promote [=SpongeBob=] to co-cashier and move Squidward to grill duty when he complains. Things don’t go much better when his daughter Pearl cries about not getting a bigger allowance, a customer complaining about Squidward’s “cooking”, and [=SpongeBob=] crying about how he “soiled the Krusty Krab’s good name” after he gave a customer a bigger drink by accident. When a siren starts blaring the customers and crew take cover much to Plankton’s confusion. The threat turns out to be none other than Krabs, Plankton’s business rival, trying to steal a Krabby Patty. [=SpongeBob=] stops the threat by shooting clothes at the naked nemesis, finally pinning a bra onto him. The customers and crew give a “victory screech” as Krabs promises to come back the next and the next day and so forth. Plankton can’t handle it and returns to his old life, a lot happier than before.

* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Patrick whines he can't swim, he has butt cramps and he wants ice cream! Earlier, [=SpongeBob=] first warns about sharks, then sea monsters, then "Uhh... somebody went?"

** During the lifeguard montage, [=SpongeBob=] creates an impressive sand castle that's based on a realistic castle.

-->'''[=SpongeBob=]:''' Uhh... somebody went?

* WaxingLyrical: At the start of the episode, during Plankton’s attempt at getting the Krabby Patty formula, he mentions that he’ll be "reunited" with the formula and "it’ll feel so good" -- a reference to the Herb and Peaches song "Reunited".

* WaxingLyrical: At the start of the episode, during Plankton’s attempt at getting the Krabby Patty formula, he mentions that he’ll be “reunited” with the formula and “it’ll feel so good” - a reference to the Herb and Peaches song “Reunited”.

It’s a sunny day at Goo Lagoon and Patrick and [=SpongeBob=] are baking in the sun. When Larry the Lobster comes by, [=SpongeBob=] fantasizes about how cool it would be to be a lifeguard, but Patrick disagrees. [=SpongeBob=] thinks he’s as cool as Larry and teases fate by saying that he will be struck by "a flying ice cream truck" if he’s not. He only survives by screaming “and live” at the last second, letting him get out from under the truck without a scratch, save for the vanilla ice cream on his nose. Larry thinks it’s sunscreen and asks [=SpongeBob=] to help out a fellow lifeguard. [=SpongeBob=] enjoys a montage of the popularity but runs into trouble when a fish is drowning. Larry rushes out to save him and [=SpongeBob=] learns there’s more to lifeguarding than having fun. He freaks out when he imagines the lagoon has turned into a graveyard. He tries to call an emergency but gets caught in his bluff. When the people return to their swim, [=SpongeBob=] watches in horror as fish splash each other, water ski on top of each other, play with a ball inside of a killer whale's mouth, and throwing Scooter headfirst into a rock. [=SpongeBob=] gets everyone out with free ice cream and keeps them there with by tying them up with police tape. Things go south when Patrick charges through the tape to get his share of free ice cream and suffers a cramp in his butt when he runs on the surface of the lagoon. He begins to drown and it’s up to his best friend to save him…without swimming. [=SpongeBob=] tries to save him by throwing a life preserver that doesn’t reach, drinking the lagoon which traps Patrick inside him, and rowing out to him with a “borrowed” boatmobile which Patrick destroys in a panic. The dopey duo struggle until Larry “rescues” them from the shallows. [=SpongeBob=] has to admit he’s not a lifeguard and train with Patrick on how to swim as Larry watches on. They both get butt cramps and Patrick complain he still didn’t get his ice cream as the episode ends.

* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: Patrick whines he can't swim, he has butt cramps and he wants ice cream! Earlier, [=SpongeBob=] first warns about sharks, then sea monsters, then “Uhh... somebody went?”