Original air date: 10/15/2016
SpongeBob and Patrick get addicted to a new gadget that lets them fly their brains out, only to get into trouble when their brains—and those of the other Bikini Bottomites—get captured by a grumpy old man.
"Whirly Brains" contains examples of:
- Are You Pondering What I'm Pondering?:SpongeBob: Sandy, are you thinking what I'm thinking?Sandy: I think I'm thinkin' what you're thinkin'.SpongeBob: Patrick?(Patrick is pulling his head with a plunger.)Patrick: My think is clogged.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: At the end of the episode, Squidward runs around, screaming "Martians are coming! Run for your lives!" and runs up to the screen, shouting, "You're next! You're next!"
- Coincidental Broadcast: When SpongeBob tells Patrick that he is so bored playing Stick in a Cup, a commercial comes on with the announcer saying, "Are you tired of playing with an old stick and a cup?"
- Continuity Nod: Mr. Krabs and Mrs. Puff are revealed to have been dating for sixteen years since the episode "Krusty Love".
- Fun-Hating Confiscating Adult: The Angry Old Timer who confiscates all the brains that fly above his yard.
- Gonk: The Angry Old Timer has droopy jowls, wrinkly spotted skin, crooked teeth and exposed gums, making him especially ugly by this show's standards.
- Literal Metaphor: When their Whirly Brains get confiscated, SpongeBob remarks that he and Patrick have literally "lost their minds".
- Mind-Control Eyes: SpongeBob and Patrick have these as they watch the Whirly Brains commercial.
- Naked People Are Funny: While Squidward is taking a bath, SpongeBob and Patrick fly their brains into his bathroom and scare him into thinking Martians are invading, causing him to run around town naked.
- Ocular Gushers: Even without their eyes, SpongeBob and Patrick manage to turn them on full blast when the Angry Old Timer yells at them.
- Shout-Out:
- The title is a parody of Whirlybirds.
- Patrick's line "M-O-O-N! That spells 'moon!'" is a reference to Stephen King's novel The Stand. Doubles as an Actor Allusion since the miniseries adaption featured Bill Fagerbakke.
- At the end of the episode Squidward, convinced that whirly brains are an alien invasion, is running around and screams "You're Next! You're next!" at the camera like the ending of the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
- Special Guest: Ed Asner as Angry Old Timer.
- Throw the Dog a Bone: After the Angry Old Timer reveals that he's jealous of seeing all the kids flying, SpongeBob and Patrick give him their whirly brain propellers so he can fly around.
- Toilet Humor: Gary is exposed using his litter box, then quickly covers himself up with a curtain.
- Who Even Needs a Brain?: A Type III example. The titular toy turns the user's brain into an RC helicopter. The users don't seem affected by the loss of their brains other than their eyes being still attached to them.
Original air date: 10/29/2016
When SpongeBob and Patrick cosplay as Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy, Squidward and Mr. Krabs decide to play along as the villains.
"Mermaid Pants" contains examples of:
- Big "NO!": Done by Squidward when SpongeBob asks him if he wants to play with him and Patrick.
- Hidden Depths: Mr. Krabs is revealed to be a comic book fan.
- Hulking Out: The elderly security guard from the bank Mr. Krabs and Squidward pretend to rob.
- Impact Silhouette: Patrick makes one in the ground when Squidward knocks him and SpongeBob down as they try to climb up the side of his house.
- It's the Best Whatever, Ever!: Near the end of the episode, SpongeBob tells Mr. Krabs and Squidward that he and Patrick have had "the best Mermaid Man playdate ever!".
- Periphery Demographic: In-Universe. Mr. Krabs reveals to Squidward that he collects comic books, Squidward says, "Don't worry. A lot of perfectly immature adults read comics."
- Pun: When SpongeBob sees Squidward's foot sticking out his window, he says, "There's evil a foot!" This is immediately followed by an Unsound Effect.
- Screams Like a Little Girl: Mr. Krabs, when he catches Squidward with one of his mint-condition comic books.
- Shout-Out: To Goldfinger, when Squidward starts to get into character as a supervillain while lowering SpongeBob and Patrick into a vat of boiling oil.SpongeBob: Do you expect me to cry?Squidward: (in an English accent) No, Mr. Bob, I expect you to fry!
- Sudden Anatomy: Squidward is once again shown to have toenails.
- Superhero Episode: This episode is about SpongeBob and Patrick pretending to be Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy. Later, Squidward and Mr. Krabs join in as villains.
- Toilet Paper Trail: One of the customers at the Krusty Krab has toilet paper stuck to his foot.
- Unsound Effect:
- First, when SpongeBob says "There's evil a foot!": PUN!
- Several when Squidward and Mr. Krabs join in SpongeBob and Patrick's game: SAD! PATHETIC! MEDIOCRE! SUB-PAR!
- With Lyrics: This episode gives "The Lineman", which is Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy's Leitmotif, energetic lyrics.
- Would Hit a Girl: The bank security guard somehow confuses Squidward and Mr. Krabs for women, and severely beats them up for pretending to rob his bank.
