Something Smells
Original air date: 10/20/2000
After eating a ketchup, peanut, and onion sundae, SpongeBob becomes afflicted with bad breath, and is soon wondering why everyone is running away from him. Patrick suggests it's because he's ugly, which sends SpongeBob into a deep depression.
Both episodes contain examples of:
- Alliterative Title: Coincidentally, both episode titles are alliterative.
"Something Smells" contains examples of:
- Amusingly Short List: SpongeBob takes out a long list of things to do, in which all the items are "go to work". He realizes that he needed the list for Sunday, an index card that says "say 'hi' to everyone in Bikini Bottom".
- Artistic License – Biology: Peanuts don't grow on trees, they grow underground.
- Artistic License – Music: Played for Laughs. Among the many, many marching band musicians SpongeBob says hello to is a completely out-of-place didgeridoo player.
- Aspect Montage: "LOOK AT IT! LOOK AT IT! LOOK AT IT!"
- Assurance Backfire:
- To make SpongeBob feel better about being ugly, Patrick tells him the story of The Ugly Barnacle. To say it doesn't help is a huge (but hilarious) understatement.
- Patrick also tells him that being ugly is great because it makes other people feel better about how they look.
- Bad Omen Anecdote: "Maybe a story will cheer you up. It's called The Ugly Barnacle."
- Bathroom Stall of Angst: Patrick cries in a stall with a Brown Bag Mask on his head after a bunch of fish run away from his "ugliness".
- Beyond the Impossible: SpongeBob's breath is so bad, his reflection smashes itself so it can't smell it anymore.
- Big Eater:
- Patrick.SpongeBob: Barnacles, Patrick! What did you eat?!
Patrick: Oh, some roast beef, some chicken, a pizza...
SpongeBob: No, I mean just this morning.
Patrick: (beat) Some roast beef, some chicken, a pizza... - Earlier, Gary is implied to have emptied out a jar of peanuts.
- Patrick.
- Big "NO!": By SpongeBob when he believes he is ugly after taking the "reflection test".
- Black Comedy: Several of the people reacting to SpongeBob's horrible halitosis just run away screaming, but a few of them are implied to have died from exposure to it. One couple even bite onto a fishing line to get away from him.
- Break the Cutie: SpongeBob when he thinks everyone is running away from him because he's ugly. Later, Patrick when he's convinced he's "caught the ugly".
- Breath Weapon: You wouldn't believe how much damage SpongeBob's bad breath causes.
- Brown Bag Mask: Patrick puts one on after he's convinced that he's "caught the ugly" from SpongeBob.
- Comically Missing the Point: Patrick scares a guy off in the bathroom with his own breath. His response? "My hands aren't that dirty!"
- Cordon Bleugh Chef: Unable to find ingredients for an ice cream sundae, SpongeBob decides to use ketchup as the ice cream, then adds onions and some rancid peanuts growing on the bathroom window sill as toppings. The resulting concoction gives him (and later Patrick) epic bad breath.
- Disrupting the Theater: SpongeBob hopes his "horrible ugliness" won't be a distraction to the other moviegoers, but it's actually his bad breath that distracts them.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: SpongeBob thinks everyone is avoiding him because of his ugliness (but actually his breath stinks) and is really saddened by it, to which Patrick tells him to be proud of being ugly and prompt him to chant from the top of his house, "I'm ugly and I'm proud!" Squidward even lampshades it:Squidward: Is that what he calls it?
- Dramatic Irony: The audience already knows from the start that SpongeBob isn't ugly as Patrick assumes; his breath stinks from the sundae he made.
- Eat Dirt, Cheap: When SpongeBob adds peanuts to his sundae, he tosses in the entire peanut plant, dirt and all.SpongeBob: A little texture never hurt.
- "Eureka!" Moment: SpongeBob has one when he realizes the sundae he and Patrick ate gave them rancid breath and they're not ugly after all.
- Every Car Is a Pinto: When SpongeBob jumps onto the hood of a boat, he blinds the driver with his bad breath and causes him to lose control. His boat then explodes without crashing into anything. The driver is nowhere to be seen after the explosion.
- Eyebrows Burned Off: When SpongeBob offers Patrick the last of his sundae, the fumes emanating from it burn Patrick's eyebrows off.
- Get A Hold Of Yourself Man: When SpongeBob starts to spiral into depression, Patrick nonchalantly slaps him across the face. While SpongeBob thanks him for that, he has to stop his friend from hitting him again.
- HA HA HA—No: A variation: When Patrick suggests that people are avoiding SpongeBob because of his voice, SpongeBob makes one of the loudest, longest and most annoying laughs yet, before going deadpan and saying, "Good one, Patrick."
- Hypocrite: When Patrick thinks he's become ugly too, he refuses to take the same advice he gave SpongeBob. He justifies it by claiming "he was one of the beautiful people".
- Hypocritical Humor: Patrick suggests that people are avoiding SpongeBob because of his voice, to which SpongeBob responds with probably his longest and most annoying laugh ever.
- Innocently Insensitive: Patrick is at least genuinely trying to give SpongeBob good advice, although he unknowingly insults him through the ugly.
- Literal Metaphor: While trying to convince SpongeBob to scream he's ugly, Patrick tells him "he's never gonna feel better till [he] gets this thing of [his] chest". It's then shown that a strange parasite had attached itself to SpongeBob's chest.
- The Man in the Mirror Talks Back: When SpongeBob says hi to his reflection, his stinky breath causes the reflection to break the mirror in disgust.
- Medium Blending: When Patrick holds SpongeBob up and yells "Here! Look at it! It's ugly, isn't it??" we see the movie playing is live-action stock footage of a horse race.
- Mirror-Cracking Ugly: Patrick suggests "the reflection test" to see if SpongeBob is ugly or not. The mirror breaks, alright, but only because the reflection broke it to get away from the smell.
- Mistaken for Gay: SpongeBob loudly declaring that he's "ugly and [he's] proud" elicits this response from Squidward.Squidward: Is that what he calls it?
- Movie-Theater Episode: In the second half of this episode, SpongeBob and Patrick go to the movie theater to see a movie in celebration of the former getting over his supposed ugliness (actually just rancid breath driving everyone away). Once SpongeBob gets upset about it again after some of the moviegoers react in disgust to being around him (and smelling his breath), Patrick becomes furious and holds SpongeBob in front of the viewers of every auditorium to force them to look at him, who all evacuate once he speaks and his breath is spread.
- The Noseless: Patrick's lack of a nose is a plot point here, as his inability to smell means he has no idea that SpongeBob has bad breath, which leads to the misunderstanding that people run away from him because he's ugly.
- Offscreen Crash: After SpongeBob's breath sends a crossing guard running away, some kids cross the street and react to something as the scene cuts to SpongeBob and a loud crash is heard. Subverted when the noise turns out to be from a marching band.
- Ominous Pipe Organ: Heard when SpongeBob, convinced he's ugly, played a pipe organ in his house.
- Onion Tears: SpongeBob chops onions for his sundae. Gary accompanies him with sad violin music.
- Overly Long Gag: SpongeBob stopping a marching band to say hello to every single musician individually, building up a massive cloud of bad breath which eventually bowls them over. It goes on for so long that many of them start glancing at one another, wondering how long he's going to go on.
- Poor Communication Kills:
- Suffice it to say, if someone had just taken the time to tell SpongeBob what the problem was instead of just fleeing from him, the majority of the plot could've been avoided.
- SpongeBob also doesn't seem to realize he has bad breath himself, and he doesn't even bother to smell his own breath until Patrick catches it.
- Potty Emergency: The result of Patrick eating SpongeBob's peanut onion sundae (emphasized by the sound of a car breaking down as he clutches his gut).
- Samus Is a Girl: Played for Laughs. When the mailfish smells SpongeBob's bad breath, he cracks to reveal a skinnier mailfish underneath, only for that mailfish to crack and reveal a woman underneath.
- Say My Name: When Patrick thinks he "caught the ugly" and is talking to SpongeBob, who smells the bad breath he got from the sundae when Patrick couldn't, he loudly screams Patrick's name to get his attention and reveal the truth.
- Shout-Out:
- SpongeBob telling Gary that he's, "easy like Sunday morning." C.H. Greenblatt in the DVD Commentary calls it the writers' "little 'hello' to the Commodores".
- When saying hello to every member of the marching band, SpongeBob concludes with "...and Hello, Dolly!"
- The sequence with SpongeBob playing an Ominous Pipe Organ while wearing a cape and mask to hide his face (actually being a fake nose and glasses) seems right out of The Phantom of the Opera.
- Skewed Priorities: After everyone evacuates the movie theater due to SpongeBob's rancid breath, Patrick's first instinct is to see if there's no line at the snack bar.
- Suddenly Shouting:Patrick: Just do what I do when I have problems: SCREAM!!!!!!
- Suicide as Comedy:
- When SpongeBob's reflection smells his bad breath, he materializes a hammer and smashes the mirror to put himself out of his misery.
- A couple bite onto a fishhook they bring down in response to SpongeBob's "ugliness".
- Toilet Humour:
- When looking for peanuts for his sundae, SpongeBob peeks into the bathroom and heads for the toilet. He then takes some peanuts from a plant he was growing on the window sill over the toilet.
- Patrick: "Hey, you guys want to hear a bathroom joke?"
- Visible Odor: The bad breath SpongeBob gets from the sundae is clearly visible to the viewer.
- Visual Pun:Patrick: SpongeBob, you're never gonna feel better till you get this thing off your chest.
(cut to SpongeBob with a little purple creature stuck to his chest)
SpongeBob: I know, Patrick. (removes it) - Waxing Lyrical: SpongeBob tells Gary that he's, "easy like Sunday morning."
- Wham Line: SpongeBob finally realizes why people are avoiding him, given that he was able to smell Patrick's rancid breath when Patrick couldn't:SpongeBob: PAAATRIIIIIIIIIICK!!! You're not ugly. Your breath stinks! Really bad.
Patrick: Ah... what a relief.
SpongeBob: Arrgh! Barnacles, Patrick! What did you eat?!
Patrick: Oh, some roast beef, some chicken, a pizza...
SpongeBob: No, I mean just this morning.
Patrick: (beat) Some roast beef, some chicken, a pizza...
SpongeBob: What else?
Patrick: Well, I had some of your sundae. - Wilting Odor: Half the time, SpongeBob (and later Patrick's) breath is so bad, it either destroys public property or hurts the people around them with pure funk alone.
- You Have GOT to Be Kidding Me!: SpongeBob's response to Patrick suggesting that maybe the reason everyone is running away from SpongeBob is because he's ugly.
- You Need a Breath Mint: SpongeBob's breath scares everyone away. However, no one mentions that it's because of his breath, and after some misinformation from Patrick, starts believing that he's ugly. It's not until Patrick gets the same bad breath does SpongeBob finally smell the odor and realize the truth.
"Well, I have been trying to get Mr. Krabs to make some changes around here."
Bossy Boots
Original air date: 10/20/2000
Pearl becomes the new manager of the Krusty Krab, but can SpongeBob handle all the new changes she makes to the greatest restaurant under the sea?
"Bossy Boots" contains examples of:
- Accent Upon The Wrong Syllable: Pearl changes the Krusty Krab's (or rather the Kuddly Krab's) menu to provide salads as the main dish instead of Krabby Patties. SpongeBob sees this and wonders out loud, "What in the name of Davy Jones' locker is a SAL-lad?" Later in the episode, he remarks about how much the customers are enjoying their "suh-LADS".
- Air Quotes: SpongeBob uses them when he tells Pearl that he's going to pretend to "fire you" for Mr. Krabs' benefit.
- Ambiguous Situation: The sea ferns are the only new item at the Kuddly Krab that Mr. Krabs doesn't mention the price of. This could mean he got them for free or already had them.
- And Call Him "George": Pearl hugs SpongeBob to the point of nearly crushing him after he agrees to "fire" her.Pearl: How can I ever thank you?
SpongeBob: (muffled) Stop trying to break me in half?
Pearl: Deal. (drops SpongeBob) - Bad Job, Worse Uniform: When Pearl takes over the Krusty Krab, she changes the uniform to a pink unitard with K-shaped deely-bobbers. Squidward hates it; SpongeBob, of course, loves it. Later, SpongeBob is demoted to standing outside in a crab costume to attract customers. This time, he doesn't enjoy it one bit.
- Bait-and-Switch Comment: SpongeBob and Squidward have agreed to go against any changes Pearl might make to the Krusty Krab. Then she reveals the new uniforms.Squidward: All right, SpongeBob, this is it. Now tell her what you really think of that uniform.
SpongeBob: Right. Pearl... this is the best uniform ever!
Squidward: Fish paste. - Bearer of Bad News: Mr. Krabs doesn't have the heart to fire Pearl, so he has SpongeBob tell her because "It's okay if she hates you."
- Bread, Eggs, Milk, Squick: SpongeBob's ideas for the new name go from interesting and possible to disturbing and frightening.SpongeBob: The Kool Krab? Or the Kowboy Krab! The Kurly Krab! The Kreepy Krab. The Killer Krab!
- Can't Get in Trouble for Nuthin': Turns out all the changes Pearl made to the Krusty Krab were to get fired from her job, but her father didn't have the heart to fire her. So SpongeBob, who was sent to fire her anyway, "pretends" to fire her so she could go and enjoy her summer vacation.
- The Chessmaster: SpongeBob, upon learning of Pearl and Mr. Krabs' collective unhappiness, sets up the situation as to where it benefits everyone. He speaks to Pearl in a tone where it sounds like he's sternly firing her, like Mr. Krabs had asked, but only under the promise to Pearl that it's a pretend firing. Pearl takes the firing to reengage with her social life, and SpongeBob then breaks it to Mr. Krabs that she took it extremely well, making him proud of her for her bravery. Finally, when Mr. Krabs wonders how he'll get all his money back for the renovations, SpongeBob gives up his salary for that year, and in turn, is rewarded with all of the Kuddly Krab equipment for him to have fun with back at home.
- Comically Missing the Point:Squidward: SpongeBob, do you realize what this means?
SpongeBob: No new spatulas?
Squidward: No! It means some bratty teenager's coming in here to tell us what to do! We can't have that! We have seniority, right?
SpongeBob: Right!
Squidward: So, we'll work together to protect our pathetic positions.
SpongeBob: Okey-dokey, Squidward. And then we'll get those new spatulas! - Defiant Strip: Pearl turns the Krusty Krab into a teenage paradise called the Kuddly Krab, and gives Mr. Krabs, SpongeBob, and Squidward new uniforms to wear. While SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs both like the new uniforms, Squidward does not, and when a sign for the Kuddly Krab gets put up, Squidward tries to knock it down. After a couple mistake Squidward for a lady when they ask him where they can get something to eat (believing that Mr. Krabs sold the Krusty Krab), Squidward quits out of frustration and rips his uniform off, leaving him naked. At this point, a police officer shows up and puts a ticket over Squidward's groin (which is odd, since Squidward normally doesn't wear pants anyway).
- Disappointed in You: This is what Pearl feared would happen if she told her dad that she didn't want to work at the Krusty Krab.
- Dude Looks Like a Lady: Squidward's new uniform results in a nearby fish mistaking him for a lady.
- Everyone Has Standards: Eventually, even SpongeBob can't handle the numerous changes Pearl makes to the Krusty Krab, and resolves to talk it out with Mr. Krabs before realizing the dilemmas both are going through.
- In Case of X, Break Glass: After Mr. Krabs passes out after hearing SpongeBob "fire" Pearl, SpongeBob breaks an emergency case containing a dollar bill to wave under Mr. Krabs' nose like smelling salts.Mr. Krabs: Is that a twenty?
- Nepotism: Mr. Krabs hiring his own daughter Pearl as the new supervisor of the Krusty Krab.
- Never Trust a Title: The title of the episode can be seen as quite misleading as the conflict/theme was never about Pearl being over-controlling or bossy (she was a reasonable boss) but more on the Krusty Krab undergoing dramatic changes that the employees didn't enjoy.
- One Note Chef: SpongeBob has been making Krabby Patties so long he has no concept of what a salad is, so he makes a Patty instead. When Pearl tells him to get rid of everything except the lettuce and tomato, SpongeBob is devastated. "I hope I never have to break apart a perfectly good Krabby Patty again."
- Real Men Wear Pink: Unlike Squidward, SpongeBob is delighted with his new, girly "Kuddly Krab" uniform. Then at the end of the episode where Mr. Krabs is pondering what to do with all of the Kuddly Krab decorations with Pearl out of the business, SpongeBob happily gives up a year's salary to take it off his hands, to the dismay of Gary.
- Mr. Krabs also likes the new decorations until he realizes that Pearl nearly bankrupted the Krusty Krab to afford all of it.
- Screams Like a Little Girl: SpongeBob does his usual one when he sees the grill gone, and later lets out a banshee-sounding shriek when he finds Mr. Krabs unconscious in his office (the same shriek would later be reused in "No Free Rides").
- So Proud of You: While she's not present to hear it, Mr. Krabs' response to hearing that Pearl took her firing well is to declare, "That's me girl! Tough as nails, just like her old man!"
- Special Guest: Indie rock band The Capsules, who perform the song that plays inside The Kuddly Krab.
- Springtime for Hitler: Downplayed — as Pearl explains to SpongeBob, she deliberately tried to make the restaurant awful so she could get fired because she didn't want to work during her summer vacation (but she didn't want to risk disappointing her dad by quitting). She breaks down in tears in front of SpongeBob when it looks like the restaurant is a success. But it actually wasn't: the new teenage clientele was happy, but all the new alterations to the Krusty Krab as well as alienating the original customers was a big money loss for Mr. Krabs. Krabs wanted to fire Pearl but he didn't want to upset her.
- Staging the Eavesdrop: Mr. Krabs tasks SpongeBob with firing Pearl (since he doesn't have the heart to do it himself). After Pearl reveals to SpongeBob that she wants to be fired, the two decide to stage an overly-dramatic firing for Krabs to hear from behind the door to his office.
- Weight Loss Salad: Pearl tells SpongeBob to change the Krabby Patty recipe to remove everything... except the vegetables, with the sponge even calling it a salad. It's implied to be a criticism of her father's decision to open a fast food restaurant and provide healthy food instead.
- Wham Line: A minor example, but the episode initially suggests that Pearl is just being a typical teen with her renovations to the Krusty Krab. The truth comes out, however, when she says this:Pearl: No, don't you get it?! I've been trying to get fired since day one! I was only pretending to like this place to please Daddy. This job is cutting majorly into my social life!
