That's some raw jealousy there, SpongeBob.
Driven to Tears
Original air date: 2/19/2007 (produced in 2006; released on DVD on 1/9/07)
After SpongeBob fails his driving test again, Patrick goes in to take it and aces it and gets a new boat, which drives SpongeBob crazy.
"Driven to Tears" contains examples of:
- Acquired Situational Narcissism: Patrick aces his driving test on his first try and gets a license and new boat. Throughout the rest of the episode, he rubs his license in SpongeBob's face every chance he gets and calls himself a "driving genius." During the climax, he goes so far as to literally rub his license in SpongeBob's face.
- An Aesop:
- You shouldn't feel jealous of someone able to do something you can't. It's good to just go with it and congratulate them.
- Similarly, you shouldn't gloat about your achievements to someone who is clearly struggling to do what you were easily able to do.
- Know the proper terminology for machinery. Patrick threw away his boatmobile after the needle hit "E", assuming it meant "End", instead of "Empty".
- Amazingly Embarrassing Parents: When Patrick tells SpongeBob's parents about how SpongeBob failed his boating test, Mrs. SquarePants nonchalantly replies, "We know how to stay clear of that minefield," which greatly embarrasses SpongeBob.
- Big "NO!": SpongeBob's reaction when Patrick goes in to take the boating exam.
- Bittersweet Ending: SpongeBob apologizes for being jealous, is sentenced to 90 days in prison and makes up with Patrick after being released, but Patrick ditched his boat because he thought it died on him (when really, it ran out of gas), but at least the two are friends again.
- Black Comedy Burst: SpongeBob trying to denounce Patrick calling himself a driving genius leads to a reference to a Noodle Incident that's more graphic than is given enough time to describe.SpongeBob: Would a genius make an illegal u-turn? Through an orphanage?!
Patrick: They ran for it in time. What are you so mad about? - Both Sides Have a Point: SpongeBob was right that Patrick was rubbing passing the boating test in his face (even if it was unintentional at first); however, Patrick is right that it's not his fault he was able to pass the test and he just happened to be lucky to win a free boat especially as it wasn't at SpongeBob's expense.
- Call-Back: Patrick’s driving skills were previously seen in the first boating school episode, where he was competent enough to give SpongeBob instructions via radio.
- Comically Missing the Point: In the end, after SpongeBob is released, Patrick reveals he threw his boat away because the needle was on "E" (meaning the gas tank was empty), which he thought meant "End".
- "Could Have Avoided This!" Plot: The episode's plot happens simply because Patrick ate SpongeBob's flash cards.
- Didn't Think This Through: SpongeBob tries to expose Patrick's "speeding" to a police officer by making him stop the car. And the radar gun read 0 mph.
- Drive-Thru Antics: SpongeBob tries to get his mind off of Patrick's new car after Patrick successfully gets his driver's license, only to discover that, to his dismay, Mr. Krabs installed a drive-thru at the Krusty Krab to cater to customers who are on the go. Just to rub salt into the wound, SpongeBob's first customer is Patrick, who honks his horn (that plays "La Cucaracha") at him.Patrick: The horn still works!
- Easily Forgiven: Despite Patrick acting like an arrogant, cocky braggart, he and SpongeBob reconcile their friendship after SpongeBob serves his prison sentence.
- Felony Misdemeanor: SpongeBob spends 90 days in prison just for littering.
- Green-Eyed Monster: SpongeBob becomes insanely jealous that Patrick passed his driving test with a perfect score on his first try. It doesn't help that Patrick keeps rubbing it in his face.
- Hard Work Hardly Works: Part of the conflict behind the episode. SpongeBob has been trying and failing to get a license for years. Patrick, believing the test is rigged, goes in to take it himself and passes on his first try, with a perfect score.
- Honking Arriving Car: Patrick honks his horn as he arrives at SpongeBob's house to give him a ride to the Krusty Krab.
- Hypocritical Humor: Patrick tells SpongeBob to keep it down because it's 3am and people are trying to sleep. But the former's making way more noise than the latter.
- Innocently Insensitive: Patrick acts incredibly condescending towards the fact that SpongeBob still hasn't gotten his license, but genuinely doesn't seem to understand why SpongeBob is so upset.
- Jaw Drop: SpongeBob does this when it's revealed that Patrick not only gets a license, but a new boatmobile as well.
- Jerkass Ball: Both SpongeBob and Patrick hold it here. Patrick lets it go to his head that he got a license and a new boat, constantly boasting about it and condescendingly rubbing it in SpongeBob's face (although he genuinely doesn't seem to understand why SpongeBob is so upset about it), and while it's understandable for SpongeBob to be jealous of Patrick (especially when you consider how often he rubs it in his face), he takes things too far and states that Patrick's license and boatmobile should be his and rips Patrick's license up out of spite and envy.
- Literal-Minded:SpongeBob: If you were my friend, you wouldn't rub your license in my face!
Patrick: I'm not rubbing my license in your face! This is rubbing my license in your face! (literally rubs his license in SpongeBob's face) - Rage Breaking Point: After Patrick goes so far as to literally rub his license in SpongeBob's face, SpongeBob finally snaps, snatching Patrick's license and ripping it up in a fit of rage.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: SpongeBob, finally having enough, angrily admits his jealousy toward Patrick for passing and winning the boat and not himself:SpongeBob: Driving genius?! Would a genius make an illegal u-turn? Through an orphanage?!
Patrick: They ran for it in time. What are you so mad about?
SpongeBob: I should've gotten that license! And this should be my boat mobile!
Patrick: How can you say that?! If you were my friend, you'd be happy for me getting my license!
SpongeBob: If you were my friend, you wouldn't rub your license in my face!
Patrick: I'm not rubbing my license in your face! This is rubbing my license in your face! (literally rubs his license all over SpongeBob)
SpongeBob: (swipes the license) Oh, give me that! I worked my whole life for this! You don't deserve this! (rips it up to shreds) - Retcon: There's some contradiction between this episode and the first season episode "Boating School", considering it implied that Patrick already had a driving license (since he claimed the test is easy).
- Serious Business: SpongeBob observes the speed limit to be 40 mph. Patrick is going 40 and a half mph, with SpongeBob believing that just going a little bit above the limit is speeding. Of course, at this point, SpongeBob is just looking for any reason he can to discredit Patrick legitimately passing the boating exam.
- Shout-Out:
- The name of the episode comes from the song of the same name by The Police.
- The announcer for Patrick's new car says, "Women will want you. And men will want to be you."
- What Have I Done: SpongeBob says this after Patrick is sentenced to jail for something he did.
"A buffet fit for a king!"
Rule of Dumb
Original air date: 2/19/2007 (produced in 2006; released on DVD on 1/9/07)
A document reveals Patrick is the King of Bikini Bottom, but Patrick soon lets the power go to his head.
"Rule of Dumb" contains examples of:
- Acquired Situational Narcissism: After Patrick becomes king, all the power of becoming a higher authority soon goes to his head.
- Adipose Rex: King Patrick.
- Advice Backfire: SpongeBob tells Patrick that as king, he can do and have whatever he wants. This backfires when Patrick takes this to mean he can just take things from anyone at his leisure, becoming a greedy Spoiled Brat.
- An Aesop: Abusing power can drive people, even your best friends, away from you.
- Artistic License – Law:
- How exactly Patrick became King instead of his father who is still alive as far as the series goes and above him in the line of succession is anyone's guess. Unless the Royal Ministry Starfish had already visited Mr. Herb Star who turned down the crown in favor of his son.
- And later in the climax, the Royal Ministry Starfish reveals that Patrick "isn't royalty after all" because Gary is the true rightful heir. The thing is Patrick is still a descendant of royalty, being King Gary's first cousin. In fact, since Gary has no offspring, Patrick is now the heir apparent or second in the line of succession below his father. Even if King Gary had a lot of offsprings and descendants, Patrick's position in the line of succession would only get demoted and wouldn't be gone.
- Authority in Name Only: After SpongeBob tells him that as king, he can have whatever he wants, Patrick starts taking things from people he walks up to on the streets, to the point where he's amassed a massive amount of tribute from his "subjects." When he orders Squidward's house to be demolished to make way for a Ferris wheel, Squidward immediately steps in, pointing out to the people of Bikini Bottom that Patrick is just a Fat Idiot who has no real power over them; the citizens of Bikini Bottom realize he's right and walk away, wondering why they ever gave Patrick anything in the first place.
- Bait-and-Switch: A woman is forced to hand over her baby to King Patrick. Afterwards, Patrick takes the pacifier out of the baby's mouth and hands the baby back to its mother.
- The Caligula: Patrick becomes as such, acting like a complete Jerkass who thinks he has the right to take and do whatever he wants. When SpongeBob tells him that he's "kinda being a jerk", Patrick blows up on him, upon which SpongeBob runs away.Patrick: WHO'S SAYING I'M ABUSING MY POWER?! I'll put the whole town in prison! Questioning my authority is treason!
- Cats Are Superior: Snails are this show's stand-in for house cats, and Gary gets crowned as King at the end of the episode.
- Comes Great Responsibility: Patrick learns this lesson by the end of the episode.
- Despotism Justifies the Means: "King" Patrick becomes a ruthless despot who has the right to take and do whatever he wants.
- Drunk with Power: Patrick quickly lets the authority of being king go to his head.
- Given Name Reveal: On the scroll, Patrick's parents names are revealed to be Herb and Margie.
- Gold Digger: Mr. Krabs tries to suggest to Patrick that he settle down with a wife, kids, and "a father-in-law you give all your money to".
- Gone Horribly Right: Patrick takes the idea of getting everything he wants now that he's king too far, causing him to become a spoiled tyrant.
- Jerkass Realization: Patrick has this when he sees his monstrous reflection and realizes his position as king has turned him into a monster.
- Life Isn't Fair: Patrick pulls this on Harold after forcibly taking his food and drink.
- The Man in the Mirror Talks Back: Patrick's monstrous reflection talks to him, causing Patrick to realize that he's gone too far.
- Only Sane Man:
- Only Squidward and Mr. Krabs realize that King Patrick is an Authority in Name Only from the start.
- Mr. Krabs lays out a buffet for him, only because he expects to be paid a lot of money for it. But when Patrick declares that he never intended to pay in the first place, and that as king, he's allowed to have anything he wants for free, Krabs literally throws him (along with SpongeBob) out.Mr. Krabs: Nobody eats in me restaurant for free! King or no king!
- Squidward also steps in when Patrick orders his house to be moved to make room for a Ferris wheel, pointing out that Patrick is a complete moron who couldn't possibly be king of anythingnote . The other Bikini Bottomites realize he's right and walk away.Squidward: Stop! People of Bikini Bottom, stop! Stop! Patrick's no king. Look at him. How can this pink blob be king? Do you honestly believe that that mindless starfish can possibly be the king of anything? King of Morons! Maybe!
- The Reveal: Patrick and Gary are revealed to be cousins.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Eventually, even SpongeBob realizes how monstrous and nasty Patrick is becoming as king, and runs out on him the first chance he gets.
- Shameful Shrinking: SpongeBob does it when Patrick's monstrous attitude finally sinks into him, before he quickly retreats.
- Shout-Out:
- One of Patrick's overdue library books is called "Richie Salmon's Guide to Fitness". This is a parody of the fitness instructor Richard Simmons.
- Patrick's great-grandfather, Yorick, is a reference to the character from Hamlet.
- Villain Protagonist: Downplayed trope, even though Patrick could arguably be seen as one.
- What Have I Become?: Patrick shouts this after he sees what a monster he's become.
- Wingding Eyes: Mr. Krabs has dollar signs in his eyes when he sees Patrick's crown.
