Original air date: 7/27/2007 (produced in 2006; released on DVD on 6/5/07)
Written by Luke Brookshier, Tom King, and Steven Banks (Roller Cowards) / Casey Alexander, Zeus Cervas, and Richard Pursel (Bucket Sweet Bucket)
Animation Director: Alan Smart (Roller Cowards) / Larry Leichliter (Bucket Sweet Bucket)
Animation Director: Alan Smart (Roller Cowards) / Larry Leichliter (Bucket Sweet Bucket)
Roller Cowards
SpongeBob and Patrick are too scared to ride Glove World's new rollercoaster and are too afraid to tell each other.
Roller Cowards contains examples of:
- An Aesop:
- Though something may seem scary at first, it's important to face your fears and overcome it.
- If you change your mind about something it's okay to tell people, don't bottle it up and go along with it anyway.
- Artistic License – Biology: SpongeBob and Patrick's spines apparently fall out while they're riding the Fiery Fist O' Pain. Setting aside the physical impossibility of a person's spine falling out, SpongeBob and Patrick shouldn't even have spines (indeed, "Squirrel Jokes" has SpongeBob specifically make fun of his lack of vertebrae).
- Bait-and-Switch: SpongeBob and Patrick see Old Man Walker being escorted off the Fiery Fist O' Pain, incredibly injured and repeatedly saying, "why?", causing them to leave the line in fear. Once they run off, though...Old Man Walker: Why won't you let me on the ride?!
Harold: Sir, you have a serious medical condition.
Old Man Walker: But it's my birthday! - Bottle Episode: Most of the episode takes place at Glove World, with the exception of the opening scene at SpongeBob's house.
- "Brave the Ride" Plot: The episode centers around SpongeBob and Patrick being too scared to ride the Fiery Fist O' Pain.
- Brick Joke: SpongeBob and Patrick change their minds about going on the Fiery Fist O' Pain after hearing a rumor that someone's spine fell out while riding it. At the end of the episode, after they finally pluck up the courage and ride it, an attendant hands them back their spines, which apparently fell out during the ride (even though they're invertebrates and shouldn't have spines).
- The Bus Came Back: Glove World, the amusement park SpongeBob and Patrick visited back in "Rock Bottom", has its first major role here, and we even get to see its interior for the first time.
- Comically Missing the Point: After SpongeBob and Patrick get off the Mitten, trembling in fear. The toddler who rode with them mocks them before leaving. Patrick assumes the ride was too much for the little guy.
- Department of Redundancy Department: What SpongeBob says when actually on the Fiery Fist O' Pain.SpongeBob: Patrick, I don't wanna face my fears! I'm afraid of them!
- Eat the Camera: SpongeBob does this briefly as he and Patrick ride the Fist O' Pain.
- Face Your Fears: What SpongeBob and Patrick learn.
- I Will Show You X!: SpongeBob's conversation with his ice cream cone.SpongeBob: (as his ice cream cone) Patrick's your best friend! You can't let him down! (as himself) I know, but the ride is really scary! (as his cone) You wanna see scary? I'll show you scary! (beats himself over the head with his ice cream) OW! OW! OW! OW! OW! (as his cone) You like that?! You like that, huh?! You like that?!
- The Man in the Mirror Talks Back: Patrick's reflection berates him for being a crybaby.
- No OSHA Compliance: The setup of the Fiery Fist O' Pain appears to break a lot of safety rules, including having a laser that nearly zaps the cart, a drop steep enough to send a person's skeleton flying out, and reportedly having multiple cases of people's spines falling out, to the point where every rider is forced to sign a waiver for the spine loss.
- Rage Against the Reflection: After Patrick's reflection mocks him for not wanting to go on the Fiery Fist O' Pain, Patrick punches his reflection out.Patrick: I thought we settled this last time!
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Tom's reaction to SpongeBob and Patrick using the bathroom.Tom: You know, this is the line for the bathroom.
SpongeBob: (laughs) We've gone eight times!
Patrick: And I went three times all by myself!
Tom: (beat) I'm going to walk away now. - Stop Hitting Yourself: SpongeBob ends up getting hit by his own ice cream cone repeatedly for being too afraid of the rollercoaster. The same cone also scoffs at a janitor once SpongeBob is gone.
Plankton tricks SpongeBob, Patrick and Squidward into remodeling the Chum Bucket.
Bucket Sweet Bucket contains examples of:
- Bait-and-Switch: Plankton sneaks into the safe in the Krusty Krab and sees what looks like secret formula, but then he finds out it's actually a to-do list.
- "Blackmail" Is Such an Ugly Word: A variation occurs when Mr. Krabs returns.Mr. Krabs: (takes the safe out from his throat and takes out the formula from it) And I bet you tried to steal this, too.
Plankton: (chuckles) Well, steal is such a strong word. - Cobweb of Disuse: The Chum Bucket is covered in cobwebs, because Plankton rarely ever gets any customers.
- Did Not Think This Through: Plankton berates SpongeBob for building a window that is much too high for him. Patrick then shows that he considered this and built a window that is just his height- until realizing that Plankton wanted to see out the window, showing that he put it in backwards.
- Hulking Out: Plankton briefly does so after being enraged by Krabs' to-do list.
- Irony: Plankton's goal was to fix up the Chum Bucket, but instead, he's left with nothing by the end.
- Lampshade Hanging: When SpongeBob says, "Mr. Krabs! You've returned from your vacation!", the word "exposition!" appears over his head, complete with fanfare.
- Oh Wait, This Is My Grocery List: When Plankton manages to break into the safe and finds what he thinks is the secret formula.Plankton: The secret formula is — One bottle of molting lotion, take passport photo, get new safe, travel size. This isn't the secret formula! It's a to-do list!
- Plot Hole: Squidward claims he made a computer made from the parts of Karen's wife, but she was seen unharmed in the previous scene.
- Rage Breaking Point: Plankton becomes furious after finding out what was in the safe was a to-do list instead of the secret formula.
- Trying Not to Cry: Plankton, when he sees (what he thinks is) the secret formula inside the safe.Plankton: No, no tears. Not yet.
- Unwitting Pawn: Both SpongeBob and Patrick are this to Plankton, completely unaware they're helping him steal the formula.
- Visual Pun: When Karen describes everything wrong with the Chum Bucket—chipping paint, bad plumbing, dust bunnies—we see a literal dust bunny.
