Free Samples
Original air date: 4/6/2012 (produced in 2011)
Mr. Krabs loses customers thanks to Plankton, so he resorts to giving away free food.
Free Samples contains examples of:
- Apple of Discord: The free sample patties given out by Plankton. The customers mistake them for real Krabby Patties, causing them to admonish the Krusty Krab, prompting SpongeBob to save the day.
- Big Damn Heroes: SpongeBob becomes a last-minute one when he wins back the customers with regular Krabby Patties and passing them off as new and improved versions.
- Blatant Lies: When Plankton is giving out the free sample chum patties, one of the customers recognizes him as the same guy who gave them chum samples earlier. Plankton lies and says that was his brother-in-law Flankton, which they buy.
- Continuity Nod:
- This is the second time SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs were unaware that Plankton was in the same location as they are. The first being "Banned in Bikini Bottom".
- This isn't the first time Mr. Krabs had to give out free Krabby Patties.
- "Could Have Avoided This!" Plot: SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs could've solved the crisis a lot easier if they asked the customers why they are hating the Krusty Krab.
- Determinator: When Mr. Krabs thinks he lost hope, SpongeBob tells him they can't give up and thinks of a new way to save the Krusty Krab.
- Deus ex Machina: SpongeBob giving out the real Krabby Patties but calling them new with a different taste, which wins back the town and saves the Krusty Krab.
- Dramatic Irony: The audience knows the customers turned against the Krusty Krab because of Plankton, but Mr. Krabs and SpongeBob don't.
- Easily Condemned: Plankton's customers are quick to believe his disgusting samples are Krabby Patties and stop going to the Krusty Krab. Fortunately, SpongeBob saves the day by giving them the real Krabby Patties under a new name.
- "Eureka!" Moment:
- After his attempt to give out free chum samples backfires, Plankton grouses that this wouldn't happen to Mr. Krabs if he gave out free samples, to which Karen countered that if Krabs gave out free samples, he wouldn't poison customers and destroy the good name of his restaurant. This inspires Plankton to Sabotage to Discredit the Krusty Krab.
- SpongeBob gets one himself when Mr. Krabs' free sample idea fails to win back the customers and suggests he get a new job in a different way, giving him the idea to sell the real Krabby Patties in a "new" and "different" way to bring back the customers and save the Krusty Krab.
- Explain, Explain... Oh, Crap!: When no one initially lines up for free Krabby Patties, Mr. Krabs is relieved...at first.Mr. Krabs: Whew. For a second there, I thought we were gonna have to give away a bunch of Krabby Patties, but it looks like free ain't even enough to jumpstart me business. (With realization) Wait! Free ain't even enough?! Me business is doomed!
- Eye Pop: After one fish eats one of Plankton's Krabby Patties, his eyes pop out of his head.
- Failed a Spot Check: When Plankton gives out the fake Krabby Patties to make everyone start hating the Krusty Krab, none of the Bikini Bottomites ever notice that the fake Krabby Patties are obviously fake.
- Green Around the Gills: Two of the fish have their skin go green all over from the chum samples.
- Heroic BSoD: Mr. Krabs breaks down when he realizes all the Bikini Bottomites have turned against him and are avoiding the Krusty Krab, and he can't find out why.
- Hourglass Plot: The first half of the episode has Plankton give out rotten chum samples and later chum disguised as regular Krabby Patties, causing the customers to hate the Krusty Krab. The second half has SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs give out their own free samples and SpongeBob wins back the customers by making "new" Krabby Patties which restores their reputation.
- Karma Houdini: Plankton is never caught for being responsible for the customers hating the Krusty Krab.
- Magic Feather: After Plankton turns the town against the Krusty Krab by giving out chum disguised as Krabby Patties, SpongeBob wins everyone back by giving out new Krabby Patties. SpongeBob later tells Mr. Krabs that he was actually giving out the same Krabby Patties and just called them new.
- Medium Blending: When two fish eat SpongeBob's "new" Krabby Patties, their heads turn into live-action human hands and high-five each other.
- Near-Villain Victory: The customers end up turning against the Krusty Krab upon eating the chum patties, with Plankton passing them off as regular Krabby Patties. Mr. Krabs tried giving away free samples himself, but the customers keep avoiding him no matter how hard he tries. If SpongeBob didn't think of a way to sell Krabby Patties new and differently and gave them out, and if one of the fish didn't let his hunger get the better of him and tried a sample himself, Plankton would've won.
- No Matter How Much I Beg: Mr. Krabs has SpongeBob give out free Krabby Patties to win back the customers. But since Mr. Krabs is a cheapskate, he has SpongeBob keep him chained up so he won't interfere.
- Oh, Crap!: SpongeBob is shocked when he hears the customers actually avoid the Krusty Krab and admonish Mr. Krabs.
- Only One Who Likes Spam: Patrick is the only one who actually liked Plankton's chum samples. He was also the only one who didn't turn against the Krusty Krab from the chum patties.
- Organ Grinder: SpongeBob uses one in order to sell Krabby Patties, and even has Squidward dress up like an organ grinder monkey.
- Out-of-Character Moment: Plankton's scheme for the episode has nothing to do with stealing the Krabby Patty formula.
- The Power of Love: SpongeBob saves the Krusty Krab by making regular Krabby Patties with love and simply calling them "new".
- Sabotage to Discredit: Tasting Plankton's brand of Krabby Patties causes the customers to avoid the Krusty Krab and turn against Mr. Krabs.
- Stalker Shot: Twice by Plankton when Mr. Krabs is unable to get the customers to come to him and has a Heroic BSoD.
- Unknown Rival: Throughout the whole episode, SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs never found out the whole predicament was Plankton’s fault. They never even see him throughout the episode, but they almost hear his voice in the end.
- Villain Opening Scene: The episode begins with an extended sequence with Plankton, and SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs don't appear until the second half of the episode.
- Wingding Eyes:
- One of the fish that eats SpongeBob's "new" Krabby Patties gets thumbs-ups in his eyes.
- Mr. Krabs gets dollar signs in his eyes when he sees how much money SpongeBob is making.
Home Sweet Rubble
Original air date: 4/4/2012 (produced in 2011)
SpongeBob gets his pals to help him fix up his pineapple home, which is in need of repairs.
Home Sweet Rubble contains examples of:
- Continuity Nod: In Patrick's office dream, there are portraits of Patrick wearing the beard and suit he wore in "Squidward's School for Grown-Ups".
- "Could Have Avoided This!" Plot: Had SpongeBob fed Gary at the beginning, he would have noticed the pineapple in a can and saved himself a lot of trouble.
- *Crack!* "Oh, My Back!": This happens to Squidward's neck as a result of being used to hold up the pineapple.
- Cross-Referenced Titles: To "Home Sweet Pineapple" back in the first season.
- Eye Scream: When SpongeBob uses Mr. Krabs's vintage condiment jugs, it squeezes out dry mustard that lands in SpongeBob's eyes.
- Fantasy Twist: Patrick is dreaming that he's an executive in an office, just waiting around until his receptionist tells him that SpongeBob is calling him. He takes the call, which is SpongeBob yelling for help, which wakes him up.
- Hypocritical Humor: Getting frustrated about his friends ignoring the things he wants in his pineapple house, SpongeBob asks Gary "Do you ever feel like you are not being listened to?" all while Gary is still waiting for SpongeBob to feed him.
- Misleading Package Size: SpongeBob opens the can Gary was carrying, and out comes a full-size, fully furnished pineapple home like the old one.
- Overly Long Gag: Patrick's dream sequence of him sitting at an office desk.
- Running Gag: Whenever SpongeBob is about to feed Gary, he is repeatedly interrupted by something else.
- Tentacle Rope: Patrick uses Squidward's tentacles to tie the pineapple together. Eventually, they unravel, causing the pineapple to fall apart.
- Title Drop: To the Cross-Referenced Titles as shown above.SpongeBob: Well, it isn't exactly home sweet pineapple, but I suppose it could be much worse.
- Too Many Cooks Spoil the Soup: Patrick, Sandy, and Mr. Krabs's attempt to fix SpongeBob's pineapple house by incorporating all their ideas results in a cluttered mess that doesn't even look like a pineapple.
