"Shellback Shenanigans" is a SpongeBob SquarePants episode from season 7. In this episode, Plankton impersonates Gary to try and steal the Krabby Patty formula.
Characters[]
- SpongeBob SquarePants
- Eugene H. Krabs
- Squidward Tentacles (cameo)
- Sheldon J. Plankton
- Sheldon R. Shellcleaner (debut)
- Odd customer (debut)
- Karen Plankton
- Gary the Snail
- Snails at Club Shell
- Incidentals
- Dr. Forrest (mentioned)
- Scallop
Synopsis[]
This episode starts out at the Krusty Krab, where SpongeBob is getting ready for closing time. He asks Mr. Krabs if he can bring home a Krabby Patty for Gary because the next day is Bring Your Pet to Work Day. Mr. Krabs lets him. However, when SpongeBob checks the freezer (along with all others), there are no more Krabby Patties left at all. He starts complaining to Mr. Krabs about this, so the latter just decides they should make a fresh batch of them. Plankton is spying on SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs at this moment and he has an evil plan.
Later that night, SpongeBob arrives home with some kelp fries for Gary. He then tells him that he needs a bath, which makes Gary run away. SpongeBob looks for Gary all over the house and then when Gary falls into a plant, he decides to give him his bath in the morning.
Club Shell.
The next morning, there is a knock on the door and Gary answers it. It is Plankton in a salesman disguise. He claims that he is giving Gary a vacation to a snail resort for one night and tells Gary to wear a fake shell while he is there, while also lying about cleaning his real shell. Gary puts on the fake shell and leaves. Afterwards, Plankton gets into Gary's real shell.
Plankton disguised as Gary.
SpongeBob then gives Plankton (in the Gary disguise) his bath. While he is doing that, he discovers that "Gary" is green and talking, and he thinks that he is sick, so he takes "Gary" to the hospital, where the doctor gives him bad news. They try every test imaginable, but nothing is found wrong with him (the doctors never saw anything like this). "Gary" asks SpongeBob for one Krabby Patty before he dies, so SpongeBob starts taking him to the Krusty Krab. However, on the way there, the real Gary rides by on the bus and sees SpongeBob carrying Plankton disguised as himself. Gary gets mad, (realizing Plankton tricked him) stops the bus, and gets out.
At that moment, SpongeBob puts Plankton in the kitchen and goes to make him a Krabby Patty. However, while he is waiting, the real Gary comes in and starts beating Plankton. Mr. Krabs sees him doing this and sees Plankton cowardly run out of the kitchen, so he gives Gary a job as a bouncer, with Gary letting people into the Krusty Krab one at a time. Then Plankton comes, disguised again, this time as a small fish boy. However, Gary is not fooled by the disguise and growls, causing Plankton to panic and run away in fear. SpongeBob then says to Mr. Krabs how Gary is doing a great job as a bouncer and also says he's "really earning his pay," leaving Mr. Krabs shocked.
Production[]
Art[]
Music[]
| ( ‣ ) Production music |
| ( • ) Original music |
| ( ◦ ) SpongeBob music |
• Clownfish Capers - Sage Guyton, Jeremy Wakefield [Title card]
• Jolly Little Roger - Michael Bolger, Nicolas Carr [Opening]
‣ Murder in Mind [#45] - Ronald Hanmer ["Mr. Krabs!"]
‣ Sneaking About - Phil Green [Plankton spying on Krabs and SpongeBob]
• Down in Davie Jones Locker - Nicolas Carr ["I think I smell a plan!"]
‣ Untitled Tune - Jack Shaindlin [SpongeBob comes home]
‣ Hawaiian Link (B) - Richard Myhill ["You win, we'll bathe you in the morning."]
‣ Dig it Baby - Nino Nardini [Plankton at the door/"Look, I'll just cut to the chase."]
‣ Zelle 503 - Gerhard Trede [Plankton disguised as Gary]
‣ Carefree and Gay - Phil Green, Geoffrey Love, Ken Thorne [SpongeBob bathing "Gary"]
‣ Primitive Force - Raymond C. Jones ["Gary, are you sure you're feeling all right?"/"Gary! You're turning green! And talking!"]
‣ Befuddled Gent - Phil Green [at the hospital]
‣ Desperate Situation - Phil Green ["I have never seen such a drastic case!"]
‣ Jolly Clarinet - Ilan Harel [intensive care unit]
‣ Crazy Mind - Harry Lubin [SpongeBob panting]
• Steel Licks 78 - Jeremy Wakefield [SpongeBob cries]
‣ Shock Headed Peter - Ronald Hanmer [huge pill]
‣ Sliding 2 - Hans Ehrlinger, Roy Etzel ["That wasn't so bad, was it?"]
‣ Tristesse - Gerhard Trede ["Uh, Mr. SquarePants?"]
‣ Guaracha Senorita - Heidi Pehofer [Club Shell bus]
‣ Hopeless Situation 2 [#4] - Phil Green ["Yes!"]
• Blazing Baloney Western - Nicolas Carr [Gary gets off the bus]
• Drowsey Reef - Sage Guyton, Jeremy Wakefield [at the Krusty Krab]
‣ Zelle 501 - Gerhard Trede ["Yes, SpongeFool, come right back with your complete undoing and victory will be mine!"]
• Clownfish Capers - Sage Guyton, Jeremy Wakefield [Gary beating Plankton]
• New Vibe Hits - Nicolas Carr ["Hmm..."]
• Another Krusty Krab Day - Michael Bolger, Nicolas Carr [Ending]
Release[]
- This episode is available on the SpongeBob's Runaway Roadtrip, Complete Seventh Season, The Best 200 Episodes Ever, The Krabby Patty Recipe Theft, 3 DVD Value Pack, The SpongeBob SquarePants 8 Season DVD Collection, The SpongeBob SquarePants Collection, Super Spongy Square Games, Fine Arts Collection, SpongeBob SquarePants Vol. 11, Next 100 Episodes, The Seventh & Eighth Seasons, and The Best 300 Episodes Ever DVDs.
Trivia[]
General[]
- The title card is similar to those of "SpongeGuard on Duty" and the "Uhhh..." time card from "Rock-a-Bye Bivalve," but with a different kind of life preserver, which is red and white rather than orange. It also has a different background that uses a blueish shell version.
- When this episode premiered, it was paired with "Buried in Time," but it has since aired with "Hide and Then What Happens?."
- Towards the end of the episode, SpongeBob takes Plankton (dressed up as Gary) to the Krusty Krab to get him a Krabby Patty and SpongeBob calls himself "Daddy." This is the first episode where SpongeBob calls himself "Daddy" to Gary (or who he thinks is Gary).
- This is the second episode where a character is forced to swallow a ridiculously large pill. The first is "Mid-Life Crustacean" in Mr. Krabs' case.
- It is unknown how SpongeBob believes that Gary is actually sick and can talk, because he would've recognized Plankton.
- This is the fifth episode in which Plankton impersonates someone in order to get the secret formula. The first is "Imitation Krabs," the second is "Spy Buddies," the third is "Someone's in the Kitchen with Sandy," and the fourth is "Gramma's Secret Recipe."
- It is revealed in this episode that Gary doesn't like kelp fries.
- SpongeBob has talked to Gary before, but in snail language.
- This episode was included along with "Hide and Then What Happens?" as special features on the SpongeBob's Runaway Roadtrip DVD, even though the episodes are not from the same season as the other episodes on that DVD.
- In some airings, this episode is paired with "You Don't Know Sponge."
- This is the second episode in season 7 where the Krusty Krab runs out of Krabby Patties, the first being "The Great Patty Caper."
- This episode reveals that the Krusty Krab had an attic with a freezer in it before Mr. Krabs sold it.
Dub facts[]
German title card
- In the German dub, the title card uses Comic Sans MS.
Cultural references[]
- "Bring Your Pet to Work Day" references "Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day," commonly known as "Bring Your Kid to Work Day," which is what the episode is spoofing on.
- Karen having the ability to read lips references HAL from the 1968 movie, 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Errors[]
- The pet hospital SpongeBob takes "Gary" to is actually a hospital where fish go.
- Although Plankton never tells him where Club Shell is, Gary somehow manages to get there.
- When Gary blows at Plankton to get him out of the kitchen, he blows with two mouths (or possibly his nose).
- Plankton's size becomes inconsistent when he is in Gary's shell. For example, when SpongeBob carries him downstairs, he is larger than SpongeBob's hand. He is usually as tall as SpongeBob's finger.
Plankton isn't supposed to be that big.
- When SpongeBob calls Gary a second time while Plankton is talking to him, only one eye moves.
- When Gary puffs out after beating Plankton up, he has two mouths puffing (instead of one).
Names in other languages[]
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish (American) | Travesuras de caracol | Snail's Mischief |
| Spanish (European) | El truco de la concha | The Shell's Trick |