SpongeBob SquarePants is a show that, in the past few years, has leaned into references to past episodes. We’re now in for the ultimate SpongeBob callback – actually visiting past episodes!
“SpongeBob and Patrick’s Timeline Twist-Up” is a 45 minute crossover special with The Patrick Star Show (TPSS), a prequel spin-off series, following Patrick’s own TV show, and shenanigans with his mum (Bunny), dad (Cecil), sister (Squidina) and his Grandpa (GrandPat). This crossover episode sees SpongeBob and Patrick attempting to rescue the Star family from their trips to past SpongeBob episodes, when their time machine goes on the fritz.
How good is this episode? Let’s find out! Spoilers ahead.
The Timeline Twist-Up
The episode begins with SpongeBob and Patrick chilling out in a barrel floating down a river, which turns out to be a Glove World ride. After hurtling down a waterfall, they collect a photo of their experience to put in SpongeBob’s memory book. They stroll down memory lane and view photos from past episodes. After photos from “The Sponge Who Could Fly” and “Band Geeks”, we see some from “Ripped Pants”, “Neptune’s spatula”, and “Help Wanted”. Except… Patrick’s family are in those photos instead of SpongeBob.
After a pit-stop at Goofy Goobers (which felt like a way to pad the runtime), we end up at Patrick’s childhood home to see what’s up. They find it in a mess, with no family members to be seen. We get taken on a tour of the house for a nod and wink for fans of TPSS, before they encounter Patrick’s time closet (time machine, as seen in the show) on a rampage. As it’s about to capture them, Squidina rescues them and explains how the closet went haywire and transported the family across time. After it nabs Squidina too and then Granny Tentacles randomly, it’s up to SpongeBob and Patrick to restore the timeline and save the Star family.
This is effectively a full episode worth of set-up at 10 mins long, but the stakes are set pretty effectively and that’s really it for exposition from now onwards. The animation is super slick but importantly isn’t ‘over animated’. Visual gags like some Looney Tunes references and SpongeBob’s ‘real’ eye feel fresh but fitting with what the show has done before. There’s some really clever written humour as well, with a jar joke I found genuinely funny.
Rock Bottom
Their first mission is to rescue Squidina, Patrick’s sister, who conveniently was transported to Rock Bottom, at the same time SpongeBob and Patrick were trapped there. Also conveniently, SpongeBob and Patrick decide they’re too tired and want to watch what happens to Squidina first before saving her (totally not to show the audience some classically animated eye candy before the new stuff happens – this will be a pattern).
We’re thrown into the “Rock Bottom” episode as SpongeBob and Patrick, from the past, are flung to the front of the bus as they arrive in Rock Bottom. The story continues as normal until Squidina arrives in the time machine and offers to help them catch the bus. The twist here is SpongeBob and Patrick catch the bus this time… and Squidina doesn’t.
Before I continue, we really need to discuss the animation, dialogue, and music. It’s classic, beautiful, and everything I wanted to see. The colour palette is more muted as from season one, and the character models are designed after that too. Rock Bottom feels spooky as from the episode, with the same music tracks as well. I laughed out loud as Squidina tried to scale the cliff in the same fashion as SpongeBob did in the original episode.
Moving on with story, this is where this segment weakens a bit. Squidina goes on an adventure with some Rock Bottomites, pulling pranks and doing teenager stuff. That’s the extent of the plot. Not only does this part no longer feel ‘classic’, it just isn’t as funny really. I didn’t hate this to be clear, but it felt pleasant and not much more. I, therefore, wasn’t too disappointed when modern SpongeBob and Patrick rescue Squidina and we can move on to the next rescue mission.
Ripped Pants
On to Cecil Star, Patrick’s dad, who has been transported to Goo Lagoon and the events of “Ripped Pants”. Cecil sees SpongeBob take the marshmallows from the marshmallow guy from the episode, and follows him knowing he’s Patrick’s friend. Upon seeing SpongeBob’s bad technique for lifting the weights, he feels he knows better and does the deed himself… ripping his pants in the process.
From here, the episode turns into more a variation of “Ripped Pants” than its own thing. People love Cecil’s ripped pants routine and he does all he can to please his audience, as SpongeBob did. This is still very funny though, with humour coming from the ‘cool dad’ just not being a cool dad. Cecil gets to build up his own fashion empire to then have it crumble down when people discover they get cold with no clothing. A perfect time for SpongeBob and Patrick to swoop in and save the day.
All in all, this was similar to “Ripped Pants” in many ways, but this was still a solid and funny outing. It was once again very well animated too, with character models and colour palette being just about perfect. I wanted a Ripped Pants song reprise though!
Neptune’s Spatula
Next up is a visit to “Neptune’s Spatula”. This section opens with a great recreation of the scene where classic SpongeBob and Patrick are reading about King Neptune’s spatula, trapped in the grease.
Before SpongeBob can pull out the spatula, Bunny Star, Patrick’s mum, arrives and wants to clean it. In doing so, it dissolves the grease, placing the spatula in her arms, becoming Neptune’s champion. Neptune swoops in, once again expertly voiced by John O’Hurley, who takes Bunny back to Atlantis to be his chef. This is a fun premise and helps differentiate this story from the classic episode, where the champion does actually accept Neptune’s offer.
Once there, Bunny cooks Neptune a gross looking dish, making him ill, and Bunny volunteers to fulfill his royal duties. She hops around Bikini Bottom effectively being Aquaman, saving the town’s citizens. Shoutout to Plankton being featured here – who wasn’t in the original episode – to add some more variety.
Meanwhile, King Neptune, who’s faked an illness to get a day off, doesn’t want to be upstaged by Bunny so challenges her to the ‘ultimate contest’, bringing us back to the original episode. This time, the challenge is to defeat the Wise Kraken (from Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years). SpongeBob and Patrick rescue Bunny, and she gives back Neptune’s trident, fresh cleaned, despite Neptune’s warning not to. The trident melts, allowing the Kraken to defeat the king of the sea.
This segment had a lot more plot than the previous ones, which really helped set it apart from the original episode. Bunny was really likeable and it was hilarious seeing her be a superhero mum and Neptune’s dismay at his failed plan.
Help Wanted
Finally, the duo are rescuing GrandPat, Patrick’s grandpa, from “Help Wanted”. The opening here made me emotional, with a near-perfect recreation of classic SpongeBob leaving with shouts of “I’m ready!” and Patrick’s encouragement before flopping to the ground. SpongeBob sees the Krusty Krab up ahead with the Help Wanted sign at the window, ready to start his lifelong dream until… Mr. Krabs is shaking hands with GrandPat, who’s taken the job instead. Another shout out to the crew for the accurate pink eyelids for Mr. K!
GrandPat and Eugene try to assert dominance over each other, then GrandPat has a funny jibe at Squidward, alluding to his past as the paperboy for the Star family. The anchovies then descend on the Krusty Krab, which is GrandPat’s cue to leave.
He’s bribed by Plankton for a Krabby Patty for his evil plans. However, GrandPat thinks he can do better at ruling the world, so he takes over the plan, selling Krabby Patties all over the world as “Grand Patties”. There’s a really cool montage of Grand Patty’s restaurants taking over famous landmarks, and GrandPat cloning himself.
After a failed first attempt, modern SpongeBob and Patrick try to bring him back to the future. Here comes the heavily marketed scene with modern SpongeBob meeting classic SpongeBob. While very fun to watch and a highlight of the episode, there isn’t much more to it and the promo rather spoiled the moment! Regardless, modern SpongeBob gives his classic self a hydro-dynamic spatula, who dives in to save the Krusty Krab. Modern SpongeBob has a nice moment watching his classic self cooking patties, before leaving for the future with GrandPat in tow.
Our heroes think they’ve saved the timeline, until they realise they forgot to save Granny Tentacles who has redubbed the town “Grannyville”. A fun end to the episode!
A Time-Travel Treat
Overall, of the five 45 minute special episodes released in the show’s history, this stands up there among the best. The animation and art direction were terrific and very nostalgic – you can tell a lot of heart went into making it. I found the modern and classic parts of this episode overall to be very funny, mainly down to the clever writing and visual gags which weren’t too exaggerated. In terms of fanservice, as I’ve discussed before, when done well, I see no harm in rewarding fans who have stayed with the show for so long.
The only thing I’m sad about is I wanted more, which is a compliment to how good this was. Only season one episodes were covered, and it would have been nice to have seen this treatment spread across the original three seasons. While I love “Ripped Pants” and “Rock Bottom”, the timeline changes here didn’t have a load of plot or anything too daring, with the former having a similar plot and result of the classic episode.
Kudos to the episode too for the crossover of The Patrick Star Show. The Star family were really funny and it was sweet to see the Star home again, with the unique artstyle of that show. I think as well, TPSS is known for being wacky, cartoony and unpredictable. It was risky combining that with the, well, less wacky early seasons of the main show, but it never felt jarring. That’s a great accomplishment in itself and this crossover felt very organic.
Paramount CEO, Brian Robbins, said he wanted SpongeBob SquarePants to be Nick’s interconnected Marvel Universe. Whether you agree with this or not, this episode was a great example of what a good crossover could be and I’m down for more like this in future!
Chris
Leave a Reply