Original air date: 7/19/2009
Mr. Krabs has to find food for Pearl as she undergoes an extreme growth spurt.
"Growth Spout" contains examples of:
- A Day in the Limelight: For Mr. Krabs and Pearl.
- Animate Inanimate Object: The "chopped liver" joke, as well as Squidward's house talking.
- Bait-and-Switch: When the cops catch Mr. Krabs with a sack of food, he claims to be "playing Santa Claus". Cue a shot of a police siren... only to reveal that the police dropped Krabs' off at his house instead of arresting him.
- Big Damn Heroes: SpongeBob, who stops Pearl's growth and appetite by giving her a krabby patty made with love.
- Big Eater: Pearl has an appetite as big as herself, with the plot being Mr. Krabs trying to find enough food for her.
- Body Horror: Pearl is bloated to an astronomical size.
- Continuity Nod: Averted. Despite having an entire episode where Mr. Krabs and Mrs. Puff fall in love with each other, the latter doesn't even seem to ''recognize'' the former in this episode.
- "Could Have Avoided This!" Plot: Mr. Krabs resorts to breaking into people's houses to steal food and feed Pearl. SpongeBob points out he could've just taken her to the Krusty Krab to eat.
- Failed a Spot Check: For some reason, Mr. Krabs failed to notice one of Pearl's fins had broken through his bathroom mirror.
- Gold Tooth of Wealth: Squidward sarcastically asks if the money-grubbing Mr. Krabs would give him his golden tooth as compensation for not calling the police on him. He yanks it out and proffers it immediately.SpongeBob: I didn't even know Mr. Krabs had a gold tooth.
Squidward: Neither did I. - Hairpin Lockpick: A variation, as Mr. Krabs uses his pointed nose in order to open Squidward's front door.
- Police Are Useless: The two policemen who appear do nothing useful: asking Mrs. Puff pointless questions, don't even notice a crazed Mr. Krabs run past them, and even fall for Mr. Krabs' paper thin 'I'm playing Santa Claus' lie to cover for the sack of food he was carrying.
- Rhetorical Question Blunder: When Mr. Krabs is trying to convince Squidward not to call the police on him for stealing all his food, Squidward snarks, "You'll what? You'll give me your golden tooth?". Mr. Krabs yanks the sucker out and gives it to Squidward right then and there.SpongeBob: I didn't even know Mr. Krabs had a gold tooth.
Squidward: Neither did I. - Rimshot: The "chopped liver" joke is capped off with one.
- Skewed Priorities: Played for Laughs when Pearl first has her growth spurt:Mr. Krabs: Pearl, this is terrible! (Refers to the bed Pearl had broken) I paid thirty bucks for that bed!
- Stating the Simple Solution: Upon hearing about how Mr. Krabs is having trouble feeding Pearl, SpongeBob reminded him that he was a restaurant owner and could take Pearl to the Krusty Krab. Mr. Krabs initially rebuffs the idea, stating his goal was to feed Pearl, not clean out his inventory. Fortunately, SpongeBob managed to cook a Krabby Patty that was filling as a million.
- Threat Backfire: Mr. Krabs threatens to fire Squidward if he calls the cops on him for breaking into his house — but since it's been made clear over the course of the series that Squidward hates his job, he doesn't care about getting fired and keeps dialing.
- The Unreveal: The audience doesn't learn how Squidward knew it was Mr. Krabs that had broken into his house.
"Help?! I think you've helped quite enough today!"
SpongeBob gets stuck in a wringer, after Patrick mistakenly thinks that he wants to be stuck and uses Forever Glue on him.
"Stuck in the Wringer" contains examples of:
- Abuse Mistake: SpongeBob finally reaches his Rage Breaking Point and singles out Patrick for everything he has caused. The carnival patrons mistake it as SpongeBob bullying Patrick and single him out by saying he got he deserved.
- Animate Inanimate Object: SpongeBob's brain gets a face after being cleaned. Also his heart gets a really sad one during one of the spectator's "The Reason You Suck" Speech.
- Apathetic Citizens: The townspeople don't care about SpongeBob's predicament and have no issue sending him into a depression after they hear him yelling at Patrick.
- Armor-Piercing Response:Carnival patron: You know, kid, your body isn't the problem. It's your heart. You deserve what you've gotten.
- Beard of Sorrow: SpongeBob grows a stubble after being under depression of having to be stuck in the wringer.
- Blaming the Victim: After witnessing him tell off Patrick, the Bikini Bottomites call SpongeBob heartless and claim he deserves to be glued to his wringer.
- Buffy Speak: Patrick refers to the teacups ride as the "spinning steering wheels".
- Bullying the Disabled: The carnival patrons harass and insult SpongeBob for his condition upon witnessing his argument with Patrick.
- Comically Missing the Point: Patrick sees SpongeBob stuck in his wringer, but when SpongeBob tells him he's "a little stuck", Patrick thinks SpongeBob wants to be more stuck, resulting in the Forever Glue.
- Continuity Nod: Super Weenie Hut Jrs. makes another appearance, though we get to see its interior.
- Death Glare: The carnival patrons witnessing SpongeBob chewing Patrick out give him a whole round of these after Patrick runs off crying.
- The Dog Bites Back: SpongeBob finally gets fed up with Patrick's insensitivity and tells him to go away. Of course, it doesn't last.
- Dramatic Irony: The carnival patrons tell SpongeBob he deserves to be glued to his wringer for telling off Patrick, unaware of the fact he told him off because Patrick glued him to his wringer in the first place.
- Easily Condemned: Right after SpongeBob rightfully tells Patrick off for ruining his life, the citizens who witnessed this are quick to believe he is a Jerkass and tell him that he deserves to be stuck in the wringer.
- Eye Scream: When SpongeBob winks at Squidward after he makes fun of his wringer appearance, the mustard squirts into his eyes, causing them to shrivel up and fall on SpongeBob's patty.
- Foreshadowing: After SpongeBob laments that he can't do anything in the wringer, Patrick tells him that crying won't solve his problems. However, at the end, Patrick and SpongeBob's tears get the latter out of the wringer... at least for a while.
- For Want Of A Nail: SpongeBob wouldn't have gotten stuck if he didn't drop his soap bar in the beginning.
- Fur Is Clothing: Patrick was somehow able to peal his skin back like a coat, revealing pockets underneath.
- Help, I'm Stuck!: SpongeBob gets stuck in his wringer, as the title says.
- Here We Go Again!: After SpongeBob manages to get out of the wringer, the episode ends with both him and Patrick getting stuck in it. Also, Patrick's last line added insult to injury:Patrick: Hey, should I get the glue?
- Heroic BSoD: When Patrick comes to check on SpongeBob, he has become so depressed because of the cruel insults from the people at the carnival that he has grown stubble and watching TV, which soon breaks down. Thankfully, he instantly snapped out of it when one of Patrick's Tears of Remorse starts to wash off the Forever Glue.
- Hypocrite: The townspeople declare SpongeBob a bully for telling off Patrick, yet they themselves bully SpongeBob into a depression without even understanding his problem.
- Idiot Ball: Patrick somehow thought forever glue would help SpongeBob.
- Insult Backfire:Squidward: Hey, SpongeBob, love the outfit. Where'd you get it, the hardware store?! [laughs] Hardware store!
SpongeBob: [laughs] Hardware store? No, from my bathroom.
Squidward: [teasingly] Well, I must say, it really completes your imbecile look. Way to go, buddy.
SpongeBob: [happily] Aw, thanks, pal! - Ironic Echo: After SpongeBob being glued in the wringer causes problems in the Krusty Krab, Mr. Krabs yells to him, "Help?! I think you've helped quite enough today!". Then later, after Patrick makes things worse for SpongeBob, SpongeBob snaps and says the exact same thing to Patrick.
- It's All My Fault: In deep regret, Patrick says this after SpongeBob chews him out for messing him up with the wringer.Patrick: This is all my fault! Me and my dumb ideas! I'm so sorry...
- Jerkass: The citizens at the carnival. They take Patrick's side and send SpongeBob into a depression.
- Karma Houdini: The townspeople get no punishment for telling off SpongeBob and sending him into a depression.
- Kick the Dog: The townspeople telling SpongeBob he deserves to be trapped in his wringer and remorselessly send him into a depression.
- Lethally Stupid: Patrick. When SpongeBob gets stuck in his wringer, Patrick completely misunderstands that SpongeBob wants help out of the wringer and glues him into it so he'll be stuck in it forever.
- Made Out to Be a Jerkass: In the infamous scene at the carnival, SpongeBob finally reaches his boiling point and blames Patrick for gluing him in the wringer. Patrick is brought to tears and runs away. The people at the carnival witness this and make things worse by saying SpongeBob deserved what he got. Their anger towards SpongeBob is unwarranted, considering these people don't have the benefit of context to the situation.
- Minor Insult Meltdown: SpongeBob yells at Patrick for gluing the wringer around him, sending him to tears. Then again, part of Patrick's sadness may have been due to his feeling remorseful over what he has done.
- No Sympathy: Mr. Krabs throws SpongeBob out of the Krusty Krab instead of helping him out with his predicament. The carnival patrons give him the same treatment as well.
- Not What It Looks Like: The carnival patrons misinterpret SpongeBob chewing out Patrick as bullying, thus they chew him out for it and claim he got what he deserved.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: SpongeBob is usually very passive to the point of being an Extreme Doormat, but when he brutally tells off Patrick without any hesitation, you know Patrick has pushed him too far.
- Out-of-Context Eavesdropping: The Bikini Bottomites do this to SpongeBob as he yells at Patrick, believing SpongeBob was bullying Patrick and they tell him he deserves to be in his wringer for it.
- Psychological Projection: The townspeople claim SpongeBob "was born mean", despite ridiculing him for something that wasn't even their business.
- Rage Breaking Point: After being thrown out of the Tilt-A-Whirl due to Patrick's incompetence, SpongeBob finally snaps at him and tells him off for ruining his day. Unfortunately, the Bikini Bottomites misinterpret this as bullying and send him into a depression.SpongeBob: That's nice, Patrick, but I don't want any cotton candy.SpongeBob: I said I don't want any!Patrick: You ruined my cotton candy!SpongeBob: GOOD! Now you know how I feel about YOU RUINING MY LIFE!!
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: SpongeBob gives one to Patrick, and is subsequently given one himself by the surrounding people.
- Rousing Speech: After initially getting stuck, SpongeBob felt that his life was over, but Patrick gave him one of these that he could persevere despite the adversity. Unfortunately, it was proven that Patrick was wrong as SpongeBob actually was incapable of doing anything while stuck in the wringer.
- Shamed by a Mob: The other fish are disgusted at SpongeBob yelling at Patrick, and tell him he got what he deserved.
- Spoof Aesop: "I guess crying does solve your problems after all!"
- Swiss-Army Tears: In the ending, SpongeBob and Patrick cry in order to melt the glue on the wringer. SpongeBob then lampshades this with an epic Spoof Aesop:SpongeBob: I guess crying does solve your problems after all!
- Trauma Conga Line: SpongeBob gets glued in the wringer by Patrick, kicked out of the Krusty Krab, is unable to eat his ice cream, gets a black eye and thrown out of the Tilt-a-Whirl, and then gets belittled by the carnival patrons for his condition.
- Unwanted Assistance: Patrick tries to help SpongeBob to get the wringer off of him, but makes things worse. Later, he has the idea of bringing him at the carnival in an attempt to make him feel better. The problem is that the wringer prevents SpongeBob even from enjoying his day.
- What the Hell, Hero?: The crowd at the carnival felt this way toward SpongeBob after he scolds Patrick.
