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GRAVEYARD SHIFT

Episode Title: "Graveyard Shift"

Episode Airing Number: 52

Episode Production Number: 36

Original Airdate: September 6, 2002

Season: 3

On DVD: "SpongeBob SquarePants: The Complete Second Season," "Nautical Nonsense and Sponge Buddies"

On VHS: "Nautical Nonsense"

Aired With Episode: "Krusty Love"

Running Time: 11:16


Storyboard Directors: Jay Lender and Dan Povenmire

Writers: Mr. Lawrence, Jay Lender and Dan Povenmire

Animation Director: Sean Dempsey

Creative Director: Derek Drymon


In Brief: During a night shift at the Krusty Krab, Squidward tells SpongeBob a ghost story that seems to be true.


Story: At 8 PM one Tuesday night, Squidward is happy that it's closing time at the Krusty Krab and is looking forward to playing his clarinet. A customer comes after the restaurant is closed. Squidward tries turning him down, but Mr. Krabs wants his money. Krabs makes SpongeBob and Squidward work a night shift.

SpongeBob is very joyful to be working at the Krusty Krab at night, while Squidward is the opposite. Squidward brings up that he's scared (well, not really) because of a man that was all over the news. SpongeBob wants to hear more, so he tells him the story of his made-up ghost.

According to Squidward, the Hash-Slinging Slasher is a guy who was a Krusty Krab frycook years ago. One night while he was cutting patties, he cut off his own hand by mistake. He replaced his hand with a rusty spatula and then was hit by a bus. At his funeral, he was fired, so every Tuesday night, he comes to wreak his vengeance. You can tell if he's coming because the lights will flicker on and off, then a phone will ring and nobody will be there, and then he'll come to the Krusty Krab in a ghost bus. Squidward scares SpongeBob by telling him the Slasher will get him. He enjoys watching SpongeBob's frightened screams until it gets to be too much. Then, he tells him it was all a joke.

Later that night, the lights in the Krusty Krab start flickering without anyone moving the switch. Next, the phone rings and nobody is on the other line. Finally, a bus arrives at the Krusty Krab. A dark figure with a humpback, a small head with evil red eyes and a spatula where its hand should be appears outside. As it comes into the Krusty Krab, Squidward and SpongeBob are horrified. Once it arrives at the counter...it turns out that it's not the Hash-Slinging Slasher.

The figure turns out to be a teenager wanting a job application. His humpback is actually his head and the small head with red eyes is actually his nose and nostrils. The spatula in place of his hand was actually being held by his hand under his sleeve. The phone rung with nobody on the line because the kid hung up from nervousness. The flickering lights were actually caused by...Nosferatu, a vampire who kept hitting a switch.


Song: "Night"

Night night night night

Night night night night

Night night night night

Ni-ni-ni-ni-ni-ni...NIGHT!


Quotes:

Tom: Are you open?

Squidward: Read the sign. *points to "Closed" sign*

Tom: I'll have a Krabby Patty Deluxe and a Double Chili Kelp Fries.


SpongeBob: *referring to the night shift* It'll be just like a sleep over, only we'll be sweaty and covered with grease!


SpongeBob: Are you ready to rock, Squidward?

Squidward: No.

SpongeBob: Good, cause we've got customers!


Squidward: Open 24 hours a day, what a stupid idea! Who wants a Krabby Patty at three in the morning? *cuts to Patrick in bed, waking to his alarm clock*

Patrick: Oh boy, 3 AM! *pulls out Krabby Patty and eats*


Squidward: SpongeBob, no matter what I've said, I've always sort of liked you!

SpongeBob: Squidward, I used your clarinet to unclog my toilet!


Observations:

Production This episode aired in the second half of season three, but was produced near the end of season two.


Title Difference On the "Nautical Nonsense and Sponge Buddies" DVD's box and episode selection menu, this episode has a "The" in front of "Graveyard Shift." The actual title includes no "the".


Twenty-four Hours Return Mr. Krabs also opens the Krusty Krab for 24 hours in season four's "Fear of a Krabby Patty."


Soap In the Krusty Krab's bathroom, a bar of soap hangs from a piece of string.


"Hash-Slinging Slasher" Mispronunciations in This Episode:

-Slash-Bringing Hasher

-Sash-Ringing

-Trash Singing

-Mash-Flinging

-Flash-Springing

-Crash Dinging

-Flash-Singing

-Bash-Pinging


Many Arms Thirty arms jump with SpongeBob when he screams "Oh, no!".


Reappearing Arms As SpongeBob takes handfuls of his arms out of the popcorn bucket and eats them, none inside the bucket disappear.


Water Pail In the far shot of SpongeBob mopping the ceiling, the bucket of water isn't seen that is seen in the close shot.


Smiling Along Squidward smiles along with SpongeBob and the kid wanting a job when he learns Nosferatu flickered the lights.


Nosferatu Nosferatu is a film from the 1920's based on the tale "Dracula." More info can be found here.