I WAS A TEENAGE GARY

Episode Title: "I Was A Teenage Gary"

Episode Airing Number: 13

Episode Production Number: 13

Original Airdate: October 28, 1999

Season: 1

On DVD: "SpongeBob SquarePants: The Complete First Season," "Halloween"

On VHS: "Halloween"

Aired With Episode: "Scaredy Pants"

Running Time: 11:39

Storyboard Director: Steve Fonti

Storyboard Artist: Chris Mitchell

Writers: Steve Fonti, Chris Mitchell and Mr. Lawrence

Animation Director: Edgar Larrazabal

Creative Director: Derek Drymon

In Brief: When Squidward tries injecting snail plasma into a sick Gary for SpongeBob, he accidentally injects SpongeBob, turning him into a snail.

Story: One morning, Patrick comes to SpongeBob's house to ask if he's ready to go to a jellyfishing convention in Ukelele Bottom. SpongeBob forgot about it and can't go if nobody can take care of Gary. SpongeBob asks Squidward if he can take care of Gary. He is reluctant to, but volunteers to watch Gary when SpongeBob says they'll have to stay home. SpongeBob shows Squidward the cans of food he must feed Gary, but he doesn't listen to him because he's too busy thinking about how great it will be while Patrick and SpongeBob are gone. When the bus to the convention arrives at the pineapple, SpongeBob and Patrick leave.

Squidward spends three days tanning, completely forgetting about Gary. As SpongeBob comes home, Squidward remembers and rushes into the pineapple to feed a weak and ill Gary some food. SpongeBob quickly finds out Gary's sick.

That night, a vet visits. After the vet is done checking up on Gary, he hands SpongeBob some plasma to inject Gary with because he's too squeamish to do it himself. SpongeBob is also too squeamish to inject Gary, so he convinces Squidward to. As Squidward tries to poke it into Gary, SpongeBob worries and keeps moving the snail around. The movements cause Squidward to accidentally inject SpongeBob with plasma. SpongeBob worries about what will happen to himself, but Squidward insists he'll be ok. Gary drinks some water and heals right away.

Shortly after, the plasma begins to kick in. It ends up turning SpongeBob into a snail. He comes to Squidward's doorstep, who is very stunned to see he's a snail. Squid tries to board up his window and door to escape from SpongeBob, but he finds his way in. Hiding in a closet doesn't work for Squidward either, and the two jump around the house. After causing a mess, the snail plasma lands on Squidward's nose and makes him a snail, too. Squidward joins snails SpongeBob and Gary sitting on a fence and sings snail songs through the night.

Song: "Blow the Man Down" (Snail Version)

(This is just the word "meow" repeated lots of times, sung to the tune of "Blow the Man Down")

Quotes:

Squidward: *to SpongeBob* Would you please stop leaving your undergarments on my front lawn?

SpongeBob: Squidward, could you watch Gary this weekend?

Squidward: What's a Gary?

SpongeBob: Not a Gary. Gary. He's my pet snail.

SpongeBob: Now, you won't forget my instructions, will you?

Squidward: I have the memory of an elephant. I'll take good care of Fred.

SpongeBob: Gary!

Fish Doctor: Yes, yes, it's just as I thought. This is definitely a snail.

SpongeBob: *gasps* I knew it! *sobbing* Oh Squid, did you hear that?

Gary: *ill and moaning, drinks some water from his dish, and is completely healed* Meow!

Squidward: He just needed water?

SpongeBob: Oh Gary, you're better!

Squidward: Oh, how touching. I'm gonna go home and throw up. Goodnight.

SpongeBob: *left arm falls off as he turns into a snail* That's ok. I'm a lefty anyway.

Observations:

Episode Title The title of this episode is a reference to the 1987 movie, "I Was a Teenage Zombie."

Jellyfishing Net Difference Everyone has a square shaped top on their jellyfishing nets in this episode. In most episodes, it is circular.

Jellyfishing! Jellyfishing! The "jellyfishing" song everybody chants on the bus was also chanted by SpongeBob and Patrick, but a little quicker in the episode "Jellyfishing."

SpongeBob's Symptoms of Becoming a Snail:

-Begins liking and eating snail food

-Lets out a "meow"

-Walks slower

-Eyes pop out on stalks above his head

-Loses arms and legs

-Legs are replaced with a gastropodic foot made of sponge, his pants become a shell

-Can only speak in "meows"

Similar Shell Squidward's snail shell is very identical to Gary's in color and designs.

Hole-in-One Patrick also leaves a star shaped hole in SpongeBob's wall by running through it in "SpongeBob Meets The Strangler."

A Haunting Reference This Halloween show was the thirteenth episode premiered in the series. Spooky...

First Appearance This episode was the first to feature the doctor fish.