NEPTUNE'S SPATULA
Episode Title: "Neptune's Spatula"
Episode Airing Number: 19
Episode Production Number: 19
Original Airdate: April 1, 2000
Season: 1
On DVD: "SpongeBob SquarePants: The Complete First Season," "Fear of a Krabby Patty"
On VHS: "Fear of a Krabby Patty"
Aired With Episode: "Fools in April"
Running Time: 11:19
Storyboard Director: Chuck Klein
Storyboard Artist: Jay Lender
Writers: Chuck Klein, Jay Lender and David B. Fain
Animation Director: Fred Miller
Creative Director: Derek Drymon
Guest Voice: John O'Hurley as King Neptune
In Brief: King Neptune challenges SpongeBob to a fry cooking competition.
Story: One day SpongeBob and Patrick are looking at the really cool stuff the Fry Cook Museum has to offer when they come upon the Golden Spatula. This is a spatula that many people have tried pulling out of a pail of ancient grease, but none have succeeded. SpongeBob goes up to the spatula to get a photo of him with it when an old lady asks Patrick where the menu section is. Patrick doesn't know, so SpongeBob helps out by pointing to it - with the Golden Spatula. Because he freed it from the grease, King Neptune comes to the museum to find which worthy fry cook has finally pulled it out. When King Neptune asks who freed the spatula, SpongeBob tells him he did. Neptune doesn't believe a puny, weak kid like him could have done it. He asks a hot dog vendor, Larry and Patrick if they pulled it out, but they say SpongeBob did. King Neptune tries to prove that SpongeBob is not the fry cook because he must have certain qualities, but SpongeBob has all of them. Finally, he settles for SpongeBob and challenges him to a fry cooking competition. If SpongeBob wins, he will be a fry cook and god in Atlantis, but if he loses, he must give up fry cooking forever. He accepts the challenge. At the Poseidome, Neptune and SpongeBob compete in a wrestling ring to make better hamburgers. Neptune finishes before SpongeBob and proclaims himself the winner. However, when he gives the crowd burgers, they all hate the taste. King Neptune tries SpongeBob's and thinks it is very delicious. SpongeBob is proclaimed the new winner. Patrick and SpongeBob are happy to go to Atlantis, but when Neptune tells him his friends can't come, he doesn't want to go. Instead, he tells King Neptune that he has another idea. At the Krusty Krab, Patrick comes in to order and is interrupted by a yelp in the kitchen. SpongeBob sees what's going on, and it is revealed that Neptune is working at the Krusty Krab. He burns his finger on the stove and is scolded by SpongeBob when he zaps it for hurting him.
Song: "We're Going to Atlantis" We're going to Atlantis We're going to Atlantis
Quotes:
King Neptune: For if some minute chance you meet the challenge, your reward will be great. Behold! *opens cloud hiding reward; reveals incorrect reward image of a man showering; Neptune chuckles nervously* Whoopsie!
Mr. Krabs: *to SpongeBob, at fry cook competition* Don't worry lad, I have total confidence on ya. *cuts to Krabs with pile of money at bets window* Put it all on Neptune!
King Neptune: *after trying SpongeBob's burger* Mmm. Why, it tastes so good, I think I'd like to try it a second time! *spits out intact burger and puts it back in his mouth; the crowd groans in disgust*
SpongeBob: *after Neptune says his friends can't come to Atlantis, Krabs walks by sobbing* I know Mr. Krabs. I'll miss you too.
Mr. Krabs: I lost me bet! *walks off crying*
King Neptune: The accursed stove has burnt my finger. Feel thine own wrath, stove! *zaps stove, laughing*
SpongeBob: What did I tell you about using your powers, trainee?
King Neptune: Perfect patties are made with love, not magic.
Observations:
The Fry Cook Museum The Fry Cook Museum is shaped like a pot belly stove. The museum's sign is a big spatula, and there's a large pot behind it.
Utensil Equation On a wall at the museum is a picture that states Fork + Spoon = Spork (with images of the utensils).
Extra Finger King Neptune has four fingers and a thumb, instead of the normal three fingers and a thumb.
Hot Dog Cart The vendor's cart says "Hot Dog," not the plural form, "Hot Dogs."
Tom Kenny The man seen in the shower when King Neptune shows SpongeBob the wrong image of Atlantis is Tom Kenny (voice of SpongeBob and Gary).
Running on Nothing There doesn't seem to be a visible floor Mr. Krabs walks on when he goes to the bets window.
King Neptune's Way of Making Hamburgers: Seahorses carry in his apron. Using his powers, he grows wheat in the ring and zaps it into buns. He makes the tomatoes, lettuce, onions and pickes float in the air, which a group of sword fish chop up. He lays the patties on a stove and cooks them and flips them with his powers. All of the food comes together to form many burgers in the air when he slams the tables the things are on with his tail fin.
SpongeBob's Way of Making Hamburgers: Puts on his Krusty Krab hat. He takes out a bag of buns. Using his spatula, he slices a tomato. A campfire and small platform are used to cook a patty and his spatula flips it. Using ketchup, he draws faces on two pickles and "tucks" them under a slice of cheese. He kisses the patty and reads a bedtime story to the pickes. Then he lays the top bun down.
Hit by Spit The crowd spits out their burgers Neptune made all over. The people below the spitters likely got hit by chewed burgers.
More Drool and Confusion Patrick also drools in a confused state when wondering what to order at the Krusty Krab in "Krusty Krab Training Video."