Episode Airing Number: 97

Episode Production Number: 82

Original Airdate: July 30, 2007

Season: 5

On DVD: "Friend or Foe?", "SpongeBob SquarePants: Season 5, Volume 1"

On VHS: (none)

Aired With Episode: "The Original Fry Cook"

Running Time: 10:53

Storyboard Directors: Casey Alexander and Chris Mitchell

Writers: Casey Alexander, Chris Mitchell and Steven Banks

Technical Director: Vincent Waller

Animation Director: Andrew Overtoom

Supervising Director: Paul Tibbitt

In Brief: SpongeBob becomes terrified of the dark causing him to light up his house really bright.

Story: SpongeBob is reading a scary story to Gary late at night. He closes the book and shudders. Gary is so scared he can't move. SpongeBob picks Gary up and puts him in bed with him. SpongeBob turns off the lights and he thinks he sees a green monster with a brain protruding from his head. He screams and turns on the light to reveal it's just his inflatable chair. He turns off the lights again and hears a tapping at the window. He turns and looks and sees a green claw scratching. He gasps and turns on the light again and sees that it's a coral branch. He then hears a creaking sound as if a door is opening. SpongeBob keeps turning the light on and off as he sees scary stuff over and over again.

The next day at the Krusty Krab Mr. Krabs asks Squidward if he's seen SpongeBob. At that moment a very tired looking SpongeBob comes dragging in. He hasn't shaved and he has blood shot eyes. Mr. Krabs tells him he doesn't look so good. SpongeBob tells him he's had a rough night and goes into the kitchen. Mr. Krabs hears a racket and goes to check on it. He sees SpongeBob with a pot on his head running around in circles. He's screaming for Mr. Krabs to get it off so he takes it off SpongeBob's head. He then screams every time he blinks because it's dark. Mr. Krabs tells SpongeBob not to blink so he puts two french fries in his eyelids to keep them open. The fries snap and fly across the room. Mr. Krabs tells SpongeBob to go in the freezer and get some fresh patties but he's terrified to go in there. Mr. Krabs tells SpongeBob his work is starting to effect his profits. He tells him to go get a nightlight to keep his room lit so he's not afraid anymore.

That evening SpongeBob goes shopping at Barg N' Mart for a night light. He sees a whole wall of them in different sizes and colors. He sees one that he likes and grabs it. Back at home SpongeBob jumps up and floats into bed after plugging the night light in. He yawns and pulls up the covers but suddenly screams when he sees how dark his bathroom is. He runs back to the store and gets another night light. After lighting his bathroom he screams again because of his dark closet. SpongeBob runs to Barg N' Mart again and grabs another night light just like before. He does this again for his hallway and practically every other place in his pineapple. SpongeBob tells Gary there's not one square inch of dark left. Gary meows informing SpongeBob that he's got darkness inside of him. He resolves this problem by putting flashlights in his eye sockets. Outside the pineapple it's glowing bright orange from all the lights. It wakes up Patrick and he walks over to SpongeBob's thinking he's having a party. Patrick knocks on the door and SpongeBob quickly pulls him inside. He tells Patrick to stay out of the dark because he doesn't know what kind of creepy critters are out there. Patrick shudders and runs out. SpongeBob hears a thundering noise and the ground shakes. Patrick pushes his rock through SpongeBob's wall and right into his living room. SpongeBob and Patrick are excited because they can now have a sleepover. They unfold their sleeping bags and hop into them and do a little dance. They're happy until they see the huge hole in the wall Patrick made letting in all the creepy darkness.

Meanwhile, over at Squidward's house he's sleeping. The bright lights in SpongeBob's house shine over to Squidward's room, reflects off of his picture frame, to his vanity mirror and then his hand-held mirror and to his skylight where it shines down on his eyes which are covered by a sleeping mask. The light laser burns his eyes to a crisp. He cools his eyes with a glass of water he has on his nightstand. Squidward looks over at SpongeBob's house and sees the bright lights are coming from there. SpongeBob and Patrick hold onto each other shaking in fear. Squidward comes over and asks them what they are whimpering about. They both scream and jump into Squidward's mouth to protect themselves. They realize it's Squidward and he asks them to turn off all the lights. SpongeBob explains that without the nightlights the creepy creatures of the dark will get them. Squidward tells them there's nothing to worry about and starts to leave. SpongeBob and Patrick try to stop him. They decide they need even more light and return with a huge neon sign. They then go and get a spotlight and even a lighthouse, which is so big it breaks the top of the pineapple. The light shines on the broken part of the house revealing a M in the sky.

At Shady Shoals, Mermaidman and Barnacleboy are sitting on the couch watching TV. Mermaidman sees the M and mistakes it for the MermaSignal. He wakes up Barnacleboy and they rush off. SpongeBob and Patrick come running out of SpongeBob's house as Mermaidman and Barnacleboy pull up running into them. SpongeBob tells them it was just a misunderstanding and he didn't mean to summon them. Mermaidman explains to him it's hard for them to move in their advanced age and not to call them unless there's a real emergency. Suddenley, The Moth appears, a rival of Mermaidman's he's been searching 57 years for. Mermaidman tries to fight him but Moth hits him in the nose causing it to throb. He takes a nap on Patrick's rock. The Moth flies up towards the top of the lighthouse but SpongeBob grabs him and traps him inside of it. SpongeBob thinks he's won but the Moth picks up the lighthouse and flies away with it taking SpongeBob's house with it. Barnacleboy tells Mermaidman it's time to go home and they leave. SpongeBob and Patrick cry and hug each other until the sun comes out giving them light. Patrick jumps up and runs up in the sky towards the sun. Patrick runs back down screaming because his butt's on fire.

Song: (none)

Quotes:

SpongeBob: Excuse me! Are these night lights guaranteed to keep the creepy creatures of the dark away?

Cashier: If I answer "Yes", will you leave the store sooner?

SpongeBob: Aww... Are you here to protect us from the darkness that surrounds us?

Mermaidman: We don't have time for your childish games! We're responding to the distress signal that you sent!

SpongeBob: I'm sorry, Mermaidman. There appears to be a misunderstanding. Patrick and I put up those lights to scare away the creepy creatures of the dark. We weren't trying to summon you.

Mermaidman: Oh, fiddlesticks, SpongeBob. Don't you know how hard it is. . . in our... advanced age... to move? Don't shine a giant light in the sky unless there's a real emergency!

SpongeBob and Patrick: Bye, Mermaidman and Barnacleboy!

Mermaidman: Who are those two hideous creatures of the dark?

Barnacleboy: *yawns* I'll tell you about it in the morning. Now, drive!

Observations:

Mermaidman and Barnacleboy This is the first episode that Mermaidman and Barnacleboy appear in that doesn't feature their names in the title.

The Moth The Moth is voiced by Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker).

Nightmares This is the second time SpongeBob has a nightmare. The first time was "Krab Borg."

Real Name This is the first time Mermaidman calls SpongeBob by his real name.