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Messing up at work is absolutely normal; after all, nobody is perfect. The best thing you can do when you make mistakes is to learn from them and move on—but not when you’re SpongeBob! He is a perfectionist and doesn’t want to make any mistakes. Whenever he does commit some errors, he shuts down and completely forgets everything he’s ever learned or known, as seen in the episode “Pickles.”
Pickles is definitely the zenith of SpongeBob comedy. Despite being one of the show’s earliest episodes, Pickles has become one of the most famous episodes in the entire franchise. The episode premiered on August 21, 2000, in the U.S. It chronicles SpongeBob’s miserable life after he forgot to put pickles on a Krabby Patty—a horrible rookie mistake.
I could clearly remember the moment when I saw this episode; I was extremely shocked to see SpongeBob’s change in demeanor. He is no longer happy-go-lucky. Surprisingly, he quickly changed his attitude toward life with just that incident.
What will you do if you have made a mistake at work? Let’s explore how SpongeBob and his peers handled this! In this blog, I’ll share every interesting detail about the episode from the plot, characters, and trivia facts you’d love to know!
Bottom Line Up Front
“Pickles” is episode 6B in season one. It’s among the pioneering episodes from the show, which aired on August 21, 1999. The episode has a running time of 10 minutes and 50 seconds. It also introduced a new character, Bubble Bass.
Bubble Bass is SpongeBob’s main antagonist for the episode. I hate his rude personality and how he shamelessly handles everything—he is a lazy, cowardly character without regard and responsibility. You’ll certainly agree with me once you’d watch this episode.
- Season: 1
- Episode No.: 6B
- Production Code: 111
- Copyright Year: 1999
- Running Time: 10 minutes 50 seconds
- Writers: Peter Burns, Chris Mitchell, Steve Fonti
- Storyboard Artists: Jay Lender, Chris Mitchell
- Animation: Tom Yasumi
- Airdate: August 21, 1999
What is the “Pickles” episode in SpongeBob SquarePants?
As an avid viewer of SpongeBob SquarePants, I’ve seen every character evolve, especially SpongeBob. Pickles is one of the many episodes that showcase the other side of SpongeBob. I can recall the first time I saw this episode; somehow, I hate it—maybe because it hits so close to home.
The episode is, perhaps, one of the rare occasions where SpongeBob is so down and confused. While it was hilarious to see him fumble and find the right words, I can clearly relate to him! I am extremely forgetful and would literally question everything once I couldn’t remember a task I was supposed to do!
Watching a kid’s show exploring such complex concepts in a light and relatable way is just incredible. I love how the episode teaches you that mistakes should not set you back forever; they should challenge you to be better. More than anything, it also highlights that some individuals are just out to mess you up.
“Pickles” Story in SpongeBob SquarePants
The episode opens with a slightly annoyed Squidward tending the till and taking a customer’s order. The customer can’t seem to decide on the meal he’ll purchase, so Squidward goes back and forth, trying to jot down the order. Sarcastically, he asks the customer, “Are you planning to order today, sir?” The customer hesitantly told Squidward he’ll have the Krabby Patty with extra onions. He sends it to the kitchen.
SpongeBob gleefully prepares Krabby Patties.
SpongeBob quickly prepares them, enumerating the proper order to make the Krabby Patty—buns, Krabby patty, mustard and ketchup, pickles, extra onions, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, and bun. He brings the order to the window and rings the bell.
As soon as Squidward serves the order to the customer, he gets another order for 12 Krabby Patties on wheat buns. Surprisingly, SpongeBob didn’t panic; he took a plate, and patties appeared on the plate at a rapid speed.
Bubble Bass enters the scene.
Unamused, Squidward grabs the plate and gives it to his customer. On the other hand, the customer asks for salt, but Squidward dismisses him immediately without even checking for it. The next customer is Bubble Bass; Squidward tries to guess his order—a small salad.
The request is unique from the rest of the customers; it’s a Double Triple Bossy Deluxe on a raft, four by four, animal-style, with extra shingles, a shimmy and a squeeze, and light axle grease. He even includes another instruction to make it cry, burn, and even let it swim.
Because of the complex order, Squidward simply gives up on writing it all down. Of course, he is unimpressed and annoyed with the customer, giving a scoffing banter that they only serve food in Krusty Krabs.
SpongeBob notices Bubble Bass and gets him his order.
SpongeBob overhears the order and meticulously prepares it. When he hands the plate to Squidward, he immediately notices Bubble Bass. He seemed quite irked by his presence. Bubble Bass pushes Squidward with no regard and goes straight to SpongeBob, saying, “I hear talk you make a mean Krabby Patty.” In response, SpongeBob frowns and highlights that Bubble Bass is extremely picky.
Bubble Bass eats the Krabby Patty and notices THE mistake.
Bubble Bass strongly agrees, so SpongeBob offers the Krabby Patty he makes. He sits down and carefully examines the Krabby Patty before he takes a bite. Everyone in the restaurant is hyper-focused on Bubble Bass’s reaction. SpongeBob asks for his thoughts, and Bubble Bass is quick to point out the delicious taste of the Krabby Patty—except it’s lacking one ingredient: pickles.
The crowd gasps in disbelief; SpongeBob exclaims, “NO!” Bubble Bass sounds condescending as he highlights SpongeBob’s mistake. SpongeBob can’t believe this happened and checks the patty for pickles. The customers look terribly disappointed and walk away.
Bubble Bass asks for a refund.
Bubble Bass approaches Mr. Krabs, asking for his two bucks. Krusty Krabs has this policy written almost ineligible in their menu. Mr. Krabs hesitantly gives the money to Bubble Bass; he even offers him deals such as discounts on restroom tokens and free drinking water plus ice. Well, it’s an easy offer you can resist. But Mr. Krabs is convinced that these are good enough to keep his two dollars.
Krabs, looking disappointed, gives him his two dollars.
Mr. Krabs didn’t let go of the two dollars until Bubble Bass left the restaurant, leaving Mr. Krabs lying on the floor. He sobs and cries hard about the loss in revenue as he slowly walks past SpongeBob. Unsurprisingly, he tells SpongeBob that the two bucks are coming from his paycheck. SpongeBob holds onto the floor as Mr. Krabs drags him straight to the kitchen. He orders him to get back to work since the orders are piling up.
Squidward sends another order for a Krabby Patty in the kitchen.
SpongeBob, trying to return to his mojo, starts preparing the Krabby Patty by mentioning every step. He is quite confused about the proper arrangement of the ingredients. He looks so frustrated as he makes the Krabby Patty, making it for the ninth time. However, nothing seems to be working. Overwhelmed, he starts grabbing everything before admitting that he forgot how to make a Krabby Patty.
SpongeBob can’t simply recall the right way to make Krabby Patties.
Mr. Krabs enters the scene. SpongeBob is worried about this problem, so he informs Mr. Krabs about it. For the very first time, Mr. Krabs shows compassion to SpongeBob, his employee who just caused a loss of revenue in the business. He consoles SpongeBob and tells him that he can take the day off. Still worried, SpongeBob asks him who will make the Krabby Patties; Mr. Krabs tells him not to worry about anything since Squidward is available.
Krabs advises him to go home and puts Squidward in charge of the kitchen.
Squidward is surprised about this request. SpongeBob scratches his head, walking out the door of Krusty Krabs to go home and rest. Before that, he tries to remember the right sequence, only to be overwhelmed. He even screams that the door is missing, but this isn’t true. Mr. Krabs opens the door for him a couple of feet away. He apologizes to Mr. Krabs and acknowledges that the missing pickles messed his head up.
SpongeBob keeps forgetting things—even his house address.
As soon as he steps outside the restaurant, he can’t remember which way his house is. That’s why he asked Mr. Krabs for directions. In his home, SpongeBob lists the sequence while trying to remember. He crosses off each one, frustrated that he can’t still remember anything.
He plans to sleep throughout the night to help get his head straight. As he stands beside his bed, he can’t also remember the right way to lie down. He recalls it, saying, “was it mattress, mattress, sheets, pillow, then SpongeBob?”
Not long, he had a somewhat-aha moment as he mentioned that it was the mattress, SpongeBob, mattress, then sheets, pillow. He gets in between the two mattresses and bids Gary good night. He tries every way, tossing and turning around in his bed.
Sleepless SpongeBob looks restless and tired of dealing with everything.
The clock is ticking, and eventually, the alarm rings. SpongeBob looks incredibly tired while walking to the alarm. He can’t even remember the right way to turn off the alarm. That’s why he plugged Gary directly into the horn’s opening. This seems to work, but both Gary and SpongeBob stare uncomfortably at each other.
Krusty Krabs is in disarray, losing customers because of Squidward’s cooking.
Consequently, Krusty Krabs is enveloped by black smoke because Squidward is in the kitchen. He’s burning everything he gets his hands into—Krabby Patties, fries, and even shakes. All the customers don’t seem satisfied with the service. Each one of them complained and angrily walked out of Krusty Krabs.
Mr. Krabs looks defeated and begs them to return; he quickly realizes that he needs SpongeBob to cook for him again. That’s why he goes to the Pineapple House to check on SpongeBob.
He calls for SpongeBob before opening the door—everything in SpongeBob’s home is topsy-turvy and messy. His appliances are everywhere; eggs and bread are tacked on the walls. SpongeBob’s brain is still confused.
Mr. Krabs and SpongeBob are having a serious conversation in the Pineapple House.
Shocked by the sight of his home, Mr. Krabs calls for SpongeBob in a worried tone. SpongeBob walks near him while wearing his underwear on his head. Mr. Krabs pulls the underwear out of his head and asks him why he is talking funny. He talks in jumbled, kind of gibberish English, which seems coherent and understandable for Mr. Krabs.
Mr. Krabs convinces SpongeBob to go back to work. However, SpongeBob feels disheartened and unready to do his work just yet. He walks away, but Mr. Krabs follows him to the other room, suggesting that they only need to regain his confidence. This sounds really caring and thoughtful, coming from Mr. Krabs. But of course, it’s with a hidden agenda. Mr. Krabs is losing a lot of money without SpongeBob in Krusty Krabs.
Since SpongeBob seems to forget everything, Mr. Krabs’ comment on cooking Krabby Patties is like riding a bike is hilariously funny! I love how the scene played out, as the creators pan to the right of a burning bike.
Krabs patiently waits for SpongeBob to be better.
SpongeBob losing his mojo is equally frustrating and pitiful to see. He’s good at one thing: making Krabby Patties. With Mr. Krabs’ help, he is slowly relearning how to make the Krabby Patties. Mr. Krabs spreads out a mat with all the ingredients while telling SpongeBob to take his time.
Several days had passed, but SpongeBob still couldn’t remember anything! He picks the bun and does nothing with it; he scratches his head instead. More days have gone by, yet no progress has been made. Mr. Krabs is in a deep sleep, waiting for SpongeBob to relearn it.
Excitedly, SpongeBob screams in delight.
He thinks he’s got it, only to say he finally realized that he could no longer do it! He exclaims that he is a failure. Mr. Krabs tells him to keep a positive mindset and don’t talk like a loser.
SpongeBob continues to say he can’t do it while preparing the Krabby Patty. He makes a Double Krabby Patty by stacking up the ingredients in the following sequence: a patty on a bun with lettuce, cheese, onions, tomatoes, ketchup, mustard, pickles, and a top bun.
SpongeBob is truly shocked that he remembered the technique when he thought he couldn’t. This made Mr. Krabs extremely happy. He glares at SpongeBob and asserts that it’s time for him to return.
SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs confidently enter Krusty Krab.
SpongeBob heads straight to the kitchen to rescue Squidward from the burning kitchen. He sprays him with a fire extinguisher. Squidward, on the other hand, looks terrible. His body is filled with soot.
A Bikini Bottom resident quickly noticed SpongeBob from the window. The crowd starts to grow in anticipation of SpongeBob’s delicious Krabby Patties. SpongeBob confidently looks at himself in his shiny spatula.
Bubble Bass looks for SpongeBob and orders a Krabby Patty.
Not for long, Bubble Bass walks into the restaurant, looking for SpongeBob. Bubble Bass arrogantly talks garbage about his previous cooking stint. Bubble Bass orders the regular Krabby Patty. The crowd, especially Mr. Krabs, is nervous about how things will play out.
Bubble Bass and SpongeBob glare at each other while everyone stares in anticipation. SpongeBob gives the order to Bubble Bass in a blink of an eye.
The secret is out: Bubble Bass is a trickster!
As usual, he examines the patty before eating it. This time, he still believes that there are no pickles in the Krabby Patty. He shows the chewed-up food by sticking his tongue out. SpongeBob thinks that he failed again until he grabs and pulls out Bubble Bass’ tongue. He noticed four pickles lodged under Bubble Bass’ tongue the whole time!
Bubble Bass quickly escapes when everyone starts pointing out the hidden items behind his tongue. Mr. Krabs celebrates SpongeBob’s return as the master fry cook of Krusty Krabs. The festive crowd celebrates with them. SpongeBob also honors Squidward’s efforts, but it isn’t greeted with the same enthusiasm from the crowd; they start booing Squidward.
Who are the characters in That’s not a Lady in SpongeBob Squarepants?
While SpongeBob is the main character in the episode, there are actually new supporting characters that make the episode more interesting. Here’s a list of the characters that appeared on Pickles:
- SpongeBob SquarePants (main character)
- Bubble Bass (major character)
- Eugene H. Krabs (minor character)
- Squidward Tentacles (minor character)
- Gary the Snail (minor character)
- Incidentals: Many Bikini Bottom residents were also involved in the episode. These incidentals were excited to see SpongeBob return to Krusty Krabs after the incident. Incidental 45, 7, and 8 are among the few who made appearances. Over 12 incidentals debuted on the episode.
This is among the few episodes where Patrick Star did not appear on the show.
Interesting Trivia about Pickles in SpongeBob SquarePants
I’m fascinated to know that this episode is filled with a lot of firsts for the show. Want to know what these are? Check this out:
Bubble Bass debuted in “Pickles” and became a recurring character in the series.
Bubble Bass ordered a Double Triple Bossy Deluxe on a raft, four by four, animal-style, extra shingles with a shimmy and a squeeze, light axle grease, which actually means twenty-four mustard-grilled all-beef patties with double toppings, four extra cheese slices, extra grilled onions, double extra special sauce, all on stacked lightly buttered toast to go.
Here’s a list of ways SpongeBob messes up the order:
- Bun, ketchup, mustard.
- Bun, mustard, ketchup, lettuce, mustard.
- Bun, mustard, bun.
- Bun, mustard, bun, ketchup.
- Bun, mustard, bun, ketchup, shoe, mustard, pan, bun
Krusty Krabs actually has a “money back guarantee” written on the Galley Grub—in microscopic font size.
Bubble Bass still lives with his mother, despite being an adult.
Bubble Bass carefully tucks his tongue behind his mouth whenever he laughs, a clue that he’s hiding something under his tongue.
Despite talking gibberish, Mr. Krabs clearly understood Spongebob and didn’t ask him to repeat his statements. Here are some of SpongeBob’s incomprehensible sentences:
- “Mr. Krabs, hello. Do you how do?” (“Hello, Mr. Krabs. How do you do?”)
- “I anything can’t do right since because pickles.” (“Because I can’t do anything right since pickles.”)
- “I think don’t ready I’m back to go to work, Mr. Krabs.” (“I don’t think I’m ready to go back to work, Mr. Krabs.”)
- “I do how do that?” (“How do I do that?”)
Patrick did not console or comfort SpongeBob when he was on the verge of a mental breakdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answer: Today, Pickles is 22 years old. It aired in 1999 and is among the very first episodes of the show’s history. It premiered on U.S. television on August 21, 1999, as episode 6B of the first season.
Answer: Pickles is written by three creative writers, Steve Fonti, Chris Mitchell, and Peter Burns. The trio wrote and produced “Jellyfishing,” one of the best episodes from the early seasons.
Answer: Yes, Bubble Bass became a recurring character in the show and appeared in more than ten episodes throughout the cartoon series, including:
● “Pickles”
● “F.U.N.”
● “Plankton’s Good Eye”
● “Bulletin Board”
● “Whirly Brains”
● “Larry the Floor Manager”
● “Krabby Patty Creature Feature”
● “Squid Noir”
● “Moving Bubble Bass”
● “High Sea Diving”
● “Swamp Mates”
● “Hiccup Plague”
● “Bubble Bass’s Tab”
● “A Place for Pets”
Answer: No, he did not forget the pickles. Bubble Bass tricked him. When SpongeBob grabbed Bubble Bass’ tongue, it revealed four pickles hidden under it. There are also car keys under his tongue, exposing his burglary. He does this because he wants to avoid paying for the Krabby Patty.
Pickles: Showing a Different Side of SpongeBob
Pickles is an enjoyable episode that teaches you a lot about SpongeBob’s character and personality. While it’s one of the earliest episodes, its humor still slaps! I love how they introduced a nonchalant character, Bubble Bass!
I also find it interesting how Mr. Krabs is so willing to spend days inside the Pineapple House, patiently waiting for SpongeBob to regain his memory and composure. All in all, it’s a refreshingly humorous episode, even without Patrick’s appearance!
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