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Once Bitten

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SpongeBob SquarePants episode
"Once Bitten"
Chronology
Information
Season №: 4
Episode №: 73b
Airdate: September 29, 2006 (US)
July 26, 2006 (AU)
Best Day Ever Rank: #39
Credits
Writer(s): Casey Alexander
Chris Mitchell
Steven Banks
Directors
Episode List
Select show to expand.

"Once Bitten" is a SpongeBob SquarePants episode from season four.

Brief summary: Gary supposedly unleashes "Mad Snail Disease" on Bikini Bottom, causing mass hysteria.

Characters:

Contents

Plot

Squidward walks outside to find his yard covered in Gary's slime-trail. He attempts to keep Gary away by building a splintery wooden fence around him, but to no avail. As he complains to SpongeBob about this, and Gary bites him. Squidward asks SpongeBob if Gary has had all of his shots, and he says that he has, until Patrick comes along and asks him if Gary has been vaccinated for "Mad Snail Disease", a disease that turns anyone bitten by the afflicted into a zombie, which SpongeBob says he has not. Suddenly, Gary runs off and starts to bite everybody in sight.

Bikini Bottom is sent into a state of mass hysteria and destruction, and soon, almost everybody has been bitten and turned into zombies. Those who have survived the disease are hiding out at the Krusty Krab. SpongeBob tries to get in, but they believe he is a zombie and will not let him in, until he slips through the doors. An old man suggests that they might all be zombies, and everyone starts panicking. Gary then comes in, much to the horror of the onlookers, and SpongeBob tries to bring him to his senses, but Gary bites him.

However, a doctor names Gill Gilliam enters the building to put an end to the commotion, explaining that the disease is just an urban legend, that the supposed symptoms were all in their imaginations, and that Gary was simply suffering from "Grouchy Snailitis" due to a "tiny" splinter in his foot from Squidward's fence, which he removes. The episode ends with Gary biting Mr. Krabs.

Transcript

Main article: Once Bitten (transcript)

Quotes

  • Patrick: You mean your pet hasn't been vaccinated for MAD SNAIL DISEASE!?
  • Patrick: (speaking to SpongeBob, thinking that he's a zombie) I've got my eye on you.
Old Man: If you could take your eye out and put it on him, wouldn't that make you a zombie too?
Patrick: (hesitates) YOU'RE RIGHT! I'M A ZOMBIE!
Old Man: Who's to say that we aren't all zombies?!?!? (Everyone runs around in panic)
Spongebob: Gary, how could you?
Gary: Meow!

Trivia/Goofs

  • "Once bitten, twice shy" is a phrase meaning that trust is not easily restored.
  • The plot of this episode is a spoof of zombie movies such as 28 Days Later, Night of the Living Dead, and most notably, Dawn of the Dead.
  • The name "Mad Snail Disease" is a parody of Mad Cow Disease, but the disease itself is more like rabies.
  • This episode features the entire score of the original "Night of the Living Dead" by George A. Romero.
  • In the Netherlands, this episode is called "De gekke Slakken-ziekte", which translates to "The Mad Snail Disease".
  • Perch Perkins is orange instead of purple in this episode.
  • This is the first time citizens of Bikini Bottom are referred to as "Bikini Bottomites."
  • The ending is similar to the Ed, Edd n Eddy episode "Little Ed Blue", in which Johnny pulls a rock out of Ed's shoe, curing Ed of his bad and destructive mood during the episode.
  • "The Fry Cook Games" aired with this episode when it originally premiered.
  • Music from "Bubblestand" and "Jellyfishing" is heard.
  • Even though Squidward has tentacles, he is shown to have both fingers and toes in this episode.
  • One fish yells that Mad Snail Disease spreads through the air, despite the fact that they are underwater.
  • Symptoms of Mad Snail Disease:
    • Rash
    • Dry throat
    • Bloodshot eyes
    • Loss of balance
    • Ticklish ribcage
    • Messy pants
    • Severely untrimmed toenails
    • Becoming a zombie
  • Dr. Gill Gilliam seems to be the same doctor fish that appears in several other episodes. However, the Gill Gilliam of this episode is orange while the doctor is purple in all other appearances (including ones after this episode.)
  • Gill Gilliam has orange human arms instead of fins.
  • An elderly fish is among the crowd of "zombies", but the same fish is also among the "survivors" in the Krusty Krab.
  • Squidward also complained about Gary sliming on his yard in "Ugh".
  • "Once Bitten" was one of four episodes adapted in comic form in the Tokyopop book "Mistaken Identity". The other three were "That's No Lady", "The Thing", and "Rule of Dumb".

APM Music Identification

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