The Algae's Always Greener

Template:Episode/41a

Characters

• Sheldon J. Plankton/Mr. Plankton
• Eugene H. Krabs/Krabs
• SpongeBob SquarePants 
• Squidward Tentacles
• Pearl
• Karen
• Nat Peterson 
• Old Man Jenkins
• Shrimp

Synopsis

After failing to steal the Krabby Patty formula once again, Plankton decides that he is tired of eating "holographic meatloaf" and wants to switch lives with Mr. Krabs. Plankton does so using his machine, and wakes up in his Mr. Krabs' office, wearing his uniform, and sees a name plate reading "Mr. Plankton" and a photo of him with Pearl. Plankton realizes that he has successfully teleported to a universe where he was successful, and has an alternate SpongeBob give him two Krabby Patties for "bun inspection". While Plankton is in his office, drooling over the Krabby Patties and celebrating his new found power and wealth, SpongeBob suddenly appears for his weekly performance review.

Plankton tells him that he's fine the way he is, but SpongeBob persists and all but demands that something be found wrong with him, Plankton relents and tells him he has been using too much sauce, which contrary to his insistence of being criticised SpongeBob gets shocked and starts to make weird shuddering noises while twitching. To calm him down, Plankton promotes SpongeBob to "co-cashier", much to the disdain of that universe's Squidward, who enters his office to complain and wants his view to be a little less yellow, and is then made fry cook while Plankton replies, "I hope you like Gray!". Before Plankton can get back to his Krabby Patties, an alternate Pearl, now his daughter, comes into the restaurant, asking for an "advance" on her allowance.

Plankton Krabs

An alternate Mr. Krabs, who now has the life of Plankton, and is completely naked, as Plankton normally does not wear clothes, appears, with a Krabby Patty in hand. SpongeBob tries to shoot Krabs using a cannon that shoots out clothes, and throws the Krabby Patty to Plankton after Mr. Krabs is shot with a bra, he is though still confused about what is going on.

As Krabs leaves, the people at the Krusty Krab give a "victory screech". Krabs tells Plankton that he will come back every day as he says repetitively, "And the next day, and the next day, and the next day-"Soon, when he leaves the Krusty Krab, he calls Plankton on a phone and repeats the lines to him over and over again, Plankton then screams and he wakes up in his reality. The episode ends with him saying "Holographic Meatloaf. My favorite!" and Plankton eating happily.

Production

Music

( ‣ ) Production music

( • ) Original music

( ◦ ) SpongeBob music

 ‣ ? [title card]
 ‣ Like Strange - Kenny Graham [Plankton in ketchup bottle]
 ‣ High Speed Action - Laurie Johnson [alarm goes off]
 ‣ The Dreadnought Tea Clipper (b) - Tim Laycock, Robert Alexander White ["So, it was just another failed Krabby Patty theft attempt..."]
 ‣ High Speed Action - Laurie Johnson ["Curse you, Mr. Krabs!"]
 ‣ Wooden Bear - Gil Flat, Tony Tape, Florian Voelxen [holographic meatloaf]
 ‣ The Creature B - Gregor F. Narholz [life switcher]
 ‣ The Creature A - Gregor F. Narholz [Plankton screaming]
 ‣ Lonely Stranger - Laurie Johnson [Plankton in Krabs' office]
 ‣ ? ["Two deluxe Krabby Patties!"]
 ‣ Tripping Upstairs - Brian Peters [SpongeBob brings patties to customer]
 ‣ Romance in Paris - Ib Glindemann ["All mine! It's finally all mine!"]
 • Vibe Sting - Nicolas Carr ["SpongeBob?"]
 ‣ Bashful Eyes - Kapono Beamer [performance review]
 ‣ Romance in Paris - Ib Glindemann [Plankton kisses the patty]
 ‣ Danger Zone - Mike Sunderland ["There's got to be something I need to improve on!"]
 ‣ Hawaiian Cocktail - Richard Myhill [SpongeBob's upset]
 ‣ Glissando (a) - Skaila Kanga, Richard Myhill ["A promotion?!"]
 ‣ The Rake Hornpipe - Robert Alexander White [SpongeBob standing next to Squidward]
 ‣ Dramatic Cue (e) - Ronald Hanmer ["Co-cashier?!"]
 ‣ Cocktail Lounge - Dick Stephen Walter ["So, have you two known each other long?"]
 ‣ Hawaiian Link (a) - Richard Myhill [Squidward in the kitchen]
 ‣ Rococo Rondo - Tedeusz Rozycki [Pearl appears]
 ‣ Tympup A - Sammy Burdson, John Charles Fiddy ["One dollar? You hate me!"]
 ‣ Dramatic Cue (b) - Ronald Hanmer [Pearl crying]
 ‣ Dramatic Cue (a) - Ronald Hanmer [shot of rotten Krabby Patty]
 ‣ Fates - Gregor F. Narholz ["I tried, Mr. Plankton. I really did."]
 ‣ The Creature A - Gregor F. Narholz ["No, sir... he's back."]
 ‣ Sword Fight - Sam Fonteyn [Krabs revealed]
 ‣ Finger of Suspicion 2 - Harry Bluestone, Emil Cadkin [Krabs saying he'll be back]
 ‣ Cocktail Lounge - Dick Stephen Walter [ending]

Release

• The episode is featured on Sea Stories and 10 Happiest Moments DVDs.

Trivia

Template:Trivia

• When Mr. Plankton's eye turns into a Krabby Patty, it is the same Krabby Patty from the Krusty Krab Training Video.
• This is one of the few episodes that is focused on Plankton.
• This is the sole episode where the mainstream SpongeBob doesn't appear. However, his alternate counterpart does.
• The Dutch title of this episode is "Hoe het is om meneer Krabs te zijn" meaning "How is it to be Krab?".
• The part where SpongeBob starts whining just because Mr. Plankton said that he used too much sauce became popular on YouTube for its stereotypical Asian look. The "Oh my goodness! SQUIDWARD!" quote has become a meme as well.
• This isn't the only episode to show an alternate-universe. Alternate-Universe SpongeBob has appeared in mirrors in five other episodes (these are Something Smells, Squid's Day Off, Wet Painters, Chimps Ahoy and Ghost Host). An Alternate-Universe Squidward and Patrick have also appeared in episodes.
• This episode's title card is similar to the other episodes The Thing and Hide and Then What Happens?
• This is another instance in which Squidward's Krabby Patty cooking skills are shown to be subpar; a previous instance was in Hooky. His cooked patties were said to taste like fried boots. In fact, one patty was a fried boot.
• This episode's plot is somewhat similar to the Spy Buddies' plot as Mr. Krabs and Plankton swap places for the day.
• When Plankton says "Reunited, and it's going to feel so good!", it's a reference to the Peaches And Herb song called "Reunited."

Cultural References

• When Mr. Plankton says: "What, did I say the secret word or something?" is a reference Pee-Wee's Playhouse.
• The title "The Algae's Always Greener" came from the saying "The grass is always greener".
• When Plankton says: "Rolling stones gather no algae.", it is a parody of the saying "Rolling pebbles gather no moss.".

External links

• The Algae's Always Greener at the Internet Movie Database
• The Algae's Always Greener at TV.com