Template:Episode/154b
Characters
- SpongeBob SquarePants
- Dave
- Debbie Rechid
- Frank (red shirt)
- Gus
- Harold "Bill" Reginald
- Mable-Monica
- Martin
- Sandals
- Shubie
- Nancy Suzy Fish
- Paco
- Mrs. Puff
- Pit Crew (debut)
- Tony Fast (debut)
- Tony Fast Jr. (debut)
- King Neptune (mentioned)
- Mrs. Fast (mentioned)
- Fish in Pictures
- Francis Baconskin Jr. (mentioned)
- Smitty Tailpipe Rotherma (mentioned)
- Fred (blue)
- The Street Racers (debut)
- Female Racer (debut)
- Male Racer (debut)
- Muscular Racer (debut)
- Lenny
- Norma Rechid
- Thaddeus
- Larry the Lobster
- Green Officer
- Officer Rob Johnson
- Radio News Anchor (heard only)
- Archie
- Ivy
- Dennis
- Frank the Lifeguard
- Jimmy Gus
- Nathiel Waters
Synopsis
The episode starts with SpongeBob skipping to Mrs. Puff's Boating School, where he sees a lot of students cheering, thinking it is for him. SpongeBob starts thanking everyone and before he could fully thank Mrs. Puff (by kissing her hand), Mrs. Puff pulls it away, telling him that the warm welcome wasn't for him.
"SpongeBob, that warm welcome wasn't for you!"
SpongeBob wonders who it was for. Suddenly, one of the students exclaims that it was for Tony Fast, a former legendary raceboat driver, and for Tony Fast Jr., Tony Fast's son. Tony Fast leaves, then right after that, various students ask him to sign one of their possessions. Mrs. Puff blows her whistle, and tells everyone that Tony Fast Jr. will be treated normally.
She tells them to go to the course but then, ironically, she asks Tony Jr. to sign her lunchbox. Soon, he is on the course. The students are cheering for him (despite being told not to), then Tony Jr. starts driving. He makes puns on the actions he has to do (such as when making a turn, he says "Now it's my turn."), then Mrs. Puff starts thinking he might be the perfect way to get SpongeBob out of Mrs. Puff's life. She asks Tony Jr. to help SpongeBob with his driving and when SpongeBob starts driving, Tony tries to explain that he must relax. After a few explanations, SpongeBob finally "becomes cool," and drives the course perfectly. Sometime during that day (most likely the end of the school day), SpongeBob asks Tony Fast Jr. if he (Tony Fast Jr.) can teach him (SpongeBob) more. Tony says he can't, but SpongeBob politely says he refuses to take no as an answer. Tony Fast Jr. says he (SpongeBob) can come to his (Tony Fast Jr.)'s house later.
He comes to his house, and Tony Fast Jr. asks if SpongeBob wants to look at Tony Fasts' vintage speedboat collection. He explains the car's specialness and asks him which car is his (SpongeBob) favorite. SpongeBob picks his favorite and Tony Fast Jr. asks SpongeBob if he wants to take it for a spin. SpongeBob says yes, and they start driving around town.
SpongeBob asks Tony Jr. if he is comfortable with him driving, as he feels a little nervous. Tony says he shouldn't, because it was his nerves that almost made them crash before. SpongeBob starts remembering his nerves, then Tony Jr. tells him to let go, so SpongeBob lets go of the wheel. They stay cool until they get to a red light. Then, suddenly, a fast driver asks for a racing competition. SpongeBob says yes and the competition starts.
After a while, the other racer starts to win, then SpongeBob SMASHES the pedal, causing him to go "Tony Fast". The woman with the other racer notices a parked police car, so the other racer slows down, leaving SpongeBob winning.
Tony Fast and his son
Then, he speeds past the cops and they go into a high-speed chase. After "SpongeBob's" raceboat, a police car, and a helicopter pass Tony Fast's car, Tony Fast starts chasing SpongeBob as well.
Tony Fast Jr. tells SpongeBob to let go and be cool. SpongeBob finally snaps, yelling at Tony Fast Jr., trying to explain that letting go has gotten them into nothing good. Tony says he doesn't notice, but he shows SpongeBob that they are about to crash into Mrs. Puff's Boating School. After a trip to the hospital, Mrs. Puff tells the class that Tony Fast Jr. will no longer be in her class. Then she says that Tony Jr. taught them a valuable lesson. SpongeBob thinks it's "never argue and drive," but Mrs. Puff says that the lesson is "never let SpongeBob drive."
Production
Music
| ( ‣ ) Production music |
| ( • ) Original music |
| ( ◦ ) SpongeBob music |
‣ Surf Happy Fun - Billy Lincoln [title card]
‣ Vibe Sting - Nicolas Carr [people cheering]
‣ Proud to be a Fish - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [SpongeBob thanking people]
‣ Vibe Q Sting - Nicolas Carr ["It wasn't?"]
‣ Surf Happy Fun - Billy Lincoln [Tony Fast/Tony Jr. introduced]
‣ Horlepiep - Jan Rap ["He will be treated just like the rest of us."]
‣ ? [Tony Jr. driving]
‣ Unknown Track 7 - Mrs. Puff thinking
‣ Surf Happy Fun (Underscore) - Billy Lincoln [SpongeBob behind the wheel]
‣ Dramatic Cue (e) - Ronald Hanmer ["Okay, roll... is there a button for that?"]
‣ Grass Skirt Chase - Sage Guyton, Jeremy Wakefield [SpongeBob starts driving]
‣ Surf Happy Fun - Billy Lincoln ["Be cool..."]
‣ Parting of the Clouds - Nicolas Carr ["It's a miracle!"]
‣ The Achterhoek Dances - Jan Rap ["That went better than I expected."]
‣ Surf Happy Fun - Billy Lincoln [Mrs. Puff kisses Tony Jr.]
‣ Vibe Q Sting - Nicolas Carr ["Eager?"]
‣ Beach Party - Harry Bluestone [SpongeBob visits Tony Jr.]
‣ Saxaboogie - Harry Bluestone [SpongeBob driving]
‣ Rescue - Cecil Milner ["My nerves!"]
‣ Saxaboogie - Harry Bluestone ["Just let go."]
‣ Bad to the Spongebone - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony, Roberto Vergara [another speedboat pulls up]
‣ Monster Wave - Nicolas Carr, Fabian Fernandez, James King [boat race]
‣ Bikini Bottom News Theme - Nicolas Carr [news on radio]
‣ Monster Wave - Nicolas Carr, Fabian Fernandez, James King ["What are we gonna do?"]
‣ Horlepiep - Jan Rap [ending, low pitch]
Release
- This episode is available on the SpongeBob's Frozen Face-Off, Disorder in the Deep, Complete Eighth Season, and Deep-Sea Games DVDs.
Reception
- As of September 30, 2017, The Internet Movie Database (IMDB) gives this episode a rating of 7.3/10 based on 89 ratings by users.[1] TV.com users give this episode a rating of 8.4/10 based on 72 votes.[2]
Trivia
Template:Trivia
- Originally, this episode was supposed to be about SpongeBob and his class visiting a demolition derby, and SpongeBob accidentally enters himself in. This idea was recycled later into the episode, "Demolition Doofus."
- In this episode, it appears that SpongeBob could read Mrs. Puff's mind as he wanted to know what "incorrigible" means and Mrs. Puff said that word while thinking. This is actually the second time someone has read another's mind. The first was in "Big Pink Loser" when Patrick read SpongeBob's mind saying "At least I'm safe inside my mind."
- The male racer wasn't finished with his sentence when he said "Right here, right now." as he looked surprised when the Female Racer said "Yeah, what he said!"
- During SpongeBob's race, there is a sign that reads "Click It Or Ticket."
- Running gag: The female racer constantly saying "What he said!"
- It's odd that even though they broke the law by driving fast and all of the policemen were after them, SpongeBob, Tony Fast Jr. and Mrs. Puff never got arrested for it.
- As seen in episodes such as "Hall Monitor" and "Doing Time," Mrs. Puff is arrested when SpongeBob gets in trouble with the law, but in this episode, she doesn't get arrested.
- This is the second time SpongeBob attempts to drive correctly. The first was in "Boating School" and the third will be in "Bumper to Bumper."
- This is the second episode to feature SpongeBob as the only main character. The first is "No Free Rides."
- This is the third episode where SpongeBob learns from a different person about driving rather than Mrs. Puff. The first time was "Boating School," in which Patrick gave him answers from a walkie-talkie. The second time was "Mrs. Puff, You're Fired." The fourth time is in "Tutor Sauce," where Mr. Krabs attempts to teach him.
- This episode premiered in Canada on John Lurie's 59th birthday.
Cultural references
- The episode's name is a reference to Hotshot, an Autobot from the Transformers franchise.
- The colors of the letters in the title card are similar to the logo for the old 1990s Nickelodeon show Hey Dude (1989–1991).
- Tony Fast's name may be a reference to Fast Tony, a prehistoric armadillo from Ice Age: The Meltdown.
- Tony Jr.'s name is a mixed parody of Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr., two of the most popular NASCAR drivers.
- Tony Fast Jr.'s appearance and voice is pretty similar to the character Johnny Bravo from the original Cartoon Network series of the same name.
- At one point when Tony Fast Jr. was talking to SpongeBob, he called him by "Bro-Jangles." This may be a reference to the real life chicken restaurant, Bo-Jangles.
Errors
Red-eyed fish
- When Sandals says, "What'd I do?," his left pupil turned red as the camera panned over to Mrs. Puff.
- In the Albanian version, Sandals says "What'd I do?" in English untranslated.
- When Tony Fast shows up at Mrs. Puff's Boating School, there's a man who catches a fainting lady but in the next scene, the man isn't holding anybody and the girl is awake.