The Krusty Sponge

"The Krusty Sponge" is the first segment of the 89th episode of . It is notable for serving as meta-commentary regarding Nickelodeon's treatment of the SpongeBob franchise.
==Synopsis==
One day at the Krusty Krab, Squidward notices that SpongeBob isn't fulfilling anyone's orders, instead standing around motionless. Mr. Krabs comes to take a look at him and says that he's trapped in a "thousand-yard stare", but doesn't know why. Mr. Krabs then finds a calendar page in SpongeBob's hat and sees that a note on the current date, saying that an important TV food critic is coming to the Krusty Krab today. Squidward does not think this is a big deal, but now Mr. Krabs is frozen in fear too. Soon after, the critic, Gene Scallop, arrives at the Krusty Krab, and Mr. Krabs offers him a complimentary Krabby Patty. Scallop leaves without a word after only taking one bite of the burger SpongeBob serves him. Later that day, Mr. Krabs turns the Krusty Krab's TV to the news program on which Scallop's restaurant review is featured. To Krabs' dismay, Scallop's review verbally trashes the Krusty Krab's atmosphere and service, which gets all the customers currently in the restaurant to start leaving. However, Scallop then ultimately praises the Krusty Krab because of how good a cook SpongeBob is, leading the customers to come back to their tables, and giving Mr. Krabs a money-making idea.
The next day, when SpongeBob arrives at work, he finds that Mr. Krabs has renamed the place "The Krusty Sponge", started putting SpongeBob's face on the napkins and condiments, and is making Squidward wear a SpongeBob costume. Mr. Krabs then makes SpongeBob the engineer for the kiddy train he has installed outside, and puts Squidward in charge of cooking the Krabby Patties (despite his costume's lack of working arms). Shortly after, Mr. Krabs receives a delivery of SpongeBob-themed drinking straws, coasters, bibs, and ice cubes (which have now melted). Later, as Squidward is still struggling to flip the patties in his costume, Mr. Krabs orders him to start using "Spongy Patties" - which are actually old Krabby Patties that have turned yellow because they weren't stored in the freezer. Squidward rightfully questions his boss about trying to sell spoiled burgers to the customers, but Mr. Krabs doesn't listen and instead figures he should charge a dollar more for them.
SpongeBob, having gotten tired from pedalling the train, sneaks off of it and squeezes inside the restaurant, where he sees that the customers have all now turned yellow with green spots like him and acting like zombies. He rushes to alert Mr. Krabs (who is having a dinner date with his new pile of money) about it and then notices that the customers are actually getting sick from eating the "Spongy Patties". As SpongeBob calls out his boss on poisoning everyone, an undercover bailiff arrests Mr. Krabs. Later, in court, Mr. Krabs is judged guilty for his crime, but he then notices that the judge, Horace A. Whopper, is using a SpongeBob-themed gavel because he is a huge SpongeBob fan himself, and he offers to make a deal with him. Back at the Krusty Krab, now back to its original theming, SpongeBob is now back to being the cook, while Squidward, still in the SpongeBob costume, has to give Judge Whopper as many rides on the train as he wants as part of the deal Mr. Krabs made with him.
==Home video releases==
;DVD
* SpongeBob SquarePants: Atlantis SquarePantis
* SpongeBob SquarePants: Season 5, Volume 1
* SpongeBob SquarePants: The First 100 Episodes
* SpongeBob SquarePants: The Complete 5th Season
==External links==
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