"The episode that makes you want to hit Patrick with a car."
Show-Spongebob Squarepants
Episode Title-Driven to Tears
Air Date-February 19th 2007
Season 4
Episode 77a
Hello my name is Evan A.K.A. the Animated Critic. Time to do another awful Spongebob episode. When I was hypeing this episode up I said this was my least favorite episode of the show. The thing is though the general consensus for this episode is that it's just OK. Pueguyrulz gave the episode a Meh on his Spongebob Reviewed series and Mr. Enter said it conflicted him as to weather it's good or not. So my question is have I been to hard on the episode or is it really the worst episode of Spongebob to me. Let's dig into Driven to Tears and find out.
The episode starts with Spongebob going to take his driving test......again.
This time he brings Patrick along with him. Patrick is apparently holding on to his note cards for the test.
It just begs the question though why Spongebob isn't holding his own note cards, but whatever.
Patrick then states how super important these cards are and how it includes all the info he needs to pass the test.
He then proceeds to eat them.
And this is why Spongebob should've just held them himself.
But seriously.....WHAT!?
I know It's a joke but it's not funny.
And I also know Patrick is stupid but there's 2 problems with that.
1-Being stupid is no excuse for being annoying. Even if it does make sense for a character to do something stupid if it's not funny and it's annoying then it's not funny and it's annoying.
2-Patrick would never do something this stupid. I know Patrick Star and he wouldn't even think of eating the super important note cards that his friend needed. This is just fladerazation. Stretching out his stupidity to extreme lengths to the point that he's just out of character. If it was funny it would be excusable but......
Seriously I just can't get over this. He just eats the cards out of nowhere.
Anyway Spongebob starts worrying but Patrick gives him a pep talk saying the 58th try will be the successful one.
Spongebob walks in courageously.
And a minute and a half later he comes out crying.
Patrick says the test must be rigged and goes in to take it himself. We do actually get a funny line where Patrick tells Mrs. Puff she's not the boss of him.
Anyway Patrick takes the test........even though he's not a student in Mrs. Puff's school. (Well unless you count the one day he was in the class during New Student Starfish.)
Anyway back outside Spongebob is feeling bad for letting Patrick take the test. Patrick comes outside though saying he did in fact pass. Which I guess does make since. After all in one episode he was practically telling Spongebob how to drive and pass the boating test.
Patrick then says "I thought you said it was hard." That's not even the douchiest thing he'll say in this entire episode. Anyway Patrick gets a drivers license and thus has to take a picture for it. Here you can tell Patrick isn't trying to brag about the license he's just really excited about it which is understandable. It slightly annoys Spongebob that he keeps talking about it, which is also understandable. He's worked for this for like ever. Jealousy is understandable. He still acts happy for Patrick though, which is nice to see.
But that's really where my praise well end for this episode.
So Patrick gets his Picture taking for the license.
But Patrick gets more than just a license. Since this episode is trying to make Spongebob feel as mad as possible at Patrick, Patrick also wins a new boat-mobile for being the 1 millionth person to get his license.
Spongebob is still frustrated but still tries to be happy for Patrick. Which is really kinda sweet.
But it gets worse.
So far not much bad has actually happened but we'll get there. Oh boy well we get there.
So we cut to Patrick and Spongebob driving around. Spongebob still being a bit angry about the whole situation but tries to be happy and proud for Patrick.
But apparently they were just driving around Patrick's house for a few hours.
Even though it was shown earlier in the same exact scene that they were on the road.
But I'm just nitpicking now so I'll just move on.
Patrick eventually does drop Spongebob off. The next scene we have is in the middle of night. Spongebob is trying to get some sleep but Patrick decides 3 am is the perfect time to work on his car, which of course creates a lot of commotion.
And then after Spongebob tells Patrick to keep it down Patrick says "Can you keep it down, some people are tying to get some sleep." Get it.......it's funny cause Patrick is keeping Spongebob up and telling Spongebob to keep it down over the sound of his engine roaring......no.....no.....that's not funny. That's just Patrick being a douchey hypocrite idiot. Pretty much what he's been fladerized into during the modern seasons. Patrick did have jerkish tendencies in the older seasons but those were downplayed and oh yeah......ACTUALLY CREATED SOME FUNNY JOKES. Like I said in my Gone Flushin review fladerization happens when you over exaggerate a certain personality trait. Patrick's jerkey tendencies and stupidity for example. If it was funny and a minor bit of exaggeration then that's one thing but this...*sigh* why am I getting so work uped now......this isn't even the most prominent example of Patrick's annoying behavior. So Spongebob doesn't get any sleep and is tired the next morning. So tired he can't even walk to work. Patrick gives him a ride though. When he gets dropped off at the Krusty Krab Patrick tells Spongebob when he gets a license he can drive him around places.
OK, that's pretty nice of him to say. Oh but wait this is Modern Patrick Star. What douche thing is he gonna say to ruin this.
"When you get your license you can drive me around.............if you get your license"
*Sigh* show the picture.
*sigh* all its doing is reminding me of a better time.
You started off good Patrick but then you said "If you get your license" which was rather douchey of you. I really don't think I've ever wanted to slap you so hard in my life.
Except for maybe in Good Neighbors.
Anyway Spongebob is so frustrated that he doesn't want to see another Boat mobile. But unfortunately the world decided to take a break from torturing Squidward and made Spongebob it's target instead.
Mr. Krab's tells him he's working the Drive-Through.
You know it's funny. 4 seasons later they would have an episode that was about Mr. Krabs putting in a drive through.
And that episode has no mention of this one. What's even funnier is that in Drive-Thru the actual Drive-Thru was just a hole in the wall while in this episode it's a full-on professional one.
Anyway sorry I got off track. Weird though the the funniest thing about this episode is not even something it itself does. It's a meta thing.
Anyway Patrick comes in and honks the horn as loud as he can into the microphone.
Why? Because as we established earlier he decided he was gonna do everything in his power to be a jerk and annoy the ever living crap out of the audience.
Funny right?
After work Patrick comes to pick up Spongebob. I well admit if anything it is nice that he is giving Spongebob rides. But the way he talks and acts makes me feel it's just to rub it in Spongebob's face that he got a Boat Mobile. But at least he is doing something kind. Doesn't make up for all the douchebaggery.
Oh and get a load of this.
He got a new suit as he apparently needs to keep his reputation as "professional driver."
Maybe instead of that you should try to keep your reputation of being a likeable, funny character. But no seasonal rot had to happen and screwed everyone in this show over. Patrick became a douche. Spongebob became an annoying man child. Mr. Krabs became an unlikable greedy douchebag who puts money before people. And poor Squidward gets abused in literally almost every episode he appears in. Why Spongebob. You know Spongebob isn't to blame. The show was supposed to end after season 3 and the movie. But Nickelodeon in all of their brilliance decided to screw that plan over. Even though the creator and most of the original writers left. I know Spongebob gets them consistent views. Even during its bad seasons. So financially this makes sense. But maybe if they actually decided to follow through with the original plan we could've had a perfect show. One that lasted long enough. Instead due to episodes like A Pal For Gary or One Coarse Meal people look at Spongebob with disgust now. Season 9 has improved the show quite considerably (with a few exceptions) and especially since Stephan Hillenberg returned. But how....how could they screw up such memorable and likeable characters. Woah......that was a long winded rant. Anyway during the drive home Patrick makes a U-Turn when he sees Spongebob's Parents.
And for some reason he thinks that they're his parents.
Wow wonder how Mr. and Mrs. Starfish feel about that.
Also what's up with Patrick and getting confused about who his parents are.
Anyway Patrick tells them he got a license but Spongebob didn't.
He then tells them to not bring it up around him. You know like what he's been doing THIS ENTIRE FRICKING EPISODE.
Screw you you pink selfish douchebag.
Anyway I will admit the face Spongebob makes here is great.
Fricking just love it.
Anyway we then get to the really bad part.
Spongebob sees that Patrick is "speeding."
Actually the speed limit is 40 however according to Spongebob "he's going 40 and a half miles per hour. That's almost 41."
You know I may not like Family Guy but this picture pretty much sums how I feel.
You know how I said earlier Spongebob tried to be happy for his friend. Which was rather sweet. He may of been jealous but he still acted happy for Patrick. I guess he just decided to say screw it with that and tries to get Patrick arrested for "speeding." All because he's jealous of Patrick's license. Well it may actually have to do with the fact that Patrick keeps rubbing it in his face and has done rather douches things this entire episode. Yeah Patrick really doesn't deserve Spongebob's fake happiness for him. Though Spongebob trying to get Patrick arrested is still a little too far.
Of course no police officer gives 2 flying craps. But then immediately afterwards Patrick actually does something worthy of telling the cops. He actually runs 3 red lights.
Sponegebob calls him out for it, but Patrick says he's an expert driver. Which as we all know Experts never screw up. God I hate people like that. Egotistical douchebags who think that because they know what they're doing they don't have to take blame for screwing up. Or maybe Patrick is trying to say that because he's an expert there's no possible way he could screw up.....even though he is screwing up and can screw up just as much in the future. I hate that mindset just as much. It's just as egotistical.
We get a joke where Patrick apparently made a u-turn..........through an orphanage.
Really? Was that joke so necessary. It just seems so uncharacteristically dark for this show. (You gotta keep in mind this was before A Pal For Gary, One Coarse Meal, and Are You Happy Now so this is pretty dark for the point in time the episode was released.)
And I'm all in for dark humor........if it's funny. Luckily according to Patrick they all dodged the car, but seriously......an orphanage.
Anyway we see Spongebob and Patrick get in a little squabble. Some of the best episodes of the show have centered around Patrick and Spongebob being in a fight. Heck even in the modern seasons. Like Battle of Bikini Bottom. But the difference is Battle of Bikini Bottom was funny and both characters were still likeable. Here though nothing is funny, Patrick is an egotistical hypocrite and Spongebob is being a little brat out of sheer jealousy.
It eventually ends with Spongebob tearing apart Patrick's license.
Who knew it was so easy to tear apart plastic. It's so easy that the man who can barely even lift a cotton swab can do it.
Anyway Spongebob throws the pile of torn up license into the air. It lands in an officers hand and he identifies it as liter. This starts a high speed chase cause liter is the worse crime to ever commit in bikini bottom.
Anyway Patrick keeps running from the police because he forgot how to drive and doesn't know how to stop. All because Spongebob ripped the license. Let's just forget that Patrick really never knew how to drive and also never had a license when he PASSED the driving test but minor nitpick, whatever.
The chase conveniently leads to the police station.
Anyway the judge rightfully places Patrick in jail, but for the crime Spongebob committed. Spongebob realizes he should take the blame as Patrick is to soft for jail. So he confesses to the crime and gets thrown in the slammer with a smile on his face.
Which is actually kinda funny.
The episode ends with Spongebob serving his debt to society and meeting up with Patrick. We then get a sickeningly sweet scene of them making up and apologizing to each other. It's rather nice especially after all the doucheyness. Spongebob gives Pat a custom car plate he made for the boat mobile but because of Status Quo is God Patrick threw the boat out as the dial was on E which he took to mean 'end.' But he has a new idea.
Awwwwwwww.........OK that's really sweet.
And the episode ends there.
When I was hypeing this episode up I said it was the worst episode of Spongebob in my opinion. Well after taking time to analyze it I still hate it but I don't hate it enough to say it's the worse. It's bad but has some decent moments in it. Patrick still came off as a hypocritical douche though and by the end Spongebob is aggravating to watch as well. The jokes fall flat with a few exceptions, and overall it just was not entertaining.
The characters are unlikable, the jokes are bad. I can see why the general consensus is that it's just an OK episode but I still wholeheartedly think it's bad. Not the worse, but still bad. Congratulations Good Neighbors you are officially my least favorite episode again.
Best Part-The Ending
Worst Part-Patrick......just Patrick
Overall-4/10
Well that's Driven to Tears. Bad episode. Next time though we'll return to another one of our regular targets. Only this time it'll be good.
Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed hit the +1 button and I'll see you guys later.
Peace.
Evan!
Ah, Adora. I figured I'd be seeing you again. What's your evil plan to take over my blog this time.
Don't act all brave. Besides I'm just here to tell you to stop talking to my sister
What do you mean. I haven't been talking to her.
Don't play stupid with me. I know you have. She's even admitted it to me. Just stop talking to her, that's all I'm asking.
Sorry Adora, but personally I don't think it's your place to decide that.
It's my job to protect my sister though.
Protect her from what?
You! I don't want her to get hurt by you.
You'll end up stabbing her in the back.
What are you talking about? Oh, wait... Does this have something to do with what I supposedly did to you?
Yes! And what do you mean by 'supposedly'? You still don't remember what you did?
Not at all.
Ugh......OK I suppose it's time I tell you then. After all what's the point if being angry at you if you don't even understand. It all started in Kindergarten when we first met.
Yeah I remember that.
Good so you don't entirely have the memory of a goldfish. I thought you completely forgot about the bond we formed as well. Well then I guess I can skip ahead a few years then. I started hating you in the 5th grade. Which you may recall as your last year at our school. You may also recall Billy, our school bully.
Yeah I remember him. He use to pick on me all the time and you were always there to stop him.
Yes. Well one day he decided he had enough of me bringing his schemes down. He decided it was time to fight back and so he gathered a gang of about 10 other people to....how did he put it.......teach me a lesson. And a lesson I was taught. I was left with multiple bruises and was even bleeding in some parts. A black eye, and a limp.
Oh crap. Wait....
Oh, do you finally remember. Do you finally remember that all you did was stand and watch. You didn't even check to see if I was OK. You ran like a coward. After all those times I helped you, after all those times I thought I could depend on you. All you did was leave. Did you finally remember. The next day was your last day.
Yeah, I remember you not being there.
Because I didn't want to see you. I knew if I saw you I would not be able to control my anger. Your friendship was the most important thing to me Evan and you toke it all away. I was already upset enough you were leaving, but this just destroyed everything.
..........
And here you are now to cowardly to say anything. To cowardly to admit you screwed up. Ugh....I'm done with you.
Wait............wait. Adora. I'm........
I'm sorry.
Even though I know that's not going to be enough to cut it.
...........
She already left.
To be Continued
Next Animated Critic-On The Run (Steven Universe)
Next Spongebob Review-Squidward Torture Episodes
Other Future Reviews
Legend of the Titanic
One of the Princes (Sofia The First)
Mysterious Shadow (Cybersix)
Boast Busters (My Little Pony)
"If Patrick keeps this douchebaggery up he's on a highway to hell."
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