As Seen on TV

Template:Infobox episode Time cards shown

• 3:28 A.M.

Characters:

• SpongeBob SquarePants
• Mr. Krabs
• Squidward Tentacles
• Gary
• Pearl Krabs
• Krusty Krab Customers
• Nat Peterson
• Fred
• Commercial crew
• Clown
• Mr. Doodles
• Mr. Krabs double

Locations:

• Krusty Krab
• SpongeBob's House
• Conch Street

Songs:

• Striped Sweater

The best time to wear a striped sweater is all the time

One with a collar, turtleneck, that's the kind

Cause when you're wearing that.... one.... special.... sweater....

Plot

Mr. Krabs walks to work one morning to see the completion of the first ever Krusty Krab TV commercial, which is being directed by Squidward. However, upon seeing the expensive production values (which include putting a second Krusty Krab next to the original, among other things), he fires the cast and crew (except for the clown) and he decides to direct it himself, using himself, Squidward, Pearl and SpongeBob as the cast. SpongeBob is extremely excited to see himself on TV, and watches the commercial when it airs (in the extremely cheap time slot of 3:28 A.M.). Despite the horrendous production values and quality of the commercial, and SpongeBob's extremely small role in it, he proclaims it to be "the best 60 seconds of (his) life."

The next morning, while SpongeBob is walking to work, an old man sees him and tells him that he saw him on TV last night (on a commercial for "Bran Flakes", which come in a yellow box). This makes SpongeBob think that he is now famous, and at work he treats people as if they were his fans, and fails to perform his job properly. Eventually, he quits his job to become an entertainer, and is confronted by the angry and hungry customers, who he thinks want him to entertain them. He begins to juggle food items, and accidentally slips and falls to the ground. Just as he thinks that his career is over, a patty drops on the grill, which pleases the customers. SpongeBob notices this, and continues to make Krabby Patties like normal, believing he is entertaining his customers.

Trivia/Goofs

• SpongeBob was also compared to a cereal box in "Pre-Hibernation Week".
• Mr. Krabs' pet worm, Mr. Doodles, was previously seen in "Sandy's Rocket".
• The second Krusty Krab is similar to the "Krusty Krab 2" from The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, which this episode predates by two years.
• The Krusty Krab commercial actually lasts 88 seconds, rather than 60 seconds like SpongeBob says.
• There is actually a cereal called Bran Flakes, which is made by Kellogg's.
• The background music playing during the commercial is the same as on the title card.
• The crowd, in unison, ask for "Onions! Cheese!" but no cheese is shown being placed on the patties.
• At the very end of the episode, a patty being flipped by SpongeBob freezes in mid-air as the scene fades to black.
• The number of patties on the grill near the end of the episode changes between different shots.
• Near the beginning of this episode, Mr. Krabs says to Squidward "What in Neptune's name is going on here?", the captions say "the toons' name" instead of "Neptune's name."
• The German title of this episode is "Der Fernsehstar", which means "The TV Star".
• When the fish is holding the door open, before he goes to fan his face, he has no hand.
• 27th time Patrick doesn't appear.
• When SpongeBob goes to thank Mr. Krabs for his "start", Mr. Krabs is saying how he was going to fire someone and give his predecessor more work. He hides it when SpongeBob comes in, but when he sees that it is SpongeBob, he puts it back out, meaning he was planning to fire Squidward.
• When the fishes are leaving the Krusty Krab, there are two Nat Petersons.
• A book named SpongeBob SuperStar was written after this episode.
• When Spongebob comes into Krabs's office, he mentioned that he might fire one of his employees for a more hard-working one.
• Spongebob was nicknamed Fry Boy which later on is superhero in "Mermaid Man vs SpongeBob."
• When spongebob wakes up he says "time to go do my favorite thing at my favorite place." but he should have said "I'm tired. I didn't get much sleep last night."

APM Music Identification

• Bad Tempi 1 - Title card; commercial music
• Hawaiian Link (b) - Opening shot of the island.
• The Tip Top Polka/Cliff Polka - Mr. Krabs walks Mr. Doodles.
• Too Tired - "I told you to rent only what was absolutely necessary!"
• Ta-Ra C - The clownfish (Get it? Clownfish?) smiles.
• So Tired - "Tonight?"
• On the Beach - Transition shot of the island as night turns into day and as SpongeBob walks to work; "Weren't you that guy on TV? Why yes, I am that guy. How kind of you to notice."
• Screw on the Loose - Bran Flakes commercial
• Stand-Up Comic B - SpongeBob's vampire joke.