Bizarro Bottom

If you were looking for the article about the digital collection, then see Bizarro Bikini Bottom.

Characters

• Template:Data:Links
• Patrick Star
• French Narrator
• Bus driver Template:Cameo
• SpongeTom ShortPants
• Barry Template:Single appearance
• Mr. Claws Template:Single appearance
• Octward Template:Single appearance
• Preston Template:Single appearance
• Sammy Template:Single appearance
• Mrs. Puff
  • Mrs. Gruff Template:Single appearance
• Eugene H. Krabs
• Squidward Tentacles
• Young Man Powerwalker Template:Single appearance
• Ted Template:Single appearance
• French Canadian Narrator Template:Single appearance
• Sandy Cheeks
• Pink SpongeMom Template:Single appearance
• Blue SpongeDad Template:Single appearance
• Customer #1 (Bizarro Bottom resident) Template:Single appearance
• I.M. Poster the Pirate ^{(intro sequence)}
• I.M. Poster the Pirate's bird ^{(intro sequence)}

This list is incomplete, but you can help Encyclopedia SpongeBobia by expanding it.

Synopsis

File:SpongeTom with Barry.jpeg

SpongeTom with his pet slug, Barry.

The episode begins with an entirely different intro, all about SpongeTom ShortPants in a riff on the show's main title sequence. After the title card and credits are shown, SpongeTom is seen getting all prepared for work, saying his adieu to his slug Barry, and walking off to The Krunchy Krab. He greets all of the customers and his co-worker Octward, and goes into the kitchen, making tacos. After a full day of work, his boss Mr. Claws lets him go home early on account of his day off the next day.

Meanwhile, late at night, SpongeBob is seen on the bus, being so tired he misses his stop home and ends up at SpongeTom's melon home, entering The Tidal Zone. The exhausted sponge tries to get in through the door, but his key proves ineffective, and rings the bell. As SpongeTom comes to see who the visitor is, no one appears, as SpongeBob instead gets into the house through the window. SpongeTom eventually leaves the house, while SpongeBob goes to sleep in Tom's room.

SpongeBob wakes up to a great sleep, but realizes he's late for work. He attempts to leave SpongeTom's bedroom but misses the doorknob. As he brushes his teeth, he realizes he's standing in a toilet bowl and using an unclogger where his mirror usually would be. He falls down the stairs and attempts to grab milk and cereal for breakfast in the kitchen, but notices he is eating soap flakes in a bowl of orange juice. SpongeBob enters the Krunchy Krab, and greets the customers, who confuse him for SpongeTom, and take his name as a means to bob up and down. He says hello to Octward, who he confuses for Squidward, and SpongeBob misses the kitchen door, crashing into a wall. He goes into the kitchen and looks at a set of containers filled with taco ingredients, which is in place of the grill he is used to. SpongeBob believes the ingredients have been shredded and tapes them up to make a Krabby Patty. Mr. Claws comes into the kitchen, questioning why SpongeBob is here, as he makes tacos on what is supposed to be SpongeTom's day off. Octward comes in from the dining area, saying that the patty SpongeBob made is not a taco, and that "Yummy Patties" and can be found over at The Yum Bucket.

This drives SpongeBob mad, confused at the reality he's in, and runs out of the restaurant. SpongeBob goes across the street to find that the Yum Bucket, confusing it for the Chum Bucket, has tons of customers. SpongeBob thinks that he might be seeing things, and goes to the optometrist to get glasses and see things clearly, although they really just blur up his vision. He decides to tell Patrick and Sandy about his bizarre morning, running across the street to see them. He ends up confusing them for Preston and Sammy, swapped up versions of the two. He goes insane once more, seeing all of the messed up versions of the locations and citizens from his hometown. Such discomfort drives him to visit his parents, believing they'll make everything okay.

File:SpongeCrack.jpeg

SpongeBob going nuts over what he believes to be dopplegängers.

SpongeBob comes across to what he believes is his parents' house, thinking it has been painted yellow, although it is really a lemon. SpongeBob rings the bell, and from the door SpongeTom is seen, and the two comment on how similar they look. He then sees SpongeTom's parents, who he believes are evil doppelgängers trying to replace his parents, and SpongeTom is trying to replace him. He goes crazy at the sight of this and runs away, crashing into the town's entry sign, labeled Tankini Top, now thinking they've completely flipped over Bikini Bottom, as he faints. The ShortPants family, feeling sorry for SpongeBob, decide to put him on the bus out of town.

SpongeBob wakes up on a seat at the Bikini Bottom Bus Station, as Sandy found him lying there, who stands alongside Patrick, Mr. Krabs, and Squidward. He greets all of them and tells him about his bizarre experience in Tankini Top, thinking it was a dream. Mr. Krabs gets fed up with his story and tells him to get back to work, to which he is prepared.

The episode ends with the French Narrator saying that everyone has a doppelgänger, but he asks how one can know if they are the dopple or the gänger. A Canadian version of the narrator says this question can only be answered in The Tidal Zone, as the two look at each other in shock.

Production

This episode was confirmed on Cartoonlounge.de on February 22, 2025.

On February 23, 2025, sound effects designer and editor Jeffrey Hutchins announced that he had started working on this episode and its sister, albeit referring to them as "season 15," due to the series being in its fifteenth production season.

Trivia

General

• With the production code of 325-1501, this is the first episode produced for the show's fifteenth production season.
• This episode, along with its sister, is the first to solely credit Shane Richardson as the art director. He was previously credited as co-art director alongside the late Peter Bennett, who was posthumously credited after his passing on May 17, 2024.
• The premise is similar to season 1's "Rock Bottom," as both episodes involve SpongeBob taking a bus ride to a new and strange location.
• This is the sixth episode of the series and the first since season 11's "The Legend of Boo-Kini Bottom" to have an alternate theme song.
  • This is the first episode since season 6's "Truth or Square" where the alternate intro is sung by a special guest. This is also the first time since the aforementioned episode to not reuse footage.
  • This is the first episode since season 8's "It's a SpongeBob Christmas!" where the alternate intro has original audio.
  • This also marks the first and currently only time in the series where a standard-length episode uses its own intro.
• These are the following differences between Bikini Bottom and its opposite counterpart, Tankini Top:
  • The name of the city is a opposite of Bikini Bottom, with Tankini Top being a play on tank top, an article of clothing, just like Bikini Bottom.
    • Additionally, the name is similar to Bikini Top from season 14's "Hysterical History."
  • SpongeTom lives in a melon, while SpongeBob lives in a pineapple.
  • SpongeTom's Krunchy Krab hat is circular and the anchor is flipped upside down, which is the opposite of SpongeBob's Krusty Krab hat being more straight and upwards.
  • When SpongeTom walks, his shoes makes a different squeaking sound than SpongeBob's.
  • SpongeTom's pet Barry is a slug rather than a snail. He also has a deeper voice than Gary's.
  • SpongeTom's catchphrase, "I'm prepared!" is the opposite of SpongeBob's catchphrase, "I'm ready!"
  • The Krunchy Krab's name is a play on The Crunchy Crab, another word used when describing something crusty, like The Krusty Krab.
  • The top of the clam shell on the Krunchy Krab is thicker than the Krusty Krab's sign. In additon, it also has a tongue, which is not seen on the Krusty Krab's sign.
  • The "Enter" sign that was on the floor outside the Krusty Krab was changed to say "Come In" for the Krunchy Krab.
  • The flags on top of the Krunchy Krab were changed to be triangular designs, as opposed to the Krusty Krab's rectangular maritime flags.
  • The Krunchy Krab sells tacos as opposed to the Krusty Krab selling Krabby Patties.
  • The taco picture on the Krunchy Krab is on the right window while the Krabby Patty picture on the Krusty Krab is on the left window.
  • The interior of the Krunchy Krab has ropes that form rectangles, as apposed to the Krusty Krab's ropes that form rotated squares.
  • Most of the incidentals seem to be happy all the time, even when they're in a car crash, as seen later in the episode.
  • The door to the Krunchy Krab's kitchen is on the left side on the restaurant, as opposed to it being on the right. This may imply that Mr. Claws' office is on the right side, which may be a reference to how Mr. Krabs' office was once on the right side in season 1's "Help Wanted."
  • Octward is Squidward's opposite. He appears to like and care for SpongeTom, unlike Squidward with SpongeBob. His appearance is a squid, despite his name suggesting he is a octopus. This is a reference to how Squidward's name is also misleading, with him being an octopus, despite his name suggesting his is a squid.
  • The grill is replaced by a taco prepration booth, and the spatula is replaced by a scooper.
  • There is a wide sink with dishes in it to the left of the taco booth, as opposed to a deep fryer to the right of the grill.
  • There are decorative flags on the ceiling of the Krunchy Krab's kitchen.
  • Mr. Krabs is replaced by Mr. Claws. He appears as blue, and has a curved nose as opposed to Mr Krabs' bendy nose. His is also very nice to SpongeTom, even letting him go home early and giving him a day off, unlike Mr. Krabs where he never would do such a thing, and would force SpongeBob and Squidward to work mercilessly. His laugh is also slower than Mr. Krabs' laugh.
  • The foghorn alarm clock is replaced by a periscope alarm clock. The sound it makes is a quieter version of the foghorn, mixed with the sounds of a rooster crowing. Additionally, everything in the room is facing the left, as opposed to facing the right. This also applies to the bathroom.
  • Kelpo and milk has been changed to Soap Flakes and orange juice.
  • Mr. Claws calls SpongeTom "son" as opposed to Mr. Krabs calling SpongeBob "boy."
  • The Yum Bucket is a parallel to the Chum Bucket. The glove is replaced by a sock, and it also sells Yummy Patties, as opposed to chum. There is also a line of customers going out the door, which is something that the Chum Bucket can never achieve on a regular basis.
  • Sammy and Preston are the parallel versions of Patrick and Sandy. Preston appears to be the smart one, paralleling Sandy. They’re a beige sea star with a turtleneck and pants as well as an afro. Sammy appears to be the dumb one, paralleling Patrick. They have a large suit like Sandy's with human-like sleeves, longer teeth, an old tail, a flower on the top of their helmet with a smiley face on it, and a different patch on their suit.
  • Harry's Gym is a parallel to Larry's Gym. A banner reads "Going out of business" under the Harry's logo, a opposite to how the gym's appearances in the episode of the same name, "Buff for Puff," and SpongeBob Simulator had Larry's Gym say "Grand Opening."
  • Mrs. Gruff's Biking School is a parallel to Mrs. Puff's Boating School. She teaches people how to drive a bicycle instead of a boat. Her appearance generally looks the same as her normal counterpart, except with the addition of a mustache.
    • A pufferfish wearing a mustache is similar to Mrs. Puff's late husband, Mr. Puff, whom of which also has a mustache, in "Hysterical History."
  • Groovy Groupers is the opposite of Goofy Goober's. Its appearance is a hipple like design, even the wheel on the side of the establisment is changed to the peace symbol.
  • Young Man Powerwalker is the parallel to Old Man Walker. He generally looks the same to him, except he has longer legs, has a deeper voice, and can walk easily without a walker.
  • Ted is the parallel of Fred. His catchphrase is "My arm!" instead of "My leg!"
  • SpongeTom's parents house is a lemon, as opposed to Harold and Margaret's house being an avocado (Avocondo Acres).
  • SpongeTom's parents' designs have the exact same shape as SpongeBob, as opposed to them looking more circular than SpongeBob.
  • The citizens of Tankini Top (excluding Preston and Sammy) are also animated in the same style as Seasons 6 through 9, which is a direct contrast with the show’s current exaggerated off-model animation since Season 10.
    • Several incidentals originating from those seasons can also be seen throughout this episode as Tankini Top residents.
• This is also the sixth episode of the series to feature The Tidal Zone, following "No Pictures Please," "The Night Patty," "Welcome to Binary Bottom," "You're Going to Pay...Phone," and "A Skin Wrinkle in Time."
• To date and currently, this marks SpongeTom's biggest role in the series.
  • Additionally, this episode reveals that his last name is ShortPants.
  • His eyes were also redesigned in this episode to look more identical to SpongeBob's eyes, and his cheeks and movements are very similar to how SpongeBob was animated in episodes storyboarded by Aaron Springer in Seasons 6 through 8.

Cultural references

• The title references the DC Comics anti-hero and Superman's backwards doppelganger, Bizarro, a character who does the opposite of everything his counterpart does, both physically and mentally.
• SpongeBob pointing at his friends and saying "And you weren't there" repeatedly after waking up at the bus station in Bikini Bottom references the ending of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.