After failing to steal the Krabby Patty secret formula once again, Plankton decides that he is tired of eating holographic meatloaf. Believing Mr. Krabs to have a more satisfying existence, he longs to switch lives with him. Karen points out that he had conveniently invented a transmogrifier earlier, and suggests he use it. Plankton takes her advice and later finds himself waking up as Mr. Krabs, now wearing Mr. Krabs' outfit, Plankton looks at a nameplate reading "Mr. Plankton" and realizes that he has successfully entered a universe where he is, in fact, successful. His first act is to have Alternate-Universe SpongeBob SquarePants, now his employee, present him with two Krabby Patties for "bun inspection."
As Mr. Plankton drools over the Krabby Patties and celebrates his newfound power and wealth, SpongeBob suddenly pops back in for his weekly performance review. Mr. Plankton casually and dismissively tells his yellow underling that he is fine the way he is, but SpongeBob begs for evaluation and criticism. Plankton then makes up a critique that SpongeBob is using "too much sauce," but rather than placating him, this sends SpongeBob spiralling into a bizarrely-manifested despair even though he wanted to be criticized. Mr. Plankton resorts to promoting SpongeBob to "co-cashier," much to the disdain of Mr. Plankton's other new employee, Alternate-Universe Squidward Tentacles. Squidward enters Plankton's office to complain and ends up as SpongeBob's fry-cooking replacement.
Before Mr. Plankton can get back to his Krabby Patties, his new daughter, Pearl Plankton, arrives, asking for an advance on her allowance. He gives her a dollar, which she finds unacceptably paltry. As she sobs, a customer, Incidental 41, comes to complain about Squidward's horrific attempt at cooking while SpongeBob dissolves over a slightly mistaken order. Mr. Plankton begs for all the complaining to stop, which does in the face of a siren going off.
The siren, as SpongeBob and the others explain, is a warning for an imminent threat to the Krabby Patty formula, a threat that turns out to be Alternate-Universe Eugene Krabs. Having life circumstances closer to those Plankton used to have at the beginning of the episode, he is now simply known as "Krabs," out to steal the formula, and, much like Plankton used to be, completely naked.
SpongeBob fights Krabs off with a clothes-shooting cannon and finally manages to clap him in an underwired bra. Krabs relinquishes his stolen patty to a baffled Mr. Plankton as everyone at the Krusty Krab gives a shrill "victory screech." Krabs vows to Mr. Plankton that one day, he will manage to steal a Krabby Patty, even if he has to raid the place daily, which he repeats as he leaves. Plankton finally finds his nemesis' life intolerable. He then screams and disrobes before hitting a button, and everything goes back to normal.
Plankton is transported directly in front of his holographic meatloaf back at the Chum Bucket within his home universe. He has a newfound appetite for the meatloaf and scoops it up, "eating" eagerly, ending the episode.
Production
This episode was in production by May 29, 2001, as shown in an animation error.
‣Hawaiian Islands - Harold Geller, Desmond Champ (Tempo +1.80) [Title card] ‣Like Strange - Kenny Graham [Plankton in ketchup bottle] ‣High Speed Action - Laurie Johnson [alarm goes off] ‣The Dreadnought Tea Clipper (B) - Tim Laycock, Robert Alexander White ["So, it was just another failed Krabby Patty theft attempt..."] ‣High Speed Action - Laurie Johnson ["Curse you, Mr. Krabs!"] ‣Wooden Bear - Gil Flat, Tony Tape, Florian Voelxen [holographic meatloaf] ‣The Creature (b) - Gregor F. Narholz [life switcher] ‣The Creature (a) - Gregor F. Narholz [Plankton screaming] ‣Lonely Stranger - Laurie Johnson [Plankton in Krabs' office] •Thats It ! - Nicolas Carr ["Two deluxe Krabby Patties!"] ‣Tripping Upstairs - Brian Peters [SpongeBob brings patties to customer] ‣Romance in Paris - Ib Glindemann ["All mine! It's finally all mine!"] •Idea Sting - Nicolas Carr ["SpongeBob?"] ‣Bashful Eyes - Kapono Beamer [performance review] ‣Romance in Paris - Ib Glindemann [Plankton kisses the patty] ‣Torn Apart - Mike Sunderland ["There's got to be something I need to improve on!"] ‣Hawaiian Cocktail - Richard Myhill [SpongeBob's upset] ‣Glissando (a) - Skaila Kanga, Richard Myhill ["A pro- A promot- A promotion?!"] ‣The Rake Hornpipe - Robert Alexander White [SpongeBob standing next to Squidward] ‣Dramatic Cue (D) - Ronald Hanmer ["Co-cashier?!"] ‣Cocktail Lounge - Dick Stephen Walter ["So, have you two known each other long?"] ‣Hawaiian Link (A) - Richard Myhill [Squidward in the kitchen] ‣Rococo Rondo - Tedeusz Rozycki [Pearl appears] ‣Tympup A - Sammy Burdson, John Charles Fiddy ["One dollar? You hate me!"] ‣Dramatic Cue (B) - Ronald Hanmer [Pearl crying] ‣Dramatic Cue (A) - Ronald Hanmer [shot of rotten Krabby Patty] ‣Fates [#61.03] - Gregor F. Narholz ["I tried, Mr. Plankton. I really did."] ‣The Creature (a) - Gregor F. Narholz ["No, sir... he's back."] ‣Sword Fight - Sam Fonteyn [Krabs revealed] ‣Finger of Suspicion 2 - Harry Bluestone, Emil Cadkin [Krabs saying he'll be back] ‣Cocktail Lounge - Dick Stephen Walter [ending]
"The Algae's Always Greener" was ranked #97 during the SpongeBob's Top 100 event in the UK and Ireland from June 4-8, 2012.
Trivia
General
According to the first half of the production code of this episode, as seen in various paintings and model sheets (5571-188[1]) it was originally meant to be a part of Season 2. However, one painting labels the code as "5572-188," indicating that it was later moved to the third season.[2]
When Plankton is in the alternate universe, he is the owner and founder of the Krusty Krab. However, it is unknown why the restaurant is still named "The Krusty Krab," as this name was used by Mr. Krabs when he was the owner.
According to some production art, this episode was originally titled "Success for Losers."
Paul Tibbitt has stated that this is his favorite episode.[6]
This is the first episode for several things:
The first episode to air during the Double Up event.
The season 3 premiere in airing order was "The Bully" since it aired in 2001 and this episode aired in 2002, but this was the third season premiere in packaging order. Regardless, neither of these episodes end with a song.
The first episode where Karen has a facial expression; in this case, it is rolling her eyes.
The first episode where Karen's name is directly said out loud and used within dialogue. This also establishes her as Plankton's wife, with previous episodes having no indication.File:Jellyfishing and Plankton! credits.pngKaren's name was first seen in the end credits for "Jellyfishing" and "Plankton!."
The end credits in her debut episode, "Plankton!" used her name. It was also used in production materials.
Alternate SpongeBob says "Soiled it!" 21 times and Alternate Mr. Krabs says "And the next day" 17 times.
After Plankton sends Squidward to work in the kitchen, he is not seen again the rest of the episode despite Plankton yelling his name.
Incidental 41's question of "You think this is funny?" later became a famous internet meme.
Plankton's "Ouch" from when he crashes into the Chum Bucket in the beginning is reused audio from "Imitation Krabs."
This is another instance in which Squidward's Krabby Patty cooking skills are shown to be sub-par. Other previous instances were in "Pickles" and "Hooky."
Plankton is not afraid of whales in this episode, although he is in "One Coarse Meal."
This episode reveals that "Plankton" is Plankton's last name, not his first name.
"Plankton's Army" reveals that Plankton's first name is Sheldon.
This is one of the few episodes where Plankton succeeds in one of his evil plans, though he quickly decides to abandon it upon finding Mr. Krabs' life to be overwhelming.
C.H. Greenblatt is credited with his first name, Carl Greenblatt, in the opening credits on early reruns of this episode.[7][8] In the original airing on March 22nd, 2002 and all other releases, the opening credits retain the "C.H. Greenblatt" spelling of his name.[9][10]
Seven prominent internet memes have come out of this episode:
When Mr. Krabs is at Plankton, "So long, shrimp!" as Plankton is being thrown out of the Krusty Krab, a shrimp while he is leaving turns around thinking Mr. Krabs was saying it to him.
Plankton screaming in anguish while in the red-striped gap between universes, suddenly stopping to sip on a drink, and then suddenly starting to scream again.
SpongeBob stuttering and making a face with squinting eyes and puckered lips when Plankton tells him he used too much sauce.
The scene where Plankton is confused about Incidental 41's Krabby Patty Squidward made before realizing how bad it is.
SpongeBob yelling "Soiled it!"
The scene where Plankton looks up at Mr. Krabs naked and exclaiming, "Good grief, he's naked!"
SpongeBob's "victory screech."
The title card background is similar to the title card of "Big Pink Loser."
In the Croatian dub, instead of Plankton saying "I'll remember you all in therapy" he says "I'm going back to my bucket."
In the Filipino dub, Plankton's initial response to Incidental 41's question of "You think this is funny?" is different. In that dub, Plankton answers with "Siguro, kung nasa cartoons tayo, oo.", which translates to: "Perhaps, if we were in a cartoon, I'd agree with you." This line shows that Plankton broke the fourth wall.
In the French dub, Plankton screaming while sipping soda is untranslated.
Cultural references
The title is a pun of the saying "the grass is always greener (on the other side of the hill)."
While being launched, Plankton says "Reunited and it's gonna feel so good," a reference to the Peaches & Herb song "Reunited."
When Plankton says "Rolling stones gather no algae," it's a pun on the saying "Rolling stones gather no moss."
When SpongeBob is shooting Mr. Krabs with the clothes cannon, he shouts a rule common in the restaurant business: "No shirt, no shoes, no service."
SpongeBob's line "Knick-knack, the patty's back!," is a reference to "knick-knack paddywhack" in the children's song, "This Old Man."
The "Clams" magazine in Mr. Plankton's office is a parody of the Times magazine.
As the customers in the Krusty Krab panic, Plankton asks "Did I say the secret word?". This is a reference to a running gag in the children's TV series Pee-Wee's Playhouse where everyone in the titular playhouse would scream loudly as alarms and bells went off whenever someone said the episode's "secret word".
A blue screen with a date of May 29, 2001 by Rough Draft Korea can be seen during a bubble transition.
When Plankton is sitting at his kitchen table and he has a can of soda on the table, between frames, the can shifts to the edge of the table right before he picks it up. The table also randomly changes shape a little during this moment.
When Plankton is kicked out, the pathway to the Krusty Krab is gone and the pathway to the Chum Bucket is shorter than usual.
When Plankton is sent through the air after being squirted out of the ketchup bottle, Squidward's eyelids are colored the same as his skin.
When Krabs is leaving the Krusty Krab, some of the frames of his walk contain the legs of Mr. Krabs' pants. This suggests that Krabs' walk cycle was traced over that of other episodes or his nudity was decided upon late in production.
When Plankton walks over to find the "Off" button on SpongeBob, his eye turns white for a second.
When SpongeBob showcases his co-cashier name tag, the close-up shows him standing on the standard Krusty Krab floor despite the fact that he is supposed to be standing in the ordering boat.
When Squidward says "I'd like my view to be a little less yellow if you know what I mean," he does not close his mouth properly.
When the camera focuses on Incidental 41's bad Krabby Patty, the right side of the screen has a blue, bold border.
The door to the kitchen is normally metal. When Mr. Krabs burst out to steal a Krabby Patty, however, it appears to be made of wood.
When Alternate-Universe Mr. Krabs repeatedly says "...and the next day..." when walking backwards out of the Krusty Krab, the Chum Bucket and the path to it are both missing.
In Mr. Plankton's picture of him and Pearl, the red heart on Pearl's mouth and the letter P on Pearl's shirt are missing.
Mr. Plankton's eyebrows is also missing in this picture.
