Here they are! The first episode of the superheroes has begun.
ONE
An introduction to MM and BB, showing them young and vital, explaining their powers. It has the tone, and indeed is, the opening sequence to a TV show. Spongebob and Patrick, cosplaying, watch and cheer.
TWO
Turn to reveal Spongebob with the starfish on his nose. There is evil afoot! They fly out of the pineapple house.
Squidward suns himself in his front yard. Oh, he’s the archenemy, Reflecto. Heh heh.
THREE
Donuts worn on the fingers. They’re the magic rings that grant the superpowers. Patrick takes a bite from his.
FOUR
Spongebob and Patrick squat down and grunt, charging up some kind of attack. A jellyfish swims toward Squidward. Did they call it? Squid, blowing on it, “reflects it”. He’s become too powerful!
Back to the “sea cave” with Squid chasing.
Patrick says, “What would the real Mermaid Man do?” Outside the door, Squid says, “Why don’t you ask him yourself?” They live in the retirement home nearby.
SWITCH
Establishing shot of Shady Shoals.
FIVE
There they are, sitting on a couch watching TV. They’re in costume (that’s funny) but older. Way older. Spongebob and Patrick stan. There’s evil afoot!
MM freaks out over the word “evil”, wrestling with the furniture. The rest home attendant tosses Patrick and Spongebob from the building. Spongebob gives a speech with fireworks and an insert of a live old captain flashing a thumbs up. The superheroes must come out of retirement!
Back to the Shady Shoals. MM and BB dish up gruel in the buffet line. BB is obviously older but still cognizant. MM is in dementia. With pink fluffy slippers.
Spongebob, visiting, relates an episode of their show with Man Ray as the villain, acting out the parts. The attendant tosses him.
Spongebob in drag comes back to Shady Shoals. Oh, no, haha. Patrick in burglar gear steals the purse, trying to provoke a superhero moment.
This episode is out there.
BB and MM start fighting, basically over how annoying Spongebob is.
SIX
BB completely loses it. He pulls out a box containing the magic rings.
Noice. Beautiful Three/Six mirror moment.
SEVEN
Say the oath! The narrator from the TV show takes over MM’s voice.
EIGHT
MM and BB with the classic attacks. Spongebob and Patrick, unintimidated, look on starry-eyed.
Oh, so funny. “He’s absorbing it like some kind of evil sponge.”
The dog paddle! On the one hand, old people who can no longer function as they did in their prime, are silly. That’s kind of icky. On the other hand, they sound just like Spongebob and Patrick did, which is thematically layered. I’m embarrassed to laugh, but . . . it’s hilarious.
Spongebob and Patrick, having the time of their lives, are eventually tossed out of the area.
NINE
They watch TV again. It’s the NEW adventures of MM and BB. The heroes play checkers, with POW! inserts at the moves.
As you can see, this episode is very Four-light/Five-heavy. Maybe I spotted the wrong Switch, but where else would it be? The showrunners, I’m guessing, really wanted to spend time with the superheroes. They’re great! Who wouldn’t? But it’s given us a lopsided structure and an awkward episode.