298b. Pet the Rock

[Jjs Goodman]

Premieres: Wednesday, February 14th at 5:15pm ET/PT

Plot: Patrick's new pet rock catches the eye of a mischievous rock collector.

[4EverGreen]

It seems like the animators who work on "Spongebob Squarepants" are REALLY getting into the call-backs on this show. For instance, the LAST characters I would've expected them to reference, were the worms for "Pets Or Pests"; or Puffy Fluffy from "A Pal For Gary". Luckily for us, a cameo appearance is ALL they get to enjoy, and because Patrick wants a pet; he chooses what LOOKS like a Pet Rock! Granted, it DOES now make sense that they didn't reuse Rocky for this episode segment. Instead, Patrick names this rock, Rolly (meaning Patrick technically IS into Rock and Roll!) The Rock Collector in this episode segment kind of reminds me of Wily E. Coyote, with Patrick acting as the Road Runner COMPLETELY oblivious to The Rock Collector's attempts to break his rock wide open! Now, the first clue that Patrick's rock WASN'T a rock, was the fact that his rock actually GREW! What's nice about this episode, is that it seems like the animators have FINALLY decided to revert Patrick back to his season one intelligence level, where he WASN'T outright stupid, just slow. And I LOVE this episode, because it shows Patrick being SMART enough to ask Spongebob for help in ASKING how to take care of his Pet Rock; probably as a gigantic apology for people who didn't like the episode segment "Pet Sitter Pat". Patrick decides to take Rolly to a pet show, where due to Patrick's clumsiness in handling Rolly; he accidentally knocks out the REST of the competition, making his pet win first prize by default! But at his moment of victory, the Rock Collector SUCCEEDS in breaking the rock wide open! But it turns out to NOT be a rock, but an egg containing a SEA DRAGON! Now, if the episode had ended on THAT cool note; it would've been rated a 9.9 out of 10, but the animators had to go and RUIN it, by having Rolly EAT Patrick; knocking down the score ALL the way to a 6.5 out of 10! REMEMBER, characters eating other characters is BAD; cool, unexpected twist endings are GOOD! Enough said, true believers!