299a. Tango Tangle

[Jjs Goodman]

Premieres: Tuesday, February 20th at 5pm ET/PT

Plot: Plankton and Karen take dance lessons and quickly become top of the class.

Note: This was originally titled "Waltzing Wackos."

[4EverGreen]

First off, I wondered who voiced the Dancing Instructor? She sure sounds like she has potential for future appearances on "Spongebob Squarepants". Second, it's nice to see Plankton and Karen interact with each other romantically, WITHOUT needing to focus on trying to obtain the Krabby Patty Secret Formula. In order to make Karen's dream of tango dancing come true (WITHOUT having Plankton get stepped on) Plankton decides to artificially (and in a "Surprisingly Realistic Outcome", quite painfully) artificially LENGTHENS his legs so that he is now the same height as Karen! Although in another "Surprisingly Realistic Outcome", just like Spongebob found out in "The Chaperone", just because you know how to use legs at your OWN normal length; doesn't mean you'll be able to use legs that are at a LONGER length! However, Plankton and Karen are eager to learn; ESPECIALLY once their instructor tells them that the Tango involves channeling their AGGRESSION to fuel their passion! And Aggression is something they have PLENTY of! While Plankton and Karen are easily able to out-dance Spongebob and Pearl, and Slappy and his girlfriend; it turns out that Bubble Bass and his Mother (who FINALLY appears in something OTHER than her blue track suit) waltz into class! It turns out that Bubble Bass and his Mother have WON the Best Dancing Award three years in a row (which may explain at least PART of the reason why Bubble Bass didn't appear in seasons 2-6 and 8). In order to win the award away from them, Karen decides to turn Plankton into his alter ego Ray-Ray, which she is now able to do with a laser gun! With Plankton's Ray-Ray mojo, Plankton LITERALLY dances so FAST, he makes a fire! Unfortunately, he dances SO fast; he actually wears down his artificially lengthened legs, until he's back down to his normal height, although he and Karen at least win the Best Dancing Award; even earning the respect of Bubble Bass and his Mother in the process. I'd give this episode segment a 9.9 out of 10! Enough said, true believers!