Oh, no! Even beloved “SpongeBob SquarePants” isn’t safe from corporate downsizing.
The harsh economic climate has infiltrated the underwater community of Bikini Bottom when, after 14 loyal years of flipping krabby patties at the Krusty Krab, SpongeBob is unceremoniously bounced from his job in an upcoming episode of the iconic Nickelodeon ’toon.
The ebullient sea sponge very literally gets “canned,” “pink-slipped” and “axed” by the greedy Mr. Krabs when his boss discovers he can save a whole nickel by eliminating happy-go-lucky SpongeBob from the payroll.
A tearful SpongeBob offers to work for free, frying up Krabby Patties at the burger joint he loves — but Mr. Krabs concedes such labor would be illegal, and he would lose his license.
The blow is especially hard on SpongeBob, since his lazy co-worker Squidward gets to keep his job because of seniority — even though the grumpy octopus hates working at the Krusty Krab and constantly complains about it.
So what’s a hardworking sea sponge to do?
Lest he sit around idly, mooching off the social services of Bikini Bottom, a depressed SpongeBob sets out to return to gainful employment wherever he can find it.
No spoilers — but it’s safe to say that our hero doesn’t end up on food stamps, as his patty-making skills turn out to be in high demand.
“Like all really great cartoons, part of SpongeBob’s long-running success has been its ability to tap into the zeitgeist while still being really funny for our audience,” says Russell Hicks, Nickelodeon’s president of content, development and production.
“As always, despite this momentary setback, SpongeBob’s eternal optimism prevails, which is always a great message for everyone.”
The episode “SpongeBob, You’re Fired!” airs Monday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. on Nickelodeon.