Life of Crime (Episode)

"Life of Crime" is an episode from season two. It premiered on May 5, 2001.

Info

Characters

SpongeBob SquarePants
Patrick Star
Mr. Krabs
Policefish
Balloon seller
Residents of Bikini Bottom

Characters Mentioned

Plot

At the Krusty Krab, SpongeBob SquarePants sees that Eugene Krabs is watching a crime movie. Mr. Krabs starts to talk about how bad thieves are, and then SpongeBob and Patrick Star start asking him about all the things he stole, and Mr. Krabs says he "borrowed" everything. Later that day, SpongeBob and Patrick see a balloon stand. Since they have no money, they decide to "borrow" a balloon. They sneak it away, and it immediately pops. Because they can't return it, they think that they are thieves. They realize that it isn't safe to stay in Bikini Bottom. They leave and walk into the distance by foot, leaving everything from their home town behind.

That night, they begin to miss everyone and all the fun things that they used to do at Bikini Bottom with all of their old friends that they will deeply miss. But then they look at the positives:

They can loosen their ties.
They can fly (well... not yet)
They never have to shave.
They can talk tough.
The best part is that they no longer have to return anything that they borrow.

SpongeBob and Patrick realize that being a criminal will be... well... fun! But then Patrick says that they will need to get some food to start off. SpongeBob already has with him two candy bars, possibly enough to last them their whole life-until Patrick eats the whole thing in one bite. Five seconds later, he tries to take a bite out of it. But he sees that it is no longer in his hand (he doesn't remember eating it). When he sees SpongeBob's bar he thinks that it is his and that SpongeBob stole it, just like he stole the balloon all those hours ago. With both of them against each other now, there's only one thing left to do. One of them has to get blamed for stealing that balloon.

They both run back to Bikini Bottom and to the police station. Before one of them can be blamed, they both confess together. Rather than be placed in jail forever, the police tell them that it is "National Free Balloon Day". As they head back home, SpongeBob and Patrick vow that they will never take anything without permission ever again.

Trivia/Goofs

SpongeBob says, "And the... and the (makes boom noise)", but the original captions say, "And the... and the boom".
There is a coloring book to tie in with this episode.
The episodes alternate title was Partners In Crime.
In the original edit of the show, while Spongebob and Patrick are talking about what they are leaving behind, Spongebob says "no more getting nailed" and then showed Patrick hammering a nail and board to his forehead. For whatever reasons, this was later edited to just Spongebob saying "no more getting nailed" and then showing Patrick with just a blank stare. Now, he doesn't even say that and he says "no more getting mail".
The phrase that Mr. Krab says, "Eel in the kelp," is a reference to the phrase "Snake in the grass."
Squidward never appears, but he is mentioned twice.
This is the second episode where Mr. Krabs implied that Patrick worked in the Krusty Krab. The first was Arrgh!
In the video game Lights, Camera, Pants!, during the Rubble Rabble minigame, on the top screen you can see Mrs.Puff which is a reference to this episode
This is the fifth episode between SpongeBob, Patrick, and Mr. Krabs; the first 4 were Suds, Arrgh!, Neptune's Spatula, and Squirrel Jokes; and the last 3 were The Fry Cook Games, Driven to Tears, and The Pink Purloiner.

Quotes

Mr. Krabs: What a no good eel in the kelp that guy was. There ain't nothing worse than a thief. Thieves need to be locked up forever! They ought to be strung up by their gills and forced to breath air!
SpongeBob: Maybe we can borrow money from Squidward.
Patrick: Wait. Instead of borrowing the money, why don't we just borrow the balloon?!
SpongeBob: Yeah! Like Mr. Krabs!
Patrick: You took my only food. (pan down to Patrick's bloated belly) Now I'm gonna starve.
SpongeBob: Let's vow never to borrow anything without permission again.
Patrick: (after eating lolly pop) Alright. Which one of you flatfoots stole my lolly pop? (everyone laughs, then a pause) I mean it!
Patrick: Hey, if we're underwater, how can there be a— (the fire immediately goes out). I'm scared, SpongeBob.