Wishing You Well

Template:Episode/72b

Characters

• Eugene H. Krabs
• Martha Smith
• Tyler
• Harold "Bill" Reginald
• Debbie Rechid
• Squidward Tentacles
• SpongeBob SquarePants
• Sea unicorn
• Dave
• Sandy Cheeks
• Sheldon J. Plankton
• Mrs. Puff
• Patrick Star
• Santa Claus ^(mentioned)
• Waiter or waitress
• Man about to eat Mr. Krabs ^(debut)

Synopsis

After Mr. Krabs sees a child throwing a coin down a well, much to his horror, he learns about wishing wells and creates the Eugene Krabs Memorial Wishing Well in hope of making money from it. SpongeBob and Squidward are tasked with digging the well, and SpongeBob does all the work, singing a song about the well's magic while doing so, as to Squidward who is constantly complaining about the wishing well and its location. After the well's completion, SpongeBob obtains a "promotion" in which he has to stay in the bottom of the well all day and night to collect coins that fall in.

After Sandy, Plankton and Mrs. Puff throw coins into the well and make their wishes, Patrick arrives and throws his soda cup into the well, thinking it was a trash can. SpongeBob tries to explain to him that it is a wishing well, and Patrick mistakes the voice as coming from the "trash can." He wishes that SpongeBob was here to see the magic trash can with him, and when he tries to throw his coin into the well, he falls inside and meets SpongeBob at the bottom. That night, Mr. Krabs arrives to collect the money, and SpongeBob asks him if any of the wishes have come true yet. Mr. Krabs falsely says that if they "believe hard enough" and "dig deep enough," the wishes will come true.

File:What's the first thing you're gonna wish for.png

The two buddies take this literally and begin to dig the well deeper. Eventually, SpongeBob finds a glowing crack on the ground and claims that he has "found the magic." Squidward later comes to the well to tell them how good it feels that they are not able to bother him. SpongeBob tells him that they found the magic, and Squidward, laughing at them, explains that there is no magic and that wishing wells are nothing more than a scam. SpongeBob wishes that he could see the magic for himself, and Squidward falls into the well. SpongeBob and Patrick's antics continue to torment him as he desperately tries to escape. The next day, Mr. Krabs arrives to check on the well as Squidward finally climbs out, with SpongeBob and Patrick following.

File:Wishingwell squidinwell.png

Squidward wishes to get as far away from the well as possible, and is subsequently hit by and stuck to the front of a bus going to "far away." Mr. Krabs asks SpongeBob how much money they made, and SpongeBob explains that they made no money, but found the magic. Mr. Krabs then tries to explain to him that there is no such thing as magic, but then sees that the wishes of Sandy, Mrs. Puff, and Plankton have all come true. SpongeBob asks if the sights were proof enough but the skeptical Mr. Krabs still does not believe in magic, and tries to prove that magic does not exist by wishing to be "steamed and served with a side of melted butter." SpongeBob becomes worried for his boss before Mr. Krabs gloats and asks where magic is before he disappears.

Mr. Krabs' wish has been granted and Mr. Krabs is turned into a real sea crab on a plate. He wonders where he is. The hand of a waiter then places a cup of melted butter on the plate with him, and Mr. Krabs says, "What's going on here?" in a worried tone. Then a live-action human puts on a bib that reads "THE END" and prepares to eat Mr. Krabs in his meal as Mr. Krabs finally realizes magic is real and says, "Uh oh! I do believe in magic! I do believe in magic! I do believe in magic! Oh, no!"

Production

Animation in progress error
The original airing of this episode had its sister, "All That Glitters," at the beginning and it ended with SpongeBob at the therapist's office before it cut to him saying, "You can't rush perfection." The rest of episode plays as normally. To prevent duplication in reruns, it was replaced with the new opening credits and the first part of the episode.

Music

( ‣ ) Production music

( • ) Original music

( ◦ ) SpongeBob music

 ‣ ? - Nicolas Carr [title card]

 ‣ Panther Prowl - David Farnon [opening]
 ‣ Vibe Q Sting - Nicolas Carr ["That sounds like a quarter crying for help."]
 ‣ Harp Ding - Nicolas Carr ["Come to Papa!"]
 ‣ Midnight Feast - Harry Bluestone ["Hold it right there, buddy."]
 ‣ Lap Steel - Nicolas Carr [woman hits Krabs with purse]
 ‣ Comic Walk - Sidney Torch [boy throws quarter down well]
 ‣ Parting of the Clouds - Nicolas Carr ["This well is full of money!"]
 ‣ Drama Link (g) - Hubert Clifford ["I'll save ya!"]
 ‣ Hawaiian Link (b) - Richard Myhill ["Oh, it's no use."]
 ‣ Pink Lilac - Conrad Leonard [couple makes a wish]
 ‣ Drama Link (d) - Hubert Clifford ["No!"]
 ‣ Dramatic Cue (g) - Ronald Hanmer ["I'll save you, money!"]
 ‣ Lonely Heart's Club (a) - David Bell, Otto Sieben [Krabs learns about wishing wells]
 ‣ The Tip Top Polka/The Cliff Polka - Chelmsford Folk Band [at the Krusty Krab]
 ‣ Hello Blues - Sage Guyton, Jeremy Wakefield [SpongeBob digging]
 ◦ Down the Well - Luke Brookshier, Tom King, Peter Straus
 ‣ Hello Sailor (b) - Richard Myhill [the well's finished]
 ‣ Horses for Courses - Paddy Kingsland ["A promotion?!"]
 ‣ Steel Sting - Jeremy Wakefield [SpongeBob lowered into the well]
 ‣ Creepy Strings - Nicolas Carr ["It sure is dark and scary in here."]
 ‣ Goofy Conversation - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [Sandy, Plankton, and Mrs. Puff making wishes]
 ‣ Tomfoolery - David Snell [SpongeBob and Patrick playing tag]
 ◦ Down the Well - Luke Brookshier, Tom King, Peter Straus (reprise)
 ‣ Overture - Gregor F. Narholz [SpongeBob finds magic]
 ‣ Goofy Conversation - Nicolas Carr, Barry Anthony [Squidward falls into the well]
 ‣ Keel Row - Brian Peters [the next morning]
 ‣ Hawaiian Adventures SpongeBob Theme - Jeremy Wakefield, Sage Guyton [Squidward hit by a bus]
 ‣ Tearjerker [#79] - Harry Bluestone, Emil Cadkin ["We found the magic."]
 ‣ Drama Link (b) - Hubert Clifford [SpongeBob and Krabs scream]
 ‣ Kalua Jubilee - Sage Guyton, Jeremy Wakefield [everyone's wishes came true]

Release

• This episode is available on the Karate Island, Season 4 Volume 1, Complete Fourth Season, and First 100 Episodes DVDs.

Reception

• As of August 11, 2016, The Internet Movie Database (IMDB) gives this episode a rating of 7.5/10 based on 175 ratings by users. TV.com users give this episode a rating of 7.7/10 based on 167 votes.
• "Wishing You Well" was ranked #2 during the Best Day Ever event from November 9–10, 2006.
• In the Best Day Ever marathon, the episode was ranked #2, in front of "Karate Island," which ranked #1.

Trivia

• Although this episode premiered in 2006, it was made in 2005 according to the credits. It is also the last episode to be made in 2005.

Template:Trivia

• The title card background is nickels and quarters.
  • Common to find at the bottom of wishing wells are pennies.
• The wishes of the citizens:
  • Squidward: To be far away from Bikini Bottom
    • Later, he gets hit by a bus to "Very Very, Far, Away."
  • SpongeBob: Squidward joins him and Patrick to see the "magic" of the well.
    • Squidward leans over laughing at them too far and falls into the well.
  • Patrick: To be with SpongeBob
    • He then right after he made the wish falls into the bottom of the well.
  • Sandy: To have a telescope that works underwater.
    • Gains during the night via the magic crack dug by Patrick and SpongeBob.
  • Plankton: To be big enough to crush his enemies.
    • Grew higher than a skyscraper overnight via the magic crack.
  • Mrs. Puff: To have a snazzy boat and be a "hot rod mama."
    • Gains during the night via the magic crack.
  • Eugene H. Krabs: To be steamed and served with a side of melted butter.
    • Tried to prove to SpongeBob that there's no such thing as magic. Unfortunately, he was teleported to a dinner plate, where he was about to be devoured by a real human.
• Running gag: Patrick going "Ho ho ho!" in attempt to scare Squidward.
• Squidward is revealed to be claustrophobic in this episode. SpongeBob misinterprets this as a fear of Santa Claus, which makes Patrick say "Ho Ho Ho!" in an attempt to frighten Squidward. This, of course, does not work.
  • Thus, this episode takes place after "Christmas Who?," as SpongeBob, Patrick, and Squidward already know Santa Claus.
  • This part of the episode has also become a very popular meme on social media sites like YouTube and Twitter.
  • The correct definition of being claustrophobic is actually being uncomfortable in tight places such as closets, elevators, etc.
  • In Sweden, "Santa" was replaced with "bees."
• This episode takes place before "Spin the Bottle" because SpongeBob already knew magic existed by that point.
  • Further evidence is Squidward and Mr. Krabs not believing even though they saw an actual genie.
  • This episode takes place before Shanghaied, as Squidward didn't believe in magic here but did when the Dutchman turn him into fruit.
  • This also takes place before "Money Talks" because in this episode, Mr. Krabs does not believe in wishes, but in that episode, he makes a wish.
    • This also means, Mr. Krabs survived being eaten.
• In "Imitation Krabs," Mr. Krabs almost got eaten. However, at the end of this episode, he does get eaten.
• This episode marks the second instance in the series where Mr. Krabs is seen in live-action form, the first being "Pressure."
• This is the second episode to have a "The End." The first is "I Had an Accident," and the third is "Planet of the Jellyfish"
• In Greece, this episode is titled "Πηγάδι ευχών," which translates to "Well Wishes."
• In the Netherlands, this episode is titled "Doe een wens!," which translates to "Make a wish!"
• In Brazil, this episode is titled "O Poço dos Desejos," which translates to "The Wishing Well."
• In Poland, this episode is titled "Studnia życzeń," which translates to "The Wishing Well."
• In Sweden, this episode is titled "Önskemål," which translates to "Wishes."
• In Croatia, this episode is titled "Bunar Želja," which translates to "Wish Well."
• In the United Arab Emirates, this episode is titled "حسنا ل التمنيات/Hasanana l Alttamniat," which translates to "Well For Wishes."
• In Israel, this episode is titled "באר המשאלות של מר קראב," which translates to "Mr. Krabs' Wishing Well."
• This episode premiered one year after SpongeBob SquarePants 4-D: Ride opened.
• This is the first time that Kalua Jubilee plays.

Cultural references

• When SpongeBob says "You shouldn't fight in here. This is a magical place!" to Patrick and Squidward, it's a reference to the quote "Gentlemen, you can't fight here! This is the War Office!" from the 1964 film Dr. Strangelove.
• The scene where Squidward gets hit by a bus is similar to Terry's death in the first Final Destination movie.

Errors

• Right before SpongeBob performs "Down The Well." When walking towards Squidward, it can be seen that SpongeBob has no legs beneath his body.

  

  Notice the mistake.

• SpongeBob puts in a sign that reads "Open" beside the well, but two scenes later, it disappears.
• Squidward points out that all he could smell is the dumpster behind the Krusty Krab. After a couple scenes, the dumpster is gone.
• Patrick's drink, which he threw away in the well, disappears after he falls in.
• When Patrick throws the coin, the well is big enough for him to fall in, but when he reaches the bottom, it is big enough for him, SpongeBob, and Squidward.
• Patrick is just as big, if not bigger than Mr. Krabs, yet he was able to fit inside the well, but Mr. Krabs couldn't. It is possible that the Eugene Krabs Memorial Wishing Well is bigger than the well seen at the beginning.
• When Mr. Krabs collects the money, SpongeBob loads only two coins into the bucket when there were four to collect. Also, SpongeBob claims he got two pennies from Mrs. Puff, while she threw only one coin down the well. He also did not put the "slightly used pair of dentures" that Patrick was wearing into the bucket.
• When SpongeBob is singing during an attempt to find magic in the well, the well is made to seem like it is a digging mine, when it truly isn't. Also, the mine disappears after the song ends.
  • Also, during the bulldozer scene, he is first inside the bulldozer. In the next scene, he is standing on the bulldozer's dig claw, while the arm is lifting on its own.
    • It's possible that the arm was set in auto-lift, though in real life such a setting doesn't exist.
• Patrick's "ribs" disappear in the scene after they first appear. He also says Squidward is stepping in his potato salad, but no potato salad is shown.
• Squidward states that he is claustrophobic. However, he has no difficulty inside a box in "Idiot Box" or a very small treehouse in "Club SpongeBob."
  • In "Krusty Towers," he has no problem going into an elevator.
  • Although, he may have developed claustrophobia after these episodes, which means this episode would take place after those episodes.
    • Another possibility is that Squidward may have just wanted some personal space since Patrick was crowding him.
    • Also in "Truth or Square," Squidward is just fine in the air duct.
• Squidward's shirt is missing in two scenes: when he first sees SpongeBob and Patrick in the well and when Patrick is sitting on him.

  

  Notice Squidward's body.

• Squidward gets his wish to be far away even though he didn't throw a penny into the well.
• In the final scene, a crunch sound can be heard signifying Mr. Krabs was eaten, but the human hadn't yet taken his fork or put the crab into his mouth.
  • Also, it's not possible that Mr. Krabs got eaten, as he is alive underwater in the next episode (New Leaf).

Video

File:Claustrophobic