Next up, we have an episode that I keep mixing up with "Life of Crime" because of the somewhat similar episode titles and title cards. I think I like this episode a little more though, or at least kind of. "Life of Crime" has higher highs, but it also has lower lows than this episode. Let me talk about it.
This episode starts off nice and action-packed with SpongeBob once again driving like a maniac, and it's fun to watch. I like how Bikini Bottom just randomly is having an opening ceremony for an unfinished bridge off into the middle of nowhere, because you know, why not, and then of course SpongeBob and Mrs. Puff go careening off of that. Mary Jo Catlett is just so good in this episode with Mrs. Puff's screams, you can tell that this poor woman is terrified, as she should be. If this was anything but a cartoon...they dead. I like that the police end up following them off the cliff too, that was funny. The end result of this car chase, the fruit punch bursting into the nursing home, is almost morbid in some ways, and I have to ask, were the writers smoking something? Who comes up with a giant truck of fruit punch being hit by multiple cars, falling over, and bursting into a nursing home. Such an...interesting turn of events. Well, whatever the writing process is, it left us with the pretty funny scene of the fruit punch tearing through the building on the one day that everyone is wearing white clothes, so RIP them I guess. And Fred is just there minding his business as he should. Tom, my androgynous king, is also in this episode, so that's basically a win right?
You know, I wonder what happens in real life when student drivers commit something like vehicular manslaughter or reckless driving during a driving test. Would the student be charged? Or the driving instructor? I mean I think the student driver would definitely be charged, but perhaps it wouldn't be as harsh as a licensed driver. And I wonder if the instructor gets any kind of punishment at all. Interesting things to consider. Yeah this has nothing to do with my review of the episode but you should know by now I always go on these tangents. Anyway, I love how Mrs. Puff ends up enjoying jail because of "no more SpongeBob", and her frantic mantra to herself is hilarious. SpongeBob and Patrick are pretty wholesome in this episode, wanting to break Mrs. Puff out of prison because they don't think she should be there. Too bad Mrs. Puff is enjoying the life of a felon lmao. This is how we know that this show isn't in the United States...
Sorry sorry, no more tangents! Maybe. "Doing Time" is truly the master of cutaway jokes. We have the cut to Mrs. Puff enjoying life in jail when SpongeBob is lamenting her fate. I'll talk about the other joke in a minute. The ways SpongeBob and Patrick try to break into jail are hilarious. I think the bank robbery has to be my favorite part. And I have a confession to make about that part. For years, I've been wondering what exactly the end joke of that segment is supposed to mean, with SpongeBob all of a sudden ripping eye holes into his mask. And after all these years...I finally know. You see, I have chronic overthink syndrome which means I took this joke that is very self-explanatory and tried to think of a whole explanation for it haha. It's just a funny moment to show his realization that he and Patrick completely failed. And see, now that I've explained it, it ain't funny anymore. So I really need to stop overthinking this show...I definitely will not do that though.
What was that, tangent number 3? I am so sorry lmao, I don't know what's going on with me today. I love how SpongeBob and Patrick's attempts to talk to Mrs. Puff end with other people thinking she's going crazy. The chili scene is hilarious, and is where the second great cutaway, with an accurate depiction of my life I mean the boring every day of a random fish, meant to represent life in the "real world". A great joke for all ages to enjoy. I love how Mrs. Puff has finally found "her people" in prison. It's kind of wholesome, to be honest, even if it is played for laughs. Unfortunately, Mrs. Puff's enjoyment doesn't last for long, as SpongeBob and Patrick keep terrorizing her with their good intentions. Again, Mary Jo Catlett does such an excellent job in this episode with Mrs. Puff's delirium and desperation. It gets so bad that when she's thrown into solitary confinement, she's relieved. At least, until the whole thing turns to SpongeBob, and it's revealed that this has all been one mass hallucination. Quite the imagination Mrs. Puff has.
I like how this episode ends on a loop, and remains completely unexplained. Yeah, Mrs. Puff is just stuck in a timeloop imagining alternate scenarios. She's sick of it at the end, and the episode ends perfectly right there. The audience would've gotten as sick of it as Mrs. Puff if it lasted any longer, that's for sure.
I really enjoy "Doing Time". Historically it's always been in my "Great" tier, but I think it deserves to be bumped up. I really have no problems with it, and it's hilarious. So yeah, it's in my "Amazing" tier.
Episode Tier: Amazing
Episode Score: 9/10
