Have You Seen This Snail?
"Have You Seen This Snail?" | |
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supervising) | |
Featured music | "Gary's Song" "Where's Gary?" |
Production code | 5574-404/5574-405[1] |
Original air date | November 11, 2005[2] |
Guest appearances | |
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"Have You Seen This Snail?", also known as "Where's Gary?", is the Eleventh episode of the
The series follows the adventures and endeavors of
The episode garnered eight million viewers, achieving the highest number of cable television viewers aged six to eleven years old for 2005. "Have You Seen This Snail?" received generally positive reviews from television critics upon release.
Musician Stew performed the song "Gary's Song",[3] which was later performed as an instrumental by Kenny G for The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run.[4]
Plot summary
At the old lady's house, Gary is well-fed & finds and reads one of the flyers. Realizing that SpongeBob truly loves him, Gary tries to leave, but accidentally finds a closet filled with empty snail shells. When the old lady tries to feed him again, Gary suspects that the old lady has sinister motives—she is possibly trying to fatten and then eat him. He makes his escape, but the old lady chases him out onto the streets. Gary finds a feral snail, which the old lady now mistakes for Miss Tuffsy, and takes him home instead. Back home, SpongeBob gives up on his search for Gary, and tries to forget about him by taking a walk, but his memories keep coming to mind and upsetting him. He is constantly reminded as the streets are filled with posters and signs for Gary. SpongeBob hears a meow and turns around to find Gary at his side; he is overjoyed to see his beloved pet again and apologizes to Gary for doubting him, to which Gary forgives him.[5]
Production
"Have You Seen This Snail?" is a 22 minute long
In a press release on November 1, 2005, Nickelodeon officially announced the episode and promoted it as the "Where's Gary" special.[7][8] According to the network, "It's a sad day in Bikini Bottom when SpongeBob learns that his beloved pet snail Gary is missing and that he may be at fault in the mollusk's disappearance."[7] Marjorie Cohn, Executive Vice President of Development and Original Programming for Nickelodeon, said "Kids love their pets and there's certainly some relatability here in the relationship between SpongeBob and Gary -- skewed though it may be It's fun to see Gary express a whole range of emotions using only his signature 'meow.'"[7]
In addition to the regular cast, American comedian and Saturday Night Live actress Amy Poehler guest starred in the episode as the voice of Grandma, an evil and manipulative old woman who adopted Gary and tries to fatten him up to eat him after Gary runs away.[7][8] "Have You Seen This Snail?" featured an original piece of music written for the episode by the American musician Stew, entitled "Gary's Song"[6][9] and commonly referred as "Gary, Come Home".[10][11]
Nickelodeon supported the episode with a month-long off-air marketing campaign including print, outdoor and consumer product partner support.
On November 15, 2005, "Have You Seen This Snail?" was released on the DVD compilation called Where's Gary. In addition, the compilation features six other episodes: "The Lost Mattress", "Krabs vs. Plankton", "Good Neighbors", "Skill Crane", and "The Great Snail Race".
Reception
Silly? Yes. Outrageous? Of course. Unforgivably and inexcusably ridiculous? Well, no. The ridiculousness is quite forgivable and is its own excuse. While the supporting players contribute substantially to the episodes -- Sandy Cheeks the squirrel, misanthropic Squidward and penny-pinching Mr. Krabs, custodian of the priceless recipe for Krabby Patties -- it's SpongeBob who is the show's goofy, glowing source of comic energy.
Tom Shales in his review for The Washington Post.[18]
"Have You Seen This Snail?" was watched by eight million viewers.[19] It was the highest-rated program on all TV with children aged two-eleven for the year of 2005 behind the Super Bowl and the Super Bowl kick-off, and the highest-rated program on all of cable with children aged two to eleven and children aged six to eleven in 2005.[20][21]
"Have You Seen This Snail?" received mostly positive reviews from television critics.
Nader Michael of the St. Petersburg Times was not so positive about the episode, however, criticizing how SpongeBob's disappointed and sad character for "Have You Seen This Snail?" is quite different from the character's normal bright personality.[25] Blogger and Blogcritics founder Eric Olsen said "the episode itself is rather wan and slack, notably lacking in the air of giddy zaniness that millions of men, women and, um, children so happily cleave to."[26]
References
- ^ "SpongeBob SquarePants Production Codes". Retrieved October 18, 2022.[dead link]
- ^ a b Gates, Anita (November 11, 2005). "WHAT'S ON TONIGHT". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
- ^ Enos, Morgan (November 28, 2018). "The Best Musician Guest Appearances on 'SpongeBob SquarePants'". Billboard. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
- uDiscover Music. Archivedfrom the original on February 11, 2023. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
- ^ a b SpongeBob SquarePants: Season Four, Volume 1. DVD. Paramount Home Entertainment, 2006.
- ^ a b SpongeBob SquarePants: Season 4, Vol. 1 ("Have You Seen This Snail?" credits) (DVD). United States: Paramount Home Entertainment/Nickelodeon. September 12, 2006.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "SpongeBob is Shell-Shocked When His Beloved Pet Gary Runs Away From Home, Leaving No Snail Trail Behind". PR Newswire. November 1, 2005. Archived from the original on October 3, 2013. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Olsen, Eric (November 3, 2005). ""Where's Gary?" – New SpongeBob Special". Blogcritics. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
- AllMusic. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
- ^ "Stew and the Negro Problem". Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. Archived from the original on August 19, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
- ^ "Stew and the Negro Problem Come to Williams College!". Africana Studies. Williams College. Archived from the original on August 9, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
- ^ SpongeBob SquarePants: Where's Gary?. DVD. Paramount Home Entertainment, 2005.
- ^ "SpongeBob SquarePants - Where's Gary?". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
- ^ SpongeBob SquarePants: Season 4, Vol. 1. DVD. Paramount Home Entertainment, 2006.
- ^ Mavis, Paul (September 11, 2006). "SpongeBob SquarePants - Season 4, Vol. 1". DVD Talk. Archived from the original on September 25, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
- ^ SpongeBob SquarePants: The First 100 Episodes. DVD. Paramount Home Entertainment, 2009.
- ^ Lacey, Gord (September 29, 2009). "SpongeBob SquarePants - The First 100 Episodes (Seasons 1-5) Review". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
- ^ a b Shales, Tom (November 11, 2005). "SpongeBob Squeezes Tears Of Laughter Out of Snail Tale". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved November 15, 2005.
- ^ de Moraes, Lisa (November 16, 2005). "CBS Cruises, but SpongeBob Sops Up Viewers". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 15, 2008. Retrieved November 15, 2005.
- ^ "SpongeBob SquarePants 'Where's Gary' Scores Colossal Ratings" (Press release). New York, NY: Viacom International Inc. November 14, 2005. Retrieved April 28, 2022. – via Gale General OneFile (subscription required)
- ^ Aurther, Kate (November 16, 2005). "Arts, Briefly; Cowboys and Snail Score". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
- ^ Johnson, David. "Spongebob Squarepants: Where's Gary?". DVD Verdict. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
- ^ Ekberg, Aida (July 17, 2009). "Top 10 'SpongeBob SquarePants' Guest Stars". Yahoo! Voices. Yahoo!. Archived from the original on February 9, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
- ^ Mavis, Paul (September 11, 2006). "SpongeBob SquarePants - Season 4, Vol. 1". DVD Talk. Archived from the original on September 25, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2013.
- ^ Michael, Nader (November 7, 2005). "'SpongeBob' special moves at a snail's pace". St. Petersburg Times. Archived from the original on May 22, 2011. Retrieved November 15, 2005.
- ^ Olsen, Eric (November 17, 2005). "SpongeBob SquarePants "Where's Gary" - Promotional Triumph". Blogcritics. Archived from the original on May 18, 2013. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
External links
- "Have You Seen This Snail?" at IMDb