Features:
- Animated
- Color
- Closed-captioned
Description:
Tales from the Deep includes all nine episodes from the VHS releases Bikini Bottom Bash and Deep Sea Sillies. In the double-episode that begins this compilation of the Nickelodeon animated underwater series, SpongeBob buys a party planning kit. The porous party giver annoys his guests by scheduling their every second, until he accidentally gets locked out and the real party begins. Meanwhile, above sea level in an unfunny live-action segment, Patchy the Pirate hosts a revelry, forcing a marionette band to walk the plank, among other obnoxious gags. Back under the sea in the second episode, SpongeBob takes his hall monitor duties too seriously, directing traffic and disrupting life in Bikini Bottom. Next, following a sand-sledding accident that requires 20 hours of surgery, the boy sponge is so traumatized that he becomes housebound until a gorilla goes ape on Patrick and Sandy. Finally, SpongeBob plans a huge Valentine's Day surprise for Patrick, but a band of chocolate-eating mollusks delays delivery, inciting the seastar to throw a dangerous tantrum. In an undersea version of "Green Eggs and Ham," the persistent boy sponge discovers Squidward has never tasted a krabby patty and hounds him until an addiction is born. The patties are featured again in the final episode when restaurant owner Krabs insists on trying to sell a spoiled sandwich. Since no one will bite, Krabs does, leading to a near-death experience. In between, the tenacious sponge and his seastar sidekick Patrick lure aging superheroes Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy (guest-voiced by Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway) out of retirement to vanquish a maniac. In the remaining two stories, the "little square dude" has fun with a gum wrapper and later nearly suffocates in the air-filled home of Sandy the squirrel. Best for ages 4-12, but nothing more objectionable than vomit humor for younger siblings. --Kimberly Heinrichs
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