The Patrick Star Show: S1E16: "Backpay Payback" / "House Hunting" - TV Tropes

Backpay Payback

Original air date: 2/24/2023

Granny Tentacles is determined to make Cecil pay back his lifelong debt of newspaper delivery money he's cheated Squidward out of.

Backpay Payback contains examples of:

• An Arm and a Leg: Squidward gets all of his body parts dismembered by Cecil slamming the door and window on him. Later, he gets one of his legs bitten off by Tinkle.
• A Day in the Limelight: This episode mainly focuses on Cecil, Squidward, and Granny Tentacles.
• Gave Up Too Soon: Squidward and Granny Tentacles try to crack open a safe. They hear Cecil calling and run off to him, at which point the safe opens after they've already left the room to reveal the real money inside.
• Gretzky Has the Ball: Patrick throws Squidward and Granny Tentacles into a basketball hoop and yells "Touchdown!"
• Literal Metaphor: Cecil and GrandPat literally put their brains together to come up with a plan.
• Mandatory Line: This is one of Patrick's smallest roles in the series, with him only having three lines, none of which have anything to do with the plot.
• Running Gag:
  • Granny Tentacles making Bait and Switch Comments under her breath.
  • Characters spontaneously singing "Ya ta ta ta ta!"
• Trivially Obvious: An early example of Granny Tentacles' tendency to make Bait and Switch Comments:

  Granny Tentacles: Squidward, you're my favorite grandson... (grabs his nose tight) probably 'cause you're my only grandson!

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House Hunting

Original air date: 3/3/2023

Patrick's coffee pot house suddenly grows legs and runs away. The family uses Patrick's room as a vehicle to track it down in a high-speed chase throughout town.

House Hunting contains examples of:

• Aspect Ratio Switch: The opening Hamdonia cartoon is done in 4:3 while the rest of the episode is in 16:9.
• Alliterative Title: House Hunting.
• If You Die, I Call Your Stuff: Both Patrick and Cecil immediately call GrandPat's room when he wants to leave the house. Patrick is slightly earlier, to Cecil's disappointment.
• Meaningful Background Event: Throughout the episode, we can see a black car chasing the Star family. It's only revealed at the end to be the Hamdonians, who are mad at Patrick for eating their city during his puppet show at the start of the episode.
• Pinball Gag: The family's vehicle gets sent spinning around uncontrollably, bouncing off buildings that light up when hit as pinball noises play.