Your Shoe's Untied

Characters

 * Wallace (debut)
 * Gromit (debut)
 * Mr. Growbag (debut)
 * Reverend Hedges (debut)
 * The Shark (James and the Giant Peach; debut)
 * Cooker (debut)
 * The Wiggles (Greg Page, Jeff Fatt, Murray Cook, Anthony Field) (debut)
 * CBeebies characters (debut)
 * Augustus Gloop (Charlie and The Chocolate Factory; debut)
 * Violet Beauregarde (Charlie and The Chocolate Factory; debut)
 * Veruca Salt (Charlie and The Chocolate Factory; debut)
 * Mike Teavee (Charlie and The Chocolate Factory; debut)
 * The skeleton captain (James and the giant peach; debut)
 * The Skeleton Pirates (James and the Giant Peach; debut)
 * Charlie Bucket (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; debut)
 * Sheep (debut)
 * Rabbits (debut)
 * Whale (debut)
 * Cotton Candy (debut)
 * Grizzly Bear (debut)
 * Preston (debut)
 * Hi-5 (Kellie Hoggart, Tim Harding, Nathan Foley, Kathleen de Leon and Charli Robinson) (debut)

Synopsis
In the beginning of the episode, Wallace is watching a dancing anemone on TV, supposedly "looking for the sports channel." Gromit comes bursting through the door with his hands inside a pair of new shoes. When Wallace asks to see them on his feet, Gromit confesses that he does not know how to tie his laces. Wallace says that he will teach Gromit, untying his shoes to demonstrate. However, Wallace's attempts to tie them again fail. After reminding Gromit that he is late for something, Gromit rushes out of the Fun Factory, saying that they will have to do the lesson later, and Wallace faces the realization that he cannot remember how to tie his shoes, as they have remained tied ever since his life began. When a good night's sleep fails to jog his memory, he decides to set the problem aside for the time being and get a move on to work. Moving, however, presents a problem, as Wallace trips over his untied laces every step of the way to the fair.

SpongeBob finally arrives, only to find Patrick already there eating a Krabby Patty. Not wanting to look foolish in front of Patrick, he pounds his feet through the floorboards so that Patrick cannot see them. Patrick only suspects SpongeBob of dieting, so SpongeBob takes care to keep his shoes hidden as he trudges to the kitchen. Even through his exhaustion, SpongeBob realizes he still has to cook, and that doing so standing in one spot will be simple enough. However, bringing the order to Squidward across the room presents a daunting challenge. He tries shuffling over, millimeters at a time, but gets practically nowhere as Squidward orders SpongeBob to move. With one gingerly step forward, he trips and catapults the Krabby Patty into Squidward's mouth. This mishap repeats several times until Squidward is engorged with Krabby Patties, which makes the customers angry.

Mr. Krabs, occupied with a crossword in the bathroom, hears disgruntled customers leaving to eat at the Chum Bucket. He bursts out with his pants down and demands to know why his customers have left. Squidward replies with some difficulty that SpongeBob is to blame, and Mr. Krabs calls for SpongeBob to present himself. Feeling ashamed, SpongeBob tells Mr. Krabs that he cannot remember how to tie his shoes and asks him for help. Mr. Krabs solemnly informs him that he does not wear shoes.

In desperation, SpongeBob starts asking anyone (including Painty the Pirate) if they know how to tie a knot. Failing to find someone who wears shoes, SpongeBob's cries of anguish summon The Flying Dutchman. As it so happens, the Dutchman has held the title of Fancy Knotting Contest Champion for 3,000 years and is confident that he can teach SpongeBob a thing or two about knots. He demonstrates various knots of increasing complexity, but is stumped when SpongeBob asks for a knot for tying shoes. The Dutchman admits that he has no need to tie his shoes as, being a ghost, he no longer has feet. This fact does not impede his enjoyment of wearing a sock on his ghostly tail.

SpongeBob drags himself home, thinking that his shoes will forever remain untied, but Gary, surprisingly, ties his shoes for him. Gary also reveals that he wears a pair. Amazed, SpongeBob asks Gary where he learned to tie them. Gary reveals a record player underneath his shell and finishes the episode putting on a record of the song "Loop de Loop," which finally teaches SpongeBob how to tie his shoes perfectly.

Running gags

 * SpongeBob tripping over his untied shoelaces.
 * SpongeBob asking everyone if they can show him how to tie his shoes.

Music

 * Romp Bomp a Stomp - The Wiggles [Wallace watching TV]
 * Boogie Beebies music [CBeebies channel]
 * 10000 Seagulls and 1 Shark - Randy Newman [Shark appears]
 * All Things Fluffy - [Cooker ties Wallace's shoes]
 * Rainbow Round the World - Hi-5

Release

 * This episode is available on the Project Zoo DVD.

Reception

 * The scene at the beginning where SpongeBob watches the sea anemone dancing on TV was in 5th place during the "Top 100 Greatest Moments in Nicktoon History."
 * The scene at the beginning where SpongeBob watches the sea anemone dancing on TV was in 5th place during the "Top 100 Greatest Moments in Nicktoon History."

General

 * This is the first episode with a title card written in cursive.
 * This is the first episode to use digital ink and paint in production and packaging order.
 * This is the first episode to have five opening credit titles.
 * This is the first episode where Painty the Pirate appears outside of the series' theme song.
 * This is the second episode to end with a song. The first was "Help Wanted."
 * Starting with this episode, Sherm Cohen is credited as storyboard supervisor. In season 4, he resigned from this position.
 * However, in July 27, 2024, Cohen returned to this position, starting with episode "Lost in Bikini Bottom."
 * This is Erik Wiese's first episode as a storyboard director instead of a storyboard artist.
 * This was the first episode to be written by Walt Dohrn.
 * The football teams that are playing on the sports channel are the and the  from the.
 * In most other episodes that feature the Krusty Krab, the grill is right by the order window, but it is at the opposite end of the kitchen in this episode.
 * Patrick's shoes appear to be navy-blue high-top.
 * Innuendo: SpongeBob watches a sea anemone dancing and gains interest by leaning forward, but Gary enters the scene and an embarrassed SpongeBob quickly changes it to the sports channel, suggesting that he may have been watching something inappropriate.
 * Both the sea anemone and the sports channel that appear on SpongeBob's TV are also on Patchy the Pirate's TV when he is trying to find the rewind button in "The Sponge Who Could Fly."
 * This also became a popular internet meme by replacing the dancing sea anemone with something more inappropriate.
 * When Spongebob’s eyes shrink after the Flying Dutchman tells him stop starring at him, it has become a popular internet meme. It’s used when a person makes a huge mistake and realizes too late or when a person’s nervous
 * This was the first episode to use the new, smaller captions, which would be used until "The Thing."
 * It is revealed that Gary can roar like a lion.
 * It is also revealed that Gary wears shoes.
 * In the Polish dub, the episode's title is "Rozwiązany but," which translates to "The Untied Shoe."
 * In the Croatian dub, the episode's title is "Odvezana Cipla," also meaning "The Untied Shoe."
 * SpongeBob can tie his shoes in "Rock Bottom," but he cannot in this episode and says they have been tied since before he was born, meaning this episode takes place before the latter mentioned episode.
 * The background for when the episode shows "Loop de Loop" is the same background for the title card of "Sleepy Time," except zoomed in a bit and without the black aura.
 * The song "Loop de Loop" is performed by Ween, whose song "Ocean Man" would later be used in the credits for The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie in 2004.
 * In most of this episode and "Big Pink Loser," Patrick had his original sideways "M" shaped eyebrows from season 1, even though they are season 2 episodes. But while "Loop de Loop" is playing in the part where Patrick gets a shoe as a scoop of ice cream, marked the debut of Patrick's new "Z" shaped eyebrows. Patrick's new "Z" shaped eyebrows made their first major appearance in "Something Smells."
 * During its initial airings in Indonesian dub, the scene where SpongeBob asking everyone and meeting Flying Dutchman was cut due to time constraints and paired with commercial breaks. However, in later airings, this scene plays normally as the "Loop de Loop" song would cut instead to save time due to episodes playing in randomly.
 * Later in "Just One Bite", Squidward claims he has never had a Krabby Patty, but in this episode, nearly a lot of Krabby Patties were flown in Squidward's mouth.
 * On the July 27, 2024, July 27, 2024 airing, this episode was paired with "Help Wanted" and "Reef Blower."

Cultural references

 * The Dutchman's skills in knot-tying is based on the fact that historical sailors had to make use of several forms of knots while working on deck or below deck.
 * The double-diamond knot is a variation on the actual diamond knot, primarily used for decorating a chord or a lanyard.
 * The square knot is an actual knot, also called the reef knot or Hercules knot, used to secure a rope or line around an object.
 * The constrictor knot is another such knot, which is a harsh knot that can be difficult or impossible to untie once tightened.
 * The butterfly knot is used to form a fixed loop in the middle of a rope, often to hold things or connect carabiners to.
 * The monkey's fist knot is another actual knot used both as decoration and to hold a weight at the end of a rope, making the rope easier to toss.

Errors

 * In recent Nickelodeon airings this and its sister episode, the network's screen bug is outside of the 4:3 aspect ratio. In the past, this did not occur.
 * This also occurred in Nick@Nite and Nicktoons airings with their screen bugs in the 4:3 aspect ratio.
 * After SpongeBob flips to the sports channel, the wide shot is shown again and the TV has no plug-in cord.
 * When SpongeBob says that one must start with their right foot to tie their shoes, he lifts his left foot instead.
 * Patrick never closes the door at SpongeBob's house, making his exit crashing the door off its hinges are inconsistent.
 * Despite constantly tripping over his shoelaces later on in the episode, SpongeBob is able to walk to bed with no problems.
 * When SpongeBob is running to work, the Chum Bucket is missing from across the street.
 * During the part when Squidward burps and says "It's SpongeBob's fault," the Galley Grub is missing.
 * When Old Man Walker says "What's the hold-up?" to Squidward, he talks in a young man's voice.
 * On the crossword puzzle, Mr. Krabs writes the word "money" horizontally to also complete the word "money" vertically, yet he should have naturally already filled in the 'Y' of the vertical "money."
 * When the customers start to leave the Krusty Krab, Incidental 67 wears a pair of pants that are similar to SpongeBob's. However, when the customers leave, his pants disappear.
 * It is unknown if every single customer left, because shortly after this scene, SpongeBob asks a few customers how to tie his shoes.
 * When Mr. Krabs is talking to SpongeBob in the dining room, Squidward somehow disappears despite being in his workstation earlier.
 * When SpongeBob arrives at his house, the lights are off. After Gary ties his shoes, they are suddenly on.
 * In the music and effects track, the echo to the "what's that?" in "Loop de Loop" can still be heard.
 * Several audio goofs occur in this episode.
 * When Mr. Krabs says "Haha, that's all?" after SpongeBob tells him he forgot to tie his shoes, his mouth does not sync with the words completely.
 * When Tom says "Uh, fins" after SpongeBob asks him if he can show him how to tie his shoes, his mouth does not move.
 * When SpongeBob asks the brown eel how to tie his shoes, after the eel's face pans back into the shot, her mouth does not move.
 * When Gary shows SpongeBob how to tie his shoes, SpongeBob says "Hopping clams!" but his mouth hangs open.
 * Nick on Demand en Español aired this and its sister episode, "Squid's Day Off," in English.