The world of Bikini Bottom is filled with colorful characters of the aquatic variety outside of SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, Mr. Krabs and Sandy. The Flying Dutchman is a supernatural recurring character that knows how to put a little fear within the city limits. In nautical legends, the Flying Dutchman was a ghost ship that sailed on the sea never reaching port. In the world of SpongeBob SquarePants, the Flying Dutchman is also the name of the captain that steers the haunted ship above and below the waves. Nothing can stop him from scaring those needing a good fright. Now he’s been given the ultimate respect of a DVD collection dedicated to his episodes. SpongeBob SquarePants: Ghouls Fools has seven tales of nautical spookiness.
“Ghoul Fools” (season eight) crashes a haunted houseboat near SpongeBob’s pineapple house. Patrick thinks it’s a cheap haunted house intended to scare only little children. Turns out it’s real and operated by Lord Poltergeist (Get A Life‘s Chris Elliot). He steals SpongeBob and Patrick’s soul and forced them to go to town to get a new head gasket for his boat. He needs to get moving since he’s the Flying Dutchman’s first mate and left with his old boss’s property. “The Curse of Bikini Bottom” (season seven) starts with Patrick and SpongeBob horsing around with a lawnmower. The duo chop off the Flying Dutchman’s beard before his big date. He curses the duo by turning them into ghosts. “Ghost Host” (season four) wrecks the Flying Dutchman’s ship. While he’s waiting for it to get repaired, he sleeps on SpongeBob’s sofa. The ghost really overstays his welcome.
“Born Again Krabs” (season three) kills Mr. Krabs when he eats a bad Krabby Patty. The Flying Dutchman comes to throw his soul into Davy Jones locker. He escapes death by promising the Flying Dutchman that he’ll be generous with his employees and customers. How long can he keep this promise and what will happen if he breaks it? “Arrgh!” (season one) turns into a treasure map hunt. Mr. Krabs thinks the map in SpongeBob’s game about the Flying Dutchman leads to a real treasure chest. Can he really get the ghost’s hidden gold? “You Shoe’s Untied” (season two) involves the Flying Dutchman in a small role teaching SpongeBob a variety of knots. “Money Talks” grants Mr. Krabs the ability to hear money talk. The Flying Dutchman only takes his soul in exchange. Mr. Krabs has a soul?
What’s interesting is that Brian Doyle-Murray is the voice of the Flying Dutchman. He also speaks for Captain K’nuckles on The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack. He’s had a better career in animation than his brother Bill Murray (Garfield). SpongeBob SquarePants: Ghouls Fools is a well deserved celebration of The Flying Dutchman and Brian Doyle-Murray’s perfect tone for an old salt of the sea.
The video is 1.33:1 full frame. The transfers bring out the green glow in the Flying Dutchman. The audio is Dolby Digital Stereo. You get the gruff throaty charm of Brian Doyle-Murray. The episodes are Closed Captioned.
There are no bonus features.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Ghouls Fools is a collection dedicated to the Flying Dutchman. A must for those who like the aquatic undead.
Nickelodeon and Paramount present SpongeBob SquarePants: Ghouls Fools. Voices by: Tom Kenny, Clancy Brown and Brian Doyle-Murray. Boxset Contents: Seven episodes on 1 DVD. Released: August 28, 2012. Available at Amazon.com.
