Take This Job and Squeeze It

Take This Job and Squeeze It is the series premiere of 6teen. It first aired on November 7, 2004 in Canada on Teletoon, on December 18, 2005 on Nickelodeon in the United States, and on March 26, 2009 on Cartoon Network in the United States. A rich girl runs over the limit on her credit card and is forced to get a job by her father on the same day that four friends get jobs for the first time.

Plot
It is a normal day at the bustling mall when Caitlin and Tricia walk in. They discuss plans for the day and decide to meet up for manicures after lunch. After this, they split up to peruse the mall for great clothes and great deals.

Meanwhile, in another part of the mall, Jonesy and Nikki walk past Nice Cinnabuns, where Jonesy sticks his finger in several buns and eats the icing. Jonesy is proud of himself today, as he plans to get a job at the mall. Nikki is not as thrilled as Jonesy about working, but she too is upbeat about her chances, as is Wyatt. Despite this, Jen is actually the most pleased, as not only does she expect to get a job at the Penalty Box, but the acquisition of such will allow her to quit her horrible job at the Big Squeeze.

Unfortunately for Jen, she still has to work at the lemonade stand today, and her job isn't made any easier when Caitlin comes by and orders a drink not on the menu. When Jen tells Caitlin that she can only have the items on the menu, Caitlin readily orders a lemonade and then tries to pay with a credit card. When Jen won't accept her card, Caitlin hands over a $50 bill, and then asks for directions to Nice Cinnabuns. Spying an opportunity for a prank, Nikki gives Caitlin correct directions and includes in them a suggestion that Caitlin ask for one with a hole in it. Caitlin happily accepts this advice and heads off to continue shopping, but as soon as she leaves Jen and Nikki begin talking to each other about how envious they are of her, as they figure she'll never have to work a day in her life.

Their analysis of Caitlin is not far off, as Caitlin heads to the Khaki Barn to continue shopping without worrying about money–until her credit card is declined at the cash register due to Caitlin going over her credit limit. Caitlin is shocked to learn that credit cards have limits, and is even more surprised when a call to her father doesn't set things right, as instead of her father raising the credit limit he instead decides that enough is enough and that Caitlin has to get a job to pay him back for her credit card bill. This shocks Caitlin, and she is only made more unhappy when Kirsten cuts Caitlin's now-worthless credit card in half.

Meanwhile, back at the Big Squeeze, Jen begins to worry about her friends, as they don't seem to be prepared for their interviews. None of her friends are worried, though, as there are plenty of places at the mall where they can work, even if the competition for all of the cool stores will be tough. The group is completely unfazed by the thought of interviewing–except for Jude, who recognizes that he might choke. To help him with this, he asks Jen for advice, and Jen suggests that Jude act polite and honest in order to land a job.

The five friends and Caitlin then head off to their interviews. There, most of them find themselves in deep trouble. While Jen aces every question Coach Halder throws her way, every one of her friends flounders to come up with answers, and Caitlin finds herself being distracted by the prospects of employee discounts and uniforms. When their interviews finally end, everyone but Jen finds themselves back in the food court with the knowledge that none of them got jobs.

When Jen shows up, she is initially happy about her good luck, but soon finds herself shaken by the knowledge that she may be working alone at the mall again this year. None of her friends are pleased, either, and when they hear Caitlin crying at another table, Nikki takes the opportunity to mock Caitlin for what she guesses is losing out on a sale. Caitlin doesn't take well to this, however, and sadly responds that she couldn't get a job either. Nikki has no sympathy, though, and just makes a crack about professional shoppers before she and her other jobless friends head out to apply for other jobs in the mall.

Jen still needs to find somebody to take her job, though, and she offers it to her friends. None of them accept, as they aren't desperate enough, and once they leave Jen finds her interest piqued by Caitlin's conundrum. Because of this, she heads over to find out what happened with Caitlin, and while she gleans no tangible information, Jen does learn that Caitlin's interviews went so badly that Caitlin is afraid she may never be able to shop in some of the stores she went to.

Eventually, though, Jen gets back to work on finding somebody to take her place. When looking over the applicants, she realizes that none of them fit right, and when she looks back at a crying Caitlin she decides to offer the job to the newly-impoverished rich girl. While Caitlin is initially loathe to accept due to the uniform consisting of a lemon hat and apron, she decides to accept when Jen points out the desperate straits Caitlin is in, and Jen begins training Caitlin.

When the group arrives back at the Big Squeeze, they find Jen hard at work and Caitlin goofing off, as Caitlin doesn't seem to understand the concept of working. Thankfully, all of them have found jobs, with Jude being made the manager of Stick It after taking Jonesy's advice to lie, Wyatt being hired at Spin This to work the country music section, Jonesy being hired at the Soda Hop and then fired ten minutes later when he hit on the boss' daughter, and Nikki taking a position that she is unwilling to discuss in front of her friends. Soon, though, the entire mood of the table changes when Caitlin notices a friend across the food court and waves to her. When Tricia comes over, she listens to Caitlin's tale about having gotten a job and then tells Caitlin that they shouldn't hang out any more.

Caitlin is shocked by her ex-friend's betrayal of her, but Jude cheers her up by remarking that she has other friends, implicitly stating that he and the rest of the group are now Caitlin's friends. He and Jonesy then head out for tacos at Wonder Taco, and when they come back they find Jen and Caitlin cleaning up during a slow period at the store. While cleaning, though, Caitlin's phone rings and she reaches to take the call. However, Jen reminds Caitlin that she's not supposed to take calls at work, so Caitlin tries to follow Jen's instructions by answering the phone and telling her friend to call back. Unfortunately, while reaching for the phone Caitlin clumsily knocks it into the blender and then accidentally turns the blender on, destroying her phone.

This latest act of incompetence is the last straw for Jen, who is sick of putting up with Caitlin's inability to do the simplest job. Jen begins to yell at Caitlin for her lack of responsibility, but Coach Halder hears her while walking through the food court, and comes over to reprimand Jen and fire her from the Penalty Box. Caitlin refuses to let Halder do so, however, as she points out that everything Jen said was justified as she'd been messing up all day and Jen was nothing but patient. Finally, Caitlin finishes her speech by telling the coach that he'd be lucky to have an employee like Jen.

Upon hearing this declaration from someone that Jen was just viciously berating, Coach Halder rethinks his decision and decides to let Jen work at his store. As soon as he leaves, Jen's friends congratulate Caitlin on standing up for Jen, and she happily accepts their praise. The group at this moment decides to truly welcome Caitlin in, and she becomes part of the group.

After the fuss dies down, Nikki stands up, as she has to start training that day. Her friends again ask her where she's working, but she refuses to tell them, so as soon as she leaves they surreptitiously follow Nikki to her workplace. There, they find out that Nikki the non-conformist has been forced to take a job at that bastion of conformity known as the Khaki Barn, and all of them laugh at Nikki's bad luck.

Quotes
Nikki: Oh yeah, nothing says maturity like the phrase, "Do you want to gargantu-size that, sir?" Nikki: (in girly voice, imitating Caitlin) Oh, it's just over there. Make sure you ask for one with a hole in it. They are like so much better. Caitlin: Thanks! Jude: I told them mine. Jen: For real? How many did you give them? Jude: Seventeen. (awkward pause) Oh man, was I supposed to lie? (Everyone laughs.) Wyatt: We have SOME pride! Jen: (surprised) Get out! How did you do that? Jude: I told him I ran two shops already and he just gave me the job. Jonesy's advice totally worked! Jonesy: What'd I say, always trust the Jonesmiester! Jude: (as he and Jonesy pound fists) Dude! Jonesy: Jude! Nikki: But you've never even worked in a store before. You're gonna be responsible for all that food and all those sticks? Jude: (reflecting for a moment) Whoa. I'm in trouble, bro. Nikki: Uh, that's "bra" when you're addressing a girl, remember? Jonesy: Yeah, I got a great one at that fifties joint, the Soda Hop... Jen: So why the long face? Jonesy: I got fired ten minutes later. Jen: Uh! Jonesy! Jonesy: What? How was I supposed to know the hostess was the boss's daughter? Nikki: Yes. I don't wanna talk about it. Caitlin: Your first job! Aren't you excited? Nikki: (sarcastically) I'm bursting with fruit flavor. Wyatt: Some friend. What kind of person judges someone by their clothes anyway? Caitlin: (blushing as she raises her hand) Okay, but I never did it to a friend! Jonesy: (mock drama) I have an evil hunger brewing inside! Jude: (mock drama) Yes! What kind of food could possibly defeat it? Jonesy: A bird? Jude: A plane? Jonesy and Jude: No! It's... WONDER TACOS! Julie: You know, I know you guys all make fun of me because I work here. Jonesy: What? Oh no no no! We LOVE Wonder Taco! Jude: Long live Wonder Taco! Julie: (snidely) Two tacos coming right up. Jude: (speaking in mic) In the name of all that is true, hurry my good woman! (Julie empties a dustpan into the tacos and spits in them before serving Jude and Jonesy.) Julie: (sinisterly) There you go, guys! ENJOY. Jonesy: (eating his taco) It would suck to work there, but man, they make a good taco! Jonesy: (gulps) What, you mean in everyone's food? Nikki: No, only to the people she doesn't like. Nikki: (groaning) This is going to be a loooong summer!
 * Jonesy: (to Nikki) Okay, I know it's just a part-time summer job, but today, I feel like more of a man.
 * Caitlin: (to Jen) Hey, do you know where Nice Cinnamon Buns is?
 * Caitlin: (on her cell phone) You want me to what...? I have to get a job? No!
 * Jonesy: (about the interviews) ...well that sucked!
 * Nikki: "What are my worst qualities?" Like they'd hire me if I told them!
 * Jen: Now I just have to find some loser to take my job... hey! Any of you guys want it? I'll hire you on the spot! No interview!
 * Jude: Awesome! The dude made me the manager of Stick It!
 * Nikki: What about you, Romeo? Get a job yet?
 * Wyatt: (to Nikki) Did you get a job?
 * Caitlin: I don't get it...she was my best friend for like...a whole year! How could she do that to me?
 * Julie: Welcome to Wonder Taco where tacos are your hunger heroes. Can I take your order?
 * Jen: (to Caitlin) That's it! I am so done with you! You have got to be the most irresponsible, clumsy, SPOILED girl I've ever met! This GRAPEFRUIT has more sense of responsibility than you! At least it knows it supposed to get squished today! I knew I should've hired that weird goth chick!
 * Nikki: (to Jude and Jonesy) By the way, I can't believe you guys actually eat at Wonder Taco. You know that girl horks in the food.
 * The Clones: (simultaneously) Welcome to the Khaki Barn team!

Trivia
Reason for firing: Ten minutes after his first day on the job, he hit on the hostess, who happened to be his boss's daughter.
 * Jonesy's job: Soda Hop employee.

Episode connections

 * Jen mentioning that she's working to pay for the team bus damage and equipment shed repairs becomes more relevant in the episode "The Slow and the Even-Tempered".

Cultural references

 * The like "A robin? A private jet? No, it's Wonder Tacos!" is a parody of the phrase "It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's Superman!".
 * In retrospect, Jen mentions that she would've hired that "weird goth chick", referencing the character Gwen from Fresh TV's later production Total Drama Island, where the character Heather refers her as "weird goth girl". It is also noteworthy that Megan Fahlenbock, Jen's voice actress, also voices Gwen.