229a. Doodle Dimension

RomNick

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Honest Slug said:
Why didn't SpongeBob and Patrick recognize DoodleBob?
You know, trying to ask the same question on purpose is annoying. I don't need to explain to every person who clearly didn't get that this isn't the same DoodleBob from before and saying the events from previous episodes aloud sounds forced like in Finding Dory.
 

Honest Slug

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I saw the full episode and I still feel like I just saw a trailer of it. I can tell this episode was done to appease fans, not because they had a story to tell since this just retreads old ground. This pretty much plays out like a worse version of the original episode, and you don't even get that much DoodleBob, the episode takes a long time setting up things at Sandy's dome. Even once they get into the dimension they take a long time derping around before DoodleBob comes into play, why? We've already seen the first episode. Imo they should've streamlined the set-up and just pushed the battle between SpongeBob and Patrick vs. DoodleBob to the max because as is it feels very short and anti-climatic. Oh and I didn't find much of this episode funny at all either, that doesn't help much.

4/10
 

MrColeslaw

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Creativity, this is seriously top tier.. writing-wise, probably one of the weakest. I honestly found the joke with SpongeBob and Pat walking into the portal backwards pretty funny, but otherwise, I don't remember much. It was.. fine. Kinda indifferent, honestly!
 

Matt0417

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Honestly, this episode was pretty underwhelming. The first few minutes were SpongeBob and Patrick acting annoying, and a few filler moments. It kinda picks up when DoodleBob threatens them, but like in Man Ray Returns (I used to love that ep, but I think it's just okay now), the action wasn't that action-y. Just goes to show you can't get your hopes up for anything. Not as forgettable as Bubble Buddy Returns, but still a pretty bleh episode.

Rating: 5.5/10 (Meh)
 

Coffee_lover

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I’m really surprised that this is second least-watched episode of the entire show.After all that hype I expected much more.Seriously,only 1.30 Millions?For Spongebob standards it’s just nothing
 

Uncle Sherm

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didn't like it much surprisingly
The beginning was too loud and out of character, the other dimensions plot was wasted potential, and it just...wasn't that funny. DoodeBob's return was also not very good; it was creative but that's about it. The live-action Texas guy was really funny but other than that I didn't care too much for this episode.
 

McSponge

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So much done right...but so much done wrong. There are so many great things about this episode, the creativity, the doodle dimension itself, the hillbilly, the amazing setup to the conflict, but there are so many bad things about this episode, the significant plot hole, the annoying stupidity of our protagonists, tons of forgettable jokes and missed opportunities, the reliance on DoodleBob's iconic status, rather than featuring a legitimate reason for DoodleBob to be present. I'm very torn on this episode, as there was a lot this episode did right, and a lot this episode did wrong.

So let's talk about the plot. First of all, I find the plot insanely creative. The doodle dimension concept is brilliant, I think it was a fantastic idea on Luke's behalf, and I especially enjoy how on it's own, it's nothing more than a semblance of a blank sheet of paper. Furthermore, I think it was a fantastic environment for DoodleBob's comeback. There was no better alternative to this marvelous atmosphere created specifically for such an occasion. But! There is a huge plot hole within this episode. Frankendoodle was a classic, I can't deny that, it's one of the most famous episodes in the series, right up there with Band Geeks and Pizza Delivery. The essential key to making the episode work was the Magic pencil. The setup to the plot was simplistic and brilliant, simply an artist loosing his pencil at sea. The way the pencil works underwater is what essentially forms the plot, with the creation of living drawings influencing the creation of DoodleBob. Essentially, SpongeBob and Patrick are given time to figure out how the pencil itself is used, drawing a few creatures before the creation of DoodleBob.

This episode completely messes up the core conception of DoodleBob. If DoodleBob is to be reintroduced (Without any nods to his previous existence, due to the series' lack of continuity), the magic pencil's presence is a necessity. This episode of course features a magic pencil, but there's no explanation why SpongeBob has it! Don't get me wrong, the setup to this episode was amazing, when it comes to introducing us to the Doodle Dimension. The portal was a creative and fascinating gateway into the Doodle Dimension (Supplying us with the hilarious hillbilly), but SpongeBob literally pulls the magic pencil out of nowhere. Why!? Why does he have a magic pencil with him!? It's not the magic pencil from Frankendoodle, that one was sent back to the surface. Luke could've just easily had the pencil placed on some sort of shrine as an indicator that this is the line (Heh-heh, no pun intended) between creation and the dimension's sheer existence, and it would've worked perfectly! Heck, he could've had it just lie around randomly in the dimension, and it still would've worked out! It's reason to exist is to bring life, as indicated through the sentience of SpongeBob's "screech lines". But no, SpongeBob welds the pencil, and effectively creates an alarming plot hole!

Now we gotta talk about DoodleBob's presence in the episode. His overall performance, whether he was out of character or not. I feel as though Luke was very mixed on how to handle DoodleBob's role in the episode. It's obvious he wanted to make this kind of a continuation of Frankendoodle, but at the same time didn't want the episodes to be connected at all. As a result, Patrick and SpongeBob have never met DoodleBob before, yet they act like they've known him forever the moment he starts attacking them (After growing to such a large size). If you're going to disconnect this episode from the original, fine, that's perfectly fine. But build some time for the audience to understand who DoodleBob is, if this is supposed to reboot the character. Don't go off banking that everyone knows who DoodleBob is, I mean it's obvious we know who he is, his status as an icon in the series is the reason this episode existed in the first place. What I'm so confused about is why Luke couldn't simply solve the episode's sloppy reintroduction of DoodleBob (His creation is out of pure randomness on Patrick's behalf), by just making this a sequel to Frankendoodle! Have SpongeBob and Patrick instantly recognize the character, maybe have them draw some new characters, and those characters would bring DoodleBob back to life. I don't understand why we were able to get a full continuation to Bubble Buddy, still remembering the events of the original, while this has to be a weird alternate timeline in which SpongeBob and Patrick never encountered DoodleBob before. He's only back for nostalgia, right? Bank on it properly and just go all out with making this a sequel! Keep the Doodle Dimension atmosphere, that's perfectly fine! It won't give the audience a direct notice that "Hey! This is DoodleBob's big return!". Another big problem with the failure of this episode's execution is how SpongeBob instantly holds great talent with using the pencil. Yes, he was more skilled than Patrick was with it in Frankendoodle, but for goodness sake, he starts constructing Conch St. the moment that pencil is pulled out! And it would make sense for him to be really skilled with the pencil, had this episode acknowledged Frankendoodle's existence in the first place.

As for how DoodleBob is written, I don't see any problems with him as a character. He's perfectly in character, Luke didn't botch his personality at all. Granted, he isn't as phenomenal of an antagonist as he was in Frankendoodle, but I have a feeling that's a given, you can't strike gold twice. I have a feeling that Doodlebob was a more effective antagonist in Frankendoodle, because he was a more apparent threat in that scenario. He was the odd one out, he was a living drawing roaming around the real world, that's pretty messed up. And given the power he could have with the magic pencil, there are real stakes in that environment. In Doodle Dimension's case, DoodleBob is a living drawing in an entirely different dimension. It's a whole other feeling when he's roaming around in SpongeBob's world, he blends right in, in this dimension. Which is why I guess he's not as fantastic of a threat as he was in Frankendoodle. He's still DoodleBob, no doubt about it. I just think his overall presence is less threatening than it is fan service.

Speaking of characters, SpongeBob and Patrick are absolutely obnoxious in this episode. Yes, I can say this is the first episode in the Post-Prequel era in which SpongeBob's character is completely botched. His overall stupidity is best demonstrated in the awful excuse for the not-so-dynamic-duo's pushing of buttons on Sandy's machine. That idiotic gag was wrapped up within a matter of seconds (Mind you, much funnier seconds) in a clever fashion in Sandy's Rocket. Patrick is just nothing more than a brain dead ape wandering about screwing things up. He creates DoodleBob for no reason other than he's stupid, his "Nyah-Nyah-Nyah-Nyah-Nyah" was an incredibly lazy and awful gag, and his constant butt gags are nothing more than irritating cop-outs for what could've been clever, well thought out gags. Patrick and SpongeBob are both idiotic protagonists throughout a good chunk of the episode. The rest they're just meh, nothing really special about them, they seem to be alright (More towards the end when DoodleBob kidnaps Patrick).

Speaking of DoodleBob capturing Patrick, I must say for an episode emphasizing heavily on endless creativity with a pencil, there certainly are lackluster gags in the Doodle Dimension. A good chunk of them are simplistic, super forgettable visuals that don't leave an impression on me lasting more than 10 seconds. Still, I did find quite a bundle of funny gags, from the "Lack of ground" line from SpongeBob, and the hillbilly's gags were hilarious. Plus, I found the usage of Sandy's hamster wheel in the invention as a hilarious little detail thrown in. I found the introduction to the Doodle Dimension, where SpongeBob and Patrick first arrive, to be very well structured. The emptiness of the dimension certainly gives a feeling of surreal-ness, and definitely gives us some enjoyable running sequences.

Overall, I had a pleasant time watching Doodle Dimension. I didn't want to rip my eyes out like I was watching Old Man Patrick or Fun-Sized Friends, I actually had a lot of fun watching this episode. It was just there were some really big plot holes that effectively screw with the episode's plot development, and some annoyances like SpongeBob and Patrick's flanderized stupidity.

I'd say this is an Okay Episode.

It's Entertainment value is a 7/10, but counting all that's wrong with it, I'd give it a 6/10.
 
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I'm glad they brought DoodleBob back. He was such an iconic character, and I gotta say, this was a pretty good episode. I wouldn't say that this episode is better than Frankendoodle, but it's decent, and I like what they did with this episode.

THE LIST:
1. Scavenger Pants (A+)
2. Teacher's Pests (A+)
3. The Legend Of Boo-Kini Bottom (A+)
4. Squid Noir (A)
5. Chatterbox Gary (A)
6. Man Ray Returns (A)
7. Doodle Dimension (A)
8. Spin The Bottle (A)
9. Larry The Floor Manager (A)
10. Drive Happy (A)
11. Stuck On The Roof (B)
12. There's A Sponge In My Soup (B)
13. Pat the Horse (B)
14. Spot Returns (B)
15. Fun-Sized Friends (B)
16. Cave Dwelling Sponge (B)
17. The Clam Whisperer (C)
18. No Pictures, Please (C)
19. Cuddle E. Hugs (C)
20. Old Man Patrick (C)
21. Krabby Patty Creature Feature (C)
22. Don't Feed the Clowns (C)
23. The Check-Up (D)
24. Grandmum's the Word (D)
 

Coffee_lover

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This episode is underhated,insulting,pathetic,and horrific garbage,easily Bottom 3 of the series.It made me tolerable Ink Lemonade and I don’t even like Ink.


And the worst part that someone really think that this knock-off is better than My Leg.
 

Tyler730

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This episode is underhated,insulting,pathetic,and horrific garbage,easily Bottom 3 of the series.It made me tolerable Ink Lemonade and I don’t even like Ink.
And the worst part that someone really think that this knock-off is better than My Leg.
I think the starting is bad but I liked the action. My Leg! is a bunch of screaming and overusing the My Leg! joke.

But we all have different opinions and I respect yours.
 

D00d13B0bF1atpants

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I Loved this Episode;

I Loved that Bit with Sandy Stealing that Guy's BBQ'ed Nuts

I Loved seeing the fun they had with Drawing things; The Drawing Battles[I Prefer this battle to sand castles in the sand; Since Patrick was a REAL PR*ck in that Episode]

and the Ending:
(Live Action Arm Pokes Sandy's Back; then has a Flat Open Palm)
Farmer: GIMME BACK MY NUTS!
(Sandy Gulps)
 

CheeseCrocker

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This is an episode that focuses too much on humor, and the story was barely interesting. Not bad, but it's kind of boring even if I laughed a few times.

Eh Episode (5.5/10)
 

Pugs4Thugs

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Hey now, if it ain’t one of the most talked about episodes of this season, “Doodle Dimension”! I remember when this episode premiered, if only because of so many people talking about it because of the return of a fan favorite, DoodleBob! Now, if you’re like me, “Frankendoodle” wasn’t the only place you’ve seen DoodleBob. Because I don’t know about y’all, but I loved the Drawn to Life: SpongeBob Edition game for the DS growing up, and DoodleBob was the main villain of that one. In fact, this episode reminds me of that game. Immensely.

In terms of the actual return of DoodleBob, I think this episode tragically missed some opportunities here. Now, there are some things I really liked about this. I loved that this episode used the same title card music as “Frankendoodle”, that was an excellently done nod. Okay, so let me talk about the missed opportunities of this episode. First thing. Why, in an episode where SpongeBob and Patrick visit another dimension, do they have to literally draw DoodleBob again. See, the set up of this episode suggests that DoodleBob will appear as an inhabitant of another dimension, not the result of SpongeBob and Patrick doing the exact same thing they did in “Frankendoodle” and drawing him. This is a missed opportunity to me because 1) it makes this episode more similar to “Frankendoodle” than it needs to be, and 2) it robs DoodleBob of character. If he was in fact just chilling in this dimension, it could’ve been like the times we see Bubble Buddy where he’s clearly living his own life. But nah, not in this case. I think that’s more boring than the alternative. And then the other big missed opportunity is the fact that this show decides that NOW is the time it’s going to not be consistent. Yes, this show does not have continuity. But when you’re bringing back a character that many fans know, because of the fact that he has been in the show before, why would you act like it’s the first time we’re seeing this character???? That makes zero sense. Absolutely none. This is just a huge missed opportunity, and wasted potential. And it upsets me.

Alright, let’s talk about the rest of this thing. Well, Sandy plays a big role in it, and y’all know I always love that. This time around, she’s made a interdimensional portal, because that’s just what she does. And I thought the joke with her stealing that guy’s barbecued nuts was pretty funny. And of course, the cause of SpongeBob and Patrick’s predicament is none other than themselves, pressing buttons like it’s “Sandy’s Rocket”. And why Sandy thought leaving SpongeBob and Patrick alone with her device was at all a good idea, I don’t know. Especially since literally one second ago she just had to tell them not to touch anything after they were putting their grubby hands all over her device, this part feels extremely forced. Anyway, after a kinda too-long segment of SpongeBob and Patrick pressing all the buttons they aren’t supposed to press, they enter the doodle dimension like cats knocking over a glass of water you specifically tell them not to. See, all of this on paper should be funny, but the execution just doesn’t do it for me. And I again compare it to “Sandy’s Rocket” here, because through that comparison, I think I can see why it doesn’t work. This episode doesn’t have SpongeBob and Patrick be endearingly stupid the way they are in “Sandy’s Rocket”. This is due to probably a lot of things, but one important thing that’s missing is SpongeBob attempting to be the voice of reason, and his idiocy resulting from a good-natured place. That’s the typical, tried-and-true formula for when he and Patrick get into hijinks like this. It’s the one “Sandy’s Rocket” used. This episode doesn’t have that. In fact, we don’t see any motivation for SpongeBob and Patrick touching Sandy’s device at all. They just do it. It’s weird.

Anyway, SpongeBob and Patrick enter the doodle dimension. Though, it feels more like the void outside time Squidward visited in “SB-129”. I wonder if that’s an intentional reference. It has to be, right? So we get lots of fun visual gags from that. And now I’m thinking of that SpongeBob and Patrick in liminal spaces video lol. Anywho, SpongeBob and Patrick realize that everything they draw in this dimension comes to life, and SpongeBob pulls out a pencil (a familiar looking pencil), and draws a bunch of stuff. Okay I’m sorry but I gotta get back on this because this is literally just “Frankendoodle” but now in a white void. I’m still gonna stand strong in my ‘not-a-ripoff’ principles, but man they’re testing me today.

Patrick draws DoodleBob as a copy of SpongeBob, and he appears to be friendly this time around…at least until he starts biting Patrick, and then fighting against the two with the magic pencil. We then get a fight that I promise you I don’t care about. I don’t have the energy to give the play by play for this one, so I’ll just skip to the end of it.

Okay. So. I can’t believe I’m saying this. I truly cannot. But…I think we have the first legitimate contender for the title of ‘rip-off’ on our hands. And this is not a decision I make lightly. But let’s look at the facts. This episode takes some of the biggest points from “Frankendoodle”, and just recapitulates them. But it adds nothing to it. It doesn’t take a new angle, it doesn’t further any characters (namely DoodleBob’s), it doesn’t do any of that. In fact, it makes things less interesting by taking place in a place void of personality, and having things that happen in the episode be unexplained (which is fine, up to a point. But see, “Frankendoodle” explained the origins of the magic pencil, which added to the episode’s humor. This episode just had SpongeBob just have one for no reason). And it’s because this episode just takes elements from “Frankendoodle” and doesn’t even change them, other than leaving ones out, that I might have to call this episode a rip-off. But I don’t think that’s the right word, so I won’t. No, what it feels like is a hype buy-in. When certain segments of the “fandom” complain about the show being too referential, this is the ONLY time I will ever agree with them. Because let’s be real, “Doodle Dimension” was simply created to cash in on the popularity of DoodleBob without even trying in any other regard. And I don’t like that. An episode can be worse than dirt and I’ll still appreciate it because it at least tried something. This episode hardly feels like that at all. It feels lazy.

It’s really hard to figure out where I want to put “Doodle Dimension”. Without the whole critical thing I discussed, this episode would probably be Good or Okay tier, because it’s not exactly funny either. And the plot is simple so it really relies on these jokes being funny. But that’s not the only problem with the episode, now is it? Nope, I’ve gotta contend with all this other stuff about the episode. The fact that it missed opportunities and simply felt lazy to me. I wouldn’t go to the level of calling it insulting, but it might be closer to that point than I think. I think…Tolerable. While the episode is enjoyable enough, I can’t let these other things coast on by. There’s gotta be consequences. And the consequences for this one is reaching a hard-to-reach tier.

Episode Tier: Tolerable
Episode Score:
4.8/10
 

SPUNCHBUP MOVE!!

Baby Clam
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This episode IS pretty decent! Thought the start of the episode (as said by everybody) could've been done better, the rest of the episode is well executed, the jokes are very funny, and the animation IS very well made tbh, i give It a 8,5/10.
Very good for season 11 standarts, give It a chance!
 

SneakyMcSneakyPants

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This is not a bad episode by any means. It's fun and interesting, and I quite like it. But it has plot holes and weaknesses in the story that stand out from the rest of the season. I'll write a longer post about it when I have more brain power.
 

SpongebobMaster

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very overhated episode I personally liked this episode it was pretty funny and entreating and one of the best season 11 episode which I don't know how many s tiers this season has, anyways this is very good and funny and entertaining and creative reminds me a lot of sand castles in the sand
 

SpongebobMaster

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I really liked this one on my rewatch its like a mix of "Sand castles in the sand" and "frankendoodle" overrated like I said
 
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