Episodes with good conept and bad execution

[Bigsmoker]

Do you have any episodes which you think that their conept is good but the episode is bad? I mean, an episde which has potential to be very good but it turned out being meh or bad and could be better.
I think that A Pal For Gary could be a good episode. It's a shame it turned out being bad.
I will think about mor episodes.
What do you think?

 

[EM.]

I think Smoothe Jazz in Bikini Bottom could have been a great episode but kinda didn't, I would say a little of Squidward's behavior factored into it, and especially if Patrick wasn't there it could have been a great episode.

 

[Pugs4Thugs]

I agree with both choices so far. I think that every bad episode (except for Stuck in the Wringer) could have been salvaged. In terms of episodes with actually great concepts, I think Atlantis SquarePantis (though I don't find this episode to be that bad), Nautical Novice (same boat as the former), A Day Without Tears, Big Sister Sam, Breath of Fresh Squidward, and Are You Happy Now (especially this one) all had good concepts with bad or mediocre executions.

Especially Are You Happy Now, I actually thought this episode was perfectly fine except for the suicide jokes and the ending. Just get rid of the jokes and fix the ending (have Squidward find a happiest memory that doesn't involve going literally bats*** and destroying things) and the episode would actually be really good in my opinion.

 

[Vuvuzela Smasher]

One Coarse Meal had an interesting premise, and it could have been good if it were less like a torture fest and more like a Tom and Jerry cartoon

 

[SQUIGOR]

SpongeBob's Last Stand had a lot of potential, and it could serve a good message, but they turned actual environmental problem into another dumb Plankton plan to steal the formula, and now it's not about nature and us living in it, it's about krabby patty secret formula. I also don't like how the episode blames Plankton, a single individual, for all of the bad things we are doing to our own inviriment, and if we stop him, everything will be fine.

 

[MattTheSpongeFanatic]

Even though there are a lot of episodes like this, I'll put the most failed episode from each season:

1. Pizza Delivery (Meh)

This episode has potential, and some funny moments here and there (especially at the ending), but the rest of the episode is mostly bland and the jokes aren't really helping. It's a meh episode, but could be done better.

2. Life Of Crime (Meh)

This is one of the episodes I refer to as a "stilted" episode, meaning that its story is good but the plot that supports the story is very weak. In a similar fashion to Model Sponge, this episode reveals that it's Free Balloon day too early, and the episode would have been better if they did not reveal that it was Free Balloon day until the end. Other than that, the jokes are pretty good, but they don't help much in improving this episode.

3. Squilliam Returns (Bad)

This episode really could've worked out, but it fails to do so. Again, it would be nice to see Squidward win like in Band Geeks, but Squilliam still wins in the end, leaving the Krusty Krab in chaos, Squidward depressed, and SpongeBob forgetting his entire life. Surely, the middle parts had some decent jokes, but other than that, this episode isn't really worth rewatching (unlike House Fancy or Band Geeks) because you know Squidward won't get a good ending and Squilliam will still win.

4. Have You Seen This Snail? (Very Bad)

Probably the worst one on my list now, Have You Seen This Snail could be a fantastic episode, but it is a garbage fire. The pacing is the worst issue here, and it destroys the entire episode's flow. The first half is mostly filler with the paddleball set, and BORING filler as well. SpongeBob and Patrick do not even notice Gary runs away until the SECOND HALF of the episode! Then we get a few minutes of boringness with SpongeBob depressed and going everywhere to find him. And after that, there's the Gary Come Home song. It is one of the BEST songs in the series, but placed in such a garbage episode like this, the song fails to even improve this episode's rating.

And the ending... that is the crown jewel of this ScumBob episode. The terrible pacing has taken its toll on the ending, which is extremely short and too short to generate any heartwarming moments. Seriously, the ending is less than 30 seconds, and if this episode was paced better, it really could become one of the best of the show.

5. To Save A Squirrel (Bad)

Nobody really talks about this episode...like other episodes such as Stanley S. Squarepants and Le Big Switch, I never seem to see anyone discuss this episode. Mostly because it is BORING (not many jokes or action), REPETITIVE (SpongeBob and Patrick trying to cook each other, seriously writers?), and Sandy dressing up as the old man felt very lazily smashed into this episode. Nothing much else, but if the episode actually was a survival episode, it would've gone much better.

6. Professor Squidward (Bad)

Another episode with potential. Squidward gets tortured and sent to jail, while Squilliam and his ugly unibrow laughs at Squidward just because he wanted to become famous. It's Season 6, so you'd expect Squidward to never win at the end.

7. SpongeBob's Last Stand (Very Bad)

Oh god...I absolutely despise this episode. Another PLANKTON episode, which are 99% all of the episodes in Season 7. And Plankton had to be unnecessarily put in, and this episode had to be a special. The Bikini Bottomites are idiots who don't care about the environment, and I actually want to see SpongeBob and Patrick move away out of Bikini Bottom and let the city crumble into pieces. The songs are annoying and pointless, and everybody being idiots makes this episode unwatchable, and I nearly quit the show when I first watched this abomination. It really could be great, like Have You Seen This Snail?, but it's Season 7, and it's another dumpster fire.

8. A Friendly Game (Very Bad)

Part of the "very bad" rating in this episode goes to the extreme potential wasted in this episode. The mini golf theme really could've made this episode work, but it's Season 8, so we get Squidward Torture, Jerky Patrick, boringness, filler, and annoying scenes to watch. The part when SpongeBob and Patrick start the course starts off well, but as soon as the balls fly into Squidward's house, the episode goes bad faster than the bus goes down into Rock Bottom. Filler, annoying Patrick, and nearly 5 minutes of going around doing nothing that could've been used to turn this episode great. And after that, the episode ends with barely anything else going on. An episode with a lot of potential, but was executed in the worst way possible.

9A. Bumper to Bumper (Bad)

The first Mrs. Puff episode on my list, the episode had jokes such as the 3D show one, but the rest of the episode is stupid. Mrs. Puff scolding SpongeBob is painful to watch, and so is most of the rest of the episode as well. SpongeBob depressed in his house brings up SpongeBob You're Fired flashbacks, and the most infuriating part of the episode of all is how close SpongeBob was to passing, then some random c**p happens and he fails. AGAIN. Even if SpongeBob's license gets taken away somehow at the end, it would be nice to see him pass for once using Mrs. Puff's new strategy, but he still fails...as usual.

9B. Bulletin Board (Bad)

This episode could've worked out well, but Patrick being out of character, Bubble Bass being idiotic, and everyone else not caring that much makes this episode pretty bad, but at least there are some jokes and a decent ending.

10. Snooze You Lose (Meh)

The episode itself is ok, just the ending could be changed to improve it. It would be nice to have Squidward wake up and realize that SpongeBob and Patrick had helped him win the audition, but he loses as usual- a missed opportunity. Other than that, the episode is OK.

11. Fun-Sized Friends (Bad)

This episode's ending is probably one of the best endings of the entire show, but the rest of the episode...is GARBAGE. Flaming, burning, garbage. We get unnecessary Squidward Torture both at the beginning and at the end, SpongeBob and Patrick getting beaten up by their own little friends, and Mini SpongeBob and Mini Patrick getting tortured by SpongeBob and Patrick as well. An entire episode full of character torture, whether it's Squidward or SpongeBob and Patrick or their little dudes. The ending where SpongeBob and Patrick being nice to their little dudes really was beautiful, but when placed in such a stupid episode, it is only a reminder of the good concept wasted.

12. A Cabin In The Kelp (Meh)

I don't really understand why some people like this episode so much, it really is mostly boring with filler, such as the SpongeBob and the peanut parts. It could be a decent episode, but it's Season 12, so that probably won't come.

That was a lot...30 minutes spent typing this but it's finally done!

 

[SQUIGOR]

Some of my favourite episodes are the ones that have pretty simple concepts and they go crazy with them, episodes like Broken Alarm

 

[SQUIGOR]

Even though there are a lot of episodes like this, I'll put the most failed episode from each season:

1. Pizza Delivery (Meh)

This episode has potential, and some funny moments here and there (especially at the ending), but the rest of the episode is mostly bland and the jokes aren't really helping. It's a meh episode, but could be done better.

2. Life Of Crime (Meh)

This is one of the episodes I refer to as a "stilted" episode, meaning that its story is good but the plot that supports the story is very weak. In a similar fashion to Model Sponge, this episode reveals that it's Free Balloon day too early, and the episode would have been better if they did not reveal that it was Free Balloon day until the end. Other than that, the jokes are pretty good, but they don't help much in improving this episode.

3. Squilliam Returns (Bad)

This episode really could've worked out, but it fails to do so. Again, it would be nice to see Squidward win like in Band Geeks, but Squilliam still wins in the end, leaving the Krusty Krab in chaos, Squidward depressed, and SpongeBob forgetting his entire life. Surely, the middle parts had some decent jokes, but other than that, this episode isn't really worth rewatching (unlike House Fancy or Band Geeks) because you know Squidward won't get a good ending and Squilliam will still win.

4. Have You Seen This Snail? (Very Bad)

Probably the worst one on my list now, Have You Seen This Snail could be a fantastic episode, but it is a garbage fire. The pacing is the worst issue here, and it destroys the entire episode's flow. The first half is mostly filler with the paddleball set, and BORING filler as well. SpongeBob and Patrick do not even notice Gary runs away until the SECOND HALF of the episode! Then we get a few minutes of boringness with SpongeBob depressed and going everywhere to find him. And after that, there's the Gary Come Home song. It is one of the BEST songs in the series, but placed in such a garbage episode like this, the song fails to even improve this episode's rating.

And the ending... that is the crown jewel of this ScumBob episode. The terrible pacing has taken its toll on the ending, which is extremely short and too short to generate any heartwarming moments. Seriously, the ending is less than 30 seconds, and if this episode was paced better, it really could become one of the best of the show.

5. To Save A Squirrel (Bad)

Nobody really talks about this episode...like other episodes such as Stanley S. Squarepants and Le Big Switch, I never seem to see anyone discuss this episode. Mostly because it is BORING (not many jokes or action), REPETITIVE (SpongeBob and Patrick trying to cook each other, seriously writers?), and Sandy dressing up as the old man felt very lazily smashed into this episode. Nothing much else, but if the episode actually was a survival episode, it would've gone much better.

6. Professor Squidward (Bad)

Another episode with potential. Squidward gets tortured and sent to jail, while Squilliam and his ugly unibrow laughs at Squidward just because he wanted to become famous. It's Season 6, so you'd expect Squidward to never win at the end.

7. SpongeBob's Last Stand (Very Bad)

Oh god...I absolutely despise this episode. Another PLANKTON episode, which are 99% all of the episodes in Season 7. And Plankton had to be unnecessarily put in, and this episode had to be a special. The Bikini Bottomites are idiots who don't care about the environment, and I actually want to see SpongeBob and Patrick move away out of Bikini Bottom and let the city crumble into pieces. The songs are annoying and pointless, and everybody being idiots makes this episode unwatchable, and I nearly quit the show when I first watched this abomination. It really could be great, like Have You Seen This Snail?, but it's Season 7, and it's another dumpster fire.

8. A Friendly Game (Very Bad)

Part of the "very bad" rating in this episode goes to the extreme potential wasted in this episode. The mini golf theme really could've made this episode work, but it's Season 8, so we get Squidward Torture, Jerky Patrick, boringness, filler, and annoying scenes to watch. The part when SpongeBob and Patrick start the course starts off well, but as soon as the balls fly into Squidward's house, the episode goes bad faster than the bus goes down into Rock Bottom. Filler, annoying Patrick, and nearly 5 minutes of going around doing nothing that could've been used to turn this episode great. And after that, the episode ends with barely anything else going on. An episode with a lot of potential, but was executed in the worst way possible.

9A. Bumper to Bumper (Bad)

The first Mrs. Puff episode on my list, the episode had jokes such as the 3D show one, but the rest of the episode is stupid. Mrs. Puff scolding SpongeBob is painful to watch, and so is most of the rest of the episode as well. SpongeBob depressed in his house brings up SpongeBob You're Fired flashbacks, and the most infuriating part of the episode of all is how close SpongeBob was to passing, then some random c**p happens and he fails. AGAIN. Even if SpongeBob's license gets taken away somehow at the end, it would be nice to see him pass for once using Mrs. Puff's new strategy, but he still fails...as usual.

9B. Bulletin Board (Bad)

This episode could've worked out well, but Patrick being out of character, Bubble Bass being idiotic, and everyone else not caring that much makes this episode pretty bad, but at least there are some jokes and a decent ending.

10. Snooze You Lose (Meh)

The episode itself is ok, just the ending could be changed to improve it. It would be nice to have Squidward wake up and realize that SpongeBob and Patrick had helped him win the audition, but he loses as usual- a missed opportunity. Other than that, the episode is OK.

11. Fun-Sized Friends (Bad)

This episode's ending is probably one of the best endings of the entire show, but the rest of the episode...is GARBAGE. Flaming, burning, garbage. We get unnecessary Squidward Torture both at the beginning and at the end, SpongeBob and Patrick getting beaten up by their own little friends, and Mini SpongeBob and Mini Patrick getting tortured by SpongeBob and Patrick as well. An entire episode full of character torture, whether it's Squidward or SpongeBob and Patrick or their little dudes. The ending where SpongeBob and Patrick being nice to their little dudes really was beautiful, but when placed in such a stupid episode, it is only a reminder of the good concept wasted.

12. A Cabin In The Kelp (Meh)

I don't really understand why some people like this episode so much, it really is mostly boring with filler, such as the SpongeBob and the peanut parts. It could be a decent episode, but it's Season 12, so that probably won't come.

That was a lot...30 minutes spent typing this but it's finally done!

holy shrimp

 

[Fear Of A Nerdy Patty]

I think with a better sense of adventure and far less corny and more well-written songs, Atlantis SquarePantis could have been at least somewhat close in quality to the other fantasy-themed Dunces And Dragons. I don't hate it, David Bowie still gives a good performance despite not singing and it has some decent jokes here and there (though most of the good ones are in the subplot with Patchy). I also like the first song. But when it comes to wasted potential, this one really sticks out.

 

[MattTheSpongeFanatic]

I think with a better sense of adventure and far less corny and more well-written songs, Atlantis SquarePantis could have been at least somewhat close in quality to the other fantasy-themed Dunces And Dragons. I don't hate it, David Bowie still gives a good performance despite not singing and it has some decent jokes here and there (though most of the good ones are in the subplot with Patchy). I also like the first song. But when it comes to wasted potential, this one really sticks out.

Atlantis SquarePantis is OK in my opinion. I don't like the Patchy parts that much, since I feel it's pretty lazily done to connect to the plot of SpongeBob. The SpongeBob plot is better, but most of the songs are pretty bad. Other than that, however, it has a decent plot and a fair amount of jokes, so it is meh in my opinion.

 

[Fear Of A Nerdy Patty]

It's actually one of my least favorite Patchy segments, but it was fine enough for what it was. The ending to it is great however, really trippy and hilarious.

 

[MattTheSpongeFanatic]

Which Patchy segment do you think is the best? Mine is probably Birthday Blowout, with Shanghaied in 2nd.

 

[Fear Of A Nerdy Patty]

I haven't seen all of the show, so don't know how good SpongeBob's Big Birthday Blowout's is, but my favorite currently is Friend Or Foe? followed by The Sponge Who Could Fly.

 

[SQUIGOR]

Atlantis SquarePantis is OK in my opinion. I don't like the Patchy parts that much, since I feel it's pretty lazily done to connect to the plot of SpongeBob. The SpongeBob plot is better, but most of the songs are pretty bad. Other than that, however, it has a decent plot and a fair amount of jokes, so it is meh in my opinion.

I actualy think Patchy's moments were more entertaining than the cartoon. I think Back To Encino is the best song from the special, it feels like some early Smash Mouth stuff.

 

[SQUIGOR]

Which Patchy segment do you think is the best? Mine is probably Birthday Blowout, with Shanghaied in 2nd.

My favourites are from Big Birthday Blowout and Ugh

 

[KalloFox34]

• Shuffleboarding probably would've been a good episode if the plot didn't change halfway through. It really doesn't help that Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy were the ones to get punished for SpongeBob and Patrick's actions here.
• Boating Buddies sounds good on paper, but the episode itself had too much Squidward abuse in it.
• A Pal for Gary could've been okay if SpongeBob was smart enough to acknowledge that Puffy Fluffy was a dangerous threat to him and Gary.

One Coarse Meal had an interesting premise, and it could have been good if it were less like a torture fest and more like a Tom and Jerry cartoon

Definitely. The first minute or so showed actual promise, up until Plankton's fear of whales was revealed. Then it devolved into pure, unfiltered sadism.

 

[MimicMadness]

The Great Patty Caper
Make the formula scene shorter and don't make Pateick put coal in the train to make it go slower or make him mistake "throttle" for "break". Also, remove Mr. Krabs having to pay all his money at the end.
The Chaperone
Change the title and make The Sponge possible.
Spongehenge
Change the plot to the one I put on my plot improvement forum.

 

[CannedBread]

Sandy's mooncation (I think that's the name) I just really wish this episode were longer, and less all over the place. An episode where spongebob and Sandy go to the moon is a good idea, however the episode is forggettable because the plot isn't any deeper than that, as well as not being nearly as funny as other episodes from this season. I'd give it a meh, but it could be one of the better episodes of the shhow if done well.

 

[DannyWapbang]

Squidtastic Voyage, ruined by Sandy not going inside of Squidward like she said she was gonna. I think when women are the heroes in those kinds of plots, it's better.
Krabs vs. Plankton... they could've done more with Richard A. Bottomfeeder and have him be voiced by GARY COLE. I tried to explain this to the Art of SpongeBob server and they didn't get it. (Now I'm glad I got myself removed from that place, even though I wish I hadn't done what I did. The Hanna-Barbera server handled me explaining my stupid past way better than them.)
One Coarse Meal: more like Tom and Jerry. With glorious animation smears too.
Whale of a Birthday - have Mr. Krabs not be such a greedy prick and give Pearl a good birthday... not making SpongeBob intervene and only then does she like it. Krabs straight up says "I wanted to give her nothing." WHAT THE HALIBUT?! YOU (number 11) DAD!
I don't know.