kingseye423
Flying Dutchman's Sock
Meh. Not nothing interesting here, as the moral is totally not okay. 4.3/10
106b. Sun Bleached
- Thread starter SimbaObsesser
- Start date
Pugs4Thugs
#1 SpongeBob Reviewer
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2016
- Messages
- 2,102
- Likes
- 1,498
Mediocre episode, mediocre visuals, mediocre lesson. Okay first off the designs in this episode are disgusting. Moving on, the episode talks about not using sunscreen like it's cool or something which...have fun getting skin cancer I guess. Anyway, the episode is humorless and it isn't funny seeing SpongeBob and Patrick being locked out of a party because their skin isn't tan enough. 5/10.
IAmAGoofyGoober2004
see ya
That soda commercial joke I found hilarious and I found this episode pretty funny overall, even the ending. Just the tanned Patrick and bleached SpongeBob is a tad unsettling.
jack_of_all_traids
Comic-al
Not really too good of an episode. The premise is weak, there's not too many jokes, and Patrick is at his worst here. Okay, maybe not his WORST but you get what I'm saying.
Ranking so far:
1. Krabby Road (A)
2. Not Normal (A)
3. Suction Cup Symphony (A)
4. A Life in a Day (B)
5. Gone (B)
6. Slide Whistle Stooges (B)
7. House Fancy (C)
8. Spongicus (C)
9. Nautical Novice (C)
10. Penny Foolish (D)
11. Sun Bleached (D)
12. The Splinter (F)
Ranking so far:
1. Krabby Road (A)
2. Not Normal (A)
3. Suction Cup Symphony (A)
4. A Life in a Day (B)
5. Gone (B)
6. Slide Whistle Stooges (B)
7. House Fancy (C)
8. Spongicus (C)
9. Nautical Novice (C)
10. Penny Foolish (D)
11. Sun Bleached (D)
12. The Splinter (F)
CheeseCrocker
Bomb-Selling Pirate
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2019
- Messages
- 193
- Likes
- 55
Easily the most forgettable episode in the series. Besides "IT'S RADICAL!", nothing much to see here.
Mediocre Episode (4.5/10)
Mediocre Episode (4.5/10)
JoeyBoi
Moby Dollar
I don't actually think this episode is that bad. Sure, there's some weird implications behind the whole thing, but I honestly don't think the execution is half bad. The episode is still pretty boring, but the plot was good enough to keep me interested throughout the whole thing. There were also a few good jokes, like Squidward thinking Spongebob is a ghost, and the guy turning into bacon at the beginning. The episode definitely has some flaws, but really this one ain't that bad.
Average episode (5/10)
1. Not Normal (8)
2. House Fancy (6)
3. Krabby Road (6)
4. A Life in a Day (6)
5. Sun Bleached (5)
6. Spongicus (5)
7. Nautical Novice (5)
8. Suction Cup Symphony (5)
9. Penny Foolish (4)
10. Gone (4)
11. Slide Whistle Stooges (3)
12. The Splinter (3)
Average episode (5/10)
1. Not Normal (8)
2. House Fancy (6)
3. Krabby Road (6)
4. A Life in a Day (6)
5. Sun Bleached (5)
6. Spongicus (5)
7. Nautical Novice (5)
8. Suction Cup Symphony (5)
9. Penny Foolish (4)
10. Gone (4)
11. Slide Whistle Stooges (3)
12. The Splinter (3)
SlipperytheTotodile
The Pokemon Enthusiast
I really despised this one. The only part i liked was the soda commercial scene. It was boring and had some flat jokes.
Rating: Bad Episode
Rankings:
Suction Cup Symphony (Perfect)
Krabby Road (Amazing)
A Life in a Day (Great)
Nautical Novice (Great)
Slide Whistle Stooges (Good)
Not Normal (Good)
Gone (Good)
Spongicus (Good)
Penny Foolish (Meh)
House Fancy (Bad)
Sun Bleached (Bad)
The Splinter (THE ULTRA MEGA SCUM OF THE EARTH!)
Rating: Bad Episode
Rankings:
Suction Cup Symphony (Perfect)
Krabby Road (Amazing)
A Life in a Day (Great)
Nautical Novice (Great)
Slide Whistle Stooges (Good)
Not Normal (Good)
Gone (Good)
Spongicus (Good)
Penny Foolish (Meh)
House Fancy (Bad)
Sun Bleached (Bad)
The Splinter (THE ULTRA MEGA SCUM OF THE EARTH!)
Pugs4Thugs
#1 SpongeBob Reviewer
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2016
- Messages
- 2,102
- Likes
- 1,498
I’m just going to say it now, this review is going to be different from my other reviews. After this disclaimer, I'll review the episode like usual, and you can finish reading after that if you want. Or, you can read my very long comment about the issues I have with this episode. Because I've got problems with this episode. Major problems. Major soapbox problems. And that’s my “warning” (or my statement, really, I won’t apologize for feeling the way I do) to y’all—I’m about to get on the most soapiest of soapboxes I’ve been on thus far in these reviews. Because I’ve got issues with the entire plot of this episode, and so I’m gonna make it everyone else’s problem, you hear?
And before anyone even says anything (which I doubt anyone will, no one’s said anything before), I can’t not be on this soapbox, because unlike some other times I’ve gotten on a soapbox, my issues with this episode really affect how I view it from top to bottom. And I can’t even adequately explain my full complex feelings on a SpongeBob forum like this, for multiple reasons. But I can at least get my basic points across, which I will after the main review.
Alright, let's get to the typical review.
So one thing I like about “Sun Bleached” is that it’s a pretty good follow-up to “A Life in A Day” (which is even better because these are sister episodes), with Goo Lagoon being featured once again. The episode starts quite…interestingly though, with SpongeBob acting as Patrick’s beach towel, which was an…interesting joke. That’s all I have to say on that. Honestly this initial scene kinda reminds me of “The Inmates of Summer” with the way Patrick runs onto the scene. After the set up with Craig Mammalton though, the episode is just kinda boring, and honestly the only thing that really keeps my interest are the burning issues I have lol. I did like the little bit with the sunscreen, but it wasn’t all that funny, and after that for the next few minutes I fail to be thoroughly entertained. Well, I will say that the 80’s commercial bit was quite fun. However, that fun goes away quickly once we move to the predictable plot of Patrick completely forgetting about SpongeBob.
First off, this was annoying in both its predictability and in its actual plot because why do I want to see Patrick being a bad friend? I don’t know why this keeps happening. I mean it’s been here since the show’s inception, but still. And second off, instead of doing literally anything else to make Patrick forget or be preoccupied, they pull some weird heteronormative garbage which I’m probably more upset about than usual because of my preexisting issues with this episode. But I said it before, in my “That’s No Lady” review and in my “To Love A Patty” review…I don’t want this. When will these people understand that I do not want to see Patrick or especially SpongeBob in any kind of romantic encounter? I really don’t care for any of these characters being in a romantic encounter unless it’s Plankton and Karen or Mr. Krabs and Mrs. Puff (I’m open to new ships, but I just don’t really want romance in the show as a personal preference).
But anyway, once SpongeBob emerges, sun bleached, and the two talk to Squidward, the scene just again feels boring. Squidward laughing at SpongeBob does nothing for me, and it goes on too long, especially when he (predictably) opens the window to do so. And maybe it’s because this episode has already been spoiled for me because of its unfortunate implications and inclusions, I’ll fully admit to that, but the fact is I’m not enjoying what I’m watching. Moving on, when Patrick decides to give SpongeBob a makeover, this is definitely an improvement, being slightly more enjoyable than everything that came before it. And when the mother beats up SpongeBob, I actually huff out a little bit of a laugh at that, even though I still feel bad for SpongeBob in the end. Even though Patrick caused the entire issue in the first place, I do appreciate his determination to get SpongeBob at the party, and how he ends up coming up with a solution through caramel (too bad this is ruined later).
Finally, we reach the party. This segment is…fine. Again, nothing much to say. I like the animations of SpongeBob and Patrick dancing at least. But of course Patrick is very unhelpful once again, and SpongeBob’s caramel facade cracks revealing his sun bleached skin. Which is then of course praised by Craig Mammalton himself. And see, I don’t mind this part of the episode, with the whole parodying of people who don’t put on sunscreen. I saw some people on the SpongeBob Wiki saying that this episode promotes bad sun habits, and even my past self thought this, but I thought it was very clear that this episode was parodying those habits and showing how ridiculous they are? So I will at least defend that aspect of the episode. And, you know, this would be a decent lesson to have for an episode, and the dangers of UV exposure would be a decent episode topic…for any show but this one.
As it is, "Sun Bleached" is just a very dull episode with a few good jokes. It also has the unfortunate characteristic of being built around a story and topic that I am deeply uncomfortable with, as I will explain under the cut. So pretty much, it's a good fit for "Tolerable". Without the big issue I have with this episode, it probably would've been in "Mediocre", but that little issue just poisons this episode from the inside out for me.
Episode Tier: Tolerable
Episode Score: 4.7/10
And before anyone even says anything (which I doubt anyone will, no one’s said anything before), I can’t not be on this soapbox, because unlike some other times I’ve gotten on a soapbox, my issues with this episode really affect how I view it from top to bottom. And I can’t even adequately explain my full complex feelings on a SpongeBob forum like this, for multiple reasons. But I can at least get my basic points across, which I will after the main review.
Alright, let's get to the typical review.
So one thing I like about “Sun Bleached” is that it’s a pretty good follow-up to “A Life in A Day” (which is even better because these are sister episodes), with Goo Lagoon being featured once again. The episode starts quite…interestingly though, with SpongeBob acting as Patrick’s beach towel, which was an…interesting joke. That’s all I have to say on that. Honestly this initial scene kinda reminds me of “The Inmates of Summer” with the way Patrick runs onto the scene. After the set up with Craig Mammalton though, the episode is just kinda boring, and honestly the only thing that really keeps my interest are the burning issues I have lol. I did like the little bit with the sunscreen, but it wasn’t all that funny, and after that for the next few minutes I fail to be thoroughly entertained. Well, I will say that the 80’s commercial bit was quite fun. However, that fun goes away quickly once we move to the predictable plot of Patrick completely forgetting about SpongeBob.
First off, this was annoying in both its predictability and in its actual plot because why do I want to see Patrick being a bad friend? I don’t know why this keeps happening. I mean it’s been here since the show’s inception, but still. And second off, instead of doing literally anything else to make Patrick forget or be preoccupied, they pull some weird heteronormative garbage which I’m probably more upset about than usual because of my preexisting issues with this episode. But I said it before, in my “That’s No Lady” review and in my “To Love A Patty” review…I don’t want this. When will these people understand that I do not want to see Patrick or especially SpongeBob in any kind of romantic encounter? I really don’t care for any of these characters being in a romantic encounter unless it’s Plankton and Karen or Mr. Krabs and Mrs. Puff (I’m open to new ships, but I just don’t really want romance in the show as a personal preference).
But anyway, once SpongeBob emerges, sun bleached, and the two talk to Squidward, the scene just again feels boring. Squidward laughing at SpongeBob does nothing for me, and it goes on too long, especially when he (predictably) opens the window to do so. And maybe it’s because this episode has already been spoiled for me because of its unfortunate implications and inclusions, I’ll fully admit to that, but the fact is I’m not enjoying what I’m watching. Moving on, when Patrick decides to give SpongeBob a makeover, this is definitely an improvement, being slightly more enjoyable than everything that came before it. And when the mother beats up SpongeBob, I actually huff out a little bit of a laugh at that, even though I still feel bad for SpongeBob in the end. Even though Patrick caused the entire issue in the first place, I do appreciate his determination to get SpongeBob at the party, and how he ends up coming up with a solution through caramel (too bad this is ruined later).
Finally, we reach the party. This segment is…fine. Again, nothing much to say. I like the animations of SpongeBob and Patrick dancing at least. But of course Patrick is very unhelpful once again, and SpongeBob’s caramel facade cracks revealing his sun bleached skin. Which is then of course praised by Craig Mammalton himself. And see, I don’t mind this part of the episode, with the whole parodying of people who don’t put on sunscreen. I saw some people on the SpongeBob Wiki saying that this episode promotes bad sun habits, and even my past self thought this, but I thought it was very clear that this episode was parodying those habits and showing how ridiculous they are? So I will at least defend that aspect of the episode. And, you know, this would be a decent lesson to have for an episode, and the dangers of UV exposure would be a decent episode topic…for any show but this one.
As it is, "Sun Bleached" is just a very dull episode with a few good jokes. It also has the unfortunate characteristic of being built around a story and topic that I am deeply uncomfortable with, as I will explain under the cut. So pretty much, it's a good fit for "Tolerable". Without the big issue I have with this episode, it probably would've been in "Mediocre", but that little issue just poisons this episode from the inside out for me.
Episode Tier: Tolerable
Episode Score: 4.7/10
Okay, so...you've decided to click on my soapbox rant. I can't tell if I should be flattered or not. I guess I'll just say right now that this opinion is closed to comments, I really don't want to hear it, especially if you're about to say I'm overreacting or being unreasonable. But whatever, let me just get to explaining what the big issue is, as I think it's actually quite simple—this episode is sadly, unfortunately, frustratingly antiblack. Or it at least contains antiblack elements.
I know, I know, that’s a big scary word. And it both should and shouldn’t be. It should be something taken seriously, because it is serious. But it shouldn’t be something one gets defensive over. And that’s all I’ll say on that. So allow me to explain my position here. Simply put, this entire episode’s fixation on tanning is a problem, because in the real world, that industry is inherently antiblack. “But Pugs, tanning is about making your skin darker, how can it be antiblack?” Excellent question. See, tanning is about white people making their skin “dark” (just bronze, actually, which is extremely light-skinned according to any standard that takes into account darker skin tones), but not too dark. It’s about taking elements of Black appearance without actually having to deal with any of the structural issues that actual Black people have to face. It’s again yet another example of how it is okay for white people to be something, but not Black people.
Of course, this episode exaggerates things...but I'm not sure if that makes things any better. It just really leaves a bad taste in my mouth. And of course the final form, the most coveted form, of the tanning in this episode is literally bleached skin...need I say more? The jokes write themselves.
And to really get down to the root of it, I think the biggest reason why I have such a problem with this is that it racializes the show. Plain and simple. Because as I've already said, the tanning industry operates under the assumption that your natural skin tone is pale. A dark-skinned person will never be seen as someone with an attractive tan, especially the darker they are. Especially if they have non-white facial features. That's not to say Black people can't tan, because we can, but we don't benefit from it like white people do, because at the end of the day white people are still white. So, for the fish in this episode to be engaged in tanning...it's not a good look for me. Instead of just enjoying a show about technicolor fish, those fish have now been implicitly racialized and now I am forced to think about real-world problems, and that upsets me greatly.
This entire episode idea should've been scrapped. There's too much real-life baggage. And watching it makes me uncomfortable, and robs me of an escape. That's almost unforgivable.
While we're still here, let me address the defensive response I can already feel, "Why are you making this about race?" I've never liked that argument because it ignores reality. Everything in this world is about race, hate to break it to you. That's how global history has played out. And more specifically, in this episode it has a topic that has very clear racial undertones to me, it's really not a stretch for me to bring it up. Also, I saw a little bit of this on the Wiki, but this episode is not "reverse racism" either, that's just idiotic and I don't even have time to begin covering why that's wrong.
Lastly, to end things on a relatively lighter note(?), there is no doubt in my mind that every single thing I just mentioned in this soapbox moment is incidental and not on purpose. I highly, highly doubt that the writers room was full of people who wanted to include these antiblack elements in the episode. I highly doubt they even wanted to racialize the characters (which goes to show how whiteness is the "norm" which is also a problem). But the fact is, it happened. It is not the writers' fault that they're living in an antiblack society, but it is their responsibility to have people in the room who can catch these things. This is the result of an all-white writers room. And that's all I've gotta say on that.
I know, I know, that’s a big scary word. And it both should and shouldn’t be. It should be something taken seriously, because it is serious. But it shouldn’t be something one gets defensive over. And that’s all I’ll say on that. So allow me to explain my position here. Simply put, this entire episode’s fixation on tanning is a problem, because in the real world, that industry is inherently antiblack. “But Pugs, tanning is about making your skin darker, how can it be antiblack?” Excellent question. See, tanning is about white people making their skin “dark” (just bronze, actually, which is extremely light-skinned according to any standard that takes into account darker skin tones), but not too dark. It’s about taking elements of Black appearance without actually having to deal with any of the structural issues that actual Black people have to face. It’s again yet another example of how it is okay for white people to be something, but not Black people.
Of course, this episode exaggerates things...but I'm not sure if that makes things any better. It just really leaves a bad taste in my mouth. And of course the final form, the most coveted form, of the tanning in this episode is literally bleached skin...need I say more? The jokes write themselves.
And to really get down to the root of it, I think the biggest reason why I have such a problem with this is that it racializes the show. Plain and simple. Because as I've already said, the tanning industry operates under the assumption that your natural skin tone is pale. A dark-skinned person will never be seen as someone with an attractive tan, especially the darker they are. Especially if they have non-white facial features. That's not to say Black people can't tan, because we can, but we don't benefit from it like white people do, because at the end of the day white people are still white. So, for the fish in this episode to be engaged in tanning...it's not a good look for me. Instead of just enjoying a show about technicolor fish, those fish have now been implicitly racialized and now I am forced to think about real-world problems, and that upsets me greatly.
This entire episode idea should've been scrapped. There's too much real-life baggage. And watching it makes me uncomfortable, and robs me of an escape. That's almost unforgivable.
While we're still here, let me address the defensive response I can already feel, "Why are you making this about race?" I've never liked that argument because it ignores reality. Everything in this world is about race, hate to break it to you. That's how global history has played out. And more specifically, in this episode it has a topic that has very clear racial undertones to me, it's really not a stretch for me to bring it up. Also, I saw a little bit of this on the Wiki, but this episode is not "reverse racism" either, that's just idiotic and I don't even have time to begin covering why that's wrong.
Lastly, to end things on a relatively lighter note(?), there is no doubt in my mind that every single thing I just mentioned in this soapbox moment is incidental and not on purpose. I highly, highly doubt that the writers room was full of people who wanted to include these antiblack elements in the episode. I highly doubt they even wanted to racialize the characters (which goes to show how whiteness is the "norm" which is also a problem). But the fact is, it happened. It is not the writers' fault that they're living in an antiblack society, but it is their responsibility to have people in the room who can catch these things. This is the result of an all-white writers room. And that's all I've gotta say on that.
agreed
SpongebobMaster
The Guy Who Reviews UHHHHH
Why does this episode feel like a racial tension! ok so hear this people make fun of spongebob and patrick because they are not the same color......
WHAT
Anyways it was pretty boring patrick was kind of stupid the ending was dumb it had a few good scenes like the "RADICAL" soda scene but this is mediocre in the best way you could put it
5.5/10
1. Suction Cup Symphony (10/10)
2. Krabby Road (9.5/10)
3. Not Normal (9.5/10)
4. House Fancy (9/10)
5. Life In A Day (8.5/10)
6. Spongicus (7.5/10)
7. Gone (7/10)
8. Penny Foolish (6.5/10)
9. Sun Bleached (5.5/10)
10. Nautical Novice (4.5/10)
11. Slide Whistle Stooges (1.5/10)
12. The Splinter (0/10)
WHAT
Anyways it was pretty boring patrick was kind of stupid the ending was dumb it had a few good scenes like the "RADICAL" soda scene but this is mediocre in the best way you could put it
5.5/10
1. Suction Cup Symphony (10/10)
2. Krabby Road (9.5/10)
3. Not Normal (9.5/10)
4. House Fancy (9/10)
5. Life In A Day (8.5/10)
6. Spongicus (7.5/10)
7. Gone (7/10)
8. Penny Foolish (6.5/10)
9. Sun Bleached (5.5/10)
10. Nautical Novice (4.5/10)
11. Slide Whistle Stooges (1.5/10)
12. The Splinter (0/10)