“Séance Schméance” is such a funny name for an episode lol. Like, it’s so simple, yet so comedic. And it also seems lazy, yet I don’t get that feeling. It’s fascinating. Anyway, this episode is actually kinda nostalgic for me, because it reminds me of the app SpongeBob Moves In, as Rusty Rickets was a character in that game. Also, this episode is another that is part of my Halloween Marathon, so I kinda get a little nostalgic because of that too, even though I’ve only had the official marathon going since 2020 lol.
This is one of those episodes that looks at the continuity of the Krusty Krab, and decides that it doesn’t care. I mean, I don’t think this episode is too out of line for what we know the story of the Krusty Krab to be…if you consider that perhaps the retirement home in “Krusty Krab Training Video” arrived after the old restaurant that Old Man Jenkins is thinking of did.
Onto the chronological look at the episode that I may be known for, the beginning TV segment was really entertaining, with some great voice work by Mary Jo Catlett of course. And then I like this set up for the episode, a customer asking for something not on the menu that SpongeBob has to try and learn how to make. It’s similar to “License to Milkshake”, in a way. Also, I like that when we get the visual of SpongeBob racking his brain for the recipe, we see that he has brain spots dedicated to “Sandwich”, “Plants”, and “Gary”. First off, I always knew SpongeBob was a plant parent! And second off, I love that he has a whole spot dedicated to Gary…so cute!
We then move on to the “spooky” part of the episode with SpongeBob and Patrick performing a séance so SpongeBob can learn the recipe to the Rusty on Rye. The bit between Patrick and Mr. Krabs right before this was really funny, just thought I’d note that. This episode is very enjoyable overall, so expect more notes on things like that. As for the actual séance, it’s wonderfully silly. Patrick immediately running away is also a funny way to take him out of the episode, so I can’t even complain about him disappearing like this.
I love how somehow this sandwich made of literal bread is appetizing to not only Old Man Jenkins, but plenty of the undead as well, which is how we get our next conflict for the episode, all these ghosts laying waste to the Krusty Krab. Kinda like “Ghost Host”, now that I think about it. I really like the way this show draws ghosts.
We’re not without Patrick for too long, as he goes and gets Mr. Krabs apparently, and I almost wish I could’ve seen how that went down. But as always, Mr. Krabs is the one who sets things straight in this restaurant. And so true about the relatives joke. So true. Anyway, the episode ends with SpongeBob finally able to make that Rusty on Rye that Old Man Jenkins has been craving, and with Patrick still running around the restaurant. Pretty funny stuff!
“Séance Schméance” was a really great episode. I think that the only thing I could say “bad” about it is that I don’t think it had enough going on, to be honest. Like the bit between the rest of the ghosts first appearing, and Mr. Krabs and Patrick coming back, while good and entertaining, I think more could’ve been done there. More jokes, more plot, more something. So while this episode is in my “Amazing” tier, it isn’t too high up there.
Episode Tier: Amazing
Episode Score: 9.2/10