*Sigh* What can I really say about this episode? I wasn't looking forward to it that much in the first place, and when I saw the episode, it somehow managed to be even more disappointing than I thought it could be. This episode...I really don't know how to describe. It's plot is pretty generic to begin with, nothing new is really added to the episode that makes it special, or stand out. It's one of those "What if...?" scenarios that tend to rely on character reaction from the events taking place, or at least humor for it to fall back on. And this episode is sucked dry from all of those aspects. First off, the whole "reaction" element is no good, seeing that the episode relies on SpongeBob's oblivion to Spongey-Spongey's existence. So, that means the episode needs plenty of comedy to make the plot enjoyable (Because it is a pretty predictable/generic plot to begin with). Unfortunately, this episode goes down a similar route to that of Stanley S. SquarePants (An episode, mind you, that I find to be pretty decent). Spongey causes havoc, everyone thinks it's SpongeBob, blah, blah, blah...
See this image? I find it funnier than the entirety of this episode. Is there any point in including this? No. I just so happened to come across this image, and I actually got a legitimate feeling of laughter, rather than the fake laughter I forced out whenever I spotted a chuckle worthy joke within the episode. Goodness, I'm sure the absurd nature of this joke I implemented into this review is funnier than just about anything you can find in this episode. Spongey-Spongey isn't funny. He's not funny in the slightest, not at all funny. He just comes across as a bland stereotype of a caveman.
Honestly, I think this episode would've done much better if the scenario was switched around. Have SpongeBob travel back in time via a time machine made by Sandy. Or better yet, have him accidentally sent there with Plankton, during an attempt to steal the formula, thus forcing the two to survive in the rough, prehistoric environment. Have Spongey-Spongey appear and help them survive, you can even keep Spongey's love for SpongeBob's squeaky shoes. Meanwhile, have Karen and Sandy team up (Considering that was the highlight of Salsa Imbecillicus) to fix the time machine to save SpongeBob and Plankton. That'd be an exciting episode! That would have interesting chemistry between our main characters, and would even make Spongey more vital to the plot, and not such an unlikable plot device. You could have pretty much the same episode if it was a SpongeBob Robot, or even a dimwitted clone of SpongeBob, I can't see any changes.
The whole "Caveman" theme is hardly explored in the episode. Instead, we're given an "evil doppelganger" episode, which I feel has been done to death in cartoons at this point. Aside from the "He doesn't know better" trait, any distinct trait you'd find in a Caveman character is hardly explored in this episode. The only remotely entertaining part of the episode is when Spongey was cooking Krabby Patties in a prehistoric way.
That was entertaining. I would much rather see how Spongey would fit into SpongeBob's lifestyle, with his own Caveman traits incorporated. That would make for some pretty entertaining (And funny scenes). But no, instead we get an unnecessary doppelganger plot that shouldn't belong in this episode!
Now, I will admit, the episode doesn't completely lack humor (Unlike a certain episode paired up with this one...), but there is a significant amount of jokes and gags that aren't funny. There were
some jokes I found to be really funny. Squidward's "It was." line was hilarious, I guess since we haven't heard Squidward say that in a while, and the fish locking his car joke was hilarious. That brief 3 seconds was the utter highlight of the episode. If there more subtle moments like these, rather than "IN YOUR FACE, CRAZY ACTION-PACKED VISUALS!" then this episode could've had a chance at being a pretty good episode.
The characters in this episode aren't anything to praise, nor critique. They're all pretty much in character, I don't see any flaws regarding their personalities in this episode.
Let me tell you about my personal least favorite moment in the episode. The climax. While the first few minutes of the episode were pretty boring, and were ultimately a failure in trying to make me laugh, the middle of the episode had some decent moments here and there, the ending is awful! I can't stand the ending of this episode. First of all, the climax (I'm referring to the scene where Spongey and SpongeBob interact at the Prison and City Hall) starts off on a semi-decent note. Not a funny one, but one I can tolerate. Unfortunately, it takes a turn for the worst when they interact at the top of City Hall (If I'm wrong about the location, I'm not surprised, considering how unmemorable and boring the ending is). I'll give it credit for tying in Spongey's obsession with SpongeBob's shoes, despite the dance being anything but enjoyable, it does wrap up a plot point in the episode rather nicely. Unfortunately, the rest of the climax utterly fails at concluding the episode. Spongey destroys city hall, as he's mad at not being able to fit in SpongeBob's shoes. What exactly happens? The police let him off the hook because he saved them millions by tearing down a building that was already going to be torn down.
![](https://www.sbmania.net/picembed.php?img=NC2AhNHO6K1wnpPvzA%2FjoWNxSxQnAPD2wci2FP6LKsE%3D)
What kind of an excuse is that!? A terrible joke that not only fails at being a silly excuse, but also a joke that wraps up an episode horrendously! I get it, it's SpongeBob. This type of silliness is expected within the series, I don't mind that. What I do mind, however, is that this is how the episode ends. No joke, this is how the episode ends. It's a horrible ending, that doesn't even determine the fate of Spongey! If Mr. Lawrence wanted to the episode to go in the direction of a doppelganger episode, I feel as though he should've made time for an ending that manages to set up Spongey's future. For all we know, he's roaming around Bikini Bottom for the rest of the series' run. Perch Perkins did break the fourth wall that the city has returned to a normal state (At least for this episode) at the end of the episode, but that doesn't give us enough of a grand picture as to what happens to Spongey. (Note: I have nothing against Mr. Lawrence. The only reason I said him by name is because I can't say "the writers of this episode", since there's only one writer, and I'm getting tired of having to say "the writer of this episode"). SpongeBob, Sandy, & The Worm had a similar ending, but the difference between this ending, and that ending, is that things actually concluded in that ending! Not only do we get a clear picture of Bikini Bottom's fate, as well as seeing a proper conclusion between SpongeBob & Sandy's conflict between each other, but it also manages to wrap things up in an exciting, and hilarious way. This episode, nothing gets done! Spongey hasn't developed as a character, in fact, he's the same reckless self as he was at the start of the episode. This Caveman being introduced to the new world is the most basic way to sum up this episode, yet, the episode doesn't make an effort to either place Spongey in an environment that'd fit him (Like the forrest), or have Spongey adapt and become civilized, or at the very least somehow fit in with society! We don't get any of that! Now that SpongeBob and the citizens of Bikini Bottom know that Spongey exists, we don't get to see what they do about him! It's one of laziest endings I've seen in the series (Not as lazy as Sportz?, oh no, not even close).
Overall, I give this episode a 3.5/10. It's an
Awful Episode.