216b. The Clam Whisperer

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Synopsis: "When a flock of clams descend on Bikini Bottom, SpongeBob has to get them out before they ruin the whole town."

Ah this just looks like such a familiar yet really fun story idea. I hope SpongeBob puts a good unique spin on it!

Discuss it when it airs.
 

Depressed Luigi

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This episode felt a little too fast-paced, but it was still a good episode overall. I liked it for similar reasons as Cave-Dwelling Sponge, I liked seeing all the clams and what they did throughout the episode.

I'd say this is about as good as The Check-Up and Cave Dwelling Sponge, so a Good episode, maybe about a 8.5 or a 9.0? I like to watch new episodes a second time before deciding exactly where they are, since most episodes of any show feel a little better the second time to me for some reason.

Also, this and Cave Dwelling Sponge were so similar that I just copy and pasted my Cave Dwelling Sponge response and changed the reasons why I liked it and a few other words

Loopers said:
ripped off whelk attack so it gets a 1/10
But it was barely even like Whelk Attack though...

I must have been dumb as fug when I gave this a 9/10 last year wtf. This episode is trash.
 

Uncle Sherm

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and this episode was uhhhhh
a Ben Gruber episode for sure

I don't really know how to feel about this episode on first viewing. On one hand, the visuals were fantastic (particularly Squidward's facial expressions, which may be some of the best in the show), and a lot of the gags were fun (I particularly liked the "online dating" gag, that was really funny). The plot was all over the place, though, and it was waaaayyyy too fast paced and loud; there's just way too much screaming. The plot point with Krabs and the pearls doesn't really go anywhere either.

I'm definitely going to have to watch this one again.
 

WayslideCool

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Uncle Sherm said:
and this episode was uhhhhh
a Ben Gruber episode for sure

I don't really know how to feel about this episode on first viewing. On one hand, the visuals were fantastic (particularly Squidward's facial expressions, which may be some of the best in the show), and a lot of the gags were fun (I particularly liked the "online dating" gag, that was really funny). The plot was all over the place, though, and it was waaaayyyy too fast paced and loud; there's just way too much screaming. The plot point with Krabs and the pearls doesn't really go anywhere either.

I'm definitely going to have to watch this one again.
Isn't it a Kaz episode, though?

EDIT: Nevermind. Didn't notice the opening credits.
 

Klu

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Beginning of the episode was atrocious. Patrick's reactions were unnecessary over the top and weren't funny at all. But after that, episode began to improve.
For some reason, this episode and "Cave Dwelling Sponge" more similar to Season 10. Perhaps, they WERE from season 10, but were put to season 11 for some reason.
In any case, 7/10, probably.
 

CartoonJazzLover

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In my opinion, this was the better episode out of today's segments. It's been awhile since we had episodes dedicated to clams. That's why I was so curious to see this one. It ended up being what I hoped for. Only flaw was the humor did dragged the episode down. Doesn't surprise that Ben Gruber wrote this one, cause it's clearly a season 10 episode in disguise. The characters are mostly out of character, aside from Krabs and SpongeBob. Not that it's a bad thing, although Squidward had been losing it very often in post-sequel era so far. Patrick was basically there, and he was very melodramatic in the beginning. Krabs still had his usual selves, but it surprises me that he wanted to use the clams for greed. Nevertheless, there's still funny moments, but it's just feel like too season 10, humor-wise. Plot is still great though, even for Gruber standards.
 

McSponge

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https://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=vRQ8D%2BR40R8wN3FYMWmnOLayVCOgaMxxMoPKBM7rmq0%3D

I gotta review this episode...



So The Clam Whisperer is an episode I've actually been looking forward to. Honestly, there only 3 episodes I'm actually excited for (Feral Friends, Squid Noir, The Legend of Boo-Kini Bottom, or however it's spelled...). But when I saw the title, "The Clam Whisperer", I thought this was actually going to be a pretty cool episode.

Boy, was I wrong.

Let me just get this off my chest, I can't stand Patrick in this episode. Episodes from the later half of Season 9 really established Patrick as much more gentle, and kinder character, who definitely wasn't the brightest out there, but could still be a pretty likable character. There's no better way to describe him in this episode. He is absolutely annoying, with hardly any redeeming qualities at all. It's not the way he's usually annoying, where his stupidity is at a maximum, or when he's acting like a complete jerk. Oh no, in this episode, he's constantly flailing his arms around, and screaming (As if he's a Bunsen is a Beast! character). The only thing Ben seems to do with Patrick's character in this episode is have him constantly over-react to everything, a trait we've been seeing with Squidward lately, though never really as aggravating as Patrick in this episode. Squidward is generally a lazy character, so seeing him have his crazy moments can actually be funny at times. But Patrick is intended as a much more silly character, but having him constantly, and I mean CONSTANTLY go nuts over every little thing, it gets to the point where it's not funny, it's just unnecessary.

Thank goodness he's not in this episode that much, otherwise this would become worthy of one of the worst episodes of the series.

The plot's unoriginal, being pretty much a rip-off of both Jellyfish Jam and SpongeHenge. SpongeBob offering his care and kindness towards the animals, in which he fed them parts of a Krabby Patty, is very similar to the setup of the conflict in Jellyfish Jam, in which SpongeBob offers his care and kindness towards a Jellyfish by adopting him as a pet. Not only do both species end up causing havoc after SpongeBob takes care of them, but the "stalking SpongeBob" element was the main conflict of SpongeHenge! In fact, the scene where SpongeBob goes to work feels like a watered-down, less exciting variation of SpongeHenge. Say what you want about SpongeHenge (One of my least favorite episodes of Season 5), but at least that episode managed to refrain from being an absolute bore. When this episode isn't annoying you with reactions pumped up to the max, you get plenty of boring scenes where the Clams are attacking people. I guess this is a metaphor for feeding Seagulls, and how they won't stop following you once you've given them food, but the execution of this metaphor is done in such a way that comes across as unfunny. It also is done in a similar manner to the two episodes I listed above.

If the entire episode focused on SpongeBob leading the Clams through nature, this probably could've become one of the better episodes of recent time. But no, the nature sequences only occur within the last minute of the episode. A majority of it is just these clams being a nuisance in Bikini Bottom, so much so that people team up to force SpongeBob to drive them out. Sounds familiar?

https://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=7XxDJVwEs8HY7%2BnkbBLYFWecSYzwqAfkXYflnx98cnA%3D

It's just so baffling to me how many elements of this episode are ripped from past episodes. Hardly anything in this episode feels original at all. Aside from the issues in the plot, the episode fails in...guess what? Comedy!

The only jokes I actually found funny were the ones centered on Squidward's house being covered in Clam poop (A situation I am all too familiar with :sbx: ). The Nature scenes weren't really that funny, they were entertaining, but I didn't laugh at the gags that much, though I did find SpongeBob's clam design kind of funny. For the most part, a lot of the humor in this episode centers around the Clams attacking different people in town, and it's just not funny. Not even exciting really, it's similar to that of any chaos we've seen in this show, there's no creative edge that makes it stand out, like the opening scene in Pineapple Invasion. That was funny, because it had tons of clever and creative spins that made it a much more exciting, and funny sequence. This, is just boring. It's not memorable, nor is it funny. The only other common form of humor in this episode are the crazy reactions, which I have already expressed my personal hatred of.

Essentially, this is one of the worst episodes I've seen in years. Yeah, I somehow manage to hate this a little bit more than Sportz?, that's how much I loathe this episode. Who knows, maybe some parts will grow on me in the future, but what I do know is that right now, I consider this to be a 2.6/10. It's an Awful Episode.
 

Honest Slug

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Had no interest in seeing the episodes beforehand but I'm kinda surprised by the negative reviews. I know 3 episodes isn't a good way to judge a season but the first 3 season 11 episodes seemed to indicate an improvement for this season. I guess it's still as zany and annoying as season 10. I have no interest in seeing something as bad as Sportz again.
 

Depressed Luigi

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...I was originally planning to give another first impressions review, but now I'm just wondering if I'm rushing myself to cover these episodes before I actually think them through critically. Maybe I should just wait and see where the Season is going before I talk about this one. (It's not like I wouldn't be echoing most of what I said for "Cave Dwelling Sponge" anyways)
Nah, don't just change your opinion because one other person has a differant (and completatly overexaggerated) opinion. Everybody has differant opinions. Some people need to learn not to watch shows they hate.


Honest Slug said:
Had no interest in seeing the episodes beforehand but I'm kinda surprised by the negative reviews. I know 3 episodes isn't a good way to judge a season but the first 3 season 11 episodes seemed to indicate an improvement for this season. I guess it's still as zany and annoying as season 10. I have no interest in seeing something as bad as Sportz again.
Believe me, This is nothing like Sportz. Sportz was nothing except people getting hurt, this and Cave Dwelling Sponge at least have much more than that.

Season 11 I feel like has been more like 9B than 10 so far imo. Some of the Season 11 episodes are still a little too fast-paced and zany, and could use some more jokes, but they're still good, none of them have been terrible or anything. And Spot Returns and The Check-Up weren't like Season 10 at all.
 

McSponge

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Had no interest in seeing the episodes beforehand but I'm kinda surprised by the negative reviews. I know 3 episodes isn't a good way to judge a season but the first 3 season 11 episodes seemed to indicate an improvement for this season. I guess it's still as zany and annoying as season 10. I have no interest in seeing something as bad as Sportz again.

Considering how, despite I'd rather Sportz? than this episode, I can see plenty of elements in this episode that'd be liked by many fans out there, making it better than Sportz? in a lot of people's opinions. The main thing that makes this worse than Sportz? is the fact that it feels like a ripoff of a couple of episodes, at least Sportz? had an original plot. I will say, it'd not as frustrating as Sportz? (Except for Patrick).
 
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mediocre at best. Ben Gruber's episodes have been hit or miss for me, nothing bad but nothing great either, except for Unreal Estate, that one was fantastic. This episode felt a bit all over the place with no clear direction to the plot. It reminded me a bit of Jellyfish Jam, Bubble Buddy and House Worming when SpongeBob finds new friends and that annoys everyone. We've been there before and this episode didn't spice things up. SpongeBob being a clam and flying with the clams was adorable and the violin scene made me up. Mr. Krabs' greed was actually funny here since all he got was hit by so many pearls (oh wait). Other than those, this episode felt unfunny. Running gag with Squidward was just terrible, Squidward getting misery isn't funny anymore. This is season 11's weakest episode so far.

Grade: C
 

pgh214

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Such a bad episode. Squidward is completely obnoxious and unlikable. Patrick has been getting completely decharacterized. The new style since 2015 with the "weird faces" have completely enveloped Patrick's character. He barely has a role in anything now. Overall just stupid and predictable too. Annoying as hell. 2/10
 

Honest Slug

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pgh214 said:
Such a bad episode. Squidward is completely obnoxious and unlikable. Patrick has been getting completely decharacterized. The new style since 2015 with the "weird faces" have completely enveloped Patrick's character. He barely has a role in anything now. Overall just stupid and predictable too. Annoying as hell. 2/10
Uh Patrick has been a horrible character way before 2015, like since season 6. Season 9b actually made many improvements in his character I felt, in that he actually was a character where as in seasons 6-8 he was a one dimensional unfunny joke machine that acted like a monster.
 
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