So remember how last review I was saying how I don’t remember some episodes of season 11 very well? Well, we’re at the first one now—”The Clam Whisperer”. I literally do not remember this episode one bit LMAO. I think I might know the general plot, but I’m halfway guessing. I’m sure it’s because I’ve seen this episode very few times. So I’m glad to have the opportunity to view it again.
“The Clam Whisperer” is about SpongeBob and…clams. As you might expect from the title. The beginning segment of this episode, with the clams migrating to warmer climates (with some neat visual gags in there), makes me wonder what direction this episode might take. Are we going “Rock A Bye Bivalve”? “Jellyfish Jam”? “Jellyfish Hunter”? “House Worming”? Or something entirely different? I’m hoping it won’t be “House Worming”, though I suppose it would provide this episode the opportunity to learn from the mistakes of that one. As it turns out, this episode reminds me most of “Sanctuary!” with a side of “SpongeHenge” and “Jellyfish Hunter”.
The conversation between SpongeBob and Patrick literally makes me go wide-eyed. I don’t know how else to describe it. Like you know that gif of the guy blinking?
This one? Yeah, that’s me while watching this scene. Because Patrick just starts screaming for literally no reason, for a joke that is so…bizarre to me. And unnecessary. I don’t dislike it or anything, it’s just like…okay then. As the scene goes on, I realize something that isn’t working for me here is that it all feels like…padding. I don’t know, I hate using the terms filler and padding, because usually they’re misused and used way too much, but here I think it fits. Because the actual set up of the episode is being delayed by these dragging moments. And of course, this show is rarely ever plot-driven, hence why I think filler is a term that is rarely accurately used here, but I think this is one of those rare occasions that the term fits. While I’m watching, it’s just like “okay, I get it!” as Patrick continues to be dumb and quite exaggerated.
Finally, we get to looking at the clams. Lots of great visual gags here as we see all the different kinds of clams. SpongeBob wants to see the clams up close, so he lures them with food. Or…he tries to, but Patrick keeps eating it. And then Patrick falls asleep. I am again struck with the feeling that Patrick is completely unnecessary here. And I don’t just mean for the plot. Considering he’s not making me laugh, he’s unnecessary for the comedy too. But whatever, once he falls asleep, he exits the episode (kind of, he’s still a device even while sleeping). The clams crowd around Conch Street, which of course gets Squidward involved in things. It’s fun to see him do a different art for once—theatre. And everything involving him in this scene is hilarious.
SpongeBob goes to work, and the clams follow him in a scene that reminds me quite a bit of “Jellyfish Jam”. Very fun. The episode’s title really comes into play here as the clams seem to follow his every move. Eventually, they all arrive at the Krusty Krab, and the clams immediately start stealing Krabby Patties. SpongeBob tries to exact control over them, but it doesn’t work. I will say, this episode does a good job at making the clams fun to watch. I think the fact that there’s so many of them, and they move in sync, just makes them visually interesting right off the bat, which can help a lot in making a character (or multiple of them, in this case…though they are of course lumped into one general entity) fun to watch. It’s something “House Worming” somewhat failed to do, but that “Sanctuary!” did well.
The clams cause chaos at the Krusty Krab, and eventually Mr. Krabs gets involved, telling SpongeBob to get the clams out of the restaurant…at least until the clams start spitting pearls. This is where the “Jellyfish Hunter” parallels really come into play. Mr. Krabs purposefully aggravates them to get pearls, but unexpectedly, the episode does not spend any longer going in this direction, as SpongeBob takes the clams out of the Krusty Krab. The clams then cause more chaos as SpongeBob walks downtown. Lots of funny jokes and gags here. SpongeBob and the clams are then confronted by an angry, injured mob. I must say, I loved the joke with the violinist. Very clever.
SpongeBob leads the clams out of town, being quite the clam whisperer, and basically replicating “Nature Pants”, which was very surprising to me. SpongeBob’s clam design is hilarious, and I love it. After a whole season out in nature, the clams migrate away once more. So SpongeBob finally heads back home. And after Squidward had just gotten his house clean, he falls into the giant puddle of Patrick’s spit (as he was still sleeping). Squidward and Patrick then run off screaming hilariously, and SpongeBob goes to sleep in his giant nest. Good ending.
“The Clam Whisperer” started off pretty weak, but once the actual plot of the episode got going, it was really fun! So in that way, this episode is kinda like a hidden gem, as the first few minutes set an expectation, at least for me, that this episode was not gonna be very good. Because of those less than stellar first couple minutes, though, I have to refrain from putting this episode in my Amazing tier, despite the rest of it being worthy of that honor. A high Great seems good enough!
Episode Tier: Great
Episode Score: 8.9/10