Although I essentially stated that 'Good Neighbors' seemed to mark the beginning of the end of the series as we knew it, the truth is, there were a few last minute bursts of brilliance before it all came crashing down completely. This is one of them. The plot is surprisingly original, and witty: the writers managed to find an angle concerning Mr. Krabs and his restaurant they had not yet explored. It's also funny, especially the way Mr. Krabs is hesitant to give up the Krusty Krab...at least until he's offered (literally) a boat load of cash. And then he starts going through the motions we all go through when we're unemployed and have nothing to do, trying to find enjoyment in the most mundane of activities. Eventually he finds his way back to the Krusty Krab as a regular employee, before uncovering the dark ways the new manager Carl uses to keep things running efficiently, like using a disgusting paste to make Krabby Patties quicker than cooking them fresh and intimidating Squidward into having a smile all the time. Although season four would mark Mr. Krabs' transformation as a cheap but likeable guy into a greedy jerk with little to no reedemable qualities (making him worse than his rival Plankton in that regard), here is obsessed with money but still knows the different between right and wrong. He may be a tightwad, but he's not immoral, and knows what matters most to him aside from money (his restaurant's standards and loyal employees). I could've done without the song at the beginning of the episode, which is a little funny but unnecessary. I agreed with Squidward when he said"Please don't do that again." I said the same thing after watching "Good Neighbors". Maybe the writers heard me and listened...this time, anyway.
8.5/10