Coming up on the penultimate episode of season 4, we've got "Best Day Ever"! This is one of those episodes that everyone recognizes, I think. And to me this episode is so interesting because despite being so famous, this episode definitely does not get the same kind of reception as an episode like "Band Geeks". I think it's probably because this episode has been marketed to hell and back, just like "Truth or Square" was. Also, this episode not being a special is the biggest Mandela Effect gotcha moment ever. Because what do you mean this episode is only 11 minutes? It feels like it has 3 acts, and it has that song, and it's been promoted heavily. But anyway, I feel like I'm about to commit blasphemy here. But maybe not, because I took a quick peek at fellow forum-goers' ratings for this episode, and I think I fit right in. So maybe I won't get the pitchforks and torches today!
Well before we even start the episode proper, things start off on a good note with the title card music being
Earl's Revenge. That's one of my absolute favorite tracks. It was also the title card music for "Good Neighbors", so it's not exactly an indicator of quality lol. Anyway, speaking of music, this episode opens right with a song that gets the plot rolling too. Now, time for blasphemy #2: I don’t like this song all that much. Tom Kenny’s singing is good, the visuals are nice, but the production itself is not for me. I don’t really like the backing track. But I will admit the song is catchy, and I can get through it fine, but I frequently find myself turning it down or skipping whenever I happen to rewatch this episode. Other than that, I don’t have much to say about this song. Wasn’t it on the movie soundtrack? I wonder if they wrote the episode based on this song or something. Anyway, it’s nice to see SpongeBob’s plans for the day, involving much of our main cast. And then SpongeBob literally exploding was pretty fun.
Once the song ends, we get into our first of a series of disastrous events for SpongeBob’s best day ever. First, we have the Krusty Krab being condemned due to nematodes. I like how they made a skull on the Krusty Krab. But I won’t call this scene super funny. SpongeBob trying to sing his song again was amusing, I’ll say that. And really his whole not being able to adapt thing fits perfectly with his characterization in “Party Pooper Pants”, so that’s good. And then we get a pretty similar moment to “Jellyfish Jam” with SpongeBob’s nose fluting leading the nematodes away. I’m just glad that this episode didn’t pull a “All That Glitters” and have SpongeBob in his underwear for the rest of it. Next, we move on to Sandy’s place, which is probably the part of this episode I forget most about for some reason. Like I always remember that SpongeBob’s plan involved the Krusty Krab, jellyfishing, and Squidward’s concert, but not so much karate with Sandy. Because this episode is about misfortune falling upon SpongeBob’s best day ever, today is the day Sandy’s treedome has a leak. Luckily for Sandy (but not luckily for SpongeBob), his new adhesive karate gloves fix that problem nicely. This scene is also not particularly funny. In fact, nothing about this scene is really all that funny. And it’s kind of a bit of a lull compared to what we’ve been seeing so far. So that’s probably why I’ve found it to be so forgettable over the years.
Moving on, we’ve got the next activity on SpongeBob’s list, jellyfishing with Patrick! And see, this scene starts walking on thin ice immediately once Patrick starts crying, because I don’t know what it is but that sound sets off Kill Bill sirens in my head. Luckily SpongeBob has his old net with him, which he generously gives to Patrick. But then of course Patrick pulls a “Christmas Who?” and breaks the net immediately. And see instead of passively taking in all these scenes like I have been, this time I’m annoyed because instead of SpongeBob actively doing something to fix the situation (whether accidentally or not), Patrick just takes his net from him and proceeds to not give SpongeBob a turn with it. SpongeBob allowed it, but Patrick’s immediate thought to ask SpongeBob for his when the two are supposed to jellyfish together is…not good. I think this scene annoys me more than the others also because the problem that prevents SpongeBob from being able to do the activity with the character is by Patrick’s own design. He keeps breaking the nets, not the jellyfish. It would’ve been better if the jellyfish kept, I don’t know, zapping the wooden nets to pieces, but they have no effect on the metal one (let’s just forget how metal conducts electricity for a moment). And then also Patrick is just selfish here while Mr. Krabs and Sandy aren’t that. I think that I'm most annoyed by the fact that even with one net, SpongeBob and Patrick could have still had fun, unlike the situations with Sandy and Mr. Krabs where they had real problems to resolve. So yes, I’m annoyed by this scene, straight up.
By this point, I’m relieved when we finally move on to SpongeBob heading over to Squidward’s concert. And I’m lucky too, because we get to see another gorgeous background in this segment. SpongeBob’s sad rendition of Best Day Ever is…I don’t know. It’s not enjoyable or unenjoyable, it’s just another part of the episode, you know? I like SpongeBob’s optimism about Squidward’s concert though. And I like how we all basically know what’s about to go down. Something will happen to make SpongeBob unable to go to the concert. In line with at least 2/3 scenes so far, that thing should’ve been the concert being canceled or something. And that is what happens…for a minute. Now, that minute is lowkey the best part of this episode so far. SpongeBob slapping Squidward and giving him a pep talk is great. I love how he’s talking to both Squidward and himself. SpongeBob’s not taking this unfortunate situation lying down, and I love that. Unfortunately, things take a horrendous turn once SpongeBob fixes the reed with his own tooth (at this point that’s basically symbolism of how he’s been giving so much of himself all day for the benefit of others. I know that it was just a humorous joke but I mean it’s possible to have unintentional symbolism. Again, I overthink this show. It’s what I do.). See, because after SpongeBob gets Squidward into the building again, we’re forced to sit through an excruciating, terribly annoying, frustrating sequence of events, with SpongeBob somehow not having his ticket for the concert. SpongeBob’s attempts to get in aren’t even that funny, mostly because I sit here thinking about how he’s probably missing the show (you’ll never believe what actually happens in the episode). And then of course, once SpongeBob says his name, suddenly the usher is like oh you’re a VIP…okay then.
And then SpongeBob finally, finally gets to go to the concert and have this one last thing…sike! The concert’s over! SpongeBob did not get a single thing he wanted during his best day ever! I wouldn’t even be so…upset about this if it wasn’t for the fact that the last 4-5 minutes were both very annoying scenes, other than the nice minute-long repreive with Squidward. And also, why exactly do I want to see an episode of SpongeBob just having his dreams crushed? Not fun. I’ve talked about this exact thing with “Stuck in the Wringer”, of all episodes. I’m failing to see how it can be super entertaining to watch this childish, happy-go-lucky character go through so much sh*t. Now unlike that…episode…this episode at least has SpongeBob win in the end. SpongeBob’s outburst is great, and I love how he just yells at that guy to sit down, that was hilarious. And then I love how his friends came up to the stage to support him. It does tug at my heartstrings a bit to see SpongeBob so upset about this. And I love how everyone comes together to talk about how SpongeBob made their days better that day. It helps make everything not seem so bad for the little guy. It makes me think of
Sponge on the Run. Also I loved the steel guitar and ukelele arrangement of Best Day Ever that played in the background of this scene. This episode actually has plenty of great arrangements of the titular song playing in the background. I thought Mr. Krabs was pretty funny in this scene too, saying it’s actually all about them lmao.
The ending of this episode is just so dang wholesome (with some funny moments in there too), with Mr. Krabs, Squidward, Sandy, and Patrick coming together to put on this play for SpongeBob, to let him go through with his perfect day, all to the sounds of a reprise of Best Day Ever. That was just wholesome and adorable. Especially at the very end, when the theater is empty, and Patrick and Sandy are asleep, and Squidward asks how long they have to keep this up, and Mr. Krabs says “just til his little heart gives out.” Like that’s so wholesome that all of them, including Squidward, did this for SpongeBob. And I don’t know about y’all, but I’m counting this as a Mr. Krabs and SpongeBob father-son moment. This ending is honestly too good for an episode that was so…not good for almost every moment until the ending.
“Best Day Ever” is…complicated. Without the ending, this episode would’ve been “Okay” tier at best, probably most likely “Mediocre” when I think of just how annoying a significant portion of this episode was, and then how dull the other portions were, with only a few good jokes and moments throughout to keep me somewhat buoyed. But as you all may recall from episodes like "Dumped", a good ending can really make me forgive a lot of stuff. And I’d say that the whole point of this episode was to have this wholesome ending. Make SpongeBob go through all this crap so he can have the best day ever he desired and has now earned. But the crap he went through, the audience was also forced through, which I think was a mistake. The ending (and that glorious scene between SpongeBob and Squidward) is what carries this episode into my “Good” tier by the skin of its teeth.
Episode Tier: Good
Episode Score: 7/10
