McSponge's Top 10 Worst/Best Season 8 SpongeBob Episodes

McSponge

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Well, I spared ya enough for the last near two weeks. It's time to get back to business, and what better way to kick off a weekend than with one of my critically panned acclaimed reviews of SpongeBob episodes! These are, the Top 10 Worst and Best episodes of SpongeBob's Eighth Season. Originally typed on August 26th and 27th, 2017.
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SpongeBob's Eighth Season was once well known as being a pretty good Season, but has since became one of the most hated Seasons of the series. I have very mixed feelings on this show's Eighth Season. On one side, they have a lot of good episodes, plenty more than Season 7 had. But, on the other side, Season 8 contains some of the worst episodes of the series. Today, we're taking a look at the bad side of SpongeBob's Eighth Season, with the Top 10 worst episodes this Season has to offer. Keep in mind, as usual, this list is based off both my personal opinion, and how I judge the quality of each episode I review.

10. Pet Sitter Pat
Original Airdate: 9-16-2011
Plot: SpongeBob hires Patrick to take care of Gary while he attends his Grandma's birthday party. Patrick causes chaos, being clueless when it comes to how to properly take care of a pet.
Main Characters: Patrick, SpongeBob, Gary
Fun Fact: Both SpongeBob and Patrick light a fire in this episode for very different reasons.

Ah yes, Pet Sitter Pat. In recent time, this has slowly risen up to be considered as one of the worst episodes of the entire series. I personally disagree. I'd watch this over any of the episodes in my Top 10 Worst list for Season 7. Pet Sitter Pat is like a Tom and Jerry cartoon gone wrong. It has a premise that could work, if executed in a similar manner to that of a cartoon from the Golden Age of Animation. Unfortunately, SpongeBob is NOT the type of cartoon you'd find in the 40s and 50s, so this episode struggles with keeping a fair balance between being similar to a classic cartoon and an episode of SpongeBob. The latter is where this really falls apart. I bet you if this wasn't an episode of SpongeBob, but rather a one-off episode, this would probably be a pretty average cartoon that attempts to be a modernized variation of the style in Tom & Jerry cartoons. But, being a SpongeBob episode, Patrick is severely out of character. His role in the episode is intended to be the antagonist, but this causes a problem. In general, Patrick isn't supposed to be an antagonist in this series. We're supposed to root for him, and when he steps out of line, being super cruel (With the failed cause, intended to be comedic, being his stupidity), he comes across as just an unentertaining character. Everybody hates animal cruelty. It's not the type of thing we'd want to see in a cartoon, especially when it's in a more realistic environment like SpongeBob is (Whereas the atmosphere of the character's surroundings are more similar to our lifestyle than that of Ren & Stimpy where almost everybody is crazy). If Gary was successfully fighting back (Like he does to Plankton in Pineapple Invasion), that'd be a good way for Patrick to get his comeuppance. But unfortunately, Gary is just a helpless character for the most part in this episode (Despite managing to overcome giant obstacles in the past like the Bully Snail, the Old Lady, and Puffy Fluffy), which gives this episode a cruel form of humor that's unlikable. There are some good parts in this episode, like SpongeBob's scenes with his Grandma, as well as some of the gags with Patrick were funny, but for the most part, the writers failed to make the main conflict fit into the SpongeBob universe properly. Oh yeah, that ending is also one of the most forced, and rushed endings in this series. A very lazy ending that doesn't wrap up anything properly.

9. Squiditis
Original Airdate: 4-11-2012
Plot: Squidward comes up with a fake disease to get out of work. SpongeBob, however, believes it's real, and thinks he caught it.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Squidward
Fun Fact: This is often one of most neglected episodes of the series.

You'll notice that there's a lot less frustrating episodes on this list, with episode like this. I think Squiditis is decent. It has some good moments (Like the scene where SpongeBob tries to watch a romance comedy with Squidward), and some terrible moments (SpongeBob burning his feet intentionally). So why is it on the list? It suffers from being one of the most forgettable episodes of the series. There are only a few bits and pieces of this episode I actually remember, and the rest of it is completely unmemorable. Nothing special is in this episode that makes it stand out, whether for better or for worse. I can't quote anything from this episode, nor can I think of multiple jokes in this episode. It's premise is more memorable than anything that happens in this episode. It has a good premise, it's just executed in such a harmless way it gives you no sense of entertainment, or feeling when watching it. It's not even bland, it's just super forgettable. It fails to connect with you, and that's a pretty big problem when judging the quality of this episode.

8. Face Freeze!
Original Airdate: 7-21-2012
Plot: SpongeBob and Patrick are warned by Mr. Krabs to stop making faces, or their faces will permanently freeze.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Patrick, Mr. Krabs
Fun Fact: This episode premiered on Robin Williams' 61st birthday.

I saw this when it originally aired. Goodness, I still have the original airing recorded on VHS. If you're easily entertained by funny faces, then this is the episode for you. If you're looking for more substance, you're in trouble. The first time I saw this episode I was laughing a lot. It was one of the funniest episodes I've seen in the series. Yet, since then, I can never get a laugh out of this episode. It's good the first time around, but like most mystery themed episodes in this series, once you've seen it, it's kind of pointless to watch it again. The faces in this episode are creative, no doubt about it. But there's nothing really else to this episode. It's just an excuse for writers to have fun with drawing goofy faces, and while I enjoy the creativity of drawing these complex, extreme faces, this episode offers nothing else to the table. The main plot is SpongeBob and Patrick's faces freeze permanently. That's it. That's literally it. They try to revert it, but it doesn't work, Krabs and Squidward get their faces frozen, and...that's it. I really can't go in depth with this review, because this episode doesn't go in depth with it's plot. There are no jokes unrelated to visual humor and that really puts a dent in this episode since it has such a simple, and shallow plot. With no jokes to fall back on, the episode feels like it was lazily put together, as if the team had a game where they drew different exaggerated faces, and had to connect each other to form an episode. It's an episode without any real substance that makes hold up. Not something you'd want to watch if you're looking for laughs, or a good story.

7. Demolition Doofus
Original Airdate: 7-21-2012
Plot: After causing Mrs. Puff to pop after too many driving accidents, Puff tries to get her revenge by attempting to get rid of SpongeBob...permanently.
Main Characters: Mrs. Puff, SpongeBob, Captain Lutefisk
Fun Fact: Captain Lutefisk, the head of the Bikini Bottom Demolition Derby was taught by Puff years ago.

One of the darkest episodes of the series. And this isn't in a good way, like Nasty Patty. What separates the dark nature of this episode from that episode? Here's a post I made months ago pretty much summing it up.

"Nasty Patty set itself up to be a dark toned episode, with the dark mood, and atmosphere. Whereas, Demolition Doofus is only dark because of one of the character's intentions, which is done out-of-character, whereas Nasty Patty can be comically dark, yet Demolition Doofus is just plain dark."

The point is, Nasty Patty was meant to be a dark episode, whereas this was meant to be taken lightly as a more surreal, weirder episode, different from most episodes in the series. The concept of this episode is actually quite interesting. What if Mrs. Puff was stripped away her ability to puff? That sounds like an interesting, yet dark concept. Instead of focusing on that, the writers focused on Puff's rage and hatred towards SpongeBob, completely out of character from what she usually is. She despise SpongeBob, yes, but still cares for him, and tries to treat him like all her other students. Puff goes completely insane, leading to her plan to kill SpongeBob, an act that Puff would never do, even in an extreme case.

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Okay, maybe she would do so, but the way the writers handled the way attempted to kill SpongeBob just wasn't funny. Seriously, there's no humor at all in these sequences. Maybe a few chuckle worthy visual gags, but the writers can't make a single funny joke involving Puff's interaction with SpongeBob. I wish this episode was funnier, and Puff wasn't as brutal towards SpongeBob, because then this would be a pretty interesting episode. I like the concept, but the execution is way over-the-top when it comes to the treatment of Puff's character. There should've been a more subtle way Puff would attempt to get rid of SpongeBob, maybe some more creative solutions, but even then that sounds way too similar to the climax of SpongeBob Meets the Strangler. Overall, the writers should've focused the episode more on the effects this situation has on Puff, rather than how she reacts towards SpongeBob.

6. The Googly Artiste
Original Airdate: 7-22-2011
Plot: Patrick becomes known as an artist when he starts to glue Googly Eyes on rocks.
Main Characters: Patrick, Squidward, SpongeBob
Fun Fact: This episode premiered on Robin Williams' sixtieth birthday (Hey, you try coming up with a Fun Fact about this episode -_- )

The Googly Artiste is an episode I don't see much, but if I did see it frequently, I would get sick of it very quickly. The Googly Artiste has the same problem as Face Freeze!. There's no substance to this episode, nothing more is really added to the plot. Unless you like the silly nature of the plot, and the predictable reaction of the people around Squidward and Patrick, this episode is a waste of time. The Googly Artiste's plot is so unoriginal, it's pathetic, predictable form of conflict that we've seen in past episodes of SpongeBob. Take Culture Shock for instance. Squidward does something, and everyone hates it, and SpongeBob does something and everyone likes it. Squidward thinks it's crazy how he's doing practically the same exact thing, with a little more effort put into it, than SpongeBob, yet he's given criticism for it. Replace SpongeBob with Patrick, and you've got The Googly Artiste. Another example, Artist Unknown. That's pretty much the same exact episode as this one, only that one has actual funny jokes. This episode isn't funny. I can't think of anything that I found funny in this bland, uninspired mess. At least Artist Unknown had some pretty good moments, even when I don't like the main climax and ending of the episode. But this! This doesn't even have a scene that I dislike. It's just unentertaining! Nothing in this episode feels like there was genuine effort put into it. It's a lazy abomination that fails to bring anything new to the table.

5. Walking the Plankton
Original Airdate: 11-7-2011
Plot: Plankton shows off his vacation slides of his trip with Karen on a cruise. On the cruise, he tries to steal the formula from Krabs (Who happens to be on the ship), without Karen knowing.
Main Characters: Plankton, Karen, Mr. Krabs
Fun Fact: This is the first episode of the "Road Trip" episodes to air.

Just how do I even describe this episode? It's just an uncreative, typical Plankton episode. I find nothing in this episode to be entertaining. The plot is a "juggling two different priorities at once" trope that's been done much better in Overbooked, I can't recall anything funny in this episode, and the episode is just so predictable. By far the worst episode in the "Runaway Roadtrip" series. At least the rest of the episodes had some sort of plot element that was creative, and original. This feels like a watered down version of a Plankton steals the formula episode that takes place in a different environment than usual. Oh wait, that's because that's what it is! When the online game based off this episode is funnier, and more entertaining than the episode itself, that says a lot, let me tell you.

4. House Sittin' For Sandy
Original Airdate: 9-30-2011
Plot: SpongeBob agrees to look after Sandy's treedome while she's on a trip. But Patrick shows up, and all chaos breaks loose.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Patrick
Fun Fact: During production of this episode, SpongeBob's helmet in Sandy's treedome was accidentally forgotten. As a result, a joke about SpongeBob not wearing it was referenced by Patrick.

When SpongeBob reached it's Seventh Season, episodes that contained rehashed plot elements from past episodes began to become more common. By now, this has been the third episode in a row on this list that contains a rehashed plot. It's getting hard to describe why these episodes are bad, without repeating myself. However, this series doesn't seem to have a problem with repeating itself. House Sittin' For Sandy is essentially Wormy, but without him. This is how that episode would go if there were no pets, nor was Patrick a likable character. I've talked about episodes being forgettable, and unmemorable in past Top 10s (Including this one), but this is it ladies and gentlemen. House Sittin' For Sandy is the most unmemorable episode in the entire series. I always forget about this episode, there's nothing I can recall from this episode off the top of my head. Meaning, when I'm not talking about every episode of SpongeBog's Eighth Season, this is an episode I never bring up. The plot is unoriginal, the episode isn't exciting, and none of the jokes stick with me. The only part of this episode that I probably think of every once in a while (Particularly out of sheer randomness, not when I'm reflecting on this episode) is how they turned an animation error into a joke, which I got to admit is kind of funny. The episode is what you get when you're forced to write something without any clear intention to create an entertaining form of media. When Corporate orders a certain amount of episodes, you get episodes that were written with no intention, other than to earn a paycheck. The result of this? House Sittin' For Sandy.

3. Smooth Jazz at Bikini Bottom
Original Airdate: 9-30-2011
Plot: SpongeBob tries to do something nice for Squidward by taking him to a Kelpy G. Concert, but Patrick ends up ruining everything.
Main Characters: Squidward, SpongeBob, Patrick
Fun Fact: This is the first appearance of Kelpy G. in over four years.

Who in their right mind has the brains to find this episode funny!? This is one of the most aggravating episodes in the entire series! No joke, this episode has no jokes! No funny ones at least. All of the "humor" in this episode originate from "Hurp-de-durr, Patrick's an idiot!". But it's not even done in a remotely clever way! Patrick's idiocity has had some complexity to it in the past, or at least some sort of reason as to why his actions are occurring. Think about Patrick's stupidity at his finest.

Mermaid Man & Barnacle Boy IV- One of my least favorite episodes of Season 3, Patrick is essentially the best part of the episode. The writers make him a more clueless character, who is uneducated when it comes to different things (Like the existence of "Wumbo"), and is a little slower than the rest of the characters surrounding him, allowing for his naive behavior to be comedic with how laid back he is when there's a serious situation occurring.


Think about one of the worse times Patrick was an idiot.

Pet Sitter Pat- Patrick at least had a reason for poorly taking care of Gary. He's clueless. He has no idea what he's doing, and can't comprehend (Nor does he try) the instructions SpongeBob gave him when it came to taking care of Gary.

No matter what the payoff was, you could at least see why the writers wrote Patrick in a certain way, whether for comic relief, or for being an antagonist. This episode he's supposed to be the comic relief. Unfortunately, the way he's handled in this, is so lazy, this episode hits all time lows in terms of humor.

There are so many reasons why Patrick is such an annoying piece of garbage in this episode, that I'm going to have to break his faults down as simple as possible, and giving an explanation to each point, in order to build up how ridiculously terrible of a character he is in this episode.

Patrick has no reason to be at the concert.

The writers pull him in out of nowhere. There's no justified reason as to why he's here. The only reason is because the script says so. The writers couldn't think of any funny situations SpongeBob and Squidward get into, so they bring in Patrick. Why? Because he's stupid, and stupidity is funny through their eyes.

He has no motivation.

Going along with the fact that he has no reason to be in the episode, aside from being a cheap form of comic relief to save the writers time from coming up with new, creative material, there's no given cause for Patrick's stupidity. There's no justifiable reason why he acts the way he does. He seems to hate the concert, and is hungry, so that further makes his existence in this episode even more pointless.

He's out of character.

Even as a child before I began to critique episodes, I noticed how ridiculously stupid the writers made Patrick act. As I mentioned before, no matter how stupid he was in the past, he at least showed some form of sanity, keeping him away from being a complete idiot. He wasn't as one-dimensional and forced as he is in this episode. In this episode, he has no intelligence, no common sense, no real emotions. Patrick is a completely bland, over-the-top stereotype of an idiot comic relief.

Receives no consequences.

Patrick does tons of terrible things in this episode. He eats SpongeBob & Squidward's backstage passes. He walks onstage in the middle of a performance. Yet, does he get what he deserves? No! I wouldn't mind if the loose ends were tied up, if it weren't for the fact that Patrick isn't funny in this episode. He does it with no care either, like writers when writing this episode. He just does what the script tells him to do, without any clear intention. He alters the characters' goal, and essentially wastes time. He's the ultimate form of filler.

Overall, the writers seemed to put some effort into setting up the main plot of the episode, but it seems like they were tired, and didn't want to bother writing some new material for the rest of the episode, and shoe-horned Patrick in to take up time, and to supply laughs. But it's the lowest form of comedy, sheer randomness just for the sake of being random. Ha-ha, Patrick said something random because he's an idiot, ha-ha. This is a pathetic excuse for an episode with writing that makes modern Fairly OddParents look like it was written by early Simpsons writers.

2. Are You Happy Now?
Original Airdate: 3-21-2012
Plot: SpongeBob tries to cure Squidward's depression.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Squidward
Fun Fact: In this episode, it's revealed Squidward is afraid of heights.

I think it's obvious why this episode is one of the worst in the Season. Critically panned as one of the worst episodes of the series, Are You Happy Now? is very controversial for including unfunny suicide references that are far too inappropriate for SpongeBob. But wait a minute, don't I usually try to avoid the main, overused problems for infamous episodes like this? Indeed I do, but there's really nothing else I can talk about with this episode. I'm sure by now you're aware that a common trend in bad Season 8 episodes are that they offer nothing more outside of presenting their relatively shallow concept. Funny jokes are hard to find, there's typically an out-of-character moment, and the episode relies on some sort of stupid gimmick to fill in time, because the writers can't farther expand on the episode's premise, due to the lack of funny jokes. This is exactly the problem with Are You Happy Now? It wouldn't be as high on the list (Trust me, Smooth Jazz at Bikini Bottom would be higher than this), if it weren't for the fact that some horrible elements in this episode are what this episode is well known for. Suicide jokes aren't funny. I'm not talking in terms of political correctness in comedy, but what I mean is that it's really hard to come across a suicide joke that is funny in different forms of entertaining media. Because, like any form of media, a Suicide joke would be used on an already developed character we've grown to become familiar with, and usually that results in an unfunny form of edgy humor. The reason why Suicide jokes tend to be more common in memes rather than more edgy humored media is because they tend to work out better in memes. There's no censorship you have to deal with in memes, and often Suicide jokes/references within memes revolve around newly introduced characters that we've never witnessed before. This is why the Suicide jokes don't work in this episode. We wouldn't care if we saw a Suicide jokes with one-off characters in memes, but in already existing franchises/series, it's unpleasant to witness characters we're supposed to care about go through a crisis like this. No matter what show it is, it wouldn't work. What may be an offensive, and inappropriate joke in SpongeBob is also an unfunny, desperate attempt at shock humor in Family Guy. Suicide jokes are really hard to get right when used in already existing franchises. They usually come off as extremely forced, failed attempts at shock humor. Thus, it ends up becoming a problem in this episode, when it's a pretty big source at comedy. The rest of the episode is mixed. There's some good parts (Like SpongeBob faxing himself), and some horrendous parts (Like the unfunny, random ending). Overall, an episode with a really bad element forced into it, causing what could be a bland, forgettable episode, into becoming a much larger controversial mess.

Before I move on to the Number 1 pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Oral Report
The Good: A nice moment with SpongeBob talking the cops.
The Bad: Patrick's unfunny switch in personality.
The Worst: Being an overall blend episodes, with only a few likable moments.

Barnacle Face
The Good: The satisfying victory Pearl gets at the end.
The Bad: Krabs' ignorance
The Worst: The episode's overall conflict was caused by a lame excuse to make "Krabs is cheap" humor.

Bubble Buddy Returns
The Good: Some gags are funny.
The Bad: Shiny just isn't a good character.
The Worst: Contains a cheap, unoriginal layout, allowing for a boring, predictable episode.

And the Number 1 Worst Episode of SpongeBob's Eighth Season is...








































































1. Restraining SpongeBob
Original Airdate: 4-2-2012
Plot: After being abused by SpongeBob, Squidward files a restraining order against him. But, without being able to interact with Squidward, the Krusty Krab hires Patrick to interact to Squidward for SpongeBob, but this leads to complicated results.
Main Characters: Squidward, Patrick, SpongeBob
Fun Fact: Squidward is injured in at least 12 different ways in this episode.

How?





Just..........how..........? How does one manage to completely botch Patrick's character not once, but twice. Remember all the issues with Patrick in Smooth Jazz in Bikini Bottom? Well, get rid of the "No point in being here" part, and you've got Patrick in this episode! Honestly, did the writers seriously find dead brained-ape Patrick to be that funny? So much so that he had to be reintroduced into this episode, only with a stalker vibe to his performance? Honestly, this is the most messed up version of Patrick I have laid my eyes on. We get that Patrick had to be worse than SpongeBob in order to keep the plot moving along in order to set up the climax, but did they really have to do it in such a forced, unfunny way? The writers could've made it that Patrick was legitimately trying at his job, but kept goofing up each time. It worked perfectly in Big Pink Loser, and No Hat For Pat. It wouldn't feel like a rehash of already used tropes, because Patrick was in different scenarios at the time. His motivation isn't to prove that he's not a nobody, but rather he can't let his best friend down in a time of need. But no. We get the worst form of comedy this series has to offer in such an atrocious episode. Oh yeah, the abuse towards Squidward is upped 10x more than it is in usual "Squid Abuse" episodes. I want to avoid talking about Squid Abuse, as I've done in the past, but this episode is just SUPER CRUEL. The sequences are so painful, Squidward is literally deep fried, and is bitten into. If it was animated in a more cartoonish style, maybe it wouldn't be so bad, but the characters are so stiff, and realistic in this episode that makes the scenes painful to watch. I really hate this episode, the ending is the only time I've ever wanted to legitimately punch a cartoon character in the face. Patrick is an obnoxious form of comic relief, the plot relies heavily on these awfully directed sequences, the abuse in this episode pumped up to the max, it truly is the absolute WORST episode of SpongeBob's Eighth Season.

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That being said, SpongeBob's Eighth Season truly has some of the worst episodes of the series. Luckily, this Season has plenty of great episodes that really keep this from being as awful as Seasons 6 & 7. Stay tuned for the Top 10 Best Season 8 SpongeBob Episodes.
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When it comes to bad episodes, SpongeBob's Eighth Season continues to release awful quality episodes that can be compared to that of the worst of the show's Seventh Season. But this Season is also a turning point for good episodes, as there are a lot more good episodes than the previous Season. In fact, this Season is an ultimate mixed bag containing some of the worst episodes of the series, and some of the most memorable, and best of the series. Today, I'll be discussing my picks for the Top 10 Best Season 8 SpongeBob Episodes. Remember, this is based off both my personal opinion, and the quality of the episode I'm reviewing. Let's get started.

10. The Good Krabby Patty Name
Original Airdate: 9-3-2012
Plot: Mr. Krabs learns of a few people in Bikini Bottom who have never eaten at the Krusty Krab. He hires SpongeBob & Patrick to spread the word of the Krusty Krab to attract these new customers.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Mr. Krabs, Patrick
Fun Fact: At the beginning of the episode, only 12 people have never eaten at the Krusty Krab.

The Good Krabby Patty Name has a pretty interesting plot. For once we get an episode focusing around the Krusty Krab with a newly introduced premise, rather a rehash of an already done concept. While in the past, we've seen the Krusty Krab experiment with commercials, stage shows, live performances, this is the first time we get an episode focusing solely on advertising the Krusty Krab. And while not the most memorable episode, it certainly has some pretty funny moments. Particularly when Krabs interacts with his final customer. It's a nice, simple episode that has plenty of funny jokes to keep it fresh, rather than a slow moving bore. The concept of this episode sounds intriguing, and the execution of it was done in a nice way, using a lot of different jokes to keep it a solid episode, with an exciting climax even thrown in. Overall, not the most complex episode, just a simple delight.

9. Move It or Lose It
Original Airdate: 10-21-2012
Plot: A regulation forces restaurants in Bikini Bottom to not be in a relatively close proximity to one another. Plankton and Krabs now fight over who's restaurant has to move.
Main Characters: Mr. Krabs, Plankton, SpongeBob
Fun Fact: Like many Season 8 episodes, this one is often overlooked by many fans.

Move It or Lose It is one of the most creative episodes in the Season. C'mon, the plot is genius. Finally taking advantage of the ironic location of these two competitive restaurants really makes for solid, intriguing conflict. Best of all, not only does the premise pull you in, but the episode keeps you on edge, wondering who is going to have their restaurant moved? There's actual stakes in this episode, which keeps you hooked, curious as to how the episode will end. While in general, this isn't an episode that's too funny, and get be quite forgettable, the premise stands out for being such an odd premise that would only essentially work within a cartoon. Previous Krusty Krab themed episodes (Aside from "Stealing the formula" centered episodes) had a more realistic tone to it, often with some cartoon elements thrown into it (Biggest example being Best Frenemies). This conflict takes full advantage of being inside of a cartoon. Also, the plot twist ending is definitely one of the funniest gags in the entire episode. Overall, a creative plot executed brilliantly, with a sense of suspense, keeping you from becoming bored, as well as a great ending. A true highlight of the Season.

8. Free Samples
Original Airdate: 4-6-2012
Plot: Plankton sells fake Krabby Patty free samples, thus giving the Krabby Patty a bad name.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Plankton, Mr. Krabs
Fun Fact: Oddly enough, two fish are able to morph their heads into human forearms and hands.

Notice how this is the third episode in a row centered around the Krusty Krab. This Season really branches out from a standard episode set around the Krusty Krab, now further expanding onto the fate of the restaurant being put in jeopardy, over wacky hijinks that occur inside of the restaurant. Because let me tell you, that got really old by the time Gullible Pants came out, so this Season really gives the Krusty Krab episodes a breath of fresh air. Free Samples is the episode that masters the creation of a more unique Krusty Krab centered episode. This episode really stands out for how well it was executed. The plot itself seems eerily similar to that of The Good Krabby Patty Name, but thankfully this episode brings in a lot more than that episode has to offer, with plenty of differences separating the two. The execution of this concept is handled brilliantly, with tons of hilarious visual gags. These visual gags makes this the liveliest episode of the Season, and that's saying something because the animation in this series reached it's peak during the Eighth Season. These gags stand out as some of the funniest moments in the episode, and that's not the end of the funny gags. Lots of humor is thrown around in this episode, making it a joy to endure. The plot is also a very interesting take on a Plankton/Krusty Krab themed episode. Rather than try to steal the formula, Plankton tries to ruin the company's image, effectively putting them out of the business. It's a pretty smart plot, and is definitely one of the more unique plans carried out by Plankton. The solution to the problem was also pretty smart as well, even being a little bit of satire if you think about it (How putting "New/Improved" over something increases popularity of a product). Free Samples is one my favorite episodes in the Season, and is a highly underrated gem.

7. Mr. Krabs Takes a Vacation
Original Airdate: 11-9-2011
Plot: Mr. Krabs brings SpongeBob along on his vacation to the Bikini Bottom Mint.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Mr. Krabs
Fun Fact: This is the last of the "Road Trip" episodes to be made.

Mr. Krabs Takes a Vacation is one of the more simpler episodes in the Season, and it certainly holds up as one of the best. Filled with plenty of humor, centered around Krabs taking his vacation to, of course, a mint. I, for one, don't find this to be an annoying way to force in the "Krabs likes money" trope. I personally find the plot concept to be hilarious. The fact that Krabs would spend his family vacation, with his own daughter mind you, at a mint is a hilarious idea. I love the way it's played out, how he interacts with Pearl in the car ride to the mint. Also, that fake-out with the Teenage Boy Museum is hilarious! Just the concept of the Teenage Boy Museum alone is funny, but the fact that we actually see it exist for a few seconds, only to be destroyed was a great joke, demonstrated with the proper setup, and a hilarious execution. The rest of the episode is a very silly, predictable type of episode. Sure it's cheesy, and predictable, but that kind of gives the episode charm. The episode's plot isn't a serious one, it's a simple one that relies heavily on jokes, which is why I can excuse the lower sense of humor this episode has. The visual gags are pretty entertaining, and I find SpongeBob's reaction to the irony of the tour guide's name hilarious. Just the timing of it all really makes such a cheesy pun you wouldn't laugh at all the more corny, and funny. The climax is where things actually take a turn for the better, the much better. In an exciting turn of events, a robbery occurs within the museum, and Krabs ends up saving the security staff from the robbers, and ultimately stopping their robbery. It's really nice seeing such an exciting climax after a more nonsensical episode, and allows Krabs to develop as a character, proving his love for money isn't just a silly addiction, but also a serious passion. It's a solid episode with plenty of funny jokes, a great climax, and memorable moments. The one thing that'd probably make this one of the best of the Season, would be if the ending somehow tied together with the Teenage Boy Museum, with Pearl taking Krabs' reward money in order to reward herself for being dragged on a dumb trip, thus causing her to pay for her own trip to a newer Teenage Boy Museum. But alas, that doesn't happen. Still, it's a great episode.

6. The Krabby Patty That Ate Bikini Bottom
Original Airdate: 11-25-2011
Plot: After stealing a growing serum from Sandy, Mr. Krabs uses it to increase the size of Krabby Patties. But, things go chaotic when it grows gigantic, and begins to suck in everything in Bikini Bottom.
Main Charcters: SpongeBob, Sandy, Mr. Krabs
Fun Fact: This is the most destruction of Bikini Bottom that hadn't completely destroyed the city.

If there's one thing I miss from SpongeBob's Seventh and Eighth Seasons, it's the episodes with a Sci-Fi/Action drama. The few episodes with this genre were always entertaining, whether funny, or not. This is one of those episodes. The Krabby Patty That Ate Bikini Bottom is a typical Sci-Fi "Experiment that has gone wrong" type of episode. It's very similar to Whelk Attack (A better episode in my opinion), though there are several differences. For instance, in this episode we see the cause of the attack, whereas the cause of the Whelk Attack was revealed at the end of the episode. TKPTABB is another suspenseful thrill ride, and I love that. It's so cool seeing an actual legitimately serious disaster occur in Bikini Bottom (Something that rarely occurs in the series). I thought the setup was very interesting, as we don't even see Krabs and Sandy interact, especially alone. Krabs, of course, trying to make a profit steals her invention, overuses it on the patties, blah, blah, blah, action time! It's a nice change from a standard SpongeBob episode that's usually slowed down. While one of the most entertaining episodes of the Season, I must note I really don't like the predictable climax, being way too similar to the resolution of Whelk Attack (An episode already similar to this one). Overall, TKPTABB is an episode you'll get plenty of entertainment out of. Still, it's not as creative as the other episode with this Sci-Fi/Action genre...

5. Planet of the Jellyfish
Original Airdate: 3-31-2012
Plot: An alien parasite race disguised as Jellyfish attempt to take over Bikini Bottom. Slowly, but surely, SpongeBob & Sandy learn the alien's ways.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Jellions, Sandy
Fun Fact: Despite never being officially referred to this name from the characters, the Jellyfish creatures in this episode are known as Jellions.

Kind of ironic that this episode is paired up with one of the worst episodes of the series. Planet of the Jellyfish is a clever parody of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. It takes a similar approach to the main premise of "Invasion", with some original tweaks, allowing for a very entertaining episode. Planet of the Jellyfish is such an odd charm in Season 8. The writers just went all out with having fun with this loose parody. The surreal nature of the Jellion's when imitating the creature they've replaced supplies the episode some comedy. I don't know, just their delivery, as well as the random "Rah's", and their hatred of mayonnaise is pretty funny. Kind of on the same level of the surreal humor in early Adult Swim shows (Particularly Space Ghost when it transitioned onto Adult Swim). Plus, the mayonnaise gag isn't even just there for laughs. Sure, it's funny, but it's also an important plot element, a sure sign of foreshadowing the alien's weakness. It's just...so peculiar to describe this episode. All of it's traits, the poor pacing, not so clever dialogue, an obvious parody of a well known movie, you'd think this would be an awful episode, but the way the episode is laid out & directed, it's really just a fun, cheesy episode. I really like the more quirky nature of this episode, and it's kind of cool seeing Sandy & SpongeBob as the two main protagonists of this episode. Usually the conflict lies between the two of them, but this time, they're facing a separate form of conflict. Ultimately, Planet of the Jellyfish is such a joy to watch, I really love this episode with all of it's quirky aspects. The writers obviously had fun writing this episode, and put in a lot of care for this one (Which is more I can say than this episode's partner).

4. Mooncation
Original Airdate: 11-10-2011
Plot: Sandy shows Patrick and SpongeBob slides of her vacation to the moon, which happened to be altered severely from her plans, thanks to a certain yellow sponge who hopped on board at the last second.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Sandy
Fun Fact: The man who spots Sandy and SpongeBob return home on their way from space is the late Don Newhouse, making his third cameo in the series (Appearing previously as the old sailor in Mermaid Man & Barnacle Boy, and the Soda Guy in Sun Bleached.

Obviously the best episode in the "Runaway Roadtrip" series. Sorry Patrick's Staycation, and a quarePants family vacation, you're not on this list. Mooncation is such a creative episode, it really goes all out with trying to stand out, with a mix of CGI, regular 2D animation, and even live action! Mooncation obviously had the most effort poured into it out of all the Runaway Roadtrip episodes (And if SquarePants Family Vacation had more effort put into it, that's pretty pathetic considering it's outcome). Mooncation is such a likable episode, with a simple creative adventure with Sandy and SpongeBob. We don't generally get enough of these, and I feel as if this episode captures Sandy's scientific side at her best. Goodness, she's not even completely scientific. That good ol' Texas charm of hers is used in the climax, and well, she's a pretty great protagonist in this episode. Everything that essentially makes Sandy a great character is seen in this episode (Though there aren't any Karate moments, which is fine, because it'd feel really forced, honestly). The characters are pretty much in control of the plot for once. One of the biggest things I noticed with the worst of the Eighth Season is that those episodes generally include characters without motivations. Hence, they come off as out-of-character, and extremely forced, because they only show up in the episode because "script says so.". This episode has no direct conflict, and relies heavily on the interactions between SpongeBob and Sandy. It's a neat premise that's character driven, and it's delivered really smoothly. The only part I guess that felt a little forced was the sheet cake scene, but I thought it was kind of a decent attempt at satire for cheap cake bakeries, so I'll give it a pass. Ultimately, this episode probably would be a lot lower on the list (Maybe even not even in the Top 10) due to the middle of the episode being super forgettable once they get onto the moon. Thankfully, the exciting climax (Which is probably one of my favorite climaxes in the show) occurs, filled with excitement, great character motivations, great animation, and one of my favorite fourth wall breaks in the series. Ultimately, Mooncation is a simple, fun adventure, one I definitely wouldn't mind taking a look at once again.

3. Sentimental Sponge
Original Airdate: 4-2-2011
Plot: After learning that you can preserve things for sentimental purposes from Patrick, SpongeBob ends up becoming a hoarder.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Squidward
Fun Fact: SpongeBob's hoarder outfit consists of a garbage bag as a hat, a pizza box as a shirt and pants, a tissue box as a right shoe, an old loaf of bread as a left shoe, an inner tube as a right sleeve, and a toilet rim as a left sleeve.

I gotta be honest, it's really hard to find an episode of SpongeBob I love simply because of comedy, that came out after Season 4. I love Season 5, and I do enjoy parts of Season 8, and I can find some enjoyment out of Season 6, but the point is, most episodes in my Top 10 are usually because of a creative plot. Good comedy still exists within the show, in fact, it still exists to this day. But, it's really hard for me to find an episode I adored simply because it's funny. Comedy does help influence my opinions still, but a lot of episodes in Season 8 generally focus more on a story standpoint, particularly since the comedy themed episodes just weren't working by the show's Seventh Season.

So, it comes to my attention the Sentimental Sponge is a hilarious form of satire on hoarders. The over-the-top exaggeration of SpongeBob's hoarding is laid out in hilarious visuals. Squidward really plays off SpongeBob well in this episode, heck, I think he's the cause of this episode's humor. A lot of jokes play off Squidward, whether his reaction the the crazy antics around him, or other people's interaction with him (Particularly the crew that condemned SpongeBob's house, they were hilarious!). There's tons of jokes and gags that really keep this episode strong. Heck, I think the "Nightshirt" running gag is one of the funniest running gags in the show's run! Sentimental Sponge is a genius satire on the bad side of hoarding. It kind of tells a lesson too, balancing it out with comedy of course. The plot seems like a risky idea, but the writers brilliantly handled this subject and delivered an episode successfully poking fun at hoarders. I also especially love the treatment of SpongeBob's character in this episode. The cause for him to become a hoarder is something highly expected of the sponge. His reaction to the concept of keeping "keepsakes" for sentimental values is very reasonable the way he was introduced to it. But, there's two sides to everything, and this episode properly shows how the idea of keeping items that matter to you may sound good up front, it can have disastrous results if handled without control, all while showing off the most comedic extreme circumstances. My only problem with this episode is Patrick, I feel as if the delivery of his lines was very forced, whose only purpose is to serve as the one who convinces SpongeBob hoarding is good. Still, he does cause Squidward to deliver one of my favorite lines at the end of the episode.

2. For Here Or to Go
Original Airdate: 4-12-2012
Plot: The Krusty Krab holds a contest that whoever guesses the amount of Sesame Seeds they have within a jar wins a free Krabby Patty. It just so happens the winner is Plankton.
Main Characters: Mr. Krabs, Plankton, SpongeBob
Fun Fact: The production used in the original SpongeBob theme song from 1997 is heard upon the break-in of Plankton's legal team.


Such an underrated gem...such an underrated gem...

I don't even know where to start when describing how awesome this episode is. It's such a clever turn of event. Mr. Krabs is forced, legally, to give Plankton a Krabby Patty. With the clock ticking, Krabs has to try everything in his power to prevent it from happening. Also, how come Krabs has never copyrighted, or patented the Krabby Patty? If Plankton is able to use legal action for being unjustly discriminated, due to being an enemy of Krabs, isn't Krabs allowed to sue Plankton if he successfully steals the formula? That's so odd, Plankton can get arrested for trying to steal it, yet at the end of the episode, he sells free Krabby Patties. The logic of this concept is smart, yet Krabs never even thinks of the concept! Eh, maybe it'd make a good series finale.

Anyway, For Here Or to Go is a genius episode where no matter what our protagonists can do, one way or another, they have to give Plankton a Krabby Patty. This is a pretty complex episode, and I really dig that. Plankton will get a patty. That's a fact, there's nothing stopping him from getting it. The episode focuses on how the protagonists try to figure out a way to go around this scenario. The episode was brilliantly directed, and I must give props to both the writers, and director(s) of this episode. There's plenty of funny jokes that keep the situation from being completely serious, and fitting in with a regular SpongeBob episode. The clever spin on Plankton using legal action against the Krusty Krab is such a brilliant premise, and it's not the standard legal practice we see in cartoons (Previously shown in Krabs vs. Plankton), but rather a more interesting, complicated form of legal action.

The ending is what truly sells this episode, with Krabs finally admitting defeat, but realizing one way he might be able to keep Plankton from using a Krabby Patty for his own purpose. This way forces Plankton to have to eat the patty on Krusty Krab property. An incredible loophole from Krabs, indeed. But that's not the end of it all. Plankton swallows his patty whole, and rushes to the Chum Bucket, with Karen dissecting the patty out of him (Without time to give him anesthetic.). He sells the product, but with the elements of his stomach included, making for a hilarious reaction from the grossed out customers who attended the Chum Bucket.

All in all, one of the most clever episodes in the Season.

Before we move on to the Number 1 pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

The Way of the Sponge
The Bad: A pretty forgettable setup to the conflict.
The Good: Buzzy is a pretty cool character.
The Best: The awesome thrill of the climax mixed with a nice ending.

Drive Thru
The Bad: Krabs greed taking over in the climax involving him destroying the Krusty Krab.
The Good: The concept sounds intriguing.
The Best: The interactions between SpongeBob/Squidward and the customers.

The Hot Shot
The Bad: While a good character, Tony Fast Jr. has no real personality, aside from a stereotype.
The Good: I like the idea of this "macho miracle worker", chill, laid back character hanging out with the neurotic SpongeBob.
The Best: The exciting driving scene in the climax is very entertaining.

And the Number 1 Best Episode of SpongeBob's Eighth Season is...




























































1. Hello Bikini Bottom!
Original Airdate: 10-8-2012
Plot: Squidward and SpongeBob end up becoming a musical duo, and travel on tour. Unfortunately, Mr. Krabs' tactics as their manager launches them into a crazy situation.
Main Characters: Mr. Krabs, Colonel Carper Squidward, SpongeBob
Fun Fact: This is the final episode Aaron Springer worked on as a writer, after being around for over 14 years. It is also the final episode of the series not to be broadcasted in the 16:9 ratio.

Yes friends, Hello Bikini Bottom! is the best episode of SpongeBob's Eighth Season. I love this episode, and I'm pretty sure everyone agrees with me when I say this a fantastic episode. Hello Bikini Bottom! is such a moving episode. Here we have one of the blandest Seasons in the show's run, and it has such a special finale that holds up as being one of the best episodes of the series. It has a neat idea, focusing in on Squidward and SpongeBob's musical side being explored with both of them together. And no, they're not terrible just for laughs, it's the characters in their surroundings that supply the laughs. Krabs' sneaky tactics to save money are really funny, the absurd concept of Krabs auctioning the Krusty Krab (The entire restaurant, yes, the physical restaurant is placed in a Pawn Shop), there's just so many great parts about this episode, and in a way, they all tie together. The jokes are there to be funny, but they also serve a purpose in the plot. The cheap tactics used by Krabs comes back later to bite him in the but, when Colonel Carper (The villain in the episode) takes back Krabs' money in a form of revenge for stealing his equipment, and planned clients.

Yeah, there's an actual villain in this episode. It's not Plankton, it's an entirely newly introduced villain. And in a way, he's not like most villains where he's "evil" just to be "evil", he has a legitimate reason to be the antagonist of the story. Krabs takes SpongeBob & Squidward from him, when he was on the verge of becoming their manager, AND steals his equipment and audience. So, it's justified for Colonel to act like a jerk, coming after Krabs and his band when they've hit rock bottom. But, he does it in such an unlikable, and over-reactive fashion that he's bad enough to be a villain, and that's what makes this complex character truly work as a villain.

The joke about the Krusty Krab being put in a Pawn Shop. Yeah, it's hilarious, but it's actually a crucial move, because if the band fails, they have nothing to fall back on. If they're out of money, they can't get the Krusty Krab back, and it's pretty important.

Also, think about SpongeBob & Squidward. They started this whole thing just by simply playing music in their houses on a regular day, because that's what they like to do. They get wrapped up in all this mess, that by the time Squidward calls it quits, he and SpongeBob end up realizing what this is all about. Not the fame, nor the fortune, but for the music. And it's not in your face, nor is it directly said to you, but it's there, subtly, and it's an excellent tie to Squidward and SpongeBob at their core, just their love for making music.

The episode is brilliantly directed, brilliantly. The timing on tons of jokes is really perfected in this episode, and let me tell you, there are A LOT of jokes.

The episode shines the most, however, at it's climax. That beautiful, beautiful song with SpongeBob & Squidward, set with glorious visuals that perfectly represent the tone of the atmosphere. They've been through a lot of struggles, Squidward wants to leave, but SpongeBob still cares about the music. It's such a glorious song, and despite being at the bottom of their game, their current lifestyle is over as they know it, without their jobs, they still love what truly matters the most. The music. And it's handled beautifully, followed by the funniest joke in the episode.

My only complaint was the rushed ending, and how out of place it felt after such a gloriously crafted episode, but I can let it slide, since 1. It's funny, and 2. It's just a small little speck in the overall episode.

Overall, Hello Bikini Bottom! is a much more in-depth experience than you'd think it is. It's the one extended episode that truly takes advantage of it's time, telling a story, with plenty of great jokes, songs, and memorable characters. Hello Bikini Bottom! is without a doubt the best episode of SpongeBob's Eighth Season.

https://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=Q012Dt1q2CnQIUQpqQ3wqSGIzxV9LkmgOhwDp42YOTg%3D

Overall, Season 8 isn't perfect. Far from it, it's one of the most flawed Seasons in this show's history. But, if you look at it's good side, you can see that it has some of the best episodes of the series. Well folks, I've finally done it. I've done a Top 10 for the first Eight Seasons of SpongeBob, and I gotta say, I'm really excited for my upcoming Top 10s. I've been waiting to do a Top 10 for Season 9 since the spring of 2015. I'm really looking forward to it. Stay tuned for my picks for the Top 10 Worst Season 9 SpongeBob Episodes.


_________________________________________________________________________________________

Yeah, these lists aren't as good as my Season 7 lists, but hey, coming up is my Season 9 list. Not a lot of people talk about Season 9 as a whole, so this is going to be interesting. :krabssmirk:
 

Jack M Crazyfish

I'm back, I guess.
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Interesting list, I'm glad I'm not the only person who really hates Restraining SpongeBob. Sentimental Sponge is a bit of an odd choice for the number 3 best but I won't judge and it's not that bad of an episode.
 

EmployeeAMillion

Season 12 Time!
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I have to say this is your best list so far. Even with the bad episodes, you gave them a chance and explained thoroughly why they did and/or didn’t work. Good stuff, and can’t wait to see the Season 9/10 lists.
 

McSponge

Frozen Cephalopod
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EmployeeAMillion said:
I have to say this is your best list so far. Even with the bad episodes, you gave them a chance and explained thoroughly why they did and/or didn’t work. Good stuff, and can’t wait to see the Season 9/10 lists.
Thank you!

Wintermelon43 said:
OH MY GOD THERE IS SOMEONE ELSE OUT THERE WHO LIKES SENTIMENTAL SPONGE
Yeah, honestly I've never found it to be that bad of an episode. I honestly get more laughs out of it than just about any other Season 8 episode.

Jack M Crazyfish said:
Interesting list, I'm glad I'm not the only person who really hates Restraining SpongeBob. Sentimental Sponge is a bit of an odd choice for the number 3 best but I won't judge and it's not that bad of an episode.
Yeah, Restraining Sponge is that type of episode that's overshadowed by other horrible episodes, yet it's still really terrible.

Honest Slug said:
All of them are the worst.
In your opinion, which one's the least bad?
 

The Tough Sponge Man

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Hello Bikini Bottom! I'm pretty sure everyone agrees with me when I say this a fantastic episode.

That's a lie, I think Hello Bikini Bottom! is complete garbage, and the worst episode of the entire series.
 
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