The show went downhill mid-season 5 for me. Episodes like To Save A Squirrel, SpongeHenge, Stanley S. SquarePants, Pest Of The West & Le Big Switch are dull episodes with little enjoyment to them.
Season 6-8 just suck. 8 is better than 6 & 7 but generally they all suck with episodes like Not Normal, No Hat For Pat, Earworm & Chum Fricassee showing that the show could at least put out 1 great episodes for the other 15 or so I hate.
I love season 9. Not just 9b, 9a too. Episodes like Plankton’s Pet, Eek, An Urchin!, And Bulletin Board fit well within seasons 1-4
Season 10 & 11 are fine. Worse than 9. Better than 5. I used to dislike season 11 but after watching it again, it’s on the same ground with 10.
Season 12 is mediocre. It’s better than 6-8 but not by much. I’d say it’s because of Hillenburg’s death that season 12 kinda sucks but these episodes were produced before his death, so I say writers doing the same spiel for 3 seasons could wear them. Remember, by the end of Season 3, the team were producing some very middle of the road episodes. And that was with Hillenburg on.
So here’s how the seasons stack up for me
12. Season 7
11. Season 6
10. Season 8
9. Season 12
8. Season 5
7. Season 11
6. Season 10
5. Season 9
4. Season 1
3. Season 4
2. Season 2
1. Season 3