Don't you love it when you're working on something, and for some odd reasons, all your windows just close? Yeah, just happened to me. Time to start over -_-
SpongeBob's Tenth Season is by far the most divided Season among fans, some love it, some hate it, many feel it's in-between. Well I'm here today to share my thoughts and feelings on this Season, these are my picks for the Top 10 Worst and Best episodes of SpongeBob's Tenth Season! This is technically a ranking too, considering there are only 22 episodes in Season 10. Originally written from December 3rd to December 18th 2017.
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SpongeBob's Tenth Season has definitely had some pretty bad moments. It contains some great episodes, but it also contains some really bad episodes. Being that this is the shortest Season of SpongeBob, the overall quality of the Season can change drastically just by the addition of two or so terrible episodes, or with two or so great episodes. The Tenth Season just feels like an overall mixed bag, kind of like a watered down version of Season 5, in which I don't loath episodes I dislike, yet I don't adore episodes I like. Lots of people seem to have mixed opinions on this Season, so I'm going to weigh in my thoughts and feelings. This is my pick for the Top 10 Worst Episodes of SpongeBob's Tenth Season. Let's get started.
10. SpongeBob's Place
Original Airdate: 3-11-2017
Plot: Jealous of everyone giving SpongeBob positive attention, Mr. Krabs makes SpongeBob leave the Krusty Krab (Because of a "Ghost"), and becomes the Krusty Krab's new fry cook. But, what happens when things go wrong at the Krusty Krab, and SpongeBob ends up setting up his own restaurant at his house?
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Mr. Krabs, Squidward, Customers
Fun Fact: The statue on top of "SpongeBob's Place" is a parody of the iconic Big Boy statue.
Oh boy, just reading the premise of this episode, you can find lots of flaws with this concept. First of all, this is pretty much Banned in Bikini Bottom, minus the more negative attitude projected in that episode. However, I'm in a minority that actually liked Banned in Bikini Bottom. Were the sisters annoying? Kind of, but they were written to be annoying, they're intended to be antagonists. This premise doesn't make any sense, it's entirely out of Krabs' character to kick SpongeBob out of the Krusty Krab just because he's getting all the attention. It's a pathetic setup, and even worse, it's payoff is essentially an enhanced version of Banned in Bikini Bottom. It's not that memorable either, lots of scenes in this episode are really forgettable, in fact I have a hard time trying to remember what goes on in this episode in the first place! It just doesn't stick with you like a lot of other episodes do. Out of the hundreds of episodes in this series, if this one ended up being removed from existence, I probably wouldn't notice. The only part in this episode that's remotely memorable is Squidward's scenes at the empty Krusty Krabs. Those scenes were actually decently funny, I consider them to be the highlight of the episode. The rest of the episode, while harmless, yes, fails to really come across as an entertaining piece of art. Aside from some images that stick with me (Like the Big Boy statue parody), this episode is as memorable as a Seventh Grade English test. None of the jokes in this episode really stick with me, a lot of scenes are super forgettable, the plot isn't even that original, it's not that good of an episode in my book.
9. Snooze You Lose
Original Airdate: 3-4-2017
Plot: Squidward, finding sleep to be an impossible challenge to accomplish, ends up falling asleep at the wrong time, before his audition. Luckily, SpongeBob and Patrick are there to try to get him to his audition.
Main Characters: Squidward, SpongeBob, Patrick
Fun Fact: Squidward has the ability to move his eyes inside, looking at his brain, just like SpongeBob did in Plankton!
Oh, Snooze You Lose. This was one of the first really disliked episodes of SpongeBob's Tenth Season, and while it's definitely not the worse, it is certainly one of the weaker episodes. I do like the derpy looking Squidward when controlled by SpongeBob and Patrick, I do think that allowed for some pretty funny visual sequences to take place. However, the episode severely lack substance. Yeah, Squidward can't fall asleep. Now he is asleep. SpongeBob and Patrick climb inside him (Don't take that the wrong way), and try to get him to the auditions. I will give this episode credit for being one of the funnier episodes on this list, but it definitely isn't funny enough to backup an otherwise simplistic plot. The chaos just doesn't feel chaotic enough to be that funny, nor do Squidward's super tired scenes, there's potential within these scenes, yet the execution of them fail to present that exciting of a sequence, or just a super funny sequence. If I were to watch this episode a couple of times in a row, I can guarantee the jokes would get stale quickly. There's nothing really clever about the humor in this episode, nothing really creative, there's not much of an edge. It just feels like a borderline generic episode. The characters in this episode are decent, I guess. SpongeBob and Patrick do care enough to take Squidward to the audition, while he remains asleep, that's a pretty caring move. Overall, the execution in this episode isn't the worst, but it definitely could be better. There's tons of room for improvement.
8. Trident Trouble
Original Airdate: 3-25-2017
Plot: King Neptune's trident is accidentally switched with SpongeBob's spatula, and the two end up getting into trouble as a result of the switch.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, King Neptune, Greek Chorus
Fun Fact: This is the only episode in which there is spoken dialogue in the title card.
Oh boy, here's the first episode on this list that I legitimately dislike. Yeah the previous two were fairly weak episodes, but I struggled to describe what exactly went wrong with those episodes, since they were pretty harmless. Well buckle in, because this is an episode I've despised since I first saw it. The conflict of this episode is super generic. I was really displeased to find the cliche "Switched" premise used in this episode. C'mon, you can do better than that! There are tons of creative episodes that came out around this time, why make an episode with one of the most basic, and overused plot devices out there! The setup for this episode is as stereotypical as you can get. How about the execution of the plot, does it manage to enhance the already overused "Switched" trope? Surprisingly, yeah. There's actually some creativity sprinkled throughout the episode. I absolutely love Neptune's scenes in this episode, there really entertaining, and there's even some comedy put into them. The Greek Chorus is a unique premise, though they are quite annoying by the climax. However, where this episode truly fails is found within SpongeBob's scenes. They're so anti-climatic. C'mon! SpongeBob's given a godly device which can do just about anything, why spend so much time focusing on how the device adapts to SpongeBob's job, there should be more exciting things SpongeBob can do with Neptune's trident. Even then, it takes what feels like forever for him to realize it's not his real spatula. This is the type of ignorance within this show that absolutely annoys me. His scenes are so lame, there's lots of potential in this episode, yet the writer of this episode fails to do anything with it! The closest thing we get to "excitement" in SpongeBob's scenes is the Icecream Geyser scene. Slightly creative, yes, but there's nothing funny about these scenes. Heck, there's nothing really funny about this episode at all! Aside from the kracken scenes, lots of the jokes really miss the mark, and it comes across as a really lackluster episode. Again, missed potential really seemed to ruin this episode. Not enough excitement, okay fine, but the jokes are so pathetic! With a concept as generic as you can get, there's little unique substance added to this episode. Goodness, even The Clash of Triton shorts were more exciting than this!
7. Don't Wake Patrick
Original Airdate: 10-7-2017
Plot: SpongeBob tries to prevent Patrick from hurting himself while he sleepwalks.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Patrick
Fun Fact: This is the first short to air in over a decade (The Bad Guy Club for Villains is kind of a short, but it's longer than the average short, lasting almost 9 minutes, in comparison to the average 4-7 minute long short.
Meh, this is a pretty middle-in-the-road kind of episode. Though I don't dislike it as much as I dislike Trident Trouble, I personally found the execution of this episode to be fairly weak. Once again, the writer and storyboard artist seemed to really miss their mark with this episode. There are tons of possibilities with this premise, yet it seems to be one of the most watered down variations of a "sleep-walking" type of plot. The episode isn't nearly as funny or suspenseful as it should be. Yeah, there's a gag or two that I found decent (Like Patrick's tongue flying into SpongeBob's mouth), but the episode ends up being a fairly forgetful adventure. I'll give it credit, I'm definitely glad it's a short rather than a full 11-minute long episode (Trust me, I'd be much more displeased with it if it was), but even then, I feel as though the episode felt lackluster. Again, lots of potential moments with this episode, but it missed it's mark. There's not that many funny jokes, lots of scenes are fairly forgetful, the setup takes way too long in my book, and it's the first episode in a long time to screw up the show's barely functioning continuity (I guess Glove Universe failed, and Glove World is back?). Overall, it's not that bad of an episode, but it's a pretty weak one with lots of missed opportunities.
6. Out of the Picture
Original Airdate: 6-17-2017
Plot: Mr. Krabs decides to kill Squidward, after being informed that artist paintings tend to become much more expensive after their painter's death.
Main Characters: Squidward, Mr. Krabs
Fun Fact: This episode marks the return of Rock Bottom (Which has been absent from the series' since its debut in Rock Bottom, but has appeared in multiple different forms of media, particularly the SpongeBob 4-D ride).
What can really be said about this episode other than the fact that it pushes the "It's a cartoon!" gimmick way too far. Now, I'm not against SpongeBob being, well, cartoony. Goodness, that's one of the big sparks of the renaissance from two years ago, the episodes no longer felt dull, and super stiff, like it was manufactured alongside merchandise for Fred.
Wow. These are two different shirts sold individually. What has this world come to?
Anyway, Out of the Picture focuses it's time on Krabs trying to kill Squidward in order to make a better profit off Squidward's paintings, upon hearing that an artist's work can become much more valuable once the artist has passed on. I'm not exposing this episode like many people have wasted countless amounts of time ranting on how evil Krabs is in One Coarse Meal. In my initial review for this episode, I did indeed make a comparison to OCM, seeing that I felt as though many people would judge this episode in a biased manner, ignoring this flaw in Krabs' character because Stephen Hillenburg is back! Every new episode is amazing, 11/10! No, I'm not from the SpongeBob wikia. When judging an episode, I want to do it in a unique manner, criticizing it from a more artistic viewpoint. Of course if you look at my early reviews, particularly for Seasons 1 & 2, you will see my style of reviewing wasn't always like this. This episode isn't bad because Krabs wants to kill Squidward, it's bad because his motivations are pathetically lazy, and the payoff of this premise is entirely unfunny. Not a cruel unfunny like those would spy in OCM. No, an unfunny quality presented in jokes that aren't clever in the slightest, and come off as rather lazy. Seriously, Krabs chases Squidward with a giant cartoony mallet? This would never happen in the universe of SpongeBob! FanBoy & Chum Chum, yes, but SpongeBob? No! The climax of this episode is utterly disappointing, it feels like it's contrived of any creativity. The rest of the episode is just boring, aside from glaring problems within how Krabs is written, the episode is super repetitive, having just about the same gimmick every few or so minutes. Krabs sends Squidward on a delivery to a treacherous place, Squidward survives, and returns, pushing Krabs to go more extreme. It's like if the "Need Some Change?" running gag from Skill Crane was extended into a 4-5 minute long scene, showing every failed attempt with the claw machine! It's bad enough this episode has a ridiculous plot filled with plenty of out of character moments presented by Krabs, but it's such a boring waste of time, with lots of lazy jokes and missed opportunities for some interesting scenery with Squidward's journey. Yeah, Rock Bottom returned in this episode, big whoop, it's reference in the 4-D Amusement Park ride was much better if you ask me. Overall, this is an episode I would avoid if you're not too particularly fond of Krabs to begin with, or if you just don't feel like wasting your time watching a boring episode.
5. Life Insurance
Original Airdate- 3-18-2017
Plot: SpongeBob decides to buy Life Insurance, for him, and Patrick, assuming it can protect you from pain for life. What happens when Squidward ends up falling for it, and takes it to the extreme?
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Squidward, Patrick
Fun Fact: Mr. Fitz from Mrs. Puff, You're Fired makes his return in this episode as a salesman.
This is why we never get anymore "Trio" episodes, as I like to call it. This episode does have an interesting idea, goodness, I like the setup to the conflict, I found it to have some pretty funny visual gags. However, this is one of the most boring "Trio" episodes in years, maybe even worse than That Sinking Feeling. Yeah, I personally get more entertainment out of that episode compared to the likes of this one. I never really liked this episode, when it first came out, I thought "Okay, it's not that good, but it's not that bad...", but looking back it's one of the slowest episodes of the Season! Many episodes are quite fast-paced in this Season, I noticed that seems to be the better episodes of the Season. However, some episodes do go a little too far, so it's nice to have an episode that balances out the crazy with the more calm, and normal episodes. Kind of like what John K. envisioned for Ren & Stimpy, by having super crazy episodes, alongside calmer (At least for Ren & Stimpy, it was calm) episodes. But goodness, Life Insurance had a hard enough premise to buy (Seriously? SpongeBob and Patrick take this commercial seriously? Well, okay, they did the same thing in Sold!, and that was a Good Episode), but considering the fact that there's nothing really special added to the rest of this episode, aside from the last minute or two shows how the writer of this episode couldn't find a good way to present a premise that sounds hard enough to make into an 11 minute episode to begin with. I mean yeah, there's some potential for really funny jokes in this episode, but most of it doesn't really do much with the plot, it's mostly just SpongeBob and Patrick talking to Squidward. There's no time set aside for there to be story progression, like in Idiot Box, the episode just feels like...filler...
Yeah, yeah, there's not technically filler in SpongeBob, I hear ya. But this episode is super forgettable, and from what I remember, it really drags on. I like the design of the crazy contraption, and I won't deny there is some creativity sprinkled in this episode (Goodness, the premise is actually kind of clever). But the execution of this episode is so boring, tons of jokes seem to fly by like the tumbleweeds you'd find in the living room of whatever family is watching this. Sheesh, that joke was so bad, you'd think it originated from this episode. It's bad enough most of the episode feels like you just relived the time Season 9 was airing new episodes on Nick, but the ending, which was proceeded by an interesting climax, was a super predictable, and annoying way to end the episode. Seriously, we're going for the "Squidward tries it, but fails" trope? That trope was dead by the time Squid Wood came out nearly a decade before this episode came out. Really, this is one I'd skip if I were you.
4. Lost and Found
Original Airdate: 6-10-2017
Plot: Mr. Krabs sends SpongeBob in search of a missing toy, and SpongeBob finds himself lost in the lost-and-found.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Lost People
Fun Fact: A plush resembling Yoda can be spotted on the Gee-Gaws shelf.
*Sigh*
I know I'm going to get a lot of hate for this, but I can't stand Lost and Found. I thought it was going to be a fascinating episode, exploring the underground depths of the Krusty Krab. It'd be a grand adventure, with tons of new sights to see, but unfortunately, what we got was an episode focusing more on the "Lost" element of Lost and Found, with the episode taking a predictable turn, along with a group of obnoxious, new characters. I'm sorry, but I can't stand these "Lost People". The concept of them is a pretty amusing take on the "Lost" concept of a Lost and Found, I won't deny that. However, I personally found them to be too annoying, and they took up tons of SpongeBob's time down in the Lost and Found. There were tons, TONS of potential within this episode's concept, but the episode just felt like a giant wasted opportunity. Notice that's thing I seem to say frequently in this Top 10 list, most bad episodes in the Tenth Season aren't bad because of big plot holes, they're bad because they're merely unentertaining to watch. And that's a shame, there are a lot of good ideas thrown around in this Season, and I noticed a lot of them seemed to have failed at having a plot executed in a funny/entertaining manner. Too much time was emphasized on these new, obnoxious characters, and a lot of the gags in the Lost and Found were really lame, generic gags. There's even some parts of the episode in the Krusty Krab, but they're so unmemorable, I don't even remember how this episode ends, just using the knowledge at the back of my head. It's a really pathetic execution of what could've been a much better episode. If the episode didn't go the generic route of having SpongeBob get lost, it could've been a more original, and unique episode. Even then, Krabs could've assembled a rescue team to get SpongeBob from the Lost and Found, that at least would've made this new episode somewhat suspenseful, and interesting. Here, no one really seems to make an effort to save SpongeBob. At least I think no one does. How should I know? I can't remember half of what happens in this episode, it's so lame! Overall, this is one of my least favorite episodes of the Season. I can see how one might enjoy it, but it's just not my cup of tea.
3. Plankton Gets the Boot!
Original Airdate: 3-11-2017
Plot: After being a jerk to his wife, Karen, Plankton is kicked out of the Chum Bucket, and has to live with SpongeBob. Now, it's up to SpongeBob to help Plankton get back together with his wife.
Main Characters: Plankton, Karen, SpongeBob
Fun Fact: Various board games from past episodes, The Flying Dutchman's Treasure Hunt from Arrgh!, Patrick the Game! from Patrick the Game!, the Paddleball set from Have You Seen This Snail?, Pretzel Pals from Buried in Time, and Whirlybrains from Whirlybrains all appear in SpongeBob's living room.
*Sigh* Plankton Gets the Boot is pretty much Single Cell Anniversary with all the heart ripped out of it. The moment I watched this episode, I instantly got vibes of Single Cell Anniversary. This is, without a doubt, one of the least original episodes in the Tenth Season. Okay, okay, it's plot does divert away from Single Cell Anniversary, okay, I can see how the two are different enough to be enjoyed in different fashions (Goodness, I love both Home Sweet Pineapple and Home Sweet Rubble). However! Chances are likely I'd think highly of this episode if it weren't for the fact that this type of plot was done several years ago.
In the comic, Krusty Karen (Written by David Lewman), Karen feels neglected by Plankton, and decides to leave the Chum Bucket, and work at the Krusty Krab. SpongeBob and Squidward are put on a vacation without pay due to the success of Karen's upgrades given to the Krusty Krab. It's then revealed that Plankton's life has gone into shambles without his computer wife, and is desperate to get her back, so much so that he tries to "woo" her by going on a fake date with a fake robot to make her jealous. Sound familiar?
I'm sorry, maybe it's an extreme coincidence that this episode happens to feature a similar plot line to a past episode and comic (The comic, which wasn't even that great, it had an abrupt ending!). But the episode itself isn't even that memorable! Nothing really seems to stand out, maybe the dating scene, but that's just about it. Lots of jokes seem to center around Plankton being too...well...Plankton. But even then, these jokes somehow aren't nearly as funny as they should be! So considering how inferior this episode is to one of my favorite Season 8 episodes, Single Cell Anniversary, it just feels like a waste of my time watching this sub-par variation of the "Karen leaves Plankton" plot (Which also was a plot element in Komputer Overload!). This episode just comes across as a mediocre variation of this type of plot to begin with, but given how nothing special really seems to be added to the plot to make it stand out (Kind of like how Shellback Shenanigans incorporated the Plankton/Gary dynamic to make it feel like a more unique "Plankton disguises himself" plot), this is definitely one of the weakest episodes of the Season. At least Trident Trouble had some likable scenes with Neptune and the Kracken, at least Rock Bottom was visually appealing in Out of the Picture, at least Life Insurance had a funny setup to the conflict, this episode doesn't really have anything going in it's favor. It's a bland experience that definitely makes this one of my least favorite episodes in the Tenth Season.
2. The Incredible Shrinking Sponge
Original Airdate: 12-2-2017
Plot: SpongeBob is accidentally shrunken after his grill's temperature was risen way too high.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Squidward, Mr. Krabs
Fun Fact: The "Krabby Playland" Play Area shown in this episode doesn't actually have any ladders or stairs to enter the slide/tubes.
*Sigh*
Hey, what do you know, that's how I started my Plankton Gets the Boot! review. Oh boy, we're in for it now, actual plot holes! That's right, while most of Season 10's bad episodes tend to suffer from being really unentertaining, with either a forgetful execution of a fairly generic premise, or having a plethora of forgettable/lame jokes.
Well, The Incredible Shrinking Sponge delivers one of the sloppiest directed episodes this Season. Seriously, I had no idea where this episode wanted to go. I thought at first the episode would focus on the Urchin, seeing the foreshadowing with it at the beginning, and even then, that would've been a predictable, boring route. However, the episode suddenly switches to SpongeBob meeting up with Plankton (The only good part about this episode in my opinion), then quickly changes to him cleaning people in the Krusty Krab, then all of a sudden he starts to dislike being small...wha-wha-what!? Where is this episode going!? Okay, that's the basic synopsis of the episode, it's time for me to go a little more in-depth.
First of all, the plot is your pretty standard "Sci-Fi" plot. Goodness, aside from time traveling, shrinking is probably the most common Sci-Fi related premise in cartoons. I've seen this type of plot done before, whether in a good cartoon like the Fairly OddParents, or Phineas & Ferb, or in a bad cartoon like Johnny Test or Fanboy & Chum Chum. It's fairly common in modern cartoons that tend to stretch the boundaries of what they can do in an episode. Goodness, Squidtastic Voyage was already the series' "Shrinking" plot, but this episode does refrain from being a Squidtastic Voyage ripoff, heck, there's not a single similarity I can find between these two episodes other than the whole "Shrinking" aspect, so it's not like Plankton Gets the Boot! where I can find an ample amount of similarities between this episode and other superior ones.
So starting off, we have a decent premise that's original enough to not be considered a ripoff of Squidtastic Voyage, okay, that's cool. I'm fine with that. But here's where things start to fall apart. The execution of this premise. And of course, in typical Season 10 fashion, we start off the episode with Squidward screaming at the top of his lungs. Now I'm not one who is particularly annoyed by crazy Squidward. Goodness, I really liked crazy Squidward in one of his most zany performances in Whirly-Brains, I thought he was hilarious in that episode!
However! I feel as though Squidward goes too far within this episode. He is so crazy over these urchins. And yes, we know he has a fear of urchins, as seen in Eek, an Urchin!, but he's never acted like Patrick did in Home Sweet Pineapple. Never! This is completely out of Squidward's character. Now, we start to head down a fairly predictable route, with SpongeBob comforting the urchin, only to have it escape from him. Now, I do like how the grill shrinks SpongeBob. I thought the cause of the grill's temperature rising was pretty clever, and I thought it was a neat way to tie in with the urchin. However, once SpongeBob shrinks, we are given an assortment of lame visual gags, leading up to SpongeBob's confrontation with the urchin. Of course, the urchin tries to attack SpongeBob.
By this point the episode is fairly "Meh". It's not that good, but I've seen worse. However, this is when the episode starts to get really sloppy. Squidward instantly sees SpongeBob and mistakes him for an urchin. Uh...hello!? Earth to Squidward, SpongeBob is the general size of Plankton, he should still be big enough for you to recognize. Goodness, Krabs picks up SpongeBob, mistaking him for Plankton in a disguise, and tosses him to the Chum Bucket.
Knowing that SpongeBob was around the same relative height as Plankton, I thought the episode would focus on these two interacting with one another, which I thought would make for an interesting turn of events for this episode about shrinking. I mean, imagine how cool that would be, having SpongeBob try to stop Plankton from stealing the formula from Plankton's size, that would be cool!
But nope. The episode suddenly decides to change directions, with Plankton kicking SpongeBob out of the Chum Bucket, after bragging to SpongeBob about being a millimeter taller than him. And of course, the only somewhat interesting scene in the episode is finally over, and we're back to the boring ol' Krusty Krab.
Krabs realizes SpongeBob really HAS shrunken, leading to Squidward fainting (Which, by the way, contradicts Squidward's belief that SpongeBob was an urchin earlier. Did he seriously not recognize SpongeBob? SpongeBob looks like the opposite of an urchin, he's yellow, he's square, he's full of pores, not spikes! Also, the fainting gag was probably the only funny joke in this episode). Krabs decides to make SpongeBob clean people (Being that he's a sponge, and he doesn't really serve much of a purpose now that he can't flip patties). Seriously? The episode goes in this direction? Wh-Wh-Why? This is so boring in comparison to the possibilities of Plankton teaming up with SpongeBob! Goodness, what even happened to the urchin subplot?! The episode doesn't have a centered conflict, it just focuses on SpongeBob surviving after being shrunken. Goodness, that sounds more exciting than how this episode is presented! SpongeBob doesn't even really make that much of an effort to survive, heck, he seems perfectly fine with being shrunken. Not for a minute does he panic, or feel paranoid, he just goes with the flow! His survival all depends on luck, he miraculously survives the urchin's wrath, is suddenly sent to the Chum Bucket, then back to the Krusty Krab. None of this seems very believable, the episode seemingly gives SpongeBob the benefit of the doubt, and switches from one subplot to another whenever it feels like. It doesn't even take that much advantage of SpongeBob's height. Maybe a few visual gags take place, but nothing really emphasizes on SpongeBob's height. And we finally do get into a subplot, the episode just seems to throw it away, and jumps into a whole other plot. There are no real stakes in this episode, SpongeBob is just thrown around the episode where he's needed.
Oh, and the resolution of this episode is pathetic. Out of nowhere, SpongeBob suddenly feels sad about being so small, and desires to be big again. Uh...where did this come from? From what I could gather, SpongeBob was happy to be small, he found it exciting, now out of nowhere, he suddenly breaks out of this ignorance, and becomes sad? Why? Oh I get it, because this is the part of the episode that needs this to happen in order to setup the ending. Wow, nothing transitions well in this episode at all.
The ending was (As you can expect), SpongeBob grows again thanks to the absorption of water, because he is a Sponge after all. I will admit, this is a pretty good ending considering how rocky this episode was, but really? You're going with absorption, when he literally absorbed grease earlier in the episode and didn't grow at all? C'mon! This episode is insanely flawed, the characters half the time are out of character because they need to act a certain way in order to transition from one subplot to another. The fact that there is no central conflict in this episode annoys the heck out of me, with the plot jumping all over the place. It's an episode that features tons of coincidences that don't get our protagonist into trouble, but rather the opposite. This episode is such a mess, there's problems all over the place, from the hypocrisy of how some of the characters contradict themselves, to the glaring problem of this episode's subplots. Not to mention, pretty much all of the episode's jokes fall flat, leaving barely any room for this episode to have redeeming qualities. I really dislike this episode, and consider this to be one of the worst episodes in recent time. However! There is another episode...another infamous episode...that I guarantee, if you've been following this Season, you'll know what I'm talking about, but before we talk about this episode, here's an honorable mention.
Patrick's Coupon
Original Airdate: 6-17-2017
Plot: Patrick tries to hand in a coupon, in a quest to find the Ice Cream King
Main Characters: Patrick, Ice Cream King
Rating: 5.6/10
And of course, the worst episode of SpongeBob's Tenth Season is...
1. Sportz?
Original Airdate: 7-17-2017
Plot: Squidward creates a new sport that inflicts harm on SpongeBob and Patrick, in an act of revenge for them annoying him.
Main Characters: Squidward, SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy
Fun Fact: Squidward is dressed similarly to the Emperor from Star Wars when being proclaimed the "King of Sports"
Here we go everyone! By far the worst episode I've seen in years, let's go, Sportz? is one of the most flawed episodes in the Season, and Nick decided to advertise like it was Goodbye Krabby Patty? or Whatever Happened to SpongeBob?
YYYYEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*Whew!* I think I've reached my breaking point. I've realized the humor I inject into these reviews are insanely unfunny. You all know what's wrong with this episode, don't deny it, this is definitely the worst episode in SpongeBob's Tenth Season. So much time has been dedicated to ripping this episode apart, and I don't blame those who do, it's definitely worth ripping on. Sportz? is essentially the One Coarse Meal of this show's Tenth Season. Well, yeah, they both contain a character who cruelly inflicts harm on our antiheroes, allowing them to suffer from their abuse, but that's not what I meant. I mean, so many people have torn this episode apart, it's definitely the most infamous episode of the Season, so much so that I, one who tries to avoid putting predictable episodes on my list (Even though they end up on there half the time. I'm sorry for putting Band Geeks as my Number 1 spot in my Top 10 Best list for Season 2, but I had to, it was my honest opinion), ended up putting this as my least favorite episode in Season 10. I had to, it is without a doubt the worst. I can't even begin to describe how many flaws there are within this episode, I'd be here even longer than I was when writing my review for The Incredible Shrinking Sponge! So, instead I'm going to share my thoughts and opinion on this episode through an older review I made when I first saw this one. I can't put any good words into my mouth when describing this episode, so many other people have done much better jobs at doing so, I particularly recommend checking out Honest Slug's thoughts and opinions on this episode, he perfectly hit the nail in the lid.
(I apologize in advance if you've already seen this review)
"Oh no...this is the episode a lot of people have been making fun of for how bland it is for months now... :sbyousure:
Well, I finally got around to seeing this episode, and it is definitely one of the worst episodes of the Season.
Sportz?...well...think of you favorite sports related Goofy cartoon. Strip down any intelligence, cleverly directed sequences, hilarious moments, add an antagonist & a protagonist, and bingo! You got Sportz?
I wanted...I really wanted this episode to be good. I've been hearing tons of bad things about this episode, and I was hoping I could find some enjoyment out of this episode, because I actually really like Season 10's animation, and was hoping the slapstick humor of this episode would at least be reminiscent of the classic Goofy cartoons of the mid 20th Century. Alas, that is not the case. In fact, this episode probably has the worst animation I've seen so far in Season 10. Some sequences want to be fast, but seem kind of slowed down a little. As if the team working on this episode needed to fill in an extra minute, so they toned down the sequences.
This feels like just a regular, bland episode you'd come across in early Season 9 (With the exception of the live action Squid gag). Just the interaction alone between Squidward, SpongeBob, and Patrick feels like a stale, already done exchange of dialogue, like Andrew couldn't think of anything new or clever for the trio to say. The strongest episodes of Modern SpongeBob tend to break boundaries, separate from the already established setting, primarily since the whole Sponge/Squid/Patrick episode seemed to be die off around Season 5, feeling very forced, and slowed down. The energy of these earlier "trio" episodes died off. Just compare the rushed feeling of excitement in episodes like Snowball Effect, Naughty Nautical Neighbors, even Good Neighbors at least wasn't boring. Then compare that to the staleness of That Sinking Feeling, Life Insurance, and Sportz? Usually episodes in recent time tend to incorporate some new, fresher element that allows these episodes to not feel as slowed down, or forced (Like Sanctuary! Sentimental Sponge, Don't Look Now, etc.).
In a sense, I hate SpongeBob, Patrick, and Squidward's interactions. Squidward's antagonistic nature in this episode doesn't come off as funny, nor does it come off as in-character. It just feels really awkward. Making Squidward this abusive of a villain isn't entertaining. It's not the Squidward way. We've seen him take on this type of tole before where he's in power over the naive sponge, and often his slow best friend executed in a manner that could be funny, or at least the type of thing Squidward would do. Squidward is essentially a slacker when dealing with things that annoy him, usually not doing much about something unless it drives him over the edge. Squid's Day Off, an episode where he's hilarious, and Gullible Pants, an episode where he's not hilarious, yet does feel like the same ol' Squidward we all know and love. Essentially, if people criticize Puff's actions to cause nothing but pain to SpongeBob in Demolition Doofus (In a much more extreme scenario), I feel as though it's on the same level as Squidward in this episode (Who does want to give SpongeBob & Patrick pain, yet it's not as extreme as Puff's case, however, his motivations are pathetic and aren't justified for his actions).
The "comedy" of this episode primarily plays off of the animation. Like I said, the animation in this episode feels slowed down from other Season 10 episodes, so this one just comes across as a very unfunny episode. This episode missed it's mark with the slapstick, it doesn't work in this episode. It's not cleverly fast paced, no, it's SpongeBob & Patrick injuring themselves. If this was an episode actually focusing on the gang in different teams competing in different sports, that could've made for a possibly funnier episode, because then there'd be potential to have tons of chaos and mayhem like the classic Goofy cartoons. But no, the jokes are pain driven in this episode and they're just not funny. Not in a mean-spirited sort of way, they're just unfunny. I can't find any humor in these sequences that appeases to me, and I'm very big on visual humor.
Overall, this is essentially the weakest Season 10 episode so far. Tons of characters are out-of-character, the scenario doesn't seem new, the comedy is laid out & directed in a disastrous way, it's definitely my least favorite episode of Season 10 so far. It's an Awful Episode. I give it a 3/10"
So there you have it, my picks for the Top 10 Worst Episodes of SpongeBob's Tenth Season. I apologize if my review was kind of sloppy for most of it, it was kind of hard for me to describe my picks for the worst, considering how Season 10 doesn't have episodes as bad as the ones you'd find in Seasons 5-9, except for my first two spots on the list.
Stay tuned, though, because I'm going to share my picks for the Top 10 Best Season 10 SpongeBob Episodes.
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SpongeBob's Tenth Season has given us some great and some bad episodes. It's a really mixed Season overall, it's not that good, though it's definitely not that bad. It's like a wackier, more experimental version of Season 5. Yes, the Tenth Season holds some really bad episodes, but I notice people seem to discuss the worse of Season 10 than the better. So today, I'm going to share with you my picks for the Top 10 Best Season 10 SpongeBob Episodes. Let's get started.
10. Krusty Katering
Original Airdate: 3-4-2017
Plot: The Krusty Krab crew (And Patrick) hold a catering business in a mansion. However, things go amok, especially once an annoying kid follows Krabs around.
Main Characters: Mr. Krabs, Billy, Ms. Milfred
Fun Fact: A Plankton piƱata is hung up at the children's birthday party that the Krusty Crew (And Patrick) attend.
I know, I know. Why would I put an episode as dull as Krusty Katering at the start of my list. If anything, it should've been in the other one, right? Well, I beg to differ. Yes, Krusty Katering has it's problems, I'm not going to deny certain characters like Patrick and the kid are annoying. They're both definitely written to be nuisances. However, I can get pass some of this episode's flaws due to the fact that it's kind of a risky episode. There's never been a SpongeBob like this one, goodness, it feels more like a Mickey Mouse cartoon than a SpongeBob one, that's what I even said when I first reviewed the episode when it originally aired! Krusty Katering is such a unique episode, and even though some of the characters are in your face, there's definitely some heart portrayed in this episode. The ending with the kid accepting Krabs as a father figure was kind of sweet, and it was refreshing to get (somewhat of) a happy ending. Yeah the silly antics do show up a little too often, but the plot itself is really original, making for a very solid/entertaining story. It's not the best, but it's definitely a pretty decent episode. It definitely has some more unlikable moments (God, I hate that "Cake" running gag), but looking into it, I find this to be a pretty good episode.
9. Code Yellow
Original Airdate: 6-3-2017
Plot: SpongeBob is mistaken for a being a doctor, and goes around the Bikini Bottom hospital playing doctor.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Squidward
Fun Fact: One of the various nosejobs Squidward temporarily receives from SpongeBob is a miniature head resembling Squilliam Fancyson.
I know what you're all thinking. What!? How could Code Yellow be Number 9 on a Best list!? Code Yellow is one of the worst episodes of Season 10! Well, personally, I disagree with the common opinion that Code Yellow is one of the worst episodes of SpongeBob's Tenth Season. In my opinion, this is how to properly incorporate wackiness into a SpongeBob episode. Personally, I absolutely love the antics in this episode. It's like a cartoon version of the 3 Stooges, only with less violence. Given that this episode takes place in a hospital, with the opportunity for plenty of wacky shenanigans to take place, I feel as though the fast-paced, wacky attitude of this episode perfectly fit within the scenery of this episode. When it comes to the plot, I actually find it quite interesting. We've never really seen that much of a Bikini Bottom hospital (I believe the most we've seen of it was in The Two Faces of Squidward), so this opens up whole new possible scenarios. As for Squidward's subplot, I think it's actually a pretty interesting, and humorous subplot. Squidward getting a nose job is a funny premise, and I especially like how it perfectly ties into both the setup and the ending. It gives SpongeBob a reason to show up at the hospital (Rather than just being there because "episode requires him to be there"), and it does give the episode an interesting climax. Now, the humor is where this episode kind of falls short. Yes, there are definitely some good jokes in this episode, but a lot of the humor is fairly forgettable. Luckily, we're exposed to some great visuals, with the type of pacing that perfectly fits within this type of episode (Goodness, I imagine if this type of episode was made in Season 6, there'd probably an entire minute dedicated to SpongeBob taking someone's blood pressure, stretching out the joke as long as possible). So in a sense, I imagine it could be much worse. It's not a perfect episode, but it definitely has a solid enough storyline, with a cast of memorable characters, along with a few funny gags.
8. The Getaway
Original Airdate: 6-10-2017
Plot: A prisoner mistakes SpongeBob for being his getaway driver.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Mrs. Puff, Stickyfins Whiting, Dorsal Dan
Fun Fact: Steve Buscemi and Joe Pantoliano guest star in this episode as Dorsal Dan and Stickyfins Whiting respectively.
Just looking at the basic synopsis, you can tell this is a good one. Out of all the episodes in Season 10, The Getaway probably has the funniest premise. I mean, c'mon. SpongeBob is a horrible driver to begin with, so having him be mistaken as a getaway driver sounds like a hilarious concept. The execution of this episode is fairly decent. It could've been much better, but it definitely holds up. The new characters introduced in this episode are lots of fun to watch, the Guest Stars do a really great job voicing them in this episode. I especially love the chemistry between Puff and the Getaway driver. Giving her a love interest really seemed to spice things up in this episode, I really enjoyed that element of the episode's plot. Probably where this episode falls short is SpongeBob and the Getaway driver. When they first meet, there are some really funny gags (I especially love the driver's license gag). Unfortunately, they don't seem to bounce off each other that well, at least not as well as SpongeBob's past interactions with a criminal like Man-Ray, The Strangler, or Plankton (His sheer positivity usually seems to make for a memorable contrast to an antagonist's evil nature). There was much more opportunity with this dynamic between the two, but unfortunately, the writer of this episode seemed to divert away from having that much of character development between the two. If anything, I like the small romantic scenes better than the Prisoner/SpongeBob scenes. Something about Puff and the driver really makes for some entertaining scenes. As for the gags, there are some pretty funny ones here and there (The premise itself is funny enough), but unfortunately a good chunk of the episode's gags tend to be unmemorable being part of a slew of visual gags with SpongeBob and the Prisoner avoiding the cops. The gags aren't bad, they just aren't that memorable. Still, this episode does prove to be much more entertaining than half the Season, so I'll give it that. Overall, it's certainly a unique episode I recommend checking out.
7. Whirly-Brains
Original Airdate: 10-15-2016
Plot: SpongeBob and Patrick end up loosing their brains when they're toy, Whirly-Brain lands on an old fish's property, forcing the old geezer to keep the toys to himself in an act of anger.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Sandy, Patrick, Old Fish
Fun Fact: Mr. Krabs and Mrs. Puff are revealed to have been dating for 16 years (The amount of time it's been since Krusty Love first aired), and have their first kiss in this episode.
I know what many people think. Ooh, Whirly-Brains is too wacky, the animation is too over-the-top, Squidward is too crazy, the diaper joke was disgusting, you know what? I really like this episode! (This part of the review was meant to be read like an intro to a Nostalgia Critic video. It does not represent my feelings toward those who dislike this episode. To be honest, I really don't care if you like it or not. It's fine).
Whirly-Brains, the Tenth Season premiere remains one of the highlights of the Season. It has such a unique premise, featuring a brilliant parody of drones. Seriously, the concept of Whirly-Brains is super creative. The episode does kind of turn predictable once the old guy steps into the picture, but to be honest, it's a really solid episode. The plot is very entertaining, there's actual risks in this episode (With SpongeBob and Patrick's brains/eyes being gone), and the jokes are actually really funny for the most part. Yeah, I really like this episode's humor. The jokes aren't all winners of course, but there are definitely plenty of memorable laughs to be had in this episode.
I notice this episode seems to be one step ahead of the viewer. Lots of the jokes seem to have neat little twists and turns which makes it all the more entertaining. Take the diaper joke for instance. Yeah, yeah, I know the common complaint "Ugh, this joke's disgusting". Well I'll tell you, it's nothing compared to the likes of this masterpiece.
https://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=J9c%2B4lciZc1Bae6Sdde%2FGTAD6%2BUJ%2FrfAfog9%2BfQ5UCA%3D
Rather than emphasize on the literal disgusting nature of the diaper, the episode changes what could've been a pathetic shot at gross-out humor into a delightfully clever joke. Patrick dotting in eyes, a small detail actually makes for a pretty funny visual joke. A lot of this episode's visuals are really good, to be honest. The animation perfectly fits within such a zany plot. Yeah, an episode where character's brains and eyes are being stolen, the animation perfectly captures what you'd expect out of this scenario. This is the first episode to implement the overly wacky Season 10 animation, and really, I feel as though this episode's animation has held up the most.
Sportz?'s animation felt kind of sluggish, as I mentioned in my Top 10 Worst list for Season 10. You'd expect all kinds of wild animation, but really, during the actual sport scenes, we get what feels like a lot of drawn out moments that are lackluster to what the episode should present. Amped up animation that shows off the chaos of the sequence. This episode's animation is beautiful in my opinion. The animation is super fluent in this episode, there are so many crazy moments sprinkled throughout the episode, you get a taste of what these animators can really pull off.
Squidward's scenes especially look impressive. This is the first time Squidward acts over-the-top since The Fishbowl. Either way, I find Squidward's scenes to be hilarious in this episode. This was before his crazy attitude was oversaturated, and placed into episodes where it had no right to be there (The Incredible Shrinking Sponge). He's hilarious in this episode, and it's justified for him to go insane. I'd probably freak out if I saw floating brains with eyes, too.
As for the overall execution of this episode's conflict, I say did a pretty good job. It wasn't a masterpiece to any extent, and the storyline did feel slightly unoriginal with a generic stereotype (The cranky old man who hates kids), and an element heavily featured in this episode that parodies drones. But, with the right amount of humor, animation that flows well with the crazy storyline, and likable protagonists (Haven't even really mentioned that. SpongeBob and Patrick are basically flawless protagonists in this episode. I can't recall anything bad about the way they were written that really sticks with me), this can definitely be an enjoyable episode that can be compared to the likes of the Ren & Stimpy Show.
6. House Worming/Clam Up!
Original Airdate: 2-25-2017
Plot: A bunch of worms decide to move into SpongeBob's body, and use him as a house.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Prickley the Worm, Gary, Other Worms
Fun Fact: Clam Up! is the only short in the series to star a character who isn't one of the main characters.
Ah, House Worming. A more simplistic episode, introducing us to a new character, Prickley the Worm. I'm going to get this off my back an start off by saying, the follow-up short, Clam Up! is easily the highlight of the episode. But we'll just talk about the main episode itself, first.
House Worming is a relatively simple, and goofy episode. The premise is fine, there are definitely plenty of good gags thrown into the episode (My favorite being the visual gag that shows off SpongeBob's body transformed into an apartment complex for the worms). The only real problem I have with this episode's plot is that it's pretty similar to the likes of Jellyfish Jam. It's not as big of a "rip-off" as Plankton Gets the Boot (Seeing how in this case, the main similarity to House Worming and Jellyfish Jam is the setup to the conflict with SpongeBob taking in a wild animal which seems harmless on the outside, but turns out to turn his life upside down). The execution of this premise differs greatly from Jellyfish Jam, as the Jellyfish are merely a nuisance in SpongeBob's life, constantly wanting to do nothing but dance. However, in this episode, the worms go with SpongeBob wherever he goes, since they enjoy living inside his pores.
The execution is pretty decent, and I do find it to be quite enjoyable at times. There are a lot of really good gags in this episode, which definitely amps up the playful nature this episode is trying to project. It's not meant to be taken seriously, it's a goofy episode that fully takes advantage of being a cartoon. Which I definitely admire, I really do like when cartoons push the boundaries, by presenting stories that couldn't be done in live-action.
Overall, House Worming a decent enough episode. It's not the best in the Season, but it's definitely not that bad of an episode. However, the follow-up short that comes after the episode is what really puts this episode on this spot in the list.
The last time we've had a short (That's part of a Season) was back in Season 5. And before then, back in Season 1 (Reef Blower). Not only does it make this episode stand out more than usual, but the short is actually really good. And really unique too, Clam Up! stars Prickley the Worm and a Clam. The only main character who appears in this short is SpongeBob, and even then, he only appears in the background at the very end without any lines.
Clam Up! is such a charming, and simple short. It could not have existed at all, but really, instead of stretching out House Worming to what would've been an unbearable length for a premise that simple, we get this neat little short that shows off the backstory of how Prickley arrived at SpongeBob's house.
It's such a neat little addition to the episode, it really makes it much more special than it would've been, had it not been for this unique little addition. The short itself is actually really funny, it feels like a Pixar short in my opinion. It does, it gives a little more background on an already existing character, while giving us a fairly simple premise, filled with lots of laughs. I really love how the crew decided to go the extra mile by incorporating this little short to make up time that House Worming couldn't cover. I feel as though, had it not been for this short, House Worming would probably be one of the weaker episodes of the Season. Overall, House Worming is a fairly delightful episode, but with the addition to Clam Up!, I can guarantee you'll have an enjoyable experience watching these episodes.
5. MermaidPants
Original Airdate: 10-29-2016
Plot: SpongeBob and Patrick decide to pretend to be their favorite superheroes, Mermaid Man & Barnacle Boy. While pretending, they manage to not only rope Squidward into their game, but Mr. Krabs, as well.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, Mr. Krabs
Fun Fact: This is the the last Season 10 episode to air in 2016.
Yes, MermaidPants is only at Number 5, and not in the Top 3. Sue me, I find this one to be overrated. Yes MermaidPants is a great episode, but it's definitely not the very best this Season has to offer. Still, despite my attitude towards the overflowing amount of praise this episode receives, I won't deny that this is definitely a great episode.
The plot of this episode is a fairly simple plot. Goodness, it's kind of like what Ed Edd n' Eddy did in a lot of their episodes, recapturing that classic childhood spirit. In this case, playing "Superheroes" is the type of childhood spirit being portrayed in this episode. SpongeBob and Patrick both represent the freedom of childhood in this sense by dressing up as their favorite superheroes. They have that child-like state of mind that is perfectly represented in this episode. This is the type of playful nature that was represented in episodes like Idiot Box, Snowball Effect, and yes, even the original MM&BB episode. Goodness, that was a highlight of that episode. SpongeBob and Patrick pretending to be their heroes isn't anything new to the series, but this episode focuses on an adventure the two have while pretending. It's that type of childhood spirit (Don't know how many times I have to say that) that I feel as though makes these two so likable. They don't need to be dumbed-down to the point where they act like literal children (I'm looking at you openings of Squid Baby and Squidward's School For Grownups!). There's a difference between acting childish and acting child-like (At least from my perspective). Acting childish is just being an immature idiot, whereas acting child-like is having a more whimsical attitude, often being more lively, and optimistic in a sense.
I believe that this is what truly holds this episode together. This aspect of SpongeBob and Patrick's characters is what this series seems to be built on. Looking at some of the best episodes of the series, SB & Patrick are often written in this state of mind. But, the worse episodes of the series use the "child" trope literally, by making them act like actual children, when in reality, SB & Patrick aren't children. They're grown adults who haven't really lost touch with their inner child yet.
And that is what essentially makes this episode work. There is no real conflict (Aside from the nice little twist at the end where Squidward takes the villain part too seriously, which undoubtedly fits his character, seeing that he usually finds it proper to take things in a dignified and sophisticated manner, well...for the most part...)...
https://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=XLd1Jj%2BgsuG4S%2BEQyfMUpw894PJrKUmb6EKn0z3IMuA%3D
...it's merely an episode focusing on Squidward having to deal with SpongeBob and Patrick forcing him to play with them. And it's not handled in ways many past episodes have handled it, by showing off SpongeBob and Patrick constantly pestering Squidward to join him (Whether it was a good episode like SB-129, or a bad one like Squid Wood). Instead, we get to see them trying to persuade Squidward into playing with them, by playing nearby him (Showing off how much fun it is). The overall focus of this episode is nothing more than just a fun experience SpongeBob and Patrick are having playing as their heroes. And having Krabs and Squidward roped into their roleplaying definitely makes for a fun time. There are lot of great jokes in this episode (Though there are plenty of forgettable jokes too, I won't deny that), and they definitely help fill in gaps that would otherwise be kind of boring (Since there isn't that much conflict in this episode). The main climax is also pretty entertaining, and kind of suspenseful. There are actual risks at this point, and you can tell Squidward has kind of evolved as a character in this episode. He doesn't just completely shift in directions with how he acts (Like SpongeBob was in the climax of The Incredible Shrinking Sponge, jumping from an ignorant, happy fellow, into a sad character who felt as though he was cursed with becoming small forever), the change in character is slowly drawn at through this episode. That's another thing this episode masters at, not only does it do great at character building, but it also has really good pacing, which allows for so many jokes, and just an overall fun experience. It's kind of like reading Calvin & Hobbes in a sense. Yes, I just compared a SpongeBob episodes to one of the greatest comics of all time.
Going in deep detail as to what really makes this episode work has really opened up my eyes to see that it is indeed worth getting some praise. It still is a little overrated, but hey, it's still an episode I really like nonetheless. Overall, this is certainly a great episode, which is nothing more than just an 11 minute long cartoon with lots of fun and laughs. It perfectly represents what makes this series great, while giving off a new, and entertaining adventure.
4. Unreal Estate
Original Airdate: 6-3-2017
Plot: Squidward convinces SpongeBob that he's allergic to his pineapple, and tries to get him another house, far away from his own.
Main Characters: Squidward, SpongeBob
Fun Fact: Aside from The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, this is the only time in the series SpongeBob physically ends up in a fishbowl in the real world.
Oh man, here we go, Unreal Estate. Unreal Estate is one of the funniest episodes in the Season, I absolutely love this episode. The premise to the episode sounds like it's doomed to fail. SpongeBob is convinced he's allergic to his own pineapple? That sounds like a horrible idea for an episode, I could just imagine how hard it'd be to execute a premise as ridiculous as that one. Luckily, the episode tends to shift it's focus on the concept of house hunting, which is really where this episode shines. Most of the episode's highlights tend to take place during these sequences with the new houses SpongeBob and Squidward look at. It's kind of a fun little montage, honestly. We get some change in scenery by being exposed to these houses, and I especially admire the way the montage was handled. Yeah, it could've been your average montage, just containing an assortment of highlights from the characters' adventure, but no. The episode goes out of it's way to parody the theme song, which I think is probably the funniest gag in the episode. The theme song parodies are hilarious, especially the Chicken Parmesan sandwich gag that comes out of absolutely nowhere. It's kind of interesting to see the theme song gags, especially since they were probably the highlight of Truth or Square. Anyways, the theme song gags aren't the only comedic highlight of the episode. Another one is probably the scene involving Squidward in the "futuristic house" (Which in reality is a rocket). Man, when I first saw this scene, I did not see the plot twist coming, and even better, the scene was hilarious! It came out of nowhere, and seeing Squidward freak out when being launched into space was a massive laugh. Overall, this episode's overall premise does seem a tad bit ridiculous, but the episode sways away from focusing entirely on the effects of Squidward's lie (Like Sold!), and instead was centered around the silliness of Squidward and SpongeBob's journey to buy SpongeBob a new house. As a result, the episode doesn't take itself that seriously, and is more or less just for laughs. And let me tell you, it succeeds in bringing in laughs. Overall, a hilarious gem of this Season.
3. Mimic Madness
Original Airdate: 2-25-2017
Plot: SpongeBob is diagnosed with Mimic Madness Disease, which makes him addicted to mimicking people.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Sandy, Mr. Krabs, Squidward, Patrick, Plankton
Fun Fact: This is the first episode in nearly 5 years to feature a brand new song (Though Sold! kind of had one).
Mimic Madness is by far the most praised episode of the Season, next to Mermaid Pants. This episode's praise is definitely valid, as it really is a great episode. The premise is very original, yet there is a possibility of the concept failing, by overdoing SpongeBob's mimicking, making him an annoying, unlikable character (Like how his laugh was overdone in Funny Pants). Luckily, the episode perfectly avoids this possibility of failing, by making SpongeBob a likable protagonist. Remember that long in-depth character analysis I included in my review for Mermaid Pants? Well, the same type of "child-like" trait is established once again, perfectly in this episode. SpongeBob's attitude towards the concept of constantly mimicking people is because it brings joy to him, not to mention, it's a form of flattery. So SpongeBob's motivations are perfectly acceptable, fitting right in with his character. Now, the episode takes a unique, and interesting turn. SpongeBob ends up getting the disease, Mimic Madness, that completely messes up his identity. First off, let me just say that Tom Kenny did a fantastic job voicing SpongeBob in this episode. Usually I don't praise the voice work, as usually the voice acting in SpongeBob is pretty solid, generally a flaw in the voice-work is a result of an incompetent script/storyboard (Like SpongeBob's obnoxious yell to Mrs. Puff in Summer Job). However, Tom Kenny successfully masters SpongeBob's impressions in this episode. They don't sound very similar, yet at the same time, they all sound like SpongeBob is doing the impressions, not Tom Kenny. I'm pretty sure his talent is best demonstrated in the song, "Who am I?" Yes, there is a song in this episode, and like most episodes with a song in them, it's the highlight of the episode. The episode seems like it'd be a fairly goofy episode, just taking the highlight of Gone, and stretching it out into an 11 minute episode. However, the episode goes into an actually serious direction. SpongeBob legitimately suffers from Mimic Madness, he is in an overall identity crisis, confused and possibly scared about having no idea who he truly is. The song "Who am I?" is not only filled with great vocal work, memorable lyrics, and funny visual gags, but it also has a fairly emotional impact on the audience. I felt legitimately bad for SpongeBob once the song was over, it was a very touching, and emotional song. The episode perfectly masters the incorporation of serious character development, while keeping an overall light-hearted feeling keeping the overall feel to the episode stay in range with the regular vibes you get when watching a regular episode of SpongeBob (Something SpongeHenge failed to accomplish, with it's twistedly dark ending that doesn't feel like it belongs in a SpongeBob episode). Overall, this is definitely one of the best episodes of the Season, and perfectly captures the spirit of a SpongeBob episode, while telling a funny, and moving story.
2. Burst Your Bubble
Original Airdate: 3-18-2017
Plot: SpongeBob, still unable to get his license, creates a vehicle made out of bubbles, and ends up launching a new trend as a result.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Mrs. Puff
Fun Fact: This is the only episode aside from Rodeo Daze and Sandy's Rocket in which every citizen of Bikini Bottom reaches the surface (Though unlike Rodeo Daze and Sandy's Rocket where they break the surface, they don't go through it in this episode).
Ah, Burst Your Bubble. One of the most creative episodes of the Season, Burst Your Bubble is a delight to watch. It's not the funniest episode out there, though there are some really funny jokes in the episode (Particularly the car wash gag with Krabs which was both unsettling, yet hilarious at the same time). I really enjoyed this one. There are a lot of really great visuals in this episode, I found the design of the bubble cars to be incredibly creative, especially the way they work. The plot is very original, though it does go on a little predictable route with the tables turning. Still, that doesn't mean this episode isn't entertaining, because my goodness, it's really entertaining. From Puff's crazy driving using the bubble boat, to the scenes where she first sees the Bubble Boats (Which are actually pretty interesting to watch in my personal opinion), it's a really entertaining episode. I consider this to be a highlight of the Season, it's not the best episode, but I really found myself enjoying this one, even if it's not that fantastic of an episode. It's still pretty unique, and gives us plenty of funny jokes. It's creativity is where the episode shines the most, looking back at the episode, I still really admire the bubble boats design, I think they're great! This episode is one of my personal favorites of the Season.
And finally, before I get to my Number 1 pick, here's an honorable mention.
Plankton Retires
Original Airdate: 3-25-2017
Plot: Mr. Krabs and SpongeBob follows Plankton on his road to retirement, skeptical that this could all be a diabolical plan.
Main Characters: Plankton Robot, Krabs Robot, SpongeBob Robot, Plankton, Krabs
Rating: 6/10
And of course, the best episode in SpongeBob's Tenth Season is...
1. Feral Friends
Original Airdate: 10-7-2017
Plot: The ultra rare "Neptune's Moon" escapes it's dormant state for a total of 2 hours, turning every citizen in Bikini Bottom (With the exception of Sandy) into their primitive form. Now, it's up to Sandy (And a special friend of hers) to keep her friends safe during this time of chaos.
Main Characters: Sandy, The French Narrator, Patchy the Pirate
Fun Fact: This is the first major and physical appearance of the French Narrator, who is revealed to be a man in a Diving Suit.
Oh man, you can tell the staff put A LOT of effort into this episode. I'm stunned, I just can't believe how fantastic this episode was. Never in a million years would I imagine we'd get a SpongeBob episode with the French Narrator starring as a main character. This was a fantastic reveal, probably the best fan service the entire Season had to offer (And it was STUFFED with Easter Eggs to begin with!). Still, this is such a unique, and wonderful episode. The premise itself is super creative, and take full advantage of taking place underwater. It's a brilliant Sci-Fi-esque episode, perfect for Halloween! The concept of this episode is super creative, and the execution is marvelous! The primitive state of our main characters is really fascinating to see, especially alongside the still-cartoony state of Sandy. She is a fantastic protagonist in this episode too. It's about time we get a Sandy-centered episode with an overall action feel to it (I mean, she was featured in pretty much every other action themed episode like Planet of the Jellyfish, Whelk Attack, etc.). I was kind of disappointed when Squidward was transformed into a primitive Squid, I was kind of hoping we'd see Sandy and Squidward act as our main heroes, that'd be really entertaining to see, as I feel as though these two don't get enough interaction, but the payoff with the French Narrator was completely worth it. And even then, Frenchie serves an actually purpose in this episode, he isn't there just to be there, he's there to help Sandy out on her adventure. Also, the Live Action scenes in this episode look really good, especially the set for the French Narrator's submarine, I really liked that set. Not to mention, the episode is actually kind of educational, and it's not even really boring either, we get a lot of great visuals paired up with the French Narrator's narration of aquatic sea life (Which is the perfect way to handle his character!). Best of all, Patchy is back!
https://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=4jlrKu%2BMCjt%2F8z%2BOvQGOsL7hhmhe5ErBb0dCg1exX%2Bc%3D
No, not that ugly monstrosity. I mean, Patchy's back in Live Action, and guess what? He's funny again! Finally, the first appearance of Patchy in over 10 years that I found to be legitimately funny! His scenes provide a great comedic balance, given that most of the episode lacks jokes in order to tell a more serious story. This episode handles everything perfectly! It has a great cast of characters, it has a really creative, and entertaining storyline, suspenseful actions scenes, great jokes, impressive visuals, this an amazing episode, and is truly the best episode of SpongeBob's Tenth Season.
SpongeBob's Tenth Season has truly been one mixed bag. On one end you have fantastic episodes like Unreal Estate or Feral Friends, while on the other end you have absolutely failures like Sportz? and The Incredible Shrinking Sponge, with the majority of the Season being hit or miss. Lots of the episodes tend to be middle-in-the-road in this Season, there aren't too many shiners, and lowpoints. I guess that's a factor of this Season's episode amount (22, sheesh, this is the shortest Season in the entire series!).
Still, every Season has it's amazing and horrendous episodes, whether it's as pure as Season 3, or as terrible as Season 7. As such, the series has built itself a number of classics during it's time, while it's also produced an infamous collection that I assume we'd rather forget. So, next time you'll be joining me, I shall discuss my picks for the Top 10 Worst SpongeBob Episodes (First 10 Seasons Only)"
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Well, there you have it. We're all caught up with this series. However! We still have yet to discuss my personal favorite and least favorite episodes of the series! That's right, instead of pulling off a predictable Best/Worst list of the series, I'll be diving into my personal opinions, so don't expect a ranking of the best and worst episodes (Otherwise, my Worst list would be exactly the same as my Season 7 list). Any thoughts, feelings, and opinions on these lists, feel free to share 'em!
SpongeBob's Tenth Season is by far the most divided Season among fans, some love it, some hate it, many feel it's in-between. Well I'm here today to share my thoughts and feelings on this Season, these are my picks for the Top 10 Worst and Best episodes of SpongeBob's Tenth Season! This is technically a ranking too, considering there are only 22 episodes in Season 10. Originally written from December 3rd to December 18th 2017.
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SpongeBob's Tenth Season has definitely had some pretty bad moments. It contains some great episodes, but it also contains some really bad episodes. Being that this is the shortest Season of SpongeBob, the overall quality of the Season can change drastically just by the addition of two or so terrible episodes, or with two or so great episodes. The Tenth Season just feels like an overall mixed bag, kind of like a watered down version of Season 5, in which I don't loath episodes I dislike, yet I don't adore episodes I like. Lots of people seem to have mixed opinions on this Season, so I'm going to weigh in my thoughts and feelings. This is my pick for the Top 10 Worst Episodes of SpongeBob's Tenth Season. Let's get started.
10. SpongeBob's Place
Original Airdate: 3-11-2017
Plot: Jealous of everyone giving SpongeBob positive attention, Mr. Krabs makes SpongeBob leave the Krusty Krab (Because of a "Ghost"), and becomes the Krusty Krab's new fry cook. But, what happens when things go wrong at the Krusty Krab, and SpongeBob ends up setting up his own restaurant at his house?
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Mr. Krabs, Squidward, Customers
Fun Fact: The statue on top of "SpongeBob's Place" is a parody of the iconic Big Boy statue.
Oh boy, just reading the premise of this episode, you can find lots of flaws with this concept. First of all, this is pretty much Banned in Bikini Bottom, minus the more negative attitude projected in that episode. However, I'm in a minority that actually liked Banned in Bikini Bottom. Were the sisters annoying? Kind of, but they were written to be annoying, they're intended to be antagonists. This premise doesn't make any sense, it's entirely out of Krabs' character to kick SpongeBob out of the Krusty Krab just because he's getting all the attention. It's a pathetic setup, and even worse, it's payoff is essentially an enhanced version of Banned in Bikini Bottom. It's not that memorable either, lots of scenes in this episode are really forgettable, in fact I have a hard time trying to remember what goes on in this episode in the first place! It just doesn't stick with you like a lot of other episodes do. Out of the hundreds of episodes in this series, if this one ended up being removed from existence, I probably wouldn't notice. The only part in this episode that's remotely memorable is Squidward's scenes at the empty Krusty Krabs. Those scenes were actually decently funny, I consider them to be the highlight of the episode. The rest of the episode, while harmless, yes, fails to really come across as an entertaining piece of art. Aside from some images that stick with me (Like the Big Boy statue parody), this episode is as memorable as a Seventh Grade English test. None of the jokes in this episode really stick with me, a lot of scenes are super forgettable, the plot isn't even that original, it's not that good of an episode in my book.
9. Snooze You Lose
Original Airdate: 3-4-2017
Plot: Squidward, finding sleep to be an impossible challenge to accomplish, ends up falling asleep at the wrong time, before his audition. Luckily, SpongeBob and Patrick are there to try to get him to his audition.
Main Characters: Squidward, SpongeBob, Patrick
Fun Fact: Squidward has the ability to move his eyes inside, looking at his brain, just like SpongeBob did in Plankton!
Oh, Snooze You Lose. This was one of the first really disliked episodes of SpongeBob's Tenth Season, and while it's definitely not the worse, it is certainly one of the weaker episodes. I do like the derpy looking Squidward when controlled by SpongeBob and Patrick, I do think that allowed for some pretty funny visual sequences to take place. However, the episode severely lack substance. Yeah, Squidward can't fall asleep. Now he is asleep. SpongeBob and Patrick climb inside him (Don't take that the wrong way), and try to get him to the auditions. I will give this episode credit for being one of the funnier episodes on this list, but it definitely isn't funny enough to backup an otherwise simplistic plot. The chaos just doesn't feel chaotic enough to be that funny, nor do Squidward's super tired scenes, there's potential within these scenes, yet the execution of them fail to present that exciting of a sequence, or just a super funny sequence. If I were to watch this episode a couple of times in a row, I can guarantee the jokes would get stale quickly. There's nothing really clever about the humor in this episode, nothing really creative, there's not much of an edge. It just feels like a borderline generic episode. The characters in this episode are decent, I guess. SpongeBob and Patrick do care enough to take Squidward to the audition, while he remains asleep, that's a pretty caring move. Overall, the execution in this episode isn't the worst, but it definitely could be better. There's tons of room for improvement.
8. Trident Trouble
Original Airdate: 3-25-2017
Plot: King Neptune's trident is accidentally switched with SpongeBob's spatula, and the two end up getting into trouble as a result of the switch.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, King Neptune, Greek Chorus
Fun Fact: This is the only episode in which there is spoken dialogue in the title card.
Oh boy, here's the first episode on this list that I legitimately dislike. Yeah the previous two were fairly weak episodes, but I struggled to describe what exactly went wrong with those episodes, since they were pretty harmless. Well buckle in, because this is an episode I've despised since I first saw it. The conflict of this episode is super generic. I was really displeased to find the cliche "Switched" premise used in this episode. C'mon, you can do better than that! There are tons of creative episodes that came out around this time, why make an episode with one of the most basic, and overused plot devices out there! The setup for this episode is as stereotypical as you can get. How about the execution of the plot, does it manage to enhance the already overused "Switched" trope? Surprisingly, yeah. There's actually some creativity sprinkled throughout the episode. I absolutely love Neptune's scenes in this episode, there really entertaining, and there's even some comedy put into them. The Greek Chorus is a unique premise, though they are quite annoying by the climax. However, where this episode truly fails is found within SpongeBob's scenes. They're so anti-climatic. C'mon! SpongeBob's given a godly device which can do just about anything, why spend so much time focusing on how the device adapts to SpongeBob's job, there should be more exciting things SpongeBob can do with Neptune's trident. Even then, it takes what feels like forever for him to realize it's not his real spatula. This is the type of ignorance within this show that absolutely annoys me. His scenes are so lame, there's lots of potential in this episode, yet the writer of this episode fails to do anything with it! The closest thing we get to "excitement" in SpongeBob's scenes is the Icecream Geyser scene. Slightly creative, yes, but there's nothing funny about these scenes. Heck, there's nothing really funny about this episode at all! Aside from the kracken scenes, lots of the jokes really miss the mark, and it comes across as a really lackluster episode. Again, missed potential really seemed to ruin this episode. Not enough excitement, okay fine, but the jokes are so pathetic! With a concept as generic as you can get, there's little unique substance added to this episode. Goodness, even The Clash of Triton shorts were more exciting than this!
7. Don't Wake Patrick
Original Airdate: 10-7-2017
Plot: SpongeBob tries to prevent Patrick from hurting himself while he sleepwalks.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Patrick
Fun Fact: This is the first short to air in over a decade (The Bad Guy Club for Villains is kind of a short, but it's longer than the average short, lasting almost 9 minutes, in comparison to the average 4-7 minute long short.
Meh, this is a pretty middle-in-the-road kind of episode. Though I don't dislike it as much as I dislike Trident Trouble, I personally found the execution of this episode to be fairly weak. Once again, the writer and storyboard artist seemed to really miss their mark with this episode. There are tons of possibilities with this premise, yet it seems to be one of the most watered down variations of a "sleep-walking" type of plot. The episode isn't nearly as funny or suspenseful as it should be. Yeah, there's a gag or two that I found decent (Like Patrick's tongue flying into SpongeBob's mouth), but the episode ends up being a fairly forgetful adventure. I'll give it credit, I'm definitely glad it's a short rather than a full 11-minute long episode (Trust me, I'd be much more displeased with it if it was), but even then, I feel as though the episode felt lackluster. Again, lots of potential moments with this episode, but it missed it's mark. There's not that many funny jokes, lots of scenes are fairly forgetful, the setup takes way too long in my book, and it's the first episode in a long time to screw up the show's barely functioning continuity (I guess Glove Universe failed, and Glove World is back?). Overall, it's not that bad of an episode, but it's a pretty weak one with lots of missed opportunities.
6. Out of the Picture
Original Airdate: 6-17-2017
Plot: Mr. Krabs decides to kill Squidward, after being informed that artist paintings tend to become much more expensive after their painter's death.
Main Characters: Squidward, Mr. Krabs
Fun Fact: This episode marks the return of Rock Bottom (Which has been absent from the series' since its debut in Rock Bottom, but has appeared in multiple different forms of media, particularly the SpongeBob 4-D ride).
What can really be said about this episode other than the fact that it pushes the "It's a cartoon!" gimmick way too far. Now, I'm not against SpongeBob being, well, cartoony. Goodness, that's one of the big sparks of the renaissance from two years ago, the episodes no longer felt dull, and super stiff, like it was manufactured alongside merchandise for Fred.
Wow. These are two different shirts sold individually. What has this world come to?
Anyway, Out of the Picture focuses it's time on Krabs trying to kill Squidward in order to make a better profit off Squidward's paintings, upon hearing that an artist's work can become much more valuable once the artist has passed on. I'm not exposing this episode like many people have wasted countless amounts of time ranting on how evil Krabs is in One Coarse Meal. In my initial review for this episode, I did indeed make a comparison to OCM, seeing that I felt as though many people would judge this episode in a biased manner, ignoring this flaw in Krabs' character because Stephen Hillenburg is back! Every new episode is amazing, 11/10! No, I'm not from the SpongeBob wikia. When judging an episode, I want to do it in a unique manner, criticizing it from a more artistic viewpoint. Of course if you look at my early reviews, particularly for Seasons 1 & 2, you will see my style of reviewing wasn't always like this. This episode isn't bad because Krabs wants to kill Squidward, it's bad because his motivations are pathetically lazy, and the payoff of this premise is entirely unfunny. Not a cruel unfunny like those would spy in OCM. No, an unfunny quality presented in jokes that aren't clever in the slightest, and come off as rather lazy. Seriously, Krabs chases Squidward with a giant cartoony mallet? This would never happen in the universe of SpongeBob! FanBoy & Chum Chum, yes, but SpongeBob? No! The climax of this episode is utterly disappointing, it feels like it's contrived of any creativity. The rest of the episode is just boring, aside from glaring problems within how Krabs is written, the episode is super repetitive, having just about the same gimmick every few or so minutes. Krabs sends Squidward on a delivery to a treacherous place, Squidward survives, and returns, pushing Krabs to go more extreme. It's like if the "Need Some Change?" running gag from Skill Crane was extended into a 4-5 minute long scene, showing every failed attempt with the claw machine! It's bad enough this episode has a ridiculous plot filled with plenty of out of character moments presented by Krabs, but it's such a boring waste of time, with lots of lazy jokes and missed opportunities for some interesting scenery with Squidward's journey. Yeah, Rock Bottom returned in this episode, big whoop, it's reference in the 4-D Amusement Park ride was much better if you ask me. Overall, this is an episode I would avoid if you're not too particularly fond of Krabs to begin with, or if you just don't feel like wasting your time watching a boring episode.
5. Life Insurance
Original Airdate- 3-18-2017
Plot: SpongeBob decides to buy Life Insurance, for him, and Patrick, assuming it can protect you from pain for life. What happens when Squidward ends up falling for it, and takes it to the extreme?
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Squidward, Patrick
Fun Fact: Mr. Fitz from Mrs. Puff, You're Fired makes his return in this episode as a salesman.
This is why we never get anymore "Trio" episodes, as I like to call it. This episode does have an interesting idea, goodness, I like the setup to the conflict, I found it to have some pretty funny visual gags. However, this is one of the most boring "Trio" episodes in years, maybe even worse than That Sinking Feeling. Yeah, I personally get more entertainment out of that episode compared to the likes of this one. I never really liked this episode, when it first came out, I thought "Okay, it's not that good, but it's not that bad...", but looking back it's one of the slowest episodes of the Season! Many episodes are quite fast-paced in this Season, I noticed that seems to be the better episodes of the Season. However, some episodes do go a little too far, so it's nice to have an episode that balances out the crazy with the more calm, and normal episodes. Kind of like what John K. envisioned for Ren & Stimpy, by having super crazy episodes, alongside calmer (At least for Ren & Stimpy, it was calm) episodes. But goodness, Life Insurance had a hard enough premise to buy (Seriously? SpongeBob and Patrick take this commercial seriously? Well, okay, they did the same thing in Sold!, and that was a Good Episode), but considering the fact that there's nothing really special added to the rest of this episode, aside from the last minute or two shows how the writer of this episode couldn't find a good way to present a premise that sounds hard enough to make into an 11 minute episode to begin with. I mean yeah, there's some potential for really funny jokes in this episode, but most of it doesn't really do much with the plot, it's mostly just SpongeBob and Patrick talking to Squidward. There's no time set aside for there to be story progression, like in Idiot Box, the episode just feels like...filler...
Yeah, yeah, there's not technically filler in SpongeBob, I hear ya. But this episode is super forgettable, and from what I remember, it really drags on. I like the design of the crazy contraption, and I won't deny there is some creativity sprinkled in this episode (Goodness, the premise is actually kind of clever). But the execution of this episode is so boring, tons of jokes seem to fly by like the tumbleweeds you'd find in the living room of whatever family is watching this. Sheesh, that joke was so bad, you'd think it originated from this episode. It's bad enough most of the episode feels like you just relived the time Season 9 was airing new episodes on Nick, but the ending, which was proceeded by an interesting climax, was a super predictable, and annoying way to end the episode. Seriously, we're going for the "Squidward tries it, but fails" trope? That trope was dead by the time Squid Wood came out nearly a decade before this episode came out. Really, this is one I'd skip if I were you.
4. Lost and Found
Original Airdate: 6-10-2017
Plot: Mr. Krabs sends SpongeBob in search of a missing toy, and SpongeBob finds himself lost in the lost-and-found.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Lost People
Fun Fact: A plush resembling Yoda can be spotted on the Gee-Gaws shelf.
*Sigh*
I know I'm going to get a lot of hate for this, but I can't stand Lost and Found. I thought it was going to be a fascinating episode, exploring the underground depths of the Krusty Krab. It'd be a grand adventure, with tons of new sights to see, but unfortunately, what we got was an episode focusing more on the "Lost" element of Lost and Found, with the episode taking a predictable turn, along with a group of obnoxious, new characters. I'm sorry, but I can't stand these "Lost People". The concept of them is a pretty amusing take on the "Lost" concept of a Lost and Found, I won't deny that. However, I personally found them to be too annoying, and they took up tons of SpongeBob's time down in the Lost and Found. There were tons, TONS of potential within this episode's concept, but the episode just felt like a giant wasted opportunity. Notice that's thing I seem to say frequently in this Top 10 list, most bad episodes in the Tenth Season aren't bad because of big plot holes, they're bad because they're merely unentertaining to watch. And that's a shame, there are a lot of good ideas thrown around in this Season, and I noticed a lot of them seemed to have failed at having a plot executed in a funny/entertaining manner. Too much time was emphasized on these new, obnoxious characters, and a lot of the gags in the Lost and Found were really lame, generic gags. There's even some parts of the episode in the Krusty Krab, but they're so unmemorable, I don't even remember how this episode ends, just using the knowledge at the back of my head. It's a really pathetic execution of what could've been a much better episode. If the episode didn't go the generic route of having SpongeBob get lost, it could've been a more original, and unique episode. Even then, Krabs could've assembled a rescue team to get SpongeBob from the Lost and Found, that at least would've made this new episode somewhat suspenseful, and interesting. Here, no one really seems to make an effort to save SpongeBob. At least I think no one does. How should I know? I can't remember half of what happens in this episode, it's so lame! Overall, this is one of my least favorite episodes of the Season. I can see how one might enjoy it, but it's just not my cup of tea.
3. Plankton Gets the Boot!
Original Airdate: 3-11-2017
Plot: After being a jerk to his wife, Karen, Plankton is kicked out of the Chum Bucket, and has to live with SpongeBob. Now, it's up to SpongeBob to help Plankton get back together with his wife.
Main Characters: Plankton, Karen, SpongeBob
Fun Fact: Various board games from past episodes, The Flying Dutchman's Treasure Hunt from Arrgh!, Patrick the Game! from Patrick the Game!, the Paddleball set from Have You Seen This Snail?, Pretzel Pals from Buried in Time, and Whirlybrains from Whirlybrains all appear in SpongeBob's living room.
*Sigh* Plankton Gets the Boot is pretty much Single Cell Anniversary with all the heart ripped out of it. The moment I watched this episode, I instantly got vibes of Single Cell Anniversary. This is, without a doubt, one of the least original episodes in the Tenth Season. Okay, okay, it's plot does divert away from Single Cell Anniversary, okay, I can see how the two are different enough to be enjoyed in different fashions (Goodness, I love both Home Sweet Pineapple and Home Sweet Rubble). However! Chances are likely I'd think highly of this episode if it weren't for the fact that this type of plot was done several years ago.
In the comic, Krusty Karen (Written by David Lewman), Karen feels neglected by Plankton, and decides to leave the Chum Bucket, and work at the Krusty Krab. SpongeBob and Squidward are put on a vacation without pay due to the success of Karen's upgrades given to the Krusty Krab. It's then revealed that Plankton's life has gone into shambles without his computer wife, and is desperate to get her back, so much so that he tries to "woo" her by going on a fake date with a fake robot to make her jealous. Sound familiar?
I'm sorry, maybe it's an extreme coincidence that this episode happens to feature a similar plot line to a past episode and comic (The comic, which wasn't even that great, it had an abrupt ending!). But the episode itself isn't even that memorable! Nothing really seems to stand out, maybe the dating scene, but that's just about it. Lots of jokes seem to center around Plankton being too...well...Plankton. But even then, these jokes somehow aren't nearly as funny as they should be! So considering how inferior this episode is to one of my favorite Season 8 episodes, Single Cell Anniversary, it just feels like a waste of my time watching this sub-par variation of the "Karen leaves Plankton" plot (Which also was a plot element in Komputer Overload!). This episode just comes across as a mediocre variation of this type of plot to begin with, but given how nothing special really seems to be added to the plot to make it stand out (Kind of like how Shellback Shenanigans incorporated the Plankton/Gary dynamic to make it feel like a more unique "Plankton disguises himself" plot), this is definitely one of the weakest episodes of the Season. At least Trident Trouble had some likable scenes with Neptune and the Kracken, at least Rock Bottom was visually appealing in Out of the Picture, at least Life Insurance had a funny setup to the conflict, this episode doesn't really have anything going in it's favor. It's a bland experience that definitely makes this one of my least favorite episodes in the Tenth Season.
2. The Incredible Shrinking Sponge
Original Airdate: 12-2-2017
Plot: SpongeBob is accidentally shrunken after his grill's temperature was risen way too high.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Squidward, Mr. Krabs
Fun Fact: The "Krabby Playland" Play Area shown in this episode doesn't actually have any ladders or stairs to enter the slide/tubes.
*Sigh*
Hey, what do you know, that's how I started my Plankton Gets the Boot! review. Oh boy, we're in for it now, actual plot holes! That's right, while most of Season 10's bad episodes tend to suffer from being really unentertaining, with either a forgetful execution of a fairly generic premise, or having a plethora of forgettable/lame jokes.
Well, The Incredible Shrinking Sponge delivers one of the sloppiest directed episodes this Season. Seriously, I had no idea where this episode wanted to go. I thought at first the episode would focus on the Urchin, seeing the foreshadowing with it at the beginning, and even then, that would've been a predictable, boring route. However, the episode suddenly switches to SpongeBob meeting up with Plankton (The only good part about this episode in my opinion), then quickly changes to him cleaning people in the Krusty Krab, then all of a sudden he starts to dislike being small...wha-wha-what!? Where is this episode going!? Okay, that's the basic synopsis of the episode, it's time for me to go a little more in-depth.
First of all, the plot is your pretty standard "Sci-Fi" plot. Goodness, aside from time traveling, shrinking is probably the most common Sci-Fi related premise in cartoons. I've seen this type of plot done before, whether in a good cartoon like the Fairly OddParents, or Phineas & Ferb, or in a bad cartoon like Johnny Test or Fanboy & Chum Chum. It's fairly common in modern cartoons that tend to stretch the boundaries of what they can do in an episode. Goodness, Squidtastic Voyage was already the series' "Shrinking" plot, but this episode does refrain from being a Squidtastic Voyage ripoff, heck, there's not a single similarity I can find between these two episodes other than the whole "Shrinking" aspect, so it's not like Plankton Gets the Boot! where I can find an ample amount of similarities between this episode and other superior ones.
So starting off, we have a decent premise that's original enough to not be considered a ripoff of Squidtastic Voyage, okay, that's cool. I'm fine with that. But here's where things start to fall apart. The execution of this premise. And of course, in typical Season 10 fashion, we start off the episode with Squidward screaming at the top of his lungs. Now I'm not one who is particularly annoyed by crazy Squidward. Goodness, I really liked crazy Squidward in one of his most zany performances in Whirly-Brains, I thought he was hilarious in that episode!
However! I feel as though Squidward goes too far within this episode. He is so crazy over these urchins. And yes, we know he has a fear of urchins, as seen in Eek, an Urchin!, but he's never acted like Patrick did in Home Sweet Pineapple. Never! This is completely out of Squidward's character. Now, we start to head down a fairly predictable route, with SpongeBob comforting the urchin, only to have it escape from him. Now, I do like how the grill shrinks SpongeBob. I thought the cause of the grill's temperature rising was pretty clever, and I thought it was a neat way to tie in with the urchin. However, once SpongeBob shrinks, we are given an assortment of lame visual gags, leading up to SpongeBob's confrontation with the urchin. Of course, the urchin tries to attack SpongeBob.
By this point the episode is fairly "Meh". It's not that good, but I've seen worse. However, this is when the episode starts to get really sloppy. Squidward instantly sees SpongeBob and mistakes him for an urchin. Uh...hello!? Earth to Squidward, SpongeBob is the general size of Plankton, he should still be big enough for you to recognize. Goodness, Krabs picks up SpongeBob, mistaking him for Plankton in a disguise, and tosses him to the Chum Bucket.
Knowing that SpongeBob was around the same relative height as Plankton, I thought the episode would focus on these two interacting with one another, which I thought would make for an interesting turn of events for this episode about shrinking. I mean, imagine how cool that would be, having SpongeBob try to stop Plankton from stealing the formula from Plankton's size, that would be cool!
But nope. The episode suddenly decides to change directions, with Plankton kicking SpongeBob out of the Chum Bucket, after bragging to SpongeBob about being a millimeter taller than him. And of course, the only somewhat interesting scene in the episode is finally over, and we're back to the boring ol' Krusty Krab.
Krabs realizes SpongeBob really HAS shrunken, leading to Squidward fainting (Which, by the way, contradicts Squidward's belief that SpongeBob was an urchin earlier. Did he seriously not recognize SpongeBob? SpongeBob looks like the opposite of an urchin, he's yellow, he's square, he's full of pores, not spikes! Also, the fainting gag was probably the only funny joke in this episode). Krabs decides to make SpongeBob clean people (Being that he's a sponge, and he doesn't really serve much of a purpose now that he can't flip patties). Seriously? The episode goes in this direction? Wh-Wh-Why? This is so boring in comparison to the possibilities of Plankton teaming up with SpongeBob! Goodness, what even happened to the urchin subplot?! The episode doesn't have a centered conflict, it just focuses on SpongeBob surviving after being shrunken. Goodness, that sounds more exciting than how this episode is presented! SpongeBob doesn't even really make that much of an effort to survive, heck, he seems perfectly fine with being shrunken. Not for a minute does he panic, or feel paranoid, he just goes with the flow! His survival all depends on luck, he miraculously survives the urchin's wrath, is suddenly sent to the Chum Bucket, then back to the Krusty Krab. None of this seems very believable, the episode seemingly gives SpongeBob the benefit of the doubt, and switches from one subplot to another whenever it feels like. It doesn't even take that much advantage of SpongeBob's height. Maybe a few visual gags take place, but nothing really emphasizes on SpongeBob's height. And we finally do get into a subplot, the episode just seems to throw it away, and jumps into a whole other plot. There are no real stakes in this episode, SpongeBob is just thrown around the episode where he's needed.
Oh, and the resolution of this episode is pathetic. Out of nowhere, SpongeBob suddenly feels sad about being so small, and desires to be big again. Uh...where did this come from? From what I could gather, SpongeBob was happy to be small, he found it exciting, now out of nowhere, he suddenly breaks out of this ignorance, and becomes sad? Why? Oh I get it, because this is the part of the episode that needs this to happen in order to setup the ending. Wow, nothing transitions well in this episode at all.
The ending was (As you can expect), SpongeBob grows again thanks to the absorption of water, because he is a Sponge after all. I will admit, this is a pretty good ending considering how rocky this episode was, but really? You're going with absorption, when he literally absorbed grease earlier in the episode and didn't grow at all? C'mon! This episode is insanely flawed, the characters half the time are out of character because they need to act a certain way in order to transition from one subplot to another. The fact that there is no central conflict in this episode annoys the heck out of me, with the plot jumping all over the place. It's an episode that features tons of coincidences that don't get our protagonist into trouble, but rather the opposite. This episode is such a mess, there's problems all over the place, from the hypocrisy of how some of the characters contradict themselves, to the glaring problem of this episode's subplots. Not to mention, pretty much all of the episode's jokes fall flat, leaving barely any room for this episode to have redeeming qualities. I really dislike this episode, and consider this to be one of the worst episodes in recent time. However! There is another episode...another infamous episode...that I guarantee, if you've been following this Season, you'll know what I'm talking about, but before we talk about this episode, here's an honorable mention.
Patrick's Coupon
Original Airdate: 6-17-2017
Plot: Patrick tries to hand in a coupon, in a quest to find the Ice Cream King
Main Characters: Patrick, Ice Cream King
Rating: 5.6/10
And of course, the worst episode of SpongeBob's Tenth Season is...
1. Sportz?
Original Airdate: 7-17-2017
Plot: Squidward creates a new sport that inflicts harm on SpongeBob and Patrick, in an act of revenge for them annoying him.
Main Characters: Squidward, SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy
Fun Fact: Squidward is dressed similarly to the Emperor from Star Wars when being proclaimed the "King of Sports"
Here we go everyone! By far the worst episode I've seen in years, let's go, Sportz? is one of the most flawed episodes in the Season, and Nick decided to advertise like it was Goodbye Krabby Patty? or Whatever Happened to SpongeBob?
YYYYEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
*Whew!* I think I've reached my breaking point. I've realized the humor I inject into these reviews are insanely unfunny. You all know what's wrong with this episode, don't deny it, this is definitely the worst episode in SpongeBob's Tenth Season. So much time has been dedicated to ripping this episode apart, and I don't blame those who do, it's definitely worth ripping on. Sportz? is essentially the One Coarse Meal of this show's Tenth Season. Well, yeah, they both contain a character who cruelly inflicts harm on our antiheroes, allowing them to suffer from their abuse, but that's not what I meant. I mean, so many people have torn this episode apart, it's definitely the most infamous episode of the Season, so much so that I, one who tries to avoid putting predictable episodes on my list (Even though they end up on there half the time. I'm sorry for putting Band Geeks as my Number 1 spot in my Top 10 Best list for Season 2, but I had to, it was my honest opinion), ended up putting this as my least favorite episode in Season 10. I had to, it is without a doubt the worst. I can't even begin to describe how many flaws there are within this episode, I'd be here even longer than I was when writing my review for The Incredible Shrinking Sponge! So, instead I'm going to share my thoughts and opinion on this episode through an older review I made when I first saw this one. I can't put any good words into my mouth when describing this episode, so many other people have done much better jobs at doing so, I particularly recommend checking out Honest Slug's thoughts and opinions on this episode, he perfectly hit the nail in the lid.
(I apologize in advance if you've already seen this review)
"Oh no...this is the episode a lot of people have been making fun of for how bland it is for months now... :sbyousure:
Well, I finally got around to seeing this episode, and it is definitely one of the worst episodes of the Season.
Sportz?...well...think of you favorite sports related Goofy cartoon. Strip down any intelligence, cleverly directed sequences, hilarious moments, add an antagonist & a protagonist, and bingo! You got Sportz?
I wanted...I really wanted this episode to be good. I've been hearing tons of bad things about this episode, and I was hoping I could find some enjoyment out of this episode, because I actually really like Season 10's animation, and was hoping the slapstick humor of this episode would at least be reminiscent of the classic Goofy cartoons of the mid 20th Century. Alas, that is not the case. In fact, this episode probably has the worst animation I've seen so far in Season 10. Some sequences want to be fast, but seem kind of slowed down a little. As if the team working on this episode needed to fill in an extra minute, so they toned down the sequences.
This feels like just a regular, bland episode you'd come across in early Season 9 (With the exception of the live action Squid gag). Just the interaction alone between Squidward, SpongeBob, and Patrick feels like a stale, already done exchange of dialogue, like Andrew couldn't think of anything new or clever for the trio to say. The strongest episodes of Modern SpongeBob tend to break boundaries, separate from the already established setting, primarily since the whole Sponge/Squid/Patrick episode seemed to be die off around Season 5, feeling very forced, and slowed down. The energy of these earlier "trio" episodes died off. Just compare the rushed feeling of excitement in episodes like Snowball Effect, Naughty Nautical Neighbors, even Good Neighbors at least wasn't boring. Then compare that to the staleness of That Sinking Feeling, Life Insurance, and Sportz? Usually episodes in recent time tend to incorporate some new, fresher element that allows these episodes to not feel as slowed down, or forced (Like Sanctuary! Sentimental Sponge, Don't Look Now, etc.).
In a sense, I hate SpongeBob, Patrick, and Squidward's interactions. Squidward's antagonistic nature in this episode doesn't come off as funny, nor does it come off as in-character. It just feels really awkward. Making Squidward this abusive of a villain isn't entertaining. It's not the Squidward way. We've seen him take on this type of tole before where he's in power over the naive sponge, and often his slow best friend executed in a manner that could be funny, or at least the type of thing Squidward would do. Squidward is essentially a slacker when dealing with things that annoy him, usually not doing much about something unless it drives him over the edge. Squid's Day Off, an episode where he's hilarious, and Gullible Pants, an episode where he's not hilarious, yet does feel like the same ol' Squidward we all know and love. Essentially, if people criticize Puff's actions to cause nothing but pain to SpongeBob in Demolition Doofus (In a much more extreme scenario), I feel as though it's on the same level as Squidward in this episode (Who does want to give SpongeBob & Patrick pain, yet it's not as extreme as Puff's case, however, his motivations are pathetic and aren't justified for his actions).
The "comedy" of this episode primarily plays off of the animation. Like I said, the animation in this episode feels slowed down from other Season 10 episodes, so this one just comes across as a very unfunny episode. This episode missed it's mark with the slapstick, it doesn't work in this episode. It's not cleverly fast paced, no, it's SpongeBob & Patrick injuring themselves. If this was an episode actually focusing on the gang in different teams competing in different sports, that could've made for a possibly funnier episode, because then there'd be potential to have tons of chaos and mayhem like the classic Goofy cartoons. But no, the jokes are pain driven in this episode and they're just not funny. Not in a mean-spirited sort of way, they're just unfunny. I can't find any humor in these sequences that appeases to me, and I'm very big on visual humor.
Overall, this is essentially the weakest Season 10 episode so far. Tons of characters are out-of-character, the scenario doesn't seem new, the comedy is laid out & directed in a disastrous way, it's definitely my least favorite episode of Season 10 so far. It's an Awful Episode. I give it a 3/10"
So there you have it, my picks for the Top 10 Worst Episodes of SpongeBob's Tenth Season. I apologize if my review was kind of sloppy for most of it, it was kind of hard for me to describe my picks for the worst, considering how Season 10 doesn't have episodes as bad as the ones you'd find in Seasons 5-9, except for my first two spots on the list.
Stay tuned, though, because I'm going to share my picks for the Top 10 Best Season 10 SpongeBob Episodes.
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SpongeBob's Tenth Season has given us some great and some bad episodes. It's a really mixed Season overall, it's not that good, though it's definitely not that bad. It's like a wackier, more experimental version of Season 5. Yes, the Tenth Season holds some really bad episodes, but I notice people seem to discuss the worse of Season 10 than the better. So today, I'm going to share with you my picks for the Top 10 Best Season 10 SpongeBob Episodes. Let's get started.
10. Krusty Katering
Original Airdate: 3-4-2017
Plot: The Krusty Krab crew (And Patrick) hold a catering business in a mansion. However, things go amok, especially once an annoying kid follows Krabs around.
Main Characters: Mr. Krabs, Billy, Ms. Milfred
Fun Fact: A Plankton piƱata is hung up at the children's birthday party that the Krusty Crew (And Patrick) attend.
I know, I know. Why would I put an episode as dull as Krusty Katering at the start of my list. If anything, it should've been in the other one, right? Well, I beg to differ. Yes, Krusty Katering has it's problems, I'm not going to deny certain characters like Patrick and the kid are annoying. They're both definitely written to be nuisances. However, I can get pass some of this episode's flaws due to the fact that it's kind of a risky episode. There's never been a SpongeBob like this one, goodness, it feels more like a Mickey Mouse cartoon than a SpongeBob one, that's what I even said when I first reviewed the episode when it originally aired! Krusty Katering is such a unique episode, and even though some of the characters are in your face, there's definitely some heart portrayed in this episode. The ending with the kid accepting Krabs as a father figure was kind of sweet, and it was refreshing to get (somewhat of) a happy ending. Yeah the silly antics do show up a little too often, but the plot itself is really original, making for a very solid/entertaining story. It's not the best, but it's definitely a pretty decent episode. It definitely has some more unlikable moments (God, I hate that "Cake" running gag), but looking into it, I find this to be a pretty good episode.
9. Code Yellow
Original Airdate: 6-3-2017
Plot: SpongeBob is mistaken for a being a doctor, and goes around the Bikini Bottom hospital playing doctor.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Squidward
Fun Fact: One of the various nosejobs Squidward temporarily receives from SpongeBob is a miniature head resembling Squilliam Fancyson.
I know what you're all thinking. What!? How could Code Yellow be Number 9 on a Best list!? Code Yellow is one of the worst episodes of Season 10! Well, personally, I disagree with the common opinion that Code Yellow is one of the worst episodes of SpongeBob's Tenth Season. In my opinion, this is how to properly incorporate wackiness into a SpongeBob episode. Personally, I absolutely love the antics in this episode. It's like a cartoon version of the 3 Stooges, only with less violence. Given that this episode takes place in a hospital, with the opportunity for plenty of wacky shenanigans to take place, I feel as though the fast-paced, wacky attitude of this episode perfectly fit within the scenery of this episode. When it comes to the plot, I actually find it quite interesting. We've never really seen that much of a Bikini Bottom hospital (I believe the most we've seen of it was in The Two Faces of Squidward), so this opens up whole new possible scenarios. As for Squidward's subplot, I think it's actually a pretty interesting, and humorous subplot. Squidward getting a nose job is a funny premise, and I especially like how it perfectly ties into both the setup and the ending. It gives SpongeBob a reason to show up at the hospital (Rather than just being there because "episode requires him to be there"), and it does give the episode an interesting climax. Now, the humor is where this episode kind of falls short. Yes, there are definitely some good jokes in this episode, but a lot of the humor is fairly forgettable. Luckily, we're exposed to some great visuals, with the type of pacing that perfectly fits within this type of episode (Goodness, I imagine if this type of episode was made in Season 6, there'd probably an entire minute dedicated to SpongeBob taking someone's blood pressure, stretching out the joke as long as possible). So in a sense, I imagine it could be much worse. It's not a perfect episode, but it definitely has a solid enough storyline, with a cast of memorable characters, along with a few funny gags.
8. The Getaway
Original Airdate: 6-10-2017
Plot: A prisoner mistakes SpongeBob for being his getaway driver.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Mrs. Puff, Stickyfins Whiting, Dorsal Dan
Fun Fact: Steve Buscemi and Joe Pantoliano guest star in this episode as Dorsal Dan and Stickyfins Whiting respectively.
Just looking at the basic synopsis, you can tell this is a good one. Out of all the episodes in Season 10, The Getaway probably has the funniest premise. I mean, c'mon. SpongeBob is a horrible driver to begin with, so having him be mistaken as a getaway driver sounds like a hilarious concept. The execution of this episode is fairly decent. It could've been much better, but it definitely holds up. The new characters introduced in this episode are lots of fun to watch, the Guest Stars do a really great job voicing them in this episode. I especially love the chemistry between Puff and the Getaway driver. Giving her a love interest really seemed to spice things up in this episode, I really enjoyed that element of the episode's plot. Probably where this episode falls short is SpongeBob and the Getaway driver. When they first meet, there are some really funny gags (I especially love the driver's license gag). Unfortunately, they don't seem to bounce off each other that well, at least not as well as SpongeBob's past interactions with a criminal like Man-Ray, The Strangler, or Plankton (His sheer positivity usually seems to make for a memorable contrast to an antagonist's evil nature). There was much more opportunity with this dynamic between the two, but unfortunately, the writer of this episode seemed to divert away from having that much of character development between the two. If anything, I like the small romantic scenes better than the Prisoner/SpongeBob scenes. Something about Puff and the driver really makes for some entertaining scenes. As for the gags, there are some pretty funny ones here and there (The premise itself is funny enough), but unfortunately a good chunk of the episode's gags tend to be unmemorable being part of a slew of visual gags with SpongeBob and the Prisoner avoiding the cops. The gags aren't bad, they just aren't that memorable. Still, this episode does prove to be much more entertaining than half the Season, so I'll give it that. Overall, it's certainly a unique episode I recommend checking out.
7. Whirly-Brains
Original Airdate: 10-15-2016
Plot: SpongeBob and Patrick end up loosing their brains when they're toy, Whirly-Brain lands on an old fish's property, forcing the old geezer to keep the toys to himself in an act of anger.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Sandy, Patrick, Old Fish
Fun Fact: Mr. Krabs and Mrs. Puff are revealed to have been dating for 16 years (The amount of time it's been since Krusty Love first aired), and have their first kiss in this episode.
I know what many people think. Ooh, Whirly-Brains is too wacky, the animation is too over-the-top, Squidward is too crazy, the diaper joke was disgusting, you know what? I really like this episode! (This part of the review was meant to be read like an intro to a Nostalgia Critic video. It does not represent my feelings toward those who dislike this episode. To be honest, I really don't care if you like it or not. It's fine).
Whirly-Brains, the Tenth Season premiere remains one of the highlights of the Season. It has such a unique premise, featuring a brilliant parody of drones. Seriously, the concept of Whirly-Brains is super creative. The episode does kind of turn predictable once the old guy steps into the picture, but to be honest, it's a really solid episode. The plot is very entertaining, there's actual risks in this episode (With SpongeBob and Patrick's brains/eyes being gone), and the jokes are actually really funny for the most part. Yeah, I really like this episode's humor. The jokes aren't all winners of course, but there are definitely plenty of memorable laughs to be had in this episode.
I notice this episode seems to be one step ahead of the viewer. Lots of the jokes seem to have neat little twists and turns which makes it all the more entertaining. Take the diaper joke for instance. Yeah, yeah, I know the common complaint "Ugh, this joke's disgusting". Well I'll tell you, it's nothing compared to the likes of this masterpiece.
https://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=J9c%2B4lciZc1Bae6Sdde%2FGTAD6%2BUJ%2FrfAfog9%2BfQ5UCA%3D
Rather than emphasize on the literal disgusting nature of the diaper, the episode changes what could've been a pathetic shot at gross-out humor into a delightfully clever joke. Patrick dotting in eyes, a small detail actually makes for a pretty funny visual joke. A lot of this episode's visuals are really good, to be honest. The animation perfectly fits within such a zany plot. Yeah, an episode where character's brains and eyes are being stolen, the animation perfectly captures what you'd expect out of this scenario. This is the first episode to implement the overly wacky Season 10 animation, and really, I feel as though this episode's animation has held up the most.
Sportz?'s animation felt kind of sluggish, as I mentioned in my Top 10 Worst list for Season 10. You'd expect all kinds of wild animation, but really, during the actual sport scenes, we get what feels like a lot of drawn out moments that are lackluster to what the episode should present. Amped up animation that shows off the chaos of the sequence. This episode's animation is beautiful in my opinion. The animation is super fluent in this episode, there are so many crazy moments sprinkled throughout the episode, you get a taste of what these animators can really pull off.
Squidward's scenes especially look impressive. This is the first time Squidward acts over-the-top since The Fishbowl. Either way, I find Squidward's scenes to be hilarious in this episode. This was before his crazy attitude was oversaturated, and placed into episodes where it had no right to be there (The Incredible Shrinking Sponge). He's hilarious in this episode, and it's justified for him to go insane. I'd probably freak out if I saw floating brains with eyes, too.
As for the overall execution of this episode's conflict, I say did a pretty good job. It wasn't a masterpiece to any extent, and the storyline did feel slightly unoriginal with a generic stereotype (The cranky old man who hates kids), and an element heavily featured in this episode that parodies drones. But, with the right amount of humor, animation that flows well with the crazy storyline, and likable protagonists (Haven't even really mentioned that. SpongeBob and Patrick are basically flawless protagonists in this episode. I can't recall anything bad about the way they were written that really sticks with me), this can definitely be an enjoyable episode that can be compared to the likes of the Ren & Stimpy Show.
6. House Worming/Clam Up!
Original Airdate: 2-25-2017
Plot: A bunch of worms decide to move into SpongeBob's body, and use him as a house.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Prickley the Worm, Gary, Other Worms
Fun Fact: Clam Up! is the only short in the series to star a character who isn't one of the main characters.
Ah, House Worming. A more simplistic episode, introducing us to a new character, Prickley the Worm. I'm going to get this off my back an start off by saying, the follow-up short, Clam Up! is easily the highlight of the episode. But we'll just talk about the main episode itself, first.
House Worming is a relatively simple, and goofy episode. The premise is fine, there are definitely plenty of good gags thrown into the episode (My favorite being the visual gag that shows off SpongeBob's body transformed into an apartment complex for the worms). The only real problem I have with this episode's plot is that it's pretty similar to the likes of Jellyfish Jam. It's not as big of a "rip-off" as Plankton Gets the Boot (Seeing how in this case, the main similarity to House Worming and Jellyfish Jam is the setup to the conflict with SpongeBob taking in a wild animal which seems harmless on the outside, but turns out to turn his life upside down). The execution of this premise differs greatly from Jellyfish Jam, as the Jellyfish are merely a nuisance in SpongeBob's life, constantly wanting to do nothing but dance. However, in this episode, the worms go with SpongeBob wherever he goes, since they enjoy living inside his pores.
The execution is pretty decent, and I do find it to be quite enjoyable at times. There are a lot of really good gags in this episode, which definitely amps up the playful nature this episode is trying to project. It's not meant to be taken seriously, it's a goofy episode that fully takes advantage of being a cartoon. Which I definitely admire, I really do like when cartoons push the boundaries, by presenting stories that couldn't be done in live-action.
Overall, House Worming a decent enough episode. It's not the best in the Season, but it's definitely not that bad of an episode. However, the follow-up short that comes after the episode is what really puts this episode on this spot in the list.
The last time we've had a short (That's part of a Season) was back in Season 5. And before then, back in Season 1 (Reef Blower). Not only does it make this episode stand out more than usual, but the short is actually really good. And really unique too, Clam Up! stars Prickley the Worm and a Clam. The only main character who appears in this short is SpongeBob, and even then, he only appears in the background at the very end without any lines.
Clam Up! is such a charming, and simple short. It could not have existed at all, but really, instead of stretching out House Worming to what would've been an unbearable length for a premise that simple, we get this neat little short that shows off the backstory of how Prickley arrived at SpongeBob's house.
It's such a neat little addition to the episode, it really makes it much more special than it would've been, had it not been for this unique little addition. The short itself is actually really funny, it feels like a Pixar short in my opinion. It does, it gives a little more background on an already existing character, while giving us a fairly simple premise, filled with lots of laughs. I really love how the crew decided to go the extra mile by incorporating this little short to make up time that House Worming couldn't cover. I feel as though, had it not been for this short, House Worming would probably be one of the weaker episodes of the Season. Overall, House Worming is a fairly delightful episode, but with the addition to Clam Up!, I can guarantee you'll have an enjoyable experience watching these episodes.
5. MermaidPants
Original Airdate: 10-29-2016
Plot: SpongeBob and Patrick decide to pretend to be their favorite superheroes, Mermaid Man & Barnacle Boy. While pretending, they manage to not only rope Squidward into their game, but Mr. Krabs, as well.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, Mr. Krabs
Fun Fact: This is the the last Season 10 episode to air in 2016.
Yes, MermaidPants is only at Number 5, and not in the Top 3. Sue me, I find this one to be overrated. Yes MermaidPants is a great episode, but it's definitely not the very best this Season has to offer. Still, despite my attitude towards the overflowing amount of praise this episode receives, I won't deny that this is definitely a great episode.
The plot of this episode is a fairly simple plot. Goodness, it's kind of like what Ed Edd n' Eddy did in a lot of their episodes, recapturing that classic childhood spirit. In this case, playing "Superheroes" is the type of childhood spirit being portrayed in this episode. SpongeBob and Patrick both represent the freedom of childhood in this sense by dressing up as their favorite superheroes. They have that child-like state of mind that is perfectly represented in this episode. This is the type of playful nature that was represented in episodes like Idiot Box, Snowball Effect, and yes, even the original MM&BB episode. Goodness, that was a highlight of that episode. SpongeBob and Patrick pretending to be their heroes isn't anything new to the series, but this episode focuses on an adventure the two have while pretending. It's that type of childhood spirit (Don't know how many times I have to say that) that I feel as though makes these two so likable. They don't need to be dumbed-down to the point where they act like literal children (I'm looking at you openings of Squid Baby and Squidward's School For Grownups!). There's a difference between acting childish and acting child-like (At least from my perspective). Acting childish is just being an immature idiot, whereas acting child-like is having a more whimsical attitude, often being more lively, and optimistic in a sense.
I believe that this is what truly holds this episode together. This aspect of SpongeBob and Patrick's characters is what this series seems to be built on. Looking at some of the best episodes of the series, SB & Patrick are often written in this state of mind. But, the worse episodes of the series use the "child" trope literally, by making them act like actual children, when in reality, SB & Patrick aren't children. They're grown adults who haven't really lost touch with their inner child yet.
And that is what essentially makes this episode work. There is no real conflict (Aside from the nice little twist at the end where Squidward takes the villain part too seriously, which undoubtedly fits his character, seeing that he usually finds it proper to take things in a dignified and sophisticated manner, well...for the most part...)...
https://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=XLd1Jj%2BgsuG4S%2BEQyfMUpw894PJrKUmb6EKn0z3IMuA%3D
...it's merely an episode focusing on Squidward having to deal with SpongeBob and Patrick forcing him to play with them. And it's not handled in ways many past episodes have handled it, by showing off SpongeBob and Patrick constantly pestering Squidward to join him (Whether it was a good episode like SB-129, or a bad one like Squid Wood). Instead, we get to see them trying to persuade Squidward into playing with them, by playing nearby him (Showing off how much fun it is). The overall focus of this episode is nothing more than just a fun experience SpongeBob and Patrick are having playing as their heroes. And having Krabs and Squidward roped into their roleplaying definitely makes for a fun time. There are lot of great jokes in this episode (Though there are plenty of forgettable jokes too, I won't deny that), and they definitely help fill in gaps that would otherwise be kind of boring (Since there isn't that much conflict in this episode). The main climax is also pretty entertaining, and kind of suspenseful. There are actual risks at this point, and you can tell Squidward has kind of evolved as a character in this episode. He doesn't just completely shift in directions with how he acts (Like SpongeBob was in the climax of The Incredible Shrinking Sponge, jumping from an ignorant, happy fellow, into a sad character who felt as though he was cursed with becoming small forever), the change in character is slowly drawn at through this episode. That's another thing this episode masters at, not only does it do great at character building, but it also has really good pacing, which allows for so many jokes, and just an overall fun experience. It's kind of like reading Calvin & Hobbes in a sense. Yes, I just compared a SpongeBob episodes to one of the greatest comics of all time.
Going in deep detail as to what really makes this episode work has really opened up my eyes to see that it is indeed worth getting some praise. It still is a little overrated, but hey, it's still an episode I really like nonetheless. Overall, this is certainly a great episode, which is nothing more than just an 11 minute long cartoon with lots of fun and laughs. It perfectly represents what makes this series great, while giving off a new, and entertaining adventure.
4. Unreal Estate
Original Airdate: 6-3-2017
Plot: Squidward convinces SpongeBob that he's allergic to his pineapple, and tries to get him another house, far away from his own.
Main Characters: Squidward, SpongeBob
Fun Fact: Aside from The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, this is the only time in the series SpongeBob physically ends up in a fishbowl in the real world.
Oh man, here we go, Unreal Estate. Unreal Estate is one of the funniest episodes in the Season, I absolutely love this episode. The premise to the episode sounds like it's doomed to fail. SpongeBob is convinced he's allergic to his own pineapple? That sounds like a horrible idea for an episode, I could just imagine how hard it'd be to execute a premise as ridiculous as that one. Luckily, the episode tends to shift it's focus on the concept of house hunting, which is really where this episode shines. Most of the episode's highlights tend to take place during these sequences with the new houses SpongeBob and Squidward look at. It's kind of a fun little montage, honestly. We get some change in scenery by being exposed to these houses, and I especially admire the way the montage was handled. Yeah, it could've been your average montage, just containing an assortment of highlights from the characters' adventure, but no. The episode goes out of it's way to parody the theme song, which I think is probably the funniest gag in the episode. The theme song parodies are hilarious, especially the Chicken Parmesan sandwich gag that comes out of absolutely nowhere. It's kind of interesting to see the theme song gags, especially since they were probably the highlight of Truth or Square. Anyways, the theme song gags aren't the only comedic highlight of the episode. Another one is probably the scene involving Squidward in the "futuristic house" (Which in reality is a rocket). Man, when I first saw this scene, I did not see the plot twist coming, and even better, the scene was hilarious! It came out of nowhere, and seeing Squidward freak out when being launched into space was a massive laugh. Overall, this episode's overall premise does seem a tad bit ridiculous, but the episode sways away from focusing entirely on the effects of Squidward's lie (Like Sold!), and instead was centered around the silliness of Squidward and SpongeBob's journey to buy SpongeBob a new house. As a result, the episode doesn't take itself that seriously, and is more or less just for laughs. And let me tell you, it succeeds in bringing in laughs. Overall, a hilarious gem of this Season.
3. Mimic Madness
Original Airdate: 2-25-2017
Plot: SpongeBob is diagnosed with Mimic Madness Disease, which makes him addicted to mimicking people.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Sandy, Mr. Krabs, Squidward, Patrick, Plankton
Fun Fact: This is the first episode in nearly 5 years to feature a brand new song (Though Sold! kind of had one).
Mimic Madness is by far the most praised episode of the Season, next to Mermaid Pants. This episode's praise is definitely valid, as it really is a great episode. The premise is very original, yet there is a possibility of the concept failing, by overdoing SpongeBob's mimicking, making him an annoying, unlikable character (Like how his laugh was overdone in Funny Pants). Luckily, the episode perfectly avoids this possibility of failing, by making SpongeBob a likable protagonist. Remember that long in-depth character analysis I included in my review for Mermaid Pants? Well, the same type of "child-like" trait is established once again, perfectly in this episode. SpongeBob's attitude towards the concept of constantly mimicking people is because it brings joy to him, not to mention, it's a form of flattery. So SpongeBob's motivations are perfectly acceptable, fitting right in with his character. Now, the episode takes a unique, and interesting turn. SpongeBob ends up getting the disease, Mimic Madness, that completely messes up his identity. First off, let me just say that Tom Kenny did a fantastic job voicing SpongeBob in this episode. Usually I don't praise the voice work, as usually the voice acting in SpongeBob is pretty solid, generally a flaw in the voice-work is a result of an incompetent script/storyboard (Like SpongeBob's obnoxious yell to Mrs. Puff in Summer Job). However, Tom Kenny successfully masters SpongeBob's impressions in this episode. They don't sound very similar, yet at the same time, they all sound like SpongeBob is doing the impressions, not Tom Kenny. I'm pretty sure his talent is best demonstrated in the song, "Who am I?" Yes, there is a song in this episode, and like most episodes with a song in them, it's the highlight of the episode. The episode seems like it'd be a fairly goofy episode, just taking the highlight of Gone, and stretching it out into an 11 minute episode. However, the episode goes into an actually serious direction. SpongeBob legitimately suffers from Mimic Madness, he is in an overall identity crisis, confused and possibly scared about having no idea who he truly is. The song "Who am I?" is not only filled with great vocal work, memorable lyrics, and funny visual gags, but it also has a fairly emotional impact on the audience. I felt legitimately bad for SpongeBob once the song was over, it was a very touching, and emotional song. The episode perfectly masters the incorporation of serious character development, while keeping an overall light-hearted feeling keeping the overall feel to the episode stay in range with the regular vibes you get when watching a regular episode of SpongeBob (Something SpongeHenge failed to accomplish, with it's twistedly dark ending that doesn't feel like it belongs in a SpongeBob episode). Overall, this is definitely one of the best episodes of the Season, and perfectly captures the spirit of a SpongeBob episode, while telling a funny, and moving story.
2. Burst Your Bubble
Original Airdate: 3-18-2017
Plot: SpongeBob, still unable to get his license, creates a vehicle made out of bubbles, and ends up launching a new trend as a result.
Main Characters: SpongeBob, Mrs. Puff
Fun Fact: This is the only episode aside from Rodeo Daze and Sandy's Rocket in which every citizen of Bikini Bottom reaches the surface (Though unlike Rodeo Daze and Sandy's Rocket where they break the surface, they don't go through it in this episode).
Ah, Burst Your Bubble. One of the most creative episodes of the Season, Burst Your Bubble is a delight to watch. It's not the funniest episode out there, though there are some really funny jokes in the episode (Particularly the car wash gag with Krabs which was both unsettling, yet hilarious at the same time). I really enjoyed this one. There are a lot of really great visuals in this episode, I found the design of the bubble cars to be incredibly creative, especially the way they work. The plot is very original, though it does go on a little predictable route with the tables turning. Still, that doesn't mean this episode isn't entertaining, because my goodness, it's really entertaining. From Puff's crazy driving using the bubble boat, to the scenes where she first sees the Bubble Boats (Which are actually pretty interesting to watch in my personal opinion), it's a really entertaining episode. I consider this to be a highlight of the Season, it's not the best episode, but I really found myself enjoying this one, even if it's not that fantastic of an episode. It's still pretty unique, and gives us plenty of funny jokes. It's creativity is where the episode shines the most, looking back at the episode, I still really admire the bubble boats design, I think they're great! This episode is one of my personal favorites of the Season.
And finally, before I get to my Number 1 pick, here's an honorable mention.
Plankton Retires
Original Airdate: 3-25-2017
Plot: Mr. Krabs and SpongeBob follows Plankton on his road to retirement, skeptical that this could all be a diabolical plan.
Main Characters: Plankton Robot, Krabs Robot, SpongeBob Robot, Plankton, Krabs
Rating: 6/10
And of course, the best episode in SpongeBob's Tenth Season is...
1. Feral Friends
Original Airdate: 10-7-2017
Plot: The ultra rare "Neptune's Moon" escapes it's dormant state for a total of 2 hours, turning every citizen in Bikini Bottom (With the exception of Sandy) into their primitive form. Now, it's up to Sandy (And a special friend of hers) to keep her friends safe during this time of chaos.
Main Characters: Sandy, The French Narrator, Patchy the Pirate
Fun Fact: This is the first major and physical appearance of the French Narrator, who is revealed to be a man in a Diving Suit.
Oh man, you can tell the staff put A LOT of effort into this episode. I'm stunned, I just can't believe how fantastic this episode was. Never in a million years would I imagine we'd get a SpongeBob episode with the French Narrator starring as a main character. This was a fantastic reveal, probably the best fan service the entire Season had to offer (And it was STUFFED with Easter Eggs to begin with!). Still, this is such a unique, and wonderful episode. The premise itself is super creative, and take full advantage of taking place underwater. It's a brilliant Sci-Fi-esque episode, perfect for Halloween! The concept of this episode is super creative, and the execution is marvelous! The primitive state of our main characters is really fascinating to see, especially alongside the still-cartoony state of Sandy. She is a fantastic protagonist in this episode too. It's about time we get a Sandy-centered episode with an overall action feel to it (I mean, she was featured in pretty much every other action themed episode like Planet of the Jellyfish, Whelk Attack, etc.). I was kind of disappointed when Squidward was transformed into a primitive Squid, I was kind of hoping we'd see Sandy and Squidward act as our main heroes, that'd be really entertaining to see, as I feel as though these two don't get enough interaction, but the payoff with the French Narrator was completely worth it. And even then, Frenchie serves an actually purpose in this episode, he isn't there just to be there, he's there to help Sandy out on her adventure. Also, the Live Action scenes in this episode look really good, especially the set for the French Narrator's submarine, I really liked that set. Not to mention, the episode is actually kind of educational, and it's not even really boring either, we get a lot of great visuals paired up with the French Narrator's narration of aquatic sea life (Which is the perfect way to handle his character!). Best of all, Patchy is back!
https://www.sbmania.net/pictures.php?img=4jlrKu%2BMCjt%2F8z%2BOvQGOsL7hhmhe5ErBb0dCg1exX%2Bc%3D
No, not that ugly monstrosity. I mean, Patchy's back in Live Action, and guess what? He's funny again! Finally, the first appearance of Patchy in over 10 years that I found to be legitimately funny! His scenes provide a great comedic balance, given that most of the episode lacks jokes in order to tell a more serious story. This episode handles everything perfectly! It has a great cast of characters, it has a really creative, and entertaining storyline, suspenseful actions scenes, great jokes, impressive visuals, this an amazing episode, and is truly the best episode of SpongeBob's Tenth Season.
SpongeBob's Tenth Season has truly been one mixed bag. On one end you have fantastic episodes like Unreal Estate or Feral Friends, while on the other end you have absolutely failures like Sportz? and The Incredible Shrinking Sponge, with the majority of the Season being hit or miss. Lots of the episodes tend to be middle-in-the-road in this Season, there aren't too many shiners, and lowpoints. I guess that's a factor of this Season's episode amount (22, sheesh, this is the shortest Season in the entire series!).
Still, every Season has it's amazing and horrendous episodes, whether it's as pure as Season 3, or as terrible as Season 7. As such, the series has built itself a number of classics during it's time, while it's also produced an infamous collection that I assume we'd rather forget. So, next time you'll be joining me, I shall discuss my picks for the Top 10 Worst SpongeBob Episodes (First 10 Seasons Only)"
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Well, there you have it. We're all caught up with this series. However! We still have yet to discuss my personal favorite and least favorite episodes of the series! That's right, instead of pulling off a predictable Best/Worst list of the series, I'll be diving into my personal opinions, so don't expect a ranking of the best and worst episodes (Otherwise, my Worst list would be exactly the same as my Season 7 list). Any thoughts, feelings, and opinions on these lists, feel free to share 'em!
