SpongeBob SquarePants

[LumRanmaYasha]

The characters have been flanderized to shallow shells of their former selves, the show's put more emphasis in gross-out, loud, and mean humor, and they've run out of genuinely creative ideas and stories to tell, so a lot of the plots are hastily put together with no real structure or sense to them. It's just going through the motions now.

[talonmalon333]

The characters have been flanderized to shallow shells of their former selves, the show's put more emphasis in gross-out, loud, and mean humor, and they've run out of genuinely creative ideas and stories to tell, so a lot of the plots are hastily put together with no real structure or sense to them. It's just going through the motions now.

What I mean is, why do you think all of that happened?

One possibility, as Dr. Insomniac suggested, is Hillenburg leaving.

[LumRanmaYasha]

Oh. Well, yeah, then I agree with the Doc that Hillenburg leaving as showrunner after the movie was the start of the series' gradual decline to what it is now.

[gunswordfist]

that was almost a stupid question, talon.

[talonmalon333]

I was thinking, and I have to say that Club SpongeBob, the conch episode, might be the understated perfect character episode. And it perfectly reflects the contrast between the classic era of the show, and what it is now. These days, the episodes basically just force situations (for example, tormenting Squidward as much as possible because it's "funny"). However, in Club SpongBob, nothing is forced. Well, I suppose you could say the same for anything from the golden era of the show. But I think this episode is one of the perfect examples of them not having to push anything at all. The writers basically just took SpongeBob, Patrick, and Squidward (the three best characters of the show), threw them into an unusual place, and then let the characters take over and essentially write the story themselves. The episode isn't necessarily as good as Band Geeks, but I do say that it is arguably the most simple and pure character-based episode.

[Speedy]

^ In general, if you have well-defined characters with clear motivations, the scripts pretty much write themselves.

[talonmalon333]

^ In general, if you have well-defined characters with clear motivations, the scripts pretty much write themselves.

That's the beauty of classic SpongeBob. Other classics, such as Pizza Delivery (considered by nearly everyone to be one of the best episodes), also excel at it in their own ways.

In contrast, I remember an episode of season 4 where the entire episode was literally nothing more than Squidward trying to relax on a Sunday, and SpongeBob and Patrick just bothering him in all sorts of different ways, ruining his day off. That's all there is to the episode. Nothing else happens. And the series just got worse and worse from there.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I'm gonna get you, Dirty Dan and Pinhead Larry.

[Speedy]

You're nothin' but pure evil!  Just like newspaper comics...

[talonmalon333]

What do you guys think is the best season of the show: season 2, or season 3 (because it's obviously going to come down to those two, despite how good season 1 is)?

As a point of reference, I'll give you a Wikipedia list of the episodes in both seasons.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpongeBob_SquarePants_(season_2)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpongeBob_SquarePants_(season_3)

[LumRanmaYasha]

Season 2. Both are equally strong seasons at their best, but season 3 had "Ugh," which is a pretty bad episode, and a few other weaker entries, whereas season 2 is pretty much consistent throughout with some of the series' best, iconic episodes.

[talonmalon333]

Season 2. Both are equally strong seasons at their best, but season 3 had "Ugh," which is a pretty bad episode, and a few other weaker entries, whereas season 2 is pretty much consistent throughout with some of the series' best, iconic episodes.

I don't think season 2 was always gold. It took until Dying for Pie for that season to get to its peak (from that point, it was pretty much smooth sailing). The first few episodes are pretty unremarkable.

Also, I might argue that Chocolate with Nuts and The Krusty Krab Training Video are iconic just like Band Geeks and Graveyard Shift.

[LumRanmaYasha]

I don't think season 2 was always gold. It took until Dying for Pie for that season to get to its peak (from that point, it was pretty much smooth sailing). The first few episodes are pretty unremarkable.

Also, I might argue that Chocolate with Nuts and The Krusty Krab Training Video are iconic just like Band Geeks and Graveyard Shift.

Season 3 has a lot of my favorite episodes from the series. Still, season 2 didn't have an episode nearly as bad as "Ugh," and season 3 had it's share of unremarkable episodes as well, so I really do think season 2 has the edge over it.

[talonmalon333]

Ugh wasn't too bad. When I was young it was actually my least favorite episode, but I think it's pretty fine nowadays.

I feel like the only classic SpongeBob I sort of disliked was Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy II. I just never thought it was that funny.

[Speedy]

Both are pretty solid.  For season 2, I can't think of a single mediocre short up until the Christmas special, after which it gets a bit more hit and miss.

For season 3, my favorites:
-The Algae's Always Greener ("Victory screech!")
-Sponge Guard on Duty ("Butt cramps!")
-Just One Bite ("I remember MY first Krabby Patty...")
-Nasty Patty ("Oops, I dropped it in the toilet.")
-Doing Time ("These are my people.")
-As Seen on TV ("Alas, good people, even the brightest of stars grow weary, and I am no exception. But I will shine again after a quick break in my quarters.  Stay beautiful.")
-Can You Spare a Dime ("Hmm, that's TWO things in this house that WON'T. WORK.")
-No Weenies Allowed ("WEENIE HUT GENERAL?!")
-Squilliam Returns ("Humina-humina-humina-humina...")
-Rock-a-Bye Bivalve ("Let's have another.")
-Wet Painters
-Krusty Krab Training Video ("After the war, Krabs stayed secluded in a deep depression that seemed endless.")
-Chocolate With Nuts ("I remember the first time I tasted chocolate... sweet, sweet chocolate.  I ALWAYS HATED IT!")