01a. Help Wanted

Ahhh, the first episode of a series that I love. I'm gonna try to hold back my nostalgia for this one and actually use fair criticism, but to be honest, every single thing about it is good. I like how they portrayed Patrick here, they made him somewhat of a wingman for Spongebob, giving him motivation. It really paints the picture that he's supposed to be his BEST friend. And I love the jokes in here. Mr. Krabs screaming ANCHOVIES has gone down as one of the most classic lines of the entire show, and I also laughed at the fact that hydro-dynamic spatulas actually do exist in Spongebob's world. But the true highlight of the episode, of course, is the whole patty-making sequence. The visuals are creative, and the song "Living in the Limelight" is a perfect fit for the show's aesthetic.
 
An obvious episode to enjoy its #1.

Rating: Amazing Episode

Rankings:
Help Wanted (Amazing!)
 
This is an excellent series premiere that introduces us to Bikini Bottom, as well as most of the main characters of the show. The highlight for me is SpongeBob's patty-making montage, and Livin' in the Sunlight is a great choice of music to accompany the scene.

Episode Rating - 9/10

1. Help Wanted (9/10)
 
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Here are the images I got.
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i love this episode, it's really good. i dont think it's the best episode of season 1, but i really like it. the mr krabs and squidward dynamic is super underused

episode score: 8/10
 
What an excellent introduction to the show we know and love! This episode is so, so funny. I love that this episode is actually one of the only examples of continuity and development in SpongeBob (i.e., SpongeBob starts the episode not working at the Krusty Krab, and ends the episode working there, with this remaining for the rest of the show).

"Help Wanted" is a great episode on its own, but imo where it really shines is in its writing, particularly how it introduces us to the world of Bikini Bottom. In fact, I'd call this episode a masterclass in how to write a pilot. We can see this in how most of the main characters of the show are introduced (and we'll see this throughout season 1 as well):
  • Firstly, we have SpongeBob himself. We see his childishness, determination, and enthusiasm within minutes, if not seconds. There's lots of little character tics and tidbits packed in here as well, from the stuffed animal weights to his bed to his house.
  • There's also a brief introduction to Gary, though the snail isn't very characterized at this point, other than immersing viewers into the world of SpongeBob by showing that snails are the equivalents to cats in this world.
  • Additionally, we see the introduction of Patrick, although we actually don't see that much of him here. But from the little we get, we know that he's SpongeBob's best friend, is neighbors with Spongebob, and is a little bit dumb but with a good heart.
  • Squidward is introduced as knowing SpongeBob in some capacity (I don't believe we know the two are neighbors at this point, though the double-feature with Reef Blower takes care of this problem), and we can see his grouchy and constantly-tired attitude. We can also see he's a little bit pathetic, given the graffiti he's cleaning off the window of the Krusty Krab. We also see a bit of Squidward's character tics, with his characteristic laugh.
  • Lastly, in terms of major character introductions, we have Mr. Krabs. We get a peek into his relationship with Squidward, and we get the impression that the two have been working together for some time. We see his "seasoned old man" side when the anchovies show up, and we get little hints of his greed as well. While not every important trait of Mr. Krabs (and all the other characters) is well-established here, a great many of them are, which I think is impressive.
I've already talked about this a bit, but this episode also does a great job at introducing viewers to the world of Bikini Bottom. Right off the bat, we have the French Narrator literally narrating an introduction to Bikini Bottom, paired with some great shots of the undersea world. I already talked about Gary, but the anchovies do this too. We see how physics doesn't really apply in this world, we see that it has technical innovations with the spatula, and we're immersed into the environment of the world through its design.

Lastly, this episode is an excellent example of the kind of humor SpongeBob is known for. We have the expert mix of slapstick, wordy humor, and visual gags that appeal to people of all ages. I also think it was such an excellent choice to introduce SpongeBob with him trying to get his dream job, rather than introducing him with a boating school episode. As many probably know, Boating School was a compromise with Nickelodeon to get SpongeBob to air in the first place, since they wanted SpongeBob to be more clearly a child. So having SpongeBob be introduced with his getting a job shows that he is most definitely an adult. He's got a house!

This is all so extremely impressive for a 9 minute episode. And what's even better is that the episode has great rewatch value.

Episode Tier: Amazing
Episode Score: 9.3/10

Note: For the episode score (this is true for any of my episode scores), give or take .2 or .3 depending on my mood. Also, this will probably be the longest review I do for any episode lmao, there was just a lot to talk about here, for obvious reasons.
 
Pugs4Thugs said:
What an excellent introduction to the show we know and love! This episode is so, so funny. I love that this episode is actually one of the only examples of continuity and development in SpongeBob (i.e., SpongeBob starts the episode not working at the Krusty Krab, and ends the episode working there, with this remaining for the rest of the show).

"Help Wanted" is a great episode on its own, but imo where it really shines is in its writing, particularly how it introduces us to the world of Bikini Bottom. In fact, I'd call this episode a masterclass in how to write a pilot. We can see this in how most of the main characters of the show are introduced (and we'll see this throughout season 1 as well):
  • Firstly, we have SpongeBob himself. We see his childishness, determination, and enthusiasm within minutes, if not seconds. There's lots of little character tics and tidbits packed in here as well, from the stuffed animal weights to his bed to his house.
  • There's also a brief introduction to Gary, though the snail isn't very characterized at this point, other than immersing viewers into the world of SpongeBob by showing that snails are the equivalents to cats in this world.
  • Additionally, we see the introduction of Patrick, although we actually don't see that much of him here. But from the little we get, we know that he's SpongeBob's best friend, is neighbors with Spongebob, and is a little bit dumb but with a good heart.
  • Squidward is introduced as knowing SpongeBob in some capacity (I don't believe we know the two are neighbors at this point, though the double-feature with Reef Blower takes care of this problem), and we can see his grouchy and constantly-tired attitude. We can also see he's a little bit pathetic, given the graffiti he's cleaning off the window of the Krusty Krab. We also see a bit of Squidward's character tics, with his characteristic laugh.
  • Lastly, in terms of major character introductions, we have Mr. Krabs. We get a peek into his relationship with Squidward, and we get the impression that the two have been working together for some time. We see his "seasoned old man" side when the anchovies show up, and we get little hints of his greed as well. While not every important trait of Mr. Krabs (and all the other characters) is well-established here, a great many of them are, which I think is impressive.
I've already talked about this a bit, but this episode also does a great job at introducing viewers to the world of Bikini Bottom. Right off the bat, we have the French Narrator literally narrating an introduction to Bikini Bottom, paired with some great shots of the undersea world. I already talked about Gary, but the anchovies do this too. We see how physics doesn't really apply in this world, we see that it has technical innovations with the spatula, and we're immersed into the environment of the world through its design.

Lastly, this episode is an excellent example of the kind of humor SpongeBob is known for. We have the expert mix of slapstick, wordy humor, and visual gags that appeal to people of all ages. I also think it was such an excellent choice to introduce SpongeBob with him trying to get his dream job, rather than introducing him with a boating school episode. As many probably know, Boating School was a compromise with Nickelodeon to get SpongeBob to air in the first place, since they wanted SpongeBob to be more clearly a child. So having SpongeBob be introduced with his getting a job shows that he is most definitely an adult. He's got a house!

This is all so extremely impressive for a 9 minute episode. And what's even better is that the episode has great rewatch value.

Episode Tier: Amazing
Episode Score: 9.3/10

Note: For the episode score (this is true for any of my episode scores), give or take .2 or .3 depending on my mood. Also, this will probably be the longest review I do for any episode lmao, there was just a lot to talk about here, for obvious reasons.
Click to expand...
another great review
 
Episode 1a: Help Wanted

Synopsis: SpongeBob applies for a job at the Krusty Krab.

Fun fact: This episode was produced in 1997, but didn't air until 1999.

Review: A great way to start off the series, Help Wanted does a good job at introducing the main characters. Patrick, for example gave SpongeBob good advice on how to get a job at the Krusty Krab, and there were quite a lot of funny scenes, such as SpongeBob bouncing around the Krusty Krab and Squidward and Mr. Krabs climbing atop the Krusty Krab to escape the anchovies. It's clear in this episode that SpongeBob is already confident with getting his job at the Krusty Krab.

Not everything about this episode is good, such as Squidward and Mr. Krabs laughing that SpongeBob should not get his job at the Krusty Krab was fairly mean-spirited towards SpongeBob, but let's mostly ignore that. Help Wanted is a great way to start off the series, and although it's not the funniest episode in the series, it does have its funny moments.

Final Rating: 9/10 - Excellent
 
I want to give an opinion on every episode of SpongeBob.
I'll start from The Legendary Beginning that turned the whole world upside down... What can I say, of course I VERY like this episode and a few more interesting jokes and funny phrases in it, such as about anchovies or the legendary spongebob phrase "I'm ready" Another irresistible plus is the song at the end. No character torture here (which I don't like IMO!) Instead, we have a beautiful episode that tells us the story of SpongeBob joining the work of his life. The perfect episode. 10/10

1.Help Wanted 10/10
 
A great, strong start to the series. It's so full of energy and potential. It really demonstrates what SpongeBob is all about. Fun fact: it's a little shorter than the average episode.
 
I noticed that It was a bit shorter too. I just thought it was due to the less advanced animating systems of the early 2000s. Now I realize that the other episodes were longer and it was probably due to needing to know how well the series would go.
 
Pugs4Thugs said:
What an excellent introduction to the show we know and love! This episode is so, so funny. I love that this episode is actually one of the only examples of continuity and development in SpongeBob (i.e., SpongeBob starts the episode not working at the Krusty Krab, and ends the episode working there, with this remaining for the rest of the show).

"Help Wanted" is a great episode on its own, but imo where it really shines is in its writing, particularly how it introduces us to the world of Bikini Bottom. In fact, I'd call this episode a masterclass in how to write a pilot. We can see this in how most of the main characters of the show are introduced (and we'll see this throughout season 1 as well):
  • Firstly, we have SpongeBob himself. We see his childishness, determination, and enthusiasm within minutes, if not seconds. There's lots of little character tics and tidbits packed in here as well, from the stuffed animal weights to his bed to his house.
  • There's also a brief introduction to Gary, though the snail isn't very characterized at this point, other than immersing viewers into the world of SpongeBob by showing that snails are the equivalents to cats in this world.
  • Additionally, we see the introduction of Patrick, although we actually don't see that much of him here. But from the little we get, we know that he's SpongeBob's best friend, is neighbors with Spongebob, and is a little bit dumb but with a good heart.
  • Squidward is introduced as knowing SpongeBob in some capacity (I don't believe we know the two are neighbors at this point, though the double-feature with Reef Blower takes care of this problem), and we can see his grouchy and constantly-tired attitude. We can also see he's a little bit pathetic, given the graffiti he's cleaning off the window of the Krusty Krab. We also see a bit of Squidward's character tics, with his characteristic laugh.
  • Lastly, in terms of major character introductions, we have Mr. Krabs. We get a peek into his relationship with Squidward, and we get the impression that the two have been working together for some time. We see his "seasoned old man" side when the anchovies show up, and we get little hints of his greed as well. While not every important trait of Mr. Krabs (and all the other characters) is well-established here, a great many of them are, which I think is impressive.
I've already talked about this a bit, but this episode also does a great job at introducing viewers to the world of Bikini Bottom. Right off the bat, we have the French Narrator literally narrating an introduction to Bikini Bottom, paired with some great shots of the undersea world. I already talked about Gary, but the anchovies do this too. We see how physics doesn't really apply in this world, we see that it has technical innovations with the spatula, and we're immersed into the environment of the world through its design.

Lastly, this episode is an excellent example of the kind of humor SpongeBob is known for. We have the expert mix of slapstick, wordy humor, and visual gags that appeal to people of all ages. I also think it was such an excellent choice to introduce SpongeBob with him trying to get his dream job, rather than introducing him with a boating school episode. As many probably know, Boating School was a compromise with Nickelodeon to get SpongeBob to air in the first place, since they wanted SpongeBob to be more clearly a child. So having SpongeBob be introduced with his getting a job shows that he is most definitely an adult. He's got a house!

This is all so extremely impressive for a 9 minute episode. And what's even better is that the episode has great rewatch value.

Episode Tier: Amazing
Episode Score: 9.3/10

Note: For the episode score (this is true for any of my episode scores), give or take .2 or .3 depending on my mood. Also, this will probably be the longest review I do for any episode lmao, there was just a lot to talk about here, for obvious reasons.
Click to expand...
since we're approaching S9 i thought i'd come back to your first review and see how you evolved, and wow is it cool to look back at how differently you wrote the review

like how you had bullet points of different moments and talked about them out of order, unlike how you do them now with summarizing the episode in order and talking about the moments as you go

it's been a honor being a part of this journey 🫡
 
meko1432 said:
since we're approaching S9 i thought i'd come back to your first review and see how you evolved, and wow is it cool to look back at how differently you wrote the review

like how you had bullet points of different moments and talked about them out of order, unlike how you do them now with summarizing the episode in order and talking about the moments as you go

it's been a honor being a part of this journey 🫡
Click to expand...
Dang yeah, this review is so much different. For the first 3 seasons I didn't rewatch the episodes, which is probably why those weren't usually in order. Also, I'm pretty sure I wrote this review during a lecture lol, which was typical of a lot of the season 1 reviews. And I appreciate you being here from the beginning!
 
This animation made everything look so cute. I love the ending. Even that drawn out scene of Sponge flying all over the place is still funny. I actually like the 1997 intro better than the eventual one (not to say "ARE YOU READY KIDS" isn't iconic though.)
 
🎵Living in the Sunlight, Loving in the Moonlight--Having a Wonderful Time!🎵
 
This is an underrated episode in the series in many ways. But chiefly, it's mostly due to the fact that episodes such as SB-129, Band Geeks, Snowball Effect, Idiot Box, Christmas Who?, KKTV, Sailor Mouth, Rock Bottom, etc (You Get The Point) are so heavily praised that the episode that started it all begins to become criminally overlooked. This episode is perfectly paced, sets up the entire show and the ensemble of characters masterfully and meaningfully, and jettisoning a broad arsenal of one-liners and gags that contextualized the humor of Spongebob Squarepants for the rest of the Golden Era. And when you take a good look at the episode, you'll soon figure out that this episode is exactly as profound, hilarious, and rich as many--if not all classics of the Spongebob Golden Era--making this an underrated gem of this show and the perfect, and I mean perfect beginning of this storied Nickelodeon Show.

Episode Score: 98/100 (A+)
Episode Tier: Excellent
 
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