So I guess season 7 has decided to completely give up on trying to return to its strong beginning, huh? “Someone’s in the Kitchen With Sandy” is another episode where I question the entirety of the writing process here. And it’s another episode that infuriates me. What a wonderful combination! Someone must be laughing at me, because what’s with episodes focusing on characters that need to be focused on and then disappointing me? I already talked about how they’ve been doing it with Gary, and now they give me a Sandy-focused episode and it’s this? My lord.
The episode actually generates interest as we begin with Plankton. Because that tells me that we might be seated for an interaction we’ve never seen—Sandy and Plankton! Of course, the episode will go on to squander this potential (at least “Perfect Chemistry” does it properly, but that won’t be til the end of the month ;-;). Plankton’s plan here in this beginning scene makes literally no sense, but I move on. How no one sees Plankton is also extremely questionable, but if I was going to nitpick the episode this hard, I’d be here all day. And after going ham on “Stuck in the Wringer”, I just want to get this annoying episode over with as soon as possible, you know?
Actually, I have to say one more thing about the writing, but this is less of a nitpick since it ends up being the episode’s plot…the entire idea that Sandy wears her fur like a suit makes so little sense that I can’t even begin. Firstly, it makes no sense with the existence of an episode like “Survival of the Idiots”, but that’s not a very valid critique since this show has no consistency. It’s also just clearly done to subvert expectations and make a joke out of. I feel like this episode was definitely created with the thought of Sandy wearing a fur suit first, and then the rest of it afterwards to justify that idea. And lastly, it also just feels like an excuse to make the fact that Plankton is present in Sandy’s shower without her knowing feel less unimaginably creepy than it actually is. So now this episode already just weirds me out in like 3 different ways.
This episode makes me realize just how much I’ve missed Sandy. Seeing her for more than just a couple minutes is such a treat. I just wish it was under better circumstances. When she breaks down the door and swears to get whoever stole her fur, I’m with it. But then she starts going through Bikini Bottom, and my ire for the townspeople begins to flare again. I really need to know where the joke is here. Where is the joke in Sandy having her literal fur stolen, and when she works to try and get it back no one helps her and everyone laughs at her? Not just laughs at her, but also shames her and calls her a rat, a chipmunk, and a hairless goat. This could honestly be argued as a poorly-executed xenophobia allegory.
Honestly, I don’t think this episode is trying to be a xenophobia allegory, but I feel like this might be a nicer interpretation than saying that writers completely neglected to form one critical thought about the implications behind this story, and so had the townspeople call attention to the fact that Sandy is different than them and ridicule her for it without considering how this is literally a textbook xenophobia allegory. And even without considering all of that stuff, this entire segment of the episode is extremely unpleasant because Sandy has done not a single thing wrong. Just like last episode spent so much time tormenting SpongeBob, this episode does the same to Sandy. It’s ridiculous, and I fail to see how this is even faintly amusing. Additionally, given that Sandy is still wearing a bikini top and bottom, the fact that she’s supposedly nude makes no sense. So now this is frustrating on all levels.
As for Plankton’s part of the story, when he walks around wearing Sandy’s fur, it starts out entertaining enough. Mr. Lawrence’s southern accent is hilarious (and clearly improved upon in The Cosmic Shake). But once he gets to the Krusty Krab, things drag a little bit. The first interactions with SpongeBob are actually entertaining, but it doesn’t last. Does “ooh, try again” ring a bell? This part doesn’t actually annoy me really, because it feels satisfying to see Plankton get so upset, given that my rage at this episode is being partly directed towards him. But this part is very repetitive and I feel like they could’ve done more here.
The confrontation between Sandy and Plankton is at least somewhat entertaining. I very much enjoyed seeing Sandy kick Plankton’s butt and save the day. How I wish the episode ended here. They even had Clownfish Capers playing, they should’ve ended it here! But no. No no no. We can’t be having too much fun apparently, because even though Sandy has done nothing wrong and saved the day, she gets arrested at the end of the episode because she didn’t have her fur. The last little stinger makes me extremely upset, and I leave this episode with an awful, awful taste in my mouth.
You know, this episode would’ve been improved immensely if it leaned into a horror-comedy aspect more. Like Plankton walking around in a Sandy suit?? That’s horrifying but also hilarious…in theory. The episode did not play with this idea at all and I don’t understand why. This is a far better alternative than the trashy plot we got. The episode also should’ve done away with the entire part where Plankton is present for Sandy’s shower because that was weird. The only really good thing in this episode was Sandy solving everything herself, so I would definitely keep that. Reduce SpongeBob’s role considerably, scrap the borderline offensive ending, and have Sandy kick Plankton’s butt. That would’ve been so much more entertaining. In fact, I think I just thought of a better plot. Imagine if this episode starts out with Sandy looking unsettling and acting increasingly weird. We eventually get the reveal that it’s Plankton in a Sandy suit, but with no answers as to where Sandy is. Sandy then comes in and kicks Plankton’s butt, saving the day for both herself and any other characters involved. See how much better that is?
“Someone’s in the Kitchen With Sandy” is immensely frustrating. Actually, it’s infuriating. And fresh off the heels of “Stuck in the Wringer”, I am hardly in a forgiving mood. This episode is extremely disappointing because of the promise of new character interactions that was ultimately wasted. The episode is also just idiotic in certain places, specifically involving the Bikini Bottomites (just like last episode, how about that!). This season is for sure where the whole ‘a-hole Bikini Bottomites’ trend really took off, because this is ridiculous. 5 episodes in and I’ve already wanted to burn down the town twice? Not a good look. This episode also just felt like it had a personal vendetta against Sandy or something, even more than how “Stuck in the Wringer” treated SpongeBob. I think this episode is worse because Sandy does not appear so often, so in one of the few chances we get to see her, this is what they do with it? Absolutely ridiculous. There are some redeeming qualities to this episode, but they do not improve this episode at all, I can only acknowledge their existence. That’s why we’re hitting our second “Abysmal”-tier episode in a row, and third one overall. It’s honestly impressive, considering that this tier is extremely difficult to reach.
Episode Tier: Abysmal
Episode Score: 1.5/10
dancing (9.5/10)