Jibbix
Balloon Traveler
*snickers* So, yeah. I think we should have a topic like this. Spongebob, from the very beginning, has had elements of gross-out (the show is pretty much what would happen if Rocko's Modern Life and Ren And Stimpy had a baby). Episodes like I Was A Teenage Gary and Nasty Patty are early examples of when gross-out has been used.
Skip ahead to Post-Movie. A common complaint of Post-Movie is that it's really disgusting compared to Pre-Movie. Which is true. However, there's a reason. After the movie, a new character designer was hired because Todd White left after the movie; His name was Robert Ryan Cory. And, while the dude is an amazing artist, he has a really over the top grotesque style of drawing. His flickr (Be warned, there is some "The Splinter" level gross out stuff on there.) :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/robertryancory/sets/72157619658736293/.
If you look at that, you'll notice a lot of his designs have been included in the show.
He left around the tail end of Season 7. Which is when the show became a lot more normal. He comes back at times to help with episodes. He said he's gonna help out with a 2012 episode (possibly Season 8 or 9; it might be Face Freeze), which is where those latest designs are coming from. I like Robert as an artist, but his style is just a little too graphic for the show. I'll appreciate the man and his work, but I think him moving on to Secret Mountain Fort Awesome was for the best. He's not responsible for all the gross things on the show, nor is he the reason that the show is gross. The storyboard directors/writers (lol Aaron Springer with Pets Or Pests)
In his designs, he simply capitalizes on the storyboards. If it's gross, he'll make it grosser.
If it's cute, he'll make it cuter (aw, baby Sandy). If it's a gigantic moster, he'll make it gigantic-er. If it's a robot unicorn with lasers- Well, you get the point.
So. How do you feel about how gross-out is used in the show? Your opinions on episodes that focus entirely on gross-out (Pets Or Pests, Fungus Among Us, even Nasty Patty)? Are you glad it's mostly gone from the show now? Was it done better in Pre-Movie?
Discuss.
EDIT: I added a few things about Robert and the show in general.