hippythehippo said:
But as you said, as long it stays through to the characters it's fine. 11 stays mostly true (aside from Patrick), with eps like The Checkup emulate a Season 1 episode. There are slip ups, but I fail to see how it is worse than any post movie Season. It just seems like your saying 9b is perfectly flawless.
9B was a great example of how to freshen up a series, while remaining on track (for the most part) with keeping characters in character. I used it, because it's really the only example I have of this type of thing happening in this series. I didn't use Season 11 as an example, because it has a lot more flaws with how characters are mistreated than 9B. Yes, 9B isn't perfect, but it's one of the best versions of the series to date. As for my comparison with Seasons 10/11 and Post-Movie, that didn't mean to say they were worse than Post-Movie. What I meant was the same careless writing used to craft plenty of Post-Movie episodes (Whether bad or good) has returned in Seasons 10/11. Season 11 isn't worse than any Post-Movie Season (It could be, depending on how the remaining episodes are, this Season never fails to surprise me for better or worse). I was simply comparing the writing styles of these Seasons, not outright comparing the entire Seasons as a whole, because there's a lot more different between 10/11 and 4-9A. Also, I disagree with your example of The Checkup emulating a Season 1 episode. The premise may sound like one, yes, but it's execution is nothing along the lines of an emulation of a Season 1 episodes.
Klu said:
Especially in "Salsa Whataverliuss", "Mutiny on Krusty", "The Fish Bowl" and "Company Picnic".
Don't get me wrong, I agree that 9B was more consistent with it's characterization, but it wasn't perfect.
And season 10/11 really botched just Patrick (and, mind, it was just fault of Kaz, since he written terribly only in his episodes) and kinda Squidward (he is screaming more than usual, but it was toned down) . And other characters, like SpongeBob, imo were written even better than in 9B.
I agree, these are examples where the writers bend their character traits just to fit the plotline (Patrick has to be dumber than usual in Salsa because idiocy is the main focus of the episode, Krabs is as big of a jerk as he is in Mutiny on the Krusty because his restaurant is used as an allegory for a pirate ship, and he's represented as the ruthless captain, Patrick has to be a jerk in The Fish Bowl so there's some kind of conflict between SpongeBob/Patrick, and Squidward/Krabs have to be foolish in Company Picnic just to keep the plot moving along). Season 10 especially had the problem with Squidward, while Season 11 has an even bigger problem with Patrick, though if there is one thing I always seem to be satisfied with, it's the portrayal of SpongeBob. The current writers have nailed his personality, and pretty much in ever episode has kept him true to himself. I wouldn't call him better in 10/11 than in 9B, I see it all as equal.
hippythehippo said:
Actually thinking about it, 9b didn't have the greatest track record with it's characters either. Krabs is pretty awful in Mutiny on the Krusty, and makes little sense in Salsa Whatever, Sandy is a one dimensional scientist in The Fishbowl, Squidward has his freakouts in The Fishbowl and Copybob (why people worship this episode is beyond me, it's good, but not god tier) Plankton is pretty dumb in Company Picnic, and Patrick in Salsa Whatever.....do not remind me.
Even then, eps like Food Con were retreading grounds of better episodes, Longpants I could argue was worse than Too Squarepants, and I am not particularly fond of Two Thumbs Down and Sanctuary.
It's all a matter of opinion, but imo, 9b played it too safe. Bullitan Board was about the only risk it took, and that can be fine, but than we would be following the same path that 3 and 4 took. I feel 10, and especially, 11 are the next step to make the show fresh. Episodes with background fish like Fred and Plankton's grandma as the main characters, fan favorites like Man Ray and Spot returning, more unique ideas being tested like High Sea Diving, I think 11 is similar to 5 in the amount of risks it takes.
I mean, I still stand by post sequel (all of it, not just 9b) to be solid content. Considering the depths that the show has gone on, I feel the fanbase is being a bit harsh here. While nowhere near the classic, Pie Guy said it best "it can be good in it's own way". While we will never get another Season 2, I feel the show is in good hands at the moment, and it's an accomplishment to have 3 years before a big stink bomb, conseidering post movie couldn't even go 7 episodes through...
(See above post to explain why certain characters acted the way they did in those 9B episodes). I won't deny, there is (Especially while the season was running) a bias towards 9B. I remember when Patrick! The Game was considered one of the best of the series, then it was The Sewers of Bikini Bottom, then it was CopyBob, etc.
CopyBob DittoPants was incredibly overrated looking back, but I don't really see much praise for it nowadays. The bias did have an overshadowing effect over such episodes like Food Con (Which I agree, was practically a mix of Club SpongeBob and Pineapple Fever), though I disagree with your opinions on LongPants, I can understand the frustration with an episode that has a very similar premise to a past one.
I do disagree that 9B played it entirely safe. They experimented way more than you give it credit for, Tutor Sauce, Squid Plus One, Mall Girl Pearl, Sharks vs. Pods, The Whole Tooth, even weaker (and bad) episodes took risks like Mutiny On the Krusty. It didn't play it safe entirely, I think the writers were a lot more careful with writing the characters, but when they wanted to branch out and try new episode layouts, or focus on different, or even new characters, they went for it.
Season 10/11 is a lot more experimental than 9B, there's no denying it. One of my favorite parts about Season 11 is just how unique the episodes can be. Sometimes this works brilliant in the episodes' favor like Grandmum's the Word, High Sea Diving, and My Leg!, but it relies on how one writes the episode, and we get botched episodes like Doodle Dimension, Cuddle E. Hugs, and Pat the Horse. Season 11 is the equivalent to 5 in many ways (Heck, you could make the comparison that 9B is the first half of Season 4, 10 is the second half, and 11 is Season 5. Please, please let this similarity die before it's too late).
I agree, the current status of the series is enjoyable in it's own way. It'll never be Pre-Movie, there'll always be something different from now and then (Especially since the last Pre-Movie episode was produced over 15 years ago). I'm fully well aware how better this is from the armpit of the series, Seasons 6-8. Many just don't care for the direction the series is in, and that's perfectly fine. I don't think we're intentionally more harsh, here, I think it's all a matter of the current state of the show not being many's cup of tea.
