Nosferatu's Fave 50

Just a notice: I'm returning to 2-a-day because these reviews are getting harder and harder to write.
 
We're back!

#24 - Mid-Life Crustacean

"I guess you're gonna miss the panty raid."

383.png


What I like about this episode is that it has Mr. Krabs being less of a cheapskate and more of a regular old man. He's not looking for another way to make a quick buck, but instead he's looking for a way to be young again, and after years of seeing him chasing pennies, it's a breath of fresh air for me. Now for the other two main characters: SpongeBob and Patrick are their regular naive selves, and it's amusing to see them try to act cool and try to convince Mr. Krabs that they're cool when it's obvious that they're anything but cool. We get a lot of the season's trademark humor in this episode, and the panty raid, of course, will always be unforgettable. (Even though I had no idea what was going on when I originally watched it; oh, to be a kid again. Now I know how Mr. Krabs felt.)

#23 - Pizza Delivery

"The Krusty KRA-YEAH-YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH PIZZA IS THE PIZZA YEAH FOR YOU AND ME-E-EEEE!"

518.png


This is the highest Season Oner on the list, and I wouldn't have it any other way. This was always one of my favorite episodes, from when I started watching the show around the turn of the century to now, when despite repeated viewings, I still can't get enough of the thing. I just love how it explores the dynamic between SpongeBob and Squidward, the first episode to prominently feature the two characters alone (besides Reef Blower, but since it's like three minutes and has no sound, I'm not counting it). It starts out as we expect, with SpongeBob annoying Squidward and Squidward yelling at SpongeBob, and as the episode progresses, we get more of the same. But it's the end of the episode, which I'm sure that all of you are familiar with, that truly redefines their relationship. It's not black-and-white anymore; we see a side of Squidward that tolerates the yellow guy and even, dare I say it, considers him as a friend. Of course, he'll never admit that that side of him exists, but the hints that'll be sprinkled through the rest of series will say otherwise.

If you've been following this list from the start, you'll notice that I called F.U.N. the episode that established SpongeBob's potential for longevity. While I stick with that assertion, I'll add that Pizza Delivery was the episode that established SpongeBob's viability. Without either, the show would not be what it is today, and that's why I consider them-no, that's why I consider the entire first season, if not the best, the most important season of SpongeBob.
 
You're VIP? :O

Good choice classic for #23, 24 just might be a good choice (depends on whether people actually agree or not :p)
 
Good choices for most of these last few ones! SASOP is a little surprising as number 27, but I respect your opinions.
 
SPOILERS: SASOP is even higher on my list than it is on his.
 
SPOILERS: I know for sure that SASOP is even higher on my list than it is on CWN's.
 
screw it i'm finishing this thing right now

#22 - Snowball Effect

"What's this? Drops of rain frozen into ice crystals? I shall harness their energy and rule the world!"

22_zps73c372ae.png


Snowball Effect is another hilarious episode courtesy of season three. It uses the generic Squidward-doesn't-want-to-do-something-fun-but-SpongeBob-and-Patrick-convince-him-to-do-it-anyway formula, but it takes that formula and produces something wonderful and creative from it. This is one of four episodes in my Top 25 that utilize the formula, and it probably works so well because of how easily Squidward's personality can clash with SpongeBob's and Patrick's in various entertaining ways. One of the show's strengths has always been how memorable the characters are. When you have great characters, the plots will write themselves, and sometimes, you won't even have to worry about having a plot at all. Snowball Effect is not a plot-heavy episode, but it makes up for it in spades with its character interactions.

#21 - Missing Identity

"The most important meal of the day, servin' it up Gary's way! Pop!"

21_zpsa0362e29.png


There's nothing I love more than an episode that changes up the regular format of the series, and Missing Identity, which starts out in a noir-like manner, is no exception. This episode parodies the moody crime dramas that were prevalent in the 40s and 50s, and sprinkles in some of the underwater silliness that we had come to expect from the show, to great success. SpongeBob tells the story of how he lost the titular identity, (which is really a name tag) and the steps he took to find it. There is no femme fatale or corrupt policeman, but there is a Patrick, and that's all we need. SpongeBob attempts to find his missing identity, and Patrick messes everything up at every turn. Despite this, they do end up finding SpongeBob's name tag, and where it is may surprise you. Unless you've seen the episode before. Then you won't be surprised at all. Either way, it's a very strong episode, and even though the episode it was paired with (Plankton's Army) got pretty much all of the promotion for the week leading up to its premiere night, Missing Identity undoubtedly came out on top. Here's to looking at you, sponge.

#20 - Clams

"This is the reward we get for all our hard work? Fishing for stinky clams on a smelly old boat on a filthy lagoon?"

20_zps46ce02e0.png


While Missing Identity parodied a whole movie genre, Clams parodied a single film, and with just as much brilliance. Watching Mr. Krabs' slow descent into madness after losing his millionth dollar to a giant clam is nothing short of great television. The episode's mocking of how the beast only appears when suspenseful music plays is a breath of fresh air after over 30 years of Jaws rip-offs. What better time to review this episode than right after Shark Week, which reinforced the rule that "scary creatures underwater = lots and lots of eyeballs"? This entire show takes place underwater, but the creative way that the writers managed to re-interpret Jaws in a world where sharks are mostly nonthreatening (see: SpongeGuard on Duty) deserves attention in and of itself.

I'll be back tomorrow with numbers 19, 18, and 17, and more if I can find the time, but I probably won't. See you then!
 
Continuing here too I see.


50 - Good spot
49 - Way too high
48 - The tiniest bit too high
47 - A little too high
46 - Really good episode
45 - A little too high
44 - A little too low
43 - Best post movie
42 - Decent
41 - A lil higher
40 - A little too low
39 - Thank you
38 - Too high a bit
37 - JCMs for JCM
36 - A little too high
35 - A little too low
34 - Maybe in the 40s for best
33 - SOMEONE ELSE WHO LOVES THIS EPISODE
32 - 30 spots too low
31 - A little too high
30 - Maybe in the 90s for best
29 - Too high
28 - A little too low
27 - Maybe in the 80s for best
26 - Just about yes
25 - A little too low
24 - Too high
23 - A little too high
22 - About yes
21 - A little too high
20 - Too high
 
#19 - Gary Takes a Bath

"I'm a dirty boy."

19_zps95a7a8d3.png


This is the shortest episode of Season 2, with a running time of under seven minutes. Due to this, its plotline is simpler than most, but the gags are more rapid-fire than ever. It jumps from silly to cute to disturbing, but it always keeps me laughing, and for that reason, I'm putting Gary Takes a Bath, one of the season's funniest episodes, in my Top 20.

#18 - Survival of the Idiots

"You're nothing but pure evil! Just like newspaper comics!"

18_zps767404dd.png


This is the first Sandy-themed episode to appear on my list since Sandy, SpongeBob, and the Worm (at #49). Sandy is an interesting character, don't get me wrong, and she'll appear a lot more as we go up the list, but I thought that this was worth mentioning. Sandy's episodes tended to be the least memorable of Season 2. Even this episode, the highest Season 2-er featuring the squirrel on this list, doesn't have a lot of her, at least not her in her regular form. I guess the writers weren't as comfortable with Sandy as they were with the rest of the cast, and as a result, their strongest writing went to the episodes that featured the male characters more prominently

But enough of that. Here's what I think about the episode itself: It's hilarious. Next!

#17 - No Weenies Allowed

"I'll have you know I stubbed my toe last week, while watering my spice garden, and I only cried for twenty minutes."

17_zps3cc0fc33.png


This is another Sandy-related episode, and like the last one, Sandy doesn't appear in it very much at all. That's probably for the best, though, because SpongeBob's attempts to get into the Salty Spittoon are much funnier than SpongeBob and Sandy's adventures in the Spittoon would ever have been. This episode is similar to another Sandy episode, MuscleBob BuffPants, in that it focuses on SpongeBob is trying to prove that he's something he's not, in that case strong, in this case tough In both instances, he manages to deceive people into thinking he's such a thing, and in both instances, it horribly backfires on him. I think this episode did that better, though, because once again, it focuses less on the after-effects of the deception and more on its lead-up.

Final thought: Seeing Patrick go beserk after being called "tubby" was the highlight of the episode for me, and it shows that, when provoked, Patrick can shed his gentle nature in a second.

That's it for now! Come back tomorrow for...this thing! Yeah.
 
Gary Takes a Bath isn't my favorite, but not my least favorite.
This is a good spot for Survival.
A few spots too high for No Weenies Allowed bud.
 
#16 - Club SpongeBob

"Praise the Magic Conch!"

16_zpsc679a3bc.png


This episodes takes the generic strand-the-main-characters in-the-middle-of-nowhere storyline and makes it more crazy and absurd than any other show besides SpongeBob could get away with.

#15 - Nasty Patty

"What a brave man, going in the line of duty like that! Why? Why? Why?!"

15_zps6fc836da.png


This is a dark episode, probably the darkest in SpongeBob's history. I'll never know how the writers managed to get the pitch alone by the Nick studio executives. but I'll forever be happy they did.

#14 - Just One Bite

"I remember my first Krabby Patty."

14_zps517eb1eb.png


More internet memes come from this episode than any other, and it's not hard to see why. From "unsure" Squidward to smirking
16980.gif
SpongeBob, this episode uses creepy close-ups and character expressions to their maximum comic effect, and for that reason, Just One Bite gets a place in my Top 15.
 
16 is terrible choice, but otherwise it's good.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top