Nearly a decade after its TV debut, "SpongeBob SquarePants continues to amuse cartoon fans of all ages with absurd high jinks, screwy sight gags and sneakily subversive humor.
"Spongicus, Nickelodeons latest DVD starring the chortling, neon-yellow sponge, includes eight episodes from the shows sixth and most recent season. The seventh season is set to begin in spring.
Since it first aired in July 1999, "SpongeBob has become a cross-generational cultural phenomenon. The show follows the screwy adventures of a goofily naive sea sponge (who looks like the kitchen variety) who lives in the underwater city of Bikini Bottom and works as a fry cook at the fast-food joint The Krusty Krab.
In the title episode, Plankton, the owner of rival restaurant The Chum Bucket, puts on gladiator-style games to draw customers away from The Krusty Krab.
When the villain puts Patrick Star in the ring to face a fearsome lion fish, SpongeBob comes to his pals rescue.
The best of the bunch is "Not Normal, in which SpongeBobs snotty neighbor, Squidward, demands that the sponge stop his weirdness and act normal. SpongeBob becomes smooth and round instead of square and pitted as he takes boring behavior to extreme levels.
DVD features: storyboard panels and character artwork.
Brandy McDonnell
