| 1 | !!YMMV items with their own subpage: |
| 2 | |
| 3 | [[index]] |
| 4 | * [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation/SpongeBobSquarePants Alternative Character Interpretation]] |
| 5 | * [[CrossesTheLineTwice/SpongeBobSquarePants Crosses the Line Twice]] |
| 6 | * [[DemographicallyInappropriateHumour/SpongeBobSquarePants Demographically Inappropriate Humour]] |
| 7 | * [[FranchiseOriginalSin/SpongeBobSquarePants Franchise Original Sin]] |
| 8 | * [[HarsherInHindsight/SpongeBobSquarePants Harsher in Hindsight]] |
| 9 | * [[HilariousInHindsight/SpongeBobSquarePants Hilarious in Hindsight]] |
| 10 | * [[HoYay/SpongeBobSquarePants Ho Yay]] |
| 11 | * [[MagnificentBastard/SpongeBobSquarePants Magnificent Bastard]] |
| 12 | * [[Memes/SpongeBobSquarePants Memetic Mutation]] |
| 13 | * [[MisaimedMarketing/SpongeBobSquarePants Misaimed Marketing]] |
| 14 | * [[NauseaFuel/SpongeBobSquarePants Nausea Fuel]] |
| 15 | * [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot/SpongeBobSquarePants They Wasted a Perfectly Good Plot]] |
| 16 | %%% Do not add the What an Idiot! page to this index. It is now Flame Bait, so it should not be referred to in the YMMV page. |
| 17 | [[/index]] |
| 18 | |
| 19 | !!Other YMMV items: |
| 20 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 21 | |
| 22 | [[folder:A-E]] |
| 23 | * AccidentalAesop: |
| 24 | ** "[=SpongeGuard=] On Duty": If someone is drowning, save diving into the water as a last resort. Otherwise, you'll risk drowning yourself. |
| 25 | ** [=SpongeBob=] is likely being paid minimum wage or less since he works in fast food, yet he still has a decorated two-story house with a giant library and a healthy snail, which has been interpreted to mean that [=SpongeBob=] works hard to earn his money and is frugal when he spends it so that he can afford nice things. |
| 26 | ** Squidward being a terrible musician (at least DependingOnTheWriter) but enjoying playing music anyways. A saying among many a music teacher is that as long as you enjoy playing, that's all that matters, not your skill or popularity. |
| 27 | * AccidentalInnuendo: |
| 28 | ** "Dude, put that thing away! There are, like, children here!" [[labelnote:explanation:]]A fish named Nat's reaction to Patrick sticking his stomach out in "[=SpongeGuard=] on Duty".[[/labelnote]] |
| 29 | ** In "Artist Unknown", [=SpongeBob=] butchers Squidward's "If I'm lucky, some of Mr. Tentacles' talent may rub off on me" into "If I'm lucky, Mr. Talent may rub his tentacles on my art." |
| 30 | ** In "[=SpongeBob=] Meets the Strangler", the strangler asks [=SpongeBob=] to take him to a quiet and secluded location. [=SpongeBob=]'s response would take a whole different meaning if taken out of context: "We could go to my house and turn off all the lights!" |
| 31 | ** In "A Friendly Game", [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick hit their golf balls out the window and can't find them. [=SpongeBob=] yells, "Oh, where did our balls go?!?" |
| 32 | ** Patrick infamously tells Squidward to "''FIRMLY GRASP IT IN YOUR HAND''" in Season 1's "Jellyfishing." |
| 33 | ** Everyone remembers the dancing anemone clip from "Your Shoe's Untied". They [[StockFootageFailure reused that exact footage]] for "Rise and Shine", with Patrick seeing it while watching a ''[[CrossesTheLineTwice morning show]]'' of all things. |
| 34 | ** Patrick's "Don't touch me, I'm sterile!" in "Suds" comes across as this if you're familiar with the more common definition of sterile. |
| 35 | ** In "Upturn Girls", while wearing Lady Upturn's dress (which features a notably pronounced breast and butt), Narlene says it's "kinda constricting". There's also a store called "Upturn's Rack", with "rack" being a slang term for boobs. |
| 36 | ** In "Pat Hearts Squid", Patrick and Squidward pelvic thrust towards each other, with the former saying "He taught me everything I blow!" (referring to his new clarinet skills). |
| 37 | ** "[=SpongeBob=], You're Fired" gets some mileage out of hot dog jokes: [=SpongeBob=] calls them "elongated sausage products" and, while observing a hot dog, comments "There's something not quite right about this food." Later, when he gets fired by a man in a [[GoofySuit pizza costume]], he says "I hope his pepperoni falls off!" Consider what "pepperoni" is slang for... |
| 38 | ** In "Hot Crossed Nuts", after Spongebob scolds her for bringing outside food into the Krusty Krab, Sandy says "C'mon, Spongebob..." as she unzips her suit to enjoy her barbecued acorns. Taken out of context, it looks a ''lot'' like [[ShowSomeLeg she's trying to seduce Spongebob]]. |
| 39 | ** [[https://www.deviantart.com/furrymessvsthecogs/art/SpongeBob-Flips-You-Off-497510483 This screenshot from the season 2 episode "Wormy" has this scene where it looks like Spongebob is flipping you off.]] |
| 40 | * AccidentalNightmareFuel: The [[https://youtu.be/MiKuhfDjims credits music]] is meant to be calming, yet zany at the same time, but read the comments of any [=YouTube=] upload of the song, and people will say that they find the song unnerving, and can never place their finger on why it feels so dissonant. |
| 41 | * AdaptationDisplacement: It's a little-known fact that the show, its setting, and the art style were largely based on an educational comic that Stephen Hillenburg used to write and draw called ''ComicBook/TheIntertidalZone''. [=SpongeBob=] was shaped like an actual sea sponge and simply called "Bob the Sponge". This is forgivable, as the comic was mostly only distributed at the marine biology institute he used to teach at before becoming an animator, which is unviewable to the general public. |
| 42 | * {{Adorkable}}: |
| 43 | ** [=SpongeBob=] is an endlessly cheerful, optimistic and kindhearted sea sponge with InnocentBlueEyes. |
| 44 | ** His cousin, Stanley S. [=SquarePants=], is a self-conscious [[TheKlutz Klutz]] who geeks out at the chance to take photos with some of the Krusty Krab's customers while working as a cashier, and is voiced by Creator/ChristopherGuest to boot. |
| 45 | ** Patrick Star is a chubby, lovable but not very bright pink starfish who's just as childish and carefree as his best friend [=SpongeBob=], if not more. |
| 46 | ** Norton, the timid and friendly mailman from "Squid Plus One" |
| 47 | * AlternativeJokeInterpretation: |
| 48 | ** In "Pickles", Squidward abruptly stops writing down Bubble Bass' order and tells him "we serve food here, sir". Was Squidward unable to continue following the HashHouseLingo Bubble Bass used, or was he being judgemental about his order (which if followed right would result in a massive and unhealthy DagwoodSandwich)? |
| 49 | ** In "What's Eating Patrick?", when Patrick wants to back out of the eating competition, Krabs threatens to make him pay for all the patties he ate during training, and pulls out a long bill. Is the joke that Patrick is a BigEater, or that Krabs is cheap and charged a lot for each patty? |
| 50 | ** In "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy V", after Barnacle Boy's turn to the good side, Mermaid Man says "Good to have you back, Kyle!" Is this implying that Kyle is Barnacle Boy's real name, or is it just Mermaid Man being senile? "Mermaid Man Begins" gives his name as Tim. |
| 51 | ** In "Mermaid Man Begins", did Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy really get their powers just from [[spoiler: eating some slightly overcooked popcorn]], or did it set off a reaction from all the ClicheStorm events they had just experienced? |
| 52 | ** In "The Chaperone", Pearl doesn't want to go to the dance with [=SpongeBob=] because "people will mistake her for a planetarium." She then admits to not knowing what she meant by that. While it could just be a random joke, there are a few ways to interpret it: that [=SpongeBob=] is a fry cook so she thinks she'll get acne from the grease, that he's much smaller and so she looks bigger by comparison, or that she meant to say "proletariat", afraid that her spoiled teen friends will judge her for being seen with a member of the working class. |
| 53 | * AluminumChristmasTrees: |
| 54 | ** The series gets a lot of joke mileage out of having [=SpongeBob=] be a kitchen sponge-like sea sponge, so he gets soaked with soapwater in the show's opening, he looks like a rectangular kitchen sponge (represented by an actual kitchen sponge whenever the show calls for a RealLife segment), and [[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS1E15SleepyTimeSuds "Suds"]] has him treated for the titular disease by being used to scrub various unclean objects. Some younger viewers might pass this off as just a VisualPun about how sea sponges and kitchen sponges are named the same, when kitchen sponges really were made out of sea sponges until they were largely replaced by ones made from synthetic materials. |
| 55 | ** Canned bread, seen in "Squidville" and "Atlantis [=SquarePantis=]," [[http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001EO5Y8E really does exist]]. |
| 56 | ** In "Bubble Buddy", [=SpongeBob=] enthusiastically celebrates "Leif Erikson Day" ("hinga-dinga-dürgen!"), since, for him, ''every'' day must be a holiday. Presumably the writers were not aware, since the whole joke is that he had to make the holiday up, but Leif Erikson Day is in fact a real holiday. It's October 9. |
| 57 | ** "Livin' in the Sunlight, Lovin' in the Moonlight" by Tiny Tim, which is played in the pilot when [=SpongeBob=] is making patties, did not originate from this show. It was released back in 1965. In fact, Tiny Tim died three years prior to [=SpongeBob=]'s debut. |
| 58 | ** Some might be surprised to learn that "Sweet Victory" didn't originate from this show, either. |
| 59 | * AmericansHateTingle: The show is generally disliked in Norway not only due to [[AudienceAlienatingEra the decline in quality affecting seasons 4-9]], but also because they made [[DuelingDubs a new dub for the show in 2006]], [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks which wasn't well-received by the fans of the older dub]]. On the other hand, the younger generation who grew up with the new dub will in turn bash the older dub. Let's just say that there's a FandomRivalry of which dub is better. There also exist people who think both dubs are good. |
| 60 | * AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: Nobody had faith in this show about a talking sea sponge, let alone knew it would be such a cultural phenomenon, when Stephen Hillenburg first pitched it. The executives dismissed it as too weird and gave it NoBudget and only 6 episodes initially, Stephen Hillenburg was very uncertain it would go anywhere, and Bill Fagerbakke, Patrick's voice actor, even referred to it as "inane pulp for preschoolers" when he was first hired. |
| 61 | * {{Anvilicious}}: |
| 62 | ** The educational short [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlkprv-Upco "The Endless Summer"]] (originally released during Season 4 as part of ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_to_America_(TV_special) Earth to America]]''). |
| 63 | ** It's not very hard to see "Bulletin Board" as an analogy of anonymous online bullying and how harmful it can be. |
| 64 | ** "Pizza Delivery" shows with brutal honesty that some people are very ungrateful, won't forgive others for mistakes, and will nitpick over the tiniest detail, especially when it involves fast-food. |
| 65 | ** "I'm Your Biggest Fanatic" shows, quite painfully and honestly, that your idols aren't always the great people you assume them to be, and, as [[HypocriteHasAPoint Patrick points out at the end of the episode]], hero worship is unhealthy. |
| 66 | %%** "Ripped Pants" shows that you shouldn't do stupid, humiliating things to yourself just to get attention and praise from other people -- and faking serious injuries as a practical joke is ''not'' funny. |
| 67 | %%** "Can You Spare a Dime?" shows that sometimes, people will take advantage of your kindness -- and when they do, do ''not'' allow them to walk all over you. |
| 68 | %%** "Rock-a-Bye Bivalve" shows that a person selfishly neglecting their spouse and not doing their fair share of work around the house and parenting is very bad. |
| 69 | %%** "Sun Bleached" shows that tanning is unattractive, dangerous, and just plain stupid. |
| 70 | %%** "Squirrel Jokes" shows that prejudiced jokes are lazy and can have harmful real-world effect, and if you really want to do politically incorrect humor, [[EqualOpportunityOffender include everyone for the sake of fairness]]. |
| 71 | %%** "Not Normal" shows that your quirks are what make you special and that "fitting in" really isn't worth it. |
| 72 | * ArchivePanic: Having run for two decades, this series has over 200 episodes, 3 movies, several shorts, and no end in sight. Luckily, the show is more than well circulated. |
| 73 | * AssPull: |
| 74 | ** In "Hooky", somehow Squidward was holding the hook that caught [=SpongeBob=] all along, even though there's absolutely no way he could have as the hook is coming from the surface and Squidward is inside the Krusty Krab at the same time. |
| 75 | ** The fact that in "Band Geeks" they all instantly become amazing at playing music offscreen when at first they were terrible at it can be considered this. |
| 76 | ** The Patty Vault in "Just One Bite". Though this is likely PlayedForLaughs. |
| 77 | ** The tugboat at the end of "Nautical Novice". StatusQuoIsGod, and God is being a troll. |
| 78 | ** [[spoiler:Snellie and Gary falling in love]] in "The Great Snail Race" comes out of ''nowhere''. |
| 79 | ** The ending of "Not Normal" outright relies on one Ass Pull after another, with Patrick's treatment to cure [=SpongeBob=] of his "normality" seeming to work at first... until he suddenly goes right back to "normal" just when it seems like he's in the final stages of reverting. Then Normal!Squidward drops by, and just looking at him ends up being what changes [=SpongeBob=] back, scaring the normal out of him. |
| 80 | * AudienceAlienatingEra: While every season following the first three and ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobSquarePantsMovie'' is divisive to an extent, most fans tend to agree Seasons 6-8 are a low point for the series due to their overuse (and misuse) of BlackComedy, NauseaFuel, extreme {{Flanderization}}, and overall lacking the goofy and surreal charm of the first three seasons. |
| 81 | * SugarWiki/AwesomeArt: The backgrounds are all hand-painted and detailed, to gorgeous effect. The characters also have highly appealing designs and fluid movement, also lending themselves well to going intentionally OffModel. This is especially noticable in Seasons 9B onwards, where the animation, while always fluid, is moreso than ever before. The close-up shots also have brilliant hand-painting similar to the backgrounds. |
| 82 | * SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Has its own [[AwesomeMusic/SpongeBobSquarePants page]]. |
| 83 | * BadassDecay: |
| 84 | ** Plankton went from a menacing threat who always came close to getting the Krabby Patty formula (and actually succeeds in ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobSquarePantsMovie'') to an IneffectualSympatheticVillain in the later seasons. At least part of this, however, is PlayedForLaughs due to amping up the negative qualities of the "heroes", especially his ArchEnemy Mr. Krabs, often conveying them as EvilerThanThou (or at least more insufferable) to the point Plankton himself seems placid and down to earth. |
| 85 | ** Sandy Cheeks, to a limited extent. In Seasons 1-3, she was the squirrel version of Creator/ChuckNorris, and did things such as ''lift buildings and throw them''. Starting from Season 4, her GadgeteerGenius side has been focused on more. Starting from Season 9, most episodes (such as "Squirrel Record" and "Surf N' Turf") involving Sandy include both aspects of her personality. |
| 86 | * BaseBreakingCharacter: |
| 87 | ** Patchy the Pirate. His appearances in two specials "Atlantis [=SquarePantis=]" and "Truth or Square" (which fans have found overhyped and subpar) have been criticized by many fans for being too long, too boring, and too out-of-place. However, these two episodes (both of which feature Patchy outside of his house, although it does show up in a few scenes of "Atlantis [=SquarePantis=]") are really the main reason he is disliked; some fans enjoy the campy feel of his older appearances, particularly because of his nostalgic house being discontinued. Others dislike the campiness altogether, even in the old specials. |
| 88 | ** [[TheDitz Patrick Star]] gets a lot of hate due to his {{Flanderization}} into an insensitive {{Jerkass}} in Seasons 6-8. However, many Patrick fans still prefer to ignore the Patrick of these seasons and still think that pre-first movie Patrick is one of the funniest characters on the show. Other fans are willing to forgive his assholish moments for still being pretty funny at times. |
| 89 | ** [=SpongeBob=] himself, thanks to his exaggerated stupidity in Seasons 6-8 and his obsession with Squidward coming off as borderline stalking. While his negative traits have been considerably toned down by Season 9, there are still as many people who find him annoying as there are people who like and sympathize with him. In general -- counting his personality in both the pre-movie and post-movie eras -- [=SpongeBob=] is seen as either a kindhearted, {{Adorkable}} little sea sponge whose optimism, pureness, naivete, and [[{{Manchild}} childishness]] makes him unique and stand out from most fictional characters his age, or nothing but a ceaseless, pompous, idiotic, annoying, self-centered {{Jerkass}} to the viewer, who wants him to suffer. It's no secret that [=SpongeBob=] is often regarded as one of WesternAnimation's most annoying protagonists; not helping is that he has a high-pitched, nasally voice and laugh that is emphasized on from time to time. |
| 90 | ** Squidward is either the show's sympathetic [[OnlySaneMan voice of reason]] who just wants to have some peace and quiet and whose [[DeadpanSnarker snide quips]] are hilarious and on-point, or a judgmental, selfish prick trying to sabotage [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick's fun in exchange for the world giving him attention. |
| 91 | ** Mr. Krabs is seen by supporters as a funny comedic relief for his [[TheScrooge cheapskate ways]], and he is also seen as a good ParentalSubstitute towards [=SpongeBob=] and a caring father towards his daughter Pearl. Detractors see him as very unlikable due to his cheapskate ways considering that he never pays his employees, he has done many morally objectionable things because of his greed, and always ruins his daughter's birthdays. Fans are also divided on whether he was a good character before his {{Flanderization}} in Season 6, or he was already a bad character before Season 6. |
| 92 | ** Pearl can be relatable in that she has to put up with a greedy, neglectful, [[AbusiveParents abusive dad]] who frequently [[AmazinglyEmbarrassingParents embarrasses her in public]], in addition to being ostracized by her peers and facing typical problems of a teenage girl. On the other hand, though, she is also seen as an annoying {{brat|tyTeenageDaughter}} who complains about things not going her way and deserves all the bad luck she receives. |
| 93 | ** Some fans find Plankton an entertaining and likable villain whose schemes to obtain the formula are interesting and clever. In contrast, others wish that he would just ''drop'' his delusional obsession already and come to terms with his unpopularity. Luckily, Season 9 has catered to the latter side by giving him a pet amoeba to show that the secret formula isn't the only thing he cares about. |
| 94 | ** Bubble Bass, who went from a minor character in Season 1 to a recurring character by Season 9, [[JerkassDissonance has been fairly well-received]] due to his delivery of memorable, funny quotes, but at the same time, some fans loathe his obnoxious {{Jerkass}} personality and think that his appearances are getting old. |
| 95 | ** Is Mrs. Puff a teacher who tries her hardest to cope with [=SpongeBob=], or an insane criminal? Episodes like "Bumper to Bumper", where Mrs. Puff acknowledges what [=SpongeBob=] struggles with and tries to conform the course to help him, support the former. On the other hand, Mrs. Puff also has her share of violent moments, such as harming students ("Teacher's Pests", "The Bully", "Demolition Doofus") and mocking them outside of school ("Girls' Night Out"). Do her DesignatedMonkey moments ("Don't Feed the Clowns", "Move It or Lose It", "Patrick-Man!") and the fact that she has been sent to jail ''many'' times justify her behavior towards [=SpongeBob=]? |
| 96 | ** The incidentals/background characters are arguably one of the biggest examples of this in the entire series. A lot of people hate them for being {{Jerkass}} UnsatisfiableCustomer characters who rarely ever show respect or gratefulness to the main characters, while others like them (mainly because of MemeticMutation). |
| 97 | * BigLippedAlligatorMoment: |
| 98 | ** The Davy Jones cameo in "[=SpongeBob SquarePants=] vs. The Big One." |
| 99 | ** Subverted with Nosferatu. His appearance in "Graveyard Shift" indeed comes out of nowhere, but he plays a role in the plot of "The Night Patty," approving [=SpongeBob=] to be a replacement cook during the night shift. |
| 100 | ** The live-action "old folk from a soda commercial" gag seen in "Sun Bleached", done in a similar style to a ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' CutawayGag. |
| 101 | ** The werewolf scene from "The Great Patty Caper". Came out of nowhere? Check! Added nothing to the plot? Check! Was never mentioned again? Check! |
| 102 | ** In-universe (or meta) example from "I Had an Accident" that involves a gorilla with no real build up ''to'' the gorilla, and the fact the gorilla and some zebra were up to something made it ''more'' of a BLAM. The meta example comes in at the end where a live-action human family watching the show is sitting there utterly dumbfounded and turns off the TV in confusion, though at least it was {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d. |
| 103 | ** The perfume department scene in "Shanghaied". |
| 104 | ** During a scene in "The Chaperone" in which everyone at the prom is injuring themselves trying to do "The Sponge", one of the fish gets chased by a giant apple. The apple was never shown before or after the scene in question, and was most likely included for RuleOfFunny. |
| 105 | ** The face on the hot sauce drop in "Karate Choppers". |
| 106 | ** "All That Glitters": Once [=SpongeBob=] [[ItMakesSenseInContext becomes naked to pay for a high-class spatula]], he stays naked for the rest of the episode. Aside from some disturbed reactions from passersby, it's not commented on or resolved, even at the end where he reunites with his old spatula. |
| 107 | ** The mailman scene from "Boating Buddies". |
| 108 | ** In "Sponge-Cano!" some garbage creatures come out of the trash can and start singing with [=SpongeBob=]. |
| 109 | ** The air from [=SpongeBob=]'s inflatable muscles just randomly moving to different parts of his body near the end of "[=MuscleBob=] [=BuffPants=]". While it does show off that [=SpongeBob=]'s muscles were {{fake|Muscles}}, the scene is never commented on or acknowledged afterward. |
| 110 | ** In "Squidferatu", when [=SpongeBob=] and Squidward are in Nosferatu's coffin room, five coffins come out of the ground and start dancing to jazz music. Vampires come out, say "Nosferatu two-step!", and then go back into the ground. The scene has no impact on the episode, wasn't foreshadowed, and comes out of nowhere. |
| 111 | * BileFascination: Many of the show's worst episodes like "One Coarse Meal" and "A Pal For Gary" receive a lot of attention specifically because of their bad reputation. |
| 112 | * BizarroEpisode: |
| 113 | ** "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS5E19TheTwoFacesOfSquidwardSpongeHenge Spongehenge]]" is an unusually eerie, almost ''solemn'' episode of the show where [=SpongeBob=] spends most of the episode on his own running away from jellyfish who are attracted by [[ItMakesSenseInContext wind rushing through his pores]] and ends up going [[GoMadFromTheIsolation insane from lack of contact.]] It rather infamously ends on an unusually [[DownerEnding downbeat note]] where a crazed, bearded [=SpongeBob=] rushes back home only to find that he's apparently been gone for ''years'' and the Krusty Krab has been completely destroyed, before cutting to a bizarre GainaxEnding 3,000 years later where aliens tourists visit the stone structures he left behind. The fact that it's a ''Film/PlanetOfTheApes1968'' reference does little to diminish how unnerving it is. |
| 114 | ** Even by ''[=SpongeBob=]'''s loose and wacky [[SurrealHumor usual standards]], the infamous "Squidward in Clarinetland" is just ''out there.'' In it, while looking for his lost clarinet, Squidward accidentally uncovers a pocket dimension inside [=SpongeBob=]'s locker and travels through a series of increasingly larger cabinets that [[BiggerOnTheInside cannot possibly fit in there]], passes through multiple bizarre landscapes in pursuit of [=SpongeBob=] and (among other things) [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext gets swallowed alive by a giant eagle head.]] None of it is really even PlayedForLaughs, either. A good number of fans consider this to be one of the [[NightmareFuel/SpongeBobSquarePants creepiest episodes]] in the whole series, [[SurrealHorror it's positively]] [[Creator/DavidLynch Lynchian]]. |
| 115 | ** "No Pictures Please" has Patrick becoming a tour guide and showing a tourist around Bikini Bottom. While it's relatively normal for the show's standards at first, the citizens of Bikini Bottom form an angry mob and surround Patrick and the tourist. The tourist apologizes and reveals that he ''never even existed'', vanishing into thin air as everyone backs away. |
| 116 | ** "Doing Time", mainly due to it turning out to be a dream within a dream, within another dream, within yet another dream, and so on. |
| 117 | ** "Cuddle E. Hugs" has [=SpongeBob=] eating a rotten Krabby Patty and befriending a ''giant hallucinatory hamster''. Said hamster also wants to eat everyone in Bikini Bottom and is eventually defeated when [=SpongeBob=] feeds him a piece of the patty, causing him to ''wake up in the real world as a photorealistic hamster''. |
| 118 | * BrokenAesop: "The Abrasive Side" has [=SpongeBob=] get the titular side in order to change his personality, only for the side to reveal itself as a major {{JerkAss}} who attempts to [[SplitPersonalityTakeover take over completely]]; when [=SpongeBob=] goes to Sandy for help, she tells him that he doesn't need to change his personality because [[BeYourself he's fine the way he is]]. This is a fairly common lesson in kid's shows, but a couple details from the episode ultimately break the lesson: first, the change [=SpongeBob=] was trying to make to his personality was learning how to be more assertive so people would stop taking advantage of [[ExtremeDoormat his inability to say "no"]] to ask him for favors. Second, one of said people shown taking advantage of [=SpongeBob=] is ''[[{{hypocrite}} Sandy herself]]'', which in turn makes her saying that [=SpongeBob=] is fine the way he is come off as incredibly hollow. |
| 119 | * BrokenBase: |
| 120 | ** From the pre-movie era, is "I'm With Stupid" a solid episode on its own right, or is it too mean to [=SpongeBob=] to be funny? |
| 121 | ** Over whether post-movie episodes are even worth watching. Some people refuse to watch anything from Season 4 onwards, while others assure that there's a decent amount of good episodes in the post-movie seasons. Some will also include Season 4 (and even Season 5 sometimes) as one of the good seasons, but bash the ones after that. Some will also say that Season 9 is a return to form, and even that season has some of the show's most hated episodes ("Squid Baby", "Little Yellow Book", and "[=SpongeBob=], You're Fired"). |
| 122 | ** Season 5 is incredibly divisive among the fandom. Some see it as pretty good in its own right, others hold it on the same level as [[AudienceAlienatingEra Seasons 6-8]], and a third group of people find it to be SoOkayItsAverage. |
| 123 | ** Although most fans will agree Seasons 6 and 7 are the worst, there's some debate over which of the two is worse: 6 for its excessive gross-out and shock humor, or 7 for its slower, lazier writing and more jerkish character moments? |
| 124 | ** Is Season 8 as bad as Seasons 6 and 7, or is it a step towards the renaissance period that would fully kick in with Season 9B? |
| 125 | *** Similarly, is Season 9A as bad as the previous three seasons, or an improvement from those seasons that would only improve even further with Season 9B? |
| 126 | ** Season 10 and 11 have received a much more divisive reception than Seasons 1-3 and 9. Depending on your stance on the show being "cartoony", it's either a breath of fresh air after nearly decades of the same techniques, or too bouncy, loud, more over-reliant on [[WildTake goofy facial expressions]] than telling decent stories or jokes. They also debate whether callbacks to old episodes are a good way to remember the old days of the show, or they're just pandering to nostalgic viewers (although they do throw in references from newer episodes as well). |
| 127 | ** Is the episode "Bubbletown" a fun take on a Bubble Buddy episode with creative visuals, or is it humorless and boring? |
| 128 | ** "House Fancy" is a divisive episode. Some people like it because [[ThrowTheDogABone Squidward wins]], while others hate it because of the infamous scene where [[AgonyOfTheFeet his toenail is gruesomely ripped off]]. |
| 129 | ** While the fanbase as a whole accepts [[WordOfGay Hillenburg's word that [=SpongeBob=] is asexual]], fans are split on how to interpret what exactly he meant by that. Some fans think he's not true ace representation and think Hillenburg was only referring to the biological fact that some sea sponges are asexual.[[note]]Those counteracting this argument state that some sea sponges ''can'' sexually reproduce such as [=SpongeBob=]'s parents, making [=SpongeBob=]'s asexuality line up with the orientation definition of asexuality too.[[/note]] Others don't think he counts because Hillenberg was only doing it to shut up gay rumors. Some argue that he is only asexual in the biological sense and that the reason he doesn't pursue romance is because he is childish and naive.[[note]]Of course, this ignores how the far dumber and more childish Patrick has dabbled in romance while [=SpongeBob=] does not.[[/note]] Some asexual fans of the show however, gladly embrace [=SpongeBob=]'s ace status and think that having one of the most kind, friendly and popular characters in all of cartoons also be asexual is great representation. Of course, to make things even more complicated, other fans say that [=SpongeBob=] isn’t truly ace, and they tend to point out that there are episodes that show that [=SpongeBob=] ''is'' indeed capable of romantic attraction, such as "To Love A Patty" (granted, the love in that episode is…[[CargoShip unusual]], but it still shows that [=SpongeBob=] is capable of expressing romantic feelings for something or someone regardless). Then there are those fans who argue that [=SpongeBob=] is asexual but not aromantic... |
| 130 | %%** Among Norwegian fans, there's heated debate as to which of the show's [[DuelingDubs two Norwegian-language dubs]] is better. |
| 131 | * CantUnhearIt: Just try to watch any movie or show that has on-screen text denoting a passage of time ("Meanwhile...", "[Amount of time] later...") and ''not'' read it in Creator/TomKenny's Creator/JacquesCousteau-esque narrator voice. |
| 132 | * CargoShip: It's practically a RunningGag at this point. |
| 133 | ** Technically, Plankton and Karen could count as a ''canon'' example of this. |
| 134 | ** Mr. Krabs and his money, which eventually became the plot of "Married to Money". |
| 135 | ** Mama Krabs and Plankton's giant robot. |
| 136 | ** Squidward and a Krabby Patty (PlayedForLaughs). |
| 137 | ** [=SpongeBob=] and "Patty" (also PlayedForLaughs, [[{{Squick}} but not as successful]]). |
| 138 | ** Squidward and his clarinet, arguably. |
| 139 | ** Squidward and a pickle, at least according to Patrick. |
| 140 | ** Patrick and the same pickle. |
| 141 | ** Patrick and a pole. |
| 142 | ** Thanks to the trailer for the second [=SpongeBob=] movie, there is now a Patrick/Neapolitan ice cream crack ship (lovingly dubbed [[PortmanteauCoupleName "Patopolitan"]]). |
| 143 | ** Then there's [=SpongeBob=] and his spatula in "All That Glitters" and, to some extent, "Evil Spatula". In the former episode, [=SpongeBob=]'s even portrayed as a cheating husband for getting a new, apparently more efficient and glamorous spatula after his old one breaks. [[HoYay Also, the spatula is referred to with male pronouns]]. |
| 144 | * CatharsisFactor: |
| 145 | ** Any moment where Squidward [[ThrowTheDogABone gets a victory]] that isn't [[YankTheDogsChain snatched away from him at the last moment]], it's ''incredibly'' satisfying. Especially when it's against [[SmugSnake Squilliam]], which is a huge part of why "[[Recap/SpongebobSquarepantsS2E15TheSecretBoxBandGeeks Band Geeks]]" is so [[SacredCow enduringly popular.]] "Enchanted Tiki Dreams" has also become popular among fans, in which [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick build Squidward a tiki land where he can relax, full of things he likes to do. Even after the tiki land is destroyed, Squidward is still happy, as he gets to hit [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick with a swinging boat. |
| 146 | ** Given how [[TookALevelInJerkass awful he can be in later episodes]], seeing Mr. Krabs occasionally get his comeuppance for his never-ending {{Greed}} can definitely be this. |
| 147 | ** [=SpongeBob=] [[RageBreakingPoint finally snapping]] at Patrick and calling him out on his utter stupidity in "Stuck in the Wringer" was very satisfying for fans who hated Patrick's infamous {{Flanderization}} from a dimwitted yet kind-hearted friend into a selfish mean-spirited oaf. |
| 148 | * CharacterPerceptionEvolution: Squidward Tentacles was conceived as an "entertaining jerk" character with his snotty personality and one-sided friendship with [=SpongeBob=] and [=Patrick=] (with Squidward being the non-reciprocating party), with this defining his perception during the show's first three seasons. However, several factors over the years would lead to his reputation growing more positive: later seasons featured a number of episodes that downplayed his {{jerkass}} qualities while increasing his sympathetic haplessness, other characters would be {{flanderized}} in the opposite direction, and most significantly, the show's initial child audience would grow up and enter the workforce. Consequently, Squidward is seen nowadays as more relatable than the show's own title character, being regarded as an accurate depiction of modern adult ennui. |
| 149 | * CharacterRerailment: Season 9 did a lot of this. [=SpongeBob=] is a NiceGuy again, Patrick's stupidity is less destructive and [[TheDitz more genuine]], Squidward suffers a lot less (and when he does, he usually brings it upon himself), and Mr. Krabs [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold is a good guy despite his greed]]. |
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| 156 | %% --- Moderator Notice --- |
| 157 | %% *** DO NOT REMOVE THIS MESSAGE *** |
| 158 | %% Complete Monster: There are no characters who qualify for this trope. It's a kids' show that plays Comedic Sociopathy for laughs. It cannot have [=CMs=]. |
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| 165 | * CommonKnowledge: |
| 166 | ** Due to the fact that Mr. Krabs's daughter Pearl is a whale, most people make the obvious assumption that she's [[InterspeciesAdoption adopted]] -- but canon suggests that she is his ''biological'' daughter. An official trivia book written by an episode writer also mentions that [[GenderEqualsBreed Pearl just takes after her mother]]. |
| 167 | ** Many people think the song "Sweet Victory" from "Band Geeks" was written for the show. That's not true, as the song comes from APM's stock music library, just like most of the background music on the show. |
| 168 | ** One of the most persisting misunderstandings in the fandom is that [=SpongeBob=] doesn't get paid, but instead ''has to pay'' for the privilege of working at the Krusty Krab. This is due to an early episode (''Big Pink Loser'') where he mentions that he had to pay Mr. Krabs when he ''started'' working there - contrary to Patrick who gets paid from his first workday. [=SpongeBob=] is shown getting paid in plenty of other episodes, though the exact amount varies. The most likely circumstance is that he initially had to pay Mr. Krabs, but started to actually get paid once he had enough seniority or had proved himself as a good enough worker. And since the series runs on NegativeContinuity, it was likely nothing more than a one note joke and not something that actually happened. |
| 169 | ** Due to excessive rumors on the internet, some believe that there was a lost {{Pilot}} episode for the show aired between 1996 or 1997 titled "[=SpongeBoy=] Ahoy!" [[note]]"[=SpongeBoy=] Ahoy!" was [[WhatCouldHaveBeen originally]] the name of the show and eponymous character before Nickelodeon's legal department learned the name was already being used.[[/note]] and aired on Creator/{{Nickelodeon}}. However, the real pilot episode for ''[=SpongeBob=]'' is nearly identical to [[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS1E1HelpWantedReefBlowerTeaAtTheTreedome "Help Wanted"]] aside from having a different theme song, and while the episode was produced in 1997, the episode was never officially shown to the public until the series premiere in 1999. This misconception circulated after unofficial videos on Website/YouTube surfaced teasing the lost pilot episode for the show, despite all the videos merely taking already existing footage from Help Wanted, some early promos from 1999, and clips from the show's Italian dub intro, and editing them with a DeliberateVHSQuality. |
| 170 | ** It's often said that the late Stephen Hillenburg didn't want any spin-offs of the show to occur. When the spin-off ''WesternAnimation/KampKoral'' was announced, many saw it as disrespecting Hillenburg's wishes, with some even accusing Nickelodeon of waiting for Hillenburg to die to capitalize on his creations. This likely isn't helped by the fact that Paul Tibbit, a friend of Hillenberg, had made the claim that he did not want the spinoff to be created. In reality, he actually said that he saw no spin-offs occurring in the future, which was more him making an observation than a request. Vincent Waller, a writer and director for the show, commenting on the claim, noted that Hillenburg once said that he didn't have an interest in making a movie, yet they later went on to make three movies (the [[WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobSquarePantsMovie first]] [[WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobMovieSpongeOutOfWater two]] of which were made and released in Hillenburg's lifetime). |
| 171 | ** It's very widely claimed that [=SpongeBob=]'s original proposed name of [=SpongeBoy=] was dropped due to a mop existing with the same name. However, after some research, it was discovered that no such mop brand ever existed; while the name ''was'' changed due to a pre-existing product, the [=SpongeBoy=] product in question was actually the name of [[NonindicativeName a pencil]]. This misconception originated from the character's voice actor Creator/TomKenny recalling the re-naming of the character during an interview, but not knowing the exact details, stating that the original [=SpongeBoy=] was "like a mop or something", which was then proliferated further through a feedback loop of "fun facts" books about the show and subsequent interviews with Kenny. |
| 172 | ** Lots of people are convinced that there's a scene in which [=SpongeBob=] calls Patrick a genius, and Patrick replies "yeah, I get called that a lot". [=SpongeBob=] confusedly asks "what? a genius?", and Patrick replies "no, Patrick". This scene is often mentioned on Internet message boards whenever the funniest quotes of the show are discussed. However, there has ''never'' been one such scene in the show. It seems to be a mix-up between the few scenes where Patrick comically misunderstands the word "genius" and a dialogue in the season 6 episode "Porous Pockets" where Patrick states that being called Patrick is his specialty (when [=SpongeBob=] believes that having good ideas is Patrick's specialty). |
| 173 | ** People refer to the infamous Primitive Sponge from "SB-129" as "[=SpongeGar=]" from "Ugh", but the two cave-sponges are actually different characters. The back cover for the season 11 DVD says that [=SpongeGar=] returns in "Cave-Dwelling Sponge"; it's actually yet another prehistoric sponge, with [[AmbiguouslyRelated ambiguous relations]] to [=SpongeBob=], named Spongy Spongy. |
| 174 | ** A number of sources, including descriptions for the episode "Texas", refer to Sandy Cheeks as Sandy [[SpeciesSurname Squirrel]]. Even worse is that the show itself later made the same mistake, with [=SpongeBob=] referring to her as such in "[=SpongeBob=]'s Last Stand", and [[WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobMovieSpongeOutOfWater the second movie]]'s end credits featuring a song called "Sandy Squirrel". This is an understandable mistake, since many characters have surnames pertaining to their species, but it's a mistake nevertheless. |
| 175 | ** Sometimes, Painty the Pirate is called Patchy the Pirate. These two are actually different characters; Painty is the pirate in the painting shown in the theme song (hence his name), while Patchy is the live-action pirate who's shown doing stuff during the interstitial breaks of special episodes. |
| 176 | ** One of the most persistent misconceptions is that despite the NegativeContinuity, [[WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobSquarePantsMovie the first movie]] is considered the chronological end of the series, no matter how many new episodes and movies are produced. [[https://twitter.com/VincentWaller72/status/1286675423435186178 Vincent Waller eventually debunked this when asked about it on his Twitter]], stating that [[GodNeverSaidThat Stephen Hillenburg never said this was the case]]. This is also the most common explanation given as to why elements from the movie were rarely (if ever) referenced in the series proper; [[https://twitter.com/VincentWaller72/status/1114208160208674816 in actuality]], there was a firewall between Paramount and Nickelodeon that prevented the crew from using things like the Goofy Goober restaurant until around Season 10. |
| 177 | ** When ''WesternAnimation/ThePatrickStarShow'' came out, it was assumed that Patrick's new sister, a squid named Squidina, was HappilyAdopted and not a biological member of the family. No official sources, such as the show's pitch bible, state that this is the case. They merely say that the family thinks Squidina is a different-looking sea star. The show has actually hinted against Squidina being adopted a few times: in "The Patterfly Effect", when Patrick goes back in time and [[ItMakesSenseInContext makes Bunny part-race car]], in the present day, Squidina is her regular self but with wheels. "Which Witch is Which?" also shows that Squidina's grandmother is a squid as well. |
| 178 | ** [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick are sometimes claimed to be a gay couple, by both the LGBTFanbase and Anti-LGBT MoralGuardians. While there is a lot of [[HoYay/SpongeBobSquarePants Ho Yay in the series]], both [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick have been shown to be attracted to (or at least had ShipTease with) several female characters. |
| 179 | ** In the episode "Mid-Life Crustacean", many take the scene of Mr. Krabs eating the Krabby Patty and saying "So that's what I taste like" out of context as proof that Krabby Patties are made out of [[IAmAHumanitarian crab meat]]. However, if you watch the scene in context, the point was that the patty was old and dried out like Mr. Krabs was, since, as the episode's title implies, it's about him having a mid-life crisis. He wasn't commenting on the sandwich's actual ''ingredients'', but on its ''age''. |
| 180 | * CreatorWorship: Stephen Hillenburg is highly respected and beloved by not just fans of the show, but by other show creators due to how he was able to lead the show into being one of the most endearing cartoons of the generation simply because of its child-like but endearing protagonist, the well-done humor, and ''especially'' the aquatic setting that's a reference to Hillenburg's history of knowing sea biology. To say people were devastated by his passing to ALS is an understatement. |
| 181 | * DesignatedMonkey: |
| 182 | ** Squidward's ButtMonkey role was [[LaserGuidedKarma justified more in the first few seasons of the show]] due to his {{Jerkass}} persona and treatment of others, his abuse during Seasons 6-8 lean more towards ComedicSociopathy and KafkaKomedy, with a lot of the cast (and [[EnmityWithAnObject inanimate objects]]) just bearing an instant hatred towards him. The people who ''do'' like him [[UnwantedAssistance aren't much help either]]. |
| 183 | ** Plankton, to some extent. |
| 184 | ** Mrs. Puff wants to be left alone by [=SpongeBob=], and even compared to Squidward and Plankton, only a handful of circumstances does she take unscrupulous measures on him. Unlike the previous two, this was not a result of Flanderization either, as she was an undeserved victim of [=SpongeBob's=] inability to drive from her first appearance. |
| 185 | * DesignatedVillain: |
| 186 | ** Squidward and Mrs. Puff, DependingOnTheWriter. |
| 187 | *** Squidward just wants to be left alone when he's off work and when he does tell [=SpongeBob=] that he's not interested in spending the day with him, [=SpongeBob=] can't and won't take no for an answer. There are times where [=SpongeBob=] won't respect his personal space as he breaks into Squidward's house to hang out with him. |
| 188 | *** Mrs. Puff, on the other hand, is exhausted by [=SpongeBob=]'s antics as he doesn't seem to be learning anything from her lessons. When [=SpongeBob=] doesn't ask for help or listen to her then he causes property damage or harm to Mrs. Puff through his driving. |
| 189 | ** Plankton used to be an ordinary and fairly competent villain. Still, after Mr. Krabs was {{flanderiz|ation}}ed into a {{Jerkass}} and Plankton suffered VillainDecay before their CharacterRerailment, one couldn't help but side with Plankton. A good example is in "Chum Fricassee". Taking Krabs' employee can be mean or underhanded, but Squidward '''did''' leave out of his own free will. The only bad thing he did in this episode is that he maybe should have resisted more or outright refused when Squidward told him to undercook the chum, but it was still ultimately Squidward's idea in the first place. |
| 190 | ** The mob led later by Squidward in "Bubble Buddy". But the FridgeHorror of this means that Bubble Buddy really '''did''' let Scooter drown and hold up the bathroom for two hours. Granted, screwing over Mr. Krabs might not be '''too''' damning, but the crowd still had plenty of legitimate reasons to be mad. |
| 191 | * DiagnosedByTheAudience: All three members of the show's main trio are commonly headcanoned as autistic. The title character [=SpongeBob=] is a ManChild who is utterly obsessed with working at the Krusty Krab (one episode has him going crazy when he's forced to take a vacation) and has encyclopedic interests in other niche fields such as jellyfishing and bubble-blowing, he goes above and beyond when trying to help others, which, combined with his self-admitted naivety, makes it easy for others to manipulate him, and despite having the knowledge necessary to drive, he can't do it because he gets too nervous when he's behind the wheel, a fear that many autistic people can relate to. Patrick shares [=SpongeBob's=] youthful demeanor and interests in jellyfishing and bubble-blowing. Squidward meanwhile expresses a deep interest in fine art, makes particular gestures in particular emotional settings that autistic fans commonly interpret as stims (not helped by the "*continues stimming*" meme from ''WebVideo/AISponge''), and personality-wise stands in the opposite extreme from [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick, exemplifying the "professorial" archetype of autism. |
| 192 | * DoNotDoThisCoolThing: Some fans have noted that, the older they get, the more Squidward's grumpy disposition [[http://i.imgur.com/y7Z5byA.jpg seems to resonate with them]]. |
| 193 | * DracoInLeatherPants: |
| 194 | ** Plankton. It has been established that he's evil as he continued to try to take Krabs' secret formula in myriad ways. One episode even had him as a JerkWithAHeartOfJerk with him saying "Being evil is just too much fun!" He's also been shown to be a big {{jerkass}} at times with all his screaming and being angry. In the first movie, he even managed to enslave Bikini Bottom. However, due to {{Flanderization}} and TookALevelInJerkass on the parts of the main characters and Plankton becoming more a harmless IneffectualSympatheticVillain, some fans have come to side with Plankton. |
| 195 | ** Squidward ''does'' have redeeming qualities... at times, but he mentally and sometimes physically abuses [=SpongeBob=] either out of frustration or just because it amuses him. His absolute worst behavior was "Can You Spare a Dime?" where he takes advantage of [=SpongeBob=]'s generosity and gets no comeuppance for it. However, people who (understandably) feel sorry for him due to his endless abuse and ButtMonkey status tend to ignore his {{Jerkass}} traits and think he's just an innocent martyr. |
| 196 | * EnsembleDarkHorse: |
| 197 | ** Fred, better known as the [[RunningGag "MY LEG!"]] guy. He even gets ADayInTheLimelight with "My Leg!" in Season 11. |
| 198 | ** Squilliam Fancyson is quite popular despite being literally just a more successful Squidward [[HateSink without the redeeming qualities]]. It helps a lot because episodes he's in are an occasional opportunity for Squidward to actually ''[[ThrowTheDogABone pull off a win]]'' every once in a while. |
| 199 | ** [[KnightOfCerebus Dennis]] has only appeared in the movie so far, but fans love him for being a [[VileVillainSaccharineShow genuinely frightening]] and [[EvilIsCool badass villain]]. |
| 200 | ** "Where's Old Man Jenkins?" |
| 201 | ** Tom the fish: "CHOCOLATE! [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLLeCeN0Y4Q&feature=recentf ''CHOCOLAAATTTTEEEE!''"]] Tom's ComedicSociopath tendencies are good for all sorts of laughs. What about his appearance in "Bubble Buddy"? |
| 202 | --->'''Larry the Lobster:''' He called us fat!\ |
| 203 | '''Mr. Krabs:''' He owes me money!\ |
| 204 | '''Squidward:''' He made me provide excellent service!\ |
| 205 | '''Scooter:''' He made me experience high tide!\ |
| 206 | '''Tom:''' [[BreadEggsMilkSquick He poisoned our water supply, burned our crops, and delivered a plague unto our houses!]]\ |
| 207 | '''Crowd (astonished):''' He did?\ |
| 208 | '''Tom:''' ''NO! But are we just gonna wait around until he does???'' |
| 209 | ** The fish in the cinema who screams after being exposed to [=SpongeBob=]'s bad breath in "Something Smells": [[MemeticMutation DEUUEAUGH!]] |
| 210 | ** Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen: [[RunningGag He was number one]]! |
| 211 | ** Larry the Lobster is highly popular for his badass feats of [[TestosteronePoisoning absurd manliness.]] |
| 212 | ** Scooter. Especially in "Bubble Buddy". |
| 213 | ** Bubble Buddy himself, despite its haters. |
| 214 | ** [=DoodleBob=] is considered one of the more interesting antagonists, even appearing in many games. The writers seemed to agree, to the point of bringing him back in Season 11's "Doodle Dimension". |
| 215 | ** The two DrillSergeantNasty characters from "Mrs Puff, You're Fired" and "The Inmates of Summer", played by Creator/RobinSachs and ''Creator/RLeeErmey'' respectively. |
| 216 | ** Bubble Bass and Kevin C. Cucumber. |
| 217 | ** The ancient fish from "Chocolate With Nuts". |
| 218 | -->"What are they sellin'?" |
| 219 | ** There's an entire TV Tropes page for JustForFun/TheUglyBarnacle. |
| 220 | ** Charlton from "The Sewers of Bikini Bottom" is well liked for his LargeHam and CrazyPrepared character and calling out Mr. Krabs for cutting corners on the plumbing. |
| 221 | ** The Shalmon from "Sandy's Nutmare" has gained some popularity for his sage wisdom while still being comedic in a way fitting of the show. |
| 222 | ** [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter Spot]], Plankton's pet amoeba. He is a recurring character in Season 11, and gets another [[ADayInTheLimelight day in the limelight]] in Season 12's "Gary & Spot". |
| 223 | ** Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy are beloved for being a FountainOfMemes and being an AffectionateParody of both [[ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} Aquaman]] and Franchise/{{Batman}} [[ComicBook/{{Robin}} and Robin]]. They even have their own Wikipedia page over Gary. |
| 224 | *** Their RoguesGallery, such as Man Ray and the Dirty Bubble, aren't too far behind either. |
| 225 | ** Harold is a background character who gets an occasional appearance, and he's known for a handful of memetic lines, including [[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS2E15TheSecretBoxBandGeeks "BIG! MEATY! CLAWS!"]] and [[Recap/SpongebobSquarepantsS3E3TheBullyJustOneBite "How many times do we have to teach you this lesson, OLD MAN?!"]] |
| 226 | ** [=PlanKrab=], the clone made from Plankton and Mr. Krabs' DNA in "The Krusty Bucket", has been well received among the fanbase for his voice, his SpeechImpediment, him using handshakes to brainwash [=SpongeBob=] and Squidward, among everything else making him one of the funniest characters in the post-''[[WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobMovieSpongeOutOfWater Sponge Out of Water]]'' era. |
| 227 | ** Despite only making one appearance in "Love That Squid" and being written out shortly afterward, Squilvia is a fan-favorite for being a possible love interest to Squidward and [[ThrowTheDogABone throwing him a bone for the episode]]. |
| 228 | ** Incidental 70, the pot-bellied fish who says "Hey, [=SpongeBob=]'s back!" in "Pickles". Although he hasn't appeared since Season 2, he's very popular with fans, especially after he became the mascot of the page "Every [=SpongeBob=] Frame in Order". Due to his popularity he was brought back, first in The Patrick Star Show, then in the main series starting with Season 13's "Potato Puff". |
| 229 | ** Nosferatu initially only had a single appearance at the end of "Graveyard Shift", but said appearance was so memorable that fans started clamoring for him to return. They eventually got their wish, and now he's a recurring character who manages the Krusty Krab during the night shift. |
| 230 | * EpilepticTrees: There's a theory that the zaniness of the show is due to radioactive mutation. The evidence is that Bikini Bottom is located beneath [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bikini_Atoll Bikini Atoll]], which was the site of nuclear bomb testing in real life. |
| 231 | * EscapistCharacter: Squidward was written to be the curmudgeonly, boring and overly-mature {{foil}} to [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick, living a joyless life, being annoyed by their constant shenanigans, failing to make it as an artist, and hating his BurgerFool job at the Krusty Krab (in contrast to [=SpongeBob=] absolutely loving the work). All these traits made him popular among [[PeripheryDemographic the show's adult audience]], who found him and his struggles to be surprisingly relatable. |
| 232 | * EvilIsCool: On his better days (especially in the earlier episodes and the first movie), Plankton can be this. Although he's [[NonActionBigBad almost completely useless physically]], he's a genius MadScientist who can create almost anything in his attempts to obtain the Krabby Patty Secret Formula, and he's come [[NearVillainVictory very close to succeeding]] a few times. |
| 233 | [[/folder]] |
| 234 | |
| 235 | [[folder:F-P]] |
| 236 | * FairForItsDay: Opponents of politically incorrect humor tend to see "Squirrel Jokes" this way. They argue that while it provided a much-needed commentary about how racist jokes can promote harmful, contagious stereotypes, the message of the ending where [=SpongeBob=] decides to make jokes about every species present in the comedy club, including his own is more likely to come across as "making racist jokes is okay as long as you're an EqualOpportunityOffender" in recent times. |
| 237 | * FanPreferredCutContent: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLdfZnCfp0I This short]], "Moldy Sponge", plays out more like a scene from an unreleased episode than a short, to the point where some fans actually mistook it for an episode promo. This has lead many to wish this could have been the basis for an entire episode. |
| 238 | * FandomRivalry: There are two different rivalries towards the show: |
| 239 | ** With ''almost every other Nicktoon from 2005 onwards''. Most of those shows got screwed by Nickelodeon, to which fans will usually hate/blame on ''[=SpongeBob=]'' for not giving them a chance to shine. It doesn't help matters that, for a time, Nick had a policy to cancel any show that didn't immediately pull in the same ratings as the Sponge. However, this is a mostly one-sided rivalry, as plenty of [=SpongeBob=] fans are fans of other Nicktoons. |
| 240 | ** Almost all the shows that compete with [=SpongeBob=] for the Kid's Choice Awards (especially ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'', ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012'', ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'', ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'', and ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse''), accusing Nickelodeon for rigging this category. It has been the winner for every year since 2002, except 2008 when it lost to ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''. Most of these have cooled down now that all of them (sans ''The Loud House'') have ended. |
| 241 | * FandomSpecificPlot: After the death of Creator/ErnestBorgnine in 2012, stories about Mermaid Man dying and [=SpongeBob=] learning to deal with it became very popular. |
| 242 | * FanonDiscontinuity: |
| 243 | ** [=SpongeBob=]'s [[WordOfGay confirmed]] asexuality is often ignored amongst [[{{Lemon}} smut fic]] writers. Even when it isn't ignored, shippers almost always try to headcanon Sponge as homo/hetero/biromantic or maybe greysexual in order to justify shipping him with other characters. |
| 244 | ** For many fans, the seasons between the movie and its sequel (except for 4 and 5 for more than a few, after they finished airing) don't exist. As for individual episodes, "A Pal for Gary" and "One Coarse Meal" get this the most. |
| 245 | * FirstInstallmentWins: Despite recovering from SeasonalRot starting in Season 9, the first three seasons will always be regarded as the best, as well as representing one of the greatest moments in Nickelodeon history. |
| 246 | * FountainOfMemes: |
| 247 | ** [[TheDitz Patrick]] is the best example here. |
| 248 | ** [[DeadpanSnarker Squidward]] is also a huge source of memorable lines. |
| 249 | * FriendlyFandoms: |
| 250 | ** With fellow Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} hit, ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse''. Many people have compared both Lincoln and Luan to [=SpongeBob=], Lori to Squidward, both Leni and Lana to Patrick, and both Lynn and Lisa to Sandy. Unless it's the Kids Choice Awards, where FandomRivalry applies. |
| 251 | ** The ''Franchise/{{Splatoon}}'' playerbase has a strong rapport with the [=SpongeBob=] community, in part due to the shared sealife theme, and in part due to the similarities in the setting (''Splatoon'' is post-apocalyptic after an unspecified nuclear-powered Fifth World War, while ''[=SpongeBob=]'' takes place in Bikini Atoll post-nuclear testing). Their friendliness got stronger after the first game got a [=SpongeBob=] Splatfest event, which the Squid Research Lab blog confirmed was ''not'' an April Fools joke. |
| 252 | ** Despite having different target audiences, fans of ''[=SpongeBob=]'' tend to enjoy ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark''. Series have different approach to humour- ''[=SpongeBob=]'' gently pokes fun at everyday life with featuring mild slapstick, while ''South Park'' harshly pokes fun at forbidden themes, like religion, politics, death and celebrities. Both series are owned by Viacom and both have one of the longest runs in history and active fandoms even to this day. |
| 253 | ** Fans of ''[=SpongeBob=]'' and ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' get along pretty well, considering both franchises are ''very'' firmly rooted in the childhoods of kids from TheNineties and the TurnOfTheMillennium. |
| 254 | ** In the 2000s, many ''[=SpongeBob SquarePants=]'' and ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' fans liked both shows and were very friendly with each other because both started in the same year, were cancelled around the same time and revived for a fourth season in May 2005, had similar jokes, an absurd tone, and characterization and both suffered through a heavy dose of SeasonalRot around the same time for similar reasons. Not to mention they both replaced established franchises as flagship shows for [[Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} their respective]] [[Creator/{{Fox}} networks]] (''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''). |
| 255 | * GeniusBonus: |
| 256 | ** [=SpongeBob=] is asexual and can reproduce by budding... because he's a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sponge sponge]]. Stephen Hillenburg did not waste his marine biology degree with this show. |
| 257 | ** [=SpongeBob=] lives in a pineapple, which seems bizarre and out of place for an underwater setting until one realizes that there's a type of sponge known as the pineapple sponge. |
| 258 | ** Patrick and [[DependingOnTheWriter to a lesser extent]] [=SpongeBob=] are both characterized as being incredibly dumb. And it make sense when you realize that neither starfish nor sponges have brains, or even, in the latter's case; a nervous system. So in other words: [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick are quite literally [[StealthPun brainless]]. |
| 259 | ** In "Squidward the Unfriendly Ghost", when Squidward is deciding where he wants his "throne" to be laid down, he complains that some spots are "too hot", "too wet", and [[Creator/HenriDeToulouseLautrec "Toulouse-Lautrec"]] as they walk over a painting of his re-done with fish. |
| 260 | ** [[Film/{{Nosferatu}} Count Orlock]] appearing at the end of "Graveyard Shift". A kids' cartoon made a reference to a silent horror movie that even many film buffs and horror movie buffs are unfamiliar with. |
| 261 | ** In "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy III", those familiar with psychology can recognize Man-Ray's "goodness lessons" as an example of operant conditioning, which is to apply an adverse stimulus (tickling) when the subject exhibits undesirable behavior (being bad). |
| 262 | *** [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_Ray Man Ray]] himself. |
| 263 | ** In "Hooky", Mr. Krabs vows to find [=SpongeBob=] using his nose, which can "smell laziness up to 10,000 leagues". Real crabs do have a well-developed sense of smell which they use to find prey. |
| 264 | ** "Shell of a Man" has a character by the name of Iron Eye. It turns out his "iron eye" was really made of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formica_(plastic) formica]]. Quite an obscure thing to slip into a kids' show. |
| 265 | ** In "The Bully", [=SpongeBob=] is on the constant threat of being beat up by Flatts the Flounder. In the ocean, adolescent flounder fish will prey on sponges. |
| 266 | ** Plankton are already rare in fiction, but Sheldon J. Plankton is of a particular kin of plankton. Known as [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copepod copepods]], they are tiny crustaceans sporting a single eye at the center of their heads. This is [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] in "Lame and Fortune," where Plankton wears a shirt reading "KISS ME I'M A COPEPOD." Likewise, Plankton's cousins seem to be based on other types of plankton, including ''crab larvae''. |
| 267 | *** On a similar note, a sizable amount of copepod species are parasitic... which explains why a big part of Plankton's business strategy involves constantly trying to steal from another, more successful restaurateur. |
| 268 | ** In "The Algae's Always Greener", it is revealed that Plankton eats holographic meatloaf (and possibly other holographic food) that Karen "cooks" for him by using light to generate the hologram. Many kinds of real-life plankton use photosynthesis, the chemical process of turning light energy into chemical energy (sugar), to gain energy as food. |
| 269 | ** The Krusty Krab is in the shape of a crab trap. |
| 270 | ** The buildings in Bikini Bottom are car mufflers that fell into the ocean, contributing to the ocean’s pollution. This is confirmed in "High Sea Diving". |
| 271 | ** In "Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy IV", Squidward, while donning the Captain Magma costume, unleashes a magma attack from his head by shouting "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1883_eruption_of_Krakatoa Krakatoa]]!" Not many young kids will know what this means unless they have knowledge in history, geography, geology, or volcanology above their age level. |
| 272 | ** The giant worm that [=SpongeBob=] calls an "Alaskan Bull Worm" is likely a polychaete -- another name for a bristle worm. |
| 273 | ** Many viewers have chalked Goo Lagoon, which [=SpongeBob=] could drown in, as RuleOfFunny given it's a lagoon underwater. As explained in one of Nickelodeon's "Bikini Bottom Mysteries" videos, this actually has a basis in real life. There are places underwater where high salt concentration makes the water have a higher density than regular water, and fish can drown in it. Other such "undersea rivers" also exist in real life, typically being either places where freshwater somehow emerges into the saltwater, or where the tide carries sediment to create a river-like mass of sludge that erodes its own pathway beneath the water, with its comparatively darker color making it look like "water" of a different hue. |
| 274 | ** In "Library Cards", Gary reads a book titled "Cooking Without Salt". Gary is a snail, and salt causes snails to shrivel up. |
| 275 | ** Scallops serving as FantasticFaunaCounterpart of birds looks very strange until you see [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2iXHBuSIJY how a real scallop swims]]. |
| 276 | ** In "Captain Pipsqueak", one of the villains is a sea slug named Notodoris. While this just sounds like a PunnyName on "notorious" and "Doris", it's actually a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notodoris real genus of sea slug]], which the character even resembles. |
| 277 | ** In Greek mythology, Tartarus was the name of the deepest, darkest part of the underworld. So when characters use “tartar sauce” as a swear, they’re more or less using it as a substitute for “hell”. |
| 278 | ** In "Band Geeks," Patrick describes humans as "some ugly looking fish." As anyone who has studied evolution and biological phylogenetics can tell you, since humans and all other tetrapods are descended from lobe-finned fish. Humans are part of this clade of fish, so, from a cladistic standpoint, yes, [[https://inference-review.com/article/on-being-a-fish humans are fish]]. |
| 279 | * GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: As [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJlYbxXFlAE this documentary]] has shown, the series has done ''very'' well in 175 different markets with 25 different languages. |
| 280 | ** The show is rather popular in Japan. |
| 281 | ** ''[=SpongeBob=]'' is very popular in the United Kingdom. (Despite some episodes like Shanghaied rarely being shown, and Gary Takes a Bath being pulled from British airings), it has remained in UK feed of Nickelodeon since it first aired on the feed in 2000,[[note]]Other Nicktoons have not been so lucky and were usually regulated to the British feed of the Nicktoons network.[[/note]] in 2012, they broadcasted a marathon called ''[=SpongeBob's=]'' Top 100, merchandising is very big there, and is one of the shows of the Nickelodeon brand for their British theme park, Nickelodeon Land, in Blackpool Pleasure Beach. |
| 282 | ** ''[=SpongeBob=]'' is very popular in Germany, to the point that there are multiple ''[=SpongeBob SquarePants=]'' albums (16 as of 2024) [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPyWT1wN478 containing]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeY-EcVd6pI original/cover songs]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x92sZXyKNck that are exclusive in Germany and are]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4thxGmdDl4 sung]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzOp0JIZGUs by the characters]] that are released annually in that country. The series even has [[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCALMg3QaZvaskh2L2ISK_LQ its own music channel called "MusikSpongebob"]] on Youtube, and a [[http://www.spongebob-musik.de/ website]] dedicated entirely to these albums released annually. Even popular German singers and musicians (such as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZpsZ7Fihp8 Markus Becker]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz7tLnr56Ns MC Fitti]], and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36_erskj0wI Roland Kaiser]]) are heard singing alongside [=SpongeBob=] in some albums. |
| 283 | ** ''[=SpongeBob=]'' is one of the most popular cartoons in Mexico (despite the dub being made primarily in Venezuela). There, ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobMovieSpongeOutOfWater'' topped the box office for two weeks in a row. Also, while ''[=SpongeBob=]'' merchandise isn't as common as it used to be in the United States, it is everywhere in Mexico. And when show creator Stephen Hillenberg died, the Spanish tag for [=SpongeBob=] was the third most popular tag of the day on Twitter, which also happened when [[MilestoneCelebration the show turned 20]]. The 20th anniversary campaign in North America also happened in Mexico, with promotions not happening in the US being tied to it, like [[https://twitter.com/gekiamanaaaaa/status/1162521218634981377?s=21 these donuts]]. The third film ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongebobMovieSpongeOnTheRun'' even gained an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIqLA4Ct2QU original song called "Agua" by Tainy and J. Balvin which was performed entirely in Spanish]] with two English lyrics as a response to [=SpongeBob=]'s popularity in Mexico. |
| 284 | ** It has a big following among children in the Gulf Arab states, at least if [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sDwk0yQaoM this]] pundit's rant is any indication. |
| 285 | * GrowingTheBeard: |
| 286 | ** Season 2 is when people ''really'' started paying attention to the series, since the animation switched from cel to computer. The main characters' personality quirks had been expanded upon (e.g. [=SpongeBob=]'s [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} kookiness]] and [[{{Keet}} hyperactivity]], Patrick's [[TheDitz stupidity]]) along with memorable gags and one-liners. |
| 287 | *** Alternatively the second "chunk" of Season 1 episodes, starting with "SB-129", where the animation improved, the characters got more developed, and more people were brought on to work for the series. |
| 288 | ** Season 3 improved on this even further bringing funnier and more consistent plots and showing character developments. Nowadays, it's considered the show's best season. Some have even suggested that, while some seasons like 6-8 definitely fell victim to SeasonalRot, certain post-movie seasons like 4 and 5 get unfairly lumped in with them just because season 3 was such a ToughActToFollow. |
| 289 | * HeartwarmingInHindsight: |
| 290 | ** "Rock-a-Bye Bivalve" was one of the most controversial episodes of the series due to (apparently) depicting [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick as gay parents. Over a decade later, it's become a lot less controversial thanks to society becoming far more accepting of the [=LGBTQ+=] community. |
| 291 | ** At the end of the first movie, Mr. Krabs hugs [=SpongeBob=] and says "I'm sorry I ever doubted you." This may be a callback to "Help Wanted", the first episode of the show, in which Mr. Krabs is hesitant about hiring [=SpongeBob=] in the first place and even makes fun of him behind his back. Really shows how much closer they've become over the series. |
| 292 | * SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct: |
| 293 | ** This was ''the'' show that put Creator/TomKenny on the map as a, more-or-less, seriously regarded and acclaimed voice actor. Not only is his vocal range awe-inspiring (high-pitched and giggly one minute, low and suave the next, impeccable French accent the minute after that) but unlike a lot of voice actors, Tom Kenny can actually cry '''very''' convincingly. Any scene that involves [=SpongeBob=] crying is [[TearJerker heartbreaking]] because of Tom Kenny's poignant voice acting. Kudos to him! The ''beloved'' Season 10 episode "Mimic Madness", in particular, even veers into TheCastShowoff by having him do ''all'' of [=SpongeBob=]'s sometimes-uncanny impressions and show off his vocal range. It even earned him both an Annie and Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting in an Animated Television. |
| 294 | ** A little credit should be given to Mr. Lawrence, too! The voice actor of Plankton was actually a writer and storyboard artist on the show before landing the role of Plankton - and what an [[EvilSoundsDeep impressive]] voice it is! |
| 295 | ** Like Tom Kenny, Creator/RodgerBumpass displays superb emotional range when he lends his voice to the character Squidward. His voice acting in episodes like "Dying for Pie" really pack an emotional punch. |
| 296 | ** While Creator/ClancyBrown is no stranger to voice-over work, he usually plays more subtle and serious characters, like Lex Luthor in ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries''. As Mr. Krabs though, he gets to [[LargeHam ham it up considerably]] and he has shown to be just as capable in a comedic role as his costars. |
| 297 | ** Anytime that Patrick gets extremely emotional over the idea of losing [=SpongeBob=], Creator/BillFagerbakke does an excellent job at really selling his immense heartbreak. |
| 298 | * IAmNotShazam: |
| 299 | ** The villain in the episode "Frankendoodle" is named [=DoodleBob=], not Frankendoodle. |
| 300 | ** The neighborhood Squidward moves to in "Squidville" is never referred to by that name. It's called "Tentacle Acres". |
| 301 | ** The episode featuring Pretty Patties is called "Patty Hype", not "Pretty Patties". |
| 302 | ** The eponymous vampire seen in "Graveyard Shift" and "The Night Patty" is actually known as Count Orlock, not Film/{{Nosferatu}}; the name of his movie. |
| 303 | * TheInverseLawOfFandomLevity: ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' is meant to be this cute, cheery show about the wacky escapades of a talking kitchen utensil under the sea, but by looking at its fandom, you'd swear that's it's actually a SubvertedKidsShow akin to ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark''. Nearly every character is a MemeticPsychopath, it's surprisingly prone to {{Dark Fic}}s, and there is often YouTubePoop of the show with lots of murder and rape (It's BlackComedy, but still). Granted, the show has gone through some SeasonalRot where the characters have become a bit meaner due to {{Flanderization}}, but it's still nowhere near as bad as the fandom portrays them. |
| 304 | * JerkassWoobie: |
| 305 | ** Squidward may be grumpy, [[ItsAllAboutMe selfish]], and [[{{Jerkass}} downright mean a good chunk of the time]], but with [[ButtMonkey all the crap]] [[TheChewToy he goes through]], mostly at the hands of [=SpongeBob=] (and sometimes Patrick), you can really feel sorry for him. [[CosmicPlaything And to top it all off, his already miserable life seldom gets any better.]] |
| 306 | ** Plankton can sometimes qualify, especially in episodes like "The Algae's Always Greener" and "One Coarse Meal". He's a self-proclaimed MadScientist who is obsessed with stealing the Krabby Patty Secret Formula and is willing to do almost anything to get it, but some of the time he can receive DisproportionateRetribution for his actions, and similar to Squidward, [[CosmicPlaything the universe seldom seems to give him a break.]] It doesn't help that Mr. Krabs sometimes seems to go out of his way to mock him about his failures in life. |
| 307 | * JerksAreWorseThanVillains: Mr. Krabs, the resident greedy {{Jerkass}}, is much more hated than Plankton--the villain and Mr. Krabs's rival. Both of them have done many nasty things, but Plankton gets the sympathetic NotEvilJustMisunderstood treatment from fans because he's usually a HarmlessVillain, while Mr. Krabs is considered a DesignatedHero. It doesn’t help that Plankton is a cartoonish villain while people like Mr. Krabs are extremely common in real life. |
| 308 | * KarmicOverkill: Many fans see certain episodes dedicated to torturing [[TheChewToy characters such as Squidward, Plankton, and Mrs. Puff]] as this whenever the characters weren't seen as doing much wrong in that particular episode. For example, the Season 4 episode ''The Thing'' goes incredibly overboard with Squidward torture when all he did was [[DesignatedVillain get annoyed with [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick for breaking into his house uninvited and then storm out in annoyance from it]]. |
| 309 | * MandelaEffect: In "I Was a Teenage Gary", people often misremember that there was a scene where Squidward transforms into a snail and there was a rumor that it was deleted after the first airing. Actually, that scene was never shown in the initial airing, and the transformation has always been offscreen. |
| 310 | * MemeticPsychopath: |
| 311 | ** [[CompanionCube Bubble Buddy]] is usually regarded by the fanbase as a psychopathic murderer and sadist who takes great joy in the suffering of innocent people. (Given that [[spoiler:he was [[RealAfterAll fully sentient]] the whole time, meaning that he just stood by and ''watched Scooter drown'']], it's [[FridgeHorror definitely a rather convincing argument.]]) |
| 312 | ** A common fan theory is that [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick are actually psychopaths who use a childish/idiot facade as an excuse to get away with annoying and torturing people. Both are also prone to having breakdowns over minor things. |
| 313 | ** For Patrick specifically, thanks to a shared meme with ''Film/JennifersBody'' and ''WebVideo/TheKillCount'', there exist clips of Patrick's outbursts with a graphic threat to cut off somebody's scrotum dubbed over. For context, in ''Jennifer's Body'', one character is played by Patrick's voice actor, Creator/BillFagerbakke, who makes the above threat. However, he still sounds exactly like Patrick, so without the visuals, someone may mistake this as ''Patrick'' saying it. This was brought to people's attention when James A. Janisse covered the movie for his show. |
| 314 | ** Sandy as well, especially with how berserk she went when [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick made fun of her home state of Texas. When Hurricane Sandy hit, many people joked online that someone in New Orleans must have made fun of Texas. |
| 315 | ** Mr. Krabs' MoneyFetish is often exaggerated to make him a bloodthirsty psychopath who'll attack anything and anyone for the hell of it; his threatening to tear a man's arm off over a dime in "Born Again Krabs", elbow-dropping a baby (who was actually Plankton in disguise) in "Plankton's Pet, and an [[https://imgur.com/HrfHgaT edited meme comic]] of him killing Pearl's mother to adopt her as his own are all iconic examples. |
| 316 | ** Incidental 6 (also known as Tom) arguably trumps them all in this department. While the other examples are all to certain extents joking, Tom is actually believed by most to be a real sociopath with his many insane outbursts and violent episodes. Whether it's getting disproportionately angry at a pizza delivery guy forgetting his drink or chasing two salesmen around while screaming about chocolate, some fans are quick to point to his over-the-top fury and manic demeanor as signs of something deeply disturbing. |
| 317 | * MexicansLoveSpeedyGonzales: Squidward was written to be the curmudgeonly, boring and overly-mature {{foil}} to [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick, living a joyless life, being annoyed by their constant shenanigans, failing to make it as an artist, and hating his BurgerFool job at the Krusty Krab (in contrast to [=SpongeBob=] absolutely loving the work). All these traits made him popular among [[PeripheryDemographic the show's adult audience]], who found him and his struggles to be surprisingly relatable. |
| 318 | * MisBlamed: |
| 319 | ** Many fans pin the blame of ''[=SpongeBob=]'''s {{UnCancel|ed}}lation in 2005 to the financial success of ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobSquarePantsMovie'', which was originally intended to be the SeriesFinale. In actuality, Nickelodeon was fighting tooth and nail to revive the series between 2002-2004. Seeing how high the ratings and sales from the show's merchandise was getting in the first years, Nickelodeon was doing everything they could to revive production on the series from convincing creator Stephen Hillenburg to eventually getting writer Paul Tibbitt as showrunner. Eventually, they revived production the same year as the movie's release, and the first revival episodes started airing in 2005. |
| 320 | ** Paul Tibbitt was showrunner from seasons 4-9, and thus fans often blamed him for whatever problems they had with the post-movie episodes. Writers Casey Alexander and Zeus Cervas (who wrote many infamous episodes within the fandom) would also receive this to a slightly lesser extent. |
| 321 | * {{Moe}}: |
| 322 | ** [=SpongeBob=] frequently thanks to his big, sparkly blue eyes, long girly eyelashes, ChildishToothGap, and having an adorable, [[{{Keet}} fun-loving]] personality. |
| 323 | ** Patrick qualifies in a BigFun KindheartedSimpleton pack. |
| 324 | ** Sandy is an {{Adorkable}} RidiculouslyCuteCritter with a Texan accent to boot. She's also one of the nicest characters in the entire series. |
| 325 | ** Mr. Krabs has an appealing design for a cartoon crab (mostly his eye stalks) and can also have some endearing traits, particularly when he's happy around [=SpongeBob=] and shows that [[ParentalSubstitute he cares about him]], as well as his daughter Pearl. |
| 326 | ** Pearl herself. Aside from being a BrattyTeenageDaughter, she's a cute [[GenkiGirl energetic]] whale who loves to go shopping with her friends and tends to fall for boys in some episodes. She also has occasional cute moments with [=SpongeBob=] when she's not mad at him. |
| 327 | ** Sponge and Pat as babies. ANY of the cast as babies from the episode "Goo Goo Gas". That episode was made to be as cute as possible. |
| 328 | * MoralEventHorizon: The comics give us the BigBad of the Untidaled arc, an unnamed kraken, who is arguably the ''darkest villain in the comics.'' Why? Well, not only is he responsible for the draining of the water that kick started the arc in the first place, we later learn '''''[[spoiler:[[ImAHumanitarian HE EATS FISH!]]]]''''' That's right, the darkest villain ''ever'' in the comic series [[spoiler:eats Bikini Bottomites]], and he tries to force Mr. Krabs to [[spoiler:make him a giant Krabby Patty that will attract MANY unfortunate citizens into his jaws.]] |
| 329 | * MoreInterestingAsAVillain: Quite a few fans think that [[Characters/SpongeBobSquarePantsMrKrabs Mr. Krabs]] should have a more antagonistic role. Despite consistently being portrayed as a greedy scumbag, he is still seen as the show's BigGood, with Plankton still being the main villain. While Plankton is usually an IneffectualSympatheticVillain, Mr. Krabs has caused legitimate damage throughout the show. This is why some would like to try to see Krabs act even worse, perhaps akin to [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Mr. Burns]], while Plankton takes on a more heroic role. |
| 330 | * MovementMascot: The eponymous [=SpongeBob=] became an unofficial [[https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/wdpawm/spongebob-squarepants-egypts-new-revolutionary-symbol mascot]] for youth protesters in the Middle East during the UsefulNotes/ArabSpring. |
| 331 | * {{Narm}}: |
| 332 | ** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB1AAn23VOs "This Grill is Not a Home"]] from the episode "Welcome to the Chum Bucket" is actually [[TearJerker a sorrowful song]], but some viewers will get unintentional giggles from Mr. Krabs' bizarre Music/LouisArmstrong singing voice. |
| 333 | ** In "The Krabby Kronicle", there's the scene near the end where Mr. Krabs is exposed for making fake stories for his newspaper. Considering how Krabs was [[{{Jerkass}} acting]] throughout most of the episode, this scene should provide some satisfaction... except it's easy to get distracted by one female fish whose voice actress is delivering her lines in an extremely [[LargeHam over-the-top manner]]. |
| 334 | ---> Female Fish: "HOW CAN YOU DO THAT TO SUCH AN INNOCENT CHILD?! IT IS '''SICK''' AND '''INHUMANE'''!!!" |
| 335 | ** If not handled tactfully, [=SpongeBob=]'s crying tends to turn into this. Perhaps for this reason, it's PlayedForLaughs more often than not. |
| 336 | * NarmCharm: Arguably, the entire show runs on Narm Charm. It's an extremely silly WorldOfHam populated by a cast of funny-looking characters with goofy voices, all topped off with an extremely quirky sense of humor. But the characters are written with such sincerity and charm that, when the show tries to carry itself in more heartwarming or serious moments, somehow it just ''works''. |
| 337 | * NeverLiveItDown: |
| 338 | ** Mr. Krabs selling [=SpongeBob=]'s soul for 62 cents, despite it being more out of desperation and thoughtlessness than malice, and Krabs is [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone guilt ridden]] after Squidward [[WhatTheHellHero calls him out on it]]. It's [[MemeticMutation commonly brought up]] in [=YouTube=] comments even when it's irrelevant to the video. Likewise, his nearly driving Plankton to suicide forever tainted his character in the eyes of the fans, who will never let go of the events. |
| 339 | ** [=SpongeBob=] might never live down the fact that he mistreated Gary for "bothering" Puffy Fluffy in "A Pal for Gary", even though it was Puffy Fluffy who tormented Gary and was at that moment ''actively and obviously trying to eat Gary''. He also gets a lot of flack for causing [[NoRespectGuy Squidward]] problems in episodes like "Good Neighbors" and "House Fancy", even though he meant well and only caused said problems out of stupidity. |
| 340 | ** Patrick in general is constantly [[RonTheDeathEater demonized]] for his JerkassBall moments, even though there are just as many episodes where he's his usual idiotic but well-meaning self. In particular, he gets flack for torturing Gary in "Pet Sitter Pat", stealing [=SpongeBob=]'s Krabby Patty toy in "Yours, Mine, and Mine", and gluing [=SpongeBob=] in a wringer in "Stuck in the Wringer". He also gets a lot of heat for "The Card" over a throwaway line that implies that he's ObfuscatingStupidity. |
| 341 | ** Mrs. Puff's vilest act happens in the episode "Demolition Doofus", when she sends [=SpongeBob=] into a monster truck demolition derby to get him killed, even going as far as to join the derby by herself to kill him. Despite returning to her normal characterization afterward and never doing something like that again, the horribleness of her actions in the episode forever casted her in a negative light. |
| 342 | * SugarWiki/NoProblemWithLicensedGames: |
| 343 | ** ''VideoGame/SpongeBobSquarePantsBattleForBikiniBottom''. So few problems, in fact, that it received a remaster in 2020. |
| 344 | ** The game of the movie got positive reviews as well, as did ''Lights, Camera, Pants!'' and ''Creature from the Krusty Krab''. |
| 345 | * NoSuchThingAsBadPublicity: James Dobson's accusations of ''[=SpongeBob=]'' "promoting the gay agenda" actually made the show ''more'' popular, especially among actual queer audiences. It helps that the writers of the show never confirmed or denied it (save for Stephen Hillenburg saying that ''[=SpongeBob=]'' was UsefulNotes/{{asexual|ity}}). However, they later put a positive spin on Dobson's accusation by saying how wonderful it was that the show was reaching so many different groups. |
| 346 | * OneSceneWonder: |
| 347 | ** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yAbIU4A5qU The "DEEEUUAGH" fish, who shows up for about five seconds in "Something Smells",]] has spawned a [[MemeticMutation meme]]. |
| 348 | ** Probably one of the only shows to feature this for a ''location''; Rock Bottom has only been visited in two episodes ("Rock Bottom" and "Out of the Picture"), but a level based on it appears in almost ''every'' video game based on the series and has a roller coaster themed around it in the Mall of America. |
| 349 | ** The {{Jerkass}} fish who falsely insisted that he had ordered a drink with his pizza in "Pizza Delivery" (who closely resembles recurring background character Tom) is very remembered for making [=SpongeBob=] cry and causing [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Squidward]] to shove the thing in his face. One of the most unpleasant people in the series, and only one major appearance. |
| 350 | ** The DrillSergeantNasty ThreateningShark tries to teach [=SpongeBob=] in "Mrs. Puff, You're Fired". |
| 351 | ** The nameless eel lady in "Your Shoe's Untied" because of [[MemeticMutation her single line]] and being a very adorable [[TheWoobie Woobie]]. |
| 352 | ** Bubble Bass was originally this, as he only appeared as a major character in a single episode before dropping off the map entirely for years. Nevertheless, he's still one of the most iconic minor characters the show has ever had, and eventually grew out of this trope as the show began to employ him in a much more frequent capacity thanks to the fandom's love for him. |
| 353 | ** [[spoiler:Creator/RodgerBumpass's]] cameo in "Goons on the Moon" is greatly considered a highlight of the episode. |
| 354 | ** Red Mist Squidward from "[=SpongeBob=] in [=RandomLand=]", for [[AscendedMeme being an unexpected nod]] to the infamous ''FanFic/SquidwardsSuicide'' creepypasta. |
| 355 | * OnlyTheCreatorDoesItRight: Season 4 and beyond (mainly Season 6-8) were done without the same level of input from creator Stephen Hillenburg as the preceding 3 seasons, and this was the general online reaction, hence the cheers from the fanbase when Stephen Hillenburg was announced to be returning for the second ''[=SpongeBob=] [=SquarePants=]'' movie, and the series after that. However, following Hillenburg's death in 2018, it remains to be seen if the current seasons will end up garnering this reaction in the long run. |
| 356 | * OpinionMyopia: Many animation fans tend to be baffled that [=SpongeBob=] tends to win the Kids Choice Award for best animated cartoon almost every year since it was first nominated in 2003 (the only time it lost was in 2008, where ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' took the win), to the point of accusing Nickelodeon of being biased towards their CashCowFranchise and even rigging the award to not allow their competitors win. However, many tend to ignore the fact that the winners of the Kids Choice Awards are primarily chosen by well, ''[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin kids]]'', and while the show post-Season 3 has lost some relevance amongst older viewers in favor of other cartoons, ''[=SpongeBob SquarePants=]'' continues to be ''extremely'' popular amongst its target demographic of kids, to the point that it remains [[https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/566459-most-in-demand-childrens-tv-show the most popular and in-demand kids show]] on ''all of television''. |
| 357 | * PanderingToTheBase: Episodes with fan-favorite characters in them like "Moving Bubble Bass" (Bubble Bass) and "My Leg!" (Fred, AKA the guy that always shouts "My leg!") are obviously made to appeal to said fans. However, these two episodes were done tastefully and had good plots. The same can be said for "Bottle Burglars", which references a bunch of previous episodes. |
| 358 | * ParodyDisplacement: Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy are much more well-known now than the 1960s Creator/{{Filmation}} ''ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}'' shorts they were an AffectionateParody of. |
| 359 | * PeripheryDemographic: |
| 360 | ** College students, due to the teens/adults who grew up watching the show as kids. This led to [=SpongeBob=] and friends becoming prime [[MemeticMutation memetic]] material, possibly becoming ''the'' biggest media source of memes out there (even more than ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'', another Millennial/Gen Z favorite). Squidward in particular is a fan-favorite with adult viewers because of the [[ValuesResonance surprisingly relatable]] struggles that he goes through, as an aspiring artist who's failed to find success and is shackled to a [[BurgerFool minimum-wage job that he hates]][[note]]unlike [=SpongeBob=], who is mocked by some older fans for loving a job mostly known for being demeaning and soul-crushing[[/note]] under a greedy boss. |
| 361 | ** Some overlap with the above, but the show is beloved by left-wing political and social justice activists because of its ValuesResonance; for instance, Squidward is portrayed as a miserable victim of the capitalist system, Mr. Krabs being the epitome of greedy {{Corrupt Corporate Executive}}s, and scenes such as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyM_r2xhkr0 this one]] lampoon real-world issues that many young adults are very concerned about. |
| 362 | * PopCultureHoliday: When [=SpongeBob=] asks Squidward if he knows what today is and Squidward snarks if it's "Annoy Squidward Day," [=SpongeBob=] tells him that that's on the 15th and shows a calendar with the date marked. Fans deduced that "Annoy Squidward Day" took place on February 15th and began celebrating it as such, with even the [[https://twitter.com/spongebob/status/1096439254627115009?lang=en official Twitter account]] joining in the fun. On a more morbid note, March 14 is often referred to as "the day Krabs fries", as it is the date where Neptune is set to execute him in ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobSquarePantsMovie'' falsely. |
| 363 | * PopularWithFurries: Sandy is a trendy character in the furry fandom, ''especially'' when she's in her bikini. |
| 364 | %%* TheProblemWithLicensedGames: With a couple exceptions; see SugarWiki/NoProblemWithLicensedGames above. |
| 365 | [[/folder]] |
| 366 | |
| 367 | [[folder:Q-W]] |
| 368 | * QuestionableCasting: |
| 369 | ** [=SpongeBob=]'s Norwegian actor, Tommy Karlsen (the same guy who played Ickis from ''WesternAnimation/AaahhRealMonsters'' and Meowth in ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}''), recognized for his typecasting with hyperactive characters, was for reasons unknown replaced by Trond Teigen (famous for his role as Aladdin, among other action roles). Teigen's attempts at imitating Karlsen's performance come across as forced and shoehorned. |
| 370 | ** Lord Royal Highness in "Atlantis [=SquarePantis=]". Many people point out that the character voiced by Music/DavidBowie is the one character never to get a song in a MusicalEpisode. |
| 371 | * RefrainFromAssuming: Nobody ever refers "Gary's Song" as that, the likelihood is they're calling it "Gary Come Home". |
| 372 | * RetroactiveRecognition: |
| 373 | ** Before becoming a film director, [[Film/{{Hop}} Tim Hill]] worked as a writer for [=SpongeBob=] up until 2006. |
| 374 | ** ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' co-creator Dan Povenmire was a writer and storyboard artist for [=SpongeBob=] in its first three seasons. "The Campfire Song Song" was also written by him. |
| 375 | * RonTheDeathEater: |
| 376 | ** [=SpongeBob=] gets this sometimes. Although numerous post-season 3 episodes portray him as an annoying, obnoxious man-child, he can still be a {{nice guy}}, [[DependingOnTheWriter depending on the episode]]. Yet, some fans demonize him even when he doesn't cause trouble. He also gets this from some leftist/anti-capitalist fans who relate to Squidward due to his unconditional adoration of Mr. Krabs and his minimum-wage job at the Krusty Krab while being completely oblivious to Squidward's plight and to the class struggle, which causes them to paint him as a "perfect little capitalist minion".[[note]]Strangely enough, "Bummer Vacation" establishes that [=SpongeBob=] is, in fact, a union worker, which is why Mr. Krabs has to give him a vacation in the first place, though it doesn't change how horrified [=SpongeBob=] is by the thought of taking time off.[[/note]] |
| 377 | ** Squidward gets this and the DracoInLeatherPants treatment (even though he isn't a villain without any redeeming qualities). Some fans hate Squidward because of how he treats [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick, ignoring the fact that [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick annoys him to no end and won't let him have any breathing space, when all Squidward wants to do is relax. Plus, some of them think that he deserves his ButtMonkey status simply because he doesn't like [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick. Other fans treat him like a saint because he is a ButtMonkey and gets endless abuse, forgetting that he acts like a jerk sometimes and does indeed deserve at least some of the abuse handed to him, depending on the episode. |
| 378 | ** Patrick is also prone to this treatment, particularly due to later episodes. While he does have his share of {{Jerkass}} moments, he's still a well-meaning KindheartedSimpleton most of the time. However, fans often make him out to be a complete sociopath due to some of his actions often going beyond simple [[TheDitz ditziness]] and bordering on LethallyStupid, as well as throwaway lines in a few episodes that imply he's ObfuscatingStupidity. |
| 379 | ** While Mr. Krabs has had his fair share of {{jerkass}} and antagonistic moments DependingOnTheWriter, the early seasons often portrayed him as a JerkWithAHeartOfGold (if not a MrViceGuy) and ReasonableAuthorityFigure who could be a BenevolentBoss to [=SpongeBob=]. On the other hand, fan works and interpretations almost always have him as the BigBad and remove any redeeming qualities he had in canon. |
| 380 | * RootingForTheEmpire: |
| 381 | ** Many fans have come to sympathize with Plankton because of Mr. Krabs' constant bullying towards his failures and sometimes actively trying to make Plankton as miserable as possible ("Plankton's Regular"). Naturally, this has sometimes translated to them wanting Plankton to get one over on his rival. |
| 382 | ** To a more varied scenario, fans would root for Squidward ever since he's become more prone to KafkaKomedy especially with [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick making his life a living hell, mostly unintentionally. |
| 383 | ** A few viewers started rooting for Mrs. Puff trying to kill [=SpongeBob=] in "Demolition Doofus" thanks to the hell he put her through. That particular episode having him puncture her inflation sac, rendering her disabled, and then ''joking about it'' really didn't help. |
| 384 | * SacredCow: The first three seasons of ''[=SpongeBob=]'' have a legendary status among cartoon fans. While fans will accept any harsh criticism of succeeding seasons, no one dares say anything bad about the first three seasons. Even the more polarizing episodes of those seasons like "I'm With Stupid" and "The Great Snail Race" still have very loyal fans and defenders. |
| 385 | * TheScrappy: Sam, Patrick's sister from "Big Sister Sam", has little in the way of redeeming qualities and is even stupider and meaner than her brother. Another thing worth noting is that her existence contradicts Patrick's claim of not having a sister in "Something Smells". [[FridgeBrilliance But if "Rule of Dumb" and "I'm With Stupid" are anything to go by, Patrick probably has a hard time remembering his family members.]] |
| 386 | * SeasonalRot: |
| 387 | ** The series never was the same from Season 4 onwards.[[note]]When the show was UnCanceled in 2004, due to [[MoneyDearBoy the box-office gross]] the feature [[WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobSquarePantsMovie film adaptation]] (which was the intended GrandFinale to the show - Season 3 ended production back in 2002, until Nickelodeon decided to revive the show) made in addition to the high ratings the show maintained, creator Stephen Hillenburg notably changed his position in the show's production and co-creator Derek Drymon left.[[/note]] Once it started back up, the show became much more grotesque compared to the earlier seasons -- the post-movie seasons have VulgarHumor, massive {{flanderization}} of various cast members (with some being flanderized into [[TheDitz ditzes]] and {{designated hero}}es), occasional [[BlackComedy dark humor]], excessive [[NightmareFuel creepiness]], blatant NauseaFuel, and overall less charm. |
| 388 | ** The consensus is that Season 4 was when the rot kicked in (although that season has since been VindicatedByHistory among many fans), and Seasons 6 and 7 were the peak of the rot.[[note]]Most notably Season 6, with episodes like "The Splinter", "Choir Boys", "House Fancy" and "Truth or Square", although the Season 7 episodes "A Pal For Gary" and "One Coarse Meal" are almost unarguably the two most hated of the entire series.[[/note]] Seasons 5 and 8 are... "''[[BrokenBase mixed]]''" among fans. The good episodes in them are generally better-received than the ones from Season 6 and 7, but the bad episodes include some of the most reviled episodes of the show.[[note]]"To Love a Patty", "Atlantis [=SquarePantis=]", "Demolition Doofus" and "Are You Happy Now?" being cited as particular low points.[[/note]] The first half of Season 9 was similarly divisive. The good episodes are better-received than the ones from Season 5-8 [[note]] like "Plankton's Pet" which many consider as one of the best episodes in a long time [[/note]], but the worst episodes of the first half are some of the most reviled episodes of the show.[[note]] "Little Yellow Book", "Squid Baby", and "[=SpongeBob=], You're Fired". [[/note]] |
| 389 | ** Many fans agree that the second half of Season 9 was a major improvement from Season 8 and the first half of Season 9 due to Hillenburg's return during that season. Seasons 10 and 11 likewise continue to be pretty well-regarded by the fanbase as well and has many new fan favorite episodes such as "Mustard O' Mine", "Bottle Burglars", and "Mimic Madness", the latter being considered by fans a contender for best episode of the ''entire'' series, although the shift to a more DenserAndWackier style of animation and humor is somewhat divisive among viewers. There are still the occasional stinkers (such as the infamous "Ink Lemonade"). |
| 390 | ** Fans often cite Seasons 12 onward to be another major, though much smaller, dip in quality for the show. This is somewhat understandable as this appears to be the era where the writers were starting to experiment with the franchise a lot more than before. As a result of this, the overall reception on this era is mixed among fans. Some fans believe that this era is worse than the first post-movie era, often citing the frequent, sloppy use of references to older episodes and memes, the frequent use of slapstick for its humor, episode plots being incredibly similar to those from previous seasons, and the promotions of spin-off shows such as ''Kamp Koral'' or ''The Patrick Star Show'' in Season 13 as common complaints. On the other hand, some fans see this as the show GrowingTheBeard, and are keen on many of the show's more recent experimentation with its animation and characters, underutilized characters and settings being explored and developed more, as well as the franchise as a whole expanding its boundaries, and opening itself to newer ideas. |
| 391 | * SelfFanservice: The main male cast is normally transformed into attractive {{Bishounen}} guys in both shipping (usually [[MasculineGirlFeminineBoy Spandy]]/[[OppositesAttract Squidbob]], most people are oddly okay with non-humanized Patbob) and non-shippy fanart. Sandy herself is usually made much more curvaceous or feminine by the UsefulNotes/FurryFandom. |
| 392 | * ShipToShipCombat: [[PortmanteauCoupleName Spandy]] ([=SpongeBob=] and Sandy) fans and ''all of the [=SpongeBob=] slash-fans'' seem to constantly be at each other's throats whenever people start to discuss the pairings that they like and don't like (or at least the very militant ones are). The slash fans tend to ignore that WordOfGod said at one point that [=SpongeBob=] had a chaste crush on Sandy, the Spandy fans often ignore all of the HoYay, and everybody seems to ignore the fact that WordOfGod has also stated that [=SpongeBob=]'s UsefulNotes/{{asexual|ity}}. |
| 393 | * SignatureScene: Many iconic ones to choose from, but the climactic performance in "Band Geeks" is arguably the series' most beloved moment. |
| 394 | * SongAssociation: You're about as likely to find the Holy Grail in your backyard as you are to find a comment on a [=YouTube=] upload of David Glen Eisley's song "[[AwesomeMusic/SpongeBobSquarePants Sweet Victory]]" that ''doesn't'' in some way reference or mention [=SpongeBob=]. Some people weren't even aware it was a real song and thought it was created by the composers of ''[=SpongeBob=]'''s OST. |
| 395 | * SoBadItsGood: The actors don't quite sing in-key in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B9_Uj9aOJc the Japanese version of the "Ripped Pants" song]], but it's still fun to listen to. |
| 396 | * SpecialEffectFailure: The Amazon Prime HD remasters of the classic episodes make the handful of low grade CGI shots in them stick out even more, due in part to their shallow resolution textures (you can literally count the pixels on them) becoming painfully obvious once the veil of the old standard def VHS masters was lifted ("Big Pink Loser" and "The Algae's Always Greener" has the most notable instances of this). |
| 397 | * SpiritualSuccessor: The post-sequel episodes, primarily the ones starting from Season 10 onwards, can easily be seen as a modern revival of ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'', having much more DerangedAnimation that utilizes squash-and-stretch and grotesque imagery more often, as well as amplifying the sense of SurrealHumor found within the writing. The fact that Bob Camp, who became the showrunner for ''Ren & Stimpy'' following Creator/JohnKricfalusi's departure, became a head storyboard artist for the show starting with ''[[WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobMovieSpongeOutOfWater Sponge Out of Water]]'' only adds to the adaptiveness. |
| 398 | * SuspiciouslySimilarSong: |
| 399 | ** The techno song from "Jellyfish Jam" is ''very'' similar to the NBA song "Get Ready For This". [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr-XGEzGgf8 Here's a comparison of the two.]] However in actuality it is a song called "Stadium Rave." |
| 400 | ** The opening song from "Krusty Krab Training Video" is a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fqXbR2k78M near ringer]] for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgSMxY6asoE "Eye of the Tiger"]]. |
| 401 | ** The "Ripped Pants" song is similar to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7sLDziV2hs "Be True to Your School"]] by Music/TheBeachBoys. In particular, the lyric "When big Larry came round just to put him down" is almost identical to the opening lyric "When some loud braggart tries to put me down". |
| 402 | ** Lampshaded in "Spy Buddies" by one Krusty Krab customer, who, upon hearing a SuspiciouslySimilarSong says, "I hated the REAL version of this song". |
| 403 | ** Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy episodes make extensive use of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLXyCF32CP0 "The Lineman"]], which greatly resembles the original ''Series/{{Batman|1966}}'' theme. |
| 404 | ** The depressing song, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwePGV289tY Daytime Drama]] in the episode "Dumped" is in comparison with this more [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCwwRO3Fitk upbeat counterpart.]] |
| 405 | ** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_ADjpeLg1w The song]] that Sandy sings in the episode "Texas" is very similar to the classic "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Xu71i89xvs Lovesick Blues]]". |
| 406 | ** The title card for "Hall Monitor" has similarities to the theme for the late '60s/early '70s action show ''The Mod Squad''. |
| 407 | ** The chorus sections of "Best Day Ever" resemble Music/NeilDiamond's "Sweet Caroline". |
| 408 | ** The [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSGXKtpQ3c4 music]] that plays in the first episode when hungry anchovies attack the Krusty Krab is similar to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cOdYyx1oKI the theme of the Simpsons]]. |
| 409 | *** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucKdmTZsdR8 This]] sounds a bit like the ''[[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Simpsons]]'' theme too. |
| 410 | *** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyGakEZeZww This tune]] reminds of ''WesternAnimation/LadyAndTheTramp''. |
| 411 | ** In the movie, there's "Goofy Goober Rock," a cover/SongParody of Music/TwistedSister's "I Wanna Rock". |
| 412 | ** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I60NCaMLNXY Squiddy G]] sounds suspiciously like [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqL1BLzn3qcEdie Brickell's "Good Times, Bad Times"]]. |
| 413 | ** Even the melody of the ''main theme song'' sounds suspiciously similar to another song. In this case, it sounds like it's based on the old sea shanty "Blow The Man Down". Said shanty's actual inclusion in a few episodes just makes it crazier. |
| 414 | * TaintedByThePreview: The preview commercials before the show came out made it look foolish. [[NeverTrustATrailer Thankfully, that turned out not to be the case.]] |
| 415 | * TakeThatScrappy: In "Truth of Square", Patchy is dissed by Triumph, the Insult Dog. For fans who don't like him, it was an enormously cathartic moment. |
| 416 | --> '''Patchy:''' This is Patchy the Pirate, President of '''The''' [=SpongeBob=] [=SquarePants=] fan club! |
| 417 | --> '''Triumph:''' [[SarcasmMode Ooooh, your mother must be so proud!]] Maybe you should consider wearing two eyepatches. That way, you wouldn't be able to see what's become of your life! |
| 418 | -->'''Patchy:''' [[BigWhat What?!]] |
| 419 | * TearJerker: [[TearJerker/SpongebobSquarepants Got its own page]]. |
| 420 | * TheyChangedItNowItSucks: |
| 421 | ** Many fans did not take kindly towards the shift towards KafkaComedy in Seasons 6-8, with many complaining that it was too mean-spirited and tasteless, further compounded by the mass {{Flanderization}} the characters underwent. Many feel they're trying too hard to capture the charm of the first three seasons without understanding why they worked. |
| 422 | ** An in-universe example occurs in "Mermaid Man & Barnacle Boy VI: The Motion Picture", where [=SpongeBob=] boycotts the Mermaid Man & Barnacle Boy movie for not casting the elderly stars from the TV show he loves for the main roles. |
| 423 | ** Patrick’s Japanese voice is another example of this. In Seasons 1-8, he had a [[CrossDressingVoices Cross-Dressing Voice]] by Ikuko Tani. Although her high-pitched voice for Patrick is completely different from Bill Fagerbakke’s deep voice in the original English version, Patrick with that voice was (and still is) beloved by Japanese fans. When his voice was replaced by a male voice actor Mitsuaki Kanuka from Season 9 (reprising his role in ''[[WesternAnimation/TheSpongebobMovieSpongeOutOfWater The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water]]''), there were several backlash from many Japanese fans, due to his deep-toned voice which is closer to the original one but totally different from what they used to hear. Even some fans who had already known his English voice were generally not in favour of the change. On top of that, Ikuko Tani herself admitted in the radio program that [[CreatorBacklash she didn’t like the replacement]] but reluctantly quit her role. |
| 424 | * TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: |
| 425 | ** Bubble Bass could've been a good ArchEnemy to [=SpongeBob=], but it would take 7 Seasons for Bubble Bass to make another appearance, with the idea of him being a nemesis to [=SpongeBob=] being mostly discarded in favor of [=SpongeBob=] being oblivious to Bubble Bass' hatred of him. |
| 426 | ** Kevin. He could have been an interesting EvilCounterpart to [=SpongeBob=], but he only appeared once. |
| 427 | ** Squilvia has an interesting concept of being Squidward's {{love interest}} and one of the few people to truly make him happy by dint of their [[BirdsOfAFeather matching interests]]. Despite them actually getting into a relationship at the end of "Love That Squid", Squilvia has yet to return in any capacity. |
| 428 | ** One scene in "Stanley S. [=SquarePants=]" introduces several relatives for the main characters such as a Scottish cousin of Sandy, a cynical teenage cousin of Squidward, and Mr. Krabs' triplet nephews who [[WesternAnimation/Ducktales1987 solve mysteries]]. However, none of them have appeared since their debut despite the fun personalities they displayed in their {{one scene|Wonder}}, and Sandy and Squidward's cousins don't even interact with Sandy and Squidward themselves. |
| 429 | * ToughActToFollow: Described by ''WebVideo/RebelTaxi'' as "the [=SpongeBob=] Syndrome", the show has become such [[CashCowFranchise a financial and pop-culture behemoth]] that any Nicktoon that succeeds it and isn't ''immediately'' as successful as ''[=SpongeBob=]'' currently is will be [[ScrewedByTheNetwork canceled before its widespread appeal even has a chance to grow]]. Creator/ButchHartman revealed that ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'' got canceled and renewed by the network ''four times'' just because it was only the ''second'' most popular show on the network. |
| 430 | * UglyCute: |
| 431 | ** Baby Squidward in "Goo Goo Gas", amongst many other things. His far-apart eyes make him look like a ''hei-tiki'' pendant. |
| 432 | ** Squidward, full stop. While he's not marketably cute like the rest of the cast, he has more range in facial expression than any other character on the show and a hugely appealing design. And being a PerpetualFrowner, [[WhenSheSmiles When He Smiles]], it helps. |
| 433 | ** Plankton. He's ''so'' small! |
| 434 | * UnfortunateCharacterDesign: One background character is an anchovy with a protruding belly button that sort of resembles a penis. In fact, many viewers assumed it ''was'' a penis for a while, leading to an urban legend that this was a deliberate attempt at sneaking nudity past the censors. |
| 435 | * UnintentionalPeriodPiece: |
| 436 | ** The first three seasons tend to get hit with this harder than the rest of the series, thanks to its greater grounding in the atmosphere of western society in 1999-2004. Most of this is visible in the technology present throughout the show, including pre-smartphone "shell phones" and landline phones being ubiquitous, computer monitors and television sets being boxy units with 4:3 displays, and the Internet never showing up or even being alluded to. |
| 437 | ** The episode [[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS3E4NastyPattyIdiotBox "Idiot Box"]] is kicked off when [=SpongeBob=] buys a brand-new television set so that [[KidsPreferBoxes he and Patrick can play in the box it came in]]. Before the late 1990s, the average TV screen would not exceed 24 inches in diameter (except for costly rear-projection sets), while flat LCD and LED sets would take over in TheNewTens. Thus, it was only in TheAughts when most [=TVs=] were both large and bulky enough for someone (children at least) to fit inside their packaging. |
| 438 | ** A couple cases also occur for "The Sponge Who Could Fly", where a joke was made about [=SpongeBob=] gearing up to get some complimentary peanuts; due to greater attention towards peanut allergies in recent years, most airlines now give pretzels to customers instead. The live-action framing scenes also date themselves by videotapes still being commonplace, with the joke at the end about Patchy's tape of the episode getting chewed up being something that could've only worked without an explanation as late as its 2003 airdate, by which point DVD players were already rapidly supplanting [=VCRs=]-- the last official ''[=SpongeBob=]'' VHS release was the "Lost in Time" package just three years later. |
| 439 | * UnintentionallySympathetic: |
| 440 | ** Plankton is meant to be the villain of the series, but many fans find him more likable than Mr. Krabs and easy to sympathize with due to always suffering humiliating defeats. This is moreso in later episodes where Plankton became more harmless while Mr. Krabs became a {{Jerkass}}, but even in earlier ones you can't help but feel bad for him sometimes. |
| 441 | ** Squidward Tentacles' role is usually to be the jerk who actively does everything he can to make things go sour for [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick, but often suffers mishaps when he doesn't deserve it. Like Plankton, this is more prevalent in later seasons as Squidward's suffering started to feel much more disproportionate compared to his {{Jerkass}} moments. Also like Plankton, it could still occur in earlier episodes. |
| 442 | * UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: |
| 443 | ** Patrick is meant to be an {{adorkable}} ditz who acts as one of [=SpongeBob=]'s best friends. However, his {{Jerkass}} acts to [=SpongeBob=] and the other citizens, and his selfishness makes fans wonder [[InformedAttribute why they are best friends]], ''especially'' in seasons 6-7. This was far less prevalent in early seasons and more recent ones have actively tried to avoid this trope due to enough complaining about it. Still, as shown here, it could happen in the golden era: |
| 444 | *** In "I'm With Stupid", after [=SpongeBob=] volunteers to [[ObfuscatingStupidity act dumb]] to impress Patrick's parents, Patrick [[BelievingTheirOwnLies forgets the plan]] and makes many hurtful comments aimed at him. It goes to the point where -- failing to explain his true intelligence -- [=SpongeBob=] leaves in a huffing rage, Patrick's "parents" turn out to be total strangers, and Patrick [[KarmaHoudini gets away with his actions]]. |
| 445 | ** In "The Clash of Triton", King Neptune is supposed to be viewed as sympathetic due to his depression about his exiled son Triton. But then we find out that he gets enjoyment from [[JerkassGod terrorizing normal citizens with his powers just because]], and he imprisoned Triton in the first place because [[DisproportionateRetribution his son aspired to]] ''[[DisproportionateRetribution help]]'' [[DisproportionateRetribution normal citizens instead of bullying them]]. Not only does [[KarmaHoudini nobody call Neptune out]] on the fact that he's directly responsible for causing major SanitySlippage to his own son, but he doesn't even accept Triton back until he sees how Triton trashed Bikini Bottom during his RoaringRampageOfRevenge. And to top it all off, Neptune also inadvertently sics an angry mob on [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick by declaring everything that happened that day was "all because of [[=SpongeBob=]]." |
| 446 | * UnpopularPopularCharacter: |
| 447 | ** Squidward is often berated, loathed, and disrespected by most of the characters in the series, but many fans sympathize with his misfortunes and appreciate his DeadpanSnarker moments. |
| 448 | ** Plankton. He may be the most hated creature in Bikini Bottom, but many fans like him more than Krabs (especially in seasons 6-8). |
| 449 | ** To a lesser extent, even [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick. They tend to drive everyone mad with their annoying tendencies, to the point where there are holidays dedicated to getting away from them. Yet, many fans love [=SpongeBob=] for his loving, innocent and sweet nature, saccharinely ''adorable'' design and high spirits, and Patrick for his hilarious lines, charming stupidity and FountainOfMemes status. |
| 450 | * ValuesDissonance: |
| 451 | ** Many food-wasting gags raise many eyebrows for Japanese viewers, who are taught to treat food with respect and show stronger disdain toward discarding foods than Western people. |
| 452 | ** Frequent use of mushroom clouds as [[PlayedForLaughs a laughing device]] may look disturbing for Japanese audiences, [[UsefulNotes/AtomicBombingsOfHiroshimaAndNagasaki for obvious reasons.]] Not surprisingly, these kinds of scenes are generally edited in NHK airing. [[note]]However, these aren’t edited on Nickelodeon airing and DVD[[/note]]. |
| 453 | * ValuesResonance: |
| 454 | ** As very well put by [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcHt9tW8oo0 this video]], the moral of "Ripped Pants" rings very true in the era of meme culture of TheNewTens. It teaches us that it is not a good idea to associate yourself with a single joke for the sake of attention, unless you ''want'' your fame to disappear quickly. |
| 455 | ** Similarly in "Fools in April", it shows the fine divide between good, harmless pranks like [=SpongeBob=]'s and nasty, hurtful ones like Squidward's. As such, pranking videos (which moreso lean towards the latter's pranks) are notoriously seen as annoying, unpopular and even dangerous as people have been injured and ''killed'' for doing "harmless" pranks. Furthermore in-universe, whereas the customers find Sponge's pranks to be in good fun, they are so disgusted with Squidward's prank that they all leave the restaurant and call him out on it. |
| 456 | ** The episode "Squirrel Jokes" especially rings true in the late 2010s and the 2020s, with the debate over politically incorrect humor becoming more prominent and the idea of singling out a specific demographic as the butt of all one's jokes being increasingly criticized. |
| 457 | * ViewerSpeciesConfusion: |
| 458 | ** According to some sources, Squidward is actually an octopus, but viewers assume he's a squid because of his name, '''Squid'''ward. WordOfGod is that the name "Squidward" flowed better than any octopus-related puns. |
| 459 | ** On [=SpongeBob=] Wiki, Sheila was put into the 'Octopi' category when she was clearly a squid. |
| 460 | ** Many newcomers to the series, particularly younger viewers, have mistaken [=SpongeBob=] himself for a cube of cheese, based on him being a yellow cube with holes. The resemblance is even lampshaded in "Band Geeks" and "Picture Day". The entire reason his name is [=SpongeBob=] instead of simply Bob was to prevent this. |
| 461 | ** [=SpongeBob=]'s extended family, in contrast to [=SpongeBob=] himself, are designed to look more like actual sea sponges as opposed to a kitchen sponge. However, because their designs are so radically different to [=SpongeBob=], on top of their circular shape, many have confused them for being sentient cookies, which isn't helped by the fact that Grandma [=SquarePants=] is well-known for making cookies. |
| 462 | * VindicatedByHistory: |
| 463 | ** Most fans have warmed up to Season 4 and 5, with some going as far as to put Season 4 as part of the show's Golden Age. |
| 464 | ** In general, the show's style of humor is much more highly regarded by animation fans than when it started. While most older viewers initially dismissed it as "just another kids' show", many people now see its unique brand of SurrealHumor as rather ahead of its time, anticipating the style of humor that would come to dominate pop culture (and animation in particular) in [[TheNewTens the following decade]]. Case in point: many jokes in its earliest episodes wouldn't seem out-of-place in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime''. |
| 465 | * SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome: The episode "Mooncation" has animation on par with that of ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobSquarePantsMovie''. |
| 466 | * WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids: ''Where do we start?'' Not only is there a huge amount of [[GrossoutShow gross]] [[FamilyUnfriendlyViolence violence]] and NightmareFuel, but there are all kinds of dirty references ("Patrick, your genius is showing!" "Where?"), and the show treats SuicideAsComedy. The show's idea of physical humor wouldn't be out of place on an Creator/AdultSwim cartoon, with plenty of graphic injuries and characters frequently getting ''{{flayed|Alive}}'' with extremely detailed muscular frames shown. |
| 467 | * WinBackTheCrowd: Stephen Hillenburg returned to the show starting in 2015 all the way up until he died in 2018, and fans definitely felt his presence. Fan reception to the [[WesternAnimation/TheSpongebobMovieSpongeOutOfWater second movie]] was quite positive, and many of the problems from previous seasons are addressed in the latter half of Season 9: [[CharacterRerailment The characters generally act like their old selves]], and the BlackComedy has been greatly toned down. Even after his death, the show's current crew has stuck to this direction and avoided falling into the traps of [[AudienceAlienatingEra seasons 6-8]]. |
| 468 | * {{Woolseyism}}: |
| 469 | ** In the German dub of "Born Again Krabs", the fake name Mr. Krabs gives the Flying Dutchman is changed from "Harold Flowers" to [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_the_Elephant "Benjamin Blümchen"]]; not only does this still fit the LineOfSightName nature of the English version's name (as "Blümchen" means "blossom" in German), but it also doubles as an ActorAllusion, as Jürgen Kluckert, who voiced Mr. Krabs in the German dub, was also the [[TheOtherDarrin second]] voice of Benjamin. |
| 470 | ** In the German dub, when [=SpongeBob=] speaks authentic German to Squidward who disguises himself as a German immigrant and excuses not speaking German as wanting to practice English, Squidward instead disguised himself as a Bavarian immigrant and [=SpongeBob=] speaks to him in Bavarian. Squidward instead dumbfoundedly answers "Yodel?", referencing the [[NationalStereotypes stereotype]] about [[YodelLand yodeling Bavarians]]. |
| 471 | ** In the original English version of "[=SpongeBob=]'s Last Stand", Sandy is mistakenly called "Sandy Squirrel" instead of her actual surname "Sandy Cheeks". However, in the Brazilian Portuguese dub of the episode, she is indeed called "Sandy Bochechas" (literal translation for "Sandy Cheeks"). |
| 472 | [[/folder]] |
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