JimBob: Oh-ho-ho! Ba-BA! Strider: Howdy! Since SpongeBob recently celebrated his 20th anniversary on the air... I think now is a good time to look at some modern "SpongeBob" episodes. When I say "Modern 'SpongeBob'" some people might want to run for the hills. But truthfully, many episodes aren't actually that bad. Like any show that's had
the privilege of running for *decades*... "SpongeBob" has some episodes
that are boring, gross, or just lousy. But also episodes that are just beautiful. Singing: When you hear that lonesome ring of chimes and hear the spirits-- Strider: In fact, the show saw
a major resurrgeance of quality... Since the late Stephen Hillenburg returned to help again. So I put this list together in hopes of show you a wide range of both good and bad post-2012 episodes. So today, let's count down the "Top 5 Best & Worst Modern 'SpongeBob' Episodes"! To qualify for this list, the episode has to
be made after 2012, which is after Season 9. And of course, if you do have a differing opinion and think I chose wrong, I completely understand. It just shows how versatile your and my tastes are, and how "SpongeBob" can create content for anybody. But without further a-do, onto the Countdown. The 5th Worst episode is... "Cuddle E. Hugs" [Season 11 - Episode 10a] E-uhgh! This episode has a surprising
reliance on footage of characters eating... Rotten, moldy things. It sets a gross tone right off the bat with SpongeBob eating an old, moldy Krabby Patty. Because... SpongeBob: A Krabby Patty can never truly be rotten. Here, look! Strider: Eu-ahgh! You see, to me, that's falling too much from positive thinking but insightful SpongeBob to... One-Dimensional Stupid SpongeBob. So onto an array of gross-out scenes, and SpongeBob-stupid scenes, this.. big... Uh... Hamster thing appears, who says his name is Cuddle E. Hugs. Cuddle: Cuddle E. Hugs! Strider: You can probably tell, Cuddle is
a rather strange creature. With his raspy old geezer voice, and weird size. He just kind of sets an
uncomfortable tone for the episode. The episode even lampshades this fact. While Cuddle seems to be well-intentioned on the surface, even becoming SpongeBob's best friend... I feel like everything this thing says
has this malicious subtext. SpongeBob: You can take the bed if you want. Cuddle: Nonsense, we can share it! Strider: Well, I guess they're two clearly adult-age, consenting Hamster/Sponge things. Cuddle: But no need to worry, SpongeBob!
I got your new bed right here! Strider: But I still feel kinda dirty watching this episode. Like I'm invading SpongeBob's.. uh...
Consensual private time? But when he wakes up, Cuddles..
apparently isn't there anymore. This makes SpongeBob sad, and for some reason... He thinks taking a bite of that rancid, horrible, Krabby Patty will make him feel better. Cuddle apparently reappears, & now we're starting to figure out he's a figment of SpongeBob's imagination. So apparently SpongeBob is the only one who can see him... Because he's the only one who's eaten the rotten Krabby Patty. So naturally, SpongeBob cuts it up and gives it to the customers of the Krusty Krab. [Crowd chattering]
[Strider groans in disgust] Come on SpongeBob, Patrick I understand doing this, but why would Sandy also eat these rotten patties? The rotten patty itself is already disgusting, but watching people ingest it is even more gag-inducing. All of them hardly hold back their vomit. In fact, the poison take hold of their mind and soon they can all see the bizarre fluffy thing. And we just kinda watch them lose themselves in poison-induced hallucination. But then Cuddle E. starts eating the guests. SpongeBob: No, Cuddle E. Hugs! No! Cuddle: Yes, SpongeBob Squarepants! Yes! Strider: Who really thought it was a good idea to make an episode-- about a giant, malicious, hallucinogenic hamster anyway? This episode is gross, discomforting, weird, and frankly every charater seems to be taking a stupid pill. And SpongeBob trying to share his poison-induced, hallucinogenic experience is just weird! Squidward: Uuummm... Back to bed! [5th Best] "SpongeBob's Big Birthday Blowout"
[Season 12 - Episode 13] This is a special episode that came out July of 2019. And it's a celebration of SpongeBob's 20th anniversary. With a ton of welcome guest stars along the way. While SpongeBob's friends are planning a surprise party for him, Patrick takes him on his tour the surface world. Referring to us humans as beach giraffes. [Both exclaim in horror]
Both in unison: Nearly naked beach giraffes! What's cool about the surface world though, is that it has some of that SpongeBob toon-y feel. While I personally thought the beach scene was nothing to write home about... It does capture some of that Nickelodeon zaniness at the same time. But then the tour.. tank(?) ends up at The Trusty Slab! And I felt this is where the episode really excelled! The Trusty Slab, if you haven't guessed, is basically the surface version of the Krusty Krab. Mr. Slab: JimBob! JimBob: Ee-y? Mr. Slab: Got a restaurant full of hungry customers out there! Where are their burgers!? JimBob: Slabby Patty ~ Cooked just right! ~♪
Slabby Patty, day and night! ~ ♪ Strider: [The voice actors of "SpongeBob"] play characters there, and for the first time... We not only hear them, we get to see them too! Unless you count Patchy the Pirate for Tom Kenny,
but, anyway... Mr. Manward: Don't you have somewhere else to be a nitwit? Beach Giraffe Patrick: Not until 4. Strider: I actually wouldn't mind a whole episode of the cast playing live action versions of their characters. After the decades they've worked together, they have an obvious natural chemistry & affection for one another. And it's viscerally fascinating seeing these voices come out of real humans instead of cartoon fish! The B-Plot about SpongeBob's friends putting his party together is also pretty entertaining on the side. And it keeps a good mixture of the cartoon world and our world. And the ending felt surprisingly emotional to me. It actually made me feel kind of emotional... to see all the guests come together to wish SpongeBob a happy birthday. The whole episode just feels very kind and affectionate. And it reminded me of the impact shows had on so many people. Ru Paul: Happy birthday SpongeBob! Gilbert Gottfried: Happy birthday, SpongeBob! SpongeBob: Happy birthday to me! [4th worst] "House Worming" [Season 10 - Episode 3b] Weirdly enough, piggy-backed onto one of the best "SpongeBob" episodes of all time, "Mimic Madness"... We have what is easily one of the
*worst* modern episodes! The episode is basically about worms crawling around inside SpongeBob. [Exclaims disgust] Plankton: Hey, SpongeBob --WAOH! I see you've got yourself a little problem
with the cooties... SpongeBob: Yeah... Strider: And to make it worse, there's some pretty self-absorbed, free-loading, manipulative worms. When the first worm, Prickles, sneaks into SpongeBob's bedroom and crawls into him... SpongeBob is nice at first, and tries to tell him that he doesn't need a pet. But when SpongeBob tries to blow him out,
Prickles cries and refuses to leave. And makes SpongeBob feel so bad
that he lets Prickles stay for the night. Prickles them takes advantage of
SpongeBob's gracious nature. And calls over all his worm friends
so they can leech off of SpongeBob. Ewu-uuhgk! These *things* are awful! They throw parties inside SpongeBob! They refuse to let him take a shower! And they're mean to Gary because he doesn't trust them! Which is unsurprising! It's bad enough seeing that trope where the hero's house gets invaded by a mean roommate. I guess the only way they can make that trope worse is when someone's body gets invaded! I mean, how can you think that worms wiggling around inside SpongeBob is going to be a fun concept? When I hear worms, I think of my friend's cat, Bean, who had terrible worms and still takes medicine for them! Worms aren't fun. They're revolting parasites! When SpongeBob says they need to leave because he'll lose his job if they'll stay... What do they do? They make a.. legal claim to keep living in his body. And Mr. Krabs ends up kicking SpongeBob out! But our positive Sponge eventually ends up settling with being known as SpongeBob WormPants. And he starts laughing to himself like a madman. Fortunately, this drives them nuts and they finally leave his body! Good riddance! I personally consider "House Worming" an uncomfortable.. Disappointing "SpongeBob" episodes of all. [4th Best] "Pull Up a Barrel" [Season 9 - Episode 14b] While "SpongeBob" has never shied away from giving other characters the limelight from time to time... This episode particularly delves into one of the characters' backstory quite a lot. Due to it storming, Squidward and SpongeBob can't get out of the restaurant. So Mr. Krabs tells him a story from when he was a young lad in the Navy! Krabs: It was a day just like this one... The wind was HOWLIN! And the ship was being tossed about(!), like a ragdoll on a trampoline! Strider: As far as episodes go, this one has a great sense of adventure... An interesting story, and an insightful look into Mr. Krabs' past! And even some nice bonding
moments between the trio. There's even a bit of a contrast between the Eugene Krabs of the past, and the current Mr. Krabs. The present day Mr. Krabs gives
SpongeBob and Squidward day-old crackers. While the past Mr. Krabs actually feels guilty that he has to give his crew gruel instead of good food. To me, that's interesting! It gives depth to Mr Krabs, and makes you wonder how he went from wanting his best for his coworkers... To how he is today. There's also a bit of a gag that the old captain Krabs worked for was a bit of a harsh drill sergeant. And he's played by Patrick of all people! Which adds a really unique touch of humor. Captain Scarfish: Stand down Krabs! I'll have you in Irons! Strider: The story itself was fairly simple, the ship Krabs is working on is a cargo ship delivering suntan lotion. And then maneuvering through treacherous waters and Pirate territory. Captain Scarfish, played by Patrick, tells Krabs that if he doesn't give the crew a different meal, he'll go to the brig. Scarfish: So, tonight's meal is gonna be terrible! You understand me? Krabs: Aye, sir. Strider: Of course, Mr. Krabs does so, only to then try again later to make things right again... By making the slop a bit more palatable. For his trouble, he does get sent to the brig. So he makes a clever escape attempt by tricking the guard. Krabs: He never suspected I was using the scraps to fashion a candy key! Only to find out the ship has been besieged by pirates! The rest of the episode plays out as many pirate adventures do. With high stakes and plenty of sword fighting. Whilst Mr. Krabs comes up with plenty of ideas to help the crew and save the ship. Over-all, the episode is a fun story with a nice look into Mr. Krabs' past. As well as some witty jokes, daring adventure, and creative writing. Krabs: Direct hit! Huzzah! Pirate Captain: You'll pay for that! Get 'em, boys! And the third worst episode is... "Squirrel Jelly" [Season 11 - Episode 26a] Sadly, this episode really does show Sandy at her worst. Which is a shame, because she's normally one of my favorite characters. And certainly one of the friendliest characters,
even amidst the later seasons. It starts with SpongeBob and Patrick playing Basketball with Sandy... Only for her to become increasingly competitive. They then decide to eat some hot dogs. Only for Sandy to turn that into a contest too. When SpongeBob eventually notes
that she's being a tad competitive... She doesn't respond too well to it. SpongeBob: Sandy, don't you think you're playing a teensy-weensy bit rough? Sandy: Awwww, I'm actually going easy on you guys! Seeing as how you're all so.. DELICATE! Strider: Jeebus, that's a bit much! Of course, when the two of them do decide to go Jellyfishing... She turns this into a competition she ends up capturing all the jellyfish in the jellyfish fields. Even provoking the Jellyfish into a frenzy. SpongeBob and Patrick become understandably annoyed, and try and tell her to let the Jellyfish go. As the jellyfish are both aggressive and putting them in danger. Although Sandy eventually tries to find a balance... she is uncharacteristically aggressive + annoying for a good portion of the episode! The episode felt like it didn't do a good character justice. [3rd Best] "Mall Girl Pearl" [Season 9 - Episode 19a] I like just about every moment, scene, and character in this episode. Even if it doesn't do anything super different,
it just makes me smile all the way through. For starters, I just really enjoy Pearl as a character. Nixxy: Nixxy shpeaking! Pearl: Nixxy! My best-est friend in the whole wide world! You should come over! We can watch TV & eat cheese! Strider: Like Sandy, she has this vibrance and energy to her character that just lights up every scene she's in! It's also great to have an episode that's almost completely set within the mall! As someone who spends.. A surprising amount of his free time just walking around the mall... I find it a warm, welcoming, refreshing setting with a lot of variety. Basically, Pearl decides to get a job at the mall so she can hang out with her friends more. And ends up working at a store for the elderly since she wasn't able to get a job elsewhere. Pearl: THIS is the best day! Of. My. LIFE! But what's nice is the episode doesn't do just the typica, cliche of making fun of the elderly... The old lady running the shop seems to be wise, sharp, and even seems to have super-grandma powers. Shop Grandma: Granny Power!!! (Echoing as doors slam) And Pearl even starts enjoying acting older! And I like that message of the episode. Pearl: Being a grandma is fun! Strider: Even when her friends make fun of her, she realizes what matters is what she thinks of herself. And what she enjoys. Not what her friends think. Shop Grandma: You don't wanna grow up too fast. Strider: And that it's okay to be young, and act young. And there's also plenty of things to enjoy when you're older too. Pearl: Well, I don't care what you think anymore anyway, I'm being true to myself. [2nd Worst] "Little Yellow Book" [Season 9 - Episode 4a] To put it mildly, Squidward has never been one of the nicest people to SpongeBob. But he's always shown
he cares for the little guy deep down. This episode however, just feels like being cruel for the sake of being cruel. After a small mishap, Squidward has possession of SpongeBob's diary. So what does he do...? Squidward: I can't help but take off all my clothes and dance around in my underwear! [Everyone but SpongeBob laughing] SpongeBob: My diary! SpongeBob: Squidward! How could you Strider: He reads it aloud infront of the whole restaurant until SpongeBob is laughed out and in tears. For.. Fun??? No, that just kinda feels awful. Granted, everyone does soon turn on Squidward because they find out exactly what he's been reading. The episode even ends with people throwing tomatoes at him as he continues to read the diary. Whether or not Squidward gets his comeuppance... That callous disregard for SpongeBob's feelings was pretty uncomfortable. And certainly not fun to watch for me. Like I said before,
Squidward is harsh towards SpongeBob. But there are moments that showcase how deep down he really does care for our yellow friend. But "Yellow Book" has little to offer but laughs that are derived from SpongeBob recieving nothing but bullying -- From someone who he consideres to be one of his best friends. And that's not particularly fun. Patrick: Diary reader! Squidward: What? You read it too! Patrick: Oh! Sure! Blame everyone but yourself! [2nd Best]
"Goodbye Krabby Patty?" [Season 9 - Episode 22] This one is a fun surprise to see! So I'll try not to give too much away. The basic plot is that in order to save money, Mr. Krabs decides to start making *frozen* Krabby Patties. It's an interesting concept and something I'm sure has been asked before... Why doesn't the Krusty Krab sell frozen patties? And this episode takes that concept
and adds a unique spin on it. The story starts with
SpongeBob and Patrick going to get ice cream... When Mr. Krabs finds frozen patties. And SpongeBob gets the idea to sell frozen patties. SpongeBob: Can you imagine if they had frozen Krabby Patties at the supermarket? Oh, that would be so convenient everyone in the world could enjoy them! Strider: And they begin to sell them at the Krusty Krab. Even getting Pearl and Patrick involved in advertising. He is then fired and re-hired at the Krusty Krab museum. While Squidward is finally fired. And happily goes on to follow his dreams! Only to come running back
when things don't go so well for him. And for a very practical reason that's almost meta! Apparently you need more than 17 years behind a cash register to be qualified for dreams! It's a story of SpongeBob
witnessing the soul of Krusty Krab lost! Everyone leaves him behind
as they go off to the next best thing! And SpongeBob is reminded that, for him,
his patties have to be made with love. SpongeBob: Krabby Patties aren't made with sand! They're made with love! I won't give too much else away... But something else I like about this episode is how much it speaks about maintaining personal integrity. One of the things I like about SpongeBob is his very apparent passion for his work and his job. And I feel like this episode best represents that. And before we get to number 1, just a couple of quick Honourable Mentions. "Are you Happy Now?" [Season 8 - Episode 17a] This may come off as a surprised because some people think of this as one of the worst episodes of Season 8. But I personally found this
one of the more relatable episodes! I actually feel they mostly
handled the subject matter pretty well. Squidward falls into a deep depression after he realized he doesn't have any happy memories. He even ends up bursting into tears
while at the Krusty Krab. And over time falls into a deep, brooding depression. I honestly wasn't expecting SpongeBob to do such a good job at portraying Depression. But I found myself empathizing with Squidward after seeing him decline into a numb, unhygienic recluse -- Who's lost all hope of finding any pleasure in life. I think the ending is actually is a
subtle, 3-Dimensional lesson on -- learning to better handle all the paths you'll eventually have to overcome in Depression. Even though Squidward was enraged with SpongeBob at the end... He was feeling something. Depression isn't just feeling sad. It often leads to a loss of any emotional feeling. So sometimes, what's important is just allowing ourselves to just feel again. Even if that feeling is anger. Squidward: I. Feel. WON-DER-FULLLL!!!! AAH HAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Strider: "My Leg" [Season 11 - Episode 16a] As I mentioned before when chatting with Enter, this episode does so much with so little. And even has great moments of humor with its leg-based comedy. The episode also gives us a look at the life of a relatively minor character. And adds a clever detail to a long-running joke. Fred: Wow, that's crazy. They hit me everywhere except *MY LEG!!!!* "Mimic Madness" [Season 10 - Episode 3a] Again, I talked about this in the list of "Best SpongeBob Episodes of All Time" ... And frankly, it is one of the absolute best episodes of all. If I hadn't discussed it before, I think I would have placed it at number 1 on this list. I think the biggest reason this episode is so good is that the episode capitalizes on Tom Kenny's voice acting. Giving him Center Stage to show off his vocal talents. His impressions are spot on, and I can definitely recommend this episode. "Larry's Gym" [Season 9 - Episode 17b] It's weird that it took nine seasons to get an episode on Larry the Lobster... But this episode shows that it was worth the wait. We see Larry open his new gym, and we have characters like SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs join in. We see SpongeBob get extremely fit, while Larry himself starts to gain weight. It's an interesting role reversal. And we get a couple of really good jokes out of it. Squidward: SpongeBob!! SpongeBob: Yeah? Squidward: What are you--Woah! You been workin out. Strider: While there isn't a ton of story within this episode... It's jam-packed with clever gags, solid pacing, & interesting interaction between the characters-- that don't normally hang out. I mean, it's very rare to see characters like Larry and Mr. Krabs to interact at all. But it's a welcome addition. Larry's Gym is a great change of pace for the show, and a refreshing watch. Krabs: I hink I'm done! Would you mind rubbing a little butter on me? Strider: Anyone, onto the Number 1. [The very WORST on this list]
"Ink Lemonade" [Season 11 - Episode 16a] Do you remember that episode of "The Fairly OddParents" where -- Cosmo's sweaty socks were used to make Timmy's lemonade taste better? While the concept does sound gross on paper... In practice, the episode is considered one of the better episodes of "Fairly OddParents" early seasons. It was full of clever writing, and even a nice message about not taking advantage of your friends. "Ink Lemonade" on the other hand.... *Doesn't* work. At all. So Patrick is selling Lemonade that's actually just a pitcher of water. So Squidward gives him some rotten lemons. After a mishap with SpongeBob who's come to see what's going on. They scare Squidward, who sneezes out ink. Which SpongeBob decides to drink, and although it makes him sick, he decides that it's good. Even other people start liking it. Pink Fish Woman: I'll have another. Strider: Then... Patrick decides to get more ink. Squidward of course refuses to give anymore. And thus Patrick decides to scare some more out of him. Which leads to Squidward becoming rightfully paranoid. And the rest of the episode is basically just Patrick trying to scare Squidward into spraying more ink-- So he can sell it. Eventually, it gets revealed to the customers how the lemonade is made. And the episode ends with SpongeBob and Patrick saying they've moved on from the lemonade business-- Into the cookie business. Spider cookies! Oh.. Goody.... SpongeBob and Patrick never even come to realize the error of their ways. Whilst Timmy in "Nectar of the Odds" eventually learned he did the wrong thing and apologized to Cosmo. Neither of these two learned anything, or even apologized to Squidward. This [and] the gross-out "humor" makes what I consider to be the worst episode of modern "SpongeBob". Squidward: I don't get it... And I think the number 1 best
modern "SpongeBob" episode is... "The Legend of Boo-Kini Bottom"
[Season 11 - Episode 5] A visual delight, this glorious episode is one of SpongeBob's finest half hours! Somehow, within the first thirty seconds of the special... The animators and designers have managed to perfectly evoke the spirit of SpongeBob Squarepants... And the very spirit of the Halloween holiday. And the passion of the voice actors in this one just jumps off the screen. Sandy: I am the evil Dr. Frankencheeks! SpongeBob: Oh! Hi, Sandy! Strider: And there's this real glow-in-the-dark effect throughout it-- That really gives off this spooky, yet cartoony atmosphere. The theme park ride sequence in the episode is SO creative! So real feeling! It's unforgettable. The sharp teeth! The monster designs that look like a cross between Tim Burton and the Muppets. The whole episode is a wild ride through the imagination of some very talented writers... Artists, animators, and designers! In this story, we see SpongeBob getting ready for Halloween. And Patrick comes over, but isn't too impressed with SpongeBob's decorations. Patrick: D'oh, that's not scary either, SpongeBob. The first half of the episode is Patrick trying to show SpongeBob just what scary means. They first stop off at Squidward's house and after admitting he's much too scared for Halloween... Patrick tries to tell him that scary can also equal funny! They visit Sandy, Mr. Krabs, + Plankton & after a couple mishaps, SpongeBob feels less afraid then he used to. And this is where The Flying Dutchman comes in! I seem to enjoy most of the episodes the Flying Dutchman appears in. He's sort of this episode's catalyst. He turns an innocent celebration into something sinister. The Flying Dutchman gets the idea to steal SpongeBob's friends' souls. So he can truly scare SpongeBob. It's this that makes SpongeBob realize than maybe scary doesn't always equal funny. The episode has a great style,
having switched mediums... As well as a nice message about not letting out fears conquer us. And not letting that fear keep you from being there for the people you care about. To me, this isn't just an ordinary "SpongeBob" episode, it's a work of art! And that's why I personally think this is easily among the best modern "SpongeBob" episodes. Y'know, even if every new episode from here on out was terrible, I thnk that I'd still say I like "SpongeBob" over-all. Because it's given me,
and many others a lot of good memories. It also constantly reminds me of the value of positive perspective. Tom Kenny has expressed that voicing SpongeBob for the last 20 years has greatly impacted him. And helped him remain a positive person. For as many bumps as SpongeBob has had along his journey, there's been many silver linings-- That remind me of why I like the show. And if you have some picks for the best or worst episodes from the modern era of "SpongeBob" ... Feel free to leave your own thoughts in the comments below. And as always, thanks for watching,
and I'll see you next time! Subtitled by (someone with a fun fact) Jadrek Myers.
Commissioned by Phantom Strider Fun fact from Jadrek Myers: Exactly 332 episodes of "SpongeBob Squarepants" premiered between the release of "Kingdom Hearts II" and "Kingdom Hearts III."
