SpongeBob SquarePants Cleanup

I uh... may have contributed to the YMMV mess in the past back when I was a new and immature troper in 2013, and most of it were influenced from now-deleted videos of a defunct Caustic Critic named MoBrosStudios. Since I was huge into SpongeBob at the time, a lot of my edits there were very personal gripes towards the series' supposed gradual decline in quality, so I deeply apologize for adding to the mess.

Thing is, those edits were so long ago that I don't remember what I added, or even if they are already reverted or not.

Edited by DivineFlame100 on Apr 22nd 2021 at 6:33:47 AM

It's alright. I'm pretty sure my first trope entry was a ZCE.

(The critic you mentioned FWIW actually came back under a new name, and their new videos indicate they see their old videos as an Old Shame. Their new videos are also much better IMO. Anyway back to the cleanup.)

Edited by themayorofsimpleton on Apr 22nd 2021 at 10:29:42 AM

I noticed on the Recap page descriptions describe One Coarse Meal and A Pal For Gary as "infamous" episodes. Should I delete those?

There's also entries on A Pal For Gary describing SpongeBob as a Designated Hero and Unintentionally Unsympathetic. Isn't he supposed to be wrong for this?

Edited by PlasmaPower on Apr 22nd 2021 at 11:45:08 AM

Correct on all accounts.

Returning to this, and I've noticed some bits of complaining on controversial episodes.

On the YMMV.Sponge Bob Square Pants S 8 E 12 Barnacle Face Pet Sitter Pat (the latter specifically:

And on YMMV.Sponge Bob Square Pants S 11 E 16 My Leg Ink Lemonade (again for the latter), which surprisingly only has one "problem" entry:

• Designated Hero: Patrick in "Ink Lemonade", who not only relapses back into his more abrasive and malicious personality from the show's Dork Age but arguably ends up being even worse; he is shown to be fully aware of what he's doing to Squidward the whole time instead of being oblivious to it and never receives any comeuppance nor does he realize he was wrong and apologize for it (which isn't helped by Squidward doing NOTHING to deserve the torment Patrick puts him through). It's especially glaring as the post-Sponge Out of Water episodes had largely done away with Patrick's widely-hated dork age personality, so to see said personality flare up again here left the show's fanbase baffled. Is Patrick really meant to be seen as the "hero" here? Squidward's definitely a Designated Monkey but I don't exactly remember if Patrick was meant to be seen as any better.

Edited by SpongeBat1 on Apr 25th 2021 at 3:46:38 AM

I’d say delete the questionable content.

Done.

YMMV.Sponge Bob Square Pants

• Never Live It Down:
  • Mr. Krabs selling SpongeBob's soul for 62 cents, despite it being more out of thoughtlessness than malice, and Krabs is guilt ridden after Squidward calls him out on it. It's commonly brought up in YouTube comments even when it's irrelevant to the video.
  • 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 Squidward problems in episodes like "Good Neighbors" and "House Fancy", despite the fact that he meant well and only caused said problems out of stupidity.
  • Patrick in general is constantly demonized for his Jerkass Ball moments, despite the fact that there are just as many episodes where he's his usual incredibly stupid 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 single joke.

Are any of these valid?

Also, this entry on Character Derailment:

• In the first three seasons, Sandy is a daredevil who is skilled in a variety of sports, including skiing, karate and weightlifting. Then in season 4 she suddenly became a scientist, and much of her characterization and humor started to revolve around her intellect and inventions.

I could've sworn she was smart before that season 4. Did she still have her athletics in the post-movie seasons too? I really don't remember.

Edited by PlasmaPower on Apr 26th 2021 at 12:03:40 PM

• I think Mr. Krabs gets more shit for "One Coarse Meal" than "Born Again Krabs." I don't know what kind of Youtube videos they're discussing, either.
• I'd say yes to SpongeBob in "A Pal for Gary" based on the complaining he gets on the wiki for it. Though that depends on whether people characterize him as really bad to Gary because of it.
• The Patrick example sounds too general. I do think the line in "The Card" where he jokes about mixing up his usual brand of stupidity (which is more a Leaning on the Fourth Wall joke than anything legitimate) is taken way too seriously due to Mr. Enter's Alternate Character Interpretation that Patrick's a sociopath or whatever, but do other people really care that much about it?

As for Sandy, I don't think that's derailment. Her daredevil tendencies took a backseat as her scientist tendencies got more focus. She did build a rocket and perform research and such in the early seasons. Post-movie does have some stuff about Sandy doing karate, but I remember more content about her being a scientist. But again, how is that derailment? Her character didn't change. It's just a shift in the kind of plots they focus on.

Edited by mightymewtron on Apr 26th 2021 at 11:13:39 AM

I actually rewrote the SpongeBob entry on the main page, And I'll end up rewriting Mr. Krabs' entry with One Coarse Meal in mind too.

I'll also remove the Character Derailment entry for Sandy. Thanks for the reminder. Also as a side note, I also added to SpongeBob's CD entry that he could be a Jerkass sometimes post-movie.

Sponge Bob Square Pants S 4 E 20 Best Day Ever The Gift Of Gum

• Broken Aesop: The "the best things are what you give, not what you get" aesop rings hollow in the case of SpongeBob giving up his jellyfishing net to Patrick. The two could have easily taken turns using it, and this was clearly SpongeBob's intention, but Patrick was being selfish and hogging it.

I think Patrick was supposed to be wrong for that behavior. I don't think it counts if the main character is actually following through with the aesop.

Then again, I haven't watched the episode in years, so I wouldn't know.

Regarding the Mr. Krabs example, there are a lot of YouTube that, sometimes even on off topic videos, say "Don't let this distract you from the fact that Mr. Krabs sold SpongeBob's soul for 62 cents", but that might be more so a meme rather than people genuinely saying it's something that they hold against him.

NightmareFuel.Sponge Bob Square Pants has ZC Es, natter (one of the worst ones in my opinion is the one about Ich), possible Fridge Horror, and overexaggerated examples. I'd like it if someone could eventually do a review of it.

YMMV.Sponge Bob Square Pants S 4 E 3 Have You Seen This Snail

• Harsher in Hindsight: The whole episode can be harder to watch if you consider "A Pal for Gary".

I find it weird that some people are just ignoring every single time that SpongeBob loved Gary in favor of the one time he was an unlikeable Jerkass to him, just to complain.

Edited by PlasmaPower on May 9th 2021 at 8:55:19 AM

That's Never Live It Down for ya. Cut the Hindsight entry.

I feel inspired to make an Out-of-Character Moment entry for that episode. Like SpongeBob was pretty bad in that episode, even considering his Flanderization.

EDIT: Nevermind, there's already on on the Recap page, should've checked before saying this. Maybe I should try writing that Kindness Ball entry for Mr. Krabs instead.

Edited by PlasmaPower on May 9th 2021 at 12:18:36 PM

YMMV.Sponge Bob Square Pants S 6 E 7 Patty Caper Planktons Regular is entirely complaining, particularly about Mr. Krabs (with some gushing about him getting getting karma).

Patty Caper

• Catharsis Factor: It was incredibly satisfying to see Mr. Krabs being restrained and forced to watch as his precious Krabby Patties were being given away for free. By SpongeBob no less, whom he tried to frame for stealing the secret ingredient that Krabs stole himself. And the fact that this is one of the few times in post-movie and pre-sequel seasons where Krabs gets his comeuppance only makes it more satisfying.
• Never Live It Down: Fans will not forget Mr. Krabs' portrayal in the episode, especially the moment he framed SpongeBob for stealing the secret ingredient so that he doesn't have to pay $1.99. Let alone how it wouldn't have worked anyway.
• Take That, Scrappy!: Fans are satisfied to see Mr. Krabs being forced to watch SpongeBob give away free Krabby Patties.

Plankton's Regular

• Alternative Character Interpretation: Did Krabs hate Plankton enough to spite him even the most laughable fraction of success, or was it merely him (once again) obsessing over money he couldn't have? Similarly was he trying to take Plankton’s only customer away out of fear that if one customer likes his food, then a bunch of others might like it too?
• Designated Hero: Mr. Krabs for not letting Plankton have any regular customers.
• Never Live It Down: As if the above episode was bad enough, fans will also not forget how Mr. Krabs was petty in not wanting Plankton to have one single customer.
• Unintentionally Sympathetic: Plankton in this episode, and the reverse for Mr. Krabs and SpongeBob. We're supposed to side with Krabs in this episode, because now he must deal with the incredibly high threat of... Plankton having one single regular customer. It's not any major threat to Mr. Krabs' business, and Plankton even makes it obvious he no longer cares about the Krabby Patty formula now that he has the customer which is a weight off Krabs' shoulders, and Plankton does nothing morally wrong in the episode. Yet, the episode expects us to side with Krabs when he and SpongeBob begin taking counter-measures over Plankton's new customer, and the ending is supposed to be seen as Laser-Guided Karma when it feels more like Yank the Dog's Chain.

Wasn't Plankton supposed to be sympathetic in "Plankton's Customer" anyway? Mr. Krabs also sounds like he's meant to be unsympathetic in this episode too.

Edited by PlasmaPower on May 9th 2021 at 2:23:42 PM

I don't know if every single selfish act a character does can count as Never Live It Down. It starts to sound like these feelings aren't really exaggerated and the character just gets semi-consistently written in an unlikeable matter.

YMMV.Sponge Bob Square Pants S 7 E 131 Keep Bikini Bottom Beautiful A Pal For Gary

• What An Idiot: It's astonishing how oblivious SpongeBob is to the torture Puffy Fluffy is giving Gary.
  • The person who sells the nudibranches doesn't appear to be antagonistic, actually showing concern for the potential risks that they bring to their customers. Yet despite being completely aware that her customers never listen to her warnings, she sells them anyways.

I think there might be a precedent for a What An Idiot entry for this episode, considering how foolish SpongeBob acts here even considering his Flanderization, but it really needs a rewrite. Not really sure about the second entry though, didn't SpongeBob steal the pet or not?

I don't think the shopkeeper's really that dumb. She tries to tell SpongeBob about the dangers and he ignores her. We know too little about her to determine her rationale for selling them despite the dangers — she presumably just wants to make money.

One thing I noticed about the A Pal For Gary's page, it tries to play it up as a really dark episode with examples like this:

• Darker and Edgier: This takes a turn for the worse when the new pet SpongeBob gets for Gary terrorizes him, and he does nothing about it in return.

• Shoo Out the Clowns: The comical and greedy Mr. Krabs is completely absent after the point SpongeBob decides to get another pet, and doesn't reappear until the very end, to build up for Puffy Fluffy's arrival and SpongeBob's jerky and hostile attitude toward Gary. Patrick is also nowhere to be seen in this episode.

• Unexpectedly Dark Episode: This episode is one of the darkest ever in the series, hence SpongeBob ignored the gypsy's warnings and brought home a rather dangerous pet. To make matters worse, he puts the blame on Gary.

Is this kosher? Seems like a way to try to get some stealth complaining past.

On a side note, I did find a WAI entry on the WhatAnIdiot.Sponge Bob Squarepants I could use for the episode's page, I think it might need to be trimmed down a little. Should "Extra Idiot Points" even be a thing?

• "A Pal for Gary" has so many moments, it could be the textbook definition of this trope:
  • The whole episode involves SpongeBob getting a new pet named Puffy Fluffy for Gary to play with, completely unaware that it hates being around other pets (as warned by the peddler who sold Puffy Fluffy which he ignores). He showers Puffy Fluffy with attention and tries to force Gary to accept him, and whenever he is out of the picture, Puffy Fluffy takes this cue to fight Gary, only to revert to his cute state when SpongeBob comes back, making it appear like Gary is ignoring him or avoiding him for no reason, leaving SpongeBob to berate Gary for not accepting his new "friend" and punish him. That night, Puffy Fluffy transforms into a monster and terrorizes Gary throughout the house, which SpongeBob sleeps right through. It causes damage to SpongeBob's house, and the next morning when SpongeBob sees the damage, he thinks Gary is responsible, and is furious with him. He enters the living room and sees Gary in Puffy Fluffy's mouth.
    You'd Expect: SpongeBob to try to save Gary.
    Instead: He angrily tells Gary to put Puffy Fluffy down. As he continues to rant, he is then taken by Puffy Fluffy's fangs.
    Then: Gary saves SpongeBob by using a lasso and acting like a cowboy, and knocks SpongeBob out of Puffy Fluffy's mouth. Puffy Fluffy then breaks out of the pineapple house and flees to parts unknown.
    You'd Then Expect: That, since he nearly died to him, SpongeBob would finally realize what Fluffy really was and apologize to Gary for treating him so terribly.
    Instead: He tries to get Puffy Fluffy back, but after that fails, he scolds Gary again. He was shown all of the proof that Puffy Fluffy did everything and still thought that everything was Gary's fault. Despite this, they make up in the next scene with little trouble, and SpongeBob decides to take Gary to work everyday so he won't neglect him.
    You'd Also Expect: SpongeBob to understand Gary's fear throughout the whole visit, given that he speaks snail language as revealed in "Grooming Gary".
    Instead: He shows no knowledge of such, and only listens to Puffy Fluffy, thus abandoning Gary's attention all together.
    Extra Idiot Points: Considering that SpongeBob felt bad that he was neglecting Gary at work in the beginning of the episode, he could have easily thought of that idea before getting Puffy Fluffy, and in turn avoided the entire episode. The peddler even comments aside, "Why bother? They never listen."

Edited by PlasmaPower on May 11th 2021 at 12:29:35 PM

Still hoping for a response for this post

I already had Shoo Out the Clowns and Unexpectedly Dark Episode cut from the page; obviously somebody re-added them.

The "extra idiot points" on the WAI entry doesn't seem kosher (for example, to pothole to "Could Have Avoided This!" Plot is misuse because that trope has to be acknowledged in-universe for it to count), but the rest looks fine (although I'm not an expert on What An Idiot entries).

This is on Sponge Bob Square Pants S 2 E 15 The Secret Box Band Geeks:

• What An Idiot:
  • When SpongeBob looked in the secret box and saw the string, he somehow doesn't take it out of the box, nor does he ask Patrick why it's a "secret string" and why it's there.
  • Also once he's got the box all to himself while Patrick manages to sleep through all those noises, SpongeBob could've just checked in the box, put it back, and left the rock in silence, rather than comment on Patrick being a heavy sleeper.

Would you guys say that A Pal For Gary and One Course Meal have Bile Fascination going for them? Here's a potential writeup I made for the former episode:

• Bile Fascination: This episode receives the attention it does is because of how badly SpongeBob treats Gary in this episode, and how much it exemplified the Seasonal Rot the show went through. As such, it inspired many to watch and see how much of a trainwreck it is claimed to be. You can see the effects of this on the TV Tropes page that this and its sister episode share, where the former's section is much more fleshed out than the latter's.

Edited by PlasmaPower on May 21st 2021 at 11:41:51 AM