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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
"From your pickles to your buns, it ain't even funny"--SpongeBob serenading "Patty", January 19, 2008
I rarely watch SpongeBob Squarepants on TV, so usually the first time I see the episodes is when they're released on DVD. I read some of the poor reviews of this set and thought the show would probably be better than they suggested. I thought wrong. There really is some magic lost in this season. There are some flashes of the usual brilliance here and there but, mostly, these episodes are forgettable. They sometimes take an idea and push it to the absurdly extreme ("Night Light," "Rise and Shine," "Spy Buddies"). Also, some seem a lot shorter than the others. A good sign for the next volume is that Disc 2 is much better than Disc 1, which indicates improvement during the season. I'll definitely be checking out Volume 2.
Disc 1 (2 stars):
"Friend or Foe" (2-parter)--Mr. Krabs tells a tale of when he and Plankton were adolescent chums picked on by their classmates and how they came up with the idea to start a hamburger joint. Cute but that stupid Patchy the Pirate keeps showing up.
"The Original Fry Cook"--SpongeBob meets Mr. Krabs's first fry cook, Jim, who makes patties so good they take SB on a spiritual journey (what was in those patties, anyway? The flashbacks do look like they were set in the '60s...hmmmm). Feeling inferior, SB resigns, but Jim explains why SB is actually the best fry cook for Mr. Krabs. This episode is unrealistic. How can anyone be a better fry cook than SB? Just watch "SB v. the Patty Gadget."
"Night Light"--After reading a scary story, SB becomes afraid of the dark and uses so many night lights he summons Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy and a fiendish moth. This episode is very annoying.
"Rise and Shine"--Observe a typical Patrick morning. This episode is totally lame! We all know Patrick is a moron but come on! His stupidity here is bordering on the ridiculous! It also seems very short but, for this episode, that's probably a good thing.
"Waiting"--After sending in 99 Kelpo box tops for a prize, SB becomes obsessed with waiting for his free toy to arrive in the morning. Not very good, except for the Patrick/gift/cake/fork bit.
"Fungus Among Us"--SB gets the ick and infects the entire Krusty Krab. Gross.
"Spy Buddies"--Mr. Krabs hires Patrick and SB as spies to watch Plankton's inevitable next scheme. The ending of this one is a little much.
"Boat Smarts"--An instructional film from Mrs. Puff showing a driver with boat smarts (Squidward) and a driver without boat smarts (SpongeBob). For once, SW is the positive example; however, in this film, I think it would be better to be the driver without the boat smarts as the one with them keeps getting into accidents.
"Good Ol' Whatshisname"--Mr. Krabs creates a contest to see which employee can learn the names of all the Krusty Krab customers. The prize being a cruise, Squidward, for once, is a willing participant. SB, of course, already knows all the customers' names; SW has to resort to more unorthodox measures. One of the better episodes, but I'm a little puzzled by the ending. How did Patrick end up behind bars?
"New Digs"--Was something cut from this ep? SB trips because he put his eye blinders on before racing to bed and, in the next scene, he shoots into bed with no comment. Anyway, SB oversleeps and clocks into work late. SB, of course, is devastated and decides to live at the Krusty Krab: a dream come true for SW but not for Krabs or his customers.
"Krabs A La Mode"--Mr. Krabs won't let anyone turn up his thermostat, so Plankton creates a freeze at the Krusty Krab, but they use the icey conditions to make money another way.
Disc 2 (4 stars):
"Roller Cowards"--SB and Patrick are afraid to ride Glove World's new sensation: the Fiery Fist O Pain, but both are ashamed to admit it. The mascot of Glove World is called "Glovey Glove"--I think the writers are starting to lose some of their creativity. Good episode, though.
"Bucket Sweet Bucket"--Plankton gets SB, Patrick and even Squidward to renovate the Chum Bucket while Plankton goes after what he really wants. I like how Squidward painted the restaurant.
"Breath of Fresh Squidward"--SW gets so mad at his neighbors he installs an electric fence around his house. He, of course, gets shocked and turns into a friendly, work-loving chum who makes SB jealous.
"To Love a Patty"--SB makes the perfect Krabby Patty, falls in love, and spends all his time with "her" even as "she" rots. A shower cap on a Krabby Patty??? You've got to be kidding!
"SpongeBob Versus the Patty Gadget"--Patchy the Pirate (actually tolerable here) tells a story--in Dr. Seuss-like style--about SB competing against a patty-making machine built by Squidward. I like the line "The crowd was impressed, they cheered full of glee. All except Patrick who had to go pee." This episode, while short, is pretty funny.
"Money Talks"--Mr. Krabs's wish comes true: he can talk to money. Be careful what you wish for!
"Slimy Dancing"--Squidward thinks he's a shoe-in to win a dance competition. When he doesn't make the cut, he takes over SpongeBob's body (SB is a sponge, afterall).
"The Krusty Sponge"--Food critic Gene Scallop--who looks suspiciously like Today show's film/book critic Gene Shalit--reports on the Krusty Krab and praises SpongeBob. Mr. Krabs decides to market SB by using his image on everything (hmmmm, sounds familiar).
"Sing a Song of Patrick"--Patrick writes a song and SB helps him get it on the radio. Actually, this episode does not work on my disc. Did anyone else have that problem?
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good, but the directors got bored, August 9, 2007
I loved the earlier seasons, and I'm ok with this new one, but the new episodes are not as clever as the first episodes in the first seasons. The new ones arn't as funny, the story lines arn't as good, and they have gotten WAY more childish, sadly. Also, my problem is that the new episodes have these stupid sing along songs much to frequently. SB used to be like a child/immature adult show. Now it's faded into one of those new Nick show types for babies. It's better than any other cartoon on Nick, but season 5, or maybe 6, will probably be the ending for the SB franchise.
When I buy the seasons, one by one, I will make sure to get this season because I love the show as a whole. But this season is definetly not as superior as seasons 1, 2, or 3.
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13 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Nickelodeon will never learn it seems..., April 13, 2008
Excuse me but am I seeing a trend here?
Exibit A:
After creating a FAMOUSLY outrageous and innovative animation series called "Ren & Stimpy" our hero-genius John K. (Kricfalusi) starts to hear the irritating sound of accountant's calculators and the intolerable "contractual obligations" of totalitarian Nickelodeon management. After reaching the end of his rope with the project the artistic master and creative guru heads for the door. Ren & Stimpy then head for the floor.
With infantile grotesqueness and little complex/surreal humour left, the series heads for "lowest common denominator" viewership, comedy, falling ratings and finally a dismal end. Sadness and ancillary merchandise swept up by a needy audience is all that remains. Nickelodeon makes money but not friends.
Exhibit B:
Invader Zim starts to pick up higher ratings for its innovative and fascinating characters/plotlines. Subsequently wins award for best cartoon introduction and begins to get noticed for its fantastic artwork, storyline and comedy. Creator Jhonen Vasquez (comicbook creator, self-taught artist and writing genius) declares he will no longer work for Nickelodeon and Invader Zim crashes to the ground in the style of "Ren & Stimpy." It has been mentioned (see: hearsay) that Mr. Vasquez was SO UPSET with the contractual terms of his employment at Nick that he vows to never work in animation again. A great loss to us all but I personal love his comic artwork/stories and, after collecting as much as I can find I await any more that Jhonen Vasquez will impart to us. Once again, sadness and ancillary merchandise swept up by a needy audience is all that remains. Nickelodeon continues to make money but not friends.
On a personal note: Zim, Dib, GIR, Gaz, Tac where are thou? I miss you deeply!!! Johnny the Homicidal Maniac rocks! (nuff said)
Exhibit C:
Spongebob Squarepants- the apparent centerpiece of Nickelodeon popularity begins to fall out of favor in seasons 4 and 5. We find that Stephen Hillenburg, marine biologist, artist, animator and creator of Spongebob is no longer with the star-studded voiceover cast (e.g. Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Roger Bumpass, Carolyn Lawrence, Clancy Brown, Mr. Lawrence, Mary Jo Catlett, Lori Alan, et al.) Although no conclusive evidence is yet seen [by me anyways- ;P] we wonder why his genius and this animation masterpiece is on the decline and near or perhaps at its demise. As its "rudderless" stories seemed contrived and uninspired without the Mr. Hillenburg "at the helm". Spongebob's sexual orientation and/or interest is still in dispute. ;)
Sadness and ancillary merchandise is, once again, all that remains- and LOTS of it (especially the merchandise.) Nickelodeon again makes money but not friends.
Is this simply the nature of any series masterpiece designed by the innovative genius of animation masters as the aforementioned Kricfalusi, Vasquez and Hillenburg (Outside of the Nickelodeon focus could I be allowed to mention Ralph Bakshi somewhere in here?); or are we seeing the absolutism of an unbending corporate structure within Nickelodeon (et al.)?
Is this about morality/censorship? Is this about corporate domination of copyright holdings? Is this about the American penchant to keep animation focused myopically on children's interest alone (ask Todd McFarlane)? Am I far too interested in this subject than I should be (now that's a good question indeed)?
So many unanswered but important questions lurk out there in the foggy silence.
Would they rather keep a chokehold on their contracted employees/creators and make SOME money on remaining merchandise/dvds and potential lifelong "enemies"? Or would they rather release their grip, allow the exciting innovations to continue, profits to increase, characters/stories to attain a "beloved" status (see WB & Chuck Jones)?
The jury is still out...
The names have not been changed to protect anyone as I suspect that few are totally innocent. I am merely an observer (a messenger if you will). LOL
I love so many of the programs like the aforementioned and my wife and I are lifelong animation fans. These characters, casts, creators, etc. will be forever remembered and appreciated by my wife and I (we have no children.) and our friends with similar interests. And to Nick there is thanks for providing the huge amounts of laughter and affection for the characters and the great artwork. Will we have more? Will it be grand in scope and fascinatingly complex/artistic? Will we have it "freely given" from the creators?
Once again the jury is still out...
I am aware of how long this is. My apologies but if I'm going to go on a gripe I might at well seek "closure through release". :)
Ahhhh! That's better.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled mediocrity. LOL!
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