From the Archive: Good Neighbors (Spongebob)-Animated Critic #1

Originally Released on July 9th, 2015. 
Please note: I no longer stand by a lot of the things said or the way I conducted this review. I am reposting it purely for preservation purposes as a part of my history. I was 15 when I wrote this and took inspiration from some dubious creators to say the least. I also kept it in its original state, mistakes and all (including the weird font change I did halfway through for some reason?). Anyway, apologies to anyone reading this. I hope you get some sort of enjoyment, even if it's ironic, from this glimpse at my past. Thank you. 

 

Show-Spongebob Squarepants

Episode Title-Good Neighbors

Airdate-May 20 2005

Season-4

Episode-64b

Animation. I love animation. In fact that's why I created this blog. With animation you can tell some of the most beautiful, well-told, funny, creative, imaginative stories ever told. But like all great mediums there's crap. This is crap. 

Before you get all cranky at me. No, I do not hate spongebob. I just hate this episode(and a lot of other ones as well). You see many people say that after the movie the show began to go down hill. And i highly agree with that. Seasons 1-3 as well as the movie were overall great funny and creative. Seasons 4-8 while many people say overall they are awful i still don't completely hate. There's just a lot of bad episodes but still a lot of good ones. Season 9 is definitly an improvement even if there still are a few bad episodes and the second Spongebob movie, even if it wasn't as good as the first one in my opinion, was amazing. And I have high hopes for season 10. Why did the show go downhill. Easy, the creator left after the original movie as he thought the movie should've been the finally. Nick also wanted longer season and episodes to be produced faster so that was also a problem. The team had no supervision. Well they did, just not GOOD supervision. Either way many people consider this one of the worst episodes of the show. Many people also say that this is the point spongebob went downhill. And I agree with that. Why? Well lets find out. Before we begin though many people may be saying i shouldn't be criticizing this episode as spongebob is meant for kids. Well to those guys, thats absolutley no excuse for crap. Kids may enjoy it but that doesn't mean i do. I'm only giving an opinion. If you or your little sibling or your kid likes this episode. Cool, nothing wrong with that. I just personally hate this episode. Deal with it. There are many kids shows that actually try unlike this crap (Steven Universe, Friendship is Magic, Gravity Falls, Original Teens Titans and heck even Spongebob Seasons 1-3 just to name a few.) With that said lets dive into Good Neighbors. 

The episode begins with filler. Annoying tedious filler. Spongebob wakes Squidward up (by breaking into his house) and tells him its time for work. To bad for spongebob as its sunday and there's no work on sunday. Squidward promptly kicks Spongebob out. Spongebob decides to get Squidwards paper, to be a good neighbor, and we get an annoying, pointless scene with the newspapers, Spongebob and Patrick.

Speaking of Spongebob and Patrick they are really annoying in this episode. Throughout the entire episode. And despite the episode being called 'Good Neighbors' they dont act anything like good neighbors. Maybe that's the joke but it wasn't funny nor entertaining. We get a scene showing just how much squidward loves his day off. He eats bon-bons and orders a foot massage over the phone. Then Spongebob and Patrick break into his house once again and not only annoy the crap out of Squidward but also out of me. Spongebob and Patrick being annoying is not entertaining or funny. Heck its not even a joke. And that's the entire episode. THE ENTIRE EPISODE IS SPONGEBOB AND PATRICK ANNOYING SQUIDWARD. Listen, something a lot of episodes from Seasons 4-9 get wrong is that torturing Squidward is not funny. True Squidward got tortured a lot during seasons 1-3 but in those seasons it never goes this far so its still enjoyable. Also squidward would usually do something to deserve it like act extremely arrogant or do something jerky so it would be satisfying and funny to see him get hurt.(As cruel as it sounds its true)

All squidward does in this episode is try and enjoy his Sunday. He doesn't act like a jerk or act arrogant or anything. 

I know most comedy does involve someone suffering and they dont always deserve it but still they don't take the suffering to far so its still funny. This episode takes it up to the point where its not funny or enjoyable anymore. And to make matters worse its Spongebob and Patrick (The characters we are supposed to like) who are causeing Squidwards annoyance. They are not charming, they are being annoying. Squidward clearly (and understandably) doesn't wanna be around Spongebob and Patrick. He just wants to relax. By the way what are they doing in Squidwards house. The wanna start a club just like in Club Spongebob(The episode with the Magic Conch Shell.) They even have Illuminati Fezes.(It was a joke I dont actually think spongebob is Illuminati)

The club is called Good Neighbors something-or-rather. I don't know ,I didn't care enough. Either way Squidward is now president of a club he didn't even wanna be a part of. Anyway, Spongebob and Patrick continue to annoy Squidward in the most obnoxious way. *SIGH* Refer to my comments above. Then the worse part happens. While Squidward is away(Due to something SPONGEBOB AND PATRICK DID) The foot massage guy comes in, but squidward isnt there so what do Spongebob and Patrick do. They get the foot massage and when squidward returns time is up. What irritates me the most is how Spongebob and Patrick seem to rub it in squidwards face. I know that wasnt the intention but it still ticked me off. This was the one part of the day the squid was looking forward to the most and Spongebob and Patrick took it from him. That isn't funny or entertaining. Thats annoying and irritating. Also Spongebobs excuse for doing this is that they wanted to see if he was really a professional foot massager instead of an assasion. Why would he be an assasion. I know its supposed to show they are stupid but the thing is with stupid characters their stupidity has to be enjoyable to watch(Needless to say this wasn't. Also I feel as if this is extremely out of character for spongebob. He was never the brightest character but he was never this dumb.

Anyway we get to the best part of the episode where squidward finally snaps and tells them off. (Like they deserve). It's just so satisfying seeing them get told off after all the crap they did. 

Spongebob and Patrick finally get it through their thick skulls that they are not good neighbors and walk off in shame. Well at least they feel bad for their actions. Still doesn't completely forgive the crap you two put me and squidward through. Then there's the ending oh boy. Calm down Evan we are almost done. Squidward sees an ad for a security system and installs it to keep Spongebob and Patrick away. To bad they are able to get in anyway. At least this time they aren't trying to ruin his Sunday. Instead they wanna give him a cake as an apology(which is quite nice). The security system does nothing to Spongebob and Patrick but hurts Squidward because he's Squidward and the world hates Squidward. :(

Almost over. Almost over, Evan

Anyway the cake lands on the security system and it turns squidward's house into.......A......A Giant Robot.

*FACEPALM* even in Spongebob logic it doesn't make sense. The house turns into a gundam...how...how?

This is stupid. 

It even kicks Squidward out but not Spongebob and Patrick. Why. Again its because the world hates Squidward.

The giant Gundam House then goes on a rampage and destrous Bikini Bottom.

You know like actual Security Systems.

Cause whenever someone breaks into your house it turns into A GIANT ROBOT AND DESTROYS YOUR TOWN. 

Again this is stupid even for Spongebob. 

Spongebob and Patrick find a Switch to turn the Gundam House off and it crushes squidward. *Sigh*

The episode ends with squidward having to do community service because he owned the house(Even though the destruction was all Spongebob's and Patrick's fault) Oh, but don't worry Spongebob and Patrick have to do it to, but thats only because the writers wanna torture squidward more. Man, this dude cannot catch a break.

Man this episode was bad. Spongebob and Patrick were annoying and out of character. They tortured squidward to the point where it was no longer enjoyable and all for what. The fact he wanted to relax on a sunday. BTW the community service squidward was forced to do is on sunday just to annoy squidward and me even more. This wasn't funny or enjoyable it was irritating. You can't just torture squidward because he's squidward. The community has taken to calling episodes like this Squidward Torture Porns. Yeah, not joking. This episode sucked. It did practically everything wrong. If you like this episode fine its just my opinion but i hate this episode with a passion. 

Best Part-Squidward telling Spongebob and Patrick off.

Worst Part-The Ending(Gundam House Included. )

Overall Score-3.5/10

So yeah bad episode. But a great way to start the series. Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed.

Next Time I'll be looking at a Spongebob Episode from Season 1-3 just to show how classic they are. 

Next Animated Critic-Spongebob Episode from Seasons 1-3(Any suggestions)

Other Future Reviews:

Too Many Birthdays (Steven Universe)

Friendship is Magic Part 1+2(MLP)

Peter Problems(Family Guy)

Driven to Tears(Spongebob) 

Any other suggestions. :)

See you guys later. Peace.