The DAY Spongebob Was Ruined.. for me, at least.

[@NerdMiGerd]

I feel like Patrick wasn't exactly "stupid" per se in the first three seasons, he was just super zen to the point where he didn't care at all about coming off as intelligent in a conventional manner. He was kinda just Spongebob's stoner friend who was always there to hang out with and vent his troubles to. Not the active danger to society seasons 4 onwards liked to portray him as.

[@paulgilbert5278]

The original Patrick was more “too lazy to think” rather than incapable of thinking

[@NerdMiGerd]

@@paulgilbert5278 Like I said he was basically Spongebob’s stoner friend. Someone who came off as ignorant simply for being content with the life he has. It’s why no matter how dull he came off he was always able to offer a new perspective on life for anyone willing to indulge him for a bit. He basically stood as a giant fuck you towards societal expectations for intelligence, that who you are can not quite align with the world but can still be an invaluable part of the human experience. It’s what made so many of the other characters as compelling as they were in fact, until all of them got hit with the shallow “lol look how stupid they are” stick in the post-movie seasons.

[@MangoMagica]

That’s a good way of describing him

[@GwyndolinOwO]

i'm pretty sure it was intentional too. Starfish really don't do a lot. They can move but at least some kinds of starfish just sit on sand and rocks and use little feelers to eat tiny crumbs of food. They spend a lot of their day eating and not doing a lot. Not doing much and eating isn't really dumb- but it would make sense that a starfish character would be lazy, and just doesn't know a lot about things. He knows enough to get by, so why put in more effort of what he has going on works? Plus i think his old iteration had nuances that are him being a bit dumb and silly, but he's not so dumb that its weird. An actually good example is patrick giving squidward a whole watermelon. Squidward asked for a fruit, and he gave him one. In a literal way he did exactly what he was asked. I think writing characters like that are harder to do than a character that's just clueless. Like in later episodes when Patrick will randomly not understand how certain objects work, depending on the episode.

[@mackaroni9792]

Kinda reminds me what theu did to cosmo from fairly oddparents

[@almondmilkbone]

the colors of early spongebob just hit different too

[@_gorillazfreakinc._2]

New Spongebob is too saturated and unbearable to us with light and color sensitivities

[@bingobunny7862]

IKR!! Bring back neutral palettes

[@RavenRose1987]

I agree. While there are enjoyable episodes like Squid Noir or Randomland the colors are just too bright. Like in some seasons SpongeBob is so bright he appears to have a green tint

[@Gaenet_does_art]

@@_gorillazfreakinc._2luv ur username

[@yespetahirememberthetime89]

​@@_gorillazfreakinc._2Live season 3 (most beloved season) reaction

[@MapleMilk]

Now, I'm a Season 4 Apologist, but the change in writing quality was noticable for most people, sadly Although, I will say that Fear of a Krabby Patty and Skill Crane HAD to be rollover episodes, because I personally find them as quality as some of Season 2 and 3

[@base4yrface]

I always confuse Skill Crane as being from S3. That one's too good

[@asterixis.lane03]

Krusty Towers was really good too

[@petergriffinsbrother2499]

I actually thought for a long time that fear of a krabby party was a season 3 episode

[@EpikBirb]

Fear of a krabby patty is my favorite episode of season 4

[@okjeffy6581]

To me, by Season 4, it basically felt like another generic 2000s cartoon that came out in 2005.

[@hunterterrat9105]

I think the reason Spongebob thought it was so special is because he gets to do all those things in the same day. They may be things he does often but doing them in the same day makes that day special. I often felt that way as a kid when I got to do multiple things I liked on the same day. Also, I assume the lesson was suppose to be that helping people can make you feel better than anything or something, but it just fell super flat due to the terrible plot.

[@RudeRabit]

That’s exactly my view. I see it as while SpongeBob does do these things all the time, he never gets to do all three of them on the same day, which is why he thinks it’s special. I agree with what you said how doing multiple big things on the same day can make the day feel special.

[@islandboy9381]

The episode didn't really frame like Spongebob thinks being able to do those things at the same time is special and then the plot adds Squidwards concert as another special event making it dillute the idea more.

[@uniquenewyork3325]

Exactly, when I was in elementary school I considered a fun day when it was warm enough to go on the playground at school, got a happy meal, and a new ep of my favorite cartoon dropped. It's just nice because it all happened in one day.

[@yespetahirememberthetime89]

This

[@StevenJones851]

Yeah it was terrible

[@JenukiDa]

I love the gag of your persona changing to be the style of whatever topic you're talking about, it's always funny to see whatever you do next :P and yeah a lot of good points here, even as a kid I didn't really like how SpongeBob was portrayed in best day ever but I'd be lying if I didn't say the song would get stuck in my head

[@evanmaldonado9799]

I love seasons 1-3 but my favorite episode is from season 4, (Krusty Towers) That episode is actually good.

[@HitTheFloor16]

I like the gag of it being girl when the voice is really a dude

[@couragethecowardlydogwitha5134]

The best day ever song was written for the movie

[@radhouseproductions8560]

@@HitTheFloor16 fr it threw me off

[@PhantomOfficial07]

@@HitTheFloor16 Yeah they should've gotten an actual fish to voice it instead

[@CHRISTPUNCHER18]

I know designing a new rantsona every video is probably time consuming but it really adds a lot of charm

[@paperdawn]

Yeeeeah lol, I'm glad people like them! But if I did this for every video, my brain was melt to mush!

[@VictorGonzalez-xs9oc]

@@paperdawn SpongeBob series isn't that bad just because of a new creator, they are still the same characters that we know and love even though the drawing of different. It got different new storylines but they are still the same characters and what they do as always. Sure they did the third movie about them meet each other as kids in the camp but their personality hadn't change even as kids, and sure they make Patrick a teenager in his own show and he got different parents but he still the same dumb seastar we know today. The looks doesn't matter, as long they are still on the air with new episodes.

[@kaylaa2204]

Why did I read that rat-sona I immediately assumed the OC was named “Rat” and was here for it

[@kaylaa2204]

@@VictorGonzalez-xs9oc they really aren’t the same characters. Characterization changed drastically over the years as well as writing style. Idk binge the show at some point and it’s plainly seen. Pretending the characters didn’t change is just a weird hill to die on

[@mrnekokittycatsaki1419]

@@paperdawn just a question Are you gay or a sissy girl a opposite of a tomboy

[@supermariof0521]

I'm convinced that during that 99 episode ranking marathon, the ones voting for the top 5 episodes being from Season 4 weren't from kids and instead were from Nickelodeon shareholders who did so purely for marketing reasons because no kid in 2005/2006 were saying ANY episode from Season 4 was their favorite aside from "Have You Seen This Snail?/Where's Gary".

[@WafflesX3XD]

i was born in ‘03, but one of my top 5 episodes as a kid was skill crane :-) a lot of my friends liked it too, so i’d put it up there with kids voting for it alongside gary come home,, assuming a few years difference wouldn’t cause too much of a change in perspective ^_^’’

[@supermariof0521]

@@WafflesX3XD I see

[@seliphsnom2596]

I was born in 99 and my favorite episode is "Dunces and Dragons"

[@LaptapGamer]

Nah skill crane, crusty towers, dunces and dragons, and ofc where’s Gary all hit

[@supermariof0521]

@@LaptapGamer True.

[@TheNoSensei]

I remember being like 9 years old watching this marathon live and being so pissed that Karate Island of all things took the #1 spot that it was my least favorite episode out of pure spite for YEARS lmao. Even though there are plenty that are objectively worse. I felt so betrayed. As an adult I now realize the network probably did it as a dedication to the guest voice actor that had passed away after recording the episode. But 9 year old me didn't get that and was just seething at the fact all the BETTER episodes got shafted, lol

[@barb7105]

OMG I remember feeling the exact same way. To me, Band Geeks was the best Spongebob episode ever and it made me so angry that an episode that was so mediocre in comparison got the number one spot. That was the point that I realized I didn't like it anymore

[@crasyman101]

Hold on now I hate all of season 4 but Karate Island was heat. The whole episode is set up for a single joke at the end and it fucking lands 😂

[@CapitanJorge24]

@@crasyman101 heh "lands"

[@HauntakuTV]

Everyone hated Karate Island so idk how it won

[@EnriqueLaberintico]

At last, I know who is the guy who appears at the end.

[@BlakeAtStake]

I think a better premise for "The Best Day Ever" only needs a few tweaks from the original to work. Like, how about this whole laundry list of extravagant events for him and his friends to do (music lessons w/ Squidward, catching a special migratory jelly w/ Patrick, learning a new style of karate with Sandy, and ending the day off with a huge feast that SpongeBob personally rented out at the Krusty Krab), and also that SpongeBob treats it as his friends' best day ever, and not his own. He goes to all of these events to find out something has gone wrong before he arrived, just like in the episode. However, unlike the episode, he's unable to fix the problems. Like, at all. He tries his best and doesn't let it affect him. When it gets to the ending Galla however, all of SpongeBob's friends arrive to the Krusty Krab, but SpongeBob is nowhere to be scene. His friends look for him, and eventually find him dejected, alone, in the freezer. SpongeBob in my version of the episode, is sad NOT because his best day ever was ruined by his friends. No, he's sad because he thinks he's ruined his friends' best day ever, and doesn't want to be with them for fear of making the day even worse. It's then where Patrick, Squidward, Sandy, and Mr. Krabs say how SpongeBob made a horrible day better by just.. being there. Spngebob's intoxicating charm was all that was needed to salvage the day. Sure, they admit it wasn't the best day ever (and that today was going to not be the best day ever regardless if SpongeBob was involved or not), but they also admit that SpongeBob was the reason why it wasn't the worst day ever. It has a silver-lining moral, of how you should make the most of any day, regardless of how bad it might be. I wrote this at 2 AM so hopefully this actually does make the episode better lol

[@supermariof0521]

Now that sounds like something in line with Classic SpongeBob.

[@CarvedDaWarped]

Damn, that's good.

[@davidholanda1]

Woah, It could work surprisingly well

[@ScrungleSketches]

SOMEONE GET THIS GUY ON A WRITING STAFF, THIS IS SO GOOD

[@BudDinktrap]

Man, if the episode went like this, I'm positive that it'd be a fan favorite!

[@ronjoe17]

I’ll forever be grateful to the SpongeBob Musical for taking the mid-tier Best Day Ever song and turning it into something truly heartfelt, wholesome and meaningful.

[@eatatjoes6751]

Yes, thank you.

[@whizzerbrown1349]

The fact that they used it as a leitmotif a couple of times as well really got me. Ngl I teared up a bit watching that show it was surprisingly heartfelt

[@LaptapGamer]

Best day ever is amazing 😒

[@enebrie]

the spongebob musical is a gem ❤️

[@traetrae7517]

The best day ever episode is the only one I liked after seasons 3

[@Maniac4Bricks]

A real testament of my love of Spongebob is knowing every sound and quote I saw on screen while the episode audio was muted. When Spongebob turned around with the paper, I said out loud, *"SUPER SPONGE: soaking up CRIME!"* in a deep voice.

[@mr.goodboi2780]

I even occasionally scream out voice clips from the games when I'm messing around or doing errands. There's something about the way the voice actors say the lines that is so funny and satisfying to repeat for some reason.

[@LunaMinuna]

I still can’t get over the sea bear episode. They could have taken the easy route when SpongeBob put a marshmallow in squidward’s throat by saying “better?! I was better before you launched that marshmallow into my throat” Instead they made it so much funnier by saying “Better?! I was better before you launched that ballistic junk food, into my wind pipes” this quote is still so funny to this day

[@blakeandrews9496]

underrated comment

[@Skidibibapbap]

So true bestie😭

[@michaeldwyer2244]

15:39 I agree As Krabs said: 'It's not about you, your perfect day, or any of those things'. The fact that Spongebob questioned that, it proved that he was thinking only about himself the whole episode.

[@Dashiell777]

Is that a bad thing though. He just wanted to have a good day to do the fun things he wanted to do. It doesn't mean that makes him selfish

[@michaeldwyer2244]

@@Dashiell777 I know, but he haa to learn that the world doesn't go the way he wants

[@Dashiell777]

@@michaeldwyer2244 the whole point of the episode is SpongeBob wants to have his perfect day so he can do all these things he wants to do with his friends but it backfires. But it ends up backfiring. But his friends states that he doesn't need perfect day because he helped his friends out with was important. Now I do think that's a little dumb. But the fact that his friends are willing to give him that perfect day at the end up was so satisfying. It means his friends do care about him. I'm not saying this is the best SpongeBob episode. But it is not a bad episode either. I think All That Glitters is much worse just because you got to listen to SpongeBob constantly crying a story is all over the place

[@islandboy9381]

​@@Dashiell777 he wanted others to do exactly what he imagined the day should be like and when it backfired (because of course others will have to deal with their own stuff you can never anticipate) he gets angry at them? It's more the whiny response to everyone else of it not being exactly what he dreamed being more annoying than anything.

[@eatatjoes6751]

This was how I felt too. Down to the *"WHAT?! I SAT THROUGH ALL THAT FOR NOTHING?!"* feeling. I also really wish they made themed CRTs again because I am so envious of that TV.

[@DrawciaGleam02]

I think even fans that LIKE the newer seasons were upset by that. I heard gripes about Best Day Ever on internet boards back around 2017!

[@chickennuggetman2593]

"That was it?!! That was just a bunch of cheap musicals!"

[@L0rdOfThePies]

I remember people were the same for the other specials like the sponge who could fly and the jellyfish fields super highway

[@thejohnsweeney]

I’m farting rn

[@Jack_Woods]

SpongeBob's girlfriend telling the story of their breakup on her KZbin channel be like:

[@urban_radagast]

I remember my cousin and I planned a huge sleepover so we could watch this together only to have our little 7 year old hearts broken and abandoned by Bob

[@d011p4rtz]

I remember thinking as a kid "....something is different...I don't know what it is, but it isn't right..." the art felt different and there was a huge Flanderisation of Patrick..

[@marveler8994]

The immediate shift in spongebob's writing has been so hard for me to describe other than "it's not as clever" but I think you nailed it

[@birdlegscass]

the best part of this episode is the band of squidward's hat looping underneath his eyes. cursed, weird, beautiful

[@kaylemathewcomendador6964]

The episode just felt rather anticlimactic for me. It was like a bunch of Nick executives demanded the writers to make a episode centered around the song and with specific story beats (IE Spongebob going to the Krusty Krab, doing Karate, Jellyfishing & giving Squidward a recital), but the writers didn’t really care about it, resulting in a half-baked feeling episode. That’s how I felt about some of the other post-movie specials like Atlantis Squarepantis, Whobob Whatpants (that’s not the proper episode title, but the actual title really doesn’t roll off the tongue well for me) and whatever that Western themes one was. While there were some season 4 and beyond episodes that are pretty good, they were definitely downgrades compared to the pre-movie episodes.

[@Chicky_Lumps]

I find it interesting that how well I remember episodes strongly correlates with how good they are looking back, even though I was too young to critique "why" lame episodes were lame and still watched them a lot. Post S3 episodes are like a fever dream compared to how vividly familiar Hillenburg episodes feel, even though S4 is the first season I remember watching premiers of.

[@Wince_Media]

As someone who barely watches SpongeBob, even I can tell the difference between pre movie SpongeBob and post movie spongebob

[@ΑΡΙΣΤΟΤΕΛΗΣΛΑΧΑΝΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ]

The original seasons weren't for kids. That's what made them special. They were written for everyone without a spesific target audience in mind.

[@Keef220D]

No they were for kids you’re reaching though they were much better than the current seasons

[@ΑΡΙΣΤΟΤΕΛΗΣΛΑΧΑΝΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ]

@@Keef220D You think any kid would get this joke? kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmGqn6Oveax5eqc

[@Aster_Risk]

They actually 100% were intended for kids.

[@themyofmy]

the funny thing about that is that you are entirely incorrect

[@derekg5006]

Even though they are made to entertain everyone, it was definitely with kids in mind lets not lie

[@SteelChords]

I mean, it kinda is like what a 5 year old would write... cause ngl, I tried to write an episode of Spongebob as a kid for fun, and it basically went just like this... I was disappointed by this episode too. There was too much hype for so little payoff. Nothing can ever hold a candle to those original 3 seasons.

[@WhiffyPlush]

This is such a fair pick for 'turning point' of the show. As a kid my family didn't have cable so I've got more memories renting DVDs of the show. I cannot recall ever choosing to watch this episode, it's such a marketing ploy.

[@BlustreakG]

I remember begging my aunt to let me watch the tv just so I can make it to see the special "Best Day Ever" It wasn't the greatest, I guess the song was pretty catchy since everyone in the house was humming it after it was over. But that was it. I don't even remember the episode, except for the 'sun smiling at SpongeBob" in the beginning of the song

[@okjeffy6581]

The only part I remember from that episode was where Spongebob slapped Squidjwjaja.

[@jimmyrcg4966]

Man I remember me and my sister so hyped up for the best day ever episode and only feeling secondhand embarrassment watching it Some later specials here or there I liked but after that I didn't keep up with it as much

[@kavanhorner2746]

Well did your sister at least enjoy it? Or did she feel the same way?

[@jimmyrcg4966]

@@kavanhorner2746 she was kinda mixed on it as well

[@Smith-fg1qb]

It’s not just the best day ever episode either. Nickelodeon has an annoying habit of misleading viewers into thinking that a new episode or special is gonna be more interesting and theatrical than it actually is I remember how hyped up I was as a kid for clash of triton. The commercials made it seemed like the special was gonna be action packed and I also remember playing this fun beat ‘em up game based on the special. Combine that with the fact that we were being introduced to Neptune’s evil son, and I ended up having extremely high expectations. For clash of triton You have no idea how disappointed I was when I finally saw the special. Barely any action in the special and all of the action you DO see, was already shown in the commercials. It felt less like a special and more like the typical modern SpongeBob episode that just so happen to have Neptune and his son as the main focus.

[@HauntakuTV]

@@Smith-fg1qb How about that holiday special where Santa appears at the last second in space?

[@HauntakuTV]

The "so-called" holiday special with Sandy and her nieces.

[@TheR6R6R]

Just saw this pop in my recommended. "Strategically stupid" I love that those words describe golden Spongebob perfectly.

[@ReddKnight10]

Oh my gosh I remember the 100 episode countdown thing! I stayed up late watching it one night. For some reason I remember they had a joke that went like “Why does Mr. Krabs like money so much? Because he’s shell fish!” and I thought it was so clever I immediately went downstairs to tell it to my mom.

[@icecreamhero2375]

10:59 To be fair it's not a big concert it's a local thing. It's not like he is on a World Tour. In another episode Squidbob Tentacle Pants he was supposed to perform at the rec center. Sandy built a teleporter and he was fused with SpongeBob. Remember that one. Also we never actually got to here him play.

[@legomantothemax]

I am incredibly jealous of that Spongebob CRT

[@okjeffy6581]

I remember wanting one not knowing if they even existed or not. I was sosisiaoaj when I found out that they existed.

[@mr.goodboi2780]

Same. I wanted one so bad as a kid.

[@Berrybamboo112]

I can’t believe the liberals are teaching SpongeBob Critical Race Theory

[@jessbian3385]

@@Berrybamboo112 Whatever you say, Plank Tonsantis.

[@keyboardcowgirl69]

thank you for articulating how i felt watching spongebob when i was younger and not understanding what was different, and your vibe/aesthetic rlly inspire me , thanks for sharing

[@icecreamhero2375]

If you ever want to check out a modern episode. I recommend Chef Bob. It's one of the greatest episodes ever made. People are amused by SpongeBob's tricks when he makes Krabby Patties and Mr. Krabs takes down the wall so people can see Spongebob cook. He gets stage fright so he uses a puppet to cook. The puppet gets a personality of its own and becomes a diva.

[@icecreamhero2375]

@nolife6013 Season 11 is one of my favorite seasons. As Chef Bob in particular is fantastic.

[@icecreamhero2375]

@nolife6013 My favorite seasons are 3,4,5, and 11.

[@CalebJones2008]

BOMMER DETECTED!!!

[@Maniac4Bricks]

It's a strange circumstance now that I think of it: a song made in tandem with the film, along with other songs exclusively for the film soundtrack, became an 11-minute episode. Unless maybe the episode was in the works during production of the film and the song just shared DNA with the movie? I thought the song was okay, as well as the other credits songs from the movie, and at some point my brother and I bought the CD titled after the song. We were looking for a full version of the song Patrick made in a Season 5 episode (yeah I still watched a little bit of Season 5 before abandoning ship, no pun intended). The music CD of Best Day Ever is also exclusive to the album release, save for the title track, and the rest of the album is treated like a radio show with half of its tracks involving skits between songs (thankfully as their own tracks). Some characters get to sing lead in their own song, like Patrick singing "Under My Rock" or Plankton hijacking the broadcast with his song "You Will Obey". Needless to say, I didn't find the Patrick song, and to my knowledge it still hasn't been released outside the episode to this day. But by now, I'm not in hot pursuit of it either, it's a silly song that I wouldn't care to hear on its own. I do find it funny some songs from the album like "Riding the Hook" and "Employee of the Month" made their way onto Rock Band as downloadable tracks - you know, a T-rated game and before the release of E10+ release of LEGO Rock Band? That's fun to play just to hear Spongebob coming out of a dimly-lit rock stage.

[@dissonanceparadiddle]

Best day ever feels like a mix between a direct to dvd Disney sequel and a fan fic

[@HauntakuTV]

I thought it was a Scholastic book

[@jimlashley2872]

I miss the 3 seasons. Even as a child I noticed the animation started to change…

[@SuperSiege]

As a kid, Best Day Ever resonanated with me because I often would feel excited when I got to do multiple things I enjoyed doing in one day, even if I could do them on separate days. That's likely how Spongebob felt, as he did those things before, but not all in one day or episode. I think the moral was that even if things don't go your way, you should maintain a positive attitude and try to have fun anyway. When Spongebob's friends tell him how he helped them and remind him of his adventures that day, that's kind of the message I got.

[@SillyBoi_handle]

12/7/98: No other bodies were found, only blood trails that ran cold. The corpse that had been found was dismembered beyond recognition. Emptiness was the only thing I could recognize. We have deducted that death was caused from a stab wound and that every other injury was after, perhaps caused for pleasure by the killer.

[@antipsychotic451]

reads like a postal 1 loading screen

[@Retrophoria]

The lost mattress is the last episode I remember feeling like classic SpongeBob so much so I actually thought it was from the first 3 seasons for the longest time even though it was from season 4. I don’t know it was a holdover from season 3 or what but after that It went downhill.

[@Wince_Media]

It's so weird to think about how I know hand geeks is the fan favorite episode just from watching Mr enter's stuff as a kid

[@zkoopa4445]

Season 4 and 5 are nostalgic seasons to me because I'm a idiotic young 2003 borner. I watched all the episodes when I was small but the 4th/5th seasons just mean a bit more in terms of what I hold close watching TV with developing memory. I understand if you hate me, I totally understand.

[@paperdawn]

you'd have to be silly to hate someone who enjoys what they're nostalgic for! Especially when it's as silly as Spongebob. The main point i try to make in this video is that the nostalgic connection is WHY I didn't love the shift, but if you grew up with it, it'd be the opposite!

[@zkoopa4445]

@@paperdawn I know, I understand

[@LaptapGamer]

I love those seasons

[@CoolJamz887]

@@paperdawn now I was born in 2002 and this is how I feel about this whole thing for me seasons 1-8 where the best seasons in my personal opinion because I was very young and enjoyed all of them I feel the same way you feel about seasons 4 how I feel about seasons 9 and after I guess what I'm tryna say is it's a generational thing because I feel that the seasons 9 and up are dumbed down for ME that's my version of being dumbed down from the animation being all stretchy now and the characters not acting how they usually act is weird to me so the same way you feel about seasons 4 and up is the way I feel about seasons 9 and up so there you go in the perspective of a 2002 kid :)

[@HauntakuTV]

@@paperdawn It's like how I actually enjoyed "Dave the Barbarian" "George of the Jungle" "Camp Lazlo" and "Coconut Fred" because I grew up with those shows that people have mixed opinions about

[@cronggamer3067]

Anyone else thinks the credits to the SpongeBob movie goes hard? Ocean Man -> Big Wall of Psychic Energy -> Just a Kid -> Best Day Ever. Always felt like a great way to end the classic era.

[@Eligon_1965]

I didn't know that "best day ever" was a special episode. I always thought it was a random normal episode.

[@OneCalledRPG]

I feel like the song itself is written as stuff that happens in SpongeBob's every day life because he's just so happy and loves his life. To him, every day is the best day ever, because he does the things he loves with the people he most cares about But the episode kinda doesn't go into that aspect of the song and instead tries to make a big event out of it Over all I think season 4 is pretty good, but towards the end of it the writing kinda starts to degrade a bit. The earlier episodes feel more like Chowder than SpongeBob, and by the end it's on par with season 5

[@PsyceSB]

i came from your lego video and im absolutely stunned by the quality and general chill tone of your video essays. i wouldn't be surprised if your content took off huge soon.

[@danielgaming2223]

I don't think I've ever found someone who was able to dig down into exactly what went wrong with SpongeBob, the characters. No one ever mentions character consistency, and how integral the characters as they were in seasons 1-3 are to the show. Patrick with his nuance, Squidward being a stick in the mud, SpongeBob doing what he believes is right, Mr. Krabs being a father/mentor figure to SpongeBob... It's so blatantly obvious what made them work, but only after it's pointed out.

[@Lefty7788tinkatolli]

In the UK, they aired "Best Day Ever" maybe a month or two after it aired in America. I saw it when it aired, oblivious to how heavily this episode had been hyped up, seeing as they didn't do the big TV marathon and all that in the UK. I saw the episode when it aired, and... actually really liked it. I was like, 8 or 9. And then.... it didn't air again. For a really really really long time. I remember thinking "are they EVER going to show that best day ever episode again? It was a really amazing episode!" None of my friends caught the airing, and they didn't believe me that this really amazing episode called "Best Day Ever" existed with a really great song. I wasn't using Wikias or fansites or anything like that, I was a pretty casual viewer. After a while, I began to wonder if I had just dreamed the existence of this episode. Nobody else remembered it. But I really really wanted to see it again, because I remembered it being so good. Literally not even my SISTER believed me that this episode existed. And then, some YEARS later, I finally saw the episode again. I was SO EXCITED to see it again, as I remembered it being so amazing. I watched it and said.... "Oh. That was it? That was... nowhere NEAR as good as I remembered it being. That episode was... actually pretty bad.... Jesus... I remembered this episode as being amazing... it actually kinda... sucked..." Weird.

[@birdlegscass]

11:13 why am I only just noticing the anchor on spongebob's hat is jacked up in this shot

[@monopolyrubix1875]

After watching the whole video, I have 3 things to say: 1. Great video! 2. Karate Island sucks ass. 3. Roller Cowards is the best post-movie episode.

[@zkoopa4445]

There is no good post movie episode, you must've forgotten.

[@locomotivetrainstation6053]

​@@zkoopa4445 there's lots of good post-movie episodes

[@Mary-Vintage]

Or have you seen this snail

[@Dashiell777]

@@zkoopa4445 there's plenty of good post movie episodes. Just because it's not from the first three seasons does not mean it can't be good

[@noman6385]

@@zkoopa4445 Krusty Towers

[@funwithforkz]

My dad loved watching SpongeBob with me during those first three seasons. It was one of the few kids cartoons he would be hanging out cracking up with me over. I love revisiting the early episodes.

[@Emery_Pallas]

Be grateful for getting out that early. There’s a reason is Season 4 is counted as one of the good ones. The DNA of the first 3 seasons has corroded so far that they only use it to bring back characters for nostalgia pandering (and making Bubble Bass pretty much a main side character now). And it’s weird seeing SpongeBob in a state where the only discourse on the show is Seasons 1-3 (with the only non 1-3 related SpongeBob meme I can think of being the chicken SpongeBob from Little Yellow Book). By now it’s just a DeviantArt fetish blog with the budget of an actual kids show.

[@TheCanaaniteUnionist]

“Living like Larry” is also a post-first movie meme

[@Emery_Pallas]

@@TheCanaaniteUnionist Yeah there is a few memes post season 3 (handsome squidward probably being the most well known, though I do not even remember one existing using a clip later on then Season 9

[@Chicky_Lumps]

I'm glad someone else got a vague but creepy fetish-y vibe from the late-2000's episodes. As a kid certain moments felt slightly weird even though I couldn't explain why. Not nearly as bad a vibe as Ren & Stimpy but still slightly there.

[@zerozipfour5459]

Something I've also noticed is just how over the top and violent the show can get. I saw an episode preview on TV where Spongebob rolled into a building all beaten up and his eye straight up pops out of its socket. It was WAY too much imo and crossed into scary territory. The older episodes did utilize some gross out or cartoon violence, but clips and previews of recent episode show so many veins and body parts it genuinely makes me queasy

[@tearoses9940]

Yeah, they hyped this episode up so much and I remember being disappointed, too, even though I was too young to really remember when seasons 1-3 were coming out. I had a similar feeling with another episode from Season 4 or 5 called Friend or Foe. That episode was hyped up to the max, I think they even had Burger King toys for it, and then it aired and I remembered almost nothing about other than that it was about Mr. Krabs and Plankton. I think it might’ve been about how they used to be friends and became enemies? Doesn’t help that they only aired it a few times when it came out, and then I never really saw it again.

[@GregCubed]

You hit the nail on the head, I remember being so disappointed when this episode premiered. The fact that it was only 11 minutes especially stung. I was only around 7 when this aired however, and I was yet to understand that I subconsciously wasn’t enjoying the new episodes as much. I think the episode that did it for me was Slide Whistle Stooges/The Splinter. That was the first episode I remember where I genuinely did not even want to finish watching it (yet I still did anyways). By that point the series had deteriorated so heavily that the season 4 episodes seemed more like SpongeBob than what we were getting anymore. I think that’s why a lot of people are nostalgic for season 4, we were getting such bad episodes that season 4 wasn’t that bad by comparison. At least that’s how it was for me. As an adult of course I see no value in season 4, other than analyzing how weird it is to see the show die in real time. The earlier episodes still mostly felt like SpongeBob even if they were already feeling off and a lot less funny. It’s like every episode drifted further away from what made the show work, each layer stripped apart bit by bit. It’s a very bittersweet set of episodes. The last gasping breath of a dying show. Seasons 1-3 will always be classic at least.

[@JTHMSqueeMrEffDBoy]

I felt pretty similar to you when that fourth season came out, as well as when Best Day Ever premiered. Sadly, I still sort of kept with the series for a while longer, hoping against hope that it could still be great (though I didn't watch the episodes on premiere consistently anymore). What finally nailed the coffin shut for me was Atlantis SquarePantis. That was the moment that I could finally let the show go. Granted, I was in middle school by then, so my interests were shifting, but I did have a tendency to hold onto things even after they started dropping in quality. Thankfully, that was one of several instances where I just had to face the facts and move on.

[@sonimatic]

I definitely share the sentiment. This episode essentially baby-fying the tone and characters down to a Nick Jr. level was something I really felt, even at that age. It was difficult to watch and it made me feel like I was too old for the cartoon that was supposed to be for everyone, even adults. The song playing during this video still deals me immense psychic damage. Saying this is the turning point for later seasons is a good take imo, because until then I liked most of the new episodes.

[@JohnJoe-uo5hv]

​@nolife6013My favorite episodes.

[@TheDiamondSlayer1]

I think season 4 and even 5 can still be considered pretty good, but my God does season 6 take a nose dive. (not to say there isn't good episodes, the sandcastle one being great) Theres so many episodes in 6-8 where i felt gross watching them. Like that's rare for a show especially a kids show. Like 'Are You Happy Now' and 'One Course Meal' are genuinely gross. They made me feel gross inside even as a kid

[@karinyupinyan]

I might have seen this episode, but I honestly don't remember it at all now. Maybe it's just so generic that I just forgot about it? Anyway when it comes to me as the first episode of SpongeBob that I remember genuinely disliking was that one where SpongeBob drops like a chair on Squidward's foot and you see like it bleeding, it just grossed me out when I saw it.

[@Emery_Pallas]

Ahh House Fancy. It feels quant now ngl

[@AtomIsTooTiredToStream]

I actually like house fancy a lot, me and my sister watch it a lot.

[@miiwii]

I think the point is that every day is the best day ever for SpongeBob. He's so optimistic and happy that he doesn't think that any day could be worse than another. I think the song was better used in The SpongeBob Musical, and better illustrates this point, as in that context, bikini bottom is possibly going to be completely destroyed, and yet SpongeBob still believes it's the best day ever.

[@Thuwomp]

The Best Day Ever opening DOES feel like a parody, you are so right. I think I remember waiting for the song to be interrupted by a joke to bring us back down to earth but it doesn’t come. Really uncanny as a kid, no episodes had that tone before ever.

[@mr.goodboi2780]

I kinda disagree but also really agree. I really liked almost all of season 4 as a kid and still do now. Krusty Towers, Karate Island, The Lost Mattress, Fear of a Krabby Patty, Best Day Ever, Wigstruck, Wishing You Well, Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy VI, The Gift of Gum, Squid Wood, Where's Gary... there's so many good episodes to me in this season and that's just a few. When me, my friends, my parents, talk about SpongeBob season 4 gets brought up a lot, as well as some from season 5. Best Day Ever always felt like a good tribute to SpongeBob's optimism to me as well and I'm surprised you see it as an attack on the show. SpongeBob getting his happy ending at the end with all his friends was very satisfying to me. Wouldn't be my first pick for the episode that started the downfall. It's safe yes, but it still felt like the characters I knew prior. The first episode that really killed it for me was To Love a Patty, when SpongeBob killed all the clams for no reason. It was the first moment the show shocked me with it's writing, and after that it just slowly got worse. To see SpongeBob do something antithetical to his loving and optimistic character made me mad as a viewer. Season 5 started good and then went into absolutely lazy territory where the characters acted truly weird and the plots dragged in bizarre fashion. I won't say there IS a specific moment, and I won't say you're completely wrong, as season 1-3 are superior to anything else. The show just gradually fell off like most long running comedies somewhere in the second half of season 5 / first half of season 6 and IMO never recovered. I still watched though season 8 regularly anyway though. I have to say though your ending speech got me emotional. It is true how magical seasons 1, 2, 3 and the movie is. It is very special, and may as well be one of the best animation ever put to screen.I see why you feel so strongly, but I felt there was so many memorable season 4 / 5 episodes I got a bit kneejerked. Good video overall.

[@ethantreadway9478]

While I don’t agree with Best Day Ever, The Gift of Gum and Squid Wood being there. They are still alright/good.

[@nextgenjah]

I had to love a patty on dvd and would watch it on repeat when i was 5 recovering from having my toncils taken out so that episode will always have a special place in my heart. But you hit everything on the head. I thought Best Day Ever was genuinely a good song and still do today. And season 4 had bangers like krusty towers, wishing well and dunces and dragons

[@JaceAVinson]

I don’t get why people hate Season 4. Season 4 was just as good at the first 3 in my opinion (except Good Neighbors).

[@blockotheblock5672]

Some people out there don’t realize they’re accidentally praising and even quoting episodes from that season despite saying it was the “decline”

[@kirbyleggington7205]

I mostly agree. Some of my favorite episodes are from season 4, Skill Crane will always be top five for me

[@ItsDanielPika]

For me, I don't even hold Season 3 up that highly since I think the back half of episodes came out post-movie. Much like your disappointment with Best Day Ever, I similarly was burned by the Lost Episode/The Sponge That Could Fly. One of the first childhood instances where I could definitely say "I don't like this". And the rest of season 3 kind of let me down, so going into season 4, I kind of knew in the back of my mind I wasn't gonna enjoy this as much or that something about it was off.

[@paperdawn]

The Lost Episode definitely is the beginning of the end. I think as a kid, I was still a little blissfully unaware when that aired. I remember being pretty disappointed in the House Party special too.

[@Chicky_Lumps]

The Lost Episode's walk cycle gag still kinda works because it's self aware. Also there were only 2 S3 episodes after Lost Episode, and one of those was the Strangler episode. If that one was a "let down" you must have been watching with cleats in your corneas.

[@waddafugg3072]

I think all of Season 3 was produced before the movie though

[@Ultimatedogfan]

​@@waddafugg3072 yop

[@ethantreadway9478]

I actually kinda love the Lost Episode but that’s mainly due to the Patchy the Pirate segments. The treasure hunt, the walk cycle, and getting angry tearing down everything before rewinding to watch the real lost episode.

[@isabelmarie2003]

I just started watching Spongebob for the first time at 21. I got Sandy in the musical and im doing research for i wasnt allowed to watch it as a kid. Id say season 1-4 1/2 is the best seasons. The first seasons had me crying tears. Now when i see it, i cant look. There arent enough regular faces anymore. The best "hidden jokes" are gone . The 30 lashes joke, so good, insanely clever

[@rustycharliejr]

I remember having the EXACT experience of disappointment from waiting all day to watch this episode as a kid. I remember it so clearly

[@Thomperfan]

11:04 Uh, I'd actually like to refute that Mr. Krabs did give at least a FEW you-know-whats about SpongeBob and Squidward, especially in the first three seasons.

[@Chicky_Lumps]

Yep, it kept him from being too much of an unsympathetic character. He was a simpleminded avaricious jerk, but occasionally he'd have a moment of clarity and realize the damage he'd done to people he secretly does care about, at least when it comes to life or death. Mr. Krabs may rip off everyone he knows to get rich but he's heartbroken in Hooky when he thinks SpongeBob died, as a young naive "kid" with a whole life ahead of him.

[@Nathan79147]

Unpopular opinion but my favorite episode ever of SpongeBob has always been dunces and dragons from season 4

[@CalebJones2008]

That's not an unpopular opinion. That's just a fact.

[@playcoarmboy1836]

I mean not everything after the first 3 seasons sucks, you have krusty tower, roller cowereds, squid noir, spy buddies and even more

[@paperdawn]

I tried to articulate this in the video, but I don't really think they suck. I just think it's different. And different in a way I didn't appreciate as a kid. (And sorta still don't)

[@takuminishimura8654]

In Bubblestand Squidward was actually quite a great clarinet player thus making the perfect continuity point for Best Day Ever and Squidward always sucking at clarinet invalid - not saying it’s one of the great episodes by any means

[@Buster256]

Something about the song by itself just makes me happy (sometimes even a bit teary eyed depending on the mood

[@callanfox9870]

A bit of topic but my favorite would have to be the training episode one in my opinion, I always love when shows make episodes that are unlike the rest of the series.

[@AuraLeafstorm]

When I was a kid I didn't know who Stephen Hillenburg was, or that he stepped down as showrunner after the first movie. I didn't even know that shows were divided into seasons. All I knew was that the new episodes that came out after the movie were different, in a bad way, and at the time I felt like I was the only one who noticed. I think it was the first time I experienced falling out of love with a show. Seeing more people talk about it now is vindicating.

[@SuperSireBoyYT]

Im sorry, SpongeBob was on the VIP list? You would think the would have SpongeBob be on like, the super duper anti vip list, and then he would be kicked super high in the air or something and find a way inside. And I thought that up in like 30 seconds!

[@vee20011]

I remember watching “The Best Day Ever” Episode thinking, “he’s not even doing anything” n it was lowkey boring

[@cellytron]

Oh wow wow wow that “best day ever” promotional ad took me back. I watched that too, i still remember the commercials. I was 21, so older than the target demographic, but the show’s wit always appealed to me. IIRC my mother was just out of the hospital after treatment for colon cancer/a bowel resection. It was a really hard time, and I remember wondering if I was even capable anymore of being genuinely happy, if my “best day ever” was years behind me already. (so deep lmao) I know I watched a good chunk of the marathon, sitting in my mother’s bedroom and drawing. And when they did start getting into the newer episodes, it struck me how the tone and quality were significantly changed. I like a few of the episodes that aired around 2005-08, there are a couple that are among my favorites, like The Original Fry Cook. But for the most part, the show took a real dive. It was depressing! It blows my mind that 17 years later, the show is STILL in production?! I think the last episode I watched was probably made in the early 2010s, and it was hideous.

[@micheal4526]

I kinda thought the reason SpongeBob was so excited to do the things he does every day is because this was the first time he did ALL of them in one day, I think that’s what the writers were going for

[@Oboromaru]

Wow you unlocked a memory for me. Me and my little sister was very invested in SpongeBob, and were actively using the website leading up to the countdown to the best day ever. We voted on our favorite episodes and made predictions of what the top 10 episodes were be. We were FLOORED when Karate Island was voted the #1 episode. We HATED that episode. We were in complete disbelief.... Also we both ended up not liking the Best Day Ever episode either lol

[@MellowedGrooves]

It really hurts knowing Spongebob isn't anything like it was back in its golden era. I grew up rewatching those episodes growing up. Till this day, jokes, the style and some of the music (ripped pants is still one of my favorite things ever) Have been ingrained into my mind, so seeing how all the writers just threw out what worked hurts me a lot. The only thing I can say now is that purple lamp studios is making pretty good spongebob games, with writing that actually feels a bit like how they were. Also a lot of references

[@Dashiell777]

To be honest I felt Life season 5 was the end of good SpongeBob before things got really bad

[@Chicky_Lumps]

@@Dashiell777 Honestly certain aspects of the show improved in the early 2010's (just as I got old enough to ditch the show because it sucked), but it never regained its original writing wit and charm.

[@Dashiell777]

@@Chicky_Lumps I agree it will probably never be as good as it once was but it still has great episodes

[@rodrigomontalvo910]

I’m so glad the extreme antagonism was discarded. It’s clear that awful shit writing was a HUGE turnoff. Why do you think that worked is beyond me. Squidward and Patrick’s characters were slaughtered.

[@t.mooreyewknow799]

Patrick also went to community college with flats. I would always feel like Patrick acted stupid when he really wasn’t

[@Cuh-bruh]

No way Karate Island won 💀

[@Maniac4Bricks]

I grew up a big fan of Spongebob, Seasons 1-4 I watched pretty consistently along with the first movie, some of the toys and games, or other Nicktoons tie-ins like Nick Party Blast or Nick Scene It. Several of the computer games as well as PC games, posters, key chain photo album, you name it, short of that Spongebob CRT. My parents even taped the premiere of the episode "Ugh", taking place in prehistoric times, and drawing Patgar on paper. I had such big hype for The Lost Episode and Friend or Foe. And yes, I do remember watching the original version of "Just One Bite" with the bucket of gasoline scene included, and felt like a Mandela Effect on subsequent watches when the scene was omitted. *However,* I didn't see this episode when it premiered however, but in grade school a classmate told me about it, very accurately every detail of the plot including directly quoting the end. It didn't sound very engaging or appealing, but I did watch it for myself sometime later. And even now, despite owning the Season 4 DVD along with the original 3 seasons and the mini-movie/Pilot DVD, I don't have alot of desire to return to this episode, let alone Season 4. But if I see it quoted or clipped online, at least I recognize it.

[@RoyMcRoyerson]

I could remember even before you reminded me, that "the best day ever" was my least favorite episode. I'd been so excited for it because it was super hyped up for some reason. But all I thought after seeing it was "...wait that's it? Why weren't there any funny parts?"

[@Nighthawk5015]

So it wasn't just me! You definitely voiced my complaints with the show much better than I can, but i completely agree with your points. I remember watching that episode and just being extremely disappointed.

[@cronggamer3067]

Interesting how even back in 2005, Band Geeks was still considered the GOAT.

[@opalreviewseverything]

Great video! I really enjoyed your editing, especially layering the Spongebob footage inside of the Spongebob CRT, and your insight into your perspective on the show was really interesting. I don't mean to come off as condescending or patronizing (as I am a humble 3k subs schmuck), but it's always great to get recommended quality videos from not huge name-brand creators on the rise. Keep up the good work.

[@tre8382]

Ch greenblatt wasn't new to working on SpongeBob at that time he literally worked on it from the beginning and helped write classic episodes like Wet Painters, Krusty Krab training video, Band geeks,etc.... So that new people drawing it point doesn't make sense sure it has a different artstyle but you can still see those same types of expressions in earlier episodes

[@jackreiter7291]

Look I wasn’t watching SpongeBob avidly when this came out. So it was just another episode that I would watch constantly on the dvd player and the dvr. As for why, I’m sure it was just because of me just really liking that song as a kid. The rest of the episode didn’t leave much of an impression on me looking back. The powers of American capitalism I guess. However, I do remember the 48 hour marathon that Nick aired for the 10 year anniversary. Somehow their countdown of the best episodes wasn’t rigged like this one. The winner was pretty deservedly “Pizza Delivery”.

[@pigeonmama]

This episode always kind of just made me SAD as a kid and I could never figure out why. Thank you for taking my unidentifiable thoughts and putting them into words!

[@stormmist3634]

seasons 1-3 Peak era, seasons 4-6 the half good half bad era, seasons 7-9 The ugly era, seasons 10-13 the milking the series era, no seriously 10-13 are the worst thing my eyes hav ever seen

[@tkb5726]

Not gonna lie I straight up…don’t remember this episode except the song. I’ve seen it multiple times and remember being SUPER stoked to watch it after school. I’ve even seen it a few times SINCE then and it’s like every time I see it, my brain straight up deletes it from my memory as a trauma response.

[@RariettyC]

I wrote a bunch of Spongebob fanfic in a journal when I was like, 7, never sharing it with anyone. Just jotting down my own episode plotlines and jokes that were all probably terrible. Yet, not to sound too egotistical (as my "fanfic" was basically just the written equivalent of a child slamming dolls together and going "now kiss", especially when I consider that I did not own any Spongebob toys to do that with), I still feel like my shitty ideas had more conflict and nuance than Best Day Ever. Kids are both smarter and more creative than I feel a lot of people in the entertainment industry assume. They also tend to like things that they feel like adults would like, because they usually hate feeling talked down to, and the first seasons of Spongebob felt like they understood that. Also, just, the way the show at its peak inspired so many people like me to want to emulate its style and humor through our own creative works is extremely heartwarming

[@kalkuttadrop6371]

After a deep dive, here's what I think happened. The vote wasn't rigged. Rather, due to the structure of the polling site(Newest to Oldest), combined with the fact that the website got overloaded and would load very slowly or crash, episodes on the first page or two had a massive advantage, hence the S4 tilt. As for Best Day Ever, the idea for the marathon came first, and it was decided pretty late on to have it lead up to that specifically. Essentially, they decided to do a top 100 vote marathon, they decided, hey, let's have it end with a new episode(both good ideas). They only had the unaired remaining S4 episodes to pick from, no specials in that group, but Best Day Ever's title fit, and it had a song from the movie, so out of the options it seemed like best choice(again, makes sense, it was probably a better pick than, say, Gift of Gum). And hey, the title kind of lined up with the theme of the marathon, so they rolled with it to tie it all together(again, makes sense). All the choices individually made sense, but together they came together badly. Imagine if, say, the marathon idea happened slightly later, so they had to pick from the early S5 episodes and capped it off with Friend or Foe. Or the website was oldest to newest so it was biased to S1 episodes and something like Pizza Delivery won. Or both of those.

[@shadowofthesilver]

I feel like the message for this episode should have been that his friends don't want him to put aside his own happiness for them. Something like that would have made for a much more interesting episode and it would have related into one of Spongebob's biggest character flaws. Idk literally anything other than what we got would have been better

[@ameliesugar7337]

I noticed the tone of the show had drastically shifted when I was 8. It felt a lot more crass and not as entertaining. That’s when I saw my first season 4 episode and got really sad, I told my parents “SpongeBob is different now,” but when my parents watched, they didn’t understand what I meant and said “Looks like the same SpongeBob to me.” I couldn’t put my finger on why I said it was “different” as I was 8 at the time. But it felt like an entirely different show to me, one that only starred the characters of SpongeBob, but wasn’t the show I knew and loved. That said, season 4 has grown on me a bit now, and I actually liked the episode “The Best Day Ever.”

[@PeterGriffin11]

This episode is extremely nostalgic to me so I have a soft spot for it but I can understand why you'd dislike it. I haven't seen The Best Day Ever in awhile but I genuinely think Spongebob had some good episodes in some of the seasons after the movie like Dunces & Dragons & Atlantis Squarepantis. Although admittedly I haven't seen those episodes in awhile either.

[@xibalbalon8668]

"This episode feels like a tax right off" is a great description

[@barneyjuniorYT]

My only problems with spongebob season 13, is that patrick is too dumb and painfully annoying and Squidward gets beaten up too much, the show has potential to get better but executive interference is getting in the way of that.

[@teddyobrien4801]

FINALLY, someone who dislikes this episode as much as I do. Not only is it aggressively corny and out-of-character, but the stupid song itself used to make me cry cause it reminded me of so many good times in my life that I'd never experience again.

[@andyironside9023]

I wasn't expecting to see SB Mania on this haha, that takes me back

[@hannahbobanana1561]

I felt the EXACT same way and feel so validated! I was 9 too in 2005 and loved everything about SpongeBob and for me too it was the best day ever episode where I fell off. Honestly that Karate Island episode offended me how bad it was but gave the Best Day Ever episode a chance cause there was so much hype. Big disappointment. Thanks for making this video, you put my anger and disappointment into the words I couldn’t find!

[@internettoon]

good timing uploading this after the new spongebob video game came out

[@thethesaxman23]

As a kid I noticed the distinctive difference between seasons 1-3 and 4. I’ll admit that 4 had a couple hidden gems, but for the most part, it didn’t feel the same. It was only when I got older that I learned about Stephen Hillenburg and much of the original creative team leaving. It’s telling that as a kid, even though I couldn’t explain why, I could recognize that it wasn’t the same. I collected seasons 1-3 on DVD. For some reason, season 4 came in separate volumes, and after getting one and not being impressed, I never felt compelled to complete my season 4 collection or any future seasons.