Tell me the definition of Puffy Fluffy.
131a - Keep Bikini Bottom Beautiful[]
Premiered on January 2, 2010.
Written by Luke Brookshier, Nate Cash and Dani Michaeli.
Highlight: The cop.
Squidward gets caught littering and is sentenced to community service.
Imagine thinking this episode bad because cop annoying. It isn't annoying though, it is hilarious. It's not the best episode ever, nor it has the best comedy, but it's fairly entertaining.
It starts with Squidward being damn happy for no apparent reason, but it all ends when he finds a gum, and because a cop comes and gives him a ticket, he is sentenced to community service. I have two things I can say about this, one of this being that the scene where Squidward steps on the gum is not really dragged out, but it does feel really slow and unnecessary, and the episode in general sometimes feels like this because it's mostly plot-driven. Sure, the plot is entertaining and funny sometimes, but it also sometimes feels really slow, like when Squidward is trying to get rid of all the garbage, although the scene itself has some good comedy. Anyways, that's not important yet, let's talk about the scene right after the cop, in which Squidward finds his boi Squilliam, who is kind of shoehorned into the episode, but he kind of serves a purpose of making Squidward focus more on what he's doing, so he can beat Squilliam at his own game.
Now, the episode becomes funnier after the fourth minute in my opinion. It has more gags than just the cop, like Squidward stealing a wagon from a random kid and then getting beaten up by the kid's mother right after he says that he'd rather get beaten up than getting help from SB. It also probably has my favorite scene in the episode, when Squidward's house is completely filled with garbage after SB apparently takes all of it away. I mainly enjoy it because of the comedy in the scene about Squidward doing his daily life in a garbage house until he ends up realizing that, well, it's made of garbage. It reminds me of that joke in HSP where SB gets in the same bed and Squidward, and Squidward only realizes after some time, after having even brought him water.
Now about the cop gag, I don't get why people dislike it so much. Sure, it's repetitive, but I mean, I don't think it's that different from other gags like the sea bear gag in The Camping Episode, where Squidward got his butt beaten by a sea bear for almost half the episode for literally no reason, yet everyone finds that joke funny. In this one, Squidward also gets punished for no real reason several times for very stupid reasons, and that's why I really find it funny. It even has that last punchline like that gag in TCE. In TCE, it was that the sea bear even ended up beating Squidward's butt just because "he doesn't like him". In this one, the cop finally stops giving Squidward tickets for littering, but gives him one last ticket because he ends up throwing the litter into a garbage can, but that garbage can was property of SB, and he isn't SB. Just plain hilarious.
The ending is also really enjoyable, as Squilliam ends up getting a ticket just like Squidward, and losing his statue too, which I think is a fair punishment for Squilliam, even though Squidward loses too.
Kind of slow episode that sometimes feels plot-driven, but its plot is entertaining enough and has some pretty good comedy at several points of the episode.
Rating: Good
131b - A Pal for Gary[]
Premiered on January 2, 2010.
Written by Casey Alexander, Zeus Cervas and Richard Pursel.
Highlight: "Gary! You put Puffy down right now!"
SpongeBob gets Gary a pet.
Aight, so assuming you have the most SBoomer opinions ever, this episode is supposed to be 2nd worst of the series. Well, no, it isn't that bad, it's actually considerably good. Pretty good.
So, the first half of this episode is really enjoyable. In fact, it has a pretty good and likeable characterization of SpongeBob, as he believes that Gary must feel very lonely at home when he's at work, and the episode combines this with the comedic irony of Gary enjoying every moment of SB being away. I know this sounds kind of like killing the drama like when HYSTS? kept cutting from dramatic scenes to Gary being basically in Heaven and not giving a crap about SB, but I honestly think this situation is different because the episode is trying to show us a good SB characterization, rather than creating an emotional story, so SB being kind-hearted is independent from Gary not giving a crap. In this regard, the episode does a pretty good job, like when SB calls home after seeing a random dude who doesn't want to leave his pet alone because it'll feel sad.
All the set-up of this episode makes SB decide to buy a pal for Gary, as the title says, and he goes to buy it to an old lady that looks like basically everything you should never trust in life, which is a creative choice I really like, as the design of this character already foreshadows what Puffy Fluffy will be during the last third of the episode. The second third or middle of the episode though, isn't really entertaining, although not entirely, I'm only referring to the fifth to the seventh minute, as nothing really happens, it's just SB caring for Puffy Fluffy more than he cares for Gary, but fortunately, after the seventh minute is when the crap gets real, as it all turns into an epic fight where Puffy Fluffy is already in his final form and Gary must face him. It's all very fast-paced and entertaining to watch, and they even use some damn good soundtrack that reminds me of some kind of track they'd play in the final fight of an old Disney movie. Not only it's fun because fights are usually very entertaining on their own, but it also does things like ocurring in different rooms, or even fricking burning down the library. Puffy Fluffy's design also really fits this fight, as he really does look like a big threat, and I know the main criticism of this episode is that SB is pretty much completely unaware that Puffy Fluffy is a monster, but I mean, during the day Puffy Fluffy doesn't do much, he is just like basically all cats act around each other when they haven't met before, and now he's sleeping because it's fricking night, so I don't get how could he be aware of it.
Finally, after the fight scene, comes my favorite joke of the episode and the reason a lot of people hate this episode, which is the only instance where yeah, you could say that SB is being completely unaware of Puffy Fluffy's behaviour, and that's when he sees Puffy Fluffy basically devouring Gary and he says "Gary! You put Puffy down right now!". I know people usually find this damn enfuriating but I mean, it's just a line, and I personally find it really funny. It's stupid humor more than anything else, and I find really hilarious that Gary is basically about to get his butt devoured by Puffy Fluffy and SB believes he's the bad guy. Even if you found that irritating, it's one damn line dude, and he takes it back like less than ten seconds after he says it. Also, I'm not saying everyone who dislikes this episode is only because of this line, but I have the feeling that a lot of people do. Also, if you dislike it because of SB's behaviour, I've already explained that this is pretty much the only scene with that.
So yeah, this is an episode with a pretty nice first half that shows a pretty good characterization of SB and a very exciting last third of the episode, with only two minutes in the middle that are mostly forgettable. Great episode.
Rating: Good
132a - Yours, Mine and Mine[]
Premiered on September 11, 2010.
Written by Luke Brookshier, Nate Cash and Steven Banks.
Highlight: "You're off my friend list, Gary!"
SpongeBob and Patrick fight over a Krusty Krab licensed toy.
This episode is really entertaining. It's similar to Waiting in the sense that it involves the toy. However, this one is mostly focused on the part after they have the toy, rather than waiting for it. I'll start by describing this concept.
So, the concept of this episode is about Patrick getting a toy thanks to SB, as he couldn't pay it by himself, and therefore, he is now forced to share it with SB, and because he isn't willing to, he fights with SB over it. First, SB wanting something Patrick won't let him see is not really different from The Secret Box. I know that in TSB, the box was property of Patrick, but the concept itself is the same. Secondly, this is a pretty good characterization of out main characters, because SB and Patrick are supposed to be the adult equivalent of kids, and therefore, they should act like them, and kids usually have a quite hard time sharing toys. In this episode, they have a fight over a toy, but it is exaggerated to the point they basically kill each other just for a toy. The fight itself is also pretty entertaining, but before I talk about it, let's see how the set-up is.
So, it basically starts at the KK with SB buying a meal for Patrick. The way it happens is pretty funny already, with SB trying to tell Patrick about sharing while he just goes like "Yeah, yeah, whatever" and steals SB's wallet like that's the definition of sharing. Anyways, Patrick eventually wants a toy with the meal, and because the KK doesn't have any, Mr. Krabs randomly makes one up. I enjoy this scene because the toy is portrayed as basically all you should look forward to in life, or like a divine object. Unfortunately for SB, Patrick ends up getting the toy for himself, which eventually ends up giving for a fight the next day, although before that I'd like to mention one scene that I find particularly funny, and that is when SB says that Patrick won't be able to play with the toy because he'll be asleep, and it instantly cuts to Patrick rocking the house like he has never done before.
Alright, so the second half of the episode is when the fight comes into play. Aside from the fight, which is considerably entertaining, the episode also has some great gags, like SB telling Patrick that he wasn't washing his hair, and he was actually doing it, because he has a lot of hair on his armpit, or SB saying "Gary was right! You're a non-sharer", and Patrick says "Oh, Gary said that? You're off my friend list, Gary!". Mainly, the comedic factor of this fight is that it takes itself too seriously, like when they need a mediator to fricking share a toy, like if this was a divorce or something like that, or the end, where Patrick says "If I can't have you, no one can!", and eats the toy. LOL, that sounds like something a Shakespeare villain would say before killing the love interest, yet here it's, well, a toy. The fight itself doesn't get boring because of the different locations they go to, from Squidward's house to the subway, to the Krusty Krab. It's all very fast-paced and it doesn't get old. Also, it ends with a hilarious one liner that goes back to Patrick stealing SpongeBob's wallet and when he complains, he says "Have you learned nothing about sharing?". I find this hilarious because that basically means Patrick didn't learn anything, yet he acts like SB was the one who was supposed to learn something.
An honestly funny episode with a pretty good and relatable plot, and some good and entertaining fast-paced fight scenes during the second half.
Rating: Good
132b - Kracked Krabs[]
Premiered on September 11, 2010.
Written by Luke Brookshier, Nate Cash and Mr. Lawrence.
Highlight: The cheap gags.
Mr. Krabs is nominated for being the cheapest crab alive.
This is one of the few episodes that people who don't like S7 usually like, unless you are like, Doctor Patrick or MrEnter. I do agree. This episode is great.
As most people, I really like the plot of this episode. It expands the universe of SB further by telling us that Mr. Krabs and his family aren't the only cheapity cheapskate crabs in the entire sea, and I specially like that there's an award every year for the cheapest crab alive, and how it is portrayed like a good thing, yet when SB seems to say that Mr. Krabs isn't cheap, they all find it disgusting. Also, one of the highlights of this plot, aside from all the cheap gags it leads to, is the location, very similarly to Krusty Towers. Even if this episode is nowhere near as damn funnie as Krusty Towers, it still has that setting in a hotel, which is cool to see because it's different to the locations we are used to see.
The episode is one of the funniest we've seen in this season so far. It has a lot of good comedy based on how cheap Krabs and his fellow cheapskate crabs can be. You got a lot of examples, like the form of transportation Mr. Krabs uses, only costing one cent actually not being the cheapest, because actually a dude called Chintzy McGee was in one of their packages, and therefore he didn't spend any money. It's kind of pointless considering Chintzy wasn't nominated, so it didn't have any purpose except for looking cool, but it's still funny. Also, about these crabs, I really enjoy their designs, specially because they're not the generic type of design like the ones you see on episodes like Squidville, where every octopus was exactly the same as Squidward but with some variation, no, in this one they all have different character designs and aren't just Mr. Krabs with mustache or beard or glasses, but they're actually differently colored, taller, or shorter, or fatter, or thinner, or with a different nose, but they're not Mr. Krabs.
As I said before, there are a lot of gags, like the one with the coin with the string, which is fun but also nicely foreshadows the ending, where Mr. Krabs wins the award, but not actually because the guy who gives him the award was holding it with a string all along. My favorite cheap gags are definitely the videos for the nominated. They show Mr. Krabs apparently giving free Krabby Patties to everyone, but then charging all customers one dollar per footstep. After that, they show a dude called Beuford BargainBottom, who charges a dude three times the price, because the product is three times the flavour, and therefore, three times the price, and finally, you got Dwight T. Wad, who takes used toilet paper, and ties it back onto the roll.
The ending is also satisfying, both because Krabs wins by doing the cheapest thing ever, literally stealing the entire hotel room, although he doesn't steal it, he "exaggerates it", as SB says. This is something I really like, because after SB realizes he messed up after exaggerating in a wrong way in his testimony, he "exaggerates" again to help Mr. Krabs win the price, which he does in the end, but also having a nice gag of the dude who gives him the price pulling the string to take the award back.
Hilarious episode with a lot of good cheap gags, good character design, and a nice breath of fresh air thanks to the location the episode is set in.
Rating: Good