Topic: Season 1: The Underrated Season

[Sponge-Bart]

I made a thread not to long ago on "Pickels". After seeing some eps again, i think the 1st season is pure gold. Most people place their order 3-2-1-4. I dont understand why people think this is the worst classic season. My favorites are "Pickels", "Hall Monitor", "Tea at the Treedome", "Rock Bottom", "Arrgh", "SB-129", "Valentine's Day", and "I Was a Teenage Gary". This season produced so many classic episodes. I might have to re-watch season 2 again, but IMO, my ratings are 3-1-2-4. I'm probably in the minority here though, are there any similar thinkers?

[BiggerSquarierSpongier]

       I think the reason most people dislike season 1 is because it is the oldest season, and they have all seen the episodes too many times for them to still be funny. It does have a wonderful assortment of episodes though; Rock Bottom is one of my all-time favorites.

[ernest310]

It doesn't surprise me that season 1 ranks lower than 2 and 3 in the minds and imaginations of SB-enthusiasts.

Season 1 had a lower budget, which translates into a lower quality of animation, which any comparison of season 1 with any other season will make blatantly obvious.

Like many other shows--The Simpsons immediately comes to mind--in the first season the writers, animators, etc., are still getting a feel for the characters.  So the way they think/act/etc. is necessarily shifting.  Again, The Simpsons provides a better example of this than SB--just watch a season 1 episode: it's a trip! (especially Homer.)

Season 1 is also a lot slower, in my mind.  People egg on the last couple seasons for the exact opposite reason (too much pushed into one episode.)

Finally, the first season of just about any show will be distinguished by introductions.  Much of SB's first season (especially the first half) has episodes focused on introducing us, the hopefully-soon-to-be captivated audience, to the antics of SB and the other characters, from jellyfish to bubble-blowing to Plankton's role to SB's physical weakness to his inability to drive to Patrick's stupidity to Squid's clarinet-playing (and failure thereof) to Sandy's athleticism to Mr. Krab's greediness-------and the list goes on.

The point is that much of the first season was water-testing, and many elements were retained when they resonated with viewers, as we're still treated with episodes that focus on the list I gave above.  But others were thrown out: the character "Bubble Bass," who appears as the archnemesis in "Pickles," was (as I mentioned in a much earlier thread) likely being considered for a recurring role like Mrs. Puff or Larry the Lobster, but was dropped for whatever reason.  We get good evidence of this because he shows up again briefly in the mid-first season episode "F.U.N."  And that's the last we ever see of him.

The first season has great, classic episodes, no doubt about it.  But I concur with many others that most of SB's finest moments are in episodes of the 2nd and 3rd season.

[Sponge-Bart]

I agree with everything you just said.

The Simpsons' 3rd episode (Homer's Odyysey) was so much different (Homer committing suicide?) And the 4th (There's No Disgrace Like Home) was so odd (Homer trying to get his family straight; Marge drunk; Lisa a troublemaker). The 1st seasons of both are very similar in some ways, however, SpongeBob remained not able to drive throughout the series, but in the 2nd season of Simpsons, Homer is the beer drinking lovable oaf we know today.

The 1st season was in no doubt introducing the characters. Still, the introductory episodes (Tea, Boating School, etc.) Are so much more funny and all-around better than recent episodes. Ive seen people on here rate 4 above 1.

The general discussion forums have been a bit dead lately, i'm glad i can get some people talking about SpongeBob seriously here.

[MEEP!]

Season 1 is my favorite. Pretty much every episode was good-great. I'm not knocking season 2 or 3 which also contained several good episodes, but I just like the feel of season 1 better.

[ssj4gogita4]

Season 1 is my second favorite season. All because of the original (and great) ideas the staff put into the episodes to have the fans enjoy them. They definetly brought a lot to the table for us to see: intro to Sandy and how she and Spongebob got to be friends, how Spongebob became a fry cook, etc. It would be nice to see more of season one's characters more in later episodes (Bubble Bass and Larry the Lobster) but it seems that the staff doesn't want to do anything with them.

Season 2 and 3 are great, too, but they do not stand up to season one.