SpongeBob Squarepants: A 24 year evolution
As a college student, there are likely issues I should care more strongly about than a show that has been airing since before I was alive. Nevertheless, seeing as I have been around for the majority of its existence, I should be able to form an opinion on how it has evolved over time, and not for the better. SpongeBob Squarepants is a show that, regardless of its unfortunate two-decade transition, will always have a special place in my heart.
Perhaps one of the most apparent differences in the modern form of the show is the animation style. Whereas the earlier seasons were filled with plenty of color, they can still be distinguished from the overly exaggerated and saturated colors the modern episodes go for. There was something special about the show when the hues were slightly less bright and had more of a personal touch from the animators. Back in the day, SpongeBob himself had more defined points on his body, rather than the overly yellow computer-generated state he’s in now.
One of the most memorable aspects of SpongeBob’s character in the early seasons is the overall blend of childlike ignorance, mixed with his compassionate caring side. Sandy was once an intelligent scientist that mixed her passion for her craft with an adventurous Texan side, but the same can no longer be said; she is now strictly a scientist with no other distinguishing traits, and SpongeBob is nothing more than a consistent buffoon.
In short, what makes the modern episodes so dull is the lack of commitment to the characters and their relationships. Canonically, there would be no reason for Karen to befriend Mrs. Puff, yet in modern episodes the female characters of the show—Karen, Mrs. Puff, Sandy, and Pearl—are, for at least one episode, collectively a group of friends. While there are plenty of shows where characters whose paths are unlikely to cross eventually do meet, it seems the context of how it is approached is weak, even for a cartoon.
While the show’s creator Stephen Hillenberg never intended for the series to carry on for this long, the current writers have no care whatsoever for the content it produces, but rather use the brand as nothing more than a means to generate more revenue. With several spinoff series, including Kamp Koral and The Patrick Star Show, there is no longer a focus on the original series, as the attention has been shifted to alternative projects, with some of these storylines altering the previously established backgrounds of the characters.
It can become difficult to create meaningful storylines over the course of a few years, let alone over two decades, and while it is painful to admit, there should be a time to seek a conclusion. While I would never want to see the end of SpongBob, it seems if it no longer can provide decent content and it should not just be used as just a money generator.