SBC's Top 30 Worst Episodes Ever (25th Anniversary Edition)

[WinterArcanine]

IMO: Truth or Square is not only an amazing episode, but is actually my favorite episode of the series. Truth or Square being on this list at all, let alone all the way down at #6 is easily the thing I disagree with most. I'm glad to see it at least avoided bottom 5 though. I thought it was gonna be like 4th.

I don't want to go any further in depth about this episode just in case it's on the best list, because I'd rather do an actual writing then. If it doesn't make it, maybe I'll do a writing for this after the best list is finished.

 

Ink Lemonade was in my bottom 10. This is another gross episode; between all the ink nosebleeds or whatever, the bandaid scene, and the ending scene with spiders coming out of Squidward's mouth, this episode is really disgusting. Thank god this episode is post sequel, because imagine how it'd be like if it was in post movie. This is some of the worst Squidward has ever been through, but none of it is actually funny, and is instead just kinda gross. Squidward doesn't even do anything wrong either, so it just ends up being a rare instance where "Squidward tortue" is an actual flaw; its neither funny or justified, so I just end up feeling bad for him. What makes it even worse is that after going through the haunted house or whatever it was, he doesn't even seem to be bothered at all by all of this, which makes no sense. It's just bad writing. This episode also has no funny jokes; besides the gross stuff, the other jokes are mostly just characters screaming and stuff, making this also a rare episode where "too wacky" is a real flaw. Overall, this is just a terrible episode and deserves to be down here. It says a lot that this episode got a bottom 10 placement with a single day of existence before submissions ended back in 2018.

[BenPaz]

Ink Lemonade was an episode I called incredible on SBM back when it first premiered maybe out of a sense of contrarianism but I do genuinely think the episode is "not that bad". It's not necessarily "great" or maybe even "good" but it's perfectly fine and has sick animation here and there. Just crazy visuals that help enhance the episode. It's maybe like Bottom 200 or something but def not bottom 5 of the entire show. It's maybe like a bottom 20 post sequel episode?

[4EverGreen]

...I...I will NEVER understand why people have so much HATE for "Truth Or Square"! Okay, FINE! Maybe some of the special WAS wasted potential and the "Patchy" segments not really needed, but let's see YOU write a one hour special and do better!...Oh, wait! You'd have to actually HAVE your own show to write one, first! Go ahead, I can WAIT to hear who actually HAS one and can back it up with proof! As for "Ink Lemonade", I have always FELT like it was bottom tier from the first time that I ever saw it aired! The only reason why I ranked it number 11 on my list is because I KNEW the episode was going to make bottom tier regardless of where I put it on my list, and there were a number of episodes that I wanted to TRY to get onto this list because I felt like they really deserve to be on this list!

[WhoBibbles]

10 hours ago, 4EverGreen said:

...I...I will NEVER understand why people have so much HATE for "Truth Or Square"! Okay, FINE! Maybe some of the special WAS wasted potential and the "Patchy" segments not really needed, but let's see YOU write a one hour special and do better!...Oh, wait! You'd have to actually HAVE your own show to write one, first! Go ahead, I can WAIT to hear who actually HAS one and can back it up with proof!

The show has proven time and time again they do have the juice to make a good special, maybe perhaps people didn't vibe with this episode and that's perfectly fine? Did you even read Carotte's review? I don't see why bash people for hating it, we all have different opinions and I think the attitude towards people hating this special shouldn't be an aggressive response like "OH LET'S SEE HOW YOU WRITE A SPECIAL, SEE HOW HARD IT IS". Truth or Square will always be a divisive ep of the show. Steel and Winter said their opinions on the episode just fine despite loving them, why not you do the same instead of going after people who dislike it? And I'm pretty sure it's gonna make it to the best list, so you have nothing else to lose. That's all

[Bob Carotte]

4. Excuse me, large lady. I'm a widdle girl who's misplaced herself. Can you help find me? I'm pwetty!

The Nitwitting - 237 points

13 of 21 lists (Highest ranking #2, @WhoBibbles @So Sejima) (+7)

Season: 12

Writer: Kaz

Plot:  Patrick inducts SpongeBob into his prestigious society of dullards and doofuses.

Another post-sequel episode that is at the very bottom, also written by Kaz (it's his seasonal infamous episode in season 12). It wasn't even in the bottom 10 in 2021 and now it's 7 places higher at #4. Anyways, I always knew this episode was gonna suck ever since I read the plot. I don't want to see another episode about dumbing down characters because it will never work. I'd say this is the episode that compiles ALL of post-sequel's flaws and the argument from SB twitter "post-sequel is too exaggerated and there is no plot" is valid. This episode is just basically the nitwit club having literally a brainless behaviour and doing stupid activities which is very boring and cringe. Just like Ink Lemonade, it has a lot of gross-out that is too uncomfortable to watch. It feels more like a Canadian cartoon more than SpongeBob. It's such a mess of an episode that goes all over the place.

 

3.  Well, I hate the smell of burning Krabby Patties even more.

SpongeBob You're Fired - 269 points

12 of 21 lists (Highest ranking #1, @SquiddyFace @WhoBibbles @dmandagiraffe) (-2)

Season: 9

Writers: Marc Ceccarelli, Luke Brookshier, Doug Lawrence

Plot:  Mr. Krabs fires SpongeBob to save a nickel, so SpongeBob must find work at other restaurants.

And here we are, SBYF lost its #1 spot this year and now it's down to #3. From all the specials in the show, this is absolutely the worst one. I hate it even more after hearing the history behind it: you guessed it, it was mandated by Nick. So they make Mr. Krabs fire SpongeBob in the dumbest way possible (he never deserves to be fired so what's the point?) to save a fucking nickel. Then SpongeBob proceeds to cry for 2 whole minutes and make it as annoying as possible. After boring minutes of SpongeBob being miserable unemployed (and Patrick not helping with the fun-employment thing) he looks for new jobs and gets fired everytime because he can only make Krabby Patties, isn't that funny??? It just feels really forced as you can tell Nick made the crew write this mess...it's the most pointless special you'll ever see knowing SpongeBob is always a hard worker so why have a reason to fire him? It can work as a little joke in an episode but not as a 22-minute special!!!

[WinterArcanine]

While I didn't have The Nitwitting episode on my list, it is still a very bad episode and was on my bottom 25. This episode is just insanely stupid. The whole episode is just idiots being idiots, which doesn't make for good humor. There isn't other jokes involved with it, or any smart people around, so its not a funny type of stupid, but just an annoying type of stupid. The jar scene is also disgusting, and the plot is boring; Spongebob also becoming a nitwit is pretty lame. Overall, this is just a lame and unfunny episode that can also be pretty annoying.

It really feels like I should hate Spongebob You're Fired more; it's a lame premise, Mr Krabs has the dumbest reason to fire Spongebob, and the episode is just very boring with few jokes. But for some reason....I kinda don't hate it? Like I don't even know why, I feel like I should...but for some reason it doesn't feel as bad as I'd expect it to be when I watch it? I really don't know why. But I don't blame people for hating it, since it's a very lame and boring episode. There's really no actual reason to fire Spongebob, and the fact that the reasoning they came up with was "It would save Mr Krabs a nickel" just proves that. The entire first half of the episode is just Spongebob being "funemployed", with no good jokes (and bad Sandy characterization, why is she doing unethical experiments on people?), and is just boring. When Spongebob starts looking for a job again, the episode just does the same thing four times in a row; Spongebob is hired at a restaurant themed after a specific type of food, with the owner wearing an outfit of that food, Spongebob ends up only being able to make krabby patties (or a mix of krabby patties and the food the restaurant is themed after), and the owner gets mad and fires him.

Then all of a sudden, all these food mascots start kidnapping Spongebob because, as it turns out, the customer actually liked his food. This is easily the best part of the episode, as everyone trying to kidnap Spongebob, and then a krabby patty guy (Squidward) appearing to save Spongebob is pretty fun. And, more importantly, the weiner guy being spared by Squidward only to instantly get run over is REALLY funny and easily my favorite thing about the episode. And then they ruined the potentially wholesome moment at the end when Squidward says that the only thing he hates more than Spongebob is the smell of burning krabby patties. Why exactly is this considered a wholesome moment? Squidward literally says he hates Spongebob, just that he hates something else even more. That's not remotely wholesome....also, the fact that Spongebob says he's aware that Squidward hates him is very weird. He's supposed to be super naive and not understand that Squidward hates him. The fact that he says he DOES know Squidward hates him not only doesn't fit with the rest of the show, but also implies that Spongebob intentionally annoys Squidward knowing that Squidward hates it, which I don't like. Yeah, I don't know why I don't hate this episode more lol.

 

Also SQUID BABY BOTTOM 2 YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

[4EverGreen]

"The Nitwitting"...is complicated for me to personally hate. For starters, it was the very FIRST episode segment to air after Stephen Hillenburg passed away, and ANY episode segment to air after that happened (let alone the first one) was going to have a tough sell. But...I just can't find it terrible enough for me to put it on my personal Worst list. And I can honestly see how "Spongebob, You're Fired" was basically a FORCED episode write by the Nickelodeon Studio, but the writers could've STILL at least TRIED to write a good episode about it. For instance, Mr. Krabs once tried to fire Spongebob for focusing too much on Karate instead of work, so it's not like the writers didn't HAVE options they hadn't already tried before! I probably would've put "Spongebob, You're Fired" on my list had there been more choices. Only two picks left to see. To quote Patrick: "I'm so close, I can almost TASTE it!" Enough said, true believers!

[BenPaz]

[Bob Carotte]

So...our countdown is almost done so it’s time to reveal the absolute worst SpongeBob episodes! These two episodes have gotten the most criticism and disappointment not only here but fans elsewhere in the SpongeBob fandom, and many people consider them as the lowest of lowest points in the series. So, let’s dive into and see which episodes make SBC boo the loudest! 

are you ready? 

 

...

 

are you sure?

 

...

 

ok, enough fooling around

 

...

 

*gasps*

 

 

2. Well, I must say, it really completes your imbecile look. Way to go, buddy.

Stuck in the Wringer - 270 points

15 of 21 lists (Highest ranking #1, @Steel Sponge) (0)

Season: 7

Writers: Zeus Cervas, Sean Charmatz, Derek Iversen

Plot: SpongeBob gets stuck in his wringer.

So, Stuck in the Wringer keeps the #2 spot! I didn't put it very high (or low, however you interpret it) on my list but I completely understand why it would be bottom 5. Despite being the most picked episode it didn't win the #1 spot. Anyways, I feel like this episode could have been better because it's not a bad concept at all but since it's season 7, Patrick has to be brainless and Bikini Bottomites have to be rude for no reason. They write SpongeBob as the most miserable creature in Bikini Bottom being so unlucky to be injured in the Glove World rides and get hit in the eye by a baseball. SpongeBob then has enough of this and snaps at Patrick rightfully for ruining his life (he "helped" him to get off the wringer with the forever glue...what) but the crowd thinks SpongeBob is in the wrong...how is his heart the problem and not his buddy? Honestly, the quote "I guess crying does solve problems after all" is not the best, but it shouldn't be taken so seriously. The "here we go again" gag right after, (SpongeBob and Patrick being stuck again) is worse.

 

Here we are, let's reveal our chosen one!

 

AND THE WORST EPISODE SPONGEBOB IS... 

 

1.  My face! My face! Also my leg...but mostly my face!!!

Squid Baby - 325 points

14 of 21 lists (Highest ranking #1, @WinterArcanine @Bob Carotte @El Jacko @BenPaz @magic the veemon @Coffee_lover) (+2)

Season: 9

Writers: Casey Alexander, Zeus Cervas, Doug Lawrence

Plot: A head injury causes Squidward to think and act like he's a baby, and SpongeBob and Patrick must look after him.

Many people guessed it, Squid Baby switched places with SBYF and it's now our new #1!!! The point gap with #2 is bigger than #13 and #14, which is 55 (!!!) points, thanks to SIX people who put it as #1!!! I agree it's the worst of the worst because of so so many reasons. This is another episode Nick mandated just because they wanted to see Squidward as a baby, I'm not even kidding. Now let's focus on the main flaws from the episode itself...first, why are SpongeBob and Patrick acting like toddlers, just because they found SpongeBob's old baby toys??? Second, who thought it was a good idea of hitting Squidward's head in the worst way possible and becoming a man with a 1-year old mind, with a swollen head that is hard to look at? Third, the scenes where SpongeBob and Patrick take cake of him are extremely boring and it's nothing but Squidward crying. Fourth, to SpongeBob, why do you even bring him to the Krusty Krab and bug the customers? Fifth, why do you change his diaper in front of the customers??? Sixth, did we really need to see his diaper full of ??? Seventh, is hurting Squidward more that necessary to watch? and eighth, after all these injuries Squidward is back to normal??? It just solves abruptly because they didn't even know how to end this fucking mess. This episode is a giant 0/10 in my eyes and I wouldn't recommend you to rewatch it, unless you like to suffer mentally and physically.

/end of rant

 

aaaaaaand we're done!!! A big thanks to everyone who submitted and followed the list! I enjoyed reading your discussions on Discord and on this thread. This might be the last time SBC hosts a bottom list countdown as interest is lower than in past years as it's already been explained but the greatest thing is that it celebrates the show's 25th anniversary! I would like to thank @Jjs Goodman for giving me the chance to host such a special list! Below I will post everyone's lists, the full list (including dishonorable mentions) and the rest of episodes nominated that didn't make it (will post them on Discord as well)

THE 21 LISTS:

Spoiler

BOTTOM 30 + DISHONORABLE MENTIONS

Spoiler

#38 - 71:

Spoiler

#72 - 105

Spoiler

 

Well, back to being a rare forum poster! 

[WinterArcanine]

Stuck in the Wringer is really bad and was on my list. The biggest reason why it's so bad is that stupid scene where the bikini bottomites somehow blame Spongebob and say he's a bad person for getting mad at Patrick for literally ruining his life. Like.....what? He's completely justified in doing that???? It's one of the most infuriating moments of the entire show. Even besides that though, this episode is just boring. I can't recall a single joke in this entire episode. Or almost anything interesting at all. It's just Spongebob struggling to do literally anything for 11 minutes, with no jokes whatsoever, giving the whole episode a depressing vibe alongside its boringness, culminating with one of the most infuriating moments of the show. Something interesting though: The line at the end of the episode wasn't really meant to be a random moral. Patrick said earlier that crying won't solve any problems, and Spongebob was referencing that by saying that it CAN in fact solve your problems since it got him out of the wringer. It says a lot about how boring this episode is that barely anyone even remembers that though.

 

Squid Baby is my least favorite episode of the entire series, and its not even close. I really hate this episode. I'm so glad that Squid Baby has finally managed to get to #1 on a worst list; I feel like, while this episode was always hated, it used to not be one of THE most hated episodes, so I'm really glad it's finally gotten to that point recently. It even got 6 #1's!!! I'm so proud of you guys.

First of all, this episode starts with Spongebob and Patrick literally playing with baby toys and acting like babies. Spongebob and Patrick are already a bit too immature in this era of the show (especially in episodes like Yours Mine and Mine), but this is ridiculous. This is by far the most immature they've ever been, and this whole sequence is very annoying. And yet....this is one of the best parts of the episode. That's how bad this episode is. This episode's main joke involves Squidward, who has such severe brain damage that he is functionally a baby, constantly having his head slammed on things despite the doctor specifically saying not to do that because his brain damage would become permanent if they do that. What the fuck??? Literally nothing about that is funny whatsoever. Spongebob and Patrick being so careless (with their friend btw) that they constantly let Squidward's head get slammed, despite knowing that this would cause him to keep his brain damage forever, is super fucked up. They only ever acknowledge this once btw, Patrick slams Squidward's head and Spongebob tells him not to do that, then both of them do it many times after and they don't comment on it at all. This is easily the worst running gag in the entire series and it isn't even close.

Then Mr Krabs says that both Spongebob and Squidward (as a baby) need to work at the Krusty Krab. He doesn't care at all that Squidward has such severe brain damage that he's functionally a baby now. Squidward naturally does unfunny baby things and gets his head slammed multiple times (because permanent brain damage is sooooooo funny).......oh, and then he shits in his diaper. Because being a figurative shitshow wasn't enough for this episode, it needed to be a literal one too. And there are closeups of the diaper, because we truly all wanted to see that. Unsurprisingly, this ends up being one of the grossest moments of the entire show. And then somehow, after getting his head banged on something for like the 15th time (seriously, I'm not even exaggerating), suddenly he turns back to normal??? what??? Even though the doctor said this would make the damage permanent??? How does this even make sense???? Now, he did also have a bunch of ice cubes all over his head, which I assume is meant to be the reason he went back to normal, but that still doesn't make any sense!

This episodes raises so many questions. First of all, why even do an episode where Squidward is a baby? Babies lead to terrible humor; all they do is cry really loudly and annoyingly, and shit themselves (which is disgusting). This type of humor is already bound to fail. Rock a Bye Bivalve notably didn't rely on baby humor, it instead makes jokes about Spongebob and Patrick's "relationship", and the only baby joke I can think of is the diaper meme, which was actually funny. This episode on the other hand entirely is based on baby humor (and humor about making Squidward's brain damage worse), and naturally, this leads to an annoying and gross episode! Secondly........why go this direction for Squidward becoming a baby? They could have like....I don't know, maybe have him be turned into a baby through magic, or some sort of stupid silly gag... or some sort of powder that turns everyone into babies (oh wait, surely they would never do that, especially not in a season 5 episode that was delayed for years for some reason)? Nah, instead they went with brain damage....a serious and extremely unfunny thing that actually happens to people. Literally just about any other way would have been way better. And then why go the direction of making jokes about the head damage being permanent??? Who would find that funny? And then why have the episode end with an egregious example of toilet humor, something the show has notably almost never done outside of this episode? And considering all of this, why would they even approve this episode in the first place? How is this concept one they decided was good enough to be turned into a real episode? ESPECIALLY when this is 9a.....the season where half the episode concepts got scrapped, because they could only make some of them before ending production for the second movie. And then why did they even go out of their way to give this episode much better animation than the rest of 9a???? Seriously, they unironically did a good job with the backgrounds (especially the weather gradually getting worse throughout the episode), and Spongebob depressingly looking out the window lowkey goes hard (also fits how I feel watching this episode ngl). Why do all of this for THIS episode??? Did they really think this was the best possible episode for season 9??? Yeah, this episode is easily the worst episode of this entire series. I'm so glad that this episode is finally #1 on this list, because no other episode is more deserving than this one.

 

 

[4EverGreen]

"Stuck In The Wringer" is probably one of those episodes that no matter how many episodes of "Spongebob Squarepants" they make, it will probably ALWAYS be in the bottom two! I ALMOST put "Squid Baby" on my list, but I decided to switch it out for "Welcome To Binary Bottom", mostly because I felt that episode had more WASTED and pointless potential that couldn't be utilized. And I say that, because "Breadwinners" of ALL shows managed to do a similar concept to "Squid Baby", and actually PROVED that such a concept could be pulled off TASTEFULLY WITHOUT the two main protagonists acting like idiots! And SERIOUSLY; nobody ELSE put "Kooky Cooks" on their LIST?!!! Well, at least I got the highest (or lowest) ranked #1 episode that was only on one list. Maybe if we get some more new faces around here (and I'm not TOTALLY busy being famous like I hope to become by that time) maybe we can do this again in about three years. Enough said, true believers!

[WhoBibbles]

Kooky Cooks is a funny ep