Help Wanted

Well it was nice to fall back into Spongebob from the start. 

We started our watch event following our adventure to BWLR. Yogi was tired and went to sleep on the floor, I knocked up some Spongebob themed doughnuts, a summer mocktail, and laid out some sweets, including Krabby Patties, in some clam bowls. A few episodes in Jamie cooked us up a small feast in the form of fajitas and then it was easy munching and easy viewing from there.

 

The first episode is divided into 3 segments, Help Wanted, Reef Blower, and Tea at the Treedome.

In this first post we are going to exclusively look at Help Wanted, one of the most iconic Spongebob episodes of all time purely because of the light-hearted song that plays while Spongebob is pelting Krabby Patties at the Anchovies.

In this episode, Spongebob lays out the future of the series going forward. Currently unemployed, Spongebob goes to apply for the job post at the Krusty Krab, expressing his life dream is to be the fry cook. 

Squidward makes it clear to Mr Krabs upon Spongebob's arrival NOT to accept his application, so in order to fob him off, Krabs sends him on a fool's errand to get a super spatula which undoubtedly does not exist. 

Not long after Spongebob leaves on his errand, several bus loads of hungry Anchovies arrive at the restaurant for food. They are down a fry cook and neither Squidward or Mr Krabs are going to be able to feed the masses. It is a riot, the Anchovies are becoming aggressive and it looks like the end of the Krusty Krab.

Just as all hope is lost young Spongebob arrives with the very spatula he was sent for and saves the day. 

Help Wanted sets the scene for all Spongebob cannon to come. He now has a job, our main characters are established, and a fun, light-hearted tone is set. It is in this first episode we meet Gary, Squidward, Mr. Krabs, and Patrick, these are our main characters throughout the next 25 years of Spongebob aside from Sandy and Plankton who are introduced not too many episodes later. 

We know the characters, we've also set the settings what with Spongebob's house and the Krusty Krab, now he has his job too. Considering this episode is only a few minutes long, it has a lot to unpack. However, this quintessentially is the definition of Spongebob Squarepants, this was a winner from the very start. You look at most pilot episodes and think about giving the rest of the series a go, with SBSP you just know you are going to keep watching as it is so friendly and so mindless that everyone loves it.

Spongebob as a character is cute. Simply cute. He has an 'I love pain poster' in his home gym which uses teddies as dumbells, but the love is a love heart and is in pink. His home is brightly coloured, he wants to be a fry cook and is insanely happy. Spongebob exudes joy and his juxtaposition instantly with Squidward who is a bit of a grey colour and very grumpy straight away really sets the tone and brings balance to the series. If you look deeper into the colours Spongebob is a bright yellow, with a bright brown, red and white accent. Squidward is grey/green with a drab brown shirt, he's boring. We see more of this later in the series, the fun vs boring competition. Spongebob comes across childish and yet is in a very adult world which I think is what appeals to us now as we desperately try to cling on to our happier days. He keeps the joy and seems undefeated and maybe all of us want to be Spongebob deep down, even as we become Squidwards, but even he is encouraged to delve into his Spongebob side sometimes.

We give this first episode a 10/10. It is colourful, it is quirky, it is informative and pretty much everything you want in a pilot. This episode screams comfort even if you compare the animation and its quite sketchy, it has been 25 years and this was done by hand back then so it was literally sketchy. We love that touch, we seem to prefer older-Bob.  

When thinking about this episode the words that come to mind are fun, energetic, and entertaining. What more can you want?!