Too Much for Kids? Real Reason These 2 'SpongeBob SquarePants' Episodes Were Banned
SpongeBob SquarePants has a huge adult fan base, yet the show usually stays within the bounds of kid-friendly content. However, that is not the case with these episodes.
Welcome to Bikini Bottom, a town at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean and home to one of the quirkiest and most charming animated characters – SpongeBob SquarePants.
Although SpongeBob SquarePants is technically a children's series, it has many adult fans who appreciate its delightful madness and connection to the real world.
However, SpongeBob SquarePants has had episodes so controversial that Nickelodeon removed them. According to the creators, some elements are not suitable for a child audience.
"Kwarantined Krab" Was Removed Due to Its Sensitive Subject Matter
One such episode is "Kwarantined Krab," which was released in 2019. It tells the story of an epidemic of "Clam flu."
An inspector comes to the Krusty Krab and informs everyone that someone in the restaurant has "Clam flu." Everyone present is required to sit out the quarantine, causing many to panic. Those suspected of being infected are put in a refrigerated chamber.
Nickelodeon stated that the episode was pulled due to its sensitive subject matter during the Covid pandemic:
“The 'Kwarantined Crab' centers on a virus storyline, so we have decided to not air it due to sensitivities surrounding the global, real-world pandemic.”
"Mid-Life Crustacean" Wasn't Appropriate for Kids, According to Nickelodeon
In another removed episode, "Mid-Life Crustacean," Mr. Krabs is feeling old and decides to take a vacation with SpongeBob and Patrick. After spending the night together, the trio breaks into a woman's house and steals her underwear. They are quickly caught by the homeowner, who turns out to be Mr. Krabs's mother.
A Nickelodeon representative stated that the episode was not appropriate for children:
“Mid-Life Crustacean has been out of rotation since 2018, following a standards review in which we determined some story elements were not kid-appropriate.”
The Episode Removal Divided 'SpongeBob SquarePants' Fans
The decision has received mixed reactions. Some viewers supported Nickelodeon, believing that some scenes in SpongeBob SquarePants really go beyond the bounds of harmless humor. Redditor ImpDoomlord wrote:
“An episode that implies their boss is trying to relive his glory days by breaking into a "girls" house and stealing her panties that turns out to be his mother's panties is kind of a strange subject matter for children today.”
However, many fans of the series were outraged, arguing that the series has always been absurd and shouldn't be taken too seriously. Reddit user Puzzleheaded_Pay1152 commented:
“I didn't get it when I was a kid, kids today won't get it either, there was no reason to Ban it.”
Anyway, we still have over 300 episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants, but if you're feeling nostalgic for these two particular episodes, the DVD box sets will be your salvation.
