LMAO. Sorry just had to laugh at my 2018 review for a second because this is hilarious. I was so very misled and naive back then...
Anyway, let's get to the show, shall we?
Oh joy, "Plankton's Regular" another episode that I’m unsure whether it's considered infamous or not. Some of my opinions on public reception are still heavily influenced by 2013-2015 era cartoon reviewers, so it’s hard for me to say what public consensus is outside of that sphere. As you can see by my old review, I used to think very very little of this episode. I'm sure it will surprise no one, at the rate these reviews have been going, that my opinions on this episode have changed, and are hardly so drastic.
The beginning of this episode, with Plankton stewing in his misery and failure, is a pretty good start to things. The startled laughter that comes from me when he ends up ripping off his skin is probably a good sign, right? Well, it’s no matter, because the episode gets right into things immediately with Nat walking into the Chum Bucket and asking for a chum stick. Plankton’s disbelieving reaction is pretty funny, and probably mirrors all of our reactions as well. It certainly mirrors mine. But you can’t help but feel a little happy for the little guy for actually managing to get a customer who likes his food. It’s even easier to feel happy after seeing him completely breakdown in the first few seconds of this episode. The only thing I don’t like in these first few minutes is that there’s not really all that much to laugh at. But I was engaged so it’s alright.
Moving on, we cut to the Krusty Krab, which I’m going to be honest and just say it up front; I wish this entire part of the plot was cut from the plot. In fact, I think this episode would’ve worked better as a short, and have it just be about Plankton and Nat, with everything going the way it does just without Mr. Krabs or even SpongeBob. And that’s just how I feel about it. As it is, this Krusty Krab stuff feels unneeded. I get why it’s here, because it is an episode about Plankton and the Chum Bucket, but it just makes both Plankton and Mr. Krabs look bad, because of Plankton’s completely unearned smug satisfaction, and Mr. Krabs’ obsession to not let Plankton even have one regular when he’s not even a threat to him businesswise. So it’s just kind of irritating on both parts. And then from here, the episode turns into a bunch of predictably unsuccessful attempts by SpongeBob to get Nat to come to the Krusty Krab instead of the Chum Bucket, and very few moments in these minutes are funny, and I’m hardly entertained. The part where SpongeBob “trips” has got to be the worst offender, because it drags on for wayyyyy too long. I will say though, the part where SpongeBob replaces Karen was pretty funny for how lowkey twisted it was. I also liked how there was a little bit of foreshadowing in Nat saying that the Krusty Krab chum was the “second foulest thing he’s ever tasted”. And the idea bulb eyes gag was pretty good.
Once we get the role reversal between Mr. Krabs and Plankton in earnest, it occurs to me that this is not as fun as I’d expect it to be. A proper Mr. Krabs and Plankton role reversal would be super entertaining, like in “The Algae’s Always Greener”. This episode is not that because of what I said earlier about both parties being irritating to my soul. Additionally, I don’t even get to enjoy the true role reversal that much because Mr. Krabs and SpongeBob’s attempt to steal Plankton’s formula is foiled in like…30 seconds, and Plankton gloating is again irritating. At least SpongeBob makes things much more enjoyable just by being his cheerful self.
And then we get the final, notorious reveal that Nat was actually paid by Karen to regularly eat at the Chum Bucket so that Plankton would stop complaining. And then Plankton starts crying just like he did at the beginning of the episode, with Mr. Krabs enjoying every second. As for my feelings about this ending, I find myself disappointed. Not because the ending is bad, but because I was expecting to feel more upset about it than I actually was. Honestly Karen is completely valid for doing this LMAO, because I too would be quite annoyed at Plankton by this point. If only he’d let go of the chum idea.
“Plankton’s Regular” had potential, I think. Not a ton of it, but it could’ve been more than what it ended up being if both Mr. Krabs and Plankton weren’t insufferable here. As it is, the only source of enjoyment I get from this episode is probably SpongeBob, and a few jokes here and there.
Episode Tier: Mediocre
Episode Score: 5.5/10
