Most children’s shows don’t last more than a season or two. Even the shows that had the most impact on Saturday mornings such as H.R. Pufnstuf, Hong Kong Phooey and Lancelot Link Secret Chimp. They make a handful of episodes and rerun them for decades. Against such major odds, SpongeBob SquarePants continues to be made and dominate after a decade. Maybe the secret is being yellow since it works for The Simpsons? After numerous episodes, SpongeBob SquarePants 10 Happiest Moments brings together the times when the underwater icon brought glee to his submerged world.
“Tea at the Treedome” has SpongeBob and Patrick Starfish drop by Sandy the Squirrel’s house. Little do they know that she lives in a substance that’s dangerous to them: air. How can the boys survive without looking like ungrateful guests? “MermaidMan and BarnacleBoy” is the first encounter between the most rabid fan with his elderly superhero icons. The true rush of this episodes is the voices being a McHale’s Navy reunion with Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway behind the microphone. “Culture Shock” lets Squidward host a classy talent show at the Krusty Krab. The audience just isn’t into it until SpongeBob stumbles into the spotlight. “Karate Choppers” plays as a tribute to the Pink Panther movies. Sandy and Spongebob keep Kung Fu fighting without warning to show off their mean moves. It gets in the way of his job.
The best is “The Graveyard Shift” when Mr. Krabs announces at the last minute that he’s keeping the restaurant open 24 hours a day. This means Squidward and SpongeBob can’t go home. Even worse is the tale of a monster with a spatula hand puts the boys in fear. “The Algae’s Always Greener” lets Plankton swap places with Mr. Krabs. It’s not a smooth switcheroo. “Just One Bite” forces Squidward to finally taste a Krabbie Patty. “No Weenies Allowed” reminds us why rough and tumble bars don’t want overactive sponges around the pool tables. “Roller Cowards” takes SpongeBob and Patrick on the most dangerous roller coaster ever. Just in time for the holiday season comes “Christmas Who?” Santa blows off his one day of the year to work. Guess who has to save the day?
Amazing to think that there’s been over 273 shorts starring SpongeBob SquarePants since he arrived on the scene back in 1999. Kids are about to graduate from high school that have had a yellow bedtime pal when they started first grade. There are plenty of episodes to pick through to find the 10 best visits to Bikini Bottom. Most kiddie cartoons can have their complete season shoved on a single DVD. Strangely enough, you just have to be in a kid-like state to get happy watching the mayhem around the Krusty Krab. SpongeBob 10 Happiest Moments brings the soaked bliss.
The video is 1.33:1 full frame. The image looks good with the bright yellow character glowing. The audio is Dolby Digital stereo. The levels are fine enough to hear the dialogue over bubbles popping. There’s a Spanish dub track. The episodes are Closed Captioned.
“Help Wanted” Pilot Episode (9:07) reveals how SpongeBob landed the job at the Krusty Krab. This inclusion is a relief for anyone who bought The Complete 1st Season boxset only to discover it had been removed because of a copyright issue with the Tiny Tim song.
SpongeBob 10 Happiest Moments is the perfect sampler to stick in the backseat DVD player to keep the kids quiet during road trips. The selection is good for the casual fan of the yellow sponge that wears pants and flips Krabby Patties for a living. The bonus of his first episode makes this a good introduction to people who somehow haven’t caught on to the animated sensation of the 21st Century.
Paramount Home Entertainment presents SpongeBob 10 Happiest Moments. Starring: Starring:Tom Kenny, Clancy Brown, Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway. Running time: 133 minutes. Rating: G. Released on DVD: September 14, 2010.
