SpongeGuard On Duty (SpongeBob Squarepants TV shorts)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C     Episodes: B-

 

 

Every once in a while, an animated character shows up that really strikes a chord with kids of all ages.  SpongeBob Squarepants is the latest unlikely star, though in animation these days, the more unlikely, the better.  Though I am not ecstatic over him, I can see why he is popular and Nickelodeon has been issuing collections of select shows on DVD for a while.  SpongeGuard On Duty is the latest.

 

The color schemes and the art are part of the reason, which is very good, especially for TV these days.  The voice actors are very good at infusing the characters with depth and the writing is clever enough to exceed the children’s audience the show is still basically intended for.  The humor comes form the characters being insecure, having human traits and flaws, then being in a human-like world, until the contradictions come to haunt them.  Rarely vulgar or obscene, the show has personality to spare and the teleplays are very consistent.  It is also fair to say the show appreciates the classic era of animation, including the rubbery form of the Fleischer Studios, and all this gives the shows rewatchability.  The shows here include:

 

SpongeGuard On Duty

Naughty Nautical Neighbors

Walking Small

Pressure

Jellyfish Hunter

Nasty Party

Doing Time

Clams

 

The full frame image on the DVD for each short looks good, but there are some small flaws that give away the late NTSC analog source for this disc in micro-shimmering and slight softness throughout.  Occasional live-action footage is not better.  This is not animation with extreme detail, so these flaws are diminished.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo does not have any palpable Pro Logic surrounds, but is definitely a recent recording.  The only extras are storyboards for two of the shows and trailers for other Nickelodeon DVDs, the former being more for adults and artists than kids.

 

Creator Steven Hillenberg has scored a victory in the artform when it needed it most, a character with heart and soul who has his insecurities, but sometimes and suddenly gets a boost of energy, self-confidence and inspiration and he suddenly feels that nothing can stop him.  In such bad times, children are not as dumb as those making our lives miserable believed, they think they are just blank know-nothings waiting to be influenced by propaganda they’ll easily absorb.  SpongeBob Squarepants is practically subversive, as all the cartoon greats are, and that is why the feature film should be all the more interesting.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo