Mid-Life Crustacean

Last updated
"Mid-Life Crustacean"
SpongeBob SquarePants episode
Mid-Life Crustacean.png
Mr. Krabs partaking in a panty raid with SpongeBob and Patrick, which treats his midlife crisis, the former unaware they were doing it in his mother's house.
Episode no.Season 3
Episode 15B
Directed byFrank Weiss (animation)
Written by
Produced by
Production code5572-210 [1]
Original air dateJanuary 24, 2003 (2003-01-24)
Episode chronology
← Previous
"The Great Snail Race"		Next →
"Born Again Krabs"
SpongeBob SquarePants (season 3)
List of episodes

"Mid-Life Crustacean" is the second half of the 15th episode of the third season and the 55th overall episode of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants . The episode premiered on Nickelodeon on January 24, 2003. [2] It is no longer rerunning on Nickelodeon as of 2018, and is also not available to watch on Paramount+. It is still available on home media releases with the panty raid scene, and pieces of the episode can be still seen ongoing on the Nickelodeon and SpongeBob SquarePants official YouTube channels. [3]

Contents

The episode's title is a pun on the phrase "midlife crisis."

Plot

Mr. Krabs struggles to get out of bed; after getting up, he asks Pearl if she thinks he's old, which Pearl says she does. When he arrives to the Krusty Krab, he overhears a customer complaining that their Krabby Patty tastes weird, which their mother comments that it is "all old and dried out," comparing it to Mr. Krabs, upsetting him further. After SpongeBob and Patrick announce their "big night out," Mr. Krabs asks to join, in an attempt to feel young again.

During the evening, SpongeBob and Patrick arrive at Mr. Krabs' house, and the three characters take off to a laundromat, where SpongeBob and Patrick watch their faces spin in the mirror's reflection of a washing machine; Mr. Krabs finds this activity boring, and would rather see more of the nightlife. They then partake in several more bizarre activities, none of which satisfies Mr. Krabs. At an arcade, SpongeBob, Patrick and several children ask Mr. Krabs if he's "feeling it" multiple times, which angers him, berating the duo. As he's about to cancel his night out, Patrick then changes his mind when he reveals that they are going out on a "panty raid", grabbing the interest of Mr. Krabs.

When SpongeBob, Patrick and Mr. Krabs sneak into a house to grab a woman's pair of underwear from her dresser drawer, they are caught, and it turns out that the woman happens to be Krabs' mother; SpongeBob and Patrick never told him it was her house they were raiding. Because of the boys' lie by omission, she grounds Mr. Krabs for the rest of the night; SpongeBob follows him and apologizes, to which Mr. Krabs forgives him, saying in regards to being forced to spend the night at his mother’s house, in his old room with his race car bed and toys: "I certainly feel younger". As SpongeBob and Patrick leave, Mr. Krabs is ordered by his mother to shut off his bedroom lights, to which he dejectedly abides.

Reception and controversy

In 2018, the episode was removed from rotation. While the specific reason has not been officially confirmed by Nickelodeon, it is heavily suggested that the panty raid scene has led to its removal. [4] [5] [6] A Nickelodeon representative has claimed the episode was pulled because it was deemed inappropriate for young children, despite other episodes in the franchise containing adult and edgy humor. [7] The episode along with the sister episode titled can still be watched on home media releases with the panty raid scene. [4]

In a 2019 ranking of SpongeBob's top 100 episodes, TV Guide listed "Mid-Life Crustacean" as the 79th best episode. [8]

Allegra Frank at Slate commented in 2021 "...as a nostalgia buff who looks to Paramount+ solely to sate that need, seeing a small piece of SpongeBob history be stripped away by its parent company is jarring. There are tons of other 11-minute SpongeBob adventures to enjoy, but there's nothing like watching an episode and having that warm feeling of remembering it; I'm sad I won't get to have that with that now-infamous 'panty raid' episode anymore." [6] In a 2021 article discussing the controversy around the episode by Comic Book Resources , writer Reuben Baron considered it a great episode, reasoning "There's tons of great character-based humor driven by Mr. Krabs' mid-life crisis, Pearl's embarrassment about her dad and SpongeBob and Patrick's gleeful strangeness." [7]

The episode was accidentally made available for streaming in July 2023 due to a technical error on the Paramount+ channel on Prime Video. The glitch was fixed almost immediately after. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr. Krabs</span> Fictional animated SpongeBob SquarePants character

Eugene Harold Krabs, better known as simply Mr. Krabs, is a fictional character in the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. He is voiced by actor Clancy Brown and first appeared in the series' pilot episode "Help Wanted" on May 1, 1999. The character was created and designed by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pearl Krabs</span> Fictional animated SpongeBob SquarePants character

Pearl Krabs is a fictional character in the Nickelodeon animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. She is voiced by actress Lori Alan and first appeared in the season one episode "Squeaky Boots" on September 17, 1999. She was created by the late marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg, who was inspired to design a whale character while supervising whale watches at the Ocean Institute in Dana Point, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sailor Mouth</span> 18th episode of the 2nd season of SpongeBob SquarePants

"Sailor Mouth" is the first segment of the 18th episode of the second season, and the 38th overall episode of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. It originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on September 21, 2001. In the episode, SpongeBob reads a "bad word" off a dumpster behind the Krusty Krab, but does not know what it means, which gets him into trouble with others.

<i>SpongeBob SquarePants</i> American animated television series

SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series created by marine science educator and animator Stephen Hillenburg that premiered on Nickelodeon as a sneak peek after the 1999 Kids' Choice Awards on May 1, 1999, and officially premiered on July 17, 1999. It chronicles the adventures of the title character and his aquatic friends in the underwater city of Bikini Bottom. The series received worldwide critical acclaim, and has gained popularity by its second season. As of 2019, the series is the fifth-longest-running American animated series. Its popularity made it a multimedia franchise, the highest rated Nickelodeon series, and the most profitable intellectual property for Paramount Consumer Products. By 2019, it had generated over $13 billion in merchandising revenue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dunces and Dragons</span> 6th episode of the 4th season of SpongeBob SquarePants

"Dunces and Dragons" is the sixth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants, and the 66th episode overall. It was written by Zeus Cervas, Erik Wiese, and Tim Hill, and the animation was directed by supervising director Alan Smart and Tom Yasumi; Cervas and Wiese also functioned as storyboard directors. The episode originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States as a half-hour special on February 20, 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Best Day Ever</span> 80th episode of the 4th season of SpongeBob SquarePants

"Best Day Ever" is the first segment of the 20th episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants, and the 80th episode overall. The episode was written by Nate Cash, Tuck Tucker, and Steven Banks, and the animation was directed by Larry Leichliter; Cash and Tucker also functioned as storyboard directors. It originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on November 10, 2006.

Friend or Foe (<i>SpongeBob SquarePants</i>) 1st episode of the 5th season of SpongeBob SquarePants

"Friend or Foe" is the first episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants, and the 81st episode overall. It was written by Casey Alexander, Zeus Cervas, Mike Mitchell, Steven Banks, and Tim Hill, and the animation was directed by supervising director Alan Smart and Tom Yasumi; Alexander, Cervas and Mitchell also functioned as storyboard directors. The episode originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on April 13, 2007.

<i>SpongeBob SquarePants</i> season 2 Season of television series

The second season of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants, created by Stephen Hillenburg, aired on Nickelodeon from October 20, 2000, to July 26, 2003, and consists of 20 half-hour episodes. The series chronicles the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the fictional underwater city of Bikini Bottom. The season was executive produced by series creator Hillenburg, who also acted as the showrunner.

<i>SpongeBob SquarePants</i> season 3 Season of television series

The third season of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants, created by Stephen Hillenburg, aired on Nickelodeon from October 5, 2001, to October 11, 2004, and consists of 20 half-hour episodes. The series chronicles the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the fictional underwater city of Bikini Bottom. The season was executive produced by series creator Hillenburg, who also acted as the showrunner. Hillenburg halted production on the show to work on the 2004 film adaptation of the series, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. After production on the film, Hillenburg resigned from the show as its showrunner, and appointed staff writer, Paul Tibbitt, to overtake the position. Season three was originally set to be the final season of the series, with the film acting as a series finale, but the success prevented the series from ending, leading to a fourth season.

<i>SpongeBob SquarePants</i> season 5 Season of television series

The fifth season of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants, created by former marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg, aired on Nickelodeon from February 19, 2007, to July 19, 2009, and contained 20 half-hour episodes. The series chronicles the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the fictional underwater city of Bikini Bottom. The season was executive produced by series creator Hillenburg and writer Paul Tibbitt, who also acted as the showrunner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What Ever Happened to SpongeBob?</span> 18th episode of the 5th season of SpongeBob SquarePants

"What Ever Happened to SpongeBob?" is the 18th episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants, and the 98th episode overall. It first aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on October 13, 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Great Patty Caper</span> 17th episode of the 7th season of SpongeBob SquarePants

"The Great Patty Caper", also known as "Mystery with a Twistery", is the 17th episode of the seventh season and the 143rd overall episode of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. The episode originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on November 11, 2010. The series follows the adventures of the title character in the underwater city of Bikini Bottom. In the episode, the key to the vault holding the Krabby Patty recipe gets lost and SpongeBob must locate it before the recipe is lost forever.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrick Star</span> Fictional animated character from SpongeBob SquarePants

Patrick Star is a fictional character in the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. He is voiced by actor Bill Fagerbakke and was created and designed by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. He first appeared in the series' pilot episode "Help Wanted" on May 1, 1999. In addition to his supporting role on SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick also serves as the main protagonist of The Patrick Star Show, which premiered in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SpongeBob, You're Fired</span> 11th episode of the 9th season of SpongeBob SquarePants

"SpongeBob, You're Fired" is a television special of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants, serving as the eleventh episode of the ninth season and the 189th overall episode. It was written by Marc Ceccarelli, Luke Brookshier, and Mr. Lawrence, with supervising director Alan Smart and Tom Yasumi serving as animation directors. Originally premiering in Greece on July 3, 2013, it premiered on Nickelodeon in the United States that same year on November 11. In this episode, SpongeBob gets fired from the Krusty Krab after Mr. Krabs discovers he can save a nickel by letting him go. Subsequently, SpongeBob's attempts to apply at other restaurants end in humiliating failure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Squid Noir</span> 9th episode of the 11th season of SpongeBob SquarePants

"Squid Noir" is the first half of the ninth episode of the eleventh season and the 224th overall episode of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. The episode originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on November 10, 2017. This episode aired as part of a premiere week of new SpongeBob episodes called "You Bring the Color". During the premiere week, users could color in frames from the SpongeBob SquarePants theme song online and had a chance for them to be used in the opening sequence. The original American airing of "Squid Noir" featured each frame of the last minute of the episode also colored by viewers. The episode revolves around Squidward's clarinet suddenly disappearing prior to his open mic performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Legend of Boo-Kini Bottom</span> 5th episode of the 11th season of SpongeBob SquarePants

"The Legend of Boo-Kini Bottom" is the fifth episode of the eleventh season, and the 220th overall episode of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. It originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on October 13, 2017. In this episode, the Flying Dutchman wants to make sure SpongeBob and his friends are scared on Halloween. It is one of two SpongeBob episodes animated through stop-motion instead of the usual 2D format, the other being, "It's a SpongeBob Christmas!".

<i>Kamp Koral: SpongeBobs Under Years</i> American animated television series

Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years is an American animated television series created by Stephen Hillenburg and developed by Luke Brookshier, Marc Ceccarelli, Andrew Goodman, Kaz, Mr. Lawrence, and Vincent Waller that premiered on Paramount+ on March 4, 2021. The series is a prequel and spinoff of Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants, featuring younger versions of the characters as they attend a summer camp. In August 2021, the series was renewed for a 13-episode second and final season, set to be released in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kwarantined Krab</span> 22nd episode of the 12th season of SpongeBob SquarePants

"Kwarantined Krab" is the second segment of the 263rd episode of SpongeBob SquarePants, airing as part of the show's twelfth season. It was originally scheduled to air in the United States in 2020, but the events of the COVID-19 pandemic caused it to be withheld from airing on Nickelodeon until April 29, 2022, due to the episode's plot revolving around a pandemic.

References

  1. ↑ DataBase, The Big Cartoon. "SpongeBob SquarePants Episode Guide -Nicktoons Prods @ BCDB". Big Cartoon DataBase (BCDB).[ dead link ]
  2. ↑ "SpongeBob SquarePants S3 E14 The Great Snail Race; Mid-Life Crustacean: Watch Full Episode Online". DIRECTV.
  3. ↑ Dastoor, Vaspaan (March 27, 2021). "Nickelodeon Pulled A SpongeBob Episode Because It Was About A Pandemic". TheGamer.
  4. 1 2 Petey Oneto (March 26, 2021). "SpongeBob SquarePants Episodes Pulled Over Storyline Concerns". IGN . Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  5. ↑ Diaz, Johnny (March 30, 2021). "Two SpongeBob SquarePants Episodes No Longer on Nickelodeon". The New York Times– via NYTimes.com.
  6. 1 2 Frank, Allegra (March 25, 2021). "Why Are These 11 Minutes Missing From SpongeBob on Paramount+?". Slate Magazine.
  7. 1 2 Reuben Baron (March 30, 2021). "SpongeBob SquarePants' Recently Banned Episode Was a Great One". Comic Book Resources . Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  8. ↑ "SpongeBob SquarePants' 100 Best Episodes Ranked". TVGuide.com.
  9. ↑ "Banned SpongeBob SquarePants Episode Returns Due to Glitch, Promptly Banned Again". 18 July 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.