What is it about old spongebob that made it so good, and why hasn't any other cartoon manage to achieve it since?
Good writing and good like-able characters, and it was the one of the few shows around its time that didn't have to rely on over the top gross out humor & rudeness in order to be funny and appeal to kids. That's what they said on the documentary about Spongebob at least
>>81561158
all of this, but the setting was also fun and different from the norm.
plenty of other cartoons surpassed spongebob.
>avatar: the last airbender
>gravity falls
>fairly oddparents seasons 2-4
>dexter's lab first few seasons
>adventure time first few seasons
>chowder
>star vs the forces of evil
>steven uni- hahaha okay maybe not but the others above are legit contenders
Really good comedic writing, that's basically it.
>>81561678
>implying any of those even fucking touch episodes like Band Geeks and the Krusty Krabs Training Video
kek
>>81561678
Spongebob is easily the most quotable show out of that list
Actual, high quality writing and jokes. A fair chunk of the old ones were still pretty hit or miss but the ones that hit made it the international icon it was.
>>81561158
The jokes had a lot of good wit behind them. And there was a good variety of upbeat and cynical jokes between contrasting characters like Spongebob and Squidward. More importantly, for as stupid of a show as it was they really didn't dumb down the dialogue for kids much and the characters had a good balance between behaving like real people and crazy cartoon characters. Also the delivery, especially the timing, of punchlines was on point. And it didn't hurt that the detailed/realistic zoom-in shot gags were also pretty different for a cartoon at the time.
Also I don't know who's idea it was to make their own Wilhelm scream in the form of "my leg!" but it was brilliant.
The Inner machinations of my mind are an Enigma.
>>81561158
Spongebob had lots of great qualities, but the one that really stood out to me as I got older was how unformulaic it was. There was a cast of characters and a setting, but that was about it. Most episodes were incredibly unique and totally unpredictable. Compare that to cartoons like Regular Show, Phineas and Ferb, or Dan Vs. which were generally very formulaic. Not to say that they were bad, not at all, but they just show how different Spongebob was. Really, Spongebob's humor reminds me more of improv or sketch comedy than most comedy TV shows, whether animated or live action.
>>81561678
Gumball, FOP, and Chowder are the only things that even come close to pre-movie spongebob.
>>81561678
>avatar
Probably but it's a different genre
>Gravity Falls
The Humour was bad and "muh plot" was underwhelming. Good show but doesn't touch op
>Fairly Odd
Maybe. Less consistent than OP tho
>Dexter
Don't actually remember this show that much.
>AT
Adventure time was pretty golden but never 10/10 like OP. It failed to strike a good balance between the things people liked about it
>Chowder
No
>Star vs
This is a joke
>Steven Universe
Better than some of the shows you listed but not the same genre as OP
>>81565158
Old fop was fantastic, put it on my top 3 nick shows
>>81561678
None of them come close to what they did with the KK Training Video.
>>81564179
>"She's so majestic and graceful, perhaps I should name her Majesty or Grace... or Debbie"
I die everytime
>>81563714
>behaving like real people
That episode where Squidward got fired for a dime was on last night. I fucking laughed at the scene where Squid's cardboard got taken and that he had to eat his paintings because no one would buy them. My little sibling didn't get this and I told her she'll understand when she grows up.
Scene was brutally true but good for a laugh.
>>81561678
You've got me at ATLA, but
>star vs the forces of evil
>gravity falls
>FOP
>AT
Nigger what the fuck are you smoking
I like SVEG and GF, but they're nothing compared to season 1-3 (and a few ep's into season 4) of spongebob.
Writing and comedic timing. Spongebob was the master at it but I feel The Amazing World of Gumball is the closest to reaching Spongbobs level of humor but never quite make it.
Gumball revolves to much on meta humor and satire to get it's jokes, while Spongebob show almost never relied on that, just good old fashioned punchlines and timing which I feel makes it more timeless.
>>81567111
As much as I love it, Gumball also has a tendency to shove some of its jokes in your face. They'll have the characters really react after a line to make sure to drive home how funny it is. Spongebob was really good at delivering a great line and continuing the scene without missing a beat. Like you said, the comedic timing was amazing.
cartoons I liked better than spongebob:
wander over yonder
pic related
... think that might be it
>>81567579
forgot my pic!
>>81561678
>Avatar.
Apples and oranges.
>GF.
The humor never approached Spongebob, and the fun of the mystery was marred by a lackluster conclusion.
>FOP.
Nah, FOP was really hit and miss, only Channel Chasers even comes close.
>Dexter's Lab.
Good enough, but not even the best CN show. Maybe the best of that era though.
>AT
Occasionally did get pretty funny, but not nearly as consistently as Spongebob.
>Chowder
See the above, although Chowder probably edges out AT simply for being a pure comedy.
>Star vs.
No, not even close.
Honestly the only shows that I think of as Spongebob-tier are Golden-Age Simpsons, EEnE, and sometimes Flapjack.
>>81568606
>Honestly the only shows that I think of as Spongebob-tier are Golden-Age Simpsons, EEnE, and sometimes Flapjack.
Agreed except for Flapjack. I think it was closer to Adventure Time and Chowder than Spongebob. I'd say the only cartoons besides EEnE and Simpsons that could compete would be Futurama and Homestar
>>81569173
I'd have to agree with you. Maybe put classic Loony Toons on there too.
>spongebob got awful
>simpsons got awful
>futurama got worse
>EEnE's school seasons were weaker
Fuck, maybe we shouldn't hope Homestar comes back.
>>81569173
>>81570080
Man, I forgot about Looney Tunes, Homestar, and early Futurama. Yeah, they're all up there for sure.
Rocko also had kind of a similar vibe, which makes sense give who was working on it, but it never quite hit Spongebob levels of consistency. I guess that's one of the real standouts about early Spongebob; it was consistently funny as hell.
>>81562675
>quotable
>NAME YOUR POOP AFTER A SPONGEBOB QUOTE /b/!!!!
yeah, nah
>>81562576
>Band Geeks
most overrated shit ive ever seen.
>>81573129
Now anon don't panic when I say this, but you might, I repeat, MIGHT be a fucking faggot. Just a theory though
>>81565158
What Genre is Steven Universe even now. It always bounces between drama, comedy, slice of life, and """action"""
>>81561158
No other cartoon ever did over the top zaniness in a way that wasn't retarded.
Everything about old spongebob was completely absurd, but it was planned absurdity. The absurdity was used as a tool for humor, rather than the core of the show. It is so hard to duplicate because every show that uses absurdity for humor quickly begins to rely on it as a substitute for real jokes. Spongebob resisted longer.
Flapjack got close.
>>81561678
The wrongest opinion I have ever read
>>81576618
It really did and its a true classic.
Writing
Character design
>>81575541
It's the garbage genre
>>81561678
>FoP
>AT
>>81561678
>>avatar: the last airbender
It's storyline and characters are what made the series the cult it is, it's not really quotable other that 'honour' there could be more though its been awhile
>>gravity falls
As the years go on it'll be remember fondly and quoted, It definitely it got weak at the end but bill, granule stan and the jokes were the high point for the show and NWHS will go down as one of the biggest reveals in cartoons
>>fairly oddparents seasons 2-4
Spot on, but it probably wouldn't be as relevent of a series if it ended at 4where as spongebob would still be what it is has it been finished after the movie
>>dexter's lab first few seasons
Just like PGG and Bravo it's average
>>adventure time first few seasons
Definitely, hopefully they end it at season 8, the writers did great stuff 1-4 and now recently 7, all the cast are just as memorable as spongebob
>>chowder
Eh it has't catch on now so it probably won't ever, it was great stuff but it doesn't have the charm
>>star vs the forces of evil
Nah, everythings a reference and nothing is remotely charming about a ripoff of the 'intergalactic' princess trope. Nothing is memorable except for the finale
>>steven universe
Every episode has a memorable scene that is talked about, easily a strong contender but it may just been an invader aim of this generation and nothing more. It's very strong as a show and stronger than you is the new FUN song
>>81561158
Ed, Edd'n Eddy
Mission Hill
The Oblongs
Venture Bros
Rick and Morty
Coraline
Courage
Young Justice
Teen Titans
Gumball
Adventure Time
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Invader Zim
Billy and Mandy when it was still grim & evil
Spectacular Spiderman
The Boondocks
JLU
my life as a teenage robot
Bojack
Spongebob was good but not this untouchable thing people pretended it was. I'm not sure if it even cracks my top 20 cartoon desu
>>81561678
If you're going to throw the first few seasons of AT in there, don't forget Regular Show's first few. They were both on point to the same extent as each other, both fucked up around the same time too.
>>81570080
classic looney toons, while revolutionary, was boring as fuck
