SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete 2nd Season
SpongeBob's sophomore year on television was as loopy asseason 1, way down in the underwater town known as Bikini Bottom. The 40 animated episodes onSpongeBob SquarePants: The Complete Second Seasonfind the cackling little optimist-hero and his bizarre community back in action, defending the honor of fast-food eatery the Krusty Krab, redefining the meaning of friendship along rather disturbing lines, and presenting new challenges and opportunities for SpongeBob--which means he's almost certain to alienate and offend someone every time. "Something Smells" finds the unfailingly friendly SpongeBob plagued by an antisocial problem with profoundly bad breath, about which he hasn't a clue, of course. "Squid's Day Off" features fan favorite Squidward the curmudgeon in priceless scenes of gnawing anxiety after he leaves the Krusty Krab in SpongeBob's typically incapable hands. "You Wish/Shanghaied" is a very funny piece in which SpongeBob, best friend Patrick the starfish, and Squidward stumble upon the Flying Dutchman's sunken ship, squander two out of three wishes, and then weigh their individual preferences for that final wish. (Patrick's choice: gum.) Another classic, "I'm with Stupid," stars an altruistic SpongeBob pretending to be even more dumb than Patrick in order to make the latter look brilliant to his parents. Great stuff, and a natural high at that.--Tom Keogh