Bubble Buddy Returns

More like "Bubble Buddy Almost Doesn't Return"

**Bubble Buddy Returns** is an infamous episode of SpongeBob SquarePants. In this episode, SpongeBob attempts to keep Bubble Buddy's son out of danger after he is put in charge of taking care of him.

## Why It Doesn't Return

1. This episode is indeed a rehash of "Bubble Buddy," which pre-movie episode wasn't that great to begin with. Except, this time is about SpongeBob taking care of Bubble Buddy's son, Shiny. That could've become an interesting episode, but instead, there's a lot of problems with it.
2. **Bad title:** Yeah, sure, Bubble Buddy technically returns in this episode, but he barely has a role in it. **He only gets *five* lines and only appears in the beginning and the end of the episode!** Meanwhile, most of the episode is focusing on his son, Shiny, who constantly causes the troubles in Bikini Bottom this time.
	* Think about it, it's also a generic title, this title could've described every future episode that Bubble Buddy has a role, like "Bubbletown".
	* Not only that, but the design of the title card is very lazy. It was just the "Bubble Buddy" title card with the word *Returns* slapped onto it. Not to mention, the word "Returns" is not even in the bubble font.
3. Speaking of Shiny, he's an unlikeable and useless character. He goes by ruining the Bikini Bottomites' stuff, even going as far as by popping the Krusty Krab, even when SpongeBob is trying to take care of him.
4. Most of the episode is, as mentioned above, focusing on Shiny causing the troubles in Bikini Bottom, and SpongeBob trying to keep Shiny from the dangers, but then SpongeBob constantly getting hurt. **THAT'S LITERALLY IT,** like, that is the **entire** episode. It can make the episode very boring.
5. **Plot hole:** When Shiny gets inside one of Squidward's cabinets, SpongeBob checks, but he isn't even there. He might've popped or something, but strangely, he is still alive despite some of the sharp objects from inside all the cabinets.
	* How did everything in Squidward's house get messed up by Shiny? Bubbles can't even mess anything up, because usually when they land on something, they pop.
6. Shiny may have gotten scolded by SpongeBob, but even scolding isn't enough to discipline Shiny since he keeps letting SpongeBob go through his shenanigans.

## Good Qualities

1. At least the rest of the characters are likable, like SpongeBob, Squidward, & the Bikini Bottomites.
2. The idea of returning Bubble Buddy is a nice idea, despite appearing only in the beginning & end of the episode let alone treat his "return" to Bikini Bottom look like a joke to most people.
3. Though it was for only a moment, Shiny did receive some comeuppance when he was *inadvertently* popped by SpongeBob.

## How to fix the episode?

1. Put some more funny jokes into the episode because this one isn't too funny, though.
2. Give some more eventful stuff so it's not just SpongeBob trying to keep Shiny from causing the trouble.
3. It might not be the biggest deal, but they could've changed the name of the episode to "Son of Bubble Buddy." That could've not only made the title more fitting than the original one, but also been a reference to those "Son of \_\_\_" things like "Son of the Morning Star," "Son of the Pink Panther," "Son of the Mask," "Son of the Dragon," etc. It would've been more fitting and cleverer than just the generic name "Bubble Buddy Returns."

## Reception

The episode received mixed to negative reception from reviewers & fans, most notable due to Bubble Buddy not appearing that much. It has a 6.4/10 on IMDb, along with the ULTRA-famous *The Krabby Patty that ate Bikini Bottom*.