All That Glitters (SpongeBob SquarePants)

All That Glitters is a SpongeBob SquarePants episode from season four. In this episode, SpongeBob breaks his spatula and is forced to replace it.

All That Glitters

June 2, 2006
The day that's not the end of the world, but it's was the end of the golden age and started of the first decline..

Series:	SpongeBob SquarePants
Part of Season:	4
Episode Number:	12a (72a)
Air Date:	June 2, 2006
Writer:	Zeus Cervas Erik Wiese Steven Banks
Previous episode:	Karate Island (5574-421)
Next episode:	Whale of a Birthday (5574-423) Wishing You Well

Plot

When SpongeBob's spatula breaks after trying to flip a monster patty, he sells everything he has to replace it.

Why Everything in This Episode That Glitters Is Not Gold

For starters, the plot itself is very generic and feels rather forced: SpongeBob damaging his spatula and having to replace it. Who finds this premise interesting?
It's the second post-2004 movie episode after "Funny Pants", where SpongeBob's flanderization returns. His constant crying will get on your last nerves. Of course, though, his flanderization isn't officially the norm until the second part of season six, but still.
The Monster Krabby Patty joke also isn't funny and felt forced that Erik Wiese and Steven Banks try to think something "funny". It can also be considered somewhat of a plot contrivance for the events of the episode.
- As stated above, it's this irritable, drawn-out gag of SpongeBob crying over a broken spatula, or "Spat" as he calls it, that he can simply replace. It just shows how lazy the writing is.
The episode tries to be a soap opera parody but fails because of SpongeBob continuously crying over a spatula.
This episode could also be considered a filler episode as there are other gags aside from SpongeBob's prolonged crying that go on for too long, such as SpongeBob reminiscing all the past times he has had with Spat, and him trying to sell all his personal belongings including his clothes to the man at the store in a desperate attempt to purchase "Le Spatula" as a replacement. Because he had to sell everything, he could have possibly sold Gary.
- This also results in him being naked for the rest of the episode after he purchases Le Spatula, which doesn't make sense at all.
No one is likable in this episode:
- SpongeBob himself is annoying in this episode due to his excessive crying, and he is unusually emotional, oblivious and even submissive here compared to other episodes.
- Squidward, as cynical as he is, outright harasses SpongeBob for being naked in the Krusty Krab.
- Le Spatula is an awful French stereotype. He hates Krabby Patties and considers them filth. He is also a jerk for betraying SpongeBob and punching him in the face. Not to mention, he gets no comeuppance for his cruel actions.
- Mr. Krabs seems to only want to help SpongeBob because it makes him more money, and expects him to make patties twice as fast despite the above statement.
- The doctor that helps "Spat" is revealed to be an actor researching for the part at a real hospital, which can be illegal.
A couple of contrived plot holes:
- Le Spatula is the only spatula SpongeBob wants to buy as if he's the only spatula in town. Doesn't Bikini Bottom even have a spatula store, and doesn't Barg-N-Mart have a spatula since SpongeBob got his first spatula there?
- Le Spatula has legs and a giant fist, even though he was only made for cooking and not sports.
- SpongeBob's spatula was not sentient in previous episodes, yet suddenly, it was sentient in this one.
The scene where SpongeBob has a huge meltdown over Spat in the hospital and says his infamous quote "All that glitters is not gold." is the most annoying part of the whole episode.
This episode had the highest amount of SpongeBob's emotional outbursts, probably even more so than later episodes like "Waiting", "A Day Without Tears", and "SpongeBob, You're Fired".
Generic and clichéd ending: SpongeBob's arm breaks off, which was another stupid moment of the episode.
- Though fortunately, we don't need to hear his crying again. Instead, we hear his laughing as the episode ends.
It feels more like a tackle on depression rather than being a soap opera parody.

Qualities That Break the Mold

SpongeBob, despite his flaws and annoyance, is the only likable character here.
- Although not by much, Le Spatula would eventually make his first appearance seventeen years later after "All That Glitters", and he reappears in SpongeBob Simulator and SpongeBob X Minecraft, and he can be seen as a bit better, since he doesn't talk at all and he is not hostile.
The parts of SpongeBob crying over Spat while in therapy and Patrick coming up to the hill where SpongeBob is crying, and he cries along with him is funny.
While the flashback scene was too long, it does have its moments, such as the part where SpongeBob fights a pirate with Spat.
It has a good moral about how you shouldn't take things that you love dearly for granted, which is even pointed out in the quote stated at WEITETGING #10.
To be fair, the only reason SpongeBob bought Le Spatula in the first place is because he clearly needed something to do his fry-cook job. With Spat broken, SpongeBob didn't really have much of a choice despite how expensive Le Spatula was.

Reception

This episode was met with negative reception, and it is often considered the start of the downfall of SpongeBob SquarePants for provoking an overall drop in episode quality until Season 9. It currently sits with a 7.1 rating on IMDb, along with its better-received sister episode "Wishing You Well", and it also has a 4.0 rating on SpongeBuddy Mania. This is EmployeeAMillion's second least favorite Season 4 episode and was featured in Jem Reviews' Another Top 10 Worst SpongeBob Episodes list.

Trivia

The title is based upon a quote from William Shakespeare's play "The Merchant of Venice" (Act II, Scene VII): "All that glitters is not gold."
Ironically, this episode is paired with "Wishing You Well", which is the opposite of this episode.
This episode would get a two sequels in 2012 and 2023 being "Evil Spatula" and "Spatula of the Heavens".

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