Why You Can’t Stream Spongebob Squarepants’ ‘Mid-Life Crustacean’ Episode On Paramount+ – Looper

The reason for the “Spongebob Squarepants” episode “Mid-Life Crustacean” being taken out of circulation has to do with a scene at the end of the episode. When Mr. Krabs needs a night out on the town after being down about his age, Patrick and Spongebob take out to do their favorite evening activities, like watching laundry machines and going to the dentist. The episode then culminates with the trio going on a panty raid. In true “Spongebob” fashion, the panties the group ends up raiding belonged to Mr. Krabs’ mother, so he is punished and sent to his room, making him indeed feel young again. 

Fans of the series weighed in through a Reddit thread on the episode’s removal and opinions seem split. “I understand why they pulled the episode,” u/flclhack said, “but they’re trying to scrub it out of existence, and I’m never in favor of that.” Another Redditor, u/damados, said, “They ban this episode but not the one where Squidward’s toenail gets ripped off.” 

Overall, it seems as if viewers saw the reasoning for calling the episode into question, but they also would have been open to the network approaching it in a different way. Time will tell if the episode of “Spongebob” that went too far will ever be added back to the service.