SpongeBob SquarePants Christmas
December 2003 Reviewed by: Marc Mickelson Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

Earlier this year, I reviewed one of the array of SpongeBob SquarePants DVDs, and since that time I've noticed that the lovable SpongeBob seems to be everywhere. He's on clothes, and school supplies, and toys, and even food. Nickelodeon, the cable network that gave birth to SpongeBob and his underwater pals, has done an incredibly good job of marketing the characters -- incredibly good, that is, if you are not like me and think that SpongeBob's celebrity runs perilously close to overexposure.

Thankfully, the quality of this latest DVD remains high. It contains eight "merry episodes" along with a double-length cartoon from which the DVD gets its holiday cheer. This episode, part live and part animated, features Patchy the Pirate, self-proclaimed prez of the "SpongeBob SquarePants Fan Club." I'd rather have 100% animation, as Patchy's appeal is spotty at best, but kids who have seen every cartoon are likely to enjoy the change of pace. This episode is cute and relevant. SpongeBob learns about Santa Claus and the non-religious side of Christmas that we Americans know so well, down to observations such as, "And everybody pretends to like the fruitcake."

Other than "Snowball Effect," which explains how winter comes to Bikini Bottom, where SpongeBob and his aquatic friends live (icebergs act as giant ice cubes -- who knew?), the cartoons on SpongeBob SquarePants Christmas are unrelated to the holiday theme of the DVD. But the cartoons are entertaining. They have visual style and enough sophistication to interest little ones and their parents. Special features are scant, only audio commentary and storyboards for the double-length episode. But this DVD is not for anal-retentive videophiles, but rather those who want to enjoy the antics of SpongeBob, Patrick the Starfish, Mr. Krabs, and Squidward.

Ultimately, however, I can't help wondering if this DVD needs to exist at all, given that it's not fully about Christmas and its protagonist is on TV just about every day. I realize that my cynicism is showing, but at its core is a Christmas wish: for SpongeBob not to go the way of the Teletubbies, Tickle Me Elmo, and other merchandised-to-death characters that you can find in abundance at Goodwill. SpongeBob deserves better, and I hope he gets it. 

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