I don't know, there are some REALLY frustrating episodes of The Simpsons, where characters are being completely unlikable plus the humor is irritating, dull and sometimes doesn't even make any sense. I don't dislike that many Family Guy episodes, but I'd argue at its worst the show is boring, where I don't really laugh at many jokes.
I think boring episodes are worse. At the very least, episodes that piss me off can get me to talk about it. With boring episodes, there's literally nothing going on, so there's nothing to talk about.
What I really love about this topic, is that even though I picked a side as being worse, I still think it's very close and there are some interesting arguments to be made in favor of each side.
Being forgettable it's probably the worst thing you can be while being frustrating basically makes you immortal in a since though everybody would still hate it that's why bad episodes like one coarse meal are so memorable
The only two episodes from S8 that make it on my Top 10 Overall Worst List are Face Freeze and Demolition Doofus, which is actually in my opinion, the worst episode. Aside from FF & DD, the worst we got were Accidents Will Happen and Restraining SpongeBob, and they don't even make it in my Top 50 worst eps. Season 8 improved over season 7, and so far, season 9 has only one episode that makes it in my worst list. The two other bad S9 episodes aren't even that bad. Everything else in the season is great!
For me a boring episode is something that I can forget while a frustrating episode is something I wish I could forget. I still have the memory of watching Good Neighbors as a kid and being so confused how SpongeBob pulled such a terrible episode. No emotion for me is worse than anger/annoyance.
Good question Personally I would say frustrating is worse then boring because a boring episode is pretty harmless and doesn't really garner a reaction while fustrating episodes really gets you into a negative mood which is worse than a bored feeling
Boring episodes are worse. Frustrating episodes you can pour your whole heart and soul into tearing apart what really pisses you off in that episode. You can't really say more about boring episodes than, well, that it's boring. That's also why Junior is my least favorite Schwarzenegger film. It's just....sooo....bori- *falls asleep*
Even though I don't necessarily agree with this statement, this can apply well to this argument "Any publicity is good publicity". This makes boring episodes worse than frustrating ones, especially when it comes to comedy shows because at least you get a reaction out of your audience and be remembered rather than people be bored with you then fade into obscurity. That's a career ender.
For me, boring episodes are passable or simply not worthy, but frustrating episode are just... That anger or disgust really stop you from liking the characters and leads to you hating them. Waiting is REALLY obnoxious, but is mostly boring, whereas episodes like Choir Boys... lots of frustrating parts: From Squidward's torture to that BLATANT "Messiah" imagery with Spongebob... really, you know an episode is terrible when the obnoxious character literally being rised like Jesus and brought in this whole "open arms like cruxificated" pose and that glow around him... Are you really trying to sell us that Spongebob is fucking Jesus Christ, episode?! UGH! Yeah, frustrating > boring.
Personally, I would much rather be frustrated than bored because (at the very least) I'd have an emotional reaction to it. If I'm bored, the main reason is usually because I really don't care about what's going on. As a writer, I'd feel like I failed in some way if my audience just doesn't care; if they're frustrated, at least it'll leave an impact & it shows that the audience actually cared about something in the episode. But that's just me.
Exactly.It's easier to stomach a boring episode compared to a frustrating episode because when you look back at a boring episode, you don't really remember the episode.
This is a question that I get asked often too, and I think you summed it up pretty well--there's no easy answer. On the surface, you think frustrating would be worse because it makes you angry, when in theory art should leave you better than when you found it, and at least you can forget a boring episode--but on the other hand, if something is boring, that means it left no impact on you, which almost feels worse.
Interestingly, boring episodes also frustrate me. I'm constantly tapping my foot waiting for the plot to move forward or do something funny and it NEVER comes!
WHAT I DEFINE AS A FRUSTRATING EPISODE IS ONE WHERE A CHARACTER LIKE PATRICK TORMENTS ANOTHER CHARACTER LIKE SQUIDWARD IN THE MODERN EPISODES, WITHOUT TAKING ANY CONSEQUENCES.
yes! here's some examples of episodes in different shows i hate -it's a wishful life [fairly odd parents] oh, how i hate this episode. it's a horrible way to teach a moral that didn't even apply in the situation timmy was in. why would you tell someone the world is a better place if they didn't exist just to tell them not to expect appreciation for their good deeds? -a pal for gary [spongebob squarepants] i couldn't even sit through it before going 'fuck it' and searching up the synopsis. spongebob was so horribly out of character in that episode and i actually felt bad for gary, when he was the intended 'bad character' of the episode. why? -put your hoof down [mlp:fim] fluttershy, and all of ponyville was so out of character! not only was the people so mean spirited, but the way fluttershy deals with them is worse.
Huh, I guess this Square Theory confused me a little because you described That Sinking Feeling as "annoying from start to finish" and I usually think of annoying as being closer to frustrating than it is to boring.
I hate getting angered, so frustrating episodes are by far worse than Boring episodes, because at least I forget about the boring ones, the frustrating ones get stuck in my head.
Frustratingly bad episodes are the kind of episodes I don't *want* to remember. Boring stuff is easier to forget like you said. Something frustrating that did not have consequences on the people who made the show/movie or the whole company, and is instead a big hit, can be even worse. Like that bully who did not get even a slap on the wrist for harassing you and is instead rewarded, while you don't get anybody to help you. ...I think I just revealed some of my childhood trauma.
I think boring episodes are worse. At least with frustrating episodes, something interesting could still happen and it gets me to feel something, even if it's anger/frustration. But with boring episodes, there's hardly anything happening and it just makes me wanna watch something else
For me, boring is worse. With frustrating episodes I have something to think about why they are frustrating and sometimes it can be pretty interesting. Boring episodes just drain all my energy and make me want to stop watching.
When it comes to boring VS heinous, it's polarizing as to which is worse. Some say boring is worse, because at least something heinous will actually make you feel something, while some say heinous is worse, because at least something boring, you'll forget immediately afterwards.
Oh boy, more pieguy I really enjoyed this videoPersonally I find the more frustrating episodes to be worse, because I'd honestly rather be uninterested than angry. But you make plenty of good points for both sides, it made me rethink my previous opinion. Nice job, man
James and Mike from AVGN had a similar discussion when they played "Spirit of Speed." They were debating if a boring game was worse than a badly designed game.
2:59 You make a really good point there on why a boring episode would actually be worse than a frustrating one: When an episode is frustrating, you will remember that you don't like it and thus avoid it, while with a boring episode, you might forget how bored you really were while watching it, so you might watch it again at a later time, since you forgot how bored you really were. What I'm saying is that frustrating episodes at least make you want to avoid them and stop you from rewatching something bad (unless you have a good reason for it of course, like reviewing it xD ), while a boring episode may be so forgetable, that you might end up watching it again, which will of course give you the same feeling of boredom yet again. But those are just my two cents on the matter :-p
I prefer frustrating episodes, at least they can get some sort of emotion out of me. However, there are some boring episodes that cause me physical pain to sit through. In the end, it makes me feel as though my time was wasted.
Hey at least with a boring episode you can have it on in the background for atmosphere, you know if your on your phone or whatever. With a frustrating episode you'll be annoyed and just want to change the channel.
I consider it like this: frustrating episodes have a place in the world since reviewers may have a lot to say about it, which is entertaining. However, reviewers may have very little to say about boring episodes. Therefore, a boring episode has a higher chance of leading to a more mundane review while a frustrating episode can produce a though provoking review with passion. In terms of quality in the episodes themselves, I believe they are equal. But frustrating episodes are preferred overall due to their ability to lead to discussion and debate, and can even help content makers learn what NOT to do.
Personally, boring episodes don't bother me that much, not because they are good... but simply because when I see one I'm almost forgetting it as it goes... It's as if I never saw it to begin with and instead just spent a few minutes in deep thought thinking about something else. that IMO is time better spent then grinding down my teeth while trying to get through something actively trying to ruin my day.
The entire point of a media is to leave you with some kind of emotion. I consider burying episodes worse because unlike frustrating episodes, they completely fail at leaving you with any impact.
I agree with your points on this; I'd much rather have a dull episode than one that actively frustrates me. I watch cartoons to help cope with anxiety and sometimes a boring episode can actually be pretty helpful. I'd much rather feel neutral and relaxed than being made to feel even crappier.
What's worse? In my opinion, definitively a frustrating episode. Not only it bores me to death (in case of a comedy), but also succeeds at making me cringe one way of another, to the point that I get enraged out of not being able to handle it. Example? The Regular Show episode Jinx. Seeing Mordecai punch Rigby just for talking according to the rules of a cruel game is really frustrating and bothers me so much. Specially because Rigby did NOTHING (or if he did, he did VERY LITTLE) to deserve all the hell Mordecai made him go through just for his own enjoyment and amusement. At least the only thing a boring episode does to you is put you bored to death (either because the jokes are purely unfunny - in case of a comedy -, or simply because nothing interesting happens), until it ends, or at least until you fall asleep, and ABSOLUTELY nothing else. Unlike a frustrating episode (that don't have any rewatch value for anything), a boring episode has a rewatch value if you want to fall asleep. I also tend to ignore a frustrating episode more than a boring episode. This is why I think that, in terms of entertainment, frustration is a bigger proble than boredom. Of course, this is JUST my opinion. I'm gonna scroll down the comment section to see what other people say. Oh, and by the way, if you are still doing Square Theories, then do this one: 'Why are people STILL bitching about the suicide bit in One Coarse Meal?' That would be an interesting theory. Specially since you don't hate that episode as much as everyone else. I don't hate that episode as much as everyone else, either. In fact, in my opinion it's only the 35th worst episode of the series.
(In that Sinking Feeling) Squidward: I'm going to grind Spongebob & Patrick into chum. Me: You don't have any weapon or upper body strength. Good luck with it!
For me frustrating is worse, too. I can still watch boring stuff until the end, but with frustrating stuff I just want to stop watching it so badly. I had to watch both boring and frustrating stuff in class and it was just terrible not being able to stop the frustrating stuff, while with the boring stuff my mind just wandered elsewhere.
When something is frustrating and boring I call it frustratingly boring. I've noticed at least to me a episode can end up being frustrating because it's boring
Something being boring has the tendency to make someone think it was better than it really was. Like, someone will go "I don't remember that episode being that bad" and that can be because they just don't remember much of it. In fact, when I watched That Sinking Feeling in preparation for your Season 7 Review, I recall giving it either a Good or a Meh because I thought that I couldn't remember anything bad about it, when in reality I couldn't remember ANYTHING about it (aside from a basic plot outline) In hindsight, that should have been a sign to me that something was very very wrong with the episode.
I think your videos give me some calm from the frustration of the day Plus your stuff helps me sleep.... In a good way I usually don't get good sleep because I just watch videos all night. But I just put your stuff on and it helps me sleep
I think frustrating episodes are worse. When I witness or experience something frustrating, I get mad thinking about it. (Obviously not little everyday frustrating things) That’s not always the case but I’ve got mad thinking about past frustrating things. I’m just that kind of person. With boring episodes, it’s harder to think about and I can just move on because it doesn’t stick with me.
I rather be bored than Frustrated. Cause when you're Frustrated you get angry, you get annoyed and super pissed off! and it gets to your brain and body and it gets you out of energy. Well, to me it does lol I rather be bored because, when you're bored, you'll try to do anything, maybe even fall a sleep and rest from the boredom lol but that's just me.
For me in what I find in terms of my least favorite episodes are those with stories that should've have been bad, but came out bad due to poor writing. Episodes like That Sinking Feeling, You Don't Know Sponge or Hide and Then What Happens are boring to me because they contain no substance, and nothing in them could've been redeemed even with better story telling. But my least favorite episodes are ones that could've been good. I hate One Coarse Meal not because of the suicide thing, but because they missed every single step that could've led them off the path it took. For instance, if they did something similar to Night Light where Plankton was watching a documentary about whales, his fear could've been more justified. When you can come up with a better way to structure an episode then the writers did in your own head, that immediately makes me angry, especially since these people are paid professionals. Another one of my least favorite episodes is Smooth Jazz in Bikini Bottom, due to how lazily conflict is shoehorned in. So for me, I'd rather watch a boring episode and forget about it, than an episode that makes me really wonder why I still watch this show.
#1. Choir Boys 2. Atlantis Squarepantis or Spongebob You're Fired 3. That Sinking Feeling 4. Are you Happy Now? 5. Good Neighbors 6. The Great Snail Race 7. I Was a Teenage Gary
Hmm... I get what you're saying and I kind of agree. A frustrating episode can be damaging to your feelings of your show as a whole but at the same time I guess it depends on the level of frustration you feel because unless it can right out offend you I'd kind of rather have more frustrating episodes because at least I'm feeling something.
Yes this is a matter of opinion, but this is pretty much an argument of "would you rather burn alive or be stabbed repediatly" yes the latter options leaves you a chance of coming out alive, but overall both of them are horryfing things no one should experience. Okay this might be an extreme metaphore, but my point is both frustrating and boring episodes represent diffrent kinds of badness that can both exibit the very worst of cartoon writting, and personally I have experienced frustration from some Spongebob episodes specifically because they were so dull, uncreative and reeked of apathy, my prime example being Pest Of The West. Because of that I`m really indeciesive on which side of the argument I would take, since when I think of the worst episodes it mainly depends on just how frustrating or boring it was, with the super boring ones trumping the moderatly frustrating ones and vice versa.
You know what's hard, when you're into anime, and have a friend come over who isn't very familiar with anime, but wants to get into a show that you yourself really really like, so they come over and watch the episode, and the episode in particular happens to be a very quiet episode, which in anime, there are plenty of quiet episodes. To which you are sucked into, because you understand what's going on, the past 20 episodes where action packed, so now this one feels like a breather to you, but still a very good episode, and then you hear your friend go, "This show is so boring! I thought you said this show was good, its not even funny…" I find that more annoying than watching a boring or frustrating episode; just when you try and show a friend any show that is good, but the particular episode is more quiet or slow pace than other episodes, and isn't boring or frustrating to you, but it is to your friend. (It doesn't have to actually be anime either, it can be any show.) Just anime, Inuyasha, was my personal experience with such a case.
I'm really enjoying this boom of content from you lately. A suggestion I have is for you to do more Top 10 Episodes videos. I know you already did one for Adventure Time, but I'd also like to see ones for shows like SpongeBob, iCarly, Gravity Falls, and Steven Universe. Just a suggestion.
I really hate being bored and infuriated by an episode. So to me, both are on par. I want to be invested in some way that satisfies me. And what satisfies me most is a great story with great characters.
I actually think boredom is worse than frustration. At least with frustration, in a sense, it feels like the show's actually trying to provoke you into feeling something - even if it is disgust. Something that can make you curious enough to go back and watch it again is clearly doing something right whereas something boring would just be forgotten immediately.
Boring and frustrating could also be viewed as 2 of the most unforgivable sins when it comes to analyzing any form of entertainment. For example most of us can't really see anything positive about Spongebob and Patrick causing destruction and annoying Squidward in a slow and unoriginal way or Spongebob tormenting Squidward to the point where you feel like your Stressed Eric.
In my eyes I don't exactly see Choir Boys as being the frustrating episode, since it doesn't keep it's pace with what was supposed to happen with the episode in the first place, and That Sinking Feeling feels frustrating because it has constant moments of Squidward's irritation, which I feel.
Maybe it's just me, but I find how an episode bores me to be immensely frustrating, and I often think of how the episode could be better. Sort of like We Bare Bears or Steven Universe at times. Many of their episodes or very light hearted and ale what boring but I tend to remember them because of that because I get frustrated at how much potential these episodes have.
i feel like i would rather sit through a frustrating episode to be completely honest. i find it very hard to sit through boring content, but i feel like being frustrated while watching something actually has impact like you said versus sitting through uneventful plot. not that being frustrated is fun, but if i had to pick between the two then thats what id say
I disagree, a frustrating episode can have a mildly interesting plot, if you had a choice to rewatch two episodes, the monster who came to bikini bottom and one coarse meal, I would personally choose one coarse meal because the beginning is good and it is more interesting to talk about as well
I'm going with Boredom being worse. Well in terms of reviewing and effort. Frustration while sticks and makes one angry but can create discussion and reviews like this pointing out the worst aspects all that, Frustrating episodes do show there was at the very least effort and that the creators tried to make a good episode. Boring episodes while the only thing sticking is how long it took don't really have many things to call out on or anything note worthy and normally show not much effort was put into the episode itself. Though I haven't seen Spongebob (religiously) for a very long time and keep in mind this is in general, for all I know there could be a boring episode that showed promise and a frustrating episode with no effort put in.
if I had to pick one or the other, I'd pick boring. I can always watch something like "That sinking feeling" or "Toy store of Doom" and just go meh While episodes like "A pal for Gary." or "Choir Boys"
For me it's like having choose to be around someone who just narrates Wikipedia articles with no emotion or someone who screeches like a harpy eagle every 5 seconds. At least with the Wikipedia guy you can ignore his presence.
@Lost.......................... Theres a Sponge in My Soup is interesting and funny. Examples of boring episodes would be Krusty Krushers, I Heart Dancing, The Bad Guy Club for Villains
For me, it's all about how I feel leaving an episode. Nothing is worse than having a bad taste in your mouth after watching an episode of a TV series. In my personal experience, boredom doesn't leave me with a bad taste like frustration does. Seeing a character mistreat another character for seemingly no reason and not get any kind of comeuppance is just insulting and makes me put off watching more of the show. Boredom is just boredom, it's something you can sit through and hope it goes away in the next episode. I can see the merit in wanting to feel something, negative or positive, over feeling nothing at all with boredom, but at the same time, I'll take anything that doesn't ruin the viewing experience. Granted, this comes from a person who intentionally waits for seasons of shows to be on Netflix, so I have a purely binge-watch mindset. This may not be nearly as irritating for someone who watches them when they air and has a week in between episodes where that frustration can wear off.
I've always made a personal distinction between something being bad and something being boring. For example, I consider The Cramp Twins to be one of the most bland cartoons I've ever seen, but it's not so much that it's offensively bad as it is that there's absolutely nothing notable about it at all. I know sometimes writers who make a poorly received product will say something about how they're glad that they made something that caused a reaction in people, and that apathy is the worst reaction someone can have to your work. But that always seemed like an excuse people used to avoid the fact that they made a crappy product. I'd say frustrating is worse, because as you said, it sticks with you more.
For me, frustrating episodes are worse. In fact, my least favorite episode of SpongeBob is "A Pal for Gary" and that is a frustrating episode. I also think frustrating episodes are worse than gross out episodes. I think there are a few worse episodes that The Splinter.
Ok, here's my opinion: let's look at google's definition of boring: not interesting; tedious. Plain and simple. Now let's look at frustrating definition: cause (someone) to feel upset or annoyed, typically as a result of being unable to change or achieve something. So here's the why I see it: If boring means not interesting, and frustrating things are not interesting, then by default, I would think that frustrating is equal to boring, but not only that, frustrating has it's own elements of being bad. So it's basically always going to be boring + some extra. So by default, frustrating is worse every time in my opinion.
I think frustrating episodes are worse: Spongebob, You´re Fired is insultingly bad, but I least I can watch it and just go on with it, but A Pal For Gary is so f%&$ing frustrating and insulting, I just can´t f%&$ing tolerate it.
Pieguyrulz, or anyone else who wants to reply with their opinion, which do you hate more: Atlantis Squarepantis or Truth or Square? I actually like both, but I consider Truth or Square worse.
I hate frustrating episodes more, but boring episodes are just...boring. Frustrating episodes are fun to criticize. Sometimes I'll watch Stuck in the Wringer or Pet Sitter Pat or something else bad just so I can criticize it. Also, pieguyrulz, I thought you were frustrated by That Sinking Feeling.
I think frustrating episodes are way worse. At least boring episodes are not feeling you with negative and aggressive feelings, with them I can be neutral.
I totally want your hat, dude. Now that that off-topicness is over, I think it's far worse for something to be boring than frustrating, because at least you can remember something that made you angry. It made you feel something. "Boring" just makes you feel nothing and you forget it happened. That's where anything, whether it's an episode of a TV show, or a book, or a movie, fails in my opinion. If it doesn't make an impression, then it might as well not exist. To me, that's when something fails, when it doesn't do anything. Some things can be so boring that they cause frustration, but I've experienced that with things I spent a lot more time with than a 22-44-ish minute TV episode.
Me, I'd take boring over frustrating stuff. Take some movies for example, Disney's Snow White, it's boring with some of the characters, a very simple story, and art work that's iffy. At least I remember some of the boring stuff at times, unlike frustrating things. How to Train Your Dragon (Yes, I do really HATE it with a burning passion) is ultimately frustrating to me with it's very forced (and unoriginal) story, forced and forgettable characters, and good animation but weird designs. I can't believe some frustrating things like that really stick in my mind (as I really want to burn away those memories).
DarkStone94 I did when I was young, but as I grown it didn't seem that interesting. Check the Nostalgia Critic's review to see what I mean. It's still a good movie.
![Why Do Some Squid Torture Episodes Fail? [Square Theory]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/eEaOHOndKH4/mqdefault.jpg)
![Why Do Some Squid Torture Episodes Fail? [Square Theory]](/img/tr.png)
![How Do I Rate SpongeBob Episodes? [Square Theory]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/E6GhaX__Pec/mqdefault.jpg)
![Why Do I Wish SpongeBob Was Canceled? [Square Theory]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/q-isyZf42-U/mqdefault.jpg)
![Why Do SpongeBob Episodes Turn Out Bad? [Square Theory]](/img/n.gif)
good things will be praised
bad things will be ranted over
mediocre things will be forgotten
"Which is worse: boring or frustrating?" So basically, modern Simpsons or modern Family Guy
@@maxshapiro078 "Which is worse: boring or frusterating" So Spongebob Season 7 (boring) vs Season 6 (frusterating)
I don't know, there are some REALLY frustrating episodes of The Simpsons, where characters are being completely unlikable plus the humor is irritating, dull and sometimes doesn't even make any sense. I don't dislike that many Family Guy episodes, but I'd argue at its worst the show is boring, where I don't really laugh at many jokes.
I agree
I rather be angry, then question my mortal plane on this universe.
I think boring episodes are worse. At the very least, episodes that piss me off can get me to talk about it. With boring episodes, there's literally nothing going on, so there's nothing to talk about.
Exactly; not only do they wind up being complete wastes of time, but they aren't even memorable wastes of time. You gain nothing from the experience.
A boring episode adds nothing but a frustrating episode can genuinely make you upset and ruin your mood, so frustrating episodes are worse.
What I really love about this topic, is that even though I picked a side as being worse, I still think it's very close and there are some interesting arguments to be made in favor of each side.
Good luck because even though season 8 is overall better than 6&7, the bad episodes could be in a bottom 10 list for SB.
+Bipolar Bear Besides Demolition Doofus, I really don't see it.
cool hat
Being forgettable it's probably the worst thing you can be while being frustrating basically makes you immortal in a since though everybody would still hate it
that's why bad episodes like one coarse meal are so memorable
The only two episodes from S8 that make it on my Top 10 Overall Worst List are Face Freeze and Demolition Doofus, which is actually in my opinion, the worst episode. Aside from FF & DD, the worst we got were Accidents Will Happen and Restraining SpongeBob, and they don't even make it in my Top 50 worst eps. Season 8 improved over season 7, and so far, season 9 has only one episode that makes it in my worst list. The two other bad S9 episodes aren't even that bad. Everything else in the season is great!
For me a boring episode is something that I can forget while a frustrating episode is something I wish I could forget. I still have the memory of watching Good Neighbors as a kid and being so confused how SpongeBob pulled such a terrible episode. No emotion for me is worse than anger/annoyance.
Good question
Personally I would say frustrating is worse then boring because a boring episode is pretty harmless and doesn't really garner a reaction while fustrating episodes really gets you into a negative mood which is worse than a bored feeling
Boring episodes are worse. Frustrating episodes you can pour your whole heart and soul into tearing apart what really pisses you off in that episode. You can't really say more about boring episodes than, well, that it's boring. That's also why Junior is my least favorite Schwarzenegger film. It's just....sooo....bori- *falls asleep*
Here's how I feel about boring episodes versus frustrating/horrible episodes:
I would rather be annoyed than bored.
I agree, frustrating episodes sucks a lot more than boring episodes
Even though I don't necessarily agree with this statement, this can apply well to this argument "Any publicity is good publicity". This makes boring episodes worse than frustrating ones, especially when it comes to comedy shows because at least you get a reaction out of your audience and be remembered rather than people be bored with you then fade into obscurity. That's a career ender.
That's exactly where I stand on the issue
For me, boring episodes are passable or simply not worthy, but frustrating episode are just... That anger or disgust really stop you from liking the characters and leads to you hating them. Waiting is REALLY obnoxious, but is mostly boring, whereas episodes like Choir Boys... lots of frustrating parts: From Squidward's torture to that BLATANT "Messiah" imagery with Spongebob... really, you know an episode is terrible when the obnoxious character literally being rised like Jesus and brought in this whole "open arms like cruxificated" pose and that glow around him... Are you really trying to sell us that Spongebob is fucking Jesus Christ, episode?! UGH!
Yeah, frustrating > boring.
Frustration is worse, hands down. Choir Boys is far worse than That Sinking Feeling.
Personally, I would much rather be frustrated than bored because (at the very least) I'd have an emotional reaction to it. If I'm bored, the main reason is usually because I really don't care about what's going on. As a writer, I'd feel like I failed in some way if my audience just doesn't care; if they're frustrated, at least it'll leave an impact & it shows that the audience actually cared about something in the episode. But that's just me.
I would rather have a short filled with nothing (Waiting) instead of nightmare inducing visuals and mean spirited characters(Fungus among us).
Exactly.It's easier to stomach a boring episode compared to a frustrating episode because when you look back at a boring episode, you don't really remember the episode.
***** Thank you.
But hey, that's just a theory... A SQUARE THEORY!!! Thanks for watching!
Sweet! Someone who watches Game Theory! Hello!
+TheBrodsterboy sans is ness
The smartest show in gaming.
No, please!
This is a question that I get asked often too, and I think you summed it up pretty well--there's no easy answer. On the surface, you think frustrating would be worse because it makes you angry, when in theory art should leave you better than when you found it, and at least you can forget a boring episode--but on the other hand, if something is boring, that means it left no impact on you, which almost feels worse.
Interestingly, boring episodes also frustrate me. I'm constantly tapping my foot waiting for the plot to move forward or do something funny and it NEVER comes!
WHAT I DEFINE AS A FRUSTRATING EPISODE IS ONE WHERE A CHARACTER LIKE PATRICK TORMENTS ANOTHER CHARACTER LIKE SQUIDWARD IN THE MODERN EPISODES, WITHOUT TAKING ANY CONSEQUENCES.
''Restraining Spongebob'' ''Smooth Jazz At Bikini Bottom''
I'd rather be bored out of my mind then frustrated but that's just me.
But then the boring episode end up making me frustrated; I'm normally like do something already! But yeah I don't actually know.
Same
To me, it's mean spirited episodes that piss me off the most, which i guess can be labeled under frustrating episodes.
True, although I'd advise against the term "mean-spirited".
+Agent Paradox why would u advise against it?
Only because the term is so overused that it gets laughed off. I'd look for alternatives such as "out of character" and "hateful".
yes! here's some examples of episodes in different shows i hate
-it's a wishful life [fairly odd parents] oh, how i hate this episode. it's a horrible way to teach a moral that didn't even apply in the situation timmy was in. why would you tell someone the world is a better place if they didn't exist just to tell them not to expect appreciation for their good deeds?
-a pal for gary [spongebob squarepants] i couldn't even sit through it before going 'fuck it' and searching up the synopsis. spongebob was so horribly out of character in that episode and i actually felt bad for gary, when he was the intended 'bad character' of the episode. why?
-put your hoof down [mlp:fim] fluttershy, and all of ponyville was so out of character! not only was the people so mean spirited, but the way fluttershy deals with them is worse.
Agent Paradox well then, I'd say hateful as opposed to "mean spirited" then. hateful episodes are very unpleasant to watch
I didn't even see his face for the whole video. I was just staring at that outrageous hat.
I'm sorry, I didn't read your comment. I was just staring at that outrageous first name. Lavorne.
lmao
Then how did you know his face was in the video?
+Voduke he's not exactly gonna call in someone with the exact same voice to come and film his vid for him
That hat is from my favourite live action movie, back to the future 2
I like the hat, look at my profile picture
Huh, I guess this Square Theory confused me a little because you described That Sinking Feeling as "annoying from start to finish" and I usually think of annoying as being closer to frustrating than it is to boring.
Like I said in the video, TSF has annoyance in it, and CB has boring elements, but in general TSF is just so incredibly boring.
I hate getting angered, so frustrating episodes are by far worse than Boring episodes, because at least I forget about the boring ones, the frustrating ones get stuck in my head.
Next square theory: Why every main male character wears a night cap
XD.
In pretty sure I've seen sandy with one
bearbbb12 Yeah, I think I've seen it in Sleepy Time.
mm mm lol i think karate choppers too
andykishore True but I can't really think of too much episodes where at least one character doesn't wear one but still.
PieGuy, this is a great discussion, but I have an honest question: what about an episode that's so boring that it's frustrating?
nascarfanatic2425 Or an episode that is so frustrating that it's boring.
Frustratingly bad episodes are the kind of episodes I don't *want* to remember. Boring stuff is easier to forget like you said.
Something frustrating that did not have consequences on the people who made the show/movie or the whole company, and is instead a big hit, can be even worse. Like that bully who did not get even a slap on the wrist for harassing you and is instead rewarded, while you don't get anybody to help you.
...I think I just revealed some of my childhood trauma.
I think boring episodes are worse. At least with frustrating episodes, something interesting could still happen and it gets me to feel something, even if it's anger/frustration. But with boring episodes, there's hardly anything happening and it just makes me wanna watch something else
For me, boring is worse. With frustrating episodes I have something to think about why they are frustrating and sometimes it can be pretty interesting. Boring episodes just drain all my energy and make me want to stop watching.
When it comes to boring VS heinous, it's polarizing as to which is worse. Some say boring is worse, because at least something heinous will actually make you feel something, while some say heinous is worse, because at least something boring, you'll forget immediately afterwards.
I knew from the start Choir Boys was worse, to be honest, I would've been very surprised if That Sinking Feeling was chosen as worse.
Oh boy, more pieguy I really enjoyed this videoPersonally I find the more frustrating episodes to be worse, because I'd honestly rather be uninterested than angry. But you make plenty of good points for both sides, it made me rethink my previous opinion. Nice job, man
I agree wholeheartedly. Regardless of which episode one thinks is worse, at least we can all agree that both episodes are big pieces of shit.
James and Mike from AVGN had a similar discussion when they played "Spirit of Speed." They were debating if a boring game was worse than a badly designed game.
2:59 You make a really good point there on why a boring episode would actually be worse than a frustrating one: When an episode is frustrating, you will remember that you don't like it and thus avoid it, while with a boring episode, you might forget how bored you really were while watching it, so you might watch it again at a later time, since you forgot how bored you really were.
What I'm saying is that frustrating episodes at least make you want to avoid them and stop you from rewatching something bad (unless you have a good reason for it of course, like reviewing it xD ), while a boring episode may be so forgetable, that you might end up watching it again, which will of course give you the same feeling of boredom yet again.
But those are just my two cents on the matter :-p
I prefer frustrating episodes, at least they can get some sort of emotion out of me. However, there are some boring episodes that cause me physical pain to sit through. In the end, it makes me feel as though my time was wasted.
Hey at least with a boring episode you can have it on in the background for atmosphere, you know if your on your phone or whatever. With a frustrating episode you'll be annoyed and just want to change the channel.
I consider it like this: frustrating episodes have a place in the world since reviewers may have a lot to say about it, which is entertaining. However, reviewers may have very little to say about boring episodes. Therefore, a boring episode has a higher chance of leading to a more mundane review while a frustrating episode can produce a though provoking review with passion. In terms of quality in the episodes themselves, I believe they are equal. But frustrating episodes are preferred overall due to their ability to lead to discussion and debate, and can even help content makers learn what NOT to do.
I had that same spongebob shirt a while ago (I lost it though)
Personally, boring episodes don't bother me that much, not because they are good... but simply because when I see one I'm almost forgetting it as it goes... It's as if I never saw it to begin with and instead just spent a few minutes in deep thought thinking about something else. that IMO is time better spent then grinding down my teeth while trying to get through something actively trying to ruin my day.
The entire point of a media is to leave you with some kind of emotion. I consider burying episodes worse because unlike frustrating episodes, they completely fail at leaving you with any impact.
I agree with your points on this; I'd much rather have a dull episode than one that actively frustrates me. I watch cartoons to help cope with anxiety and sometimes a boring episode can actually be pretty helpful. I'd much rather feel neutral and relaxed than being made to feel even crappier.
What's worse? In my opinion, definitively a frustrating episode. Not only it bores me to death (in case of a comedy), but also succeeds at making me cringe one way of another, to the point that I get enraged out of not being able to handle it. Example? The Regular Show episode Jinx. Seeing Mordecai punch Rigby just for talking according to the rules of a cruel game is really frustrating and bothers me so much. Specially because Rigby did NOTHING (or if he did, he did VERY LITTLE) to deserve all the hell Mordecai made him go through just for his own enjoyment and amusement. At least the only thing a boring episode does to you is put you bored to death (either because the jokes are purely unfunny - in case of a comedy -, or simply because nothing interesting happens), until it ends, or at least until you fall asleep, and ABSOLUTELY nothing else. Unlike a frustrating episode (that don't have any rewatch value for anything), a boring episode has a rewatch value if you want to fall asleep. I also tend to ignore a frustrating episode more than a boring episode. This is why I think that, in terms of entertainment, frustration is a bigger proble than boredom.
Of course, this is JUST my opinion. I'm gonna scroll down the comment section to see what other people say.
Oh, and by the way, if you are still doing Square Theories, then do this one: 'Why are people STILL bitching about the suicide bit in One Coarse Meal?' That would be an interesting theory. Specially since you don't hate that episode as much as everyone else. I don't hate that episode as much as everyone else, either. In fact, in my opinion it's only the 35th worst episode of the series.
(In that Sinking Feeling)
Squidward: I'm going to grind Spongebob & Patrick into chum.
Me: You don't have any weapon or upper body strength. Good luck with it!
For me frustrating is worse, too. I can still watch boring stuff until the end, but with frustrating stuff I just want to stop watching it so badly.
I had to watch both boring and frustrating stuff in class and it was just terrible not being able to stop the frustrating stuff, while with the boring stuff my mind just wandered elsewhere.
When something is frustrating and boring I call it frustratingly boring. I've noticed at least to me a episode can end up being frustrating because it's boring
Something being boring has the tendency to make someone think it was better than it really was. Like, someone will go "I don't remember that episode being that bad" and that can be because they just don't remember much of it.
In fact, when I watched That Sinking Feeling in preparation for your Season 7 Review, I recall giving it either a Good or a Meh because I thought that I couldn't remember anything bad about it, when in reality I couldn't remember ANYTHING about it (aside from a basic plot outline)
In hindsight, that should have been a sign to me that something was very very wrong with the episode.
I think your videos give me some calm from the frustration of the day
Plus your stuff helps me sleep.... In a good way I usually don't get good sleep because I just watch videos all night. But I just put your stuff on and it helps me sleep
I think frustrating episodes are worse. When I witness or experience something frustrating, I get mad thinking about it. (Obviously not little everyday frustrating things) That’s not always the case but I’ve got mad thinking about past frustrating things. I’m just that kind of person. With boring episodes, it’s harder to think about and I can just move on because it doesn’t stick with me.
Frustrating episodes. I'd rather feel bored than frustrated to be honest.
It would be really funny if you covered a live action show and for the episode, you took pictures of you imitating the emotes that you normally use.
Hi PIEGUYRULEZ I love your channel,I watch your channel whenever I feel bored or sad.Amazing art,Amazing reviews,Amazing quality.Its a GOOD CHANNEL 😀
I rather be bored than Frustrated.
Cause when you're Frustrated you get angry, you get annoyed and super pissed off! and it gets to your brain and body and it gets you out of energy. Well, to me it does lol I rather be bored because, when you're bored, you'll try to do anything, maybe even fall a sleep and rest from the boredom lol but that's just me.
For me in what I find in terms of my least favorite episodes are those with stories that should've have been bad, but came out bad due to poor writing. Episodes like That Sinking Feeling, You Don't Know Sponge or Hide and Then What Happens are boring to me because they contain no substance, and nothing in them could've been redeemed even with better story telling. But my least favorite episodes are ones that could've been good. I hate One Coarse Meal not because of the suicide thing, but because they missed every single step that could've led them off the path it took. For instance, if they did something similar to Night Light where Plankton was watching a documentary about whales, his fear could've been more justified. When you can come up with a better way to structure an episode then the writers did in your own head, that immediately makes me angry, especially since these people are paid professionals. Another one of my least favorite episodes is Smooth Jazz in Bikini Bottom, due to how lazily conflict is shoehorned in.
So for me, I'd rather watch a boring episode and forget about it, than an episode that makes me really wonder why I still watch this show.
PIEGUYRULZ = Most underrated youtuber ever.
I’d go as far to say he made the best spongebob reviews
Choir Boys vs That Sinking Feeling vs Are You Happy Now? vs Atlantis Squarepantis vs Spongebob, You're Fired
#1. Choir Boys
2. Atlantis Squarepantis or Spongebob You're Fired
3. That Sinking Feeling
4. Are you Happy Now?
5. Good Neighbors
6. The Great Snail Race
7. I Was a Teenage Gary
That order makes sense
Wait, what about the order of the best episodes?
Sion AlIen I don't know. But, I'm sure that Chocolate with Nuts might be #1.
Are you happy now is good episode
Hmm... I get what you're saying and I kind of agree. A frustrating episode can be damaging to your feelings of your show as a whole but at the same time I guess it depends on the level of frustration you feel because unless it can right out offend you I'd kind of rather have more frustrating episodes because at least I'm feeling something.
Yes this is a matter of opinion, but this is pretty much an argument of "would you rather burn alive or be stabbed repediatly" yes the latter options leaves you a chance of coming out alive, but overall both of them are horryfing things no one should experience. Okay this might be an extreme metaphore, but my point is both frustrating and boring episodes represent diffrent kinds of badness that can both exibit the very worst of cartoon writting, and personally I have experienced frustration from some Spongebob episodes specifically because they were so dull, uncreative and reeked of apathy, my prime example being Pest Of The West. Because of that I`m really indeciesive on which side of the argument I would take, since when I think of the worst episodes it mainly depends on just how frustrating or boring it was, with the super boring ones trumping the moderatly frustrating ones and vice versa.
You know what's hard, when you're into anime, and have a friend come over who isn't very familiar with anime, but wants to get into a show that you yourself really really like, so they come over and watch the episode, and the episode in particular happens to be a very quiet episode, which in anime, there are plenty of quiet episodes. To which you are sucked into, because you understand what's going on, the past 20 episodes where action packed, so now this one feels like a breather to you, but still a very good episode, and then you hear your friend go, "This show is so boring! I thought you said this show was good, its not even funny…"
I find that more annoying than watching a boring or frustrating episode; just when you try and show a friend any show that is good, but the particular episode is more quiet or slow pace than other episodes, and isn't boring or frustrating to you, but it is to your friend. (It doesn't have to actually be anime either, it can be any show.)
Just anime, Inuyasha, was my personal experience with such a case.
I'm really enjoying this boom of content from you lately. A suggestion I have is for you to do more Top 10 Episodes videos. I know you already did one for Adventure Time, but I'd also like to see ones for shows like SpongeBob, iCarly, Gravity Falls, and Steven Universe. Just a suggestion.
(Looks at the title)
Frustrating episodes. TTG proved that to me long ago.
I really hate being bored and infuriated by an episode. So to me, both are on par. I want to be invested in some way that satisfies me. And what satisfies me most is a great story with great characters.
I actually think boredom is worse than frustration. At least with frustration, in a sense, it feels like the show's actually trying to provoke you into feeling something - even if it is disgust. Something that can make you curious enough to go back and watch it again is clearly doing something right whereas something boring would just be forgotten immediately.
Boring and frustrating could also be viewed as 2 of the most unforgivable sins when it comes to analyzing any form of entertainment.
For example most of us can't really see anything positive about Spongebob and Patrick causing destruction and annoying Squidward in a slow and unoriginal way or Spongebob tormenting Squidward to the point where you feel like your Stressed Eric.
Just wait until you get to Season 9, SpongeBob You're Fired is more boring that That Sinking Feeling
In my eyes I don't exactly see Choir Boys as being the frustrating episode, since it doesn't keep it's pace with what was supposed to happen with the episode in the first place, and That Sinking Feeling feels frustrating because it has constant moments of Squidward's irritation, which I feel.
Maybe it's just me, but I find how an episode bores me to be immensely frustrating, and I often think of how the episode could be better. Sort of like We Bare Bears or Steven Universe at times. Many of their episodes or very light hearted and ale what boring but I tend to remember them because of that because I get frustrated at how much potential these episodes have.
i feel like i would rather sit through a frustrating episode to be completely honest. i find it very hard to sit through boring content, but i feel like being frustrated while watching something actually has impact like you said versus sitting through uneventful plot. not that being frustrated is fun, but if i had to pick between the two then thats what id say
Where did you get the Back to the Future style hat?
really love all the spongebob content recently :)
how about infuriating vs personally offensive
I disagree, a frustrating episode can have a mildly interesting plot, if you had a choice to rewatch two episodes, the monster who came to bikini bottom and one coarse meal, I would personally choose one coarse meal because the beginning is good and it is more interesting to talk about as well
I'm going with Boredom being worse. Well in terms of reviewing and effort. Frustration while sticks and makes one angry but can create discussion and reviews like this pointing out the worst aspects all that, Frustrating episodes do show there was at the very least effort and that the creators tried to make a good episode. Boring episodes while the only thing sticking is how long it took don't really have many things to call out on or anything note worthy and normally show not much effort was put into the episode itself. Though I haven't seen Spongebob (religiously) for a very long time and keep in mind this is in general, for all I know there could be a boring episode that showed promise and a frustrating episode with no effort put in.
Boring episodes are bad,
But frustrating episodes are way worse.
if I had to pick one or the other, I'd pick boring. I can always watch something like "That sinking feeling" or "Toy store of Doom" and just go meh While episodes like "A pal for Gary." or "Choir Boys"
For me it's like having choose to be around someone who just narrates Wikipedia articles with no emotion or someone who screeches like a harpy eagle every 5 seconds. At least with the Wikipedia guy you can ignore his presence.
Idk but I'd rather watch one coarse meal 3 times than something like "there's a sponge in my soup" twice....
Bruh
@@ProbablySoon-pv6ee what? A bad ep that's interesting is much better than a bad ep that is boring and dragged on
@Lost.......................... Theres a Sponge in My Soup is interesting and funny. Examples of boring episodes would be Krusty Krushers, I Heart Dancing, The Bad Guy Club for Villains
@@ProbablySoon-pv6ee to each his own. Some people love the taste of bugs and hate ice cream, you're one of them.
Love your vids man ^^
For me, it's all about how I feel leaving an episode. Nothing is worse than having a bad taste in your mouth after watching an episode of a TV series.
In my personal experience, boredom doesn't leave me with a bad taste like frustration does. Seeing a character mistreat another character for seemingly no reason and not get any kind of comeuppance is just insulting and makes me put off watching more of the show.
Boredom is just boredom, it's something you can sit through and hope it goes away in the next episode. I can see the merit in wanting to feel something, negative or positive, over feeling nothing at all with boredom, but at the same time, I'll take anything that doesn't ruin the viewing experience.
Granted, this comes from a person who intentionally waits for seasons of shows to be on Netflix, so I have a purely binge-watch mindset. This may not be nearly as irritating for someone who watches them when they air and has a week in between episodes where that frustration can wear off.
I've always made a personal distinction between something being bad and something being boring. For example, I consider The Cramp Twins to be one of the most bland cartoons I've ever seen, but it's not so much that it's offensively bad as it is that there's absolutely nothing notable about it at all.
I know sometimes writers who make a poorly received product will say something about how they're glad that they made something that caused a reaction in people, and that apathy is the worst reaction someone can have to your work. But that always seemed like an excuse people used to avoid the fact that they made a crappy product.
I'd say frustrating is worse, because as you said, it sticks with you more.
For me, frustrating episodes are worse. In fact, my least favorite episode of SpongeBob is "A Pal for Gary" and that is a frustrating episode. I also think frustrating episodes are worse than gross out episodes. I think there are a few worse episodes that The Splinter.
Ok, here's my opinion: let's look at google's definition of boring: not interesting; tedious. Plain and simple. Now let's look at frustrating definition: cause (someone) to feel upset or annoyed, typically as a result of being unable to change or achieve something. So here's the why I see it: If boring means not interesting, and frustrating things are not interesting, then by default, I would think that frustrating is equal to boring, but not only that, frustrating has it's own elements of being bad. So it's basically always going to be boring + some extra. So by default, frustrating is worse every time in my opinion.
I think frustrating episodes are worse: Spongebob, You´re Fired is insultingly bad, but I least I can watch it and just go on with it, but A Pal For Gary is so f%&$ing frustrating and insulting, I just can´t f%&$ing tolerate it.
A Pal for Gar is my all time worst Spongebob episode.
According to Pieguy, A Pal for Gary is mostly a boring episode until SP sprouts that infamous line.
Pieguyrulz, or anyone else who wants to reply with their opinion, which do you hate more: Atlantis Squarepantis or Truth or Square? I actually like both, but I consider Truth or Square worse.
Frustrating episodes are worse because I’d rather forget about something then be angry all the time.
Here's a question you could cover in a later video: What do we do when the way we vote with our wallets conflicts with what we like?
Frustrating Episodes are worse in my opinion.
Boring episodes at least put me to sleep and not make me want to yell at the TV screen
I hate frustrating episodes more, but boring episodes are just...boring. Frustrating episodes are fun to criticize. Sometimes I'll watch Stuck in the Wringer or Pet Sitter Pat or something else bad just so I can criticize it. Also, pieguyrulz, I thought you were frustrated by That Sinking Feeling.
Probably Frustrating, Because It Hurts My Mind A-LOT.
I think frustrating episodes are way worse. At least boring episodes are not feeling you with negative and aggressive feelings, with them I can be neutral.
Patrick: Booooooring.
Squidward: What?
Patrick: Oh, I said the flooooooring really compliments the art here.
Personally I would say I hate watching frustrating episodes more than boring episodes
What if something was so boring to the point that it is frustrating?
I have your "Back to the Future" hat!
Great, now you can compare Atlantis Squarepants to Truth or Square
Frustation is worst than boredom
Good square theory, but there was a sound in the beginning that felt out of place.
I always judge episodes by Nature Pants for my boring scale.
I totally want your hat, dude.
Now that that off-topicness is over, I think it's far worse for something to be boring than frustrating, because at least you can remember something that made you angry. It made you feel something. "Boring" just makes you feel nothing and you forget it happened. That's where anything, whether it's an episode of a TV show, or a book, or a movie, fails in my opinion. If it doesn't make an impression, then it might as well not exist. To me, that's when something fails, when it doesn't do anything.
Some things can be so boring that they cause frustration, but I've experienced that with things I spent a lot more time with than a 22-44-ish minute TV episode.
Me, I'd take boring over frustrating stuff. Take some movies for example, Disney's Snow White, it's boring with some of the characters, a very simple story, and art work that's iffy. At least I remember some of the boring stuff at times, unlike frustrating things. How to Train Your Dragon (Yes, I do really HATE it with a burning passion) is ultimately frustrating to me with it's very forced (and unoriginal) story, forced and forgettable characters, and good animation but weird designs. I can't believe some frustrating things like that really stick in my mind (as I really want to burn away those memories).
You know, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves was revolutionary for its time. If you really wanted to enjoy it, then you should have watched it sooner.
DarkStone94 I did when I was young, but as I grown it didn't seem that interesting. Check the Nostalgia Critic's review to see what I mean. It's still a good movie.