A Banned SpongeBob SquarePants Episode Is Now Available to Stream [UPDATE]

UPDATE: It looks like SpongeBob SquarePants has been shoved back into prison. Amazon Prime no longer has access to the banned SpongeBob SquarePants episode “Mid-Life Crustacean” as it appears its return was a simple glitch. Sorry, Squidward.

It looks like SpongeBob SquarePants is in the headlines for a rather surprising reason. The animated series has been dominating television for more than a decade, and of course, our heroes in Bikini Bottom have built a reputation for fun in that time. When you think of SpongeBob SquarePants, nothing taboo is meant to come to mind, but the show has its dark corners. And now, one of those shadows is resurfacing by way of a banned episode.

Yes, it seems SpongeBob SquarePants is doing the unexpected. The animated series just welcomed one of its banned episodes to streaming, so curious fans can finally watch the episode following its 2021 axe.

For those unfamiliar with the situation, SpongeBob SquarePants sparked big headlines in 2021 after two of its episodes were pulled from Nickelodeon. One of the episodes taken down was “Kwarantined Crab” as its virus-centric storyline felt insensitive given the COVID-19 pandemic. But as for the other episode, well – “Mid-Life Crustacean” was pulled for a different reason.

In 2018, the episode was taken out of TV rotation because it featured “some story elements [that] were not kid-appropriate” after review. You could still steam the SpongeBob SquarePants episodes even with its rotation axed, but in 2021, the episode was pulled entirely. This ban has continued for years, but now “Mid-Life Crustacean” is available to stream on Paramount+ through Amazon Prime Video.

As for this banned episode itself, well – SpongeBob SquarePants did take some bold risks with “Mid-Life Crustacean”. The episode follows an aging Mr. Krabs joining Patrick and SpongeBob on a night out. The trio ends up conducting a panty raid after breaking into a woman’s house. While the whole thing was meant in jest, you can see why Nickelodeon felt the content was inappropriate when reviewed. But now, it seems SpongeBob SquarePants fans can now check out the old-school episode if they haven’t yet.

Want to know more about the hit animated series? You can stream SpongeBob SquarePants through Paramount+ now including its spin-offs and films. So for more details on the series, you can find the official synopsis of SpongeBob SquarePants below:

“Deep under the sea in Bikini Bottom, Spongebob Squarepants can usually be found grilling up Krabby Patties at the Krusty Krab, the finest eating establishment ever established for eating. But when the world’s most dedicated fry cook isn’t at work, you’ll find him in his pineapple house with his pet snail Gary, jellyfishing with his best pal Patrick, or practicing his kah-rah-tay with Sandy. No matter what he’s up to, Spongebob’s eternally sunny outlook makes even the most ordinary day the BEST DAY EVER!”

What do you think of this SpongeBob SquarePants hubbub? Have you already seen this exiled episode…? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!