SpongeBob SquarePants is, far and away, the most successful cartoon that Nickelodeon has ever run, starting in 1999 and still pumping out new episodes to this very day. In fact, it might just be the most popular children's show of all time and has earned something of a reputation for childish, often immature humor that makes parents roll their eyes while watching with their kids.
That said, as long-time fans are no doubt aware, the series often delves into situations and storylines that have something of an adult edge to them. This is especially true of the early seasons, which often contrasted Spongebob SquarePants' absurd behavior and relentless positivity with more menial and relatable situations, like working a fast-food job or learning about curse words for the first time.
It seems that some of those touchier subjects have made Nickelodeon a bit concerned, however, as the company recently revealed that 2 particular episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants have been removed from rotation due to storylines that may not be appropriate for children. As a result, the particular episodes in question will no longer air on Nickelodeon or partnered streaming services like Paramount Plus.
One of the storylines that raised concerns is "Kwarantined Krab," an episode where Mr. Krabs contracts a mysterious illness and is forced to go into quarantine. The episode was released in February of 2020 and seems to have been pulled due to its similarities to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, having been released just before the illness had made its way to countries like the United States in full force.
The other episode is much older and originally aired in season 3. "Mid-Life Crustacean" features Mr. Krabs feeling old and out of touch with the younger generation. In order to make himself feel better about his age, he asks Spongebob SquarePants and Patrick to show him what young, cool people do on a night out. This eventually leads to the group conducting a 'panty raid,' before realizing that they had accidentally stolen underwear from Mr. Krab's mother. Nickelodeon shelved the episode in 2018, stating the decision was made after a 'standards review' where the storyline was deemed inappropriate for children.
While the inappropriate content in question can be fairly easily guessed, Nickelodeon did not directly confirm the reason, offering only a "No comment" statement in response to queries. While the SpongeBob SquarePants episodes are no longer streamed or aired on Nickelodeon, they can still be purchased as part of the seasons they aired in.
SpongeBob SquarePants is available on Paramount Plus.
Source: IGN