Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Spongebob Squarepants: Virus-themed episode pulled from air amid pandemic

Episode saw the Krusty Krab under quarantine

Annabel Nugent
Thursday 01 April 2021 09:54 BST
Comments

A virus-themed episode of Spongebob Squarepants has been pulled from broadcasting amid the ongoing pandemic.

An episode of the Nickelodeon cartoon – titled “Kwarantined Crab” – will not air “due to sensitives surrounding the global, real world pandemic”, the network’s executive vice president of communications David Bittler told NBC News

The season 12 episode is set at the Krusty Krab, the fast-food restaurant where Spongebob works, when a health inspector informs workers and customers that they have found a case of “Clam Flu” present and, therefore, will all have to quarantine in the restaurant, causing panic.

As well as “Kwarantined Crab”, another episode – titled “Mid-Life Crustacean” – was previously pulled from broadcasting, having not aired since 2018.

In the season three episode, Mr Krab feels deflated about ageing and wants a night on the town with Spongebob and Patrick. The trio attempt to steal a woman’s underwear by breaking into her house – the woman turns out to be Mr Krab’s mother.

The episode was pulled “following a standards review in which we determined some story elements were not kid-appropriate”, Bittler told NBC.

Earlier this week, Scholastic announced its decision to remove the 2010 graphic novel The Adventures of Ook and Gluk: Kung-Fu Cavemen from the Future by Captain Underpants author Dav Pilkey, due to its “passive racism”. 

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in