17 Times "SpongeBob SquarePants" Was The Cleverest Show On TV

    Proof that It wasn't just for children.

    1. When it mocked its own adherence to the laws of nature.

    2. And referenced the episode runtime.

    3. There was that time when it perfectly summed up shattered expectations.

    4. And life as an adult.

    5. Something the show did more than once.

    6. The cartoon even parodied tabloid news.

    7. And made us question contract law.

    8. For a show created for 'children', It didn't mind getting a bit existential on some occasions.

    9. Metaphors? How about bringing them to life.

    10. It wasn't afraid to break the fourth wall.

    11. Or acknowledge the fact that it was just a cartoon.

    12. A campfire and a sea below water? Sure, because fuck logic.

    13. Not that the show didn't sometimes try to make sense.

    14. Swimming pool Inception.

    15. It summed up the struggle of procrastination better than any show before.

    16. Spongebob himself showed moments of genius. Like that time he reverse engineered a circle drawing.

    17. And then there's this theory that one Internet user came up with. Hell, maybe the show is even cleverer than we thought.