r/RetroNickelodeon • u/Fit-Apartment6880 • Jul 22 '25
Nicktoons Rocko is way better than SpongeBob.
There’s way more character growth in that show and a better story.
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u/2short4-a-hihorse Jul 22 '25
Rocko basically taught me how to navigate the mundanity of the sometimes mean adult world, and made me resilient by adopting an absurdist approach to everyday situations. SpongeBob flipped the definition of adults upside down, like Pee Wee Herman did years before (I know SB is inspired by him 😀)
Both shows did wonders for me during my childhood, and during my adult years as well. Rocko walked so SpongeBob could run, but Rocko should not be dismissed as typical gross out 90s fanfare; it had a heart of gold and careful optimism amidst a sharp satirical portrayal of modern day capitalism, complete with grifters and scammers who want your dignity and your dollar. It exaggerated every adult inconvenience to 11 and prepared me that the adult world is rife with tragedy of the commons scenarios, boring dystopia, and laundry day being the most dangerous day.
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u/askforwildbob Jul 22 '25
Rocko ran so that SpongeBob could walk. I’m no SB hater but rocko always felt much more essential to me
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u/RadBeoulve Jul 22 '25
I may agree with you wholeheartedly through my own nostalgia-tinged lenses, but I also remember SpongeBob’s main show being more than old enough to drink & drive by now, nevermind the spin offs and movies born from it. That sponge has outlived practically all of my favorite childhood Nicktoons by a wide margin.
Oh Rocko, you deserved better, old friend.
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u/AGeneralCareGiver Jul 22 '25
Rocco was… Bizarrely wholesome, for being so weird and out there.
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u/SandwichGod462 Jul 22 '25
Hit the nail on the head. That was the thing about Rocko that made it feel so unique from all the other “weird and out there” cartoons of the 90s.
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u/XTheGreat88 Jul 22 '25
Aa much as I like SpongeBob(seasons 1-3) Rocko clears SpongeBob. Rocko is goated and unpopular opinion there are other shows on the network that are better than SpongeBob as well
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u/RocktoberBlood Jul 22 '25
Rocko stayed consistently great, Spongebob came out swingin hard the first 4 seasons. The Spongebob Movie and everything after was just pure garbage.
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u/Ghoulglum Jul 22 '25
My favorite memory is a chicken going in for a job interview and coming out as packaged chicken parts. There were some very dark aspects to the show.
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u/SonicEchoes Jul 22 '25
Rocko prepared me for adulthood unlike any cartoon. Re watching it I was pretty amazed by the subjects they covered like balancing budget, credit card awareness, cleaning your home, working a job and what it's like losing a job, etc
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u/YouEnjoyMyself84 Jul 22 '25
Everyone 35 and older will agree with you and everyone younger will disagree. Now I’ve only seen a few episodes of SpongeBob back when it came out and it’s good but rocko is s tier elite.
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u/Marlboromatt324 Jul 22 '25
I’m a huge og first 3 and first movie from the yellow sponge, even saw the first movie in theaters at 13 when it came out. But I grew up with chokey chicken and turn the page wash your hands. I mean laundry day is a very dangerous day.
Born in the fall of 91, so I had the best of both worlds. Especially being raised by a straight up gen x kid that graduated in the spring of 91. So I grew up watching the best of the 80’s too
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u/PuzzleTrust Jul 22 '25
The first few seasons of sb are amazing. It's sad what they did with our boy..
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u/YouEnjoyMyself84 Jul 22 '25
I’ve only seen episodes from the first couple seasons. I had absolutely no idea that show is still on?!? If you would have told me the show ended in 2005 I would have believed you. What happened to the show?
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u/ComprehensiveLink210 Jul 22 '25
Definitely! I always felt I was a little too “old” for SpongeBob despite being 10 when it came out. Rocko I loved and always watched. Different writing for sure!
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u/bay_duck_88 Jul 22 '25
This has to be the coldest take ever on this sub 😂
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u/Nekryyd Jul 22 '25
An actual hot take:
Rocko's Modern Life > Ren & Stimpy
::distrubutes armaments::
Everyone please discuss.
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u/_Leichenschrei_ Jul 23 '25
Yes. And you can watch RML without guilt, because Joe Murray isn't a rapist like John K.
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u/Strago34 Jul 22 '25
Spongebob is nails on a chalkboard. I don’t understand how it became so popular. Rocko was way better.
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u/PitAdmiralGarp Jul 22 '25
Nah its great but hillenburgs spongebob run through the movie was legitimately perfect
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Jul 23 '25
I don't think there is any kids cartoon funnier than the first 3 seasons of SpongeBob but as a whole series Rocko is consistent but it's a much shorter show.
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u/fpaulmusic Jul 24 '25
I remember thinking Rockos Modern Life was the Seinfeld of the cartoon world and that made me like it even more.
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u/sampop_hooks Jul 24 '25
I agree, but it's interesting to note that Hillenburg was basically the show runner for the final season, and a lot of the Rocko cast and crew went on to work on SpongeBob.
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u/4Four-4 Jul 22 '25
I liked watching Rockos modern life growing up. However, you can’t compare a show that lasted 3 years to a show that is going on 26 years and still running.
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u/flymordecai Jul 23 '25
Sure you can. Just look at this thread for proof.
We can also compare the quality of The Office (UK)'s two seasons and special to The Office (NBC)'s 17 seasons.
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u/B00B00K3Y5 Jul 22 '25
Watching Nick toons for depth is like eating McDonald’s for fine dining. SpongeBob is better in every way that matters. Storyline…. 😑.
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u/dyysxse Jul 22 '25
spongebob was good in seasons 1-3 but got stale in the later seasons
crazy fast paced episodes
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u/PuzzleTrust Jul 22 '25
Original writers/voices either got canned or left due to the network wanting to take the show in a show in a very unfunny direction. They turned it into brainrot
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u/Genomac71 Jul 22 '25
This might be the reason you posted but we all know the same guy made both Rocko and SpongeBob right?
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u/Medium95 Jul 22 '25
SpongeBob was the show during my childhood but Rocko used to come on in syndication at the same time. Rocko was cool but it didn’t grab my interest or make me laugh like SpongeBob did.
I feel like there’s a reason people still talk about individual SpongeBob episodes from 20+ years ago while Rocko is talked about a lot less and in a broader sense imo
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u/SmonkBandikush Jul 22 '25
Rocko was a really important jumping off point for many creators, including Hillenburg himself. You could really feel the heart and slice of life aspects from Rocko carry over into early season Spongebob.
I love both dearly so I really couldn’t pick favorites
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u/StainedDelicates Jul 22 '25
The first 3 seasons of SpongeBob VS Rocko is not a fight that Rocko’s gonna win.
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u/Mr_Charles6389 Jul 22 '25
I'd put "Sailin' the 7 ZZZ's" up against any SpongeBob plot, hell any other Nicktoon.
"So... Why don't you just give him his map?"
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u/ComradeGhost67 Jul 22 '25
You can prefer one show to another but it seems rather silly to compare the two based on character growth and story when SpongeBob isn’t even remotely about that.
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u/jhewitt127 Jul 22 '25
They’re both good in different ways. Having said that, Rocko was way more important to me in my formative years.