 Critics ' reviews of early SpongeBob episodes praised the show for its wit , clever humor , and " uncanny brilliance " . However , in 2007 , around the airing of season five , the tone and emphasis of the show began to change . Some fans " began to turn away from the show " , causing online fansites to " [ become ] deserted " . They pointed to a shift from clever humor to what they perceived as " boring , unfunny humor [ ... ] geared too much towards children " . 
