Down Under is a spin-off created by tvguy347. Down Under was originally called "(SBC): Down Under," but "SBC" was dropped within the first few episodes. It instantly became a hit on SBC, and was the second most viewed spin-off for nearly two years before being surpassed in 2012. Down Under received praise and was popular throughout its initial run, but has since been panned as one of the worst stories ever made. Despite this, it has been credited as inventing the SBC genre, wherein a spin-off/literature makes use of SBC members as its characters.
 | |
| Show Info | |
|---|---|
| Premiere Date | October 3, 2010 |
| End Date | November 4, 2011 |
| Status | Ended |
| Type | Spin-Off |
| Genre | Drama, mystery, thriller |
| Seasons | 2 |
| Episodes | 23 |
| Rating | PG-13 |
| Production | |
| Created By | tvguy |
| Showrunner | tvguy |
| Writers | tvguy |
It has been rebooted twice, in 2012 and 2018 with the titles Down Under: Lotus and Down Under '18 respectively, but neither attempt panned out.
Plot
The show focuses on the SBC/TV.com (and later SBM) users being virtually sucked into Bikini Bottom while on the Xat chatbox. They have no clue what happened, how it happened, or what is going on. They initially are separated, but then find Spongebob. Doodlebob then shows up and shoots Spongebob with an bow and arrow. The friends flee to a cave. They then learn that Bikini Bottom was taken over. The show then carries on, becoming a drama/comedy/thriller type of show. Following the events of the Pilot, the show introduces the series' main antagonist: The Mastermind. The Mastermind is a manipulative fish that first comes into the show in S1E3. The Doodles, a group of crazy doodles, are introduced in Episode 1. We won't explain anymore, as it will spoil! But the show is home to everyone's favorite serial killer, The Admiral.
List of Episodes
Season 1: "The Zapping First Season"
| Number | Title | Post Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Pilot | October 3, 2010 |
| 2. | Mysteries of a Madman | October 5, 2010 |
| 3. | The Mastermind | October 7, 2010 |
| 4. | Take to the Skies | October 9, 2010 |
| 5. | Visions | October 11, 2010 |
| 6. | Halloween Gone Wrong | October 20, 2010 |
| 7. | Become Alive | October 30, 2010 |
| 8. | Bikini Bottom | November 28, 2010 |
| 9. | Houston, We Have a Problem | December 6, 2010 |
| 10. | Out There Somewhere | December 12, 2010 |
| 11. | Thirty-One | December 19, 2010 |
| 12. | Listening in on Death | December 22, 2010 |
| 13. | Christmas in Bikini Bottom | December 24, 2010 |
| 14. | Cat and Mouse | January 2, 2011 |
| 15. | Fish's Anatomy | January 9, 2011 |
| 16. | Cope with Life | January 22, 2011 |
| 17. | Under the Dome | January 30, 2011 |
| 18. | Rubies Are Red | February 20, 2011 |
| 19. | Maneater | March 4, 2011 |
| 20. | The Merger | March 27, 2011 |
Season 2: "Red and Black"
| Number | Title | Post Date |
|---|---|---|
| 21. | Violets Are Blue | June 5, 2011 |
| 22. | Last Day on Earth | June 22, 2011 |
| 23. | Setup | August 10, 2011 |
Controversy
The show has sparked controversy. 4EverGreen was offended when his character was killed off in the show, which resulted into a short argument. Down Under was also involved in a controversial argument about how teenj supposedly refreshed his Team Spongebob page to be the Number 1 spin off. Down Under was once again involved in an enormous blowout between Mothra, 70s, and Elastic on SBC regarding Elastic ripping off Mothra's spin off she did, riffing Down Under.
Characters
Down Under uses actual users who have been transformed into fish. It uses almost all members, excluding a few. It also features several original characters, such as The Mastermind. Since creation, Down Under has inspired many spin offs revolving around Spongebob and friends in another dimension or world. This shows how popular the show is. It has also inspired other spin offs to use season nicknames. tvguy347 has stated himself that he is proud of the work's popularity, and that he isn't annoyed by the stories similar to Down Under, but instead is rather flattered.
Season Names
Each season of the show has its own unique subtitle. Season 1 was "The Zapping First Season", Season 2 was "Red and Black" and Season 3 would've been "Worlds Under."
Reception
The series was initially well received by critics throughout its original run and became the second spin-off to reach 2,000 views in SBC history. At its peak, Down Under was the second most-viewed spin-off on SBC. However, later reviews criticized the show for a convoluted and unfocused narrative. After being riffed on Jjs' Riffing Theater 3000, Down Under has been universally panned and recognized as one of the worst spin-offs ever written, including by tvguy. Prior to the jjs riffing of Down Under, the show was riffed on two other occasions by Elastic Dog and Mothra. The Season 1 episode "Christmas in Bikini Bottom" has gained particular notoriety for featuring a sex scene between SBM administrators abney317 and ssj.
Nonetheless, Down Under is credited as the first spin-off in the SBC genre, wherein SBC members are featured as characters.
Movie
It was announced that a movie had been given the green light and was already in production. It was expected to be released in August 2011 between the third and fourth episodes of Season 2 of the show. Following to the show's cancellation, the movie was left unfinished and unpublished for several years. On March 31, 2017, tvguy posted the unfinished movie after reading the Jjs' Riffing Theater 3000 episodes wherein Down Under is riffed.
Chart Performance
The below chart represents Down Under's peak position on the Top 10 Most Viewed Spin Off Chart for the years since its debut. It fell off the list in 2014.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
|---|---|---|---|
| #10 | #2 | #4 | #7 |
Awards
Down Under won several awards during its run:
Best New Spin Off: Down Under won its first Spinny at the April 2011 7th Spin Off Awards as the Best New Spin Off.
Best Male Main Character: Down Under won its second Spinny at the April 2011 7th Spin Off Awards for the nomination of "70s."
Most Emotional Scene: Down Under won its third Spinny at the April 2011 7th Spin Off Awards for the scene concerning 70s and his deceased mother.
tvgiu was also inducted into the Hall of Fame at the April 2011 7th Spin Off Awards.
Best Location: Down Under won its fourth Spinny at the July 2011 8th Spin Off Awards for the location of Bikini Bottom.
Best Season Premiere: Down Under won its fifth Spinny at the July 2011 8th Spin Off Awards for the episode "Violets Are Blue."
In total, Down Under won five Spinnys and became the 2nd most viewed show on SBC.