SpongeBob SquarePants: The 25 Best Episodes Of All Time

Feb. 25, 2020, 10 p.m.

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SpongeBob SquarePants: The 25 Best Episodes Of All Time

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Summary SpongeBob SquarePants has been a popular show for over 20 years, with over 250 episodes and five Daytime Emmy Awards.

The best episodes of SpongeBob contain zany plots, memorable moments, and often feature a song or two.

The show continues to entertain fans with its 14th season and can be streamed on Paramount+ and Amazon Prime Video.

SpongeBob SquarePants has entertained viewers for over 20 years, and the best SpongeBob episodes carried the show to five Daytime Emmy Awards. SpongeBob SquarePants came to Nickelodeon in 1999 and became one of the most popular cartoons of all time with ridiculous situations and silly characters, delivering something for kids and adults alike. SpongeBob continues with over two decades of entertaining cartoons and it shows no signs of slowing down, with fans hoping to see more great episodes in the years to come.

With SpongeBob and his friends Patrick, Sandy, Mr. Krabs, Squidward, and more, the show's best episodes have taken fans to the pineapple under the sea for over two decades and even had some movies based on the series. With the episodes also streaming on Paramount+, anyone can enjoy these silly adventures as the best SpongeBob episodes usually contain an ensemble effort from SpongeBob and his friends, a zany plot, at least one memorable moment, and possibly even a song or two.

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25 Something Smells/Bossy Boots

Season 2, Episode 2

The first episode of season 2 featured both "Something Smells" and "Bossy Boots." However, it is "Something Smells" that ranks as one of the best episodes of the early seasons where SpongeBob can't figure out why no one wants to talk to him.

Patrick figures it is because SpongeBob is ugly, and Patrick goes on to explain how it is okay that he is ugly, and that he should just accept it. This is some really bad advice, but it shows that SpongeBob isn't the only oblivious character on the show.

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Of course, the real reason is SpongeBob's breath, but seeing Patrick help his friend learn to accept himself and find pride in his ugliness is perfectly ridiculous. "Bossy Boots" sees Krab's daughter, Pearl, get a job at the Krusty Krab, and she starts shaking things up. It is another funny episode, but it is "Something Smells" that carries this one to great heights.

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24 Survival of the Idiots/Dumped

Season 2, Episode 9

"Survival of the Idiots" shows what happens when Sandy Squirrel hibernates, which is something shocking and new for Patrick and SpongeBob. However, when they decide to wake Sandy up, not understanding the importance of hibernation, Sandy goes on a rampage and the two clueless friends have to fight for their lives in her domed home.

There have been some monsters on SpongeBob, but seeing Sandy as a giant muscular squirrel on the rampage might trump almost all of them. Meanwhile, when Gary the Snail wants to spend time with Patrick, SpongeBob has to come to grips with this new predicament and figure out his feelings.

Sandy’s brown coloring and Texan accent indicate that she is a fox squirrel. Fox squirrel’s hair comes in several shades of red and brown. These critters are native to Canada, North and South Dakota, Colorado, and Texa

As with the best SpongeBob episodes, this was built on a misunderstanding when it comes to Gary's true desires. Both episodes deal with SpongeBob struggling to understand the limits of friendship, both with varying results as he oversteps the boundaries.

23 Club SpongeBob/My Pretty Seahorse

Season 3, Episode 2

In this season 3 episode, SpongeBob and Patrick were in their treehouse together when Squiward showed up and wanted to come in. While they tried to tell him there wasn't enough room, he demanded to come in and, as a result, the entire treehouse ended up flinging into the middle of Kelp Forest.

Trapped in the forest without a seeming way home, Squidward began to freak out while SpongeBob began to obey the instructions of a wind-up conch that offered up random bits of advice. The panic of Squidward and the hopeless optimism of SpongeBob presented a great, fun contrast.

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It also shows that sometimes SpongeBob's innocence is often the best mode of survival in the toughest of times, while Squidward's panic just makes things worse. The second episode sees SpongeBob adopt a stray seahorse only to learn that some animals were not meant to be tamed.

22 BubbleStand/Ripped Pants

Season 1, Episode 2

When it comes to "Ripped Pants," this episode remains best known for the song that it spawned, one that became almost impossible for viewers to get out of their heads. The entire song is based on the Beach Boys sound, but the lyrics are as ridiculous as expected for SpongeBob SquarePants. The theme that anyone can overcome their worst moments if they just sing a song fits SpongeBob perfectly. When it comes to song-centric episodes, few are better than "Ripped Pants."

The episode also features "BubbleStand," which has SpongeBob charge customers a quarter to blow a bubble. This leads to SpongeBob trying to teach Patrick how to blow bubbles, but this only causes problems with Squidward, who wants to show everyone else up and starts to create havoc at the same time. As the second-ever episode of the series, it really set the bar high for the then-new cartoon.

21 Have You Seen This Snail?

Season 4, Episode 3

The SpongeBob SquarePants episode "Have You Seen This Snail" was a little different, because it kept the entire episode based on one story instead of two smaller segments. It is also one of the saddest SpongeBob episodes.

In this episode, SpongeBob is so busy that he forgets to feed Gary the Snail for several days. As a result, Gary packs up and runs away, where he ends up being adopted by a kindly older woman.

However, SpongeBob realizes what happened and looks for his friend in despair, while Gary soon realizes this woman might not be as nice as he might have believed. The episode is still silly, but it is also a highly emotional SpongeBob SquarePants tale of friendship. This is also a rare supersized SpongeBob SquarePants episode with it taking up the entire 22 minutes of airing.

20 SpongeBob Meets The Strangler/Pranks A Lot

Season 3, Episode 20

In the first part of this episode, "SpongeBob Meets The Strangler," SpongeBob tries to do something right by turning in a litterbug, but it turns out that the fish is the Tattletale Strangler, who targets those who tattle and then strangles them. The Strangler escapes custody and acts as SpongeBob's bodyguard to try to get closer to him so he can eventually punish him.

The second half of the episode sees SpongeBob and Patrick attempt to prank the entire town of Bikini Bottom one by one after they find an invisible spray from a prank shop that actually works.

The two take off their clothes and use the spray to become invisible and pull their pranks until Mr. Krabs figures out their scheme. Both parts contain nonstop laughs and feature an iconic Patrick and SpongeBob scheme for the ages.

19 No Weenies Allowed/Squilliam Returns

Season 3, Episode 8

SpongeBob and Sandy come across a restaurant only for tough patrons while they're at the beach and decide to try to go in. Sandy is easily let in by the bouncer while SpongeBob is left outside. The first half of the episode sees SpongeBob trying his best to prove to the bouncer that he's tough enough to enter the Salty Spitoon, resulting in enough hilarity to make this one of the best SpongeBob episodes.

this installment features a particularly hilarious execution of a plan on SpongeBob's part

In the second part of the episode, Squidward's arch nemesis Squilliam returns to Bikini Bottom hoping to relentlessly make fun of Squidward for how his life has turned out since high school. Squidward lies and tells him that he actually owns a five-star restaurant and pulls SpongeBob into his scheme.

The Squidward/Squilliam rivalry is famous among audiences, and this installment features a particularly hilarious execution of a plan on SpongeBob's part.

18 SB-129/Karate Choppers

Season 1, Episode 14

SpongeBob SquarePants didn't wait for later episodes to enter the surreal. As early as this season 1 episode, the creators took the plunge in "SB-129." In this adventure, Squidward gets trapped in Krusty Krab's freezer for 2000 years.

This shows that SpongeBob doesn't mind going to bizarre places, with this sci-fi idea turned into a solid gag

Once a futuristic SpongeBob chisels him out, the moody cephalopod can't adjust to the changes, resulting in some of Squidward's finest moments. This shows that SpongeBob doesn't mind going to bizarre places, with this sci-fi idea turned into a solid gag.

The legendary "Karate Choppers" features SpongeBob and Sandy in a non-stop tale of got-yous as they try to one-up each other through karate moves. They encounter each other at the market, the Krusty Krab, and various other locations.Eventually, they end up karate-chopping everything they see at the park. It's a silly installment, but the friendship between Sandy and SpongeBob truly makes sense in this episode as they rampage in the name of fun.

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17 Snowball Effect/One Krabs Trash

Season 3, Episode 6

In Season 3's "Snowball Effect," Patrick and Spongebob engage in the most classic form of winter fun: a snowball fight. Though Squidward is at first angry about his neighbors creating a ruckus outside, he eventually fancies the idea of watching the two destroy each other. Squidward's dreams melt into the snow, however, after accidentally entering the fight himself.

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The following segment, "One Krabs Trash," has Mr. Krabs selling SpongeBob a soda-drinking hat for $10. He quickly regrets this decision after learning it's worth much more and goes to elaborate measures to get it back.

This includes telling SpongeBob that the hat belonged to someone named Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen, who it turns out is actually buried at the cemetery. It's one of the best SpongeBob episodes as it features some of the most memorable moments from the series, including the iconic line "he was number one!"

16 Dying For Pie/Imitation Krabs

Season 2, Episode 4

In Season 2's "Dying For Pie," Squidward spitefully buys SpongeBob a pie for Employee Brotherhood Day, unaware that it is a bomb. Mr. Krabs informs the squid that because Spongebob has eaten it, he only has hours to live. Out of guilt, Squidward decides to give SpongeBob the greatest last day of his life. It's one of the few episodes where Squidward is nice to SpongeBob, making it one of the rare SpongeBob episodes where he actually treats his co-worker with any respect.

The next part, "Imitation Krabs," has Plankton attempting to steal the Krabby Patty secret formula by disguising himself in a Mr. Krabs robot suit. Though SpongeBob is oblivious to Plankton's tricks, he makes his plans difficult to achieve. The back and forth between the robot crabs and SpongeBob is hilarious, especially as Plankton loses his cool at SpongeBob's overall dimwittedness.

15 PreHibernation Week/Life of Crime

Season 2, Episode 7

The first half of this season 2 episode sees Sandy prepare for hibernation by planning a full week of activities for her and SpongeBob to do together before she begins her long hibernation. SpongeBob is quickly overwhelmed by her hyperactivity and decides to hide from her until she goes into hibernation. Some of the best SpongeBob episodes feature the SpongeBob/Sandy dynamic, and the former not even being able to handle the latter's mania definitely says something.

The second half of the episode sees best friends SpongeBob and Patrick become influenced by Mr. Krabs when he tells them that it's okay to "borrow" anything as long as you intend to return it. The two decide to "borrow," in reality steal, a balloon but accidentally pop it before they can return it. Of course, the two hilariously begin to freak out and run away from Bikini Bottom after their crime. The punchline hits especially well when it gets revealed that everything occurred on Free Balloon Day.

14 Wormy/Patty Hype

Season 2, Episode 5

One of the best SpongeBob episodes sees Patrick and SpongeBob watching Sandy's pets while she's out of town, but they become confused and terrified after "Wormy" transforms into a butterfly overnight. Convinced that the butterfly ate Wormy, SpongeBob and Patrick's attempts to stay away from the creature result in hilarity as they warn Bikini Bottom to be on the lookout for the terrifying butterfly monster. It is a perfect example of when SpongeBob finds danger and mystery in something innocent.

The second half of the episode, "Patty Hype," sees SpongeBob come up with an idea for multicolored Krabby Pattys known as "Pretty Pattys." When Mr. Krabs rejects his idea, SpongeBob tests it out on his own, and to astoundingly successful results. It's one of the few episodes where Mr. Krabs really gets his comeuppance in the end, which makes it especially satisfying to see after everything he puts SpongeBob through in the series.

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13 Nasty Patty/Idiot Box

Season 3, Episode 4

In the first part of the Season 3 episode "Nasty Patty / Idiot Box," SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs make the health inspector a disgusting sandwich, believing that he is a con man on the search for free food. The health inspector ends up knocked out after choking on a fly, but the Krusty Krab team grows concerned that they murdered him. To make things worse, they discover he's not an impostor. It's a classic case of mistaken identity that makes this one of the best SpongeBob episodes.

The next part, "Idiot Box," has SpongeBob and Patrick using their "imagination" to go on a variety of adventures. It bothers Squidward that he is unable to figure out why there are so many realistic sounds coming from the box they're playing in. Whether it's the meme-able SpongeBob moment of a rainbow appearing every time he says "imagination" or Squidward's harebrained attempts to get to the bottom of things, this stands out as one of the funniest SpongeBob installments.

12 Krabby Land/The Camping Episode

Season 3, Episode 17

In "Krabby Land," Mr. Krabs shows his unique cheapness by opening a ramshackle playground to draw children into his restaurant for high-priced kid's meals. After several disappointments, the kids get angry and seek revenge on Mr. Krabs for taking their money. While Mr. Krabs is known for his money-making schemes, this one stands out as one of the cheapest of all.

In the second installment of this episode, "The Camping Episode," Squidward gets into it again with SpongeBob and Patrick. This time it's due to them camping right in front of his house. Except, they're using their imaginations and think it's the wilderness. So, everyone needs to be aware of sea bear attacks. It turns out, however, sea bears and their attacks are very real, much to Squidward's dismay. This installment also contains the epic and popular "Campfire Song."

11 Shanghaied/Gary Takes A Bath

Season 2, Episode 10

From the second season comes this classic pairing that brings in numerous elements that make SpongeBob so loved. The first installment, "Shanghaied," is introduced by Patchy the Pirate as his favorite episode. It involves SpongeBob, Squidward, and Patrick as they climb aboard the Flying Dutchman for some psychedelic adventures, where they meet the actual Flying Dutchman. This is a huge moment for the series because the Flying Dutchman himself became one of the show's favorite supporting characters.

In the second episode, "Gary Takes a Bath," SpongeBob dreads the snail's bathtime. He tries various methods to get Gary to the bathtub; however, they fail for some reason. Eventually, SpongeBob gets his comeuppance when he ends up taking a bath. As one of the best SpongeBob episodes, it features iconic characters and some memorable one-liners, including some of the best Patrick Star quotes.

10 Jellyfish Hunter/The Fry Cook Games

Season 2, Episode 19

In the first part of this season 2 episode, SpongeBob creates a special jellyfish jelly krabby patty that instantly becomes a customer favorite. Mr. Krabs immediately exploits the new product as he asks SpongeBob to catch as many jellyfish as he can, so they can keep selling the menu item. Some of the best SpongeBob episodes include the title character's relationship with the destructive jellyfish, including this one.

In the second part of the episode, SpongeBob agrees to train for the Fast Food Olympics after Mr. Krabs signs him up and the Krusty Krab up for the games. Patrick thinks that training looks fun and wants to join as well, so he joins Plankton's Chum Bucket team as the two begin to fight for most of the episode before they become best friends again by the end of the episode. The rivalry between the two best friends results in some truly memorable scenes that will have viewers laughing from beginning to end.

9 Culture Shock/F.U.N.

Season 1, Episode 10

When Squidward takes over the planning of a Krusty Krab talent show to bring a little culture to Bikini Bottom, insanity ensues. His one caveat is that SpongeBob cannot have an act, and is made to mop up after everyone else at the very end. What happens includes Patrick laughing hysterically at everything emcee Squidward says, Squidward getting booed off the stage, and SpongeBob mopping becoming the grand finale that the audience had been waiting for.

The second half of the episode sees SpongeBob trying to teach Plankton how to have fun. This, of course, results in a catchy musical number titled "F.U.N.", of which Plankton has crafted his own rendition, starting with "F is for fire that burns down the whole town, U is for Uranium...bombs, N. is for no survivors...". The entire episode is full of laughs from start to finish, making it one of the best SpongeBob episodes, and it's an example of why the show appeals to both adults and children.

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8 Graveyard Shift/Krusty Love

Season 2, Episode 16

In Season 2's "Graveyard Shift," Squidward terrifies SpongeBob with a scary story about a handless fry cook one late night at the Krusty Krab. The tables turn when Squidward's made-up tale comes to life. The story of the hash-slinging slasher is iconic in terms of SpongeBob mythos, and the installment stands out as one of the best SpongeBob episodes, and easily one of the scariest.

In the second part of the episode, "Krusty Love," Mr. Krabs develops a crush on Mrs. Puff. Though Krabs tries to give her the greatest date of his life, he soon struggles to decide what he desires more: romance or money. It's not often that there's a love story on SpongeBob, and no one would've paired Mr. Krabs and Mrs. Puff together. However, the two really hit it off and it's a very sweet episode.

7 Welcome To The Chum Bucket/Frankendoodle

Season 2, Episode 14

Mr. Krabs loses his best fry cook — Spongebob — in Season 2's "Welcome to the ChumBucket." Though he is confident he'll beat Plankton in a game of cards, he loses a bet and is thus forced to terminate SpongeBob's employment. In one of the best SpongeBob episodes, he becomes so distraught about leaving the Krusty Krab that Plankton showers him with gifts, causing SpongeBob to act like a teenager. It's always hysterical to see SpongeBob on his worst behavior.

In the next half of the episode, "Frankendoodle," SpongeBob gets hold of a magic pencil and brings a character in his likeness, DoodleBob, to life. Though SpongeBob hopes to use DoodleBob to prank Squidward, he soon learns that the drawing has a mind of its own. It's up to SpongeBob to stop him. DoodleBob's destructive ways bring nothing but hilarity to the episode, and it has launched a meme or two.

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6 Sailor Mouth/Artist Unknown

Season 2, Episode 18

The first part of Season 2, Episode 18 — “Sailor Mouth” — has SpongeBob and Patrick discover an inappropriate word on the dumpster outside the Krusty Krab. Unsure of what it means, the two conclude that sea creatures say this word to make their sentences fancier. This has the best friends ending up in major trouble. "Sailor Mouth" did cause some controversy since it depicted cartoon characters swearing, but it's another example of how SpongeBob appeals to adult audiences.

Part two — “Artist Unknown" — sees SpongeBob becoming Squidward’s lone art class student. After SpongeBob proves himself to be an art prodigy, Squidward convinces him he’s doing something wrong. Unfortunately, after an art collector shows up and falls in love with Spongebob’s work, it's up to Squidward to get SpongeBob’s creative juices flowing yet again. The episode has some of the best Squidward/SpongeBob moments, and it's one of the best SpongeBob episodes as a result.