I Ranked The Top 25 "SpongeBob SquarePants" Episodes To Celebrate Its 25th Anniversary And It Was Incredibly Difficult

Buzzfeed ^ | May 1, 2024 | Andrew Firriolo

[DoodleBob]

Coming home from school to watch SpongeBob was a major part of my childhood. Over the past 25 years, we've seen some truly hilarious and heartwarming episodes, complete with iconic quotes and memes that have traversed generations.

So, in honor of the show's 25th anniversary, I decided to rank the top 25 episodes of all time.

Let's start with some honorable mentions. Honestly, the first few seasons of SpongeBob were so strong it would be easy to argue for any episode to make the top. Here are some that came thiiiis close to making the list: • Ripped Pants (Season 1, Episode 2) • Jellyfishing (Season 1, Episode 3) • F.U.N. (Season 1, Episode 10) • Walking Small (Season 1, Episode 18) • Life of Crime (Season 2, Episode 7) • Frankendoodle (Season 2, Episode 14) • Krab Borg (Season 3, Episode 9) • Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy V (Season 3, Episode 12) • Mid-Life Crustacean (Season 3, Episode 15) • Dunces and Dragons (Season 4, Episode 6)

25. "Texas" (Season 1, Episode 18) Sandy Cheeks in a cowboy hat plays guitar with a jellyfish floating nearby United Plankton Pictures, Nickelodeon Animation Studios / Via static.wikia.nocookie.net Best Quote: "I wanna go hoooommme..." A homesick Sandy wants to return to Texas, and SpongeBob attempts to throw her a surprise party to convince her to stay. To get her off the bus, SpongeBob and Patrick throw a series of jabs at her home state, leading to a chase scene that gives us one of the greatest memes the show has to offer.

The ending at the Krusty Krab, when Sandy realizes home is where people care about you, really warms the heart. The chase scene is an iconic meme moment:

[Fungi]

You actually watch that?

[freefdny]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8j6kDwozHqk
I don’t even know if this is on the list but it’s one of my favorites. Boys Who Cry

[Christopher]

Thus confirming my long-held belief that SpongeBob pretty much went to crap after season 3. Tom Kenny changed the voice to a higher pitched, more manic tone, and the writers pretty much phoned it all in. Seasons 1 - 3 are absolutely golden.

[EvilCapitalist]

I’m Dirty Dan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN1OV9fh3uI

[DoodleBob]

The SpongeBob empire has been very Dolly Parton-like when it comes to politics and societal winds.

The left and right have claimed SpongeBob et al are subversive and conservative or liberal. And, there are bits and pieces we can pull to champion the cause. The LGBT tweet (which as noted wasn’t in line with Hillenburg’s view) is countered with an episode with this line that could come from FR: “ Lest he sit around idly, mooching off the social services of Bikini Bottom, a depressed SpongeBob sets out to return to gainful employment wherever he can find it.”

Personally, I thought “Squid on Strike” was a great take on unions and management. The union element looks pretty violent and Mr Krabs comes begging for his strikers to come back. You can see what you want in that episode. Even things that aren’t there.

In the end, the SpongeBob empire understands their money comes from normal people who, in general, want entertainment and laughter. Indeed, I suspect there are tons of millennial and GenZ Deplorables who got this joke.

[EvilCapitalist]

I also love the Sea Bear attack. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68h8-ESTY6o

[DoodleBob]

I still think SpongeBob has a crush on Pearl.

[NFHale]

Always loved the rivalry between Plankton and Mr. Krab…

The first few seasons were the best… Then, as my son says, “it started getting stupid”.

[DoodleBob]

That’s a great episode. It probably helped scores of children understand hibernation better than any public school.

[NFHale]

Another one my kids and I would watch together was “Johnny bravo”. What a funny cartoon that was…

Unless I forget… “The angry beavers”… Good Lord, that was hilarious.

[DoodleBob]

If any of the little DoodleBobs say “Fun,” every now and then I break into song.

There are some post season 3 episodes that are good. However, it is more hit or miss, sort of like Van Halen after Fair Warning.

[dfwgator]

I think it deteriorated after The SpongeBob Movie.

I can recite every line from The SpongeBob Movie by heart.

[Obadiah]

My adult kids and I still keep quoting Spongebob back and forth. Among our favorites:

When driving/parking: "You're good. You're good."

When mutually irritated in public: "This is a load of barnicles."

And so on.

[dfwgator]

“Sailor Mouth”

SpongeBob: [pointing to “Krabs,” then the unseen word] Nuh-uh, not that word. That word.
Patrick: [dolphin chirp]! Hey! I think I know what that means. That’s one of those sentence enhancers.
SpongeBob: Sentence enhancers?
Patrick: You use them when you want to talk fancy. You just sprinkle it over anything you say, and wham-o! You’ve got yourself a spicy sentence sandwich

[dfwgator]

My daughter once told me.

“Dad, you only care about World War II and SpongeBob.”

[dfwgator]

We also liked Dexter’s Lab, especially the “Labretto” episode.

Dee Dee: “Hello, dear Brother What have you got there?!””

Dexter: “Nothing....Nothing....you only see air”

Dee Dee: “Don’t be silly, I love you very much *crash* I guess I shouldn’t touch!”

[DoodleBob]

“Did you set it to Wumbo?” is a fan favorite amidst home repairs.

[dfwgator]

The Secret Box episode is another great one.

[DoodleBob]

Well, is there really anything else worth caring about?

[Svartalfiar]

Thus confirming my long-held belief that SpongeBob pretty much went to crap after season 3. Tom Kenny changed the voice to a higher pitched, more manic tone, and the writers pretty much phoned it all in. Seasons 1 - 3 are absolutely golden.

The few early episodes I've half-seen were ok but nowhere near the quality of other shows. And the few random episodes I've seen lately (wife leaves TV on nick or cartoon network or something when she goes to bed, and I don't watch much, just background noise), were unfunny to just outright retarded. I miss the cartoons from the early 90s. Much better!