My Top Twenty SpongeBob Episodes (#20 through 11) · 12:56am May 7th, 2021
For the sake of not making my readers slog through a truly massive post, I am dividing this into two parts.
The original write-up of these episodes can be found on my DeviantArt account here, for anyone at all interested.
One of my favorite modern cartoons was, and still is, SpongeBob SquarePants. It was a show that my family discovered when I was five going on six (if I recall correctly), and which was on through a lot of my subsequent childhood. I have very fond memories of watching new episodes when they came out, and when my dad took my sister and I to the first SpongeBob movie (twice, if I recall?).
I love a number of the characters and episodes from the show. My sister and I enjoyed quoting episodes so much that my dad turned it into a game for car trips; "Guess the SpongeBob Episode". (We eventually got TOO good for it though. XD)
Now normally, I'm not one for making "best of" lists. But, in light of the tragic death of SpongeBob creator Stephen Hillenburg in 2018, I felt that some form of tribute was in order. The man did SO much for my childhood and a lot of other people too.
It was hard work, to create this list! My initial draft of candidates for a top twenty ran to over thirty episodes, so I had to trim a lot of beloved picks of mine in favor of the episodes that I felt, more than anything, were truly special and represented the best or most important of the show as a whole.
So with that introduction out of the way, let us now dive into the list and start with number 20 on our countdown of "The 20 Best SpongeBob Episodes":
Number 20: Arrgh!
A slow day at the Krusty Krab has Mr. Krabs bored out of his mind and desperate for money. When he discovers SpongeBob and Patrick's board game about hunting for pirate treasure ("based on a real treasure map"), he rapidly becomes hooked on it.
So much so in fact, that the next day he recruits them to go on a REAL treasure hunt, with a REAL treasure map.
I chose "Arrgh!" to start off the countdown because it's a good example of an early SpongeBob episode in a number of ways. There's plenty of good jokes with SpongeBob and Patrick, and their naïve idiocy is pretty charming as they eagerly play the board game or go on this apparent treasure hunt with Mr. Krabs. The episode also introduces some running jokes that appear throughout later episodes, be it Mr. Krabs' sweatiness or that fish who yells "My leg!" when something happens to him. 
This episode is also important because it introduces the Flying Dutchman, that green ghostly pirate voiced by Brian Doyle Murray, who's made his fair share of appearances in other episodes - including one much higher up on this countdown 
There's a number of good solid jokes and comedic material in this episode, from the board-game sequence ("It's off to jail for YOU, Mr. Krabs!" "Patrick, you're fired") to a number of moments from the treasure hunt sequence... culminating in the moment where SpongeBob and Patrick finally get a look at their captain's treasure map and find out what's really on it...
(On a side note, can we appreciate the fact that said gag is basically a joke referencing The Shining of all things? This is just one of MANY surprising and delightful shout-outs that can be found in various episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants.)
Personal Favorite Quote: Patrick gets one of his greatest ditz moments when it turns out he doesn't even know how to read a compass.
"Ohh, EAST? I thought you said 'WEEST'."
Number 19: Plankton
The first appearance of many, for that tiny green would-be archvillain Sheldon J. Plankton. After yet another of his attempts to steal the Krabby Patty secret formula for his own restaurant, he then tries to use SpongeBob as an accomplice - first by trying to butter him up with gifts and sweet talk, and when that fails, by mind-controlling SpongeBob to deliver it to him personally.
"Plankton" is a good episode not just because it makes for an effective introduction to one of the show's recurring antagonists (voiced delightfully by Mr. Lawrence of course XD), but this one also has some interesting content to it. For starters, it's a much darker episode for one of the show's Season One episodes - and I mean that both literally, and figuratively: aside from the opening scene with the Krusty Krab, all the rest of the episode takes place at night! Plus, in addition, Plankton himself in his debut is a bit more of a menacing character than many of his subsequent appearances. Oh, he still has plenty of comedic moments - his record player in particular is a good example - but even so, Plankton's character is more overtly villainous and has something of an "edge" to him that his later appearances lack.
So with that bit of a darker edge, and still plenty of hilarious jokes to go with the introduction of the show's major recurring "bad guy," gives this episode a spot on the list.
Personal Favorite Quote: Plankton, speaking through SpongeBob, tells Squidward just what he thinks of his music.
Plankton-through-SpongeBob: "Shut your mouth, you mediocre clarinet player."
Squidward: (looking utterly shell-shocked) "...Mediocre?"
Number 18: Help Wanted
Well of course I had to put this one on the list, it's the very first episode of the show! Where it all began! 
SpongeBob begins his day eager and full of resolve to get a job at the Krusty Krab restaurant. But Squidward and Mr. Krabs decide to send him on a snipe hunt by giving him a “test” to retrieve an ultra-special model of spatula. The joke soon turns out to be on Krabs and Squidward though, when the restaurant is overrun by a swarm of hungry anchovies and their only hope for rescue lies with the little yellow sponge they’d sent away.
“Help Wanted” functions as an introduction to most of the core cast of the show, though being the very first episode, there are some aspects that aren’t quite set in stone yet. (For example, Patrick’s usual stupidity isn’t really established here; in fact, given that he’s the one to give SpongeBob a pep talk, he actually comes off as a bit smarter and more worldly than the spongey guy!) That being said though, “Help Wanted” is still a great episode with a ton of iconic moments, from SpongeBob’s famous foghorn alarm clock to his entrance to the Krusty Krab, and finally everything to do with the anchovies. We’re easily introduced to the major characters and their dynamics – SpongeBob is cheery and eager, Patrick is his best friend, Squidward is a grump, Mr. Krabs is a greedy jerk but also has his soft side… in many ways this is still one of the best episodes to begin watching the show with, for anyone who *hasn’t* yet seen a SpongeBob episode.
Personal Favorite Quote: Mr. Krabs practically has a war flashback at the sound and smell that heralds the incoming anchovies.
“Do you smell it? That smell… that smelly kind of smell… the smelly smell that smells… smelly…” *eyes bulge in shock* “anchovies.”
Number 17: Pressure
It's a beautiful, peaceful day in Bikini Bottom for SpongeBob and Sandy… well, at least until the issue of who would beat who in a climbing contest comes up. And from there, the competition escalates into an intense challenge of “land creatures vs. sea creatures,” with Patrick, Squidward and Mr. Krabs joining the chaos. It all comes to a head with the sea creatures being challenged to go up on dry land to see if they are as tough as they are.
“Pressure” is a fun episode, because while it was already entertaining enough with the antics between SpongeBob and Sandy, it’s able to juggle plenty of good jokes with Patrick and Squidward and Mr. Krabs as well. The “can you do this?” sequence offers some choice gags for quite a few of the sea critters; my personal favorite being when they do an impression of fish out of water.
Another reason that I enjoy this episode is that its lesson is actually one that holds up pretty well: competition can go too far. It’s one thing when SpongeBob and Sandy are trying to win various races, but as they get more determined to best the other, the challenges become mean, and even life-threatening. Sandy nearly choking is a legitimately unsettling moment, and while her “go on dry land” challenge gives some great jokes, it’s also easy to see it as like daring someone to go into the territory of some dangerous animal. “Everybody’s best at something, but no one’s best at everything,” is delivered with real sincerity by SpongeBob, and it’s a good reminder for just about anyone.
Personal Favorite Quote: Everything in the "Can you do this?" sequence, in particular when the undersea characters all gasp like fish out of water. 
Number 16: Mermaidman and Barnacle Boy V
Ooh, this was a very hard choice to make. I was torn between the first Mermaidman and Barnacle Boy episode since, of course, that's the one that introduced the duo of semi-retired superhero and sidekick. But after rewatching some episodes, finally, the fifth episode to feature the two characters won out.
Sick and tired of being treated like a child by everyone, Barnacle Boy quits being a superhero and decides to gain respect for himself by becoming a villain. Joining up with Man-Ray and the Dirty Bubble, the three villains - naming their coalition "E.V.I.L." (as in, "Every Villain Is Lemons") - cause trouble in Bikini Bottom. Mermaidman is at a loss for how to stop them, until Spongebob and friends (plus Squidward, forced to by Mr. Krabs) offer to help, and soon suit up as the superheroes of the International Justice League of Super Acquaintances. Eventually, E.V.I.L and the I.J.L.S.A. face off in what should be an epic confrontation... except not really, as SpongeBob and company manage to hilariously fail at being superheroes, and ultimately Barnacle Boy's demands turn out to be incredibly minor.
"Mermaidman and Barnacle Boy V" is actually one of my all-time favorite SpongeBob episodes, in large part because it just has so many great quotable moments in it. :D Pretty much all the named characters get a hilarious line or moment in this episode, in some way or other. Add to that some hilarious parody of superheroes, and some of that trademark surreal SpongeBob humor in the form of gags like "The Chief," and you have plenty of great comedy on hand! (In particular the entire sequence when SpongeBob and friends try take on E.V.I.L. Seriously, words cannot do it justice 
)
And besides that... really, the lesson of this episode is honestly kinda nice. Despite the ludicrous nature of Mermaidman and Barnacle Boy being superhero spoofs - and Barnacle Boy becoming a 'villain' all because he wants a regular-sized Krabby Patty - the moral of the story is ultimately, at least to me, that you have to let the people in your life grow up, that you can't keep treating them like kids. Especially when they want to be treated with respect. It's a good lesson to learn... even if, yes, it was all over a lousy burger.
Personal Favorite Quote: This perfect gem of a joke.
Barnacle Boy: "I'm crossing over to the Dark Side!"
(points at half the Krusty Krab shrouded in darkness)
...
Mr. Krabs: (to the others) "Why should I waste money lighting the whole store?"
That exchange is still quoted in my house.
Number 15: Doing Time
After yet another disastrous (and massively destructive) driving lesson with SpongeBob, his boating school teacher Mrs. Puff is arrested and jailed. At first distraught, she then rapidly warms up to life behind bars when she realizes that prison means no more dealing with SpongeBob. But the square yellow guy is guilt-wracked and convinced that he must break his teacher out of jail, so he recruits Patrick to try and get Mrs. Puff out of jail… unknowingly driving her insane with each and every unwanted rescue attempt.
“Doing Time” is one of many, many SpongeBob episodes to dip heavily into the well of dark comedy, but this one is a good example of how to do this type of story RIGHT. We can laugh at SpongeBob’s complete and utter obliviousness to Mrs. Puff’s refusal to go with him, but he does really want to make amends for getting her in jail so it’s hard to hate him – he really does want to make things right. Some episodes take this naïveté and ignorance to extremes that border on obnoxious and offensive, but here it’s handled lightly enough to still be hilarious.
The real star of the episode though is undoubtedly Mrs. Puff. As she spirals further and further into desperation and paranoia through SpongeBob’s repeated intrusions into her happy life as a prisoner, we get some hysterical comedy from her freaking out – culminating in a mental breakdown that’s hilarious (and also disturbing), and the punchline of it all keeps on escalating into yet another loop of freaking out. Perhaps the episode is wise to end the way it did, for is there really any better ending to the cartoon than to just suddenly with Mrs. Puff wearily accepting the madness? 
Personal Favorite Quote: This hilarious piece of brutal honesty...
SpongeBob: "Maybe I can talk to Patrick, perhaps he can ease my guilt."
(cutaway to--)
Patrick: "Well it sounds like it's all your fault."
Number 14: Survival of the Idiots
SpongeBob and Patrick rush to visit their friend Sandy the squirrel, but to their bafflement discover her underwater "tree-dome" shut up tight. A video left by Sandy explains that it's winter and time for her, as a land creature, to hibernate - and that nobody should disturb her rest, as hibernating animals don't like to be woken up, so do not disturb! ("That means you, SpongeBob.")
However, Patrick decides to go in anyway, and SpongeBob follows after him to try and get him to leave... but as the two of them discover the winter wonderland inside of Sandy's tree-dome, the two best friends get caught up in the fun of playing in the snow. However, they soon discover that all is not fun and games, as their antics end up disturbing the sleeping Sandy - who is one big and beastly-tempered squirrel when her winter nap is disturbed! SpongeBob and Patrick soon find themselves trapped, freezing and terrified of waking up Sandy, who - dreaming of Texas outlaws - believes them to be "Dirty Dan and Pinhead Larry" (not necessarily in that order though).
"Survival of the Idiots" is in some ways a pretty dark episode of the older SpongeBobs, since the hibernating Sandy is a pretty scary character for a little kid's show. A giant, bear-like, Hulked-out brute, there's pretty much no trace of the usual cheerful Texas squirrel. That being said, her delusions about Dirty Dan and Pinhead Larry offer some pretty good jokes - namely in the fact that, for a while, SpongeBob and Patrick argue over who gets to be called Dirty Dan. In particular is the meme-spawning "Who you callin' Pinhead?" from Patrick, one of many, many deranged pictures of the cast and characters in the show; though the sheer randomness of this particular gag makes it work quite well.
Part of the episode's humor, with the snow and related antics between SpongeBob and Patrick, almost feel like a warmup (hehe) for the show's later episode "Snowball Effect". Though for me, the real crowning moment of funny comes from SpongeBob and Patrick's decision to use Sandy's fur to keep warm during the frigid winter in the tree-dome. It's both tense and hilarious to see the dimwitted duo worry over waking up the giant squirrel who's already beaten the tar out of them a fair few times - and then the duct tape comes out, and the whole scene rockets into hilarity, especially with the punchline of the whole cartoon--
"...Spring?"
Personal Favorite Quote: Patrick losing his patience with SpongeBob trying to safely remove Sandy's fur... one individual hair at a time.
Patrick: "This is taking too long! I WANT THE WARM NOW!!!"
*he pulls out a goddamn roll of duct tape, and then proceeds to tear a massive strip of fur off Sandy's arm with it.*
Number 13: Clams
A typical day at the Krusty Krab is suddenly interrupted by Mr. Krabs making his one millionth dollar; as a way to celebrate this milestone in his life, he announces that he's taking SpongeBob and Squidward on a trip.
...Specifically, a clam-fishing trip. Much to Squidward's disappointment and disgust, naturally.
But, when SpongeBob accidentally hooks Mr. Krabs' millionth dollar and sends it hurtling into the lagoon, where it is snatched up by a gigantic clam, the trip takes a turn for the even worse, as Krabs becomes consumed with a Captain Ahab-level vendetta against the clam. As the crustacean cheapskate's zeal to catch the clam gets more and more psychotic, Squidward and SpongeBob become more and more desperate to get away... and that blasted orchestra playing the ominous Jaws-type music ain't helping things either...
"Clams" is another great episode with a surprising reference, though admittedly doing a kind-of spoof of Jaws in a cartoon that's literally set in the ocean does make a lot of sense. Again, the episode has a lot of great humor through moments of parody; the live-action orchestra that first pops up when Mr. Krabs makes his one millionth dollar is a hilariously random gag, and its recurrences continue to be hilarious, especially when Mr. Krabs freaks out after hearing them play the ominous music. "Can't you hear the music?! That's a 4/4 string ostinato in D Minor! Every sailor knows it means death!!"
This episode is also a fun exercise in that the majority of it takes place on the one set - the crappy fishing boat - and nowhere else. It's interesting to see that the writers were able to wring so many jokes out of the antics resulting from putting SpongeBob, Squidward and Mr. Krabs in one place and (aside from one very brief cutaway gag) not moving them anywhere else. Mr. Krabs is in top form with this episode, chewing the scenery in almost every way, from his exuberant glee at the start with his millionth dollar, to his complete (and also *literal* in one moment) breakdown when it gets eaten, and finally him going insane in his drive to get it back. Clancy Brown's delivery of all of this is utterly hysterical, as is Squidward's own reactions to the sheer madness that's consuming his boss.
Personal Favorite Quote: This gem from Squidward. Honestly it applies to SO much that goes on at the Krusty Krab...
Customer: "What's going on?"
Squidward: "Something stupid, I'm sure."
Number 12: S.B.-129
Desperate to avoid SpongeBob and Patrick and get out of going jellyfishing with them, Squidward sneaks into the Krusty Krab and accidentally shuts himself in the freezer when trying to hide. Two thousand years later he's found, frozen solid, and thawed out by "Sponge-Tron," one of many, many future clones of SpongeBob. Horrified by the weird future before him, where everything is made of chrome and clones abound, Squidward takes a time machine to go back to the past... only to overshoot and end up in a distant prehistoric era, complete with caveman versions of SpongeBob and Patrick. And of course, his efforts to get some peace and quiet there only lead to further time-travel madness...
"S.B.-129" is a real standout episode, considering that this is one of the first Squidward-centric episodes of the series that has him in a pretty sympathetic light. Compared to prior entries in the first season like "Naughty Nautical Neighbors" and "I Was A Teenage Gary" where Squidward is much more of a selfish asshole whose suffering we can laugh at, because he really does bring it on himself; in S.B.-129 he's still a stuck-up jerk but far nicer; here, instead of trying to do something mean to SpongeBob and Patrick, he just tries to avoid them, and so when he gets frozen and tossed around in time, you can kinda feel a bit sorry for him.
The episode also has plenty of great gags in regard to the time travel. Ranging from the chrome-plated future with Sponge-Tron and Pat-Tron ("*Everything* is chrome in the future!"), to the lush but darker, more menacing prehistoric world (seriously, Cave-Patrick's teeth! 
), there's some great locations for humor in this episode. Although really, the real crowner is the surreal, eerie void that Squidward finds himself in after breaking the time machine's controls. It's a location that manages to be one of the memorable in the entire show, if only because of the sheer bizarreness of the entire sequence with it.
Personal Favorite Quote: Squidward's... reaction, for lack of a better word... to what the future world is like. He just slowly puts down his clarinet, gets into the fetal position, and begins to contort, repeating over and over...
"FUTUUUUURE! FUTUUUUUUUREEE!! FUUUU--"
Number 11: Christmas Who?
In this half-hour special, we learn the story of how SpongeBob and Bikini Bottom's very first Christmas. One day, SpongeBob discovers Sandy decorating her tree-dome with all sorts of stuff; initially thinking that the lights mean a fire, SpongeBob then learns from the Texas squirrel about Christmas, elves and presents, and above all, Santa Claus. Enthused, SpongeBob tells everyone else and soon a Christmas craze erupts in Bikini Bottom, as everyone eagerly readies themselves for the holiday and the arrival of Santa.
...Everyone except for Squidward. Being who he is, Christmas is just a stupid waste of time and Santa is a big old phony. SpongeBob tries and tries to get Squidward to get into the holiday spirit, to write a letter to Santa, anything, but the grumpy cashier's mind is made up. Nothing can shake his cynicism...
And when Christmas day rolls around, and Santa doesn't show, SpongeBob is utterly crushed, and Squidward initially delights in being right. (In the most obnoxious, outrageously/hilariously mean way possible, to boot.)
...At least, until he learns that SpongeBob had made him a Christmas gift. So he wouldn't feel left out. Suffice to say, Squidward is soon feeling like quite the *coughs* "big jerk," and tries to find a way to make it up to SpongeBob somehow. And maybe, just by pure dumb accident, save Christmas in the process?
"Christmas Who?" is a great episode in a lot of ways. There's plenty of fun in all the buildup of the first half of the special, with SpongeBob learning about Christmas, and the holiday frenzy that soon grips Bikini Bottom as he gets everyone else worked up too. Squidward being "the Grinch" of sorts is naturally a lot of fun, and then you also have the hilarity of the song that SpongeBob and Patrick sing as they get the town into shape, "It Feels like the Very First Christmas to Me." (Especially for the conclusion to that number. XD)
But then the latter half comes, and you have a lot of legitimate heart and emotion to toss into the mix. SpongeBob's utter devastation as, after all that work and anticipation and yet no Santa, is both genuinely sad (thanks in part to Tom Kenny's voice work, especially when SpongeBob breaks down crying) and yet horribly, crosses-the-line-twice funny thanks to some great over-the-top expressions. And then there comes the moment of Squidward's own moment of guilt, as he opens SpongeBob's present - expecting the worst - and then finds a legitimately thoughtful present inside, and then realizes what a colossal jerk he's been to someone who just wanted to make people happy. Roger Bumpass sells the hell out of every second, from Squidward's amazement at the handmade clarinet in his present, to the sheer joy at getting such a lovely present... and then the crushing sense of guilt as his earlier meanness hits him like a ton of bricks. It makes Squidward's effort to make SpongeBob smile again by pretending to be Santa so sweet; even as it goes hilariously beyond its intentions and leaves poor Squidward scrambling to keep up the illusion in short order.
SpongeBob SquarePants, as a show, has done many, many "special episodes". Some of them are good. Some of them aren't. And then there's ones like this, which really go to show just how good this should could be, and how much heart it could have, when at its best.
Personal Favorite Quote: On the funny side of things, I always get a laugh out of Patrick trying to write a letter to Santa Claus. All the way up to mailing it.
"What'd you wish for, Patrick?"
(We see Patrick's message bottle to Santa has a ripped letter inside it.)
"Another piece of paper."
Most Heartwarming Moment: When Squidward pretends to be Santa to cheer up SpongeBob. While it rapidly becomes funny, this line is still really touching for the sheer sincerity in it, from Squidward of all characters:
"I didn't bring Christmas to Bikini Bottom, SpongeBob. *You* did."
*heart melts*
And that is it for part one of this particular countdown. I hope you all enjoyed what I've put up here so far, and I hope to have the second installment up for perusal sometime over the weekend. 
Solid list! I remember most of these episodes (although I must admit, some I've never seen in full... that Sandy one during the hibernation seemed too scary for me upon first viewing. Don't know why.
) But most of these I have seen, and I still hold many with fond memories. ^^
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Hey, that's perfectly fair. (When I was a little kid, first time watching "Survival of the Idiots," Sandy freaked the heck out of me too. XD) No judgements here
Glad you enjoyed this first half of the countdown!
I've never been able to enjoy SpongeBob due to having a low tolerance for stupidity and being exposed to episodes like the one where SpongeBob gets a splinter. (seriously, eugh) That being said, I have nothing against anyone working on the show. Hell, Tom Kenny voiced one of the more memorable incarnations of Starscream. From harmless dumbass to very dangerous, yet comical, egomaniac, the man has talent.
5514444
That was a nasty example of the show's Seasonal Rot.
Yeesh. Yeah, no arguments about the splinter episode there.
But yeah, the performers on the show have some real talent. Tom Kenny is a spectacularly versatile VA when you look at the roles he's played - he voiced Spyro the Dragon back in the early days of the series (I think in Spyro 2 and 3?), and besides SpongeBob, there's also Starscream, Scaramouche in Samurai Jack season five (plus a whole load of other voices from the classic run of the show), Doctor Octopus (in the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon) and the Ice King from Adventure Time as well. Dude's got range.
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Oh yeah. Like I said. I don't like Spongebob, but I have nothing against the people who work on it. I have nothing to gain from attacking people for just doing their jobs and getting a paycheck for it. Besides, simply because I don't enjoy the VAs in THIS piece of work, doesn't mean I can't enjoy them in other medias.
5514521
Indeed, all perfectly fair.