Top 20 Best SpongeBob Squarepants Moments

“Mid-Life Crustacean”
There comes a time in a crab’s life when he starts to feel old. That’s what happens to Mr. Krabs in the “Mid-Life Crustacean” episode. But when “youngsters” SpongeBob and Patrick enthusiastically discuss an imminent night on the town, Krabs wants in. They’re not going clubbing or anything like that, though. After their first stop at a laundromat, yes, laundromat, SpongeBob ensures his boss it’ll only get better on their “night of debauchery.” What ironically follows includes picking up trash, getting their teeth examined at the dentist, a reading session at the library, and more. Time and time again, SpongeBob hilariously asks: [“Are you feeling it now Mr. Krabs?”]. You have to love him for checking if Krabs is enjoying these far-from-invigorating activities.

“Tea at the Treedome”
Regardless of whether or not it was included as an excuse to show us some seriously creepy imagery of a dehydrated SpongeBob, we won’t be forgetting this scene any time soon. While having tea with Sandy Cheeks, SpongeBob fails to grasp the fact that sea sponges don’t do so well without water. He becomes increasingly withered, but stubbornly refuses to admit the simple and obvious fact that for him, access to H2O isn’t optional: it’s a necessity. Thankfully, he finally breaks, shouting out these immortal words.

“Squid’s Day Off”
Poor Squidward; all he wants is one day off. While Mr. Krabs is at the hospital, Squidward sees an opportunity, and leaves SpongeBob in charge while he quote unquote “runs errands.” Unfortunately, he finds himself plagued by paranoid thoughts of what SpongeBob might do in his absence. Falling ever deeper into madness, he dreams up increasingly ludicrous scenarios, making it impossible for him to relax. Of course, every time he rushes back to check on things, he finds SpongeBob standing behind the counter, with nothing at all amiss, ready to greet him with the question “have you finished those errands?” It’s a hilarious but insightful exploration of the dynamic between these diametrically opposed co-workers.

“Walking Small”
Oh Plankton, will any of your plans ever work out? In an effort to use SpongeBob as a pawn in his own nefarious schemes, Plankton tries to teach him to be more assertive, going so far as to set up a confrontation with the guy who took SpongeBob’s ice cream. Of course, being the lovable goofball that he is, SpongeBob totally misses the point and turns what was supposed to be a violent warning into something wholesome and generous. Though SpongeBob eventually dabbles in aggression, it never suits him, and he’s quick to make amends. It just goes to show that you can’t force people to act against their nature.

“The Fry Cook Games”
Normally the best of friends, SpongeBob and Patrick meet as foes in this episode. Representing the Krusty Krab and the Chum Bucket respectively, the two go head-to-head in the final round of the Fry Cook Games. It’s a showdown of epic proportions, with some rather bizarre wrestling moves. Trading increasingly odd blows, it looks like an even matchup… until it’s revealed that they’re wearing pink and yellow underwear, which instantly resolves the conflict. Whelp, you don’t see that on WWE. Deeply funny, weird in that special SpongeBob way, and undeniably heart-warming, this bout is a true SquarePants classic.

“Texas”
After Sandy Cheeks expresses how much she misses her Texas home through an iconic ballad, SpongeBob, Patrick, and others are brought to tears. Sandy’s homesickness is so real that she almost leaves Bikini Bottom. But our sponge and starfish aren’t having it. Patrick infuriates her when he starts talking trash about Texas, and SpongeBob joins in. So an enraged Sandy chases after them for bad-mouthing her home state. But when they reach the Krusty Krab, she realizes the guys threw what was supposed to be a Texas-themed party to convince her to stay. This tear-jerker of an episode culminates in Sandy ultimately remaining in her new home, and stressing the importance of being surrounded by those who care about you.

“SB-129”
Who knows what the future may hold? Well, Squidward gets a glimpse. After he gets stuck in a freezer for two millennia, a descendant of SpongeBob finds and defrosts him. Evidently shook, Squidward notices that essentially everything in this future time period is made of chrome. Things get even weirder when clones of SpongeBob descendants appear. Squidward then lies on the ground in bewilderment, and creepily says: [“Future, future.”] It’s incredibly relatable stuff, and we can’t help but feel for him – just not enough to stop laughing. And that’s not all. With a time machine at his disposal, he then goes back in time. It’s all so wonderfully bizarre that Squidward eventually longs to return home, and is even (briefly) happy to see his neighbors.

“Something Smells”
Patrick Star isn’t gonna win any prizes for his storytelling abilities. That’s never more apparent than in “Something Smells.” After SpongeBob’s foul breath repels his fellow Bikini Bottom citizens, and his best friend suggests he might be “ugly,” his self-esteem takes a major hit. While down in the dirt in his home library, Patrick comes over and attempts to cheer the sponge up. He tells an extremely succinct and dark story about an ugly barnacle. What helps make this moment comical is the expression on the starfish’s face, his tone of voice, and the way he says “the end” after so few words. Clearly the story doesn’t cheer up his buddy, as SpongeBob starts crying immediately afterwards.

“Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy III”
In fairness to Man Ray, Patrick Star could drive anyone to the brink. In a bid to convince the duo that he’s turned over a new leaf, the supervillain engages Patrick and SpongeBob to teach him to be good. But the impenetrable brick wall that is Patrick’s obliviousness proves too much for him in the very first lesson - returning a wallet. Patrick genuinely forgets that the wallet is his and refuses to take it back. It’s an absurdly funny exchange, but an understandably infuriating one for Man Ray, who’s pushed to the edge. Patrick Star may be impossibly dim-witted, but we wouldn’t have him any other way.

“Procrastination”
Though he may live in a pineapple under the sea, SpongeBob faces many of the same challenges we do, like homework we just don’t want to deal with. Procrastination sets in, and we do our best to put it off for as long as possible. Well, SpongeBob takes it to a whole other level in this wacky episode, when his inability to write a short piece on ‘what not to do at a stoplight’ leads him on a whole series of misadventures. Of course, arguably the best moment comes when he finally puts pen to paper, only to produce a beautifully written “the.”

“The Camping Episode”
Make way for one of the most memorable songs in the history of “SpongeBob SquarePants.” Squidward reluctantly joins his neighbors on their camping trip, which happens to be right outside their homes. After enjoying some marshmallows, SpongeBob takes out the ukulele and starts performing. Squidward’s mundane expression juxtaposed with Patrick’s joyful swaying is too good. “The Campfire Song Song” itself starts off relatively slow, but soon picks up pace in hysterical fashion. Hilariously, Patrick tries to join in but noticeably struggles to keep up. The ending is humorous as well, as SpongeBob aggressively slams his ukulele, Patrick slams the drums, and SpongeBob screams: [“Oh yeah!”] He even claims the tune was relaxing afterwards. We’re not sure about that, but it sure is catchy.

“Survival of the Idiots”
While Sandy is in hibernation, SpongeBob and Patrick ignore her directions to not enter her home. They pleasantly discover that her dome is filled with snow. Given the pair’s playful nature and the fact that this is seemingly their first time seeing snow, they of course have some fun with it. They soon engage in a roleplay game involving characters named Dirty Dan and Pinhead Larry. Perhaps the most unforgettable moment is when SpongeBob calls Patrick “Pinhead,” and the camera shifts to the starfish in the perfect shape. The two fighting over who gets to be Dirty Dan is pretty memorable too, as is them waking up a much angrier than usual Sandy – yikes!

“Jellyfish Jam”
With the speakers blasting and colorful lights flashing, SpongeBob and his new pet jellyfish get down with a legendary dance inside the former’s home. This scene is so lit that the whole pineapple vibrates along, and even Squidward’s house shakes. As the techno rave music blares out of the speakers, SpongeBob breaks out his whole bag of dance moves in sync with the jellyfish, including the ‘raise the roof’ and the ‘wave.’ What makes this scene even more iconic is the fact that earlier, Squidward calls the jellyfish “a wild animal,” questioning how SpongeBob could have fun with it. Sure, things end up going awry, but nobody can say this is boring.

“Christmas Who?”
When Sandy illuminates SpongeBob about Christmas, the latter becomes eager for Santa Claus to come to town. It’s no surprise that Squidward is originally indifferent to the festivities, but to the audience’s surprise, that ultimately changes. When St. Nick is nowhere to be found, things turn sour. The citizens of Bikini Bottom thus question his existence, and Squidward makes a mockery of the sponge. But then, said sponge gives him an extremely thoughtful, handcrafted present, and the guilty octopus unwraps an opportunity to make up for his bad attitude. He does so by dressing up as Santa and giving away virtually everything in his house. We wouldn’t have thought Squidward would be the one to save Christmas, but we sure are glad he was.

“F.U.N.”
Arguably the most catchy tune in the history of “SpongeBob SquarePants” comes when Plankton asks the title character what ‘fun’ means. SpongeBob cleverly answers in a way that is destined to stick in the viewer’s head. Evidently, it takes Plankton a while to realize what fun truly is, at first singing a maniacally hostile verse. SpongeBob does his best to re-angle the little guy’s approach to the concept. The antagonist is at first unimpressed, but when our fry cook forcefully helps him dance, he gets on board with the positive vibes and sings along. Sure, Plankton doesn’t truly change in the end. But the “F.U.N. Song” is epic, positively enlightening and enlivening us no matter how cranky we feel.

“Graveyard Shift”
During a graveyard shift at the Krusty Krab, Squidward’s attempt to scare SpongeBob with the story of the Hash Slinging Slasher backfires when both he and SpongeBob begin fearing for their lives. The lights flicker, the phone rings, and eventually, someone resembling the murderer shows up, spatula in hand, to finish the job. Of course, this all turns out to be a series of misunderstandings…except the flickering lights. That was actually the vampire Count Orlok from the 1922 horror movie “Nosferatu.” We’re not sure what’s wilder; the fact that he’s featured in a SpongeBob episode, or that a lot of people seemingly didn’t know about this iconic character before this episode.

“Pizza Delivery”
The Krusty Krab is mainly known for their delicious Krabby Patties, but when a customer calls and orders a pizza, the crew makes it happen. We follow SpongeBob and Squidward on their delivery adventure. Right off the bat, something less than ideal happens as they run out of gas. So, they complete their journey on foot. As they march on, SpongeBob chants an incredibly infectious tune that unsurprisingly irritates Squidward. Along the way, SpongeBob demonstrates his dedication to delivering the Krusty Krab pizza no matter what. The cherry on top, though, is when Squidward lets the irate customer have it after SpongeBob gets chewed out. It’s unforgettable stuff. Now sing it: the Krusty Krab Pizza, is the pizza, for you and me!

“Chocolate with Nuts”
SpongeBob and Patrick try their hands at being entrepreneurs for a day, and attempt to earn money by selling chocolate bars door to door. But starting your own business can be tricky, and their lack of sales experience yields less than stellar results with their prospective clients. There is, however, a clear standout character, and that would be the customer who goes absolutely ballistic at the mention of chocolate - so much so he starts screeching his head off and chasing SpongeBob and Patrick everywhere they go. As it happens, he just wanted to buy some... go figure.

“Big Pink Loser”
In this scene, which is arguably Patrick Star’s defining moment from the entire series, we’re given a simple, yet oh so ingenious piece of comedy. The lovable Starfish utterly fails to comprehend how taking orders over the phone works. As customers call up asking about the Krusty Krab, Patrick rebukes them each and every time. Becoming more and more agitated as the calls keep coming in, his patience finally runs out and he screams the now legendary quote in question. ‘This is Sparta’... eat your heart out.


Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

SpongeBob’s Flawless Impression Is Truly Something

They Hysterically Use Profanity at the Krusty Krab

Patrick Takes in a Bunch of Snowballs Like Only He Can

Patrick’s Hilariously Non-descriptive Definition of a Made-up Word Never Gets Old

Because of Patrick’s Excessive Aggression & Lack of Awareness of Squidward’s Injury

“Band Geeks”
After being challenged by an old peer, Squidward struggles to turn the residents of Bikini Bottom into a marching band. Too bad most of them can’t play. Case in point - Patrick thinks that mayonnaise is an instrument. However, not only do they manage to pull together for the final performance; they turn the whole thing into a rock concert. With Patrick on drums, Sandy on guitar and SpongeBob leading with some impressive vocals, this ending will have you either sitting there stunned or nodding your head to the melody. Either way, it’s unforgettable.


Which SpongeBob moment left a lasting impression on you? Let us know in the comments!