I Hunted Down Some Of The SpongeBob Episodes That Sparked All Those Hilarious Memes, And I've Never Laughed Harder

Are you ready, kids? Because I don’t think my gut is after how much I’ve been laughing the last few days.

Like basically any other person in my generation, I grew up on SpongeBob SquarePants. It was either that or Avatar: The Last Airbender and while I would recommend the Avatar: The Last Airbender universe to anyone who watches it for the first time, I’m always a little more hesitant about SpongeBob SquarePants.

It’s not because I don’t want people to watch it. It’s because I think there are later seasons that really aren’t as good as some of the earlier ones, and I need to pick out the proper episodes that are awesome. There are plenty of great SpongeBob SquarePants episodes, but what are the ones that are the funniest?

Some of these are just that, and it’s where several – and I mean several – memes from the franchise came from. Trust me when I say that no matter which one of these episodes you watch, you’ll have a fun time.

“Little Yellow Book” (Season 9)

Whenever I think of a SpongeBob meme, this is one of the first few I think of, which is ironic because this meme isn’t even from an earlier season. It's from way later in the franchise, and I find that absolutely hysterical.

The moment happens when SpongeBob and Squidward are making fun of a new plaid kilt that Mr. Krabs has on, but now the meme has just essentially turned into the “Mocking SpongeBob” meme, where you use the picture if you’re mocking someone else.

“Home Sweet Pineapple” (Season 1)

As someone who pretty much has turned into Squidward as years have gone on – because I think we all do at some point – some of these memes are great because they involve him. One of my personal favorites was when Squidward’s eyes slammed open in this Season 1 episode.

SpongeBob needed a new home, so he snuck into Squidward’s house to try and stay there. Of course, Squidward kicked him out once he fully woke up (hence the wide eyes). The moment is hilarious and has become a staple meme: you use it whenever you realize something late in bed or suddenly remember an important thing.

“SB-129” (Season 1)

I don’t even need to talk that much about “SB-129” for you to understand how hilarious it is. It’s another meme in which Squidward travels back in time to the past and runs into caveman versions of SpongeBob and Patrick.

It was as if they weren’t already annoying enough to Squidward, but the moment cemented itself in meme history with how often we see the two cave-men versions of these classic cartoon characters. It’s funny because I’ll watch some of the best SpongeBob SquarePants specials, and yet there are moments like these from the first silly episodes that make me snicker even more.

“Nature Pants” (Season 1)

This is a curious one because this episode actually has two memes that we focus on: SpongeBob looking tired and leaning against a coral wall, and Patrick splaying out against the ceiling of a cave, looking heavily down at SpongeBob. Both of these happened in the same episode, and yes, they are just as hilarious as you would expect them to be.

The entire episode really focuses on how SpongeBob tries to be one with the Jellyfish and leaves Patrick behind to try to catch them on his own. This evolves into the hilarious episode that we all know and love now.

“The Smoking Peanut” (Season 2)

This is the first instinct where the meme really has nothing to do with the context of the episode. "The Smoking Peanut" is actually a pretty big commentary on the treatment of enclosed animals within zoos because SpongeBob throws a peanut at a clam, which causes it to have a tantrum and a lot of drama.

But it’s what leads him to sitting on the couch and watch television about a news segment regarding the clam that leads to the meme, but he doesn’t actually say anything about leaving, as the meme says. It’s just a snapshot.

You know, it’s funny because moments like this remind me why adults watch SpongeBob SquarePants. I really never would have known since I haven’t seen this episode in years. For some reason, my mind always assumed SpongeBob said something close to that, but nope. It was never said.

“Arrgh!” (Season 1)

I genuinely cannot think of another episode that more sums up the humor of SpongeBob SquarePants than this moment in “Arrgh!” when Mr. Krabs tosses a customer out of the Krusty Krab because he’s more focused on finding treasure on a treasure hunt.

It’s a moment that has literally lived on in the show for years because it’s one of the first times that we hear the “My leg!” guy, a sound bite that is spread throughout so many episodes. Heck, I think I’ve even heard him in the new SpongeBob SquarePants movies because he’s so iconic.

“That Sinking Feeling” (Season 7)

The last meme I knew I had to hunt down was this one, and I was surprised to see that this was actually from Season 7 of the show. The meme’s context is that it’s used when someone feels like they’re missing out on something as they stare out at others having fun, but that’s not what the episode is about at all.

In this moment, Squidward is instead glaring at Patrick and SpongeBob because they are running back from house to house and playing in Squidward’s yard. It’s kind of funny to think that the context has nothing to do with what actually happens in the episode.

While SpongeBob SquarePants has been running for 25+ years at this point, there are even more memes out there that I didn’t cover here. Which means that there are even more hours of hilarity out there.

But if you decide to check out any of these episodes, you’re guaranteed to laugh. And now I know that I have to rewatch this show just for the fun of it – or at least figure out what’s in a Krabby Patty.