Season 3

This is the page about the third season of the main series. For other uses, see Season 3 (disambiguation).

The third season of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants, created by former marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg, was internally announced on September 20, 2000, and was first publicly mentioned in a news article on May 18, 2001.

A total of 20 half-hour episodes were produced for this season.

Season 3 premiered on October 5, 2001 with "The Bully" and "Just One Bite," and ended on October 11, 2004 with "SpongeBob Meets the Strangler" and "Pranks a Lot." The season was executive-produced by series creator Hillenburg, who also acted as the showrunner. The series chronicles the exploits and adventures of the titular character and his various friends in the fictional underwater city of Bikini Bottom.

The season was well received by media critics and fans. During its run, SpongeBob SquarePants became the highest rated children's show on cable, with over 50 million viewers a month. The show received several recognitions, including its nomination at the Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Children's Program. The episodes "New Student Starfish" and "Clams" were nominated for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour) category, while the entry "SpongeBob B.C. (Ugh)" won the same category. The season was also the first time the show received a nomination at the Kids' Choice Awards and won. It won the 2003 Kids' Choice Awards for Favorite Cartoon, and also won the following year's Kids' Choice Award for the same category. Celebrities—including Justin Timberlake, Kelly Osbourne, Britney Spears, Bruce Willis, Noel Gallagher, rapper Dr. Dre, and Mike Myers—have been reported to be fans of the show.

Several compilation DVDs that contain episodes from the season were released. The SpongeBob SquarePants: The Complete 3rd Season DVD was released in Region 1 on September 27, 2005, almost a year after the season had completed broadcast on television, Region 2 on December 3, 2007, and Region 4 on November 8, 2007.

Production

During production of the previous season, Nickelodeon already renewed SpongeBob SquarePants for a third season on September 20, 2000, due to the show's high ratings across basic cable television.

Hillenburg halted production on the show to work on the 2004 film adaptation of the series, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.

Hillenburg wanted season 3 to be the last season, but a fourth season was approved following the show's popularity and entered production a few months before the release of the movie.

After production on the film, Hillenburg resigned from the show as its showrunner and appointed staff writer Paul Tibbitt to overtake the position. However, he did remain as Executive Producer for the remainder of the series until his death in 2018.

List of episodes

Title card	#	Title	U.S. airdate	U.S. viewers (millions)
File:The Algae's Always Greener title card.png	41a	"The Algae's Always Greener" (tr • ga)	March 22, 2002	4.55
	Plankton switches lives with Mr. Krabs.
File:SpongeGuard on Duty title card.png	41b	"SpongeGuard on Duty" (tr • ga)	March 22, 2002	4.55
	SpongeBob becomes a lifeguard at Goo Lagoon.
File:Club SpongeBob title card.png	42a	"Club SpongeBob" (tr • ga)	July 12, 2002	2.52
	SpongeBob, Patrick, and Squidward get trapped in the Kelp Forest.
File:My Pretty Seahorse title card.png	42b	"My Pretty Seahorse" (tr • ga)	July 12, 2002	2.52
	SpongeBob adopts a stray seahorse.
File:Just One Bite title card.png	43a	"Just One Bite" (tr • ga)	October 5, 2001	2.92 3.71 (cut)
	SpongeBob tries to get Squidward to try a Krabby Patty.
File:The Bully title card.png	43b	"The Bully" (tr • ga)	October 5, 2001	2.92
	A bully joins SpongeBob's boating class and threatens to kick his butt.
File:Nasty Patty title card.png	44a	"Nasty Patty" (tr • ga)	March 1, 2002	3.91
	SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs think they killed the health inspector.
File:Idiot Box title card.png	44b	"Idiot Box" (tr • ga)	March 1, 2002	3.91
	SpongeBob and Patrick use their imagination to play with an empty box.
File:Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy IV title card.png	45a	"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy IV" (tr • ga)	January 21, 2002	5.74
	SpongeBob obtains Mermaid Man's utility belt.
File:Doing Time title card.png	45b	"Doing Time" (tr • ga)	January 21, 2002	5.74
	SpongeBob and Patrick try to break Mrs. Puff out of jail.
File:Snowball Effect title card.png	46a	"Snowball Effect" (tr • ga)	February 22, 2002	3.85 2.29(HH)*
	SpongeBob and Patrick have a snowball fight and try to get Squidward to join in as well.
File:One Krabs Trash title card.png	46b	"One Krabs Trash" (tr • ga)	February 22, 2002	3.85 2.29(HH)*
	Mr. Krabs sells SpongeBob a valuable soda drink hat.
File:As Seen on TV title card.png	47a	"As Seen on TV" (tr • ga)	March 8, 2002	3.65
	SpongeBob believes he has become famous off a Krusty Krab commercial.
File:Can You Spare a Dime? title card.png	47b	"Can You Spare a Dime?" (tr • ga)	March 8, 2002	3.65
	Squidward quits his job and stays at SpongeBob's house.
File:No Weenies Allowed title card.png	48a	"No Weenies Allowed" (tr • ga)	March 15, 2002	4.78
	SpongeBob tries to act tough in order to get into The Salty Spitoon.
File:Squilliam Returns title card.png	48b	"Squilliam Returns" (tr • ga)	March 15, 2002	4.78
	Squidward tries to convince Squilliam that he owns a five-star restaurant.
File:Krab Borg title card.png	49a	"Krab Borg" (tr • ga)	March 29, 2002	4.58
	SpongeBob and Squidward think Mr. Krabs is a robot.
File:Rock-a-Bye Bivalve title card.png	49b	"Rock-a-Bye Bivalve" (tr • ga)	March 29, 2002	4.58
	SpongeBob and Patrick care for a baby scallop.
File:Wet Painters title card.png	50a	"Wet Painters" (tr • ga)	May 10, 2002	3.86
	SpongeBob and Patrick paint the inside of Mr. Krabs' house.
File:Krusty Krab Training Video title card.png	50b	"Krusty Krab Training Video" (tr • ga)	May 10, 2002	3.86
	The Krusty Krab is featured in an instructional video for future employees.
File:Party Pooper Pants title card.png	51	"Party Pooper Pants" (tr • ga)	May 17, 2002	6.32 6.70(live+7)
	SpongeBob throws a party.
File:Chocolate with Nuts title card.png	52a	"Chocolate with Nuts" (tr • ga)	June 1, 2002	4.33
	SpongeBob and Patrick sell chocolate bars.
File:Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy V title card.png	52b	"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy V" (tr • ga)	June 1, 2002	4.33
	Barnacle Boy joins the dark side.
File:New Student Starfish title card.png	53a	"New Student Starfish" (tr • ga)	September 20, 2002	3.92 2.69(HH)*
	Patrick joins SpongeBob's boating school.
File:Clams title card.png	53b	"Clams" (tr • ga)	September 20, 2002	3.92 2.69(HH)*
	Mr. Krabs' one millionth dollar is eaten by a clam during a fishing trip.
File:Ugh title card.png	54	"Ugh" (tr • ga)	March 5, 2004	5.96
	SpongeGar, Patar, and Squog discover fire.
File:The Great Snail Race title card.png	55a	"The Great Snail Race" (tr • ga)	January 24, 2003	4.10 2.72(HH)*
	SpongeBob enters Gary into a snail race against Squidward and his new pet Snellie.
File:Mid-Life Crustacean title card.png	55b	"Mid-Life Crustacean" (tr • ga)	January 24, 2003	4.10 2.72(HH)*
	Mr. Krabs joins SpongeBob and Patrick for a night out in the town.
File:Born Again Krabs title card.png	56a	"Born Again Krabs" (tr • ga)	October 4, 2003	3.60
	Mr. Krabs tries to sell a moldy Krabby Patty until he encounters the Flying Dutchman.
File:I Had an Accident title card.png	56b	"I Had an Accident" (tr • ga)	October 4, 2003	3.60
	SpongeBob refuses to go outside after breaking his butt while sandboarding.
File:Krabby Land title card.png	57a	"Krabby Land" (tr • ga)	April 3, 2004	5.40
	Mr. Krabs builds a junky playground.
File:The Camping Episode title card.png	57b	"The Camping Episode" (tr • ga)	April 3, 2004	5.40
	SpongeBob, Patrick, and Squidward go camping.
File:Missing Identity title card.png	58a	"Missing Identity" (tr • ga)	January 19, 2004	5.66
	SpongeBob recalls a day where he loses his name tag.
File:Plankton's Army title card.png	58b	"Plankton's Army" (tr • ga)	January 19, 2004	5.66
	Plankton enlists the help of his hillbilly cousins to steal the Krabby Patty formula.
File:The Sponge Who Could Fly title card.png	59	"The Sponge Who Could Fly" (tr • ga)	March 21, 2003	7.64 4.33(HH)*
	SpongeBob wishes he could fly with the jellyfish.
File:SpongeBob Meets the Strangler title card.png	60a	"SpongeBob Meets the Strangler" (tr • ga)	October 11, 2004	4.61
	A criminal attempts to get revenge on SpongeBob.
File:Pranks a Lot title card.png	60b	"Pranks a Lot" (tr • ga)	October 11, 2004	4.61
	SpongeBob and Patrick use invisibility spray to play pranks on the citizens of Bikini Bottom.

*(HH) indicates the amount of households the episode was viewed in.

Trivia

• All episodes in this season were produced in 2001 and 2002, and most aired in 2002, due to production of The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. Some episodes were aired in 2003 and 2004, most notably in the United States.
  • Season 3 finished its run as early as October/November 2002 in countries like Canada and South Korea.
• This is the first for two things:
  • The first season to not have a holiday special.
  • The first full season to air in the third millennium and 21st century.
• This is the only season for three things:
  • The only season where "Gator" does not play, until season 13.
  • The only season where "Hello Blues" does not play. It immediately played after this season, in the first episode of season 4 — "Fear of a Krabby Patty."
  • The only season for which Sage Guyton and Jeremy Wakefield did not compose any tracks.
• "Just One Bite" and "The Bully" are the only episodes to premiere in 2001.
• This is the season that holds the record of most time cards entirely shown, having 23.
  • This is also the season that has the episode with the most time cards shown, "Rock-a-Bye Bivalve," having 5.
• Multiple episodes from this season (specifically "SpongeGuard on Duty," "The Algae's Always Greener," "The Bully," "Club SpongeBob," "My Pretty Seahorse," and "Just One Bite") were originally produced for the previous season, but were later moved for unknown reasons.
• "Jellyfish Hunter," a season 2 episode, was originally produced for this season but was pushed up for unknown reasons.
• This season is tied with season 8 for the least amount of title drops.
• This is the only season that Kent Osborne, and Sam Henderson worked on as writers and storyboard directors.

Videos

• File:BEST of SpongeBob Season 3! - 60 Minute Compilation - SpongeBob
• File:SpongeBob Season 3 Marathon 🧽 - 52 Minute Compilation - @SpongeBobOfficial
• File:SpongeBob Season 3 Marathon 🧽 - 45 Minute Compilation - @SpongeBobOfficial
• File:SpongeBob season 3 in 60 seconds 🍍 - -shorts
• File:SpongeBob Season 3 Marathon 🧽 - 1 HOUR of the BEST EPISODES - @SpongeBobOfficial