The BEST episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants season 3

Every episode of SpongeBob SquarePants season 3, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants season 3!

The misadventures of a talking sea sponge who works at a fast food restaurant, attends a boating school, and lives in an underwater pineapple.

Last Updated: 8/10/2025Network: NickelodeonStatus: Continuing
The Algae's Always Greener
star
7.92
430 votes

#1 - The Algae's Always Greener

Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 3/22/2002

Plankton has a new invention that allows him to switch lives with Mr. Krabs.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy V
star
7.86
530 votes

#2 - Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy V

Season 3 - Episode 20 - Aired 5/17/2002

Barnacle Boy wants to be called "Barnacle Man" and rebels when everyone rejects his request.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Graveyard Shift
star
7.80
391 votes

#3 - Graveyard Shift

Season 3 - Episode 23 - Aired 9/6/2002

While working the graveyard shift, Squidward tells SpongeBob a scary tale.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Idiot Box
star
7.76
582 votes

#4 - Idiot Box

Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 3/1/2002

When SpongeBob and Patrick get a large screen TV, they throw out the TV and keep the box.

Directors: Aaron Springer
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Camping Episode
star
7.74
281 votes

#5 - The Camping Episode

Season 3 - Episode 34 - Aired 4/3/2004

SpongeBob and Patrick lure Squidward to their backyard campout.

Wet Painters
star
7.70
520 votes

#6 - Wet Painters

Season 3 - Episode 17 - Aired 5/10/2002

SpongeBob and Patrick must paint Mr. Krabs living room without getting a drop of paint on anything but the walls.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Krab Borg
star
7.63
534 votes

#7 - Krab Borg

Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 3/29/2002

After watching a movie where robots take over the world, SpongeBob thinks Mr. Krabs is a robot.

Directors: Jay Lender
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Great Snail Race
star
7.61
313 votes

#8 - The Great Snail Race

Season 3 - Episode 27 - Aired 1/24/2003

Squidward gets a pure-bread snail, Snelle, and decides to race her in the snail races.

Pranks a Lot
star
7.60
256 votes

#9 - Pranks a Lot

Season 3 - Episode 36 - Aired 10/11/2004

SpongeBob and Patrick invest in some magic "invisible spray" at the local prank shop.

Mid-Life Crustacean
star
7.58
234 votes

#10 - Mid-Life Crustacean

Season 3 - Episode 28 - Aired 1/24/2003

Mr. Krabs feels old so he asks if he could join SpongeBob and Patrick on a wild night out.

Can You Spare a Dime?
star
7.57
420 votes

#11 - Can You Spare a Dime?

Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 3/8/2002

Fed up with Mr. Krabs insults, Squidward quits his job - but has a hard time finding a new job.

Directors: Aaron Springer
Watch Now:Apple TV
Rock-a-Bye Bivalve
star
7.55
424 votes

#12 - Rock-a-Bye Bivalve

Season 3 - Episode 16 - Aired 3/29/2002

SpongeBob and Patrick find a baby clam and decide to raise it as their own.

Directors: Jay Lender
Watch Now:Apple TV
Club SpongeBob
star
7.47
387 votes

#13 - Club SpongeBob

Season 3 - Episode 21 - Aired 7/12/2002

SpongeBob and Patrick build a small clubhouse in a tree - when Squidward wants to join their club, he literally doesn't "fit" in.

Clams
star
7.46
314 votes

#14 - Clams

Season 3 - Episode 26 - Aired 9/20/2002

Mr. Krabs takes SpongeBob and Squidward on a clam fishing trip.

One Krabs Trash
star
7.46
557 votes

#15 - One Krabs Trash

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 2/22/2002

Mr. Krabs has a garage sale and sells SpongeBob the most valuable of items.

Directors: Alan Smart
Watch Now:Apple TV
Chocolate with Nuts
star
7.43
497 votes

#16 - Chocolate with Nuts

Season 3 - Episode 19 - Aired 5/17/2002

To make some extra cash, SpongeBob and Patrick decide to sell chocolate door to door.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Born Again Krabs
star
7.40
198 votes

#17 - Born Again Krabs

Season 3 - Episode 29 - Aired 10/4/2003

Mr. Krabs gets ill after eating an old Krabby Patty that he refused to throw away.

Snowball Effect
star
7.40
629 votes

#18 - Snowball Effect

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 2/22/2002

It's snowing! SpongeBob and Patrick try to show Squidward how much fun it can be to play in the snow.

Directors: Alan Smart
Watch Now:Apple TV
Squilliam Returns
star
7.40
391 votes

#19 - Squilliam Returns

Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 3/15/2002

Squidward's arch nemesis, Squilliam, returns to harass Squidward on his failed life since high school.

Directors: Aaron Springer
Watch Now:Apple TV
SpongeGuard on Duty
star
7.36
391 votes

#20 - SpongeGuard on Duty

Season 3 - Episode 14 - Aired 3/22/2002

When Larry the Lobster is short one man for lifeguard duty, SpongeBob volunteers.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Doing Time
star
7.35
634 votes

#21 - Doing Time

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/21/2002

Mrs. Puff takes the blame for an accident SpongeBob caused and goes to prison.

Directors: Alan Smart
Watch Now:Apple TV
Frankendoodle
star
7.34
735 votes

#22 - Frankendoodle

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 1/21/2002

SpongeBob and Patrick discover a pencil that makes everything they draw come to life.

Directors: Alan Smart
Watch Now:Apple TV
Nasty Patty
star
7.33
464 votes

#23 - Nasty Patty

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 3/1/2002

Mr. Krabs has to whip the Krusty Krab into shape in order to pass health inspection.

Directors: Aaron Springer
Watch Now:Apple TV
Missing Identity
star
7.28
275 votes

#24 - Missing Identity

Season 3 - Episode 31 - Aired 1/19/2004

SpongeBob desperately searches for his missing name tag.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Krusty Krab Training Video
star
7.16
511 votes

#25 - Krusty Krab Training Video

Season 3 - Episode 18 - Aired 5/10/2002

Learn how to become a Krusty Krab employee.

Watch Now:Apple TV