SpongeBob SquarePants has been making people of all ages laugh since 1999. Today, Nickelodeon is currently on season 12 of the show, with more adorably funny episodes than the next.

But is each season created equally? Over the years, SpongeBob SquarePants has had various voice actors, changes in direction, and animation adaptions, but which season reigns supreme?

12 Season 12

The 12th season of SpongeBob SquarePants is the current season, which aired in November of 2018 and is still going on via Nickelodeon. While there’s nothing bad, per se, about the latest season but it’s still going on and too early to rank fairly. The 12th season has all of SpongeBob’s best friends and frienemies as they go on adventures through Bikini Bottom. Thus far, SpongeBob has helped Mrs. Puff clean out her lighthouse, Patrick got a job at Goody Goober, and Squidward had to stay at a hotel with SpongeBob and Patrick after his home was swarmed with sea urchins.

11 Season 11

The 11th season aired in March of 2017 with 26 fun-filled episodes. This season was comical and whimsical but not as many endearing episodes as other seasons.

While SpongeBob’s adorable house stood tall, Squidward saw an infestation of sea bunnies and a rental agreement from Man Ray. Mr. Krab’s nemesis, Plankton, acted as a genie in “Spin the Bottle,” and Patrick’s tongue got stuck to an ice cave in a hilarious bit.

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10 Season 10

Season 10 saw 11 episodes of Bikini Bottom glory. The season released in 2016 and saw SpongeBob in a variety of situations but with a shorter list of episodes, there’s not much to choose from. However, the animation style did change in season 10, making the characters appear more animated or exaggerated.

In the series, SpongeBob falls for another one of Squidward’s tricks and thinks he’s allergic to pineapple (which means he had to find a new home), Squidward attempts at getting a nose job, and SpongeBob opens his own restaurant!

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9 Season Seven

Not too many fans loved the seventh season of SpongeBob SquarePants. The season premiered in 2009 with 26 episodes. “SpongeBob’s Last Stand was a memorable episode as it connected the animation world with real-life issues. Plankton planned on building a highway that could have ruined the jellyfish fields but protests prevailed.

As always, it was just Plankton’s way of trying to steal the Krabby Patty recipe. “A Day Without Tears” was another monumental episode because SpongeBob attempted to go an entire day without crying. The SpongeBob special “Truth Or Scare” also came out in this season.

8 Season Six

The sixth season of SpongeBob aired in 2008 and had 26 episodes. Some fans felt that SpongeBob seemed selfish in season six and less interested in being the good friend that he typically is. Nevertheless, it still had memorable SpongeBob episodes like “Krabby Road” (where Karen leaves Plankton), “Gone” (when SpongeBob wakes up to an evicted city), and “Sun Bleached” (a time where SpongeBob finally wants a nice tan for a party). The season concluded with King Neptune asking SpongeBob and Patrick finding his long-lost son.

7 Season Eight

Seasons six and seven weren’t fan-favorites but SpongeBob redeemed itself with season eight. The series hit screens in 2011 with its normal 26 episodes. The storylines were more interesting and fans saw the characters go on more exciting adventures. “Drive-Thru” was an exciting episode with Mr. Krabs adding a drive-thru to the Krusty Krab. And fans saw Squidward going against Mr. Krabs when he twisted his ankle on the job and threatens to sue. It’s not every day Squidward is relatable but he had a solid start in season eight.

6 Season Five

Season five had fewer episodes than normal (20) and premiered in 2007. “Friend or Foe” was one of the funniest episodes of that season with a ton of detail in the history of Mr. Krabs and Plankton’s relationship. It turns out that they used to be best friends and it wasn’t until they went into business together that things went wrong. “To Love A Patty” was also a hilarious episode. SpongeBob falls in love with a Krabby Patty and ends up depressed when the burger goes bad. He ends up eating the Krabby Patty with some encouragement from Mr. Krabs but gets sick afterward…

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5 Season Nine

Season nine took off in 2012 with 26 episodes. However, the season was divided in half when Nickelodeon and Paramount work on the franchise’s second movie. The second half of the season was better than the first, which saw Mr. Krabs falling in love with a pile of trash (“Married to Money”), SpongeBob and Patrick building a new home behind the Krusty Krab (“Sold!”), and Mr. Krabs launched a line of frozen Krabby Patties for Bikini Bottom! Although there are plenty of dark theories on the web regarding SpongeBob, season nine saw nothing but happy-go-lucky storylines.

4 Season Four

In 2005, Nickelodeon released the fourth season of SpongeBob SquarePants with 20 episodes. If fans felt the season felt different than the first three, it could be because the series creator, Stephen Hillenburg, left the series to focus on the first movie. Hillenburg was hoping to end the series after the release of the first movie but SpongeBob was in such high demand, he didn’t get his wish. The season did have all of its famous SpongeBob characters and iconic episodes like “Fear of a Krabby Patty” (when Plankton tried keeping the Chum Bucket open for 23-hours throughout the day) and “Selling Out” (Mr. Krabs attempts to sell the Krusty Krab and retire!).

3 Season One

Fans can’t talk about SpongeBob’s best seasons and not include the first season in the top three. The first season introduced us to the magical world of Bikini Bottom and the endearing SpongeBob SquarePants. It premiered in 1999 and had 20 episodes of greatness. Fans felt badly for Squidward when SpongeBob and Patrick invaded his yard for their bubble stand; Fans fell in love with SpongeBob’s dedication to fry-cooking at the Krabby Patty; And fans got to know the tiny chaos that is Plankton. Without the success of season one, there would be no season 12.

2 Season Two

As fun and entertaining as season one was, season two followed up with even funnier episodes. The plotlines were intriguing and kept fans engaged for all 20 episodes.  The animation also improved and offered brighter colors. One notable episode from the second season was “Bubble Bowl,” which saw Bikini Bottom’s version of the Super Bowl. A very confident Squidward was shaking in his boots when his enemy Squilliam Fancyson comes into town for the Bubble Bowl’s marching band. The “Graveyard Shift” was another memorable episode when SpongeBob and Squidward worked the night shift with some spooky interruptions along the way.

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1 Season Three

It’s time for the best season of SpongeBob SquarePants! Many fans have agreed that season three is one of the best seasons in the series. Due to Hillenburg wanting to end the series with season three, they really went all out on fantastic writing and animation. Season three saw SpongeBob jealous of Lary the Lobster’s lifeguard duties, Squidward tasting his first Krabby Patty, and a snowstorm hitting Bikini Bottom!

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Lynn Gibbs
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Lynn is a nomad who travels the globe on the hunt for her next adventure with her husband. A lover of being outside (and finding the best latte in town), Lynn is typically hiking, walking, or jogging when she’s not focusing on her love of writing. When it comes to shows streaming on Netflix or anything Bravo-related, Lynn’s your gal.

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