10 ‘SpongeBob’ Episodes, Ranked From Creepy to Downright Disturbing

SpongeBob SquarePants seems like a harmless children's show… but is it really?

We have our always-happy protagonist who, unbeknownst to himself, goes against the corporate flow. But beneath the fun animation and goofy humor are some of the most unsettling moments ever to grace TV. These are 10 eerie SpongeBob moments, ranked by how creepy they are.

10. “Graveyard Shift”: Season 2 Episode 16

Context: SpongeBob and Squidward work the night shift at the Krusty Krab while Squidward tells the story of the “hash-slinging slasher.”

This episode nails the creepy vibe of working late at night, complete with all the strange noises and shadows. The tension builds surprisingly well for a kids' cartoon.

9. “Wormy”: Season 2 Episode 5

Context: the episode follows SpongeBob and Patrick watching Sandy's pets while she's away. Everything seems fine until they encounter Wormy, a caterpillar-turned-butterfly.

A sudden close-up of a butterfly accompanied by a buzzing sound is enough to give you nightmares. It's essentially a jump scare in a children's show.

Fun fact: the close-up shot isn't even of a butterfly. It's actually a horsefly!

8. “Gone”: Season 6 Episode 4

“Gone” explored our primal fears: ending up alone. And we mean completely alone.

Context: SpongeBob wakes up to find Bikini Bottom completely deserted.

The episode's eeriness comes from its empty settings and SpongeBob's growing desperation while searching for any sign of life. If not for the ending, it would make a great horror short.

7. “The Splinter”: Season 6 Episode 5

Context: SpongeBob gets a splinter at work, followed by some of the most graphic body horror you'll see on a kids' show.

The episode features close-up shots of SpongeBob's infected finger. However, that still is not the most unsettling thing.

The most disturbing part: Patrick (who is somehow a doctor) puts a bunch of garbage on SpongeBob's infected finger, causing the wound to worsen visibly.

6. “Face Freeze!”: Season 8 Episode 20

“Face Freeze!” is another SpongeBob's take on body horror. The episode pushes the idea of "your face will freeze like that" to a disturbing extreme.

Context: our beloved characters' faces become disfigured in grotesque ways.

The animation team seems to have taken particular delight in creating increasingly unsettling facial expressions, pushing the boundaries of what they can get away with this time.

The most uncomfortable part: Sandy's trying to help SpongeBob and Patrick by doing them face massages (unsuccessful, by the way).

5. “SB-129”: Season 1 Episode 14

Context: Squidward travels to a bizarre future where everything is chrome and square.

This episode ventures into existential territory with its surreal depiction of the distant future and, more disturbingly, the void of nothingness Squidward encounters. The idea of being completely alone in an empty white void is pretty heavy stuff for a kids' show.

The creepiest moment: Squidward breaks down in the void, repeatedly saying "ALONE."

4. “Doing Time”: Season 3 Episode 5

Context: Mrs. Puff is sent to jail and SpongeBob tries to prove her innocence by intentionally getting himself arrested.

Mrs. Puff's descent into madness while in prison is played for laughs, but it's actually pretty disturbing when you think about it.

The creepiest part: Mrs. Puff starts hallucinating and seeing SpongeBob everywhere, even in her prison cell. Her mental state deteriorates to the point where she can't tell what's real anymore.

3. “Hooky”: Season 1 Episode 20

“Hooky” shows SpongeBob and Patrick playing with death.

Context: when mysterious fishing hooks appear in Bikini Bottom, Mr. Krabs warns SpongeBob about their deadly nature. However, peer pressure from Patrick leads to SpongeBob engaging in increasingly risky behavior.

The unsettling part: the duo treats the hooks like carnival rides despite knowing they could lead to capture, death or even ending up as someone's wall decoration.

2. “One Coarse Meal”: Season 7 Episode 11

“One Coarse Meal” begins innocently enough but quickly devolves into full-on psychological warfare.

Context: Mr. Krabs discovers Plankton's intense fear of whales and exploits it in one of the cruelest ways possible.

The outcome: Plankton has a nervous breakdown and makes a disturbing suicide attempt by trying to get run over by a bus.

“One Coarse Meal” takes psychological torture to a whole new level. Watching a character contemplate ending it all because of relentless bullying is unexpectedly dark for a Nickelodeon cartoon.

1. “Are You Happy Now?”: Season 8 Episode 17

“Are You Happy Now?” takes a surprisingly deep dive into depression and the struggle to find joy in life.

Context: Squidward realizes he doesn't have a single happy memory and falls into a deep depression.

The darkest moment: Squidward isolates himself from the world and begins to deteriorate in his home all by himself.