Season 3

If you were looking for the article about the DVD, then see The Complete 3rd Season.

SpongeBob SquarePantsSeason 3
General information
No. of episodes:	20
Premiere:	October 5, 2001
Finale:	October 11, 2004
DVD releases
Region 1:	September 27, 2005
Region 2:	November 8, 2007
Region 4:	December 3, 2007
Chronology
Previous:	Season 2
Next:	Season 4

The third season of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants, created by Stephen Hillenburg, aired on Nickelodeon from October 5, 2001 to October 11, 2004, and consists of 20 episodes. The series chronicles the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the fictional underwater city of Bikini Bottom. The season was executive produced by series creator Hillenburg, who also acted as the showrunner. Hillenburg halted production on the show to work on the 2004 film adaptation of the series, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. After production on the film, Hillenburg resigned from the show as its showrunner, and appointed staff writer Paul Tibbitt to overtake the position. Season 3 was originally set to end the series after the release of the film, but the success prevented the series from ending, leading to a fourth season.

The season premiere was announced on September 20, 2000. 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 recognition, 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 contained episodes from the season were released. The SpongeBob SquarePants: The Complete 3rd Season DVD was released in Region 1 on September 27, 2005, Region 2 on December 3, 2007, and Region 4 on November 8, 2007.

List

Title card	#	Title	U.S. airdate	U.S. viewers (millions)
	41a	"The Algae's Always Greener" (tr • ga)	March 22, 2002	N/A
	Mr. Krabs and Plankton switch lives.
	41b	"SpongeGuard on Duty" (tr • ga)	March 22, 2002	N/A
	SpongeBob becomes a lifeguard.
	42a	"Club SpongeBob" (tr • ga)	July 12, 2002	N/A
	SpongeBob, Patrick and Squidward are flung into the Kelp Forest.
	42b	"My Pretty Seahorse" (tr • ga)	July 12, 2002	N/A
	SpongeBob adopts a stray seahorse.
	43a	"Just One Bite" (tr • ga)	October 5, 2001	N/A
	SpongeBob tries to get Squidward to try a Krabby Patty.
	43b	"The Bully" (tr • ga)	October 5, 2001	N/A
	Flats the Flounder joins SpongeBob's boating class.
	44a	"Nasty Patty" (tr • ga)	March 1, 2002	N/A
	SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs create a tainted Krabby Patty.
	44b	"Idiot Box" (tr • ga)	March 1, 2002	N/A
	SpongeBob and Patrick play with a box.
	45a	"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy IV" (tr • ga)	January 21, 2002	N/A
	SpongeBob plays with Mermaid Man's secret utility belt.
	45b	"Doing Time" (tr • ga)	January 21, 2002	N/A
	SpongeBob and Patrick try to break Mrs. Puff out of jail.
	46a	"Snowball Effect" (tr • ga)	February 22, 2002	N/A
	SpongeBob and Patrick have a snowball fight.
	46b	"One Krabs Trash" (tr • ga)	February 22, 2002	N/A
	Mr. Krabs sells SpongeBob a soda drink hat.
	47a	"As Seen on TV" (tr • ga)	March 8, 2002	N/A
	The Krusty Krab airs its first commercial.
	47b	"Can You Spare a Dime?" (tr • ga)	March 8, 2002	N/A
	Squidward quits his job.
	48a	"No Weenies Allowed" (tr • ga)	March 15, 2002	N/A
	SpongeBob tries to get into The Salty Spitoon.
	48b	"Squilliam Returns" (tr • ga)	March 15, 2002	N/A
	Squidward tries to convince Squilliam that he owns a five star restaurant.
	49a	"Krab Borg" (tr • ga)	March 29, 2002	N/A
	SpongeBob and Squidward think Mr. Krabs is a robot.
	49b	"Rock-a-Bye Bivalve" (tr • ga)	March 29, 2002	N/A
	SpongeBob and Patrick care for a baby scallop.
	50a	"Wet Painters" (tr • ga)	May 10, 2002	N/A
	SpongeBob and Patrick paint the inside of Mr. Krabs' house.
	50b	"Krusty Krab Training Video" (tr • ga)	May 10, 2002	N/A
	A training video for future employees of the Krusty Krab.
	51	"Party Pooper Pants" (tr • ga)	May 17, 2002	N/A
	SpongeBob throws a house party.
	52a	"Chocolate with Nuts" (tr • ga)	June 1, 2002	N/A
	SpongeBob and Patrick sell chocolate bars.
	52b	"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy V" (tr • ga)	June 1, 2002	N/A
	Barnacle Boy joins the dark side.
	53a	"New Student Starfish" (tr • ga)	September 20, 2002	N/A
	Patrick joins SpongeBob's Boating School.
	53b	"Clams" (tr • ga)	September 20, 2002	N/A
	A clam eats Mr. Krabs' millionth dollar.
	54	"Ugh" (tr • ga)	March 5, 2004	N/A
	SpongeGar, Patar and Squog discover fire.
	55a	"The Great Snail Race" (tr • ga)	January 24, 2003	N/A
	Bikini Bottom holds a snail race.
	55b	"Mid-Life Crustacean" (tr • ga)	January 24, 2003	N/A
	Mr. Krabs has a mid-life crisis when he realizes that he is old.
	56a	"Born Again Krabs" (tr • ga)	October 4, 2003	N/A
	Mr. Krabs encounters the Flying Dutchman.
	56b	"I Had an Accident" (tr • ga)	October 4, 2003	N/A
	SpongeBob breaks his butt while sand-sledding.
	57a	"Krabby Land" (tr • ga)	April 3, 2004	N/A
	Mr. Krabs builds a junky playground.
	57b	"The Camping Episode" (tr • ga)	April 3, 2004	N/A
	SpongeBob and Patrick go camping on SpongeBob's front lawn, to Squidward's dismay.
	58a	"Missing Identity" (tr • ga)	January 19, 2004	N/A
	SpongeBob loses his name tag.
	58b	"Plankton's Army" (tr • ga)	January 19, 2004	N/A
	Plankton enlists the help of his relatives to steal the Krabby Patty formula.
	59	"The Sponge Who Could Fly" (tr • ga)	March 21, 2003	N/A
	SpongeBob wishes he could fly with the jellyfish.
	60a	"SpongeBob Meets the Strangler" (tr • ga)	October 11, 2004	N/A
	A criminal attempts to get revenge on SpongeBob.
	60b	"Pranks a Lot" (tr • ga)	October 11, 2004	N/A
	SpongeBob and Patrick use invisibility spray to play pranks on the citizens of Bikini Bottom.

Trivia

• There were 3 years and 6 days between the airing of the season 3 premiere and finale. The only season that took longer to air is season 9 with 4 years, 7 months, and 1 day.
• To date, this is the only season in which the APM tracks Seaweed and Hello Blues don't play.