- Best Spongebob Games Guide - October 24, 2023
- Spongebob Teeth Guide - December 15, 2022
- Scary Spongebob Guide - November 28, 2022
Have you ever pulled a sickie? Even the most hardworking employees have bad days, where they just feel so lazy and miss work, but not SpongeBob! Even with a serious disease like the one we will go over in this he still wants to work his ass off! Mr. Krabs is truly lucky to have an employee like him.
Seeing SpongeBob sick is extremely rare. I was stunned to see his miserable state in the episode “Suds.” The episode first premiered on January 17, 2000, in the US. It highlights the story of SpongeBob getting a severe yet non-contagious disease. The story doesn’t feel rushed, with a total runtime of 11 minutes and 34 seconds. I’m a fan of how the story progresses, where SpongeBob meets with his friends, Patrick and Sandy.
Despite being two decades old, I’d still laugh my heart out whenever I rewatch it. Hilarious as it is, SpongeBob’s sick yet hardworking disposition always gets the best of me. I love the punchline and the contrast between Sandy’s evidence-based medicine over Patrick’s alternative treatments.
It’s interesting how the episode gives a comical perspective on those individuals who prefer to treat their illnesses with essential oils rather than visiting an actual doctor. Want to know how the episode ends? This blog is for you! Let’s dive deeper into the episode as I discuss a detailed summary and more interesting facts about Suds.
Bottom Line Up Front
“Suds” is episode 15B in season one; it aired on January 17, 2000, at 8:15 pm in the US. With a total running time of 11 minutes and 34 seconds, it’s among episodes that exceed the 11-minute run time in the show’s history.
It’s rather peculiar to see how the show creators explore SpongeBob’s health when we usually see a happy-go-lucky man seemingly not bothered by anything or anyone. In the episode, you’d see how SpongeBob struggles with his disease, but he’s still goofy and funny when his friends, Sandy and Patrick, are around.
- Season: 1
- Episode: 15B
- Production Code: 132
- Copyright Year: 1999
- Running time: 11 minutes and 34 seconds
- Writer(s): Paul Tibbit, Ennio Torresan Jr., Doug Lawrence
- Storyboard Artists: Paul Tibbit and Ennio Torresan Jr.
Airdate:
- United States: January 17, 2000
- Canada: September 23, 2000
- The United Kingdom and Ireland: September 7, 2001
- Brazil: May 11, 2000
- Mexico: May 24, 2000
- Norway: December 4, 2000
- Russia: March 31, 2000
- Netherlands: April 7, 2001
- South Korea: August 23, 2001
- Germany: September 13, 2002
- Switzerland: October 25, 2002
- Austria: January 30, 2004
- Italy: October 8, 2004
- France: November 28, 2005
- Albania: September 1, 2007
- Poland: July 18, 2008
- Czech Republic: August 9, 2009
- Vietnam: September 28, 2016
- Bangladesh: May 13, 2019
- Hong Kong: July 20, 2020
- Kenya: June 21, 2021
SpongeBob was one of my favorite shows. I find it incredibly interesting that some people recently watched this episode, having the airdate ten or even 15 years later than when it was originally released. But I guess whatever year you’ve watched this episode, it’s still extremely funny and relatable since the punchlines are simply timeless!
What Is the “Suds” Episode in SpongeBob SquarePants?
Suds is among the earliest episodes I watched from the show. I can clearly remember how I was also stuck at home feeling down under the weather watching it. So, it was really fun to see that even the hilariously cheerful SpongeBob gets sick too!
This episode is perhaps the first time we’ve seen SpongeBob looking terribly sick. Looking back, the narrative explores the contrasting views of alternative treatments over evidence-based medicine. It’s interesting how the show simplifies such complex concepts. At the end of the day, I love how the episode teaches kids that going to the doctor doesn’t have to be a scary experience.
In “Suds,” SpongeBob is so sick that he plans to go to the doctor. However, his best friend, Patrick, seems to think doctors are evil and sinister individuals. That is why the story focuses on Patrick treating SpongeBob with unproven, alternative treatments. Fortunately, Sandy tries to make sense of the situation and forces SpongeBob to visit the hospital and get checked.
As the story unfolds, you could clearly relate with any of the characters; maybe you were once the hard-headed friend, convincing someone sick to use essential oils simply. Perhaps, you were SpongeBob, who still goes to work despite being unwell, or even Sandy, who once dragged your friends to the hospital just to get checked.
With its forward-thinking yet funny take on such complex themes, I love how the episode is still relevant today!
Who Are the Characters in That’s not a Lady in SpongeBob Squarepants?
While the spotlight shines on a sick SpongeBob, there are a lot of other supporting characters who help him feel better. It’s quite exciting to see almost half of the main characters present in the episode. Here’s a run-through of the characters that appeared on Suds.
- SpongeBob SquarePants (main character)
- Patrick Star (major character), debuting as Doctor Patrick
- Sandy Cheeks (major character)
- Gary the Snail (minor character)
- Mr. Krabs (minor character)
- A news reporter (minor character)
- Hans (debut)
- Medical Professional (Incidental 116; minor character)
- Incidentals: Many Bikini Bottom residents were alarmed about SpongeBob’s condition. These incidentals overheard Mr. Krabs shouting that SpongeBob has been sneezing over the Krabby Patties. Incidental 23, 67, 35, and 33 are among the few people who felt disgusted while frantically running in circles inside the restaurant.
“Suds” Story in SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob Snores in His Alumber, Dreaming of Krabby Patties.
Sleeping SpongeBob loudly snores as he goes to the dreamland. As he drifts to deep sleep, he dreams of raining Krabby Patties. The dream felt so real that he even started munching on his pillow. Because of this, he was startled from his sleep—of course, SpongeBob never says no to a quick snack!
Sleepy SpongeBob Goes to the Kitchen to Prepare a Snack.
He jumps off his bed and heads straight to his kitchen; before then, he tiptoes to avoid waking up Gary from his slumber. He quickly goes downstairs and opens his fridge to grab a jar of sea-nut butter and jellyfish jelly. He hurriedly prepares his sandwich, and as he takes a big bite, he instantly falls asleep. I really find this scene hilarious! Imagine he just uttered how the sandwich could put him back to sleep, and with just one bite, you can hear SpongeBob snore again.
The Fridge Door Was Left Wide Open.
Unfortunately, he made one big mistake because of his rushed actions—he forgot to close the fridge door. The refrigerator blows out cool air, eventually freezing Spongebob’s pineapple house. Of course, this is another exaggeration from the show’s creators. Opening your fridge door overnight won’t freeze your house!
SpongeBob’s Entire House Was Covered in Ice.
Interestingly, the cold, freezing temperature of the house did not only affect the house, filling it with icicles on the ceilings and floors. It also froze the television, creating an ice block formation; you can see the TV anchor wearing a scarf and fluffy ear warmers.
Every furniture and appliance in Spongebob’s home is covered with a solid block of ice until his Foghorn alarm rings! The ice from his frozen bedroom quickly shatters, but the downstairs room is still covered with ice.
He Wakes Up from His Slumber and Immediately Shuts the Fridge Door.
Startled by his Alarmy, SpongeBob wakes up from deep sleep, crushing the ice all over his body. As soon as he wakes up, you’d quickly notice how he is still holding the sandwich. He quickly exclaims, “The Fridge!” He tries to walk straight to the fridge, but the floors are too slippery—so he ice skates poorly toward the fridge door and shuts it close. He then sits down, shivering while puffing air to create as much heat.
Defying Gravity, SpongeBob Slips Straight to the Second Floor.
Inadvertently, he slips and breaks his window as he lands on the second floor and spread-eagles on his bed. Since his bed is covered in ice, just like the rest of his home, he still shivers profusely. He manages to grab his frozen blanket. However, it immediately shatters as he pulls it to cover himself. His eyes turn black while pushing outside the bed towards his bathroom.
We usually see how quirky SpongeBob is, and despite being in bad situations, he manages to make us laugh. Yet, in this particular scene, I only feel pity for him.
Gary Looks Quite Bothered as SpongeBob Mentions that He’ll Go to Work.
He walks past Gary, who looks extremely comfortable wearing a purple and pink body bonnet and ear warmers. It’s quite weird how Gary was able to cover himself up when he was deep in his sleep late last night! Probably, that’s just a mystery we’ll never know the answers to.
In his bathroom, he looks at himself in the mirror and talks to Gary, explaining that he is extremely sick. Workaholic Spongebob is stressed over having the “Suds” while sneezing pink bubbles out his body. Gary seems to be worried about SpongeBob’s situation, but SpongeBob doesn’t easily give up. He stretches his underwear up his nose to cover the bubbles.
With conviction, he tells Gary that he isn’t sick and plans to go to work. If you’re in SpongeBob’s situation, would you still go to work? I guess not! I’d even call a sickie a few times to miss the work stress—but not Spongebob! He is always so dedicated to his work.
SpongeBob Looks Terribly Sick, Flipping Burgers in Krusty Krabs.
As the scene changes, SpongeBob flips patties inside the Krusty Krab kitchen. You can quickly notice his pale complexion while sneezing bubbles. Mr. Krabs doesn’t seem to care and even demands to do his job quickly.
Not for long, he asks SpongeBob what’s wrong with him as he notices that Spongebob’s complexion is as pale as a “baby seahorse.” Gary chimes in, and Mr. Krabs realizes that SpongeBob has the suds. The conversation cuts to SpongeBob giving Mr. Krabs a plate of Krabby Patties. However, he eventually sneezes, causing the Krabby Patty ingredients to splatter on Mr. Krabs’ face.
Krabs Sends SpongeBob Home while Shouting about His Excessive Sneezing.
Realizing that SpongeBob is too sick to work, Mr. Krabs sends SpongeBob home. Both Mr. Krabs and SpongeBob walk outside the restaurant; he then advises SpongeBob to get some rest. It’s quite surprising to see how Mr. Krabs genuinely cares for SpongeBob’s health, considering he’s usually selfish and money hungry.
Mr. Krabs begins to disgust his customers as he shouts that he doesn’t want SpongeBob to sneeze all over his food. This is quite insensitive, and, out of turn, knowing that his loud voice might upset his customers’ appetite. That’s why it’s no surprise how his customers went into a frenzy as they puked their meals and rushed to head out of the restaurant.
SpongeBob Phones Sandy for Help.
SpongeBob miserably sits on his sofa while Gary is giving him a side-eye. Once he sneezed, Gary quickly hid in his shell. Afraid that things will blow out of proportion, he calls his friend Sandy, who seems to be exercising on her wheel. She picks up the ringing phone and stops running. On the other line, SpongeBob asks for her help to bring him to the doctor.
While waiting for Sandy, SpongeBob dresses up in his warm clothes—a sweater, bonnet, scarf, and all.
Patrick Surprisingly Visits SpongeBob and Advises Him not to Go to the Doctor.
The doorbell rings. SpongeBob heads to open the door to be greeted by Patrick, asking him if he’s going skiing. He then tells Patrick he’s going to the doctor. Of course, nosy Patrick points out how scary going to the doctor is. Patrick shares the tale of the scary experience of sitting in the waiting room, reading old magazines, and having your body checked using a “sinister” stethoscope.
All these thoughts scared SpongeBob, and he frantically ran across his house. He then decides that he doesn’t want to go to the doctor. So, he convinces Patrick to help him get better and be his “doctor.”
Fake Doctor Patrick Performs Alternative Treatments on sick SpongeBob.
Wannabe doctor Patrick suggests plugging up SpongeBob’s holes. This seems to work as the bubbles subside, but SpongeBob’s stature is strangely bigger than normal due to this treatment. Convinced that he’s cured, SpongeBob tries to phone Sandy and tells her not to come, but his fingers are too big to dial the phone. That’s why he asks Patrick to call Sandy on his behalf. Sandy quickly answers the phone and is quite skeptical about SpongeBob’s health under his care.
After the call, Sandy still wants to visit SpongeBob to check on him. This made Patrick panicky; he really didn’t want SpongeBob to go to the doctor. As a result, he did all this weird, nonsensical treatments, including putting a sea-nut butter sandwich on SpongeBob’s foot, pulling his tooth with the door, using SpongeBob’s body as a trampoline, and putting a bandaid on SpongeBob’s back while pulling it over and over again.
Sandy Goes to SpongeBob’s House while Patrick Moves to Conceal SpongeBob’s body.
Sandy arrives just in time; she knocks at the door while Patrick tries to roll SpongeBob’s body out of his house and into the rock. As smart as she is, Sandy notices that Patrick has two houses. She then asks why Patrick has two homes and what’s the reason why the other house has feet. True to his nature, Patrick seems to reason his way out of these questions. He’s been giving dumb excuses to Sandy.
Sandy Discovers the Not-So-Secret Secret.
Unfortunately, their secret was out when SpongeBob sneezed and puffed away the paint he was covered in. Sandy then insists that SpongeBob needs to see a real doctor. However, Patrick is unconvinced about this suggestion. He asks SpongeBob to say “Aaah,” and when SpongeBob opens his mouth, he releases a pungent smell that destroys the nearby garden.
Patrick and Sandy Argue over SpongeBob’s Care Treatment.
Because of this, Sandy decided to drag SpongeBob to the doctor’s office. Patrick isn’t quick to give up; he drags SpongeBob’s body, and an excruciatingly funny push-and-pull scene ensues. I had a good laugh seeing Patrick and Sandy arguing about SpongeBob’s care. You’d see how both of them dragged SpongeBob to ensure he felt better. Patrick puts him in a cart while Sandy dribbles his round body. In the end, they pushed SpongeBob’s body in opposite directions, causing it to bounce across the scene.
SpongeBob’s Circular Body Rolled Straight to Krusty Krabs.
Patrick and Sandy continue to argue, disregarding SpongeBob’s bouncing body. Left unattended, SpongeBob rolled straight into Krusty Krabs. Mr. Krabs quickly stopped him just before he ran to the restaurant. Unexpectedly, he released a violent sneeze that put the restaurant into shambles.
The Trio Is Inside a Hospital Room while SpongeBob Talks to the Doctor about the Treatment.
The scene cuts to SpongeBob being in the emergency room with a doctor. He seems worried about the treatment, but the doctor reassures him that he’s in good hands. He tells SpongeBob that he’s getting the “Sponge Treatment.” Hans, the realistic hands, carefully carry SpongeBob to the sink, washing his body on irregular surfaces. SpongeBob seems delighted about his treatment, exclaiming he can smell again.
After Treatment, He Feels a Lot Better.
After the treatment, Hans brings in a healthier SpongeBob, who feels as good as new. The experience was extremely wholesome, and SpongeBob concludes he loves the doctor! Hans brings a huge lollipop to make him even better.
Envious Patrick Chimes In and Pretends to Have Suds for the Free Lollipop.
Upon seeing the lollipop, Patrick also pretends to get the suds. The doctor then informs Patrick of a “special treatment.” Patrick looks excited to have the treatment; unknowingly, his healthy body will be rubbed and wiped on harsh surfaces, like the cactus and toilet. The episode ends with Patrick shouting, “this doesn’t seem right!”.
Interesting Trivia about Suds in SpongeBob SquarePants
It’s fascinating that this episode is filled with many firsts for the show. Want to know what these are? Check this out:
- Did you know? SpongeBob sneezed 19 times throughout the entire episode before he was sent to the hospital!
- The Sponge Treatment involves being washed and rubbed on different live-action objects and surfaces, including a man’s back and foot, a plate, a dirty car, and the floor.
- Tom Kenny is the man taking a shower during the live-action “sponge treatment” scene.
- In real life, leaving your refrigerator open would not freeze your house!
- Suds is the first episode without Squidward appearing in Krusty Krab.
- Hans, the realistic hand, debuts in Suds as he appears outside the famous SpongeBob SquarePants theme song.
- It’s also the first time Gary is seen inside SpongeBob’s workplace.
FAQ’s
Answer: Today, Suds is 21 years old. Imagine that! It aired in the early 2000s and is among the very first episodes of the show’s history. It premiered on US television on January 17, 2000, as episode 15B of the first season.
Answer: Like most episodes, Suds is also written by three creative writers, Paul Tibbitt, Ennio Torresan Jr, and Doug Lawrence. The trio wrote and produced some of the best episodes from the early episodes, such as “Employee of the Month” and “Sleepy Time.”
Answer: The short answer is NO. While you’ve seen SpongeBob sneezing and releasing bubbles, no other character contracted the disease. This is because sponges only contract suds, and there’s no living sponge in Bikini Bottom aside from SpongeBob.
Answer: Doctor Patrick tried different ways to cure SpongeBob’s Suds. He used to treat SpongeBob by putting sea-nut butter on SpongeBob’s foot, removing his tooth with a door slam, putting a bandaid on his patient’s back, and even plugging SpongeBob’s holes with cork.
However, none of this seemed to work! The most effective treatment involves SpongeBob being rinsed with soap and scrubbed on various surfaces—which is a pleasant experience for SpongeBob. After the treatment, he also gets a giant lollipop.
Answer: While SUD serves as an acronym for a real disease (substance use disorder). It is a fictional illness with wildly unrealistic symptoms. So, if you’re wondering if you can get the suds, the answer is no.
Suds: a Nod to Evidence-Based Medicine
Suds is definitely one of the most unforgettable episodes in SpongeBob’s early seasons. The show often explores weirdly funny and nonsensical themes with hints of funny jokes for all ages. And this episode has hit the mark! It’s a witty ode to the importance of having professional advice rather than believing a fake doctor.
I love how relatable the characters in this episode are. Seeing the trio banter while trying to make sense of the situation is hysterically funny.
More than anything, Mr. Krabs’ concern for SpongeBob is genuinely refreshing to see—he’s not the selfish, money-hungry boss who’d enslave his employees to death. The bottom line, it’s a hilarious episode that will make you laugh and gasp!
Looking for more fun readings? Check out: