Some might be forgiven for assuming that SpongeBob Squarepants is nothing more than a cartoon series for children, full of juvenile humor and silly jokes. That would be a mistake since it would ignore many of the very clever (and sometimes very subtle and downright obscure) popular culture references that the series frequently uses to bolster its humor.
In a lot of cases, it helped make this Nickelodeon series much smarter than a lot of people thought it was. These jokes are precisely what makes this show so appealing for both children and adults alike. These are the ones you probably missed.
James Dean
James Dean is something of an icon. While he only had three credited film appearances in his short life, they have since become classics of cinema. Perhaps his most famous is as Jim in the angsty film Rebel Without a Cause, the tortured youth caught up in the midst of midcentury malaise. Though SpongeBob’s rendition of the classic line “You’re tearing me apart!” doesn’t have quite the punch of the original, it’s still a not-so-sly reference to a classic film.
I Was a Teenage Gary
In addition to parodying classics of midcentury American film, SpongeBob also has some delightful allusions to the schlocky teen horror films that were also popular in earlier eras. The title of this episode, and also the plot, closely mirrors that of the B-movie I Was a Teenage Werewolf. This marks one of the first times that the snail Gary plays a major role, rather than just being a piece of the background.
Lord of the Speakeasy
In an iconic exchange between Gandalf and Frodo in the epic film The Fellowship of the Ring, he enjoins Frodo, in regards to the One Ring, to “Keep it secret. Keep it safe.” SpongeBob takes some liberties with this, using it to adorn a banner in the background of SpongeBob’s house, which has become a speakeasy for those wanting to eat burgers (which have been banned in Bikini Bottom). Given the penalties for eating burgers, it would be a good idea to obey that command.
SpongeBob Tremorpants
There have been quite a few bad horror movies in the history of film, and there have been quite a few that are so bad that they’re good. That is certainly the way that you’d describe the iconic film Tremors, about a group of carnivorous worms that terrorize a small town.
SpongeBob alludes to this in the episode “Sandy, SpongeBob, and the Worm,” in which the Alaskan bull worm even dies in a fashion very similar to that of one of the creatures in the original film.
Mary Poppins
There are few films in the Disney canon that are quite as beloved as Mary Poppins. Part of that stems from Julie Andrews's iconic performance as the titular character, complete with her magical umbrella that allows her to fly through the air. At one point, SpongeBob even gets his own umbrella and, with a joyful cry, exclaims that he is, indeed, Mary Poppins. It’s a fitting homage to a beloved Disney character.
Too Obvious?
Though The Simpsons is widely known for its ability to recycle and make use of other elements of popular culture, there are times when other shows, such as SpongeBob manage to turn the tables. In this instance, SpongeBob’s visit to a comic book shop has very obvious echoes of a similar comic book shop in Springfield. It’s funny of course, but you can’t shake the feeling that it might be just a little bit too obvious.
SpongeBob as a French Girl
Titanic has gone down in film history as one of the greatest box office successes ever made. In one iconic scene, Rose asks Jack to paint her like one of his French girls. It’s one of those moments that has become almost as iconic as the film itself, so of course, it also makes its appearance in SpongeBob, when the sponge himself poses in a semi-seductive scene. It’s admittedly not quite as romantic as the film, but it is definitely funny.
Lord of the Flies
The Lord of the Flies is one of the most troubling and disturbing books ever written. Its tale about a group of schoolboys stranded on an island who gradually descend into savagery and barbarity reveals a rather bleak vision of human nature.
That makes it a rather odd thing to parody in SpongeBob, but that’s exactly what happens when SpongeBob, Squidward, and Patrick are stranded in the Kelp Forest and have to struggle to survive.
Dunces and Dragons
Dungeons and Dragons is one of those things that is so ubiquitous in our culture that even if you haven’t played the game - and even if you can’t stand the idea of playing it - you’ve at least heard of it. It should come as no surprise, then, that it makes an appearance in a show like Spongebob. Of course, the episode doesn’t really involve the game itself but instead sees the characters go back in time to a medieval-like setting.
Planktonimort
Lord Voldemort, the evil and brilliant wizarding nemesis of one Harry Potter, has become synonymous with evil in the popular imagination. In the episode “Dunces and Dragons,” there is a clear homage to this evil being in the form of “Planktonimor,” a similarly evil wizard set on taking control of the kingdom. Needless to say, SpongeBob and company are able to attain a victory by making friends with his dragonfish, which turns on his master and burns him to ashes.