
A square yellow sponge named SpongeBob SquarePants lives in a pineapple with his pet snail, Gary, in the city of Bikini Bottom on the floor of the Pacific Ocean. He works as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab. During his time off, SpongeBob has a knack for attracting trouble with his starfish best friend, Patrick. Arrogant octopus Squidward Tentacles, SpongeBob's neighbor, dislikes SpongeBob because of his childlike behavior.

Plankton creates a clone of himself and Mr. Krabs, but neither restaurant is safe from the newcomer; Squidward gleefully switches jobs with a bus driver for an easy ride, until SpongeBob and Patrick climb aboard.

Squidward's new life is threatened; stuck in her dome, Sandy suspects Plankton's up to no good and gets Patrick to investigate.

Patrick inducts SpongeBob into his prestigious society of dullards and doofuses; Patrick takes his grime to a new extreme, playing around in so much trash that he becomes unrecognizable.

SpongeBob volunteers to baby-sit; SpongeBob and Patrick volunteer as guards at the museum, while Squidward attempts to hang his painting unnoticed.