Tea at the Treedome

"**Tea at the Treedome**" is a *SpongeBob SquarePants* episode from season one. In this episode, SpongeBob meets Sandy Cheeks.

### Characters

* SpongeBob SquarePants
* Jellyfish (debut)
	+ Four Stingers (debut)
* Sandy Cheeks (debut)
* Giant clam (debut)
* Patrick Star
* Birdy (debut)
* ==Synopsis==

Out in Jellyfish Fields, SpongeBob is happily jellyfishing. Suddenly, he spots a squirrel in a diving suit wrestling with a giant clam. He takes out his field guidebook, and identifies her as a "land squirrel." Believing her to be in trouble after seeing the clam trap her in his mouth, SpongeBob goes to wrestle the clam himself. The squirrel manages to escape the clam, but SpongeBob ends up inside it. The squirrel then rescues SpongeBob and kicks the clam out of sight. SpongeBob introduces himself, and the squirrel says that her name is Sandy.
SpongeBob inquires about the helmet she wears, and Sandy tells him that it's her air helmet and needs it to breathe. SpongeBob says that he loves air, and the pleasantly surprised Sandy [1]"Pinky out"
invites him to her treedome for tea and cookies. After bidding Sandy farewell, SpongeBob quickly runs over to his best friend, Patrick, and asks him to explain what air is. Patrick tells him that "putting on airs" is fancy talk, and that holding his pinky finger high above him will make SpongeBob fancy as well.==Production==

### Art

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* ===Music===

 **( ◦ )** SpongeBob music

 **‣** Moloka'i Nui (a) - Kapono Beamer *[Title card]***‣** SpongeBob Closing Theme - Steve Belfer, Nicolas Carr *[The opening]*
**‣** On Fire - Gregor F. Narholz *[Sandy fights a giant clam.]*
**‣** Death Trap - Gregor F. Narholz *[The clam attacks Sandy.]*
**‣** Charge - "Hold on, little squirrel."
**‣** The Adventure Begins - Jonathan Neal *["You have fought well, giant clam."/SpongeBob continues trying to open the clam.]*
**‣** Wild Panic 30 - Gregor F. Narholz *["Your shell is mine!"]*
**‣** Return of the Surfin' Headhunters - The Mel-Tones *["Hold on there, little square dude."]*
**‣** Moloka'i Nui (a) - Kapono Beamer *[Sandy introduces herself to SpongeBob.]*
**‣** Heroes Win 60 - Gregor F. Narholz *["Oh, yeah? Watch this!"]*
**‣** Twelfth Street Rag - Sage Guyton, Jeremy Wakefield *[Sandy invites SpongeBob over to her treedome for tea and cookies.]*
**‣** Cocktail Lounge - Dick Stephen Walter *["That's just fancy talk."]*
**‣** Armed Attack 1 - Mladen Franko *[SpongeBob bangs on Sandy's door.]*
**‣** Merlins Hill - Jennifer Jones *[Harp music is heard.]*
**‣** Aloha - Dick Stephen Walter *["Course there's no water."]*
**‣** Hawaiian Cocktail - Richard Myhill *[Sandy gives SpongeBob a tour.]*
**‣** Hippo's in my Bath - Richard Myhill *["Pinky, pinky!"]*
**‣** Dead March 2 - Frederic Chopin, Alfred Kluten *["I brought you some flowers."]*
**‣** Encirclement - Jean Clero *["I gotta get out of here!"]*
**‣** Merlins Hill - Jennifer Jones *["I like you, SpongeBob."]*
**‣** Encirclement - Jean Clero *[SpongeBob struggles to open the door.]*
**‣** Cocktail Lounge - Dick Stephen Walter *["When in doubt, pinky out."]*
**‣** Tribute to the King - Gregor F. Narholz *["I don't need water! Water's for quitters!"]*
**‣** Action Cut (a) - Gregor F. Narholz *["I don't need it... I don't need it..."]*
**‣** Kung Fu Saturdays - The Mel-Tones *["I need it!"]*
**‣** Dramatic Cue (h) - Ronald Hanmer *[Sandy sees that SpongeBob and Patrick are dried up.]*
**‣** You're Nice - Sage Guyton, Jeremy Wakefield *[The ending]*

### Release

* This episode is available on the Tales from the Deep, 10 Happiest Moments, Complete 1st Season, Complete First Season, and First 100 Episodes DVDs.
* As of August 4, 2015, The Internet Movie Database (IMDB) gives this episode a rating of 8.6/10 based on 499 ratings by users.[2] TV.com users give this episode a rating of 8.7/10 based on 448 votes.[3]
* "Tea at the Treedome" was ranked #97 during the Best Day Ever event on November 9–10, 2006.
* This episode is #17 on Tom Kenny's Top 20 on iTunes.
* ===Reception===
* The original title card had a different background and font colors. It was made, but was never shown on TV.
* [16]Edgar Larrazabal version
* On the original airing, the Tales from the Deep DVD and the Deep Sea Sillies VHS releases of this episode, Edgar Larrazábal was credited as the animation director instead of Tom Yasumi. This also happens in early reruns.[4]
* [17]Tom Yasumi version
* This episode marks the debut of Sandy Cheeks.
* When Sandy and SpongeBob meet, Sandy's tail is missing.
	+ Sandy's tail is missing throughout the first season when she is in her water protection suit.
* **Running gag:** Patrick constantly telling SpongeBob to hold up his pinky finger, all just to be fancy.
* When Sandy says "There's the cookies!," the bell that dings is loud enough as if it was sitting on the picnic table.
* The scene that shows SpongeBob completely dried up from lack of water and tempting not to take the water from the flower vase and eventually saying "I need it!" has become a popular internet meme.
* This is the first episode where SpongeBob and Patrick are shown to dry up without water.
* The water helmets have two openings in this episode.
	+ In the episodes following this one, there is only one opening.
		- The second opening reappears in "What Ever Happened to SpongeBob?," so that SpongeBob can short out Sandy's robot.
* **Irony:** Sandy tells SpongeBob that if he wanted water, he should have asked, even though SpongeBob did tell Sandy he wanted water.
* Sandy and Patrick are never introduced to each other on-screen in this episode.
* This is the first episode not to feature Squidward Tentacles. This made SpongeBob the only character to appear in every episode of the series up until "The Algae's Always Greener," where his alternate-universe counterpart appears instead of him.
* This episode marks the first speaking role of a female character.
* This is the first episode to be a third episode segment in a 22-minute block.
	+ The next time this happened was in the season 5 episode "Fungus Among Us."
* This is the first episode to use an under angle.
	+ It would not be used again until the season 9 special "It Came from Goo Lagoon."
* This is one of the only episodes to have the second door in Sandy's treedome be used.
	+ In most or the rest of the series, it is just the door that is on the outside of the dome that is used, even though both doors still exist.
* An image of SpongeBob starting to dry out is shown on the protective case of *The SpongeBob SquarePants Experience: A Deep Dive into the World of Bikini Bottom*.
* A storyboard image appears on the chapter 1 title page of *The SpongeBob SquarePants Experience: A Deep Dive into the World of Bikini Bottom*.
* In the Croatian dub, this episode is called "Čaj na svježem zraku," which translates to "Tea on the fresh air."
* In the French dub, this episode is called "Asphyxies en chaîne," which translates to "Suffocated by string."
* In the Greek dub, this episode is called "Τσάι Στο Θόλο του Δέντρου," which translates to "Tea At the tree's Canopy."
* In the Brazilian Portuguese dub, this episode is called "Chá em terra firme," which translates to "Tea on dry land."
* In Indonesia, instead of saying "I need it!," SpongeBob says "I need water!"
* Sandy reveals that SpongeBob is the first sea creature to enter her treedome.
* This is the first episode to use the APM tracks "You're Nice" and "Moloka'i Nui (a)" and play the "SpongeBob Closing Theme" outside of the ending credits.
* ===Errors===
* When SpongeBob puts his binoculars away, his teeth turn yellow for one frame.
* When Patrick tells SpongeBob how to be fancy, he lifts his right-hand pinky finger up. From the front view, the pinky is shown on the left side. From the back view, it is shown on the left side instead of the right and looks like SpongeBob is holding up one of his middle fingers instead of his pinky.
* The red light on Sandy's front door where the water gets drained is not there when SpongeBob and Patrick first walk up to the treedome.
* When SpongeBob tries to sneak away to Sandy's birdbath, his sunken-in eyes return to normal until after Sandy leaves.
* The ice cubes in the vase should not be floating and sinking up and down.
* When Patrick tries to open the door to get out, and SpongeBob jumps on his back, his eyes are small dots, but when he falls underneath Patrick, his eyes are back to their original color.
* [18]SpongeBob and Patrick are dried up.
* In the scene where Sandy finds SpongeBob and Patrick dried up, if one goes frame by frame, she lifts up the plate to drop it before a shocked expression is seen on her face.
* When Sandy finds SpongeBob and Patrick dried up, they have no clothes on.
* When Sandy pours water in Patrick's and SpongeBob's helmets, while she pours it in Patrick's helmet, SpongeBob looks relieved but he had not gotten any water yet, so he should be struggling to breathe like he was before in the episode.
* Transcript:
	+ **SpongeBob:** *[Stands in Jellyfish Fields. A jellyfish floats by SpongeBob. SpongeBob comes from behind a bush and stares at the jellyfish through a telescope. Cuts to his view with the telescope]* Wow, four stingers. *[Puts away the telescope and puts on his glasses. Cuts to the jellyfish, where SpongeBob floats over it with his net. Cuts to the jellyfish alone, where SpongeBob's foot stretches out from off-screen and then the rest of his body appears. He attempts to grab the jellyfish in his net, but he catches himself in the net, then the jellyfish flies away. In the background, a young girl's voice is heard struggling. SpongeBob looks down a cliff and sees the land creature trying to fight a giant clam attempting. SpongeBob gasps]*Where have I seen this before? *[takes out his*Field Guide*book and skims through the pages]* Here it is. *[cut to picture of a squirrel]* Land squirrel. *[He closes the book]* That little squirrel is in trouble. *[cuts to the squirrel, who is pushing the clam into the ground]*
	+ **Sandy:** Take that, you sorry old clam! Y'all need to learn some manners! *[she walks away]* You're about as ugly as homemade soup.
	+ **SpongeBob:** Hooray, land squirrel! *[cuts back to the land squirrel, who is oblivious to the clam resurfacing and jumping right at her. Cuts to SpongeBob, who is shocked, his glasses shoot up]* Look out! *[scene cuts to the clam with Sandy trying to escape the clam]* Hold on, little squirrel! *[He does a karate yell in front of the clam, then does the same while bouncing to different sides. He jumps high in the air, and lands on top of the clam; he poses on top of the giant clam]* You have fought well, giant clam. Prepare to be vanquished! Hai! *[tries to pry open the clam; he stops]* Hey, I'm actually doing it. *[SpongeBob continues, Sandy finishes prying the clam open from inside it and SpongeBob goes flying into a sea plant]*Your shell is mine!
	+ *[SpongeBob pulls up his pants and starts to charge at the clam. He jumps into the clam's mouth and starts to strangle its tongue. SpongeBob sees that Sandy has already escaped and the clam swallows him now.]*
	+ **Sandy:** Hold on there, little square dude! *[She then gets SpongeBob out and kicks the clam around some more and finally kicks it across the sea. The clam whimpers. Sandy leans down to see if SpongeBob is okay.]*
	+ **SpongeBob:** Hey, you like karate too. *[SpongeBob does some karate poses, then he stops and falls flat on his head]* So, uhh, what's your name?
	+ **Sandy:** Sandy. *[makes athletic moves]* So what do y'all call yourself?
	+ **SpongeBob:** *[runs up a big rock]* I'm SpongeBob! *[jumps down, SpongeBob soon lands on one of his corners]*
	+ **Sandy:** Well SpongeBob, take a gander at this. *[she walks next to a huge rock and slaps it with her hand, making a gong sound effect which precedes the rock breaking into pieces]*
	+ **SpongeBob:** Oh. *[Sandy grins and blinks]* Oh yeah? Watch this *[He prepares to do a karate move, but all he does is make an armpit fart noise. Sandy walks on-screen giggling]*
	+ **Sandy:** I like you, SpongeBob. Why, we could be tighter than bark on a tree. Hi-yah!*[Karate chops SpongeBob’s head.]*
	+ **SpongeBob:** Uh, I like you too, Sandy. Hi-yah! *[Karate chops her helmet, but realizes it hurts.]* Ow. Say, what is that thing on your head?
	+ **Sandy:** Why, that's my air helmet.
	+ **SpongeBob:** May I try it on?
	+ **Sandy:** Heck no. I need it to breathe. I gotta have my air.
	+ **SpongeBob:** Me too. I love air. Air is good.
	+ **Sandy:** No kidding?
	+ **SpongeBob:** Why, "air" is my middle name. The more air, the better. Can't get enough of that air.
	+ **Sandy:** Shee-oot. How about comin’ over tomorrow for tea and cookies then? *[shows a map leading to Sandy's house]* Don't be late.
	+ **SpongeBob:** Okay, see you tomorrow. *[runs to Patrick's house. Patrick is sun tanning on his rock]* Patrick! Patrick! Patrick, Patrick, Patrick! What's air?
	+ **Patrick:** Huh?
	+ **SpongeBob:** I just met this girl. She wears a hat full of... air.
	+ **Patrick:** Do you mean she puts on "airs"?
	+ **SpongeBob:** I guess so.
	+ **Patrick:** That's just fancy talk. If you wanna be fancy, hold your pinky up like this. The higher you hold it, the fancier you are.
	+ **SpongeBob:** *[holds his pinky up]* How's that?
	+ **Patrick:** Higher.
	+ **SpongeBob:** Like that?
	+ **Patrick:** Now that's fancy. They should call you SpongeBob FancyPants. *[cuts to Sandy's treedome]*Remember: When in doubt, pinky out. You can do it, SpongeBob. I'll be watching. *[Opens the door as SpongeBob walks in with his pinky raised high and flowers in his right hand.]*
	+ **SpongeBob:** Thanks, pal. *[rings the doorbell with a bouquet in his hand]*
	+ **Sandy:** Hello?
	+ **SpongeBob:** Hi-ya, Sandy. It’s me, SpongeBob.
	+ **Sandy:** Hold on a sec, I'll let you in.
	+ **SpongeBob:** *[whistles then all the water goes down the drain. SpongeBob bangs on the door]* Sandy! Sandy! Open up! Sandy! Sandy! *[Sandy opens the door and SpongeBob jiggles on the ground]* Sandy, something's gone terribly wrong. There's no water in... *[looks around]* ...here.
	+ **Sandy:** ‘Course there's no water. Nuttin' but air.
	+ **SpongeBob:** *[waves his hand around and smells the air]* No water?
	+ **Sandy:** That ain't a problem, is it? Hi-yah!
	+ **SpongeBob:** Problem? *[laughing]* Hi-yah! That's how I like my air! *[takes a deep breath as Sandy walks off. As soon as she leaves, he lets it all out, and gets black circles around his eyes]* With no water.
	+ **Sandy:** *[cartwheeling]* Well, alright. I made Texas tea and cookies. Well, come on in! Hi-yah! *[SpongeBob is walking an inch forward and it makes weak squeaking sounds with every step]* That's not in. In. *[SpongeBob walks another inch and there is more squeaking. Sandy runs, gets SpongeBob, takes his hand, and runs off]* You're a funny little dude. Come on, I'll give you the grand tour. *[fades to the blazing sun and pan down where Sandy and SpongeBob are standing]* So this is my own private little air bubble. This air is the driest... *[SpongeBob gasps]* ...purest... *[SpongeBob gasps again]* ...most airiest air in the whole sea. Oh, over there's my birdbath. *[Cuts to the birdbath, where a red robin is splashing and chirping]* And that's my oak tree. *[SpongeBob seems enticed by the water in the birdbath. He tries to sneak away, but stays until Sandy lets her guard down]* It provides me with extra air. This dome is made of the finest polyurethane, that's a fancy word for plastic. Ain't that just the bees knees? *[SpongeBob nods]* Tell you what, weren't easy getting here neither. First, I... *[SpongeBob finally escapes and wallows in the birdbath, absorbing all the water. He then jumps back to his original spot, and the bird is quite angry. SpongeBob gets back before Sandy notices]* ...that's my treadmill. That's how I stay in tip-top shape. Well, come on. Let’s have that tea now. *[Does in-air karate moves and moves off-screen. SpongeBob gasps. He hears some knocking from outside. It's Patrick, pointing at his pinky]*
	+ **Patrick:** Pinky. Pinky.
	+ **SpongeBob:** *[blinks, weakly holds up his pinky, and gasps again. Fade to him sitting at a picnic bench. He now has little wrinkles around his eyes and his mouth is all puckered up. He holds up his bouquet]* I brought you some flowers.
	+ **Sandy:** *[walks over]* For me? How sweet. *[Sandy grabs the flowers, but SpongeBob refuses to let go. She finally pries them loose and part of SpongeBob's pinky falls off. He closes his hand]* You okay?
	+ **SpongeBob:** *[the black circles around his eyes are gone. His voice is now hoarse]* Yes, I'm okay.
	+ **Sandy:** You know, you're the first sea critter to ever visit.
	+ **SpongeBob:** I can’t imagine why.
	+ **Sandy:** Can I get you anything?
	+ **SpongeBob:** Water would be nice.
	+ **Sandy:** I'm gonna to put these in a vase.
	+ **SpongeBob:** Take your time. *[Sandy goes in her tree and closes the door off-screen. SpongeBob hears it, he then gasps and stumbles toward the door and struggles to open it]* I gotta get out of here! Aaaaahh! *[he then thinks]*
	+ **Sandy:** *[in SpongeBob's head]* I like you, SpongeBob. We could be tighter than bark on a tree.
	+ *[SpongeBob struggles even more]*
	+ **Patrick:** *[in SpongeBob's head]* When in doubt, pinky out.
	+ **SpongeBob:** *[lifts his pinky up. He then gets confidence and victorious music plays.]* I don't need water! Water's for quitters! I don't need it! I don't need it! I don't need it! I don't need it, I don't need it... *[he then sits down, loses confidence again and the music stops]*
	+ **Sandy:** Why, these flowers are just beautiful! *[sniffs]* They'll last much, much longer in a vase full of ice cold water. *[puts the vase down. SpongeBob is totally enticed by the water. Sandy sits down across from him]* So tell me about yourself. *[Sandy puts her hands under head feeling fascinated about SpongeBob sharing himself]* It must be fascinatin’ bein’ a sea critter. *[SpongeBob watches a drop of water drop down the side of the glass]* SpongeBob? *[a timer goes off]* Oh, there's the cookies. *[walks back into the tree]* Be right back.
	+ **SpongeBob:** *[thinking]* I don't need it, I don't need it, I definitely don't need it. *[close-up of SpongeBob's face. He's really shriveled now]* I don't need it. *[close-up of vase, then another one of SpongeBob's face]* I don't need it. *[close-up of vase]* I don't need it. *[close-up of SpongeBob's face]* I don't need it. *[long pause, finally yelling ]* I NEED IT!!!!! *[He shoots up into the air, bounces off the ceiling and holds the vase.]*
	+ **Patrick:** No, SpongeBob! No, no, no, stop! Pinky! Pinky!
	+ **SpongeBob:** *[holds up his pinky and starts guzzling down the whole vase of water]* I'm a quitter! *[screams and runs around]*
	+ **Patrick:** *[enters into the dome and slams the door shut]* You can't leave now. You'll blow it.
	+ **SpongeBob:** *[hanging on the door]* Air is not good, Patrick. Air is not good.
	+ **Patrick:** *[grabs SpongeBob off the door]* You're just being shy. *[carries SpongeBob to the picnic table]* Don't worry, buddy. You're doin’ fine. *[starts getting weak]* I won't let you blow... this. *[drops SpongeBob and crawls on the floor, panting. He coughs and sputters, then stands up]* WHAT KIND OF PLACE IS THIS?! *[runs toward the door and tries to open it]* There's no water in here!
	+ **SpongeBob:** *[joins in on the door-opening struggle]* I tried to tell you!
	+ **Patrick:** We've gotta get out of here!
	+ **SpongeBob:** You're... doing it... wrong...
	+ **Patrick:** Wait, no! We've got... to get... out. *[The two pass out.]*
	+ *[fades to the sun]*
	+ **Sandy:** *[walks out of the tree with tea and cookies]* Come and get it! Y'all gonna like this...
	+ *[She screams and drops her tray. On the grass is a live-action sponge and starfish. Cuts to SpongeBob and Patrick leaning against a ladder with two goldfish helmets on. Sandy, on top of the ladder, uses a hose to fill those helmets with water]*
	+ **Sandy:** There, that oughta do it! If y'all needed water, you shoulda asked. *[Sandy carries over a tray with three tea glasses. Everyone takes one]* I propose a toast, to new friends. *[She drinks it. SpongeBob and Patrick lift their drinks up and they clink the glasses on the helmets, causing them to spill]* Hold on a second. *[She places a tea bag in each helmet, allowing the two to drink the tea water]* I hope you like your tea strong. Drink up. *[Patrick nudges SpongeBob and they both put their pinkies up. They sip the tea.]*
	+ **All:** Ahhh.
	+ *[Screen cuts to black.]*