Arriving at the last of the pilot trio, we have the introduction of Sandy! And what another great introduction it is. She's quickly established as an action-oriented squirrel from the first shot of her fighting a clam, and that is only proven when we see her save SpongeBob. We see that she is friendly, given her immediate bonding with SpongeBob and exclamation that they could be "tighter than bark on a tree." We also see her character tics the second she has a line of dialogue, with her loud and clear southern accent and Texas-isms. This episode also showcases the efficacy of subtle writing. We're not told that Sandy is a scientist at all in this episode, but it can definitely be deduced that she's at least smart, given how she talks about her treedome (I mean, who uses "polyurethane" in an episode of a children's cartoon? I love it!). The lack of concrete details we're given about her makes one curious why she's living in the sea in the first place, which lets some of the small details get noticed in the quest for answers.
On top of meeting Sandy, we also get to see another side of SpongeBob. We see that he's a very caring individual, given that he tries to save Sandy when he believes she's in danger, without even knowing her. Additionally, we get to see some of SpongeBob's hobbies outside of working. We see his interest in karate in his meeting with Sandy and he begins the episode by jellyfishing. Though, of course, jellyfishing isn't expanded upon very much here, and will be a few episodes later. That scene also showcases SpongeBob's silliness. This episode is also the first time we see SpongeBob "losing" in some capacity. He ends the episode as a "winner" of course, but this is the first time we see him struggle with something. It's made more compelling when you watch the first two episodes before this one, because you become even more invested in SpongeBob and want to see the little guy win.
This episode also features Patrick, giving him some more time to shine is his role as SpongeBob's best friend, supporting the sponge in his endeavors. Patrick, again, is shown to be not very bright, but having his heart in the right place. It's very endearing, and makes one excited for when he finally gets his chance to truly sparkle.
There's something very...heartwarming about this episode. I don't know, just seeing Sandy and SpongeBob meet for the first time (Kamp Koral time travel shenanigans nonwithstanding) always puts a smile on my face. That also means this episode is prime rewatching material. And watching it with its sister episodes just makes it even better! The same goes for rewatching those episodes too. These first three episodes are a pack, don't separate them!
I'd argue that this episode was the first knockout when it comes to meme material. I mean, "I need it", anyone? Even "What kinda place is this?" comes to mind. Because the episode only has to focus on introducing one character and location, more time can be spent on simple humor like that, and it shows. This is not to say that "Help Wanted" isn't funny, because that episode is hilarious while also balancing introductions, I'm just saying that "Tea at the Treedome" has a different kind of balance, that lets funny moments get built up and breathe. It also helps that this episode is a full 11-minute segment, the first of its kind in SpongeBob SquarePants. However, this breathing also means the episode is a bit slower than what we're used to at this point, and for me the episode ever so slightly drags in the middle (though that dragging is well and truly ended by the time "I need it" comes around). This does not diminish the episode by any means, but it does bump it down from "amazing" to "great" in my personal tier list.
Episode Tier: Great
Episode Score: 8.7/10
Okay, now this should be the end of the way too long reviews...maybe. I'm just having so much fun!
