2002 (MMII) was a common year of the Gregorian calendar that started on a Tuesday. 27 SpongeBob episodes aired that year. It was the last year to contain a large amount of episodes before the 2003-2004 hiatus. 2002 containd 4 new episodes on Martin Luther King Day (January 21), two new episodes every single Friday in March from March 1-29, 2002. It even had a special on May 17. The rest of 2002's episodes premiered June 1, July 12, September 6, and September 20. After September 20, the next new episodes (except Merry Nickmas shorts) didn't air until January 2003. Production for The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie began around the end of 2002. Nothing happened in April because of the hiatus.
- January 21 - Welcome to the Chum Bucket, Frankendoodle, Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy IV and Doing Time premiered.
- February 22 - Snowball Effect and One Krab's Trash premiered.
- March 1 - Nasty Patty and Idiot Box premiered.
- March 8 - As Seen on TV and Can You Spare a Dime? premiered.
- March 12 - Nautical Nonsense and Sponge Buddies released.
- March 15 - No Weenies Allowed and Squilliam Returns premiered.
- March 22 - The Algae's Always Greener and SpongeGuard on Duty premiered, starting season 3 (NOT in airing order).
- March 29 - Krab Borg and Rock-a-Bye Bivalve premiered.
- May 10 - Wet Painters and Krusty Krab Training Video premiered.
- May 17 - Party Pooper Pants premiered.
- June 1 - Chocolate with Nuts and Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy V premiered.
- July 12 - Club SpongeBob and My Pretty Seahorse premiered.
- August 27 - Halloween released.
- September 6 - Graveyard Shift and Krusty Love premiered.
- September 20 - New Student Starfish and Clams premiered.
- November 5 - Sea Stories DVD released.
- December 4 - A Chuckie Finster Christmas, Channukah, Kwaanza, Winter Solstice, Holiday Party, How The You-Know-Who Stole You-Know-What!, Patrick the Snowman, Plankton's Holiday Hits, and The 12 Days of Nickmas premiered.
- December 19 - Nickelodeon begins production for The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.