Nickelodeon’s bubble-eyed cartoon wonder boy soaks up 120 minutes of hilarity in SpongeBob SquarePants: Lost at Sea. This ten-episode collection kicks off with “Mermaidman and Barnacleboy II,” in which SpongeBob gets a chance to play superhero with two slightly geriatric TV idols (voiced by Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway). Then tensions and tail fins flare in “Bubble Buddy,” as SpongeBob irks everyone with his provocative new best friend: a silent–yet rather demanding–bubble.

Surprisingly witty, fast-paced humor and fresh, detailed animation make watching each quirky show a visual and auditory treat. But the great lure of SpongeBob is that his dilemmas relate equally well to young and old. Whether SpongeBob pinch hits as a weeping whale’s suave prom date, unwillingly tags along with gal-pal Sandy for a week of extreme prehibernation adventures, or merely agonizes over how to tie his shoes, this affable guy and his snappy trousers always prove absorbing.

“The Sponge Who Could Fly” episode follows human host Patchy the Pirate in his desperate, rather bizarre search for the “lost” SpongeBob episode. Deep in the suburbs of L.A., Patchy finally uncovers his treasure: a glorious, animated musical about a wistful blue-eyed sponge who dreams of flying with jellyfish. Ironically, SpongeBob’s own helpful nature nearly drowns his lofty pursuits, especially when inflatable pants become more of a burden than a blessing.

But friendship and happy endings prevail. In subsequent episodes (sans Patchy), SpongeBob boldly endures a nasty case of the Suds, relentless brainwashing attempts by Plankton, and his 38th attempt at passing Mrs. Puff’s boat-navigation test. For “kids” ages 7 and older.