The 'Spongebob Cops' meme primarily stems from the Season 1 episode 'Hall Monitor,' where SpongeBob takes his duties to the extreme, eventually teaming up with Patrick to hunt down a 'maniac' terrorizing the town—only to realize the maniac is SpongeBob himself. This template is celebrated for its portrayal of irony and lack of self-awareness. It is frequently used to mock people who are searching for the source of a problem that they actually caused, or to describe over-the-top reactions to minor situations. The visual of SpongeBob in his oversized uniform has become a staple in internet culture for any situation involving excessive 'authority' or a complete lack of situational awareness.