Johnny Depp joins the voice cast of SpongeBob SquarePants for the much-anticipated episode “SpongeBob vs. The Big One,” which will arrive on DVD on March 3rd. The new DVD, named for the Depp episode, will contain “6 episodes of the show that are new-to-DVD, plus the title episode that is seen for the first time anywhere, only on this disc!” So says the press release from Nickelodeon and Paramount Home Video. Of course, by not airing the Depp episode on television first, the studio can ensure maximum sales of the DVD . . . fiendish. Now we all know how fish feel when the hook is dangled in the water.

What happens in the mystery episode? From the press release: “SpongeBob and his pals find themselves stranded on Tropical Island after being swept away by a giant wave. While trying to find their way back home they meet the infamous surf guru Jack Kahuna Laguna (voiced by Johnny Depp) who tells them that the only way to get back to Bikini Bottom is to surf the legendary wave called ‘The Big One.’ ” The Zone thanks Theresa for breaking the news; you can read more about the SpongeBob DVD on the Zone’s News & Views forum. –Part-Time Poet