NEW YORK — “SpongeBob SquarePants” is giving Facebook friends a special treat.

The popular Nickelodeon cartoon will debut a new 15-minute episode Thursday on the popular social website. Nick said Wednesday that “SpongeBob SquarePants” has more than 16 million ‘friends’ on Facebook.

Those friends will be given instructions how to view the episode, which is titled “Trenchbillies” and guest stars Amy Sedaris, Thursday at 8 p.m. EST.

The hour-long “Legends of Bikini Bottom” will premiere in prime time Friday. It will be repeated, adding the Facebook episode, for its Sunday morning fans.