He tells the story of the "Hash-Slinging Slasher", a former Krusty Krab fry cook who used a spatula as a prosthetic hand and was killed by a passing bus.

The story claims that the Slasher was fired at his funeral after his accidental death, and that his ghost returns to the Krusty Krab every Tuesday night for revenge.

Later that night, when the restaurant is empty, Squidward becomes alarmed by the lights flickering and phone ringing, which both employees suspect is the other pulling a prank.

The figure turns out to be an unrelated fish applying for a job, stating that he had tried calling the Krusty Krab by telephone earlier but hung up out of nervousness.

Before Orlok, Lender thought of "Floorboard Harry", a deleted gag that concludes the broadcast episode, in which he initially flickers the lights.

[7] The episode was released on the DVD compilation titled SpongeBob SquarePants: Nautical Nonsense and Sponge Buddies on March 12, 2002.

"[21] Mavis added, "I always enjoy it when Rodger Bumpass, the voice actor for Squidward, gets quiet and manipulative when he's shining SpongeBob on, and here's one of the best examples of that.

"[22] He also said "The episode has everything that makes the show great: funny dialogue (the whole story of the Hash-Slinging Slasher is hilarious), clever sight gags (especially SpongeBob's regenerating limbs), and that aforementioned outta-nowhere ending that made me bust a gut.

[23] The alterations to the image, originally from a shot where SpongeBob screams in terror at the story of the Hash-Slinging Slasher, have been described in the Sotheby's catalogue essay as emphasizing the universality of the character's existential anxiety, and as having "more in common with such emotionally-laden works as Francisco Goya's politically charged The Third of May 1808 than any plotline from the children's cartoon show".

The Count returns as a supporting character in season 11 and the prequel spin-off series Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years.

[6] Robert Eggers, the director of the 2024 Nosferatu remake, credited the SpongeBob SquarePants episode with introducing Count Orlok to younger audiences.