This episode is also called 'Where's Gary?'
This episode premiered on Friday, November 11, 2005, the same day Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005) was released in theaters. Ironically, a scene with a bubble elephant and Patrick laughing from the "Bubblestand" segment of BubbleStand/Ripped Pants (1999) is used briefly in the film.
Originally Granny was going to eat Gary while trying to fatten him up with her cookies. But the idea was dropped due to it sounding a bit too scary for younger viewers.
This is the first double-length episode to not feature a framing sequence with Patchy the Pirate.
When Stew was commissioned for 'Gary Come Home,' He had only vaguely heard of Spongebob, at that point. But after he read the script, and wrote the song, He said "It's arguably the most sensitive song I've ever written, and it's about a freaking snail."