About SpongeBob

Total Episodes: 706
Seasons: 14
Specials: 32
Premiere Date: May 1, 1999

SpongeBob SquarePants is a long-running and multi-award winning Nickelodeon cartoon which first graced American television screens in 1999. Since then it has been shown in 171 countries and dubbed in 36 languages, making it MTV Networks' most widely distributed property ever.

Emerging as a pop culture phenomenon within its first few years of life, SpongeBob has spawned hundreds of product lines including books, music, clothing, branded food and theme park rides.

The show takes place in the fictional underwater town of "Bikini Bottom" and revolves around the life of the titular character, SpongeBob Squarepants, and a colorful assortment of friends and acquaintances including Patrick, the dopey, good-natured best friend; Squidward, the cranky neighbor; Sandy, the squirrel scientist who lives in an underwater "treedome"; Mr Krabs, the penny-pinching boss; and Plankton, the series' main antagonist. A wide variety of secondary and tertiary characters round out the cast.

SpongeBob was created by marine scientist and animator Stephen Hillenburg, who had worked on an earlier Nickelodeon series called "Rocko's Modern Life". After Rocko ended in 1996, Hillenburg decided to pitch his own show to Nickelodeon. The pilot for "SpongeBoy", which would eventually become "SpongeBob SquarePants", was made in 1997 and the show officially went to series in 1999.

Characters

The show focuses around 6 main characters:
- SpongeBob SquarePants
- Patrick Star
- Squidward Tentacles
- Eugene Krabs
- Sheldon Plankton
- Sandy Cheeks

First Commercial