SpongeBob SquarePants (1999 — 2024)

SpongeBob SquarePants (1999–2024) is an American animated TV series created by Stephen Hillenburg, a marine science educator and animator. It first aired on Nickelodeon as a sneak peek after the 1999 Kids’ Choice Awards, with an official premiere on July 17, 1999. The show centers around SpongeBob and his group of underwater pals. He himself is a cheerful and energetic yellow sea sponge who resides in a pineapple under the sea. SpongeBob’s enthusiasm for life also extends to his job as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab fast food restaurant. Though he dreams of obtaining a boat-driving license from Mrs. Puff’s Boating School, he never quite succeeds. His favorite hobbies include ‘jellyfishing’, where he catches jellyfish like one would catch butterflies, and making elaborate soap bubble shapes. SpongeBob also has a beloved pet snail named Gary, whose pink shell and blue body make him look like a cat despite his meowing.

Living two houses away from SpongeBob is his best friend Patrick Star, a dim-witted yet friendly pink starfish who resides under a rock. Despite his mental setbacks, Patrick considers himself intelligent. Squidward, SpongeBob’s next-door neighbor and co-worker at the Krusty Krab, is an arrogant, ill-tempered octopus who lives in an Easter Island moai. He enjoys playing the clarinet and painting self-portraits but detests his job as a cashier. Squidward’s disdain for living between SpongeBob and Patrick stems from their childish behavior. The owner of the Krusty Krab is Mr. Krabs, a miserly and greedy red crab with a sailor’s tongue, who runs his restaurant like a pirate ship. As a single parent, he hopes to pass down his wealth to his teenage daughter Pearl, a grey sperm whale with red lipstick and a yellow ponytail. However, Pearl has no interest in inheriting her father’s business and prefers to spend her time listening to music or working at the local shopping mall instead.