SpongeBob SquarePants
Series, 1999, The '90s, Set in Bikini Bottom
SpongeBob SquarePants is #10 of 21 in release order and #10 of 21 in chronological order in the Nickelodeon Classics.
The story
Deep down in the Pacific Ocean in the subterranean city of Bikini Bottom lives a square yellow sponge named SpongeBob SquarePants. SpongeBob lives in a pineapple with his pet snail, Gary, loves his job as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab, and has a knack for getting into all kinds of trouble without really trying. When he's not getting on the nerves of his cranky next door neighbor Squidward, SpongeBob can usually be found smack in the middle of all sorts of strange situations with his best buddy, the simple yet lovable starfish, Patrick, or his thrill-seeking surfer-girl squirrel pal, Sandy Cheeks.
SpongeBob SquarePants recap
SpongeBob SquarePants is a cheerful sea sponge who lives in a pineapple in the undersea town of Bikini Bottom with his pet snail Gary. He works as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab for the money-loving crab Mr. Krabs, next to the miserable cashier Squidward, who lives next door and wants to be left alone. His best friend is Patrick Star, a starfish who lives under a rock, and his friend Sandy Cheeks is a squirrel from Texas who lives in an air dome. Plankton, who runs the empty Chum Bucket across the street with his computer wife Karen, keeps trying to steal the Krabby Patty formula, and SpongeBob keeps failing his boating exam with Mrs. Puff. The show is episodic and has run since 1999, with films in 2004, 2015, 2020 and 2025, a Sandy film in 2024, and the spin-offs Kamp Koral and The Patrick Star Show. Creator Stephen Hillenburg died in 2018.
SpongeBob SquarePants ending explained
SpongeBob SquarePants has not ended. It has no finale and is still in production: season 17 began airing in June 2026, and Nickelodeon has renewed it for seasons 18 and 19. Because the show is episodic, nothing carries over from one episode to the next, so any season can be picked up at any point; SpongeBob still works at the Krusty Krab and still has not passed his boating test. The most recent film, The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, came out in December 2025.
Where to watch SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants is streaming on Prime Video, fuboTV, Paramount+, Philo, YouTube TV, and Spectrum On Demand in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 8.2/10
Where it fits
- Release order: after The Rugrats Movie, before Rocket Power.
- Chronological order: after The Rugrats Movie, before Rocket Power.
Cast
- Tom Kenny as SpongeBob SquarePants / Gary the Snail (voice)
- Bill Fagerbakke as Patrick Star (voice)
- Rodger Bumpass as Squidward (voice)
- Clancy Brown as Mr. Krabs (voice)
- Carolyn Lawrence as Sandy Cheeks (voice)
- Mary Jo Catlett as Mrs. Puff (voice)
- Jill Talley as Karen Plankton (voice)
- Lori Alan as Pearl Krabs (voice)
- Mr. Lawrence as Plankton / Larry the Lobster (voice)
- Dee Bradley Baker as Farmer/Sailor/Cannonball Jenkins (voice) / Announcer (voice)
- Sirena Irwin as Lady Upturn / Prudence (voice)
- Thomas F. Wilson as Customer #1 / Customer #2 (voice)
Created by Stephen Hillenburg.