SpongeBob SquarePants
Series, 1999, The series, Set in Bikini Bottom
SpongeBob SquarePants is #1 of 9 in release order and #2 of 9 in chronological order in the SpongeBob SquarePants.
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
Created by the marine biologist turned animator Stephen Hillenburg, the show premiered on Nickelodeon in 1999. SpongeBob lives in a pineapple under the sea with his pet snail Gary, who meows. He loves his job as fry cook at the Krusty Krab, run by the money-obsessed Mr. Krabs, where the bitter cashier Squidward Tentacles, his next-door neighbour, wishes he could be left alone to play the clarinet. His best friend Patrick Star lives under a rock and is not bright. Sandy Cheeks, a squirrel from Texas, lives in an air-filled dome and does karate and science. Plankton, who runs the empty Chum Bucket across the street with his computer wife Karen, keeps trying to steal the Krabby Patty secret formula. SpongeBob fails his driving test with Mrs. Puff again and again, goes jellyfishing with Patrick, and drives Squidward to despair. Hillenburg ran the first three seasons, then stepped back after the 2004 film; Paul Tibbitt took over, and later Vincent Waller and Marc Ceccarelli. Later seasons lean harder into slapstick and surreal gags, with occasional live action and stop-motion specials. Hillenburg died in 2018, and the show has kept going since, with spin-offs about SpongeBob's childhood and Patrick's family.
SpongeBob SquarePants ending explained
It has not ended: the show is still running in its 17th season, which premiered in June 2026, and Nickelodeon renewed it in June 2026 for an 18th and 19th season. There is no overarching story to finish, since nearly every episode stands alone and resets Bikini Bottom to normal. The 2004 film was planned by Hillenburg as a possible series finale before the network ordered more episodes.
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: first, before The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.
- Chronological order: after Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years, before The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.
What to watch before SpongeBob SquarePants
Nothing. SpongeBob SquarePants is the first of the SpongeBob SquarePants essentials, so it's the place to start.
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.