SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series created by former marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. It is broadcasted on the American cable network Nickelodeon. Since its debut on May 1, 1999, the series has aired over 290 half-hour episodes and is currently in its fourteenth season, which premiered on November 2, 2023. The series follows the adventures of the title character and his various friends in the fictional underwater city of Bikini Bottom.
The series' first feature film, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, was released in theaters in the United States on November 19, 2004. The series' first television movie, "Atlantis SquarePantis," premiered on November 12, 2007, as part of season 5, after a 12-hour television marathon. The series' second television movie, "Truth or Square," premiered on November 6, 2009, as part of season 6, to celebrate the show's 10-year anniversary. A second feature film, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, was released in theaters in the United States on February 6, 2015. The series' third television movie, "SpongeBob's Big Birthday Blowout," premiered on July 12, 2019 as part of season 12, to celebrate the show's 20-year anniversary. The series' third feature film, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, was released digitally on Paramount+ in the United States on March 4, 2021.
The first eight seasons are available on DVD for Regions 1, 2 and 4 as of October 2017. Seasons 9-13 are available on DVD for Region 1 as of December 5, 2023. The series is officially available for streaming on Paramount+.
SpongeBob SquarePants has received two spin-offs: Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years, which premiered on Paramount+ on March 4, 2021; and The Patrick Star Show, which premiered on Nickelodeon on July 9, 2021.
Hillenburg initially began to work on creating the show shortly after the cancellation of Rocko's Modern Life in 1996. To voice the character of SpongeBob, Hillenburg approached Tom Kenny, who had worked with him on Rocko's Modern Life as a voice actor. SpongeBob was originally to be named "SpongeBoy," but the name was already in use for a pencil product. Upon finding it out, Hillenburg decided to use the name "SpongeBob." He chose "SquarePants" as a family name, as it referred to the character's square shape and it had a "nice ring to it."
| Title card | # | Title | Airdate |
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1 | "Backstage Pants" | March 12, 2002 |
| It is the series of some short clips hosted by crew members. | |||
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2 | "SpongeBob's Start" (tr • ga) | March 12, 2002 |
| In this special, Stephen Hillenburg talks about his idea for SpongeBob and the creation of his world. | |||
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3 | "Graveyard Shift (voice-over)" (tr • ga) | March 12, 2002 |
| Tom Kenny and Rodger Bumpass are recording for The Graveyard Shift. | |||
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4 | "Texas (voice-over)" (tr) | March 12, 2002 |
| Carolyn Lawrence, Tom Kenny and Bill Fagerbakke record Texas. | |||
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5 | "Dying for Pie (voice-over)" (tr) | March 12, 2002 |
| Tom Kenny and Rodger Bumpass in Dying for Pie. | |||
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6 | "Drawing Characters" (tr • ga) | March 12, 2002 |
| In this special, Sherm Cohen shows us how he draws SpongeBob and Squidward. | |||
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7 | "The Graveyard Shift: In the Beginning" | March 12, 2002 |
| In this special, Jay Lender talks briefly about the story process and then reads the storyboards. | |||
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8 | "Show Design" (tr • ga) | March 12, 2002 |
| In this special, Nick Jennings talks about the problems with the chrome backgrounds in SB-129 when Squidward travels into the future. | |||
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9 | "Drawing the Goo Lagoon" (tr) | January 28, 2003 |
| In this special, John Seymore draws the Goo Lagoon. | |||
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10 | "Bikini Bottom's 7 Life Strategies" (tr • ga) | March 4, 2003 |
| It is a hilarious look at how to succeed in life in Bikini Bottom. | |||
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11 | "Behind the Scenes: Special Delivery" | July 29, 2003 |
| In this special, we meet the guy who works with handling fan mail for the show. | |||
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12 | "The Origin of SpongeBob SquarePants" (tr) | October 28, 2003 |
| Stephen Hillenburg talks about the origin of the little yellow sponge dude. | |||
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13 | "The First Season Crew on..." (tr • ga) | October 28, 2003 |
| In this special, the crew look back on the first season and how the show came together. | |||
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14 | "Everybody's Talking: The Voices Behind SpongeBob SquarePants" (tr) | October 28, 2003 |
| In this special, the cast members talk about their characters and the voices they provide. | |||
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15 | "Around the World with SpongeBob SquarePants" (tr • ga) | October 19, 2004 |
| In this special, the opening of the show plays in various languages. | |||
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16 | "The Absorbing Tale Behind The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie" (tr • ga) | March 1, 2005 |
| Cast and crew members introduces the world of SpongeBob. | |||
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17 | "Case of the Sponge "Bob"" (ga) | March 1, 2005 |
| In this special, we takes a look at all the real-life counterparts to the undersea creatures that inhabit Bikini Bottom. | |||
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18 | "Saving the Surf" (tr) | March 1, 2005 |
| The Surfrider Foundation preaches the importance of protecting our beaches and provides information on how to become a member. | |||
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19 | "How to Draw SpongeBob SquarePants & His Underwater Buddies" (tr • ga) | September 27, 2005 |
| The tutorial about drawing SpongeBob, Patrick, Mr. Krabs, Squidward, Sandy and Plankton. | |||
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20 | "Behind the Scenes: The Voices of SpongeBob & Friends" (tr • ga) | September 12, 2006 |
| In this special, we see the actors matched up with their cartoon counterparts. | |||
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21 | Behind the Scenes with Pick Boy and SpongeBob (tr) | January 9, 2007 |
| The Nick host Pick Boy invades a recording session of SpongeBob SquarePants. | |||
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22 | "Inside the SpongeBob Animation Studios" (tr) | November 13, 2007 |
| A look at the South Korean animation studio where the series is produced. | |||
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23 | "Behind the Pantis" (tr • ga) | November 13, 2007 |
| A behind the scenes look at Atlantis SquarePantis. | |||
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24 | "Plankton's Special Sinister Commentary" (tr) | March 3, 2009 |
| Plankton sits in a theater, watches "SpongeBob SquarePants vs. The Big One," and rips on SpongeBob and the other characters. | |||
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25 | "Square Roots: The Story of SpongeBob SquarePants" (tr • ga) | July 17, 2009 |
| It is a story about the development of SpongeBob SquarePants. | |||
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26 | "Life Lessons from Bikini Bottom" (tr • ga) | September 22, 2009 |
| It is an old educational film reel and basically acts as a profiler for the various characters. | |||
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27 | "Help Wanted: The Seven Seas Edition" (ga) | September 22, 2009 |
| In this special, we have a look at Help Wanted episode in numerous languages. | |||
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28 | "Behind the Scenes of the SpongeBob Opening" (tr) | November 10, 2009 |
| It is a behind the scenes look at opening credits that accompany Truth or Square. | |||
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29 | "How to Make SpongeBob SquarePants" (tr • ga) | March 16, 2010 |
| The tutorial about how to make SpongeBob SquarePants. | |||
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30 | "Behind the Scenes: Legends of Bikini Bottom" (tr • ga) | November 16, 2010 |
| It is a behind the scenes look at Legends of Bikini Bottom. | |||
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31 | "Change of Sea-Nery: Getting to the Bottom of a Stop-motion Bikini Bottom" (ga) | November 6, 2012 |
| It is a behind the scenes look at It's a SpongeBob Christmas!. | |||