Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?
Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? (SpongeBob SquarePants)/Absorbent and yellow and porous, is he? (SpongeBob SquarePants) – goes the theme song from the famous American television series SpongeBob SquarePants. Over the years, this lovable character and his friends have left us in splits, filled our eyes with tears, and warmed our hearts with love. It’s no wonder that this cartoon series has won worldwide critical acclaim.
What is SpongeBob SquarePants?
SpongeBob SquarePants is an animated comedy TV show (American) created by Stephen Hillenburg. Hillenburg made the series for the American television channel Nickelodeon – a TV channel for children.
The story revolves around SpongeBob SquarePants (also known as SpongeBob) and his aquatic friends. Creator, Stephen Hillenburg, was a marine science educator, so it is no wonder that he chose aquatic animals as the theme for the series.
SpongeBob SquarePants premiered in July 1999. By its second season, the series had gained worldwide recognition.
SpongeBob SquarePants – the setting
The series occurs in Bikini Bottom, a fictional and idyllic underwater city located in the Pacific Ocean.
The series revolves around accident-prone SpongeBob SquarePants – an optimistic and energetic yellow sea sponge. It chronicles all the adventures of this anthropomorphic sponge who lives in a two-storied pineapple house submerged in the ocean. He works as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab – a fast food restaurant. One of his ambitions is to obtain a boat-driving license from the local Boating School. SpongeBob has a pet called Gary, who meows like a cat but is a sea snail.
SpongeBob’s best friend, Patrick Star, lives two doors away from him. Patrick is a friendly but rather dim-witted starfish who lives under a rock.
Other characters from the series include SpongeBob‘s squirrel neighbour – Squidward Tentacles, the owner of Krusty Krab – Mr. Krabs, Pearl the whale, Sandy Cheeks- another friend, Mrs. Puff – the owner of the Driving School, and Karen and her husband Plankton – the owner of the rival restaurant.
Interesting SpongeBob SquarePants facts
- Stephen Hillenburg oversaw only the first three seasons of the series production. Sadly, he passed away in November 2018 due to complications from ALS.
- SpongeBob SquarePants is the fifth longest-running animated show in America and is considered one of the funniest and best shows of all time.
- The series is the second-longest-running animated series by Nickelodeon.
- The series has had a massive impact on pop culture and continues to be loved by people of all ages – kids and adults alike – worldwide. That is mainly because each of the characters in the series imbues personas or traits that are universally relatable, causing a massive impact on society.
- Although created in 1999, the characters never grow old throughout the series.
- The series’ fantastic humour is appreciated by both kids and adults alike.
SpongeBob SquarePants’ Every Job (Except Fry Cook)
In addition to serving fried food at the Krusty Krab, SpongeBob SquarePants has also performed other jobs throughout the series. SpongeBob SquarePants is the most successful Nicktoon and the longest-running animated TV show.
- As the series began, the pilot episode introduced viewers to good ol’ SpongeBob, setting the stage for his career as a fry cook.
- SpongeBob has perfected his cooking skills over the years, although mostly with Krabby Patties.
- He has also worked outside and inside Krusty Krab – some of them did not last, and others were sided jobs, not as much a replacement for his job at Krusty Krab.
- SpongeBob has had a few side jobs, mostly for fun, such as his teaching bubble-blowing classes (for 25 cents) in the episode Bubblestand.
- As soon as Krusty Krab was turned into a hotel, he became a hotel employee.
- In addition to working at the Krusty Krab as a fry cook, he also works as a cashier, manager, and janitor, mostly taking care of tasks that Squidward cannot. He helps to balance the restaurant.
- SpongeBob created colorful Krabby Patties and opened his own store; however, he gave the business to Mr. Krabs in exchange for the keys to the Krusty Krab.
- Mr. Krabs assigned SpongeBob to the chef exchange program at the restaurant Fancy!
- SpongeBob briefly worked at the Weenie Hut, Pizza Piehole, Taco Sombrero, and Wet Noodle after he was fired from the Krusty Krab in the episode appropriately titled “SpongeBob You’re Fired”.
Check Out: Outer Banks season 2
How many seasons of SpongeBob are there?
Since its premiere in 1999, there are 13 seasons of SpongeBob SquarePants. The latest season, Season 13, began in October 2020 and continues to be aired. To date, over 250 episodes have been aired.
Fans have wondered if the 13th season will be the final season, but they have been reassured that that will not be the end of SpongeBob. However, there is no news as of today about season 14.
10 Best SpongeBob SquarePants episodes
Although in its 13th season with more episodes continue to be produced, it seems that the best and most memorable SpongeBob SquarePants episodes are the ones from the earlier seasons.
Season 1, Episode 5: Pizza Delivery/Home Sweet Pineapple
Season 1, Episode 14: SB-129/Karate Choppers
Season 2, Episode 7: Pre-Hibernation Week/Life of Crime
Season 2, Episode 10: Shanghaied/Gary Takes a Bath
Season 2 Episode 19: Jellyfish Hunter/The Fry Cook Games
Season 3, Episode 1: Just One Bite/The Bully
Season 3, Episode 8: No Weenies Allowed/Squilliam Returns Season
Season 3, Episode 12: Club SpongeBob/My Pretty Seahorse
Season 3, Episode 19: Krabby Land/The Camping Episode
Season 3, Episode 20: SpongeBob Meets the Strangler/Pranks a Lot
SpongeBob SquarePants movies
The first SpongeBob SquarePants movie was released in November 2004 and was titled The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.
The second movie – The SpongeBob Movie: Out of Water – was released in February 2015.
A third film – The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run – was released in August 2020.
Awards and accolades
SpongeBob SquarePants has won several awards, including:
- Annie Awards – six awards
- Golden Reel Wards – eight awards
- Emmy Awards – four awards
- Kids’ Choice Awards – 18 awards
- BAFTA Children’s Awards – two awards.
Controversies associated with SpongeBob SquarePants
Although one of the most loved cartoon series of the 21st century, SpongeBob SquarePants has not escaped controversy. Here are six disputes.
SpongeBob SquarePants is gay
Back in 2002, SpongeBob was rumoured to be gay. It all started with the episode titled Rock-a-Bye Bivalve, in which SpongeBob and his friend Patrick adopt a baby scallop. While SpongeBob took on the role of the baby’s mum, Patrick acted as a dad. However, Hillenburg, who also happened to be a marine science educator, explained that sea sponges are asexual – that is, they are neither male nor female. So, it would be expected for SpongeBob, who is a sea sponge, to take on the role of a mother.
Those who believed the lovable character to be gay seemed to think they had enough evidence. Our yellow friend’s best friend was a pink starfish called Patrick. Both Patrick and SpongeBob would occasionally hold hands and watch a TV show called – wait for this – The Adventures of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy. Then there was Squidward, who loved classical music and bubble baths. Some just decided that SpongeBob was gay because of his normal behaviour.
SpongeBob could turn people gay.
In 2005, when the first controversy was fading away, SpongeBob was accused of turning kids gay.
It started with a 2005 music video featuring several children’s characters. The idea of the video was to promote diversity and tolerance. However, the founder of a right-wing Christian group called Focus on the Family accused the video of spreading pro-gay propaganda. Primarily targeted was SpongeBob because he was a hit with gay men. However, Nile Rodgers, the We Are Family Foundation founder that released the video vehemently, denied this.
SpongeBob was too sexy.
In 2009, Burger King came out with a commercial starring SpongeBob SquarePants. The commercial aimed to promote a Burger King kids’ meal. The commercial made use of Rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot’s music video “Baby Got Back.” Writers changed the song’s lyrics from “I like big butts…” to “I like square butts…” and featured several “sexy” dancers gyrating to the remade song.
SpongeBob ruins kids’ concentration
A 2011 study by the American Academy of Pediatrics concluded that kids’ cartoons like SpongeBob SquarePants were too fast-paced, which wasn’t suitable for kids. According to researchers, the fast pace at which one scene changes to the next in SpongeBob SquarePants episodes hindered preschoolers’ concentration and attention span.
Nickelodeon’s vice president Jane Gould said that the researchers should have used a different cartoon series for the study because SpongeBob SquarePants was not intended for preschoolers.
SpongeBob makes you fat.
Around the same time that the music video created a stir, a 2005 report found evidence that linked childhood obesity in the United States to snack food commercials starting popular children’s characters. That included SpongeBob.
SpongeBob SquarePants pushed a false global warming agenda.
In 2011, Fox News’s hosts of Fox and Friends suggested that SpongeBob Goes Green’s book pushed a global warming agenda that had no scientific backing. The book explored the role of human emissions and carbon dioxide on global warming. The show hosts argued that there was no scientific basis for the claims made in the book. However, it was the show’s hosts that were wrong.
