Although its original network is Nickelodeon, SpongeBob is now broadcast across the world. It was created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg and is produced through his production company, United Plankton Pictures Inc. The series is set in the Pacific Ocean, in the city of Bikini Bottom and the surrounding lagoon floor. The pilot episode first aired in the United States on Nickelodeon after the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards on May 1, 1999. The "official" series premiere followed on July 17, 1999 with the second episode, "Bubblestand/Ripped Pants."
SpongeBob SquarePants is a sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea, while his octopus[1] neighbor Squidward Tentacles lives in a moai head. SpongeBob's other neighbor and best friend (on the other side of Squidward), is a pink starfish named Patrick Star, who lives under a rock. Squidward always gets annoyed when SpongeBob and Patrick bother him.
SpongeBob's house-pet is a snail named Gary, whose "meow" is similar to a cat. Although Gary only speaks in a few episodes, the characters have shown an ability to understand him. In addition to this, underwater worms bark exactly like dogs, and are kept on chains. Jellyfish are the equivalent of Bees; buzzing, stinging with poison although appears to be an electric shock, and producing delicious "jelly", mocking the name "jellyfish", while still referencing a bee's honey. Fish act as the citizens of the community but, as a rule, are not important characters.
SpongeBob, who is abosrbent, yellow and porous, works as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab, a hamburger fast-food restaurant, with Squidward who is the cashier. The Krusty Krab is owned by Eugene Krabs, also known as Mr. Krabs. Sheldon J. Plankton (commonly referred to as "Plankton") is Mr. Krabs' arch enemy who owns a low-rank fast-food restaurant called The Chum Bucket across the street which has never had a customer, and he spends most of his time plotting to steal the recipe for Mr. Krabs's popular Krabby Patty burgers. Only in the movie does he succeed; the formula is never actually revealed to the audience. Plankton's computer wife, Karen, alternately helps him in his schemes or bickers with him.
Sandy Cheeks is another friend of SpongeBob. She is a squirrel that lives in an underwater dome in Bikini Bottom. She was sent there by her bosses, chimpanzees. Sandy has a Texan accent and is from the state itself. When not inside her tree-dome, she wears an Astronaut Suit.
Instead of cars, the residents of Bikini Bottom drive boats. Once, while out in the wilderness, Patrick questions how they could have a camp fire on the lagoon bottom; the fire is immediately extinguished with a sizzle. A flurry of bubbles accompanies actions in many of the episodes, just to remind the viewer that everything is underwater. Ironically, when there is a body of water underwater a non-car boat must be used to cross it, because both SpongeBob and Patrick cannot swim.
English
