SpongeBob SquarePants (season 1)

season of television series

The first season of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants, created by former marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg, aired on Nickelodeon from May 1, 1999, to March 3, 2001, and consists of 20 half-hour episodes. The series chronicles the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the fictional underwater city of Bikini Bottom. The show features the voices of Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Rodger Bumpass, Clancy Brown, Mr. Lawrence, Jill Talley, Carolyn Lawrence, Mary Jo Catlett, and Lori Alan. Among the first guest stars to appear on the show were Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway voicing the superhero characters of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy, respectively.

SpongeBob SquarePants
Starring
No. of episodes20 (41 segments)
Release
Original networkNickelodeon
Original releaseMay 1, 1999 (1999-05-01) –
March 3, 2001 (2001-03-03)
Season chronology
Next →
Season 2
List of SpongeBob SquarePants episodes

Kenny initially conceived the show in 2007 and began to work on it shortly after the production of Regular Show in 2008.[1][2] To voice the character of Miguel approached Tom Kenny, who had worked with him on Rocko's Modern Life.[3] The show was originally to be called SpongeBoy Ahoy!, but the name SpongeBoy was already in use for an art pencil product.[4][5] 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".[6]

Development

change
 
Stephen Hillenburg became an animator during his period of study at the California Institute of the Arts.

Creator Stephen Hillenburg initially conceived SpongeBob SquarePants in 1984, while he was teaching and studying marine biology at what is now the Orange County Ocean Institute.[7]

While Hillenburg was there, his love of the ocean began to influence his artistry. He created a precursor to SpongeBob SquarePants: a comic book titled The Intertidal Zone used by the institute to teach visiting students about the animal life of tide pools.[8] The comic starred various anthropomorphic sea lifeforms, many of which would evolve into SpongeBob SquarePants characters.[9]

Episodes

change

The episodes are ordered below according to Nickelodeon's packaging order, and not their original production or broadcast order.

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleAnimation directors [a]Written by [a]Original air date [10]Prod.
code [11]
U.S. viewers
(millions)
11"Help Wanted"[b]Alan SmartWritten by : Stephen Hillenburg, Derek Drymon & Tim HillMay 1, 1999 (1999-05-01)[13][14]PILOT (1997 version)
2515−127 (1999 version)
2.96[15]
2.14[16]
(HH)[c]
"Reef Blower"[d]Fred Miller & Tom YasumiWritten by : Stephen Hillenburg, Derek Drymon & Tim Hill2515−126
"Tea at the Treedome"[f]Edgar Larrazabal;[20] Tom Yasumi[e]Written by : Peter Burns, Mr. Lawrence & Paul Tibbitt2515−101
22"Bubblestand"[g]Tom YasumiWritten by : Ennio Torresan, Erik Wiese, Stephen Hillenburg, Derek Drymon & Tim HillJuly 17, 1999 (1999-07-17)2515−1052.51[23][h]
"Ripped Pants"Edgar LarrazabalWritten by : Paul Tibbitt & Peter Burns2515−106
33"Jellyfishing"[i]Alan SmartWritten by : Steve Fonti, Chris Mitchell, Peter Burns & Tim HillJuly 31, 1999 (1999-07-31)2515−1032.89[25]
2.24[26]
(HH)[c]
"Plankton!"[j]Edgar LarrazabalWritten by : Ennio Torresan, Erik Wiese & Mr. Lawrence2515−114
44"Naughty Nautical Neighbors"[k]Fred MillerWritten by : Sherm Cohen, Aaron Springer & Mr. LawrenceAugust 7, 1999 (1999-08-07)2515−1162.83[27]
2.07[28]
(HH)[c]
"Boating School"Tom YasumiWritten by : Ennio Torresan Jr., Erik Wiese & Mr. Lawrence2515−104
55"Pizza Delivery"Sean DempseyWritten by : Sherm Cohen, Aaron Springer & Peter BurnsAugust 14, 1999 (1999-08-14)2515−1072.47[29]
"Home Sweet Pineapple"[l]Tom YasumiWritten by : Ennio Torresan Jr., Erik Wiese & Mr. Lawrence2515−124
66"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy"[m]Sean DempseyWritten by : Paul Tibbitt, Mark O'Hare & Mr. LawrenceAugust 21, 1999 (1999-08-21)2515−1192.94[30]
2.17[31]
(HH)[c]
"Pickles"Tom YasumiWritten by : Steve Fonti, Chris Mitchell & Peter Burns2515−111
77"Hall Monitor"Edgar LarrazabalWritten by : Chuck Klein, Jay Lender & Mr. LawrenceAugust 28, 1999 (1999-08-28)2515−1083.08[32]
2.12[33]
(HH)
"Jellyfish Jam"[n]Fred MillerWritten by : Ennio Torresan, Jr., Erik Wiese & Peter Burns2515−118
88"Sandy's Rocket"Tom YasumiWritten by : Sherm Cohen, Aaron Springer & Peter BurnsSeptember 17, 1999 (1999-09-17)2515−1102.40[34]
"Squeaky Boots"[o]Fred MillerWritten by : Steve Fonti, Chris Mitchell & Mr. Lawrence2515−102
99"Nature Pants"Sean DempseyWritten by : Paul Tibbitt, Mark O'Hare & Peter BurnsSeptember 11, 1999 (1999-09-11)2515−1202.54[35]
"Opposite Day"Tom YasumiWritten by : Chuck Klein, Jay Lender & Mr. Lawrence2515−112
1010"Culture Shock"Edgar LarrazabalWritten by : Paul Tibbitt, Mark O'Hare & Mr. LawrenceSeptember 18, 1999 (1999-09-18)2515−1222.41[34]
"F.U.N."[p]Fred MillerWritten by : Sherm Cohen, Aaron Springer & Peter Burns2515−121
1111"MuscleBob BuffPants"[q]Edgar LarrazabalWritten by : Ennio Torresan, Jr., Erik Wiese & Mr. LawrenceOctober 2, 1999 (1999-10-02)2515−1232.61[37]
"Squidward the Unfriendly Ghost"[r]Fred MillerWritten by : Sherm Cohen, Aaron Springer & Peter Burns2515−115
1212"The Chaperone"[s]Sean DempseyWritten by : Sherm Cohen, Aaron Springer & Peter BurnsMarch 8, 2000 (2000-03-08)2515−1133.23[39]
"Employee of the Month"Written by : Paul Tibbitt & Mr. Lawrence2515−125
1313"Scaredy Pants"Sean DempseyWritten by : Paul Tibbitt & Peter BurnsOctober 28, 1999 (1999-10-28)2515−1092.68[40]
"I Was a Teenage Gary"[t]Edgar LarrazabalWritten by : Steve Fonti, Chris Mitchell & Mr. Lawrence2515−117
1414"SB-129"[u]Tom YasumiWritten by : Aaron Springer, Erik Wiese & Mr. LawrenceDecember 31, 1999 (1999-12-31)2515−1291.52[42]
"Karate Choppers"Written by : Aaron Springer, Erik Wiese & Merriwether Williams2515−135
1515"Sleepy Time"[v]Edgar LarrazabalWritten by : Paul Tibbitt, Ennio Torresan Jr. & Mr. LawrenceJanuary 17, 2000 (2000-01-17)2515−1412.89[44]
"Suds"2515−132
1616"Valentine's Day"Fred MillerWritten by : Chuck Klein, Jay Lender & Merriwether WilliamsFebruary 14, 2000 (2000-02-14)2515−1282.75[45]
"The Paper"[w]Written by : Chuck Klein, Jay Lender & Mr. Lawrence2515−134
1717"Arrgh!"[x]Sean DempseyWritten by : Sherm Cohen, Vincent Waller & Merriwether WilliamsMarch 15, 2000 (2000-03-15)2515−1303.08[46]
2.14[47]
(HH)[c]
"Rock Bottom"[y]Tom YasumiWritten by : Paul Tibbitt, Ennio Torresan & David Fain2515−138
1818"Texas"Sean DempseyWritten by : Sherm Cohen, Vincent Waller & David FainMarch 22, 2000 (2000-03-22)2515−1393.10[49]
2.11[50]
(HH)[c]
"Walking Small"[z]Written by : Aaron Springer, Erik Wiese & Mr. Lawrence2515−133
1919"Fools in April"[aa]Fred MillerWritten by : Aaron Springer, Erik Wiese & Merriwether WilliamsApril 1, 2000 (2000-04-01)2515−1401.78[51]
"Neptune's Spatula"[ab]Written by : Chuck Klein, Jay Lender & David B. Fain2515−137
2020"Hooky"Edgar LarrazabalWritten by : Sherm Cohen, Vincent Waller & Merriwether WilliamsFebruary 23, 2001 (2001-02-23)[52]2515−1362.17[53]
"Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy II"[ac]Tom YasumiWritten by : Chuck Klein, Jay Lender & Mr. LawrenceMarch 3, 2001 (2001-03-03)2515−1312.54[54]
  1. 1.0 1.1 Information is taken from the opening and ending credits of each episode.
  2. Originally called "Pilot"[12]
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 (HH) denotes the amount of households that an episode was viewed in on premiere.
  4. Originally called "Pilot Extension,"[17] "1A extension," and "Reef Blowers"[18]
  5. Later reruns, The Complete 1st Season DVD, The First 100 Episodes DVD, and 10 Happiest Moments DVD versions.
  6. Originally called "Tea at the Tree Dome"[21]
  7. Originally called "Bubbles"[22]
  8. This episode also received 1.9 million viewers with children aged 2 through 11.[24]
  9. Originally called "Jelly Fishing"[22]
  10. Originally called "Deep Cover"[11]
  11. Originally called "Friendly Fire"[11]
  12. Originally called "Home"[11]
  13. Originally called "The Return of Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy"[11]
  14. Originally called "Jellyfish Jamboree"[11]
  15. Originally called "The Squeaky Boots"[22]
  16. Originally called "My Fair Plankton"[11]
  17. Originally called "Pump It Up"[36]
  18. Originally called "Squid's House of Wax"[11]
  19. Originally called "Chaperone"[38]
  20. Originally called "Critical Condition"[11]
  21. Originally called "SpongeBob 3000"[41] or "How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Sponge"[11]
  22. Originally called "Sleepytime"[43]
  23. Originally called "Lemons Out of Lemonade"[18]
  24. Originally called "Argh!"[18]
  25. Originally called "The Bus"[18] or "The Wrong Bus"[48]
  26. Originally called "Walking Tall"[18]
  27. Originally called "April Fools"[18][11]
  28. Originally called "The Spatula and the Stove"[18]
  29. Originally called "25 Words or Less"[18][11]

References

change
  1. Hillenburg, Stephen (2003). The Origin of SpongeBob SquarePants. SpongeBob SquarePants: The Complete First Season (DVD). Paramount Home Entertainment.
  2. Banks 2004[broken anchor], p. 10
  3. Orlando, Dana (March 17, 2003). "SpongeBob: the excitable, absorbent star of Bikini Bottom". St Petersburg Times. Retrieved November 8, 2008.
  4. The SpongeBoy Mop (doesn't exist), retrieved 2022-09-10
  5. Banks 2004[broken anchor], p. 31
  6. Neuwirth 2003[broken anchor], p. 51
  7. Banks 2004[broken anchor], pp. 8-9
  8. "Big Pop Fun #28: Stephen Hillenburg, Artist and Animator — Nerdist". archive.nerdist.com.
  9. Banks 2004[broken anchor], p. 9
  10. "SpongeBob SquarePants, Season 1". iTunes. Apple Inc. April 30, 1999. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  11. 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 "SpongeBob SquarePants Episode Guide -Nicktoons Prods @ BCDB". May 20, 1999. Archived from the original on December 9, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  12. Stephen Hillenburg and Derek Drymon (June 3, 1997), Help Wanted" SpongeBoy Ahoy! Storyboard, p. 1
  13. Gates, Anita (July 11, 1999). "Television / Radio; The Tide Pool as Talent Pool (It Had to Happen)". The New York Times. Retrieved April 26, 2008.
  14. "TV People Series: Home & Garden; TV People". St. Petersburg Times. May 1, 1999. Archived from the original on September 29, 2013. Retrieved March 28, 2010.
  15. Cable TV Ratings: Nickelodeon (April 26−May 2, 1999) (Report). Nielsen Media Research.
  16. "People's Choice: Cable's Top 25 (p. 26)" (PDF). Broadcasting and Cable. May 10, 1999. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  17. SpongeBob: SHOW 2515-126 - Pilot Extension SC. 3 - "Front of Squids House", Nickelodeon Animation Studio
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 18.6 18.7 "SpongeBob: Episode". Nick.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2000. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  19. Tea at the treedome screenbug house 2002 – YouTube
  20. Initial airings, Tales from the Deep DVD and Deep Sea Sillies VHS versions.[19]
  21. SpongeBob SquarePants: SHOW 2515-101 - Tea at the Tree Dome SC. 121 - "SpongeBob's Face", Nickelodeon Animation Studio
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 Stephen Hillenburg (January 17, 1997). "SpongeBob SquarePants pitch bible". Scribd.
  23. Cable TV Ratings: Nickelodeon (July 12−18, 1999) (Report). Nielsen Media Research.
  24. "Nickelodeon.(rating of Nickelodeon's cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants)". Multichannel News. August 23, 1999. Archived from the original on June 10, 2014. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
  25. Cable TV Ratings: Nickelodeon (July 25−August 1, 1999) (Report). Nielsen Media Research.
  26. "People's Choice: Cable's Top 25 (p. 29)" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. August 9, 1999. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  27. Cable TV Ratings: Nickelodeon (August 2−8, 1999) (Report). Nielsen Media Research.
  28. "People's Choice: Cable's Top 25 (p. 38)" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. August 16, 1999. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  29. Cable TV Ratings: Nickelodeon (August 9−15, 1999) (Report). Nielsen Media Research.
  30. Cable TV Ratings: Nickelodeon (August 16−22, 1999) (Report). Nielsen Media Research.
  31. "People's Choice: Cable's Top 25 (p. 44)" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. August 30, 1999. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  32. Cable TV Ratings: Nickelodeon (August 23−29, 1999) (Report). Nielsen Media Research.
  33. "People's Choice: Cable's Top 25 (p. 48)" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. September 6, 1999. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  34. 34.0 34.1 Cable TV Ratings: Nickelodeon (September 13−19, 1999) (Report). Nielsen Media Research.
  35. Cable TV Ratings: Nickelodeon (September 6−12, 1999) (Report). Nielsen Media Research.
  36. SpongeBob: SHOW 2515-123 - Pump It Up SC. 56 - "Color Card #2", Nickelodeon Animation Studio
  37. Cable TV Ratings: Nickelodeon (September 27−October 3, 1999) (Report). Nielsen Media Research.
  38. SpongeBob: SHOW 2515-129 - SpongeBob 3000 REF.1 - "Freezer Interior", Nickelodeon Animation Studio
  39. Cable TV Ratings: Nickelodeon (March 6−12, 2000) (Report). Nielsen Media Research.
  40. Cable TV Ratings: Nickelodeon (October 25−31, 1999) (Report). Nielsen Media Research.
  41. SpongeBob: SHOW 2515-129 - SpongeBob 3000 REF.1 - "Freezer Interior", Nickelodeon Animation Studio
  42. Cable TV Ratings: Nickelodeon (December 27, 1999−January 2, 2000) (Report). Nielsen Media Research.
  43. SpongeBob: SHOW 2515-141 - Sleepytime SC. 18 - "Driver's License", Nickelodeon Animation Studio
  44. Cable TV Ratings: Nickelodeon (January 17−23, 2000) (Report). Nielsen Media Research.
  45. Cable TV Ratings: Nickelodeon (February 14−20, 2000) (Report). Nielsen Media Research.
  46. Cable TV Ratings: Nickelodeon (March 13−19, 2000) (Report). Nielsen Media Research.
  47. "People's Choice: Cable's Top 25 (p. 50)" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. March 27, 2000. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
  48. The Wrong Bus: #2515-138 - Dark Deep Sea Incidental #200 - SC. 45, Nickelodeon Animation Studio
  49. Cable TV Ratings: Nickelodeon (March 20−26, 2000) (Report). Nielsen Media Research.
  50. "People's Choice: Cable's Top 25 (p. 34)" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. April 3, 2000. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  51. Cable TV Ratings: Nickelodeon (March 27−April 2, 2000) (Report). Nielsen Media Research.
  52. "Clipped from the Tampa Tribune". The Tampa Tribune. February 18, 2001. p. 210.
  53. Cable TV Ratings: Nickelodeon (February 19−25, 2001) (Report). Nielsen Media Research.
  54. Cable TV Ratings: Nickelodeon (February 26−March 4, 2001) (Report). Nielsen Media Research.