The very first episode of SpongeBob SquarePants “Help Wanted”, in which SpongeBob applies for a job at the Krusty Krab, premiered on May 1, 1999. The episode was written by series creator Stephen Hillenburg, storyboard artist Derek Drymon, and Tim Hill.
The series premiere was viewed in over 2 million households. The episode received positive reviews from critics, and SpongeBob SquarePants eventually went on to become Nickelodeon’s biggest franchise.
Happy 25th anniversary, Goofy Goobers!
I was about 12 and didn’t care for it initially. Surprisingly I was more in to Babar and more grounded cartoons, so SpongeBob didn’t appeal to me then.
When Gumball came out, even though it had similar absurdity to SpongeBob, I loved it. I was older then, though, so that could be a factor.