{{DISPLAYTITLE:''SpongeBob SquarePants''}} {{D|the series|SpongeBob}} {{SBSPseries |name = ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' |image = SpongeBob SquarePants - 2018 logo (English).png|2018-present SpongeBob SquarePants logo.svg.png|2009-2018 Spongebob2007-2009.png|2008-2009 Old SpongeBob SquarePants logo.png|1999-2008 |created = [[Stephen Hillenburg]] |directors = [[Derek Drymon]] (1999–2004)
[[Vincent Waller]] (2005–2015) |executive = Stephen Hillenburg (1999–2018)
[[Paul Tibbitt]] (2006–2016)
[[Marc Ceccarelli]] (2018–present)
[[Vincent Waller]] (2018–present)
[[Jennie Monica]] (2020–2022; co-executive only) |genre = {{W|Comedy}}https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRPep55zMCE&t=17s
{{W|Slapstick}}
{{W|Surreal humor}}https://www.vulture.com/2018/11/spongebob-squarepants-stephen-hillenburg-legacy.html |country = {{W|United States}} |channel = [[Nickelodeon]] (1999–present)
[[Nicktoons]] (2002, "[[Gary Takes a Bath]]")
{{W|CBS}} (2012, "[[It's a SpongeBob Christmas!]]") |seasons = [[Season 13|13]] (airing), [[Season 14|14]] (ordered) |episodes = 283 (aired)
541 (segments) |prod = [[Nickelodeon Animation Studio]]
[[United Plankton Pictures, Inc.]] |distrib = [[Nickelodeon]], [[Paramount Global|Paramount Global Distribution Group]] |picture = {{W|480i}} (4:3 SDTV, 1999–2012)
{{W|1080i}} (16:9 HDTV, 2009 ("[[Truth or Square]]"), 2012–present) |run = {{Time|May 1}}, {{Time|1999}} – present }} '''''SpongeBob SquarePants''''', often shortened to '''''SpongeBob''''', is an American animated television series created by former marine biologist and animator [[Stephen Hillenburg]] for [[Nickelodeon]]. It is chronologically the tenth [[w:c:nickelodeon:Nicktoons|Nicktoon]] to debut. The series is produced by [[Nickelodeon Animation Studio]] and [[United Plankton Pictures, Inc.]] The series focuses on an optimistic sea sponge named {{Link|SpongeBob SquarePants}}, who lives in an [[SpongeBob SquarePants' house|underwater pineapple]] with his pet snail {{Link|Gary}}. He lives among the two nearest neighbors named [[Patrick Star]], SpongeBob's best friend, and [[Squidward Tentacles]], a grumpy octopus. SpongeBob and Squidward work together at a fast food restaurant called the [[Krusty Krab]]. Their boss is a cheapskate crab named [[Eugene H. Krabs]], who lives with his whale daughter, {{Link|Pearl}}. SpongeBob is enrolled in a [[Mrs. Puff's Boating School|boat-driving school]] run by [[Mrs. Puff]], a pufferfish, and often spends time with a thrill-seeking squirrel from the surface named [[Sandy Cheeks]]. The villains of the show are {{Link|Plankton}} and his computer wife, {{Link|Karen}}, who own a failing restaurant called the [[Chum Bucket]] across the street from the Krusty Krab. The series was first broadcasted on {{Time|May 1}}, 1999, as a "sneak peek" after the {{W|Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards|1999 Kids' Choice Awards}}. It officially began airing on {{Time|July 17}} of the same year. The show was initially only greenlit for 6 half-hour episodes (twelve total segments); creator Stephen Hillenburg said, "I thought if it did go to a full season that we'd get twelve chances to write stor