SpongeBob SquarePants is a popular animated series created by Stephen Hillenburg and shown on Nickelodeon and other networks worldwide. It began as three shorts on Nickelodeon's Kids Choice Awards on May 1, 1999, and became a regular series on July 24 of that year. Within about a year it became a major cable TV program and surpassed its predecessor Rugrats in popularity, eventually becoming more popular than that show had ever been. It is now currently the most popular show on Nickelodeon, followed by The Fairly OddParents.

The story takes place under the deep blue sea in Bikini Bottom, where SpongeBob resides. SpongeBob, who is a yellow, porous sponge, is your typical happy-go-lucky character, as he is always cheerful and enjoys making people laugh. Patrick Star, SpongeBob's neighbor who is a starfish, is your average children's show idiot, as he boasts knowing nothing and is often getting himself into ridiculous situations. Between the homes of these two lies the home of the miserable Squidward, an octopus, who is known for being grouchy and playing tricks on SpongeBob and Patrick. Both SpongeBob and Squidward work at the Krusty Krab, a fast food business run by the greedy money-loving Mr. Krabs, a crab, the arch rival of the evil, possibly misunderstood, Plankton. Another neighbor, Sandy Cheeks, an athletic squirrel who normally wears an astronaut's space suit, was introduced in "Tea at the Treedome." She spends most of her time inventing and experimenting.

Theme song
Are you ready kids?
Aye aye captain!
I can't hear you!
AYE AYE CAPTAIN!!!
Ohhh! Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?
SpongeBob SquarePants!!
Absorbent and yellow and porous is he
SpongeBob SquarePants!!
If nautical nonsense is something you wish
SpongeBob SquarePants!!
Then drop on the deck and flop like a fish
SpongeBob SquarePants!!
Ready?
SpongeBob SquarePants!
SpongeBob SquarePants!!
SpongeBob SquarePants!!!
SpongeBob SquarePaaaaants!!!!!
(SpongeBob whistles tune on his nose)

Click here to listen to the opening theme.