Stop in at Bikini Bottom!
Bikini Bottom’s resident sponge SpongeBob spends his days working at the Krusty Krab serving up Krabby Patties. When he isn’t working for Mr. Krabs, he likes to spend his time jellyfishing, hanging out with Patrick, practicing karate with a Texan squirrel named Sandy, or torturing his neighbor and coworker Squidward. SpongeBob always find trouble!
SpongeBob SquarePants—Season 1 premiered on Nickelodeon May 1, 1999 then ran to January 8, 2000. The series found an instant audience and fanbase and received positive reviews from critics.
I didn’t have cable when SpongeBob premiered but began hearing about it pretty early in its run. Like shows like South Park, a lot of adults were watching SpongeBob SquarePants but unlike South Park (or even The Simpsons), SpongeBob was still a show that was family friendly…all to the eagerness and zeal of the characters.
Nothing wrong here…
The series is made up of shorts with two shorts an episode. This means a quick story set-up which is aided by the characters that are rounded and believable…immediately. This means you understand the plots quickly and the show can focus on the jokes with the plot naturally following. Like old Looney Tunes, the plots are quick but rather developed.
The plots really rely on the zeal of the characters. SpongeBob’s eagerness is only matched by his friends who quests also drive them. Be it simple Patrick or money hungry Mr. Krabs, the characters are fun and develop quickly. The season is rather slim on Plankton and I rather enjoy his episodes. The season does feature guest voicework from Ernest Borgnine, Tim Conway, Charles Nelson Reilly, and John O’Hurley.
More Plankton!
The show’s animation seems born of shows like Ren & Stimpy but run through more traditional animation. One of the more clever aspects of SpongeBob is the occasional use of real life settings (in which SpongeBob looks like a real sponge and Patrick is a real starfish). It is always fun but runs the risk of happening too often which ruins the joke.
SpongeBob SquarePants is an original cartoon that like most original cartoon inspired other cartoons that tried to imitate it. SpongeBob’s success lies in the nice, layered cartoon that is attainable for multiple ages. I can understand how people would be driven crazy by SpongeBob, but I enjoy the character and his adventures…which is good because they seem to go on and on.
SpongeBob SquarePants—Season 1 Complete Episode Guide:
“Help Wanted”
“Reef Blower”
“Tea at the Treedome”
1.1 Help Wanted/Reef Blower/Tea at the Treedome Airdate: 05/01/99
Help Wanted—SpongeBob SquarePants seeks out a job at The Krusty Krab…but finds Squidward and Mr. Krabs trying to give him an impossible assignment to avoid employing him. Reef Blower—SpongeBob is out clean up the neighborhood and all it will take his leaf blower. Tea at the Treedome—SpongeBob meets a new friend in a land squirrel named Sandy but runs into a problem when she invites him to tea at her home.
“Bubblestand”
“Ripped Pants”
1.2 Bubblestand/Ripped Pants Airdate: 07/17/99
Bubblestand—SpongeBob sets up a bubblestand and tries to convince Squidward to buy in. Ripped Pants—SpongeBob’s attempts to impress Sandy when Larry shows up causes a problem…that is only cancelled out by SpongeBob ripping his pants. Unfortunately, SpongeBob runs the joke into the ground.
“Jellyfishing”
“Plankton!”
1.3 Jellyfishing/Plankton! Airdate: 07/31/99
Jellyfishing—Squidward’s attempt to avoid SpongeBob and Patrick’s invitation to go jellyfishing leads to an accident…forcing even more time with them. Plankton!—Plankton’s attempt to steal Mr. Krabs’ Krabby-Patties leads Plankton to go after SpongeBob.
“Naughty Nautical Neighbors”
“Boating School”
1.4 Naughty Nautical Neighbors/Boating School Airdate: 08/07/99
Naughty Nautical Neighbors—Squidward turns Patrick and SpongeBob against each other, but ends up finding himself as the subject of Patrick and SpongeBob’s attempts to get him as a friend. Boating School—SpongeBob sets out to get his boating license (again) much to the chagrin of Mrs. Poppy Puff. When SpongeBob fails (again), he goes to Patrick for help.
“Pizza Delivery”
“Home Sweet Pineapple”
1.5 Pizza Delivery/Home Sweet Pineapple Airdate: 08/14/99
Pizza Delivery—When Squidward has SpongeBob drive on a pizza delivery, they get lost in their attempt to get it there in time. Home Sweet Pineapple—SpongeBob’s house is destroyed by Nematodes, and he finds he might have to move back home if he can’t find another home quickly.
“Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy”
“Pickles”
1.6 Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy/Pickles Airdate: 08/21/99
Mermaid Man and the Barnacle Boy—SpongeBob and Patrick act as their favorite heroes Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy but learn that they are really in a retirement home in Bikini Bottom. Pickles—SpongeBob’s attempt to impress a client leads to a meltdown when he is accused of forgetting the pickles on his Krabby Patty.
“Hall Monitor”
“Jellyfish Jam”
1.7 Hall Monitor/Jellyfish Jam Airdate: 08/28/99
Hall Monitor—SpongeBob is appointed hall monitor for the day. When he takes the job too seriously, he has a run-in with the police. Jellyfish Jam—SpongeBob befriends a jellyfish which turns his life into a 24-hour party.
“Sandy’s Rocket”
“Squeaky Boots”
1.8 Sandy’s Rocket/Squeaky Boots Airdate: 09/04/99
Sandy’s Rocket—Sandy’s got a new rocket, and SpongeBob will do anything to go with her to the moon…but when SpongeBob and Patrick steal the rocket, they learn of the alien threat! Squeaky Boots—When Mr. Krabs buys the wrong boots for his daughter’s birthday, he tricks SpongeBob into buying them…but the squeaking could be too much.
“Nature Pants”
“Opposite Day”
1.9 Nature Pants/Opposite Day Airdate: 09/11/99
Nature Pants—SpongeBob decides to give up his material possessions to live in the wild with the jellyfish…but Patrick isn’t having it. Opposite Day—Squidward wants to sell his house but getting rid of SpongeBob when the realtor arrives could be the biggest trick.
“Culture Shock”
“F.U.N.”
1.10 Culture Shock/F.U.N. Airdate: 09/18/99
Culture Shock—Krabs tries to bring in more customers and plans a talent show with Squidward as the host. F.U.N.—Plankton steals a Krabby-Patty from the Krusty Krab with SpongeBob hot on his tail, SpongeBob decides Plankton might be misunderstood…leading to an attempt to befriend him.
“MuscleBob BuffPants”
“Squidward the Unfriendly Ghost”
1.11 MuscleBob BuffPants/Squidward the Unfriendly Ghost Airdate: 09/25/99
MuscleBob BuffPants—SpongeBob has decided to get fit, but a failed attempt with Sandy leads SpongeBob to invest in AnchorArms. Squidward the Unfriendly Ghost—Patrick and SpongeBob accidentally destroy Squidward’s wax double and believe he’s dead. When the real Squidward returns, Patrick and SpongeBob think he’s a ghost.
“The Chaperone”
“Employee of the Month”
1.12 The Chaperone/Employee of the Month Airdate: 10/02/99
The Chaperone—Mr. Krabs makes SpongeBob take his daughter Pearl to prom…something neither of them want. Employee of the Month—SpongeBob and Squidward compete for employee of the month.
“Scaredy Pants”
“I Was a Teenage Gary”
1.13 Scaredy Pants/I Was a Teenage Gary Airdate: 10/28/99
Scaredy Pants—It’s Halloween, and SpongeBob is tired of being the victim of being scared…leading him to a drastic decision. I Was a Teenage Gary—Patrick and SpongeBob are going jellyfishing for the weekend and leaving his pet snail Gary in care of Squidward…who fails miserably.
“SB-129”
“Karate Choppers”
1.14 SB-129/Karate Choppers Airdate: 12/31/99
SB-129—In an attempt to avoid jellyfishing with SpongeBob and Patrick, Squidward finds himself on a time-travelling adventure. Karate Choppers—Sandy and SpongeBob are practicing karate…and SpongeBob gets a little obsessed.
“Sleepy Time”
“Suds”
1.15 Sleepy Time/Suds Airdate: 01/17/00
Sleepy Time—SpongeBob finds himself in the land of dreams and jumps to all his friends’ dreams. Suds—SpongeBob is sick with the suds and forced to miss work. Patrick is determined to keep SpongeBob from the doctor.
“Valentine’s Day”
“The Paper”
1.16 Valentine’s Day/The Paper Airdate: 02/14/20
Valentine’s Day—SpongeBob is out to give Patrick the best Valentine’s Day ever with Sandy, but the plans don’t work out. The Paper—Squidward gives SpongeBob a blank piece of paper…much to his excitement.
“Arrgh!”
“Rock Bottom”
1.17 Arrgh!/Rock Bottom Airdate: 03/15/00
Arrgh!—Mr. Krabs has become obsessed with the board game The Flying Dutchman’s Treasure Hunt forcing Patrick and SpongeBob to go on an treasure hunt. Rock Bottom—A trip to Glove World! leads to the wrong bus…and SpongeBob stranded in Rock Bottom.
“Texas”
“Walking Small”
1.18 Texas/Walking Small Airdate: 03/22/00
Texas—Sandy’s homesick for Texas, and Patrick and SpongeBob try to cheer her up with a different technique. Walking Small—Plankton tries to manipulate SpongeBob by making him more assertive.
“Fools in April”
“Neptune’s Spatula”
1.19 Fools in April/Neptune’s Spatula Airdate: 01/01/00
Fools in April—It’s April Fool’s Day and Squidward is dreading it. When he ruins SpongeBob’s favorite day, Squidward finds he must redeem his actions. Neptune’s Spatula—SpongeBob pulls the Golden Spatula from the grease, but Neptune questions if SpongeBob is worthy of the title of Royal Fry Cook.
“Hooky”
“Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy II”
1.20 Hooky/Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy II Airdate: 01/08/00
Hooky—Against Mr. Krabs’ warnings, Patrick and SpongeBob decide to tempt fate by playing with hooks. Mermaid and Barnacle Boy II—SpongeBob wins Barnacle Boy and Mermaid Man’s conch but abuses its power.
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