Can You Believe It? ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ Debuted 25 Years Ago!

We’re not trying to make you feel old this morning … but if you were watching the first episode of the inimitable series “SpongeBob SquarePants” when it initially appeared on TV, here’s a fun fact: That was a quarter of a century ago.

An animated history

Stephen Hillenburg, who created SpongeBob and his underwater pals, was actually drawing a prototype of the character for years before the version we know and love today ever existed. It all started with “The Intertidal Zone,” a comic book with a focus on combining entertainment and education that featured Bob the Sponge.

Despite the similar name, this guy shared only the most basic characteristics with SpongeBob. Some of the key differences were that he was round — not square — and wore a pair of sunglasses.

In the late ‘80s, Hillenburg attended animation school and began working with Nickelodeon on shows like “Rocko’s Modern Life” before being given the opportunity to adapt his comic book to a series set in Bikini Bottom.

“It wasn’t until I drew a square sponge, like a dish sponge, that it really seemed to fit that character that I was looking for,” said Hillenburg, who died in 2018, noting that the new version reflected the “innocent” and “squeaky-clean” image he had in mind for SpongeBob.

Changing the game

Whether you were a die-hard fan or have never even watched an episode, you can probably at least recognize some of the show’s main characters. That’s because it made a major cultural impact that is still being felt today.

It was a hit with kids and grown-ups alike and led to movies, spinoffs, a Broadway play, video games, amusement park rides, and, as of 2017, an estimated $13 billion in merchandise sales.

A 15th season and yet another movie are in the works.

Chris Agee May 2nd, 2024

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