Voice cast

• Tom Kenny: SpongeBob SquarePants, Gary the Snail, Mr. SquarePants, French Narrator, Patchy the Pirate (live-action performance), miscellaneous characters
• Bill Fagerbakke: Patrick Star
• Rodger Bumpass: Squidward Tentacles, Dr. Gill Gilliam
• Clancy Brown: Mr. Krabs
• Carolyn Lawrence: Sandy Cheeks
• Mr. Lawrence: Plankton, Larry the Lobster, miscellaneous characters
• Jill Talley: Karen
• Lori Alan: Pearl Krabs
• Mary Jo Catlett: Mrs. Puff
• Brian Doyle-Murray: The Flying Dutchman
• Ernest Borgnine: Mermaid Man
• Tim Conway: Barnacle Boy
• Sirena Irwin: Mrs. SquarePants, Mama Krabs ("Enemy-in-Law," "Friend or Foe," "Spongicus")
• Dee Bradley Baker: Squilliam Fancyson, miscellaneous characters
• Frank Welker: Talking Gorilla ("I Had an Accident"), animal vocal effects
• Paul Tibbitt: Mama Krabs ("Sailor Mouth," "Mid-Life Crustacean"), Potty the Parrot (2007-present)
• Stephen Hillenburg: Potty the Parrot (2000-2004)

Setting

Much of the series' events take place in Bikini Bottom, an underwater city located a mile off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, beneath the real life tropical isle of Bikini Atoll. Stephen Hillenburg has stated that much of Bikini Bottom was based on the real life city of Seattle. Much of this is supported within the context of the episodes themselves; however, despite implications of the city's location as well as anologies to real life, Hillenburg has stated that he wishes to leave the city isolated from the real world, explaining the Baywatch parody scene from The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie as simply a reference to his favorite show of all time. Being located underwater, much of the city's populace, like that of the rest of the series, consists mostly of various sea life; however, in many episodes, the laws of physics are violated for comedic value. The citizens of Bikini Bottom live in mostly aquatic-themed buildings, and use "boatmobiles", an amalgamation of cars and boats, as a mode of transportation.

Characters

SpongeBob SquarePants is an extremely energetic and optimistic sea sponge (although his appearance more closely resembles a kitchen sponge) who lives in a pineapple under the sea with his pet snail Gary, who meows like a cat. Although Gary only speaks in a few episodes, the characters have shown an ability to understand him. Living two houses down from SpongeBob is his best friend Patrick Star, a dim-witted yet friendly starfish who lives under a rock. Living between the two is Squidward Tentacles, an arrogant and egotistical squid who lives in a moai and dislikes his neighbors (especially SpongeBob) for their child-like behavior. He enjoys playing the clarinet and painting self-portraits. Another close friend of SpongeBob is Sandy Cheeks, a red squirrel from Texas, who was sent there to do scientific research for her chimpanzee bosses. She lives in an underwater tree dome in Bikini Bottom. Sandy is an expert at karate. When not inside her tree dome, she wears an astronaut-like suit because she cannot breathe in water. SpongeBob and Squidward's employer is former officer cadet for the Bikini Bottom Navy force and war veteran Eugene Krabs, a miserly crab obsessed with money, who is the owner of the Krusty Krab restaurant. Mr. Krabs’ archenemy is Sheldon Plankton, a small green copepod who owns a low-rank fast-food restaurant called the Chum Bucket across the street from the Krusty Krab. Plankton spends most of his time plotting to steal the recipe for Mr. Krabs's popular Krabby Patty burgers to obtain success, though all of his schemes usually end in failure.

SpongeBob SquarePants

SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city "Bikini Bottom." The series' popularity has prompted the release of a media franchise, contributing to its position as Nickelodeon's highest rated show, the most distributed property of MTV Networks, and among Nicktoons Network's most-watched shows.

The pilot episode of SpongeBob SquarePants first aired in the United States on Nickelodeon on May 1, 1999, following the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards. The "official" series premiere followed on July 17, 1999, with the second episode, "Bubblestand/Ripped Pants." The show reached popularity shortly after the beginning of its second season and has remained popular since. A feature film of the series was released in theaters on November 19, 2004. The series is currently in its seventh season and celebrated its tenth anniversary on July 17, 2009. SpongeBob has recently been renewed for an eighth season, which will make it the longest running show in Nickelodeon's history, surpassing Rugrats upon the completion of the 26th episode that season.