It gained enormous popularity by its second season, and has subsequently received worldwide critical acclaim. The series officially premiered on July 17, 1999. Nickelodeon aired a preview for the series in the United States on May 1, 1999, after the airing of the 1999 Kids' Choice Awards. It chronicles the adventures of the title character and his aquatic friends in the fictional underwater city of Bikini Bottom. SpongeBob SquarePants (commonly shortened to SpongeBob) is an American animated comedy television series created by marine science educator and animator Stephen Hillenburg for Nickelodeon.
