25 years of nautical nonsense: Spongebob Squarepants’ lasting legacy
By Alivia Williams
Photo of the Krusty Krab from “Spongebob Sqaurepants” provided by Flickr.com
Twenty-five years ago, on May 1st, 1999, the world was introduced to “Spongebob Squarepants,” a show that has continued to leave a legendary mark in the realm of cartoons. The sponge that many have grown to know and love originally started out as an idea for an educational comic book. Unbeknownst to many people, Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of Spongebob, was a marine biologist and began teaching the public at the Orange County Marine Institute in 1984. He attributes his love for sea life to French oceanographer, Jacques Cousteau, who later narrated early seasons of Spongebob. Though he held a deep passion for teaching about sea creatures, deep down Hillenburg felt his calling was the arts. So, in 1989, Hillenburg ventured off to the California Institute of the Arts to pursue his passion for animation. Here, Hillenburg began refining his characters from “The Intertidal Zone,” to what soon became “Spongebob Squarepants.”
Hillenburg wanted to create a children’s show that stood out from the rest. He held his position as executive producer during Spongebob’s prime, seasons one through three, and for the first “Spongebob Squarepants” movie. Hillenburg had many inspirations that impacted his creative process—including the Three Stooges, Charlie Chaplin and Pee-Wee Herman. These influences become apparent in the comedic and musical choices in early episodes that contributed to the show’s eccentric atmosphere. Although Hillenburg’s influences speak to the distinctive nature of the show, it is difficult to pinpoint what exactly makes this show about a cartoon sponge so special.
The most memorable aspect of the show is undoubtedly the fervent and diverse humor. Throughout the series, viewers may notice that many jokes can be received by people of all ages and strike as entertaining on multiple levels. Hillenburg was a character-creating genius—not only is each character of the show extremely unique with an extensive background, but the producer also tailored the dynamic of characters to interact in such a way that their adventures reel the audience in and appear ‘brought to life.’ The crew surrounding the show is what made seasons one to three the ‘golden age.’ The animation was classic and bright, and the expressions of each character fit perfectly. With creative storyboard members, enthusiastic voice actors and Stephen Hillenburg’s vision, Spongebob was always destined to succeed.
While “Spongebob Squarepants” is recognized as a renowned success put out by Nickelodeon, there has continued to be tension between the children’s television program and parents. Many children have grown up with parents who banned the show altogether. Why is this? A general rumor comes from a statement that insists ‘Spongebob decreases the intelligence of its audience [children].’ This alleged thought is an overgeneralization, and often, people cannot elaborate on why they believe this to be true. Though, there is a more solid piece of evidence that may explain the mass of anti-Spongebob parents. In 2011, there was an article posted under the National Institute of Health that explored the effect of fast-paced cartoons on children’s executive brain function. With “Spongebob Squarepants” being at the forefront of this experiment, parents were generally upset that children seemed rambunctious after watching, and they were not fans of certain terms used in the cartoon, such as ‘stupid.’ The children involved in the experiment were four years of age, which is below the recommended age for viewing. This somewhat discredits the experiment, as the recommended viewer age for “Spongebob Squarepants” is six years of age and older. Whether the experiment is valid or not, certain parents will continue to find Spongebob absurd, annoying, or even call him a bad influence—but, after many years of watching this cartoon, I can attest as to why Spongebob has attributed great happiness and knowledge to my life.
Spongebob Squarepants presents an unmatched charm to television screens everywhere. As a child, I found comfort in the optimism placed before me by the loveable yellow sponge. While cliche, Spongebob taught me to never give up, and to not lose hope in yourself or others. Even in times of hurt, Hillenburg’s characters taught me to love and to learn from those around me and that it is okay to be eccentric, to be invested in your passions and to be confident in who you are. In the series, Spongebob always showed up for his friends, loved ones and his community. Spongebob taught me how to be in touch with my emotions and express them to others because, at heart, I’m just as sensitive as the little yellow guy. His devotion to creating happiness and joy has hardly ever waived. For the fact of teaching children heart, this cartoon is undeniably commendable.
The comedic aspect of Spongebob has shaped my humor and timing thus far in life and gives me a nostalgic connection to my younger self. When I rewatch Spongebob now, as an eighteen-year-old, I continue to find new jokes that I understand, and I pick up on elements I may have missed as a child. The fascinating fact about Spongebob is that he truly exists for everyone. While some may think the series is an immature excuse for a children’s program, the show often utilizes extensive vocabulary and references everyday sayings, processes and aspects of the human condition. The characters often find themselves in many situations that can relate to our above-water world, and I must say, the Spongebob crew consists of great problem solvers (possibly besides Patrick). However turbulent life may get, I will continue to carry my Spongebob lessons with me. For the knowledge Spongebob has bestowed upon me thus far for handling nautical (or not nautical) nonsense, I believe it’s safe to say that, whatever the case may be—I’m ready.