SpongeBob SquarePants

What it’s about

In the Pacific Ocean, on the floor of Bikini Bottom, lives SpongeBob SquarePants, a relentlessly optimistic sea sponge. He works as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab, a fast-food restaurant run by the miserly Mr. Krabs, and shares a pineapple home with his pet snail Gary. His best friend is Patrick Star, a good-natured but dim starfish, and his neighbour is Squidward Tentacles, a grumpy octopus who finds SpongeBob's enthusiasm exhausting. SpongeBob has a talent for stumbling into trouble without meaning to, whether at work, at home, or anywhere else in town.

What hooks you

The series was created by Stephen Hillenburg, a former marine biology teacher, who pitched it to Nickelodeon by bringing an aquarium to a board meeting and placing a drawing of SpongeBob at the bottom. Tom Kenny provides the voice of SpongeBob, and his distinctive laugh was produced by the actor striking his own throat while holding a long note. The show became the first Nickelodeon cartoon to run for more than 200 episodes, and its French-accented narrator is a tribute to ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau.

Who it’s for

It is a good pick for those who enjoy bright, fast-paced comedy with silly characters and absurd situations. It will also suit viewers who like cheerful animation that both children and adults can laugh at together.