SpongeBob SquarePants

SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg for Nickelodeon. The series chronicles the adventures and endeavors of the title character and his various friends in the fictional underwater city of Bikini Bottom. The series' popularity has made it a media franchise, as well as the highest rated series to ever air on Nickelodeon, and the most distributed property of MTV Networks. The media franchise has generated $8 billion in merchandising revenue for Nickelodeon.

Many of the ideas for the series originated in an unpublished educational comic book titled The Intertidal Zone, which Hillenburg created in 1989. He began developing SpongeBob SquarePants into a television series in 1996 upon the cancellation of Rocko's Modern Life, and turned to Tom Kenny, who had worked with him on that series, to voice the titular character. SpongeBob was originally going to be named SpongeBoy, and the series was to be called SpongeBoy Ahoy!, but these were both changed, as the name was already trademarked.

SpongeBob SquarePants (season 7)

The seventh season of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg, originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States from July 19, 2009 to June 11, 2011. It contained 26 episodes, beginning with the episodes "Tentacle Vision" and "I Heart Dancing". The series chronicles the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the fictional underwater city of Bikini Bottom.

The season was executive produced by series creator Hillenburg and writer Paul Tibbitt, who also acted as the showrunner. In 2011, Legends of Bikini Bottom, an anthology series consists of five episodes from the season, was launched. A number of guest stars appeared on the season's episodes. Several compilation DVDs that contained episodes from the season were released. The SpongeBob SquarePants: Complete Seventh Season DVD was released in Region 1 on December 6, 2011, Region 2 on September 17, 2012, and Region 4 on September 12, 2012.

SpongeBob SquarePants (season 9)

The ninth season of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants, created by former marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg, originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on July 21, 2012, beginning with the episode "Extreme Spots" and "Squirrel Record". The series chronicles the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the fictional underwater city of Bikini Bottom. The season was executive produced by series creator Stephen Hillenburg and writer Paul Tibbitt, who also acted as the showrunner.

The season was first announced on January 3, 2011, and premiered on July 21, 2012. A total of 26 episodes were produced for the season bringing the number of episodes up to 204.

Production

The season aired on Nickelodeon, which is owned by Viacom, and was produced by United Plankton Pictures and Nickelodeon. The season's executive producers were series creator Stephen Hillenburg and Paul Tibbitt, who also acted as the series' showrunner. During production of the eighth season, Deadline.com reported on January 3, 2011 that Nickelodeon had renewed the series for a ninth season, with 26 episodes in order, which would push the series over the 200th episode mark.SpongeBob SquarePants became the Nickelodeon series with most episodes, surpassing Rugrats with 172 episodes, having 178 after the eighth season had complete broadcast on television.