SpongeBob SquarePants first aired on Nickelodeon in 1999.
The series debuted as a sneak peek after the Kids’ Choice Awards on May 1, 1999. Its official Nickelodeon premiere followed on July 17, 1999, so 1999 is the correct year regardless of whether a quiz is referring to the preview broadcast or the regular premiere.
The show was created by Stephen Hillenburg, a marine science educator and animator whose knowledge of marine life helped shape Bikini Bottom and its unusual residents. The first season introduced SpongeBob, Patrick Star, Squidward Tentacles, Mr. Krabs, Sandy Cheeks, and other characters who became central to the franchise.
A frequent mistake is choosing 2000 because the program became increasingly prominent around the turn of the decade. However, its first television broadcasts were in 1999. The show’s pilot episode, “Help Wanted,” is also associated with that first-airing date and established SpongeBob’s job at the Krusty Krab.