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At this point, SpongeBob SquarePantsis a ubiquitous household name. The character’s iconic laugh has been burning its way through parents’ nerves for over two decades, and the series’ success is far from over. The iconic show has been dubbed in over 70 languages — from Arabic and Mandarin to Cantonese and Zulu. Of course, it also has an extensive multimedia and merchandising influence.

But everything starts somewhere. SpongeBob is no exception. Its May 1999 premiere was like any other. It slowly found its footing as time passed, and it had slipped into its “groove” by Season 2. However, those early years were an interesting period for the beloved sponge.

The Origins of SpongeBob SquarePants Date Back to the Mid-1990s SpongeBob is Paramount’s most profitable franchise. SpongeBob is the fifth longest-running cartoon in history. SpongeBob’s television ratings handily beat Pokémon within a month of its premiere.

Series creator Stephen Hillenburg had...

In the 1990s, Nickelodeon was home to some of the most inventive and boundary-pushing children's programming in television history. Shows like Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Rocko's Modern Life, Clarissa Explains It All, and Hey Arnold! didn't shy away from exploring complex emotions, surreal humor, or even darker themes, treating young audiences with a level of respect. But among the network’s standout programming, The Adventures of Pete & Pete remains one of the most bizarre, creative, and unexpectedly poignant series of the decade. With its dreamlike atmosphere, quirky small-town setting, and offbeat characters, the show was basically Twin Peaks for kids — offering an accessible surreal, magical realism-laced viewing experience that still holds up today.

Both Twin Peaks and Pete & Pete exist within towns that operate on their own strange internal logic, full of eccentric characters who often feel like they’ve wandered in from another dimension. While...

Paramount+ is removing Nickelodeon titles from its library, including some big properties like Doug, Blue’s Room, and Big Time Rush.

December has seen Doug being taken off the streamer. The animated series premiered in 1991 on Nickelodeon and ran for four seasons. Doug was one of the earliest titles of the “Nicktoons” in the 1990s, which would later include shows like Rugrats, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Rocko’s Modern Life, Aaahh!! Real Monsters, Hey Arnold! and more.

Other titles purged from Paramount+ include My Life As A Teenage Robot and shows based on DreamWorks Animation films like Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness and The Penguins of Madagascar.

AwesomenessTV, Breadwinners, Game Shakers, House of Anubis, Let’s Just Play: Go Healthy Challenge, Welcome to the Wayne, Wonder Pets, and Zoofari were also removed from Paramount+.

More recently, Paramount+ users have reported other titles being taken off the streamer like Alvinnn!!! and the Chipmunks,...

It’s shockingly easy to get SpongeBob SquarePants to be the voice of a regional commercial — even one that airs at 3:28 a.m.

For Millennial cartoon fans whose memories of watching SpongeBob SquarePants form the central pillar of their comedy sensibilities, it’s hard to imagine that there was ever a time in television history when Tom Kenny wasn’t the defining voice of silliness. In fact, it’s hard for Tom Kenny to imagine those B.C. (before comedy) years, too. Nevertheless, the Syracuse, New York native didn’t start his comedy career as the most beloved voice actor in children’s entertainment, coming up as a stand-up comic along with his close childhood friend Bobcat Goldthwait before landing small roles on TV and in film throughout the 1990s while developing his talents as a cartoon voice actor on the short-lived but beloved Nickelodeon series Rocko’s Modern Life.

Great Reptar’s scales! What year is it? Hold onto your diapers and let your imagination run wild because a live-action hybrid of the classic Nickelodeon cartoon Rugrats is waddling our way from Pitch Perfect director Jason Moore. It’s the ’90s all over again, and we’re all about it!

Created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain, the Nickelodeon series premiered in 1991 as the second of three series in the Nicktoons lineup alongside Doug and The Ren & Stimpy Show. Rugrats follows a group of toddlers comprised of Tommy Pickles, his best friends Chuckie, the twins Phil and Lil, Susie, and his spoiled 3-year-old cousin Angelica. Using their cunning and the power of imagination, the group often wanders away from their caregivers to engage in grand adventures that offer a poignant life lesson.

The original Rugrats series was essential for ’90s kids, with shows like Rocko’s Modern Life,...

New details have emerged in the death of legendary fitness guru Richard Simmons.

Police had responded to a call from Simmons’ housekeeper on the morning of July 13 — one day after his 76th birthday. Simmons was pronounced dead at the scene, and no foul play was suspected.

More from TVLinePhil Donahue, Legendary Talk Show Host, Dead at 88John Aprea, Another World and Full House Vet, Dead at 83America's Got Talent Contestant Perry Kurtz Dead at 73

On Aug. 21, a spokesperson for the Simmons family told People.com that, per the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office, Simmons’ death has been determined to be accidental,...

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? It turns out Abner Doubledeal, Dean Suspendington, and the Masked Unity do. Those are all characters voiced by the inimitable Tom Kenny.

Most audiences likely know Kenny's work playing SpongeBob SquarePants, the title character from one of Nickelodeon's biggest shows ever. SpongeBob is a childlike sea sponge, shaped like a kitchen sponge, who lives in blissful joy in his pineapple shaped house in Bikini Bottom. SpongeBob has achieved his dream of being a fry cook at the Krusty Krab, his favorite burger joint, and is rarely seem without a smile on his oblivious face. "SpongeBob SquarePants" debuted in 1999 and has been running ever since, occasionally pausing for a feature film or a spinoff series. The show's creator, Stephen Hillernburg, passed in 2018.

Kenny has been loyal to SpongeBob ever since 1999, but the character is only one small piece of a long comedy career.

Sandy Cheeks takes center stage in Netflix’s new installment in the “SpongeBob SquarePants” universe, “Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie.” When the beloved residents of Bikini Bottom get snatched up and hauled off to Texas, Sandy and SpongeBob head out on an adventure to save the whole neighborhood.

Of course, the cast is full of familiar “SpongeBob SquarePants” voices, but the adventure also spends some time on the road with Sandy’s family and introduces some new — yet also familiar — names to the cast. So if you’re wondering who’s who in the new “SpongeBob” movie, here’s a handy guide to the “Sandy Cheeks Movie” cast and characters.

Carolyn Lawrence as Sandy Cheeks (Photo Credit: Netflix / Getty Images)

Sandy Cheeks is once again voiced by Carolyn Lawrence, the voice actress who has played the character from the original series through numerous spin-off series, films and video games.

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For the musical staff at SpongeBob SquarePants, every morning begins with the potential to bring “The Best Day Ever.” That song was co-written by Andy Paley and the voice of SpongeBob, Tom Kenny. It debuted in the credits of the 2004 feature film, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, and captures the anticipatory joy of riding the Bikini Bottom wave.

“That is SpongeBob’s philosophy of life,” Kenny tells Den of Geek. “He jumps out of bed singing, ‘This is gonna be the best day ever.’ Sometimes it’s not. But he goes to bed and believes tomorrow is gonna be.”

The sentiment still reverberates because the songwriters craft lasting tunes. The sounds and music of the beloved animated series have broadened its appeal and prolonged its impact. As Paley explains, “We aim for two things: songs that can be enjoyed outside SpongeBob, and records that, if you...

When revisiting stuff from your childhood, sometimes you have to call upon the magical power of nostalgia to distract yourself from how truly childish — or downright terrible — it is. Transformers, for example, is the dumbest cartoon ever made, and Nickelodeon’s Doug couldn’t be anymore dull.

There are some kids’ cartoons, though, that have so many layers that they only get funnier as you age. Here are seven of them…

6 Ren & Stimpy

Ren & Stimpy is probably the first cartoon people think of when they’re talking about kids’ cartoons aimed at adults since it’s filled with all sorts of gross and suggestive moments, particularly when involving the relationship between its two leads.

5 Rocko’s Modern Life

Like Ren & Stimpy, Rocko’s Modern Life had adult jokes that went over kids’ heads, but there’s another layer to the show that appeals to adults, too. Nearly every story is...

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Though it might be hard to imagine, there was once a world where it was impossible to take a swim in Bikini Bottom. Over two decades later, multiple generations have ventured under the waves to visit the kindest cartoon hero in his pineapple under the sea. SpongeBob SquarePants, now 14 seasons into its run, has been translated into over 60 languages, is the inspiration for multiple theme parks around the world, and is the heart of an ever-growing spinoff universe. But it all began with the late Stephen Hillenburg, whose uniquely unconventional approach to making the show was key to its success and longevity.

Love At First Sight

“My audition was unlike any audition I’ve ever had before or since,” Bill Fagerbakke, who brings Patrick Star to life, recalls. Instead of recording his audition for the role in his agent’s office or at a nearby studio,...

On July 17, 1999, a little animated show created by an animator and marine biology educator debuted, and it changed Nickelodeon, TV animation, and pop culture forever. "SpongeBob SquarePants," which follows its titular sentient sea sponge living in the underwater city known as Bikini Bottom and working as a fry cook at a popular burger joint, quickly took the world by storm. It overtook "Pokémon" as the highest-rated children's show on television (at the height of Pokémania), and it reinvented Nickelodeon, solidifying the network as the home of the biggest all-ages animated TV shows.

A big part of the show's success is its visual storytelling. The episodes are full of visual gags and an eye for physical comedy that's reminiscent of Golden Age of Animation cartoons like "Merrie Melodies," there's a wealth of sharp scripts with smart jokes, and the show has a terrific ensemble cast of memorable characters and enough background...

SpongeBob SquarePants star Mr. Lawrence is leading production on a new animated pilot - But it is far from what Bikini Bottom fans might be expecting.

Per Deadline, Mr. Lawrence, real name Douglas Osowski, is working together with Copernicus Studios to produce a six-minute pilot for Death Castle. The animated horror-comedy series has been described as "The Office meets Frankenstein," and is slated to feature a "high-end traditional 2D animation style with distinctive visual appeal."

Related An Iconic and Controversial Western Is Coming to Prime Video

One of the most important and "un-American" Westerns of the 1950s is finally making its way to Prime Video for streaming.

Mr. Lawrence is set to write and direct the pilot, and noted that the series would be "a satire of scary monster movies paired with a screwball relationship comedy." Lawrence is joined by lead animators Uli Meyer, Dean Roberts and Gabriele Zucchelli, and...

Nickelodeon Studios is moving forward with a spinoff to The Thundermans. The announcement follows the franchise making a recent return with a sequel TV movie.

In March, The Thundermans Return premiered on Nickelodeon and Paramount+. The TV movie still stands as the top entertainment telecast of the year so far in Nielsen's Live+3 ratings among children ages 6-11, and it reached 1.6 million viewers during its premiere weekend. Per Variety, this success has led to a spinoff series getting greenlit as well. Filming will start in August 2024 in Vancouver for a planned release on both Nickelodeon and Paramount+, similar to The Thundermans Return.

Related Rugrats Reboot Among Multiple Nickelodeon Titles Purged From Paramount+ Paramount+ has scrubbed multiple Nickelodeon shows from the streaming platform without warning.

The unnamed spinoff will primarily follow Kira Kosarin as Phoebe, Jack Griffo as Max, and Maya Le Clark as Chloe. Reportedly, other original Thundermans cast...

Quick Links The Animaniacs Were Zany to the Max Beavis and Butt-head Do the '90s Hey Arnold! 's Football Head Goes Deep The Powerpuff Girls Pack a Punch Crib Happens in Nickelodeon's Rugrats How the X-Men Set a New Standard for Saturday Morning How Batman: Tas Created DC's Definitive Dark Knight How the '90s Gave Rise to the Pokémon Phenomenon 20,000 Funnies Under the Sea With Spongebob Squarepants How The Simpsons Challenged Classic Sitcoms

The '90s yielded some of the most iconic cartoons in history, spanning Saturday morning comedies, action-packed adventures, and prime-time sitcoms. This era offered bold entertainment, new characters, and a changing landscape on television. While difficult to rank among classics like The Magic School Bus, Freakazoid!, and Rocko's Modern Life, the following 10 cartoons stand out for defining a generation and shaping modern culture in a way that goes beyond mere nostalgia.

In the...

SpongeBob SquarePants, a beloved long-running animated show, has received new redesigns in multiple animation styles by artist @richietoons. The different styles, including Disney, The Loud House, and Rocko's Modern Life, offer unique representations of SpongeBob in various contexts. SpongeBob's style has evolved over its 24-year run, becoming more modern and childlike, but the changes have divided fans who miss the classic feel of the show.

The title character of SpongeBob SquarePants gets a new redesign in multiple different animation styles. Debuting in 1999, SpongeBob SquarePants is one of the most-beloved long-running animated shows on television. It is currently in the midst of season 14, with the next episode airing on November 21. SpongeBob SquarePants season 15 has also already been renewed at Nickelodeon, and it will coincide with the show's 25th anniversary.

Now, SpongeBob gets multiple new designs in original Instagram art from @richietoons. The artist images the eponymous character in nine different animated styles,...

Disney+ is bringing back the beloved animated series Doug from the 90s, showcasing a revival trend. Doug was part of a golden generation for Nickelodeon, along with shows like Rugrats and The Ren & Stimpy Show. The show addressed serious and adult topics in a direct way, setting it apart from other children's programming at the time.

Disney+ continues with its revivals and is preparing to bring back one of the most iconic, most beloved animated series from the 90s, Doug, almost 25 years after it's ending with Doug's 1st Movie in 1999. Originally premiering on Nickelodeon in 1991, Doug became one of the great animated productions of the time, being part of a golden generation for the network. The story focuses on the titular teenager, a shy and unpopular boy, but with a great imagination, who finds himself madly in love with one of his classmates, Patricia "Patti" Mayonnaise. The series focuses...

Wake up the members of iCarly nation and let them know it looks like we've reached the end of the road. Paramount+ has canceled the revival of the iconic sitcom. The original series spanned six seasons and nearly 100 episodes during its original 2007 to 2012 run on Nickelodeon. We first revisited the Shay apartment when the show returned in 2021. The now-adult iCarly seemed to be a hit with audiences all over again, and a second and third season followed in 2022 and 2023. Now, despite fan anticipation at an all-time high due to Carly and Freddie finally becoming a couple and the teased reveal of Carly's mom, Paramount+ has decided not to order a fourth season.

It's likely that we'll never know the true reason for the cancelation. It could be due to the dual Hollywood strikes, with platforms looking to cut costs. There doesn't seem to be any behind-the-scenes drama, unlike the original series.

Paramount+ offers a great catalog of nostalgic animation series from the '90s and early '2000s, including popular shows from Nickelodeon and MTV. Shows like Invader Zim, The Fairy OddParents, Ugly Americans, Rocko's Modern Life, Hey Arnold!, Clone High, Daria, Beavis and Butt-Head, and Avatar: The Last Airbender are all available on Paramount+. SpongeBob SquarePants is a timeless and relatable show that gets funnier with age, making it enjoyable for both kids and adults.

People looking for great animation series, especially from the '90s and early '2000s, will highly enjoy Paramount+'s catalog. This streaming service includes many of the most popular and nostalgic shows from Nickelodeon, as well as some amazing and more mature content that originally aired on MTV.

Some old cartoons like SpongeBob SquarePants have become timeless, and people love them as much today as they did when they were children. Additionally, MTV shows...

In addition to an enormously successful career as a stand-up comedian and a stint as a cast member on "Saturday Night Live," Chris Rock has starred in several acclaimed feature films. While much of Rock's cinematic work revolves around the signature humor he's known for in his stand-up, he has branched out to different genres, including crime thrillers and horror. Immensely magnetic, Rock commands full attention whenever he's on screen, elevating the projects he appears in, even on the occasions when he takes a supporting role.

More than just an actor, Rock is a solid filmmaker in his own right, producing, writing, and directing several projects. With a big screen career that began in the '80s, Rock has dozens of movies under his belt and is among the more underrated actors in Hollywood, evidenced by the bold choices in his performances. Here are the 14 best Chris Rock movies, ranging...

“Phineas and Ferb” co-creator and executive producer Jeff “Swampy” Marsh is officially joining the revival of the series in the works at Disney Branded Television.

It was announced in January that the beloved animated show was returning for 40 episodes, with co-creator Dan Povenmire spearheading the revival. Marsh will now serve as executive producer and voice director on the new episodes.

“Swampy is one of the brightest creators in animation and among his many passions is connecting and collaborating with creative people, whether it’s through writing, animation design, directing, music or acting,” said Meredith Roberts, executive vice president of Television Animation at Disney Branded Television. “He continually elevates their artistry, as well as his own, to tell the bigger and more entertaining stories for global audiences. We’re thrilled to be continuing our partnership and look forward to a long and exciting road ahead.”

Marsh also has the preschool animated series “Hey A.

Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, the Emmy Award-winning co-creator and executive producer of “Phineas and Ferb,” will join his longtime creative partner Dan Povenmire to executive produce and voice direct two new seasons of the popular animated series announced earlier this year.

“Phineas and Ferb,” which first premiered in 2008 and ran for four seasons, became the most successful animated series for kids ages 6 to 11 and tweens ages 9 to 14 in Disney Television Animation history, spanning 126 episodes, five one-hour specials including a musical and two hit movies about resourceful stepbrothers who conquer boredom and make every day of their summer vacation count. The first of the two television movies it inspired, “Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension,” ranked in TV’s Top 2 movies for 2011.

Marsh, a musician, animator, writer, producer, director, and voice actor who originated the role of Major Francis Monogram in the series, wrote more than 450 original songs with Povenmire encompassing pop,...

Paramount Global is betting on a new e-commerce platform, ParamountShop, to be a unified direct-to-consumer shop for fans of its content brands across its film and TV operations. Creating one shopping window for products representing more than 125 content brands is designed to move the consumer products business to the next level by offering people “a mountain of merch.”

Pam Kaufman, Paramount Global’s president and CEO, int’l markets and global consumer products & experiences, spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the goals behind the push, what fans of Top Gun, Yellowstone, Garfield or Paw Patrol can find in the store, what it changes for the entertainment conglomerate’s relationship with retailers and licensees and cross-promotion between the e-commerce platform and Paramount+.

Why did you decide to launch the unified online shop that provides an umbrella for merchandise across your brands and content franchises now?

One year ago, we became Paramount...

Tom Kenny has been delighting children for decades as America's favorite undersea fry cook, SpongeBob SquarePants. It's an iconic character that has become a pop culture institution, but many fans may not know that Kenny himself is a beloved voice actor beyond his pineapple under the sea. The East Syracuse native has provided voices for well over 500 films, television shows, and video games; from major protagonists to wacky sidekicks to merely additional voices, Kenny has done it all.

Because his role as SpongeBob is so ubiquitous, animation enthusiasts can often spot his stylings from a mile away. Let's face it, there's just nobody who does a fun, nasally character voice like Kenny. However, the man has multitudes. He can be an authoritative narrator in one moment, then a goofy geezer in the next. He even has a few characters where his voice is near-unrecognizable, highlighting the lengths Kenny can go...

(Clockwise from bottom left): Rocko’s Modern Life (screenshot), The Mitchells Vs. The Machines (Netflix / Spai), My Father’s Dragon (Netflix), Hunt For The Wilderpeople (screenshot), Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (Netflix) Graphic: The A.V. Club As with most other categories of cinema, Netflix has you covered when it comes to family friendly films.

(Welcome to My Most Ridiculous Note, a series of interviews in which animators talk about the weirdest and funniest notes they received from studio executives.)

When "Phineas and Ferb" premiered on Disney Xd 15 years ago, it quickly became one of the most original, consistently funny, inventive Disney cartoons in years, as well as one of the network's biggest hits. The show was co-created by animator Dan Povenmire, who has been involved with some of the biggest cartoons of the past 30 years. Povenmire has worked on everything from "Rocko's Modern Life" just as it was starting off, to joining both...

The post Phineas and Ferb Co-Creator Dan Povenmire on Studio Notes and Bringing Nosferatu to SpongeBob [Interview] appeared first on /Film.

Video Version of this Article Photo: SpongeBob SquarePants Brief Note To prematurely address the elephant in the room, I will not be talking about the controversy regarding the spin-offs that were announced shortly after Stephen Hillenburg’s death, as that’s not relevant to the point of this article. Instead, I’ll be focusing on his creation and the massive impact it had on both children’s television and pop culture in general. Are Ya’ Ready, Kids? Aye, Aye, Captain! SpongeBob SquarePants was created by marine biologist/animator Stephen Hillenburg. Hillenburg was the author and illustrator of an unpublished educational comic called The Intertidal Zone, which he used while teaching at the Orange County Marine Institute. While working as a creative director on the early Nickelodeon series ‘Rocko’s Modern Life’, show writer Martin Olson read ‘The Intertidal Zone’ and was impressed by what he saw. He suggested that Stephen Hillenburg...

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Fans of the ‘90s aesthetic have a special appreciation for the television that came out of the era, especially classic sitcoms including “The Nanny,” which is now officially streaming on HBO Max. The series, co-created by Fran Drescher who stars as a straight-talking Jewish fashionista from Queens who gets hired as a nanny to the children of a former Broadway star, is one of the many classic TV shows that you can find on streaming platforms.

That’s the great thing about streaming, it’s an easy way to get to your favorite shows, but it can also be overwhelming, what with all the content floating around to choose from. Chances are you’re already familiar with Netflix,...

Freestyle Digital Media has announced the cable, satellite and Digital HD release of Witness Infection, from filmmaking team Carlos Alazraqui and Jill-Michele Melean and director Andy Palmer. Witness Infection will be available to rent and own on North American digital HD internet, cable, and satellite platforms and DVD on March 30, 2021 through Freestyle Digital Media. Here’s the trailer:

Winning Best Feature at the Horror Hound Film Festival and Best Director at the Frostbite International Film Festival, and showing at several others including Portland Horror Film Festival, Ha Comedy Arts Festival and more, Witness Infection is being lauded as “a wild ride of raucous fun” (Horror Buzz). The feature film by Andy Palmer has been entertaining audiences at film festivals, gathering up its very own cult following even before its wide release. This stomach-turning comedic horror/ mob movie mash-up is now poised for a March 30, 2021 release. Witness Infection will be available...

Freestyle Digital Media has announced the US cable, satellite and Digital HD release of Witness Infection, from filmmaking team Carlos Alazraqui and Jill-Michele Melean and director Andy Palmer. The festival favorite living dead comedy will be available March 30th on a number of digital and cable platforms.

Witness Infection tells the story of two rival mob families who are transferred from the Witness Protection Program to the same city by mistake. Life has always been pretty protected for Carlo Serrelli. But his past is about to come back and bite him. Carlo’s father has kept him out of the deadly mob business by giving him a job at the family dog groomers, while his younger brother, Dominic, has always done the dirty work. All that is coming to an end as Carlo’s father has to force him into an arranged marriage with the daughter of the rival Miola family boss.

Coming to digital services at the end of March from Freestyle Digital Media, here's a look at the trailer for the zombie comedy Witness Infection:

"Witness Infection tells the story of two rival mob families who are transferred from the Witness Protection Program to the same city by mistake. Life has always been pretty protected for Carlo Serrelli. But his past is about to come back and bite him. Carlo’s father has kept him out of the deadly mob business by giving him a job at the family dog groomers, while his younger brother, Dominic, has always done the dirty work.

All that is coming to an end as Carlo’s father has to force him into an arranged marriage with the daughter of the rival Miola family boss. Carlo’s two best friends, Gina and Vince, vow to help him get out of this predicament, but they...

When ViacomCBS recently announced the slate of programming that would be coming to Paramount+, the rebranded streaming service formerly known as CBS All Access, the media conglomerate touted a rebooted version of the beloved Nickelodeon classic Rugrats. Described as a “reimagining of the classic ‘90s hit,” the new Rugrats will feature the voice cast from the original 1991 animated series, but present the babies in a brand-new, three-dimensional CG style.

“Rugrats is one of the most iconic cartoons recognized by fans around the globe, and this original version is one we are taking great care and pride in creating for a brand-new audience,” said Ramsey Naito, President, Nickelodeon Animation. “Having the voice cast behind these special characters come together is one of the essential pieces to making the show recognizable and we can’t wait to watch this talented group bring them to life again.”

Rugrats is not the only Nickelodeon...

The world’s most popular sea sponge for the last 20 years in a row, the ever-upbeat SpongeBob SquarePants is back, spongier than ever, and eager to give us a brief yet slaphappy reprieve from the collective sogginess of the last 12 months. Not that the osmotic optimist ever really went away; a while has passed since SpongeBob’s previous feature-length adventure, but the Nickelodeon show that made him an icon among kids and stoners alike is still going strong despite the death of creator Stephen Hillenburg in 2018.

Still, two decades is a long time in sponge years, and even basal metazoa who live in pineapples under the sea and earn their parent companies billions of dollars in licensing deals aren’t immune to the pressures of a superficial industry that only tends to care about what’s above the surface. In other words, SpongeBob has gotten some “work” done. And he’s not alone.

For several years, the zany Nickelodeon cartoon known as Rocko's Modern Life was somewhat forgotten outside of diehard fans of the network, as well as some early 90's-era kids and teens. This colorful series, which starred an uptight wallaby, tended to fade into obscurity following its brief run from '93-'96. But thanks to the recent release of the one-off TV special known as Static Cling - released on Netflix in 2019 - fans were reminded of its wacky sense of humor and unique charm. This nostalgic revisiting of Rocko and friends has given the original show some new life while providing exposure to new, younger audiences for the first time.

Related: 18 Things You Never Knew About Rocko's Modern Life

In a sense, it was ahead of its time anyway - featuring some risque and weird humor akin to a kid-friendly version of Adult Swim, with some shades of Ren & Stimpy loopiness for good measure.

Exclusive: Disney Channel is welcoming the newest superhero duo to the fold thanks to Emmy-winning Dan Povenmire. The co-creator and executive producer of Phineas and Ferb is has set his newest animated series Hamster & Gretel, which is inspired by his relationship with his younger sister.

The Disney Channel has greenlit the music-filled Hamster & Gretel which introduces Kevin and his younger sister Gretel. The two are about to be bestowed super powers by space aliens — but something goes awry. Gretel and her pet hamster (named Hamster) receive new abilities. Now, protective older brother Kevin must figure out how to work with both Gretel and her pet Hamster to protect their city from mysterious dangers. All is explained in Povenmire’s elevator pitch above.

“My sister is 10 years younger than me, and I had never seen our kind of sibling age gap portrayed in a cartoon so I thought it would be an interesting dynamic to explore,...

Video Version of this Article Video: Hollywood Insider YouTube Channel Don’t Worry, Modern Parents can Trust That Their Kids Have had Good Influences… At Least In Terms of TV Inspirational Kids TV Shows: Modern parents have a lot to worry about, regarding their kids are going to grow up in a safe world. Although we can’t give today’s children reassurance that the future will be brighter or safer, we can give them some awesome TV shows to watch while the world is uncertain of many things. All of us will proudly claim that our generation had the best shows to watch as kids. 80s kids had Inspector Gadget, 90s kids had Rocko’s Modern Life, and 2000’s kids had SpongeBob. I’m not here to argue that anyone decade of kid’s TV was best. However, in the 2010 era of kids’ TV, there was a change in the way kids’ TV operated.

On Aug. 5, Comedy Central announced a reboot to the classic 1991 cartoon The Ren & Stimpy Show. The show’s initial airing, as one of the three original Nicktoons (alongside Doug and Rugrats), was a milestone in cartoon television history, with its purposely crude yet dynamic visuals and heavily exaggerated animation and aesthetics. It also had a deeply complicated run. Ren & Stimpy was controversial both in public and behind the scenes and its sordid history includes creator John Kricfalusi’s inability to complete episodes on time, episodes Nick edited down or refused to air, and the criticisms of the show’s most disturbing aspects. Nevertheless the show was able to cement itself with a passionate, dedicated cult following.

That sordid history, however, reached an impassable point in 2018 when Buzzfeed reported a grotesque expose on Kricfalusi, and his grooming and dating of a 16-year-old girl during the show’s production. Before this point,...

MIFA’s Work in Progress presentations offered online delegates a glimpse into some highly anticipated features, series and interactive projects in the second week of Annecy’s online festival.

Leading the pack was upcoming America-Canadian animated TV series from Netflix “The Cuphead Show!” – based on the characters in the best-selling Canadian “gun and run” video game “Cuphead.”

While the game has been highly praised for its authentic “rubber hose” style animation inspired by the Fleischer-produced toons of the 1930s, the TV series aims to go a step further – fleshing out some of the more minor characters and painstakingly reproducing watercolor sets for a digital production line.

According to executive producers Dave Wasson (“Micky Mouse Shorts”) and Cosmo Segurson (“Rocko’s Modern Life”), the pilot has been designed to introduce the show’s two main characters – a pair of energetic and bickering siblings called Cuphead and Mugman.

The characters live with Elder...

In this week’s International TV Newswire pay TV struggles despite record audiences, animated content stays hot as families scramble to keep kids entertained, “Casa de Papel” Season 4 races out of the gates, Zdf shops two new historical documentaries, Latin America sees platform launches and announcements, Globo boasts record audiences and AMC, Nos team on a new Portuguese cooking program.

For Pay TVs, This Time Round Could Be Different – Report

Pay TV operators usually surf economic crisis better than most, Sky maintaining growth momentum, though at a slower pace, in the 2008-09 financial crisis, for instance. Sky Italia suffered more Italy’s subprime (2008-09) then Euro (2011-13) crisis, revenue growth dropping to 2% in 2009, still a resilient performance by most consumer industry accounts.

But this time round, with Covid-19 lockdown, pay TVs’ resilience will be far more sorely tested, says an Enders Analysis study, published on April 8.

The difference cuts two major ways,...

Viacom's Nickelodeon has come full circle with Netflix.

Years ago, the kids-focused cable network pulled its licensing deals from the streaming giant as the linear network's ratings tumbled. Now, Nickelodeon and Netflix have entered a multiple-year output deal that will see the Viacom-owned cable network create and produce original animated feature films and TV series based on both new and existing IP.

The deal announced Wednesday expands Nickelodeon's relationship with Netflix, which was revived a few years ago with deals for a live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series and deals for Rocko's Modern Life, Invader Zim, The ...

Viacom's Nickelodeon has come full circle with Netflix.

Years ago, the kids-focused cable network pulled its licensing deals from the streaming giant as the linear network's ratings tumbled. Now, Nickelodeon and Netflix have entered a multiple-year output deal that will see the Viacom-owned cable network create and produce original animated feature films and TV series based on both new and existing IP.

The deal announced Wednesday expands Nickelodeon's relationship with Netflix, which was revived a few years ago with deals for a live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series and deals for Rocko's Modern Life, Invader Zim, The ...

While reality dating shows like “Love Island UK” and MTV’s “Are You the One?” have embraced Lgbtq+ storylines in recent years, “The Bachelor” franchise, indisputably the blockbuster of the genre, has been far slower to adapt. Which is why a same sex story arc on “Bachelor in Paradise” has been praised by GLAAD and Lgbtq+ fans as groundbreaking. Contestant Demi Burnett came out as bisexual earlier in the season, but it wasn’t until last night that ABC introduced her girlfriend, Kristian Haggerty. Burnett’s storyline marks the franchise’s first inclusion of a same-sex relationship.

“’Bachelor in Paradise’s’ inclusion of Demi Burnett’s coming out story and her journey to accepting her queer identity is groundbreaking for the series,” said GLAAD Head of Talent Anthony Ramos in a statement. “Tens of millions of people around the world watch ’The Bachelor’ and ‘The Bachelorette’ franchises and this move...

Celebrated football journalist Nicky Bandini came out as transgender via Twitter on Friday. Bandini is a sportswriter and broadcaster who specializes in European and American football who contributes to the Guardian and ESPN.

Bandini announced the news to the world in a video on her Twitter account, saying, “Okay, so I guess this is a coming out video. My name is Nicky Bandini. You may have known me previously as Paolo Bandini because that is the name that I have worked under for the past 13 years as a journalist. I am transgender.”

Also Read: IMDb Reverses Transgender Birth Name Policy

She explained that she came out privately a while ago and though she was publicly coming out to consumers of her work on football, her gender identity wouldn’t be affecting any coverage.

“The thing that you need to know is that nothing much changes in terms of my work.

Spencer Mullen Aug 13, 2019

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling, Jason Momoa, and more in today's daily Link Tank!

Here are seven realistic ways that the Death Star can return in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

"The ability to destroy a planet may be insignificant next to the power of the Force, but that hasn’t stopped the planet-killing Death Star from playing a role in the vast majority of Star Wars movies. With Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker less than six months away, it looks like the Death Star is back. Here’s a very brief history of how much the Death Star matters to Star Wars movies and seven possible ways some version of the evil ball of doom could return."

Read more at Inverse.

Jason Momoa is currently delaying the sequel to Aquaman by protecting sacred Hawaiian land.

"Superhero Jason Momoa...

What do you get when you combine a three-time Super Bowl champion, an Olympic gold medal skier, the biggest names in sports and gallons of green slime?

A sticky mess — and the finale competition at the Nickelodeon “Kids’ Choice Sports 2019.”

The annual sports extravaganza — that took place last month at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica — will air Saturday, Aug. 10 at 8 p.m. Et, and TheWrap has an exclusive video of the messiest highlights, which you can check out above.

Also Read: Rob Gronkowski, Snoop Dogg, Nikki Bella Fuel Espys Week Parties (Photos)

Hosted by former Super Bowl champion and two-time Emmy Award winner Michael Strahan, this year’s show featured two teams of sports stars competing in challenges that tested their athletic skills in the stickiest of surroundings.

Captained by former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski and Olympic ski champion Lindsey Vonn, the all-star rosters included Shaun White,...

Anyone on Twitter over the last two days might have seen a clip from one of the biggest blockbusters ever released in India without knowing it (via Decider). An extremely bonkers one minute clip from the Indian action epic “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion” has earned over one million views and counting since surfacing August 5 on Twitter. The scene originally went out as a 17-second clip, the video for which is also nearing one million views.

The “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion” scene that’s gone viral is the kind of bonkers and cartoonish action beat that would feel right at home in a “Fast and Furious” movie. A group of male soldiers are catapulted into the air from a bending tree and thrown toward an enemy’s kingdom. The soldiers come together in midair and band together in a circle, uniting their defense weapons to become a flying human shield. No...

If you grew up in the '90s (or raised '90s kids), then you know that this was a decade of hilariously strange cartoon characters. From CatDog to Aaahh!!! Real Monsters to SpongeBob SquarePants, the '90s (and Nickelodeon in particular) introduced dozens of cartoons that made you think, "Who in the world comes up with this stuff?," and one of the best (and weirdest) was definitely Rocko's Modern Life.

Created by Joe Murray, the series revolves around the titular Rocko, a talking Australian wallaby who lives and works in the fictitious O-Town with his dog Spunky and his friends Heffer and Filburt (a nervous turtle). The show may have ended after four seasons and 52 episodes in 1996, but we have some good news for you, '90s babies: Rocko is returning, and his life really is about to get modern.

Related: Rocko's Modern Life and Invader Zim Reboots, and...

The animated series Recess from the '90s, which was spun off into a number of direct-to-video movies and one big screen endeavor called" Recess: School's Out, is getting a continuation from independent filmmakers, as a short fan film sequel to the show is currently in the works.

Now procuring its budget by way of crowdfunding, the project comes from Jerome Yoo and Kent Donguines with a script by Zlatina Pacheva. The Recess sequel will bring back all of the kids we remember seeing from the classic cartoon, only now they're in high school dealing with the issues older teenagers face as they head towards graduation and adulthood. Oh, and we should also mention the movie will be live-action, depicting how the older versions of the characters would look after moving on from junior high.

First airing in 1997 as a part of ABC's One Saturday Morning cartoon block, Disney...

Chris Longo Jul 16, 2019

Nickelodeon's Rocko's Modern Life revival is now landing on Netflix with a set release date.

It's been two years since we first learned about the Rocko's Modern Life revival. Now the film is heading to Netflix and finally has an official release date. Titled Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling, the film is set to release on August 9th, 2019.

The film picks up where the original series left off (Rocko and his friends mistakenly blasted off into space). Rocko's ran from 1993-1996 with 52 episodes over four seasons. Series creator Joe Murray will serve as executive producer of the (for now) one-off revival. You can read our behind-the-scenes feature story on the revival here.

"I'm very happy to be rejoining Rocko and my friends from O-Town again,” said Murray in a press release when the film was announced. “What I have found by bringing these characters back is...

Tony Sokol Nov 27, 2018

Stephen Hillenburg took an educational comic book to Bikini Bottom in the Pacific, and drove SpongeBob Squarepants to Nickelodeon.

Stephen Hillenburg, creator of the TV series SpongeBob SquarePants, died at the age of 57, according to Variety. The news was confirmed by Nickelodeon, which tweeted "Today, we are observing a moment of silence to honor his life and work." Hillenburg was diagnosed last year with the neurodegenerative disease Als.

“We are incredibly saddened by the news that Steve Hillenburg has passed away following a battle with Als,” Nickelodeon said in a statement. “He was a beloved friend and long-time creative partner to everyone at Nickelodeon, and our hearts go out to his entire family. Steve imbued SpongeBob SquarePants with a unique sense of humor and innocence that has brought joy to generations of kids and families everywhere. His utterly original characters and the world of Bikini Bottom will...