"Help Wanted" is the premiere and pilot episode of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. It first aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on May 1, 1999, following the television broadcast of the 1999 Kids' Choice Awards. The episode follows the series' eponymous protagonist SpongeBob, a yellow anthropomorphic sea sponge, attempting to get a job at a local fast food restaurant called the Krusty Krab.
Series creator Stephen Hillenburg initially conceived the show in 1994, and began to work on it shortly after the cancellation of Rocko's Modern Life in 1996. To voice the character of SpongeBob, Hillenburg approached Tom Kenny, who had worked with him on Rocko's Modern Life. For the series pitch, Hillenburg originally wanted the idea of having SpongeBob and Squidward on a road trip, inspired by the 1989 film Powwow Highway. Hillenburg gave up the idea and started anew with the story he and Derek Drymon came up with "Help Wanted", based on an experience Hillenburg had in the Boy Scouts. The original idea would be used for the later episode "Pizza Delivery".
The episode was written by Hillenburg (who also functioned as storyboard director), storyboard artist Derek Drymon (who also functioned as the credited storyboard artist), and Tim Hill. The animation was directed by the show's supervising director, Alan Smart. "Help Wanted" also re-popularized the Tiny Tim cover "Livin' in the Sunlight, Lovin' in the Moonlight".
"Help Wanted" was excluded from the DVD release of the series' first season because Nickelodeon was unwilling to pay Tiny Tim's estate for using "Livin' in the Sunlight, Lovin' in the Moonlight", although it had since been released on other various DVDs of the series. "Help Wanted" was viewed in over 2 million households, receiving positive reviews from critics.
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