User:Pedro thy master/Help Wanted (SpongeBob SquarePants)

"Help Wanted" is the opening SpongeBob SquarePants episode from season one, usually referred to as the first of three SpongeBob pilot episodes.

Plot
A narrator with a French accent introduces SpongeBob SquarePants, a sponge who lives in a pineapple in the city of Bikini Bottom. SpongeBob's foghorn alarm clock rings, waking him up in the morning. He tells his pet, Gary the Snail that he must be in good shape because this particular day is important. He jumps off of his diving board, and lands in his pants. He goes to his exercise room and lifts a bar-weight (which is actually two stuffed animals). Afterwards, SpongeBob declares that he is ready.

He runs outside and down the street to the Krusty Krab, repeatedly saying, "I'm ready" while his neighbor and best friend, Patrick Star, cheers him on. SpongeBob sees the 'Help Wanted' sign on the Krusty Krab window. He then declares that he is ready to obtain the job, which he has dreamed of for years; however, he loses his confidence. Patrick convinces him to go for the job, and so SpongeBob does so, thereby declaring he is ready three more times. Squidward Tentacles, the head cashier, is cleaning the window (his head is drawn and loser is written above it). Squidward sees that SpongeBob wants the job, and so he tells restaurant-owner Eugene H. Krabs that SpongeBob doesn't qualify for the job. SpongeBob walks into the Krusty Krab and asks for the job. To get rid of him, Mr. Krabs tells SpongeBob that he can join the 'Krusty Krew' if he passes a "test"--which is to obtain a 'Hydrodynamic Spatula with Port and Starboard Attachments and a Turbo-Drive' (essentially sending SpongeBob on a form of snipe hunt).

As soon as SpongeBob leaves, six buses drop off a large crowd of hungry anchovies. They barge into the Krusty Krab, demanding Krabby Patties. Attempting to keep things in order, Squidward complains about their behavior, then requests that there be a single-file line in front of the cash register. But the anchovies angerly protest, forming a riot of angry anchovies set to resemble a stormy sea. This forces Squidward and Mr. Krabs to climb up the 'mast'. Thinking that it is the end for them, they say their good-byes. Suddenly, SpongeBob arrives, flying with his 'hydrodynamic spatula with port and starboard attachments and a turbo-drive' (according to SpongeBob, the Barg'n Mart only had one in stock). Mr. Krabs is flabbergasted at the fact that SpongeBob actually passed the "test." SpongeBob flies into the kitchen and as fast as he can, satisfies the needs of the angry anchovies.

When the last anchovy gets their Krabby Patty, Mr. Krabs is delighted. He hires SpongeBob, by welcoming him to the Krusty Krew and giving him a nametag. Then, Mr. Krabs calls for three cheers for SpongeBob. Even though Squidward is upset, Mr. Krabs doesn't listen to him because he wants to go and count the money he just made in his office. At the end, Patrick walks in and asks for a Krabby Patty. SpongeBob races into the kitchen and makes a huge stream of Krabby Patties which hit Patrick and send him flying out of the restaurant. Worried, Squidward calls Mr. Krabs to come see his new employee.

Production
SpongeBob's history can be traced back to 1993 when Rocko's Modern Life first aired. One of the producers was Stephen Hillenburg, a cartoon worker/marine biologist who loved both his careers. When Rocko's Modern Life was canceled in 1996, Hillenburg began working on SpongeBob, although sketches trace back to 1987. He teamed up with creative director Derek Drymon, who had worked on shows such as Doug, Action League Now!, and Hey Arnold!. Drymon had worked with Hillenburg on Rocko's Modern Life as well, as did many SpongeBob crew members, including writer-directors Sherm Cohen and Dan Povenmire, writer Tim Hill, voice actors Tom Kenny and Doug Lawrence, actor-writer Martin Olson and animation director Alan Smart. Another crew member with previous Nickelodeon cartoon experience was former Angry Beavers story editor Merriwether Williams, who worked on that show for its first few seasons and switched to SpongeBob in July 1999.

During production of the show, Bobson provided a concept of short comics with the same style of the show, but the characters looked different. SpongeBob used to be named SpongeBoy, and used to wear a red hat with a green base and a white business shirt with a tie. The name "SpongeBoy" did not make it into the show since the name was already officially trademarked by Bob Burden, creator of Flaming Carrot. Hillenburg later chose the alternative name "SpongeBob". The Krusty Krab was originally spelled with the letter C rather than K, but Stephen Hillenburg thought Ks were funnier and it would fit his Ukrainian heritage.SpongeBob's signature voice, provided by Tom Kenny, and humorous style was enjoyable to both younger and older audiences.

Whilst pitching the cartoon to Nickelodeon executives, Hillenburg donned a Hawaiian shirt, brought along an “underwater terrarium with models of the characters”, and Hawaiian music to set the theme. The setup was described by Nick executive Eric Coleman as "pretty amazing". When given money and two weeks to write the pilot episode (“Help Wanted”), Derek Drymon, Stephen Hillenberg, and Nick Jennings returned with, described by Nickelodeon official Albie Hecht, “a performance (I) wish (I) had on tape”.

Although described as stressful by executive producer Derek Drymon, the pitch went “very well”; Kevin Kay and Hecht had to step outside because they were “exhausted from laughing”, making the cartoonists worried.

Animation style
This episode is the first, so it has many differences to the rest of the series. However, the original version of the episode had many other minor differences corrected later. For example, this is the only episode where SpongeBob's bed is on the right. For example, SpongeBob has fewer holes than in newer episodes, Mr. Krabs' eyelids are bright pink opposed to red, Squidward's complexion is more pale, and his nose doesn't puff in and out when he laughs. Squidward also appears to have rows of sticks behind his house. In addition, the animation wasn't as high quality compared to the following episodes, as the rapid movement made by SpongeBob when he was bouncing off the walls, roof, and floor of the Krusty Krab showed just a yellow square with very few features. When the anchovies were jumping up and down they were just blue and brown (mostly blue) finger-shaped ovals. Differences in SpongeBob's house are also present in this episode, but not in others, such as there is only one window in the front. SpongeBob's alarm clock has a different ship horn sound than his alarm clock in later episodes. Also, SpongeBob has a pet scallop that he kept in a bird cage in his room. The changes were made when the series officially aired.