As Nickelodeon prepares to bring SpongeBob SquarePants’ Bikini Bottom to life at Comic-Con International San Diego (July 18-21), the network has announced the pick up for a 13th, 13-episode season of the hit animated series. The news comes on the heels of Nickelodeon’s original live-action and animated special, “SpongeBob’s Big Birthday Blowout” on Friday, July 12, which drew 2.2 million total viewers in its 7 p.m. simulcast across Nickelodeon, TeenNick and Nicktoons.
SpongeBob SquarePants season 13 will reunite original voice cast members Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants), Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick Star), Rodger Bumpass (Squidward), Clancy Brown (Mr. Krabs), Carolyn Lawrence (Sandy Cheeks) and Mr. Lawrence (Plankton), and current showrunners Vince Waller and Marc Ceccarelli. SpongeBob SquarePants has reigned as the number-one kids’ animated series on TV for the last 17 years.
“SpongeBob’s Big Birthday Blowout” kicked off the 20th anniversary celebration of one of the most iconic and TV series and characters ever created. The mixed live-action and animated special, featured for the first time the celebrated voice talent behind SpongeBob, Patrick, Mr. Krabs, Sandy, Squidward and Plankton playing live-action doppelgänger versions of the animated characters they voice. SpongeBob SquarePants is created by Stephen Hillenburg and produced by Nickelodeon in Burbank, Calif.
“SpongeBob’s Big Birthday Blowout” by the numbers:
- Number-one kids’ program for the year, posted high triple and double-digit gains year over year with Kids 2-11 (3.3/797K, up +57%), Kids 6-11 (4.0/589K, up +82%), Tweens 9-14 (3.1/476K, up +94%) and Teens 12-17 (2.1/342K, up +133%).
- Network’s highest-rated premiere with Kids 6-11 since October 2017 (SpongeBob SquarePants “The Legend of Boo-Kini Bottom”) and the highest-rated premiere with K2-11 since February 2018.
- High double-digit, year-over-year gains with Adults 18-49 (.60/478K, up +50%).
- Top co-viewed animated program for the day — 33% of Adults 18-49 viewed the show with a Kid 2-11.
- Highest time shifted lifts ever for SpongeBob SquarePants with Kids 2-11, rising +51% to 1.2 million K2-11 viewers. Double digit lifts with Kids 6-11 (+45%), Tweens 9-14 (+36%), Teens 12-17 (+29%) and Adults 18-49 (+51%).
