Help Wanted

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Characters

• French Narrator ^(debut)
• Sea urchins ^(debut)
• SpongeBob SquarePants ^(debut)
• Gary the Snail ^(debut)
• Shelley ^(debut)
• Patrick Star ^(debut)
• Squidward Tentacles ^(debut)
• Eugene H. Krabs ^(debut)
• Bus Driver ^(debut)
• Anchovies ^(debut)
• Betsy Krabs ^{(debut) (indirectly mentioned)}

Synopsis

Down on the ocean floor, where lays a town known as Bikini Bottom, a narrator with a French accent muses on the wonders of undersea life. The narrator introduces one of his favorite creatures in the sea, SpongeBob SquarePants. Inside the pineapple where he lives, the yellow and porous SpongeBob sleeps soundly in his bed with three mattresses and a diving board attached. On the floor nearby sleeps SpongeBob’s pet snail, Gary. Next to SpongeBob is a foghorn alarm clock, which soon loudly goes off and awakens him.

SpongeBob climbs the diving board and tells Gary that today is “the big day,” Gary giving a simple “Mrow” in reply. SpongeBob jumps off the diving board and lands neatly into an outfit consisting of square pants, a white shirt and red tie. To prepare for the day, he goes to a barbell with two stuffed animals attached and struggles to lift it, barely managing to get one rep before dropping it with a squeak. He proclaims, “I’m ready!” and runs out, heading past an Easter Island head with windows and a door, and a brown rock with a bamboo weather vane. The rock opens up to reveal a pink starfish, Patrick Star, stuck underneath it, cheering SpongeBob on before peeling off.

Arriving outside the restaurant known as the Krusty Krab, SpongeBob psyches himself up to answer the call of the “Help Wanted” sign in the window and ask for a job as a fry cook. However, his fears get the better of him and he turns to leave, only to find Patrick in his way. Patrick convinces SpongeBob that he’s truly ready for the job, giving SpongeBob the confidence to make his way over.

Squidward, a Krusty Krab employee busy cleaning graffiti off the windows, sees SpongeBob approach and voices his displeasure, wondering why he’s coming so early. He then notices the sign and shrieks in horror, dashing inside toward his boss and owner of the restaurant, Mr. Krabs. Before Squidward can warn him, SpongeBob enters and confidently states his intention of joining the Krusty Krew. He starts to approach Mr. Krabs and Squidward, but trips and bounces around the restaurant before landing square on his back in front of them.

Mr. Krabs expresses his concern that SpongeBob’s not ready for the job, but SpongeBob asks him to reconsider and have Squidward vouch for him. Squidward takes Mr. Krabs aside and flatly tells him, “No.” Giving Squidward a wink, Mr. Krabs approaches SpongeBob and says that he can apply once he’s completed a simple test: purchasing a non-existent “Hydro-dynamic Spatula.” SpongeBob eagerly heads out in his new employee’s hat to find one, leaving Mr. Krabs and Squidward to laugh together about this fool’s errand.

As SpongeBob runs to the Barg'N-Mart, a convoy of buses arrives at the Krusty Krab. Mr. Krabs literally smells trouble approaching, and soon after, a hoard of anchovies swarms in and clamors for food. Squidward calls for their attention, asking them to behave themselves and make a single-file line. His request is rejected, and the anchovies grow more ravenous and unruly. Squidward and Mr. Krabs climb into the cash register row boat as the anchovies form a rolling ocean, but their boat breaks and they climb a pole to the ceiling. Facing the end, Mr. Krabs and Squidward say their goodbyes and sob.

However, from the sky arrives SpongeBob, wielding his new flight-capable Hydro-dynamic Spatula. Leaving the flabbergasted workers behind, SpongeBob flies into the kitchen and starts whipping up a batch of Krabby Patties. The anchovies are satiated one by one down to the last, leaving behind a fat sack of cash. Mr. Krabs jumps with joy and proudly presents SpongeBob with his own nametag. Squidward tries to protest, but Mr. Krabs is too busy cheering and carting away the money to notice. Patrick then arrives and orders a Krabby Patty, but SpongeBob engages the spatula once more and sends Patrick flying with a flurry of burgers. Squidward haughtily asks Mr. Krabs to come back and see his new employee at work.

Production

Art

Size Comparison Chart

Oirginal Cast.jpg

The Original SpongeBob cast as shown in Steve Hillenburg’s pitch bible.

Original Storyboard of Patrick Convincing "SpongeBoy" To go to Get the Job In the Krusty Krab

Vlcsnap-2015-07-28-02h55m18s203.png

"SpongeBoy"

Patrick's Model Sheet

Development

"Help Wanted" was written by series creator Stephen Hillenburg, along with Derek Drymon and Tim Hill, and was directed by Alan Smart. Hillenburg also functioned as storyboard director, and Drymon worked as storyboard artist. He began developing SpongeBob SquarePants into a television series in late 1996 upon the series cancellation of Rocko's Modern Life in 1996.

Hillenburg's original idea for the pitch was that the writers would write a storyboard for a possible episode and pitch it to Nickelodeon. One of the original ideas was to write an episode with SpongeBob and Squidward on a road trip, inspired by the 1989 film "Powwow Highway". Eventually, the idea developed while they were working on it but Hillenburg gave up on the storyboard idea for the initial pitch. The crew resurrected the road trip idea during the first season and used a lot of the ideas for the episode "Pizza Delivery."

Original storyboard drawn 1997 and was titled "SpongeBoy Ahoy!"

Originally the character was to be named SpongeBoy and the show was to be called SpongeBoy Ahoy!. However, the Nickelodeon legal department discovered that the name SpongeBoy was already in use for a mop product. This was discovered after voice acting for the original seven-minute pilot was recorded in 1997. Upon finding this out, Hillenburg decided that the character's given name still had to contain "Sponge" so viewers would not mistake the character for a "Cheese Man." Hillenburg decided to use the name "SpongeBob." He chose "SquarePants" as a family name as it referred to the character's square shape and it had a "nice ring to it."

In an interview with Cyma Zarghami, she told "their [Nickelodeon executives'] immediate reaction was to see it again, both because they liked it and it was unlike anything they had ever seen before." Hillenburg said the character construction in the episode was loose. But the character development was already "pretty strong." Cavna rewatched the episode in 2009 and said "so much of the style and polish are already in place."

Stephen Hillenburg and Derek Drymon were having dinner and came up with the idea for "Help Wanted" based on an experience Hillenburg had in the Boy Scouts. Hillenburg and writer Tim Hill worked it into an outline. In 1997 while pitching the cartoon to Nickelodeon executives, Stephen 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 2 weeks to write the pilot episode ("Help Wanted"), Hillenburg, Derek Drymon, 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. With help from Tim Hill and art director Nick Jennings, Hillenburg finished the pitch and sold SpongeBob SquarePants to Nickelodeon. Drymon said, "the network approved it—so we were ready to go."

SpongeBob SquarePants aired this as the first episode along with "Reef Blower/Tea at the Treedome" on May 1, 1999, following the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards. The series later made its "official" debut on July 17, 1999 with the second episode "Bubblestand / Ripped Pants." This episode was reaired on July 24 along with "Reef Blower /Tea at the Treedome" to consider it official.

Animation

The pilot episode was made and recorded in 1997, 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 (excluding "Pickles" and "Employee of the Month"), and his blanket is solid blue, as opposed to purple with flowers.

Differences invoices are another example. SpongeBob's voice is slightly lower and Patrick's voice is deeper.

Designs and colors for characters are also different.

File:Helpwanted doyousmellit.png

Squidward with pale cyan skin, and Mr. Krabs with light red eyelids

• SpongeBob has fewer holes than in newer episodes. He also looks a little bit fatter.
• Mr. Krabs' eyelids are bright pink as opposed to red.
• Patrick's pants are in a slightly different color, not to mention he looks slightly chubbier.
• Squidward's complexion is paler, his laugh is different, the comedic "splat" sound is different, and his nose does not puff in and out when he laughs.
• Gary's eye pupils are red dots and his irises are smaller, he lacks eyelashes, and he has a higher, somewhat squeakier tone of voice in the "meow" that sounds a little closer to a realistic cat's meow – although Tom Kenny claims to use a new "meow" for each episode (where Gary is shown meowing).

Other things:

• The animation used for the bubble transitions are much choppier.
• Squidward appears to have rows of bamboo poles behind his house.
• There is only one window in the front of SpongeBob's house. Some other early episodes, such as "Boating School," also show SpongeBob's house with only one window.

The changes were made when the series officially aired.

Music

"Livin' in the Sunlight, Lovin' in the Moonlight" was used in this episode, but because of copyright issues, the pilot episode was not on the The Complete 1st Season. However, this episode appears on a few later DVDs. The episode also features SpongeBob singing a Barg'N-Mart jingle.

( ‣ ) Production music

( • ) Original music

( ◦ ) SpongeBob music

 ‣ Hawaiian Train - Victor Cavini [title card]
 ‣ Aloha Oe - Hans Haider, Queen Lili'uokalani [opening]
 ‣ Honolulu March - Hans Haider ["Today's the big day, Gary."]
 ‣ The Land is Ours - Gregor F. Narholz [ SpongeBob lifting weights]
 ‣ Grand Orchestral Fanfare - Gregor F. Narholz [SpongeBob lifting weights]
 ‣ Honolulu March - Hans Haider ["I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready..."]
 ‣ Next Door Neighbour - Rick Cassman, Vyv's Hope-Scott ["The Krusty Krab, home of the Krabby Patty."]
 ‣ The Land is Ours - Gregor F. Narholz [Patrick Star encourages SpongeBob]
 ‣ Grand Orchestral Fanfare - Gregor F. Narholz ["Who's a big yellow cube with holes?"]
 ‣ Honolulu March - Hans Haider [SpongeBob runs to the Krusty Krab]
 ‣ Oyster Girls - Robert Alexander White ["Permission to come aboard, captain!"]
 ‣ The Rake Hornpipe - Robert Alexander White [Eugene H. Krabs gives SpongeBob a test]
 ‣ Bartmania (a) - Guy Moon ["That sounded like hatch doors."]
 ‣ Menace from the Deep - Robert Cornford ["That smell... a kind of smelly smell."]
 ‣ Bartmania (a) - Guy Moon [anchovies rush in]
 ‣ Death Trap - Gregor F. Narholz ["Batten down the hatches, Mr. Squidward!"]
 ‣ Bossa Cubana - Gerhard Narholz [SpongeBob shopping]
 ‣ Battle at Sea - Johnny Pearson ["Climb, Mr. Squidward! Climb!"]
 ‣ Reach for the Stars - Richard A. Harvey [SpongeBob returns]
 ‣ The Main Event - Gregor F. Narholz [hydrodynamic spatula revealed]
 ‣ Livin' in the Sunlight, Lovin' in the Moonlight - Tiny Tim [Montage of SpongeBob making Krabby Patties/ending]

*Only used in the 1997 version of the pilot.

Release

• Help Wanted, along with "Reef Blower" and "Tea at the Treedome," premiered on Nickelodeon on May 1, 1999, alongside the 1999 Kids' Choice Awards. Later, six other episodes premiered the same day as the awards show: "Krusty Towers (2006)," "Sentimental Sponge (2011)," "Planet of the Jellyfish (2012)," "Kenny the Cat (2014)," "Mall Girl Pearl (2016)," and "Two Thumbs Down (2016)."

• This episode was released on the following DVDs: (due to copyright issues, it was not released on The Complete 1st Season box set.)
• 10 Happiest Moments (bonus)
• The Complete 3rd Season (disc 3, bonus)
• The First 100 Episodes (disc 1)
• SpongeBob, You're Fired! (As single episode)
• The Pilot a Mini-Movie and the Square Shorts (As single episode)

Reception

• As of April 14, 2017, The Internet Movie Database (IMDB) gives this episode a rating of 8.8/10 based on 687 ratings by users. TV.com users give this episode a rating of 8.6/10 based on 456 votes.
• This episode ranks #1 on Tom Kenny's Top 20 collection on iTunes.
• In fan-voted SpongeBob SquarePants marathons, "Help Wanted" was ranked #24 during the Best Day Ever event from November 9–10, 2006 and #6 during The Ultimate SpongeBob SpongeBash event from July 17–19, 2009.

Trivia

Template:Trivia

• This episode is not featured on The Complete First Season DVD due to copyright issues with "Livin' in the Sunlight, Lovin' in the Moonlight" by Tiny Tim, which is heard in the episode.
  • However, on the German release of that DVD, the episode "Help Wanted" is actually included.
• The beginning of the episode where SpongeBob says "Today's the big day, Gary," can be seen on a TV in the 2002 comedy Orange County.
• SpongeBob's bed is on the right side when usually it is on the left side. This also happens in "Pickles."
• This is the first time in which the episode title is mentioned within the episode.
• SpongeBob had a pet scallop that he kept in a birdcage. The scallop makes occasional appearances throughout the series.
• This is SpongeBob's first appearance in the series.
• The Narrator is the first to speak in the series, unless the viewer counts Painty the Pirate in the theme song.
• This is the first time a song is on the show (Livin' in the Sunlight, Lovin' in the Moonlight), as well as the first time a character in the show sings a song (Barg'N-Mart Jingle). However, it is not the first full "long" song sung by a character, that is The F.U.N. Song in "F.U.N."
• It is revealed that SpongeBob's first words were "May I take your order?”
• It is also revealed that SpongeBob built a spatula out of toothpicks in the wood shop. This also implies that SpongeBob and Patrick went to school together.
• SpongeBob states that he has been training his whole life to join the Krusty Krew. This training part is supported in the episode "Friend or Foe."
• Normally, when SpongeBob walks, his shoes make a squeaky sound. However, in this episode, the squeak is not heard.
• Right before Squidward tells the anchovies to get in a "neat single-file line," one of them says "Speak up!”
• If one listens closely, the Honolulu March soundtrack is repeated twice.
• This is one of the 7 episodes in which the 1986-2002 Paramount logo is plastered with the 2002-2011 Paramount logo. The others are "Squeaky Boots," "F.U.N.," "Squidward the Unfriendly Ghost," "Employee of the Month," "Karate Choppers," and "Rock Bottom."
• There is an old SpongeBob online game based on this episode titled "Anchovy Feeding Frenzy."
• On September 7, 2013, there was a Live script reading with the voice actors at Universal Studios Hollywood for this episode. The live reading can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3FlaYx8nzk
• Starting in 2015, during the airings of this episode, the intro repeatedly goes faster and changes back to its normal speed.
• This episode was finished in 1997, but didn't air until May 1, 1999, because the cast wanted to change various things. The old 1997 version can be found in this link: https://vimeo.com/137892254. The Password is AHOY in capital letters.

  

  The early ending

• The original pilot version of "Help Wanted" has some differences, including the early intro being played a bit later in the episode (after SpongeBob gets ready and goes to the Krusty Krab) and at the ending, instead of United Plankton pictures being displayed, it instead shows a picture of SpongeBob with the text "created by Steven Hillenburg."
• In Indonesia, the scene where Mr. Krabs and Squidward are nearly killed by angry anchovies before SpongeBob comes to save them, is sometimes shown and sometimes skipped. This is likely due to time constraints due to being aired along with ads which commonly lasts for 5 minutes. This often occurs in other episodes as well that also aired in Indonesia.
• The scenes were SpongeBob serves up Krabby Patties to the angry anchovies and Livin' in the Sunlight, Lovin' in the Moonlight song is playing was cut in Italy for unknown reasons.
• In the Croatian dub, this episode is called "Tražimo Kuhara" translating to "We are Looking for the Fry Cook."
• Another difference with production and the sorts is that the Nickelodeon Animation Studios logo at the end has a small copyright notice with 1997 as the production date. The television airing has a more detailed and prolonged copyright notice with a production of 1998.
  • This implies the television airing (and most official airing) was made in 1998, and not 1997 or 1999.
• Sandy Cheeks and Plankton are the only main characters who don't debut in this episode, as they debut in "Tea at the Treedome" and "Plankton!" respectively.

Errors

Should be written as "Stephen Hillenburg"

• Stephen Hillenburg in the "Written By" section of the opening credits was misspelled as 'Stephen Hilleburg.'
• Squidward cleans up the graffiti that says "Loser" as a picture of Squidward which has an arrow on it, but in the next scene, the arrow is missing. It is not likely that Squidward cleaned it up since he was looking at SpongeBob at the time.
• The last time SpongeBob says "I'm ready!" his collar turns red.
• When SpongeBob walks inside the Krusty Krab and says, "I've been waiting my entire life to join the Krusty Krab crew!" the Krusty Krab's lights were off. But when SpongeBob says, "And now I'm ready!" the lights were on. This error later happens again in "Your Shoe's Untied."
• In the Krusty Krab, all doors to the left of the cash register aren't there. When Mr. Krabs goes to his office, he goes to the right.
• When Mr. Krabs jumps every time he says "Hip, hip!" his white undershirt disappears for less than a second.
• When SpongeBob arrived with the Hydro-Spatula, Squidward's skin changes from blue to white.
• When SpongeBob bounces, he has no pants or shoes.
• When Patrick says "Who's ready," his eyelids are pink instead of purple.
• SpongeBob does not have a hole in the upper left corner of his head.
• Squidward has bamboo sticks in his backyard, this does not appear in any other episode.
• There are scenes where Mr.Krabs' blinks his eyes, his eye stalks are brighter more than his body.

File:Helpwanted i'mready.png

Red collar error

• During the scene where SpongeBob was jumping proudly, the color of SpongeBob's collar becomes red instead of white.
• The original captions spell "Krabby patty" as "Crabby patty."
• When Mr. Krabs says "Climb Mr. Squidward! Climb!" Squidward's top layer of teeth are purple.
• Patrick says "Who's a big yellow cube with holes?" but SpongeBob is not shaped like a cube; he is shaped like a rectangular prism.

External links

• Help Wanted at the Internet Movie Database
• Help Wanted at TV.com
• The original pilot intro