SpongeBob's Big Birthday Blowout is a 2019 made-for-television live-action/animated comedy special for the animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. It was written by Kaz and Mr. Lawrence, and was directed by Jonas Morganstein. The special, produced as part of the show's twelfth season, originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on July 12, 2019, celebrating the series' twentieth anniversary. The cut version of this episode was released on October 5, 2019. The bonus edition of this episode was released on July 17, 2020, exactly 21 years after the official series premiere in 1999.
The television series follows the adventures of SpongeBob SquarePants (voiced by Tom Kenny) in the underwater city of Bikini Bottom. In the special, the citizens of Bikini Bottom plan a surprise birthday party for SpongeBob, while he and Patrick Star (voiced by Bill Fagerbakke) tour the surface world and come across their real-life selves. The live-action portions of the special also feature several guest stars including Kel Mitchell, Jack Griffo, Daniella Perkins, and David Hasselhoff, the latter of whom starred as himself in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. The special is dedicated to the memory of the SpongeBob creator Stephen Hillenburg, who died in 2018. Upon release, it received generally positive reviews.
Contents
Plot
In Encino, California, Patchy the Pirate attempts to get to Bikini Bottom to give SpongeBob SquarePants his birthday present. Down in Bikini Bottom, Sandy Cheeks gathers Patrick Star, Old Man Walker, Mr. Krabs, Mrs. Puff, Bubble Bass, and Plankton to orchestrate a plan to get SpongeBob's house keys and decorate his house, starting with Patrick. Patrick and SpongeBob board a tour bus going to the surface, with help landing by the French Narrator.
At SpongeBob's house, an argument occurs about the Birthday theme. Sandy gives everyone (now joined by Squidward Tentacles) a decision to divide the themes. The party goes through full swing, but chaos ensues and the house starts falling apart. Meanwhile, on the surface, the tour bus encounters many strange sights and unexpected obstacles, including a bean-themed event at the beach, a dog playing fetch at a park, an office filled with employees in gorilla masks, a restaurant called the Trusty Slab (based on Bikini Bottom's own Krusty Krab) with human counterparts of the show's main cast played by their voice actors, and a fish store that the bus is mistakenly placed in.
Patrick pushes the tour bus to the other side, escaping with the other fish, and the group is able to return to the ocean. In Bikini Bottom, SpongeBob discovers his destroyed house and thanks everyone for celebrating his birthday, when a box falls out of the sky. The box is revealed to be Patchy's head, congratulating SpongeBob, leading SpongeBob's friends to sing a birthday song reminiscent of the opening theme with different celebrities congratulating him. As the song finishes, Patrick asks SpongeBob how old he is, just to be interrupted by static. The episode ends by showing a dedication card reading "Thank you, Steve Hillenburg."
Cast
Voices
Tom Kenny as SpongeBob SquarePants, Old Man Walker, Gary, French Narrator, SpongeBob's Dad, Slappy, Grubby Grouper, PA System
Bill Fagerbakke as Patrick Star, Bus Passenger, Passenger, Patron #1
Rodger Bumpass as Squidward Tentacles, Bus Passenger, Announcer, Yellow Fish
Clancy Brown as Eugene Krabs, Unhappy Guy, Party Guest #2
Carolyn Lawrence as Sandy Cheeks, Bus Passenger, Little Girl
Mr. Lawrence as Sheldon Plankton, Larry the Lobster, Potty the Parrot, Rube, Fred
Jill Talley as Karen
Lori Alan as Pearl
Dee Bradley Baker as Bubble Bass, Dog, Alarm Clock, Cow
Mary Jo Catlett as Mrs. Puff
Sirena Irwin as SpongeBob's Mom, Gawky Female, The Kid
Frank Caeti as Gorilla Boss
Ephraim López as Monkey Middle Manager
Cory DeMeyers as Monkey Middle Manager
Lana McKissack as Monkey Middle Manager
Sydney Olson as Monkey Middle Manager
Live-action cast
Tom Kenny as Patchy the Pirate, JimBob
Bill Fagerbakke as Patrick
Rodger Bumpass as Manward
Clancy Brown as Mr. Slabs
Carolyn Lawrence as Carol
Mr. Lawrence as Charleston
Jill Talley as Office Middle Management
Lori Alan as Pet Shop Woman
Dee Bradley Baker as Bald Guy
Sirena Irwin as Office Worker
David Hasselhoff as himself
Kel Mitchell as Beans McBeans, himself
Dahlya Glick as Can
Jack Griffo as Contestant
Daniella Perkins as Contestant
JoJo Siwa as herself
Tiffany Haddish as herself
Thomas F. Wilson as Dog Walker, Himself
Sigourney Weaver as herself
Heidi Klum as herself
Kal Penn as himself
Lana Condor as herself (original airings)
John Goodman as himself (alternate airings)
Broadcast and reception
Viewership
SpongeBob's Big Birthday Blowout premiered on July 12, 2019, simultaneously across Nickelodeon, and Nicktoons. The three-network premiere was collectively viewed by 2.2 million people in the United States, and it posted year-to-year gains for the network across multiple demographics, most notably, kids ages 2–11 (3.3/797K, +57%). The special's premiere date is notable for taking place five days before the 20th anniversary of the series' official premiere, which took place on July 17, 1999.
It aired in other territories on July 12 and July 13, 2019, Tom Kenny's 57th birthday.
Reception
Verne Gay from Newsday gave the episode 3.5 out of 4 stars, describing it as "[f]un, funny, and funky".