Meet the Minds Behind 'SpongeBob SquarePants'

 Watch the full story tonight on "Nightline" at 11:35 p.m. ET

Steven Banks is the show's head writer.

"'SpongeBob SquarePants' is about a sponge who lives under the sea in a pineapple," said Banks. "He works at the Krusty Krab, he makes Krabby Patties. ...

"Then there is Plankton, who is the evil little bit of plankton who wants nothing more than to get the secret recipe to get Krabby Patties, which will allow him for some reason to take over the world."

Of course SpongeBob is not a sea sponge but an actual kitchen sponge. He works as a fry cook in a place called Bikini Bottom with what you might call a "colorful" cast of characters and assorted misfits.