SpongeBob SquarePants is a show that has proven it can stand the test of time. There is a massive fanbase all over the world who have grown up on this show, and who are now sharing it with their own kids. SpongeBob is something special, and the love for him and the other residents of Bikini Bottom spans generations.
SpongeBob and his best friend Patrick have a newer show, Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years, where fans get to see them at a much younger age. However, for those who have Patrick in their hearts, The Patrick Star Show is all about him! The first season is available now on DVD from Nickelodeon, and a second season has already been greenlit.
The voice of Patrick Star, Bill Fagerbakke, explains why fans love Patrick so much, what this new show is all about, and so much more:
What Is It About Patrick Star That People Connect With?
BILL FAGERBAKKE: I can only guess that it's the reason I connect with him. To me, he represents the little seven-year-old goofball in all of us. That's what I love about him. And even though age is not really relevant for the show, or the narratives or the situations, to me, that's kind of where I make contact with him.
For Those Who Haven’t Seen It Yet, How Would You Describe the Patrick Star Show?
BILL FAGERBAKKE: It is very much within the dynamics of the original show. They do play with narrative style a little bit more. Not every episode, but many episodes feature, a BOOM, now you're in a different world, watching different characters watch The Patrick Star Show. And it’s not even the same animation. It's stop motion animation.
It’s almost, in my mind, like Monty Python and the Flying Circus. The way they would jump narratives all within the context of entertainment. There's another world which is in the future and there's a Patrick robot in outer space. It's just so much fun. That is the frontier of animation, right? You're not bound by traditional metrics. So they're really playing with that, and I'm honored to be a part of it.
In the Patrick Star Show, We Meet His Family. Did You Ever Picture His Family Like This When You First Took the Role?
BILL FAGERBAKKE: One of the differences between camera work or stage work and animation is you typically don't need to do much plumbing on the backstory of characters. So this was just one delightful discovery after another. it all makes sense [in the show] because they really adhered to the nature of Patrick the character because they love him, too. They love the show and they have great regard for what Stephen Hillenburg created.
All of the Shows Patrick Star Is in Are Fun for Both Adults and Kids. Can You Talk About the Importance of Shows That Families Can Watch and Enjoy Together?
BILL FAGERBAKKE: That's the best part. That's something that I really appreciate because so much children's entertainment is done with a certain amount of condescension. And it makes it inherently unwatchable if you're an adult. The kids are enjoying it, that's fine, but I think part of the magic of what Hillenburg brought was the sense that he was creating the show for him and his kids at the same time. To be able to have people enjoy a show with their children is so great. I loved watching [SpongeBob SquarePants] with my daughters because they were five and seven, when the show debuted.
Have You Learned Anything From Patrick Over the Years of Voicing Him?
BILL FAGERBAKKE: I tell you what, as opposed to learning something from Patrick, I would say he very much is a constant reminder to me of the joys and the values of friendship and imagination and of keeping the sense of play in our life. That is one of the great values of Patrick.
It's also doing this incredible character in this incredible world. The way fans connect to the world and to Patrick is so beautiful. It's so magnificent. I love it so much.
Spongebob Has a Pet Snail and Patrick Has a Pet Urchin. If You Could Have a Sea Creature for a Pet, What Would It Be?
BILL FAGERBAKKE: I want a sea turtle. I've done a little bit of scuba diving and there's always something so thrilling about seeing a sea turtle. Sometimes they come close to you and their faces could be 80, 90, 100 years old. Really incredible creatures.
The Patrick Star Show debuted on Nickelodeon in July 2021. All episodes of season one are now available on DVD, with a second season coming soon.
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This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
Featured Image Courtesy of Nickelodeon.
Tessa Smith owns MamasGeeky.com and is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic and a huge geek. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for almost ten years and is a member of several Critics associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association. She grew up watching movies, playing video games, and reading comic books -- and still loves all of those things. She proudly lets her geek flag fly and spreads the word that there is nothing wrong with being a geek.