Help Wanted

 Help Wanted is the very first episode of SpongeBob SquarePants. It aired May 1st, 1999.

Plot
This is the pilot episode of SpongeBob SquarePants. The French Narrator introduces SpongeBob SquarePants, a sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea in the city of Bikini Bottom. SpongeBob's foghorn alarm clock goes off, waking him up in the morning. He tells his pet, Gary the Snail, that he must be in good shape because this particular day is very important. He jumps off of his diving board and lands in his pants. He goes to his exercise room and lifts a bar-weight (which is actually two stuffed animals). Afterwards, SpongeBob exclaims that he is ready. He runs outside and down the street to the Krusty Krab, repeatedly saying, "I’m ready" while his neighbor and best friend, Patrick Star, cheers him on. SpongeBob sees the "Help Wanted" sign on the Krusty Krab window. He then declares that he is ready to obtain the job, which he has been dreaming of for years. However, he loses his confidence. Patrick convinces him to apply for the job, and so SpongeBob does, thereby declaring he is ready three more times. Squidward Tentacles, the head cashier, is cleaning the window (above his head the word "loser" is written on the glass pane). Squidward sees that SpongeBob wants the job, and so he tells the restaurant owner Eugene H. Krabs that SpongeBob does not qualify for the job. SpongeBob walks into the Krusty Krab and asks for the job. To get rid of him, Mr. Krabs tells SpongeBob that he can join the "Krusty Krew" if he passes a "test", which is to obtain a "Hydro-dynamic Spatula with Port and Starboard Attachments and Turbo-Drive."

As soon as SpongeBob leaves, Mr. Krabs senses a smell that is smelly. Five buses drop off a large crowd of hungry anchovies. They barge into the Krusty Krab, demanding Krabby Patties. Attempting to keep things in order, Squidward complains about their behavior, and then requests that there be a single-file line in front of the cash register. But the anchovies vehemently protest, forming a riot of angry anchovies set to resemble a stormy sea. This forces Squidward and Mr. Krabs to climb up the mast. Thinking that it is the end for them, they say their goodbyes. Suddenly, SpongeBob arrives, flying by with his "Hydrodynamic Spatula with Port and Starboard Attachments and Turbo-Drive" (according to SpongeBob, the Barg'n Mart only had one in stock). Mr. Krabs is flabbergasted at the fact that SpongeBob actually passed the "test." SpongeBob flies into the kitchen and as fast as he can, satisfies the needs of the angry anchovies. SpongeBob made a Krabby Patty before he was hired and it is assumed that he did not know the Krabby Patty secret formula.

When the last anchovy gets their Krabby Patty, Mr. Krabs is delighted as he got a lot of money from this. He hires SpongeBob, by welcoming him to the Krusty Krew and giving him a name tag. Then, Mr. Krabs calls for three cheers for SpongeBob. Even though Squidward is upset, Mr. Krabs does not listen to him because he wants to go and count the wheelbarrow of money he just made in his office. At the end, Patrick walks in and asks for a Krabby Patty. SpongeBob flies into the kitchen and makes a huge stream of Krabby Patties, which then hits Patrick and sends him flying out of the restaurant. Squidward then calls Mr. Krabs to come see his new employee.

Trivia

 * Stephen Hillenburg in the "Written By" section of the title card was incorrectly spelled as "Stephen Hilleburg."
 * 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.
 * SpongeBob had a pet scallop that he kept in a birdcage. This can also be seen in Missing Identity and Pineapple Fever.
 * In Help Wanted, Gary's eye pupils are red dots, but in further episodes they are black dots in red dots.
 * Right before Squidward tells the anchovies to get in a "neat single-file line" one of them says "speak up!"
 * The last time SpongeBob says "I'm Ready" in Help Wanted, his collar turns red.
 * Despite being the first episode, Help Wanted does not appear in the Complete Season 1 Boxset of SpongeBob on DVD.
 * This is the first episode with its name in the episode.