Nickelodeon Set to Expand 'SpongeBob SquarePants' With 'Patrick Star' Series Brian Steinberg, provided by FacebookTwitterEmail Brian Robbins walked into a meeting where executives were deciding whether kids-media giant Nickelodeon should pick up “SpongeBob SquarePants” for a twelfth cycle, and asked what he thought was a simple question: With so many characters populating the underwater city of Bikini Bottom, how come the network had never created any spin-offs? More from Variety Fans will get to see another part of the always optimistic sea sponge’s world soon. The ViacomCBS unit has greenlit 13 episodes of a family-oriented comedy featuring SpongeBob’s pal, Patrick Star. “The Patrick Star Show” is slated to debut this summer, and will focus on a younger version of the character, who hosts a TV program and lives with his family. Bill Fagerbakke, the longtime voice of the animated pink starfish, will play the title role.