 The series is among the " All @-@ TIME 100 TV Shows " as chosen by Time television critic James Poniewozik in 2007 . He said , " It 's the most funny , surreal , inventive example of the explosion in creative kids ' ( and adult ) entertainment that Nick , Cartoon Network and their ilk made possible " . Viewers of the UK television network Channel 4 voted SpongeBob SquarePants the 28th " Greatest Cartoon " in a 2004 poll . TV Guide listed the character of SpongeBob SquarePants at No. 9 for its " 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time " . In 2013 , the publication ranked SpongeBob SquarePants the eighth " Greatest TV Cartoon of All Time " . In June 2010 , Entertainment Weekly named SpongeBob one of the " 100 Greatest Characters of the Last 20 Years " . 
