SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS "Pest of the West" (Friday, April 11) marked the fourth Nickelodeon telecast this year to shoot to the top of basic cable among total viewers, as well as handily ranking as number one on broadcast and cable TV among kids 2-11, 6-11 and tweens 9-14.
A total of 6.1 million viewers (P2+) tuned into the half-hour "Pest of the West" special, where everyone's favorite porous pal discovers he is related to a famous Bikini Bottom Western hero.
SPONGEBOB "Pest of the West" joins other 2008 Nickelodeon toppers ZOEY 101: GOODBYE ZOEY (January 4); THE FAIRLY ODDPARENTS FAIRLY ODDBABY special (February. 18); and Nickelodeon's 2008 Kids' Choice Awards (March 29) as number-one programs on basic cable with total viewers and across all television with kids and tweens for the year.
The "Pest of the West" special earned a 10.0/3.5 million with Kids 2-11, a 11.3/2.4 million Kids 6-11 and a 7.3/1.6 million tweens 9-14 in its premiere airing.
Leading up to the special, a dedicated "Pest of the West" show page garnered more than 1.5 million visits. The SPONGEBOB-themed online casual Game of the Week on Nick.com -- PEST OF THE WEST SHOWDOWN -- garnered more than 2.3 million game plays in a little more than a week, and the "Pest of the West" content on TurboNick earned more than 4 million streams since March 13.
Additionally, more than 1.3 million votes were cast for kids' favorite SpongeBob vs. Plankton episodes, which aired in an on-air marathon leading up to the "Pest of the West" special.
