A ‘Toon Tale: ‘SpongeBob’ and the Interactive Wish

“Who lives in a pineapple under the sea . . . Absorbent and yellow and porous is he?”

The “he” in question is “SpongeBob SquarePants,” star of Nickelodeon’s show of the same name, one of the wackiest and most endearing little ‘toons on the tube.

Tonight’s special version of the show, though, will be most appealing to fans; newcomers to the series created by Stephen Hillenburg might want to check out a regular episode, where they can more fully immerse themselves in SpongeBob’s nuttily skewed, innocent world of 1960s pop designs, witty sound and mixed-media effects, ukulele music and Krusty Krab burgers.

Tonight’s special is atypical, punched up with live-action segments starring Tom Kenny, SpongeBob’s voice, in a “Patchy the Pirate” persona; and guest-starring the voice of Brian Doyle Murray as the Flying Dutchman, a fire-breathing phantom pirate who takes SpongeBob, Squidward and Patrick Starfish hostage.

The hook: As the show airs, viewers decide how the half-hour will end by voting for three possible endings via phone or the Internet. The ending that receives the most votes will be seen immediately; the two alternatives will then be shown too.

In subsequent airings, only the ending that receives the most votes (counting East and West Coast tallies) will air.

The plot: The Flying Dutchman forces SpongeBob and Patrick to crew for him, but when they’re not scary enough, he puts them on his dinner menu instead. They steal the Dutchman’s special “dining sock,” though, and the ghostly pirate is so distraught, he grants them three wishes in order to get it back. SpongeBob and Patrick, joined by Squidward, promptly waste two of the wishes; who will get the third and what will it be? That’s for viewers to decide.

* “SpongeBob SquarePants” airs tonight at 8 on Nickelodeon. (Repeats Saturday at 8 p.m. with the winning ending only; other episodes air between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.) Regular schedule: Saturdays, 10 and 10:30 a.m., 8 p.m.; Sundays, 10 and 10:30 a.m., 4 p.m. The network has rated it TV-Y (suitable for young children).