Dexter's Laboratory is one of the funniest cartoons on the Cartoon Network. Everyday Dexter is always working in his laboratory and he every time when he is working, his sister DeeDee (who is a funny character who is sort of an airhead), bugs him and starts wrecking mostly everything and then Dexter always says this very memorable quote,"DeeDee, GET OUT OF MY LABORATORY!" and then DeeDee is so always asking what this button do? Then Dexter is like, "NO DeeDee, don't push that button! You don't even know what it does!" and then something goes wrong. Another thing I think is hilarious on Dexter's Laboratory is The Justice Friends segments those are so funny! With Major Glory spoofing Captain America, Valhallan spoofing The Silver Surfer and The Inbragable Krunk spoofing The Incredible Hulk of course! I like the introduction to the Justice Friends where the announcer says: Three of Earth's most mightiest heroes, all in one roof to face the challenge of everyday life and then they introduce the characters and so on. I also think it is funny about Dexter's Lab is that Dexter rival Mandark has this huge crush on DeeDee! I also liked Dexter's really cool inventions and I was wishing I had some cool stuff like that but I am pretty sure everyone does. Overall funny and memorable.
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SonicStuart23 April 2004
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slimshady56233 December 2012Looking back on all these old cartoon network shows I use to watch when I was a child sure brings back tons of memories. "Dexter's Laboratory" was a funny and unique cartoon. It centered around Dexter a boy genius who built a laboratory under his house without his parents knowledge, honestly I don't know why he kept it a secret from them but any who, he has an older sister named Dee Dee but she's an Idiot. His parents names are Mom and Dad although that was common for cartoons back then. Dexter has a rival neighbor named Mandark. The episodes had great plots, excellent writing, and were produced by Hanna-Barbara. It also featured a short cartoon between each episode, either Dial M of Monkey or The Justice Friends. I found the show to be pretty interesting, and i enjoyed some of the wacky/fun episodes that the series had to offer. Some of the episodes were kind of painful to watch at times , but most of them were always full of humor and wacky adventures, which made this series good. This show is way better than Jimmy Neutron which seemed like a ripoff, that show is too boring.
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applejosh199112 October 2016my introduction to the series back when i was 7 years old on the once a beloved cable channel "cartoon network" from it's prime in 1996 till 1999. i watched it during re-runs for years and i always loved the series. about a boy genius named dexter who has a secret laboratory where he does his experiments. but always foiled by his annoying hyper-active sister Dee Dee, who loves to tease him and cause chaos to his lab. the show as always known for it's bizarre mis-adventures of dexter's experiments in his lab from creating inventions that work by pure luck or always backfire from something silly or obvious. the series creator genndy tartakovsky is known for making fast-paced animation and use of clever writing. this series takes clever use of movie parodies and social satire.
genndy tartakovsky wanted the series to end on a high note, even though the last episode of season 2, "Last But Not Beast" was a really big finally, but the true conclusion to the series ended with the fun TV movie "Ego Trip".
because of rating success and becoming even more popular during re- runs, the studio saw big profit to keep this series around so they wanted to revive the series but without original team. gone the original creator, gone the clever writing staff, gone the hanna barbera style animation and gone some of the voice-actors. a different team, animation, and some new voice-actors it was not jumping-the-shark terrible but far from the original 2 seasons. i never ever liked the new animation style. it always bugged me even when i was younger, that blends something similar to flash and cell animation, but always looks bland and boring. the jokes are not really clever or funny. there are few OK episodes but most of them lack imagination or creative jokes.
the last two season were pointless, adding nothing but milking a series should've ended back when the creator wanted to ended with. -
plok25313 June 2000Dexter's Laboratory is about as good as it gets. It stars a little boy named Dexter, who is incredibly brilliant and has a secret laboratory attached to his room. Often times his experiments are interrupted by his sister Dee Dee, who will come in his lab whenever she feels like it. Often times Dexter will use his intelligence to stop dilemmas (which at times he or Dee Dee may be at fault for.) Despite Dexter's intelligence, the creators of the show remember Dexter is just a kid, and have given him many traits found in an everyday kid. For example, Dexter isn't too fond of vegetables, he's afraid of being grounded, and doesn't get along with his sister well. The writers also added some drama to the show, as well as some everday situations a kid must go through. Dexter isn't the coolest kid at school, and at times he feels very alone. I'm sure we can all relate to this. At times Dexter's Lab can illustrate childhood as well as Nickelodeon's Hey Arnold! can. I recommend everyone give this show a try. Oh by the way, did I mention all of the spoofs this show has?
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This show became a regular viewing for me and my brothers we would sit down from 4 till 5 and watch the show it was different episodes all stacked up the funniest things that happened was when Dee Dee was around usually.
It had everything, class, great writing, real life examples (A annoying little sibling or older).
The way Dexter had his accent was pretty cool like a Russian scientist and his way of handling situations with research and experiments.
The funniest episode was the pig one were Dexter try's to act like a average teenager, he joins a normal dull teenager who likes to annoy a local resident.
A great show for all, -
TheLittleSongbird29 December 2009Dexter's Laboratory is so creative and fun, and is just a must watch for any animation fan. If I had a complaint, the older episodes are better than the newer ones; the newer ones seem to have lost the quality in terms of animation and wit that made the older episodes such a delight. That aside this is a great show, with a brilliant vocal performance in the title role by Christine Cavanaugh. The animation in general was sophisticated and colourful, I loved how the laboratory itself was animated the theme tune was outstanding, the story lines were original and the spoofs of Star Wars, Charlie's Angels, GI Joe all but to name a few are hilarious. The show certainly has a fantastic concept, and maintains that standard throughout. I know there were a few people who complained about DeeDee being annoying, fair enough, but I don't mind her that much. Seriously why have Cartoon Network stopped airing it?
All in all, great show and a must watch. 10/10(despite the minor discrepancies in relation to the later episodes) Bethany Cox -
Hello again Today I Going to do a review on Dexter's Laboratory a show which premiered on Cartoon Network on Sunday, April 28, 1996. The characters are Dexter who sound like a German kid who always makes inventions while his dim-witted sister Dee-Dee is coming in his to Laboratory. Then there ManDark who is his Arch rival. This just a classic form '90s. Also this has a lot of adult jokes like in the episode 'Just an Old-Fashion Lab song Which is a parody of Just an Old-Fashion love song By Three Dog Night. There is cameos form The Flintstones in the episode Dad is Dad is Disturbed. Any this show is classic. Also R. I. P.to Christine Cavanaugh who voiced Dexter. Anyway I'm giving this show a 10 out 10 stars.
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sufyaanrashid9519 June 2023Dexter's Laboratory is an animated series that follows the adventures of a boy genius named Dexter who has a secret laboratory hidden beneath his family's home. The show is known for its quirky humor, imaginative storytelling, and clever writing.
One of the strengths of the series is its use of humor. The show features a mix of slapstick comedy, clever wordplay, and pop culture references that will keep viewers of all ages entertained. The humor is often absurd and over-the-top, but it never feels forced or out of place.
The show's imaginative storytelling is also a standout feature. Each episode features a new invention or experiment that Dexter creates, with each one leading to a new and exciting adventure. The show encourages creativity and curiosity in its young viewers, making it not only entertaining but also educational.
The characters are also well-developed and memorable. Dexter is a lovable and relatable protagonist, with his sister Dee Dee providing great comedic relief as his frequent foil. The supporting characters, including Dexter's arch-nemesis Mandark and his parents, add to the show's charm and humor.
But what sets Dexter's Laboratory apart from other animated series is its clever writing. The show's creators have done an excellent job of crafting stories that are both entertaining and smart, with each episode featuring a unique and memorable plot.
Overall, Dexter's Laboratory is a quirky and clever animated series that is sure to delight viewers of all ages. Its imaginative storytelling, clever writing, and lovable characters make it a standout in the world of children's programming. It's a great choice for families to watch together and a must-see for anyone who appreciates a good laugh and a dose of creativity. -
Remember the time when CARTOON network actually aired cartoons? Yeah, I remember those good times.
Nowadays, cartoon Network airs stuff like "Crazy Rich Asians" (what the hell) and Teen Titans Go non-stop.
But shows like this were gold. Fun, clever and good for kids and adults as well.
Thank God we still have Genndy Tartakovsky with us. -
jboothmillard25 April 2005This is repeated a lot on Cartoon Network, but it is still a very good cartoon. It makes feel like I'm a kid again. Dexter's Lab is the many episode story about a kid named Dexter with a secret laboratory through the wall of his bedroom. In this lab he creates, mends and manufactures new, interesting and exciting inventions to help him with whatever he needs, e.g. to turn invisible, win a competition, help a superhero, etc. The only problem is his older sister Dee Dee. She is one of the most annoying characters I know, she basically stops him from his work by destroying, distracting or dancing in his lab. There have been many brilliant episodes in the old and new series. Old series there is the one where Dexter thinks he going to explode, but it's actually a fart. In the new series there is the episode where he watches a scary movie and him and his Dad are scared of everything in the house. It was nominated 4 Emmys, all for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or Less). Very good!
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BabyDexter444417 July 2020I have a very unpopular opinion, Seasons 3 and 4 are better than the first season and just as good as season 2. The Art-style in Season 4 was fantastic, though Season 3's was mediocre. Favourite Episodes: Season 3: Dos Boot Season 4: The Scrying Games Least Favourite Episodes: Season 3: A Third Dad Cartoon Season 4: Chicken Scratch/Beau Tie
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redneck-628 April 2001Still being a kid at heart, I'm a large fan of animation. I grew up in the eighties on Scooby Doo, Looney Tunes, and the original Tom and Jerry and can remember a time before so many cartoons were just toy advertisements or committee-designed slush meant for mass appeal or message preaching that wound up completely lacking in passion. Fortunately, I'm not alone. Artists with the same sense of nostalgia as I have seen to it that animation began a slow revival in the 1990's. The Simpsons really led the way for intelligent cartoons that can appeal to adults without forgetting that animation should be a playground for the imagination. Certainly, there's still plenty of slush out there, but the ratio of quality stuff to filler has grown considerably in recent years.
As a case in point there is Dexter's Laboratory. It's the best thing I've seen come out of Cartoon Network's originally produced efforts so far. Dexter is a red headed third grader with a super keen intelligence that allows him to build contraptions and devices quite fantastic by our 21st century standards, but all still firmly grounded in our science fiction culture that began in the 1950's (and this is sure to appeal to any fan of sci-fi who can appreciate humor). While being smart, he is still very much a child, and prone to all of the problems that would plague your average third grader. His normal attire is a white lab coat, large rubber gloves and boots, and he speaks in a quasi-German accent (it's never explained why, which makes it all the more fun). His dress and accent are no doubt an homage to the superintelligent "mad genius" character popularized by so many horror and b-films over the years, and fits his character perfectly. He has a gigantic laboratory filled with incredible technology that, while mostly being background scenery, looks the part perfectly (think Frankenstein's lab). All of this is hidden in and under his house, and he somehow manages to keep his fantastic playground hidden from his parents, who are replicas of the 1950's sitcom blissfully married perfect couple. They love their children, but are thankfully not beyond discplining lapses in good behavior (when they see them anyway). While he keeps his lab hidden from his parents, he can't seem to keep anything safe from his sister. Deedee is the free spirited spoil to Dexter's scientific rationalism with blond hair and gigantic blue eyes. She's not the least bit malicious, just terribly curious. She always seems to inadvertantly foil Dexter's latest grand invention or scheme with her propensity to press every button she sees or randomly dance about, crashing through the scenery. Together they form a sort of ying and yang, their differences in nature successfully driving many stories along. They're still very much brother and sister, however, and sibling rivalries are constant, but hilarious against the backdrop of sci-fi plots the two are thrown into. While the show does have plenty of action, adventures, and fantastic gadgets, it would still be pretty stale without such well fleshed out characters to enjoy. They are all caricaturistic enough to be funny, yet human enough (they all have theirs flaws and foibles) that you will want to see how they act and react to the latest crisis, typically brought on by Dexter's dabbling with science.
While Dexter may deeply resent his sister's propensity for unintentional destruction and her "older sibling" status, he still cares for her and never fails to bail her out of a tight spot. While the characters might occasionally display fondness through their actions (Dexter builds a robotic likeness of his mother, the father arm wrestles truckers to defend family honor), emotions are never handled in a sappy or overly sentimental manner. The ability to display heart so subtly without having to hit audiences over the head with it is difficult and rarely done so well. The show abounds with references to popular culture any child of the 80's will be familiar with. From giant monsters to fighting robots and even to an episode dedicated to spoofing Dungeons and Dragons which is quite funny.
And while there's the occasional brawling and fighting, nothing is ever graphically depicted (the reason I don't let my son watch the Powerpuff Girls). Slapstick abounds, certainly, but I've never seen anything here I wouldn't let my two year old watch. To sum it up, the series really just aims to entertain against a sci-fi backdrop. And in that respect it succeeds greatly. When an episode is done, you probably haven't learned any great lesson, you've just had a good time, much like watching an old Looney Tune or Tom and Jerry short. The episodes are apparently out of production, which is a shame. I sincerely hope that Dexter and Deedee get to make a comeback someday. -
I love animation and humor, and this show does it so well and so interestingly. I love this show and its plots, its humor, its characters, its art-style and just the way the show is managed and written. Honestly, this is by-far one of the best shows of all time and I would really recommend it. I really don't care about the haters of the show, saying that its "bad" or that "its so boring" or that "It doesn't deserve its place among of the legendary cartoon, it DOES INDEED deserve its spot in the hall of fame for best cartoons of all time.
I will give this cartoon a 9/10. I don't plan on watching it anytime soon but rest-assured, this show is indeed INCREDIBLE. -
Dexter's Laboratory was a favorite cartoon of mine as a kid. It was about a 8-year old called Dexter. Dexter was a very intelligent child for his age and loved making zany experiments in his secret laboratory. However his dumb sister Dee Dee loves breaking into his lab and causing chaos and mayhem. It also had references to Star Trek, James Bond,Star Wars and many other elements of pop culture so the show still holds up almost 2 decades later. The show even had a TV movie in 1999 that was incredibly entertaining and funny although it wasn't as good as the cartoon. I guess Dexter works best in small doses.
I give Dexters Lab a 10/10. I also recommend The Powerpuff Girls which the creator of Dexter's Laboratory worked on. -
purplehpurple1 June 2018If I could rate them separately, I would give the original two seasons a 10/10, and the later two seasons a 6/10. As it stands, I'm giving the entire series an 8/10. People think bad reboots are a new thing, but they've always been around, and the later seasons of Dexter's Laboratory are one of those. It's a shame, considering how great the original series was.
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smetin12 October 2017I have fond memories of watching numerous cartoons on Cartoon Network when I came back home from school and had finished my homework. Of these, only a few stick out in my mind and given my apparent pre-midlife crisis I have attempted to re- live these memories. Of those on my list, Dexter's Lab ranked pretty high up, mainly due to the fact that I could remember various snippets that I desperately wanted to watch!
Dexter's Lab is truly representative of a time when cartoons were not just good, they were great. Creators could truly create and were under less restrictions by regulatory authorities, various social pressures and so on. Sure, cartoons of the time were considerably more senseless, violent and lacked learning points. But, why should all cartoons have to be harmless fun filled with learning when schools, parents and real- life scenarios should be doing this already? A cartoon should give the watcher a chance to be entertained and that is what Dexter's Lab does.
The series follows the antics of Dexter, his annoying sister Dee-Dee, his competitor Mandark and their respective parents. Dexter is a boy genius who ends up in the craziest of situations, whether it be travelling back in time or shrinking down to battle a virus inside a dog. Seriously, this cartoon covers all the bases without becoming repetitive. The episodes themselves were entertaining in the sense that they did not rely on the same jokes, since the creators did have more freedom. This did result in quite a few adult jokes slipping through that I could not appreciate as a child. Boy oh boy was I laughing!
The animation style is quite iconic of the time. It is simple on the surface, but the true talent is shown in Dexters bespoke inventions, battle scenes etc. Whether it be giant robots or ray guns, you could see that each component was really well thought out. It certainly beats the cartoons currently being pumped out, where the animation is so needlessly complex, ugly (in my opinion) and distracting from the cartoon itself. The success of Dexter's Lab can be seen by the career trajectories of its animators, of which Seth Macfarlane is the standout example.
In a nutshell, nostalgia did not disappoint here. Dexter's Lab is even better watching it as an adult, as the jokes that used to make me giggle still make me giggle, with the added naughty adult jokes! If you are a parent wondering whether this cartoon is 'safe' for your child, believe me it is. It is great fun and certainly blows current cartoons out of the water! -
This was a very entertaining animated series, being one of my favorite shows from Cartoon Network back then in the nineties.
It had funny and creative plots in each chapter, and the characters were very likable and interesting. I always liked the way in which it made several homages to comic books and classic cartoons (Including old Japanese animations like "Speed Racer" and "Voltron") having plenty of comedy but also some action and even a couple of somewhat serious moments. I liked a lot the "Dial M for Monkey" and "The Justice Friends " segments from the first season.
Many other cartoons that came later tried to imitate the same style from this series, but none of them were able to capture the charming essence of the original. And some of them like "Jimmy Neutron" and "Johnny Test" were simply awful.
For me, the series ended with the "Ego Trip" special which gave some kind of satisfying resolution to the rivalry of the main character with his arch nemesis. All the episodes that came after "Ego Trip" were pretty bad, having bad animation and almost none of the fun of the chapters of the first and second season.
Anyway, this was a pretty good cartoon from kids of all ages, and I still remember it fondly, despite the awfulness of its third and fourth season. -
"Dexter's Laboratory" is an odd duck of a cartoon. It's strangely schizophrenic; on the one hand, it's a cartoon about a mad scientist who's full of vainglorious ambition and who goes on zany sci-fi adventures. On the other, it's a cartoon about a little boy and his turbulent relationship with his big sister. The titular hero of the toon, Dexter, is both those characters. He's a brainy kid with a secret lab that his sister, Dee Dee, constantly invades and sometimes damages, not out of meanness, but because she's fascinated by her brother's inventions and wants to "play" with them. She also wants to pal around with her little brother, whom she sometimes teases but also loves. As for Dexter, he finds her invasions annoying and frustrating, yet, if she's not around wreaking playful havoc, he soon goes to pieces and seeks her out for company. The siblings are like two halves of a whole brain; Dexter is the logical left side while Dee Dee is the creative, free-spirited right side. They're an endearing pair, and while the show has a lot of funny moments (including Dexter's and Dee Dee's first experience with coffee, and a snowball fight that their dad takes much more seriously than they do), it's the affection between the brother and sister that sticks with you; that is the REAL chemistry found in Dexter's Lab. All in all, "Dexter's Laboratory" is worth a look, although it's probably best to avoid the special "Ego Trip" (in which Dexter comes off as highly unpleasant) and the revival episodes released in 2000/2001; a new production team and new voice for Dexter were employed for those, and unfortunately as a result the series lost much of its heart and humanity. But the early seasons are golden. If you're in need of a laugh with a touch of heart, it's worth paying "Dexter's Laboratory" a visit.
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a34trgv13 July 2020The first original Cartoon Network animated series, Dexter's Laboratory started off really strong. Created by Genndy Tartakovsky, who would later create revered animated programs such as Samurai Jack, Sym-Bionic Titan and Primal, Dexter's Lab was funny, action packed, had a colorful cast of characters and stellar voice work. Yet despite a strong first impression and even a decent TV movie, Dexter's Lab went from being a good show with some flaws to a bad show with few redeeming qualities.
To start of with what worked about Dexter's Lab in the first 2 series was the sense of variety. It had comedy, action, the occasional romance, and some slice of life thrown in. Among the best episodes of the show were the series pilot, Changes, Dexter Dodgeball, Dexter's Rival, Beard to Be Feared and Mom and Jerry, all of which emphasized the absurdity of the show and excelled in comedy, action and suspense. In addition to that the show brought on 2 segments: The Justice Friends and Dial M for Monkey. Justice Friends is basically the precursor to what Teen Titans Go is now, only it uses parodies of famous Marvel heroes and they trio live in an apartment. Dial M for Monkey, though, is a straight up action show and despite each episode being 7 minutes, every single one of them is dedicated to Monkey saving the world. The main driving force of the show are it's colorful cast of characters. Dexter being the super intelligent genius yet naive when it comes to common sense makes him relatable, likable and entertaining to watch. Contrast that with his older sister, Dee Dee, who's playful nature makes her a pest to Dexter but entertaining to watch for the audience due to her sense of innocence. Their parents, simply referred to as Mom and Dad, are a bit ditzy but well meaning parents who are both entertaining in their own right. Then there's Mandark, Dexter's main adversary; he's a maniacly, cunning, and his infamous cackle makes him the perfect rival for Dexter.
Every now and then during the first 2 seasons, episodes would succumb to rather bad writing that could've been remedied with a simple rewrite. That Crazy Robot, Book 'Em, Labels, Golden Diskette, Techno Turtle, all make the common mistake of making Dee Dee more insufferable to the viewer than she is to Dexter. Meanwhile episodes Dexter Detention, Let's Save The World You Jerk!, Dad Is Disturbed, and Dexter vs. Santa's Claws suffer from forced conflict and would've been better had the story played out as intended with the conflict coming naturally. Dexter vs. Santa's Claws in particular should've been about Dexter battling Santa after being mistakingly given the wrong toy or accidentally be given coal, not Dexter trying to prove he's not real. As bad as these episodes are, they could be forgiven because the notable alumni of the crew, including Craig McCracken, Rob Renzetti and Seth McFarlane (yes the same guy who created Family Guy) would later go on to improve their craft and the series as a whole was still entertaining...until it was picked up for 2 more seasons and it took a nose dive in terms of quality.
The most common problem with Dexter's Lab Seasons 3 and 4 is the writers taking a legitimately good idea and botching it in the execution. You'd think Mind Over Chatter would be about Dexter trying to take his mind off of the location of his secret lab and him trying not to offend his friends with his nastiest thoughts. Nope, instead it's just Dexter being an unintentionally unlikable jerk who has nothing nice to think about anybody and it's a painful 7 minutes to sit through. Copping an Aptitude should've been about Dexter making new friends in college, but instead it's him being an unintentionally unlikable jerk who ruins everybody's studying. It's telling that the only good episodes in either season are The Mock Side of the Moon, A Boy Named Sue, A Mom & Dad Cartoon, Lab on the Run, 2Geniuses 2Gether 4Ever, Dexter's Wacky Races, and Chicken Scratch. That is 7 out of 74 segments. How did this happen? Simple, the showrunner for these seasons (Loud House creator Chris Savino) decided to make the show more gag focused instead of story focused, because comedy is more of his strong suit than storytelling. I respect that sentiment, but I don't agree that it was the right direction for the show. I especially don't agree with making the characters more unlikable and get off Scott free for the sake of a gag. Dee Dee and her father especially succumb to this flanderization as episodes like Beau Tie, Head Band, A Silent Cartoon, Opposites Attract and Faux Chapeau make her the most annoying pest and A Third Dad Cartoon, Dad Man Walking, Tee Party, and Father Knows Least make her father Homer Simpson levels of incompetent. The biggest waste of an opportunity though is with the character of Mandark. In addition to his sister, Lalavava (who only appeared in Dee Dee's Rival) being completely absent, Mandark's real name being Susan and his parents being hippies isn't completely taken advantage of. Mandark has a distinctive reputation to uphold and if his real name is revealed to the world, his reputation would be ruined. Instead it's just treated as a joke in Babe Sitter and that's it. The show also just ends on a mediocre episode, Comedy of Feathers, which finds Dee Dee trying to take an ostrich from the zoo. No grand finale, no proper swan song, no riding into the sunset; just a lame episode of Dee Dee being an annoying pest while Dexter watches hoping to see her get in trouble. She doesn't by the way, she very much get's off Scott free and brings the ostrich home.
Overall Dexter's Lab isn't so much an outright terrible show, but it is unfortunately a bad case of seasonal rot. Despite starting off strong with a memorable cast of characters, clever writing, funny jokes, lively animation and stellar voice acting, it slowly but surely dropped in quality with the characters becoming insufferable, the writing being terrible, the jokes being unfunny and repetitive, the backgrounds looking too simplistic (though they get better in Season 4) and the voice acting ranging from adequate to grating. The best recommendation I can give this show is just stick with the first 2 Seasons, which while flawed, are much better in terms of quality. -
Dexter's Lab is a great cartoon of a boy and his lab and the many spoofs and pitfalls that come onto him. It's best watch when you are a bit old. The spoofs and plotlines made this show a smash. Spoofs include: Star Wars, G.I. Joe, Charlie's Angels (G.I.R.L. Squad!) and heck even Anime (Voltron). A great show for a generation.
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tday7 September 2012When I first tuned in to watch Dexter's Laboratory many years ago, I was expecting the typical, low-rate cartoon that was rampant during the 1990s. Quite the contrary; the show was far more reminiscent of the early days of Hanna Barbera, and at the level of Ren & Stimpy, a top-rated cartoon series at that time. Needless to say, I was very pleasantly surprised.
The show's format is the old Hanna Barbera "3 cartoons per half hour" format; two episodes of the show's main characters sandwiched around a shorter episode of a different character, which changes from show to show. This was also the Rocky & Bullwinkle and Bugs Bunny Show format. I suppose it was a natural one back in the 1950s, as cartoons were frequently 6-8 minutes long and easily fit into a 30 minute time slot (leaving plenty of time for commercials).
The first episode I saw was "Jurassic Pooch" and I laughed out loud at several points. It's quite clever in a old-fashioned cartoon way, but it's also contemporary, so there is something there for kids of all ages. Simply put, it's downright funny, well-written and can appeal to everyone ... a simple theme with a lot of creative and well-timed slapstick humor.
The story centers around never-ending sibling rivalry between an older sister whose goal in life is to annoy her kid brother, Dexter ... a super genius who has an amazing laboratory in the basement of their parents' home filled with the most fantastical things he created and built. His older sister, DeeDee, is just a normal kid, and while he masterminds incredible inventions and conducts intricate experiments (sometimes to do away with DeeDee, or at least, foil her plans or stop her from annoying him), he winds up, more often than not, being outwitted by his average-brained sister.
The Russian accent was a little off-putting in the beginning, mostly because you don't understand why he has one, but you get used to it. I rationalized it might be a throwback to Boris Badinoff, but I found out later on that Genndy Tartakovsky, who is the creator, was born in Russia, and it is based on his experiences as a child with his older brother. When you know this, it's surely understandable. He must have been a huge fan of mid-20th century cartoons because he has many obvious and purposeful visual references to them in almost every show.
Note: Don't miss "Topped Off," about the two siblings' first experience with drinking coffee ... it's the "laugh so hard you cry" kind of funny.
(I know the Seth McFarland character, Stewie, from Family Guy, is based on Dexter ... he's a genius child with equipment like a time machine, and is the only one in his family who has a British accent.)
I would've given it a 9, but the show waned in the later years ... so goes the life expectancy of the average TV series of any kind, but the first 2 seasons are highly recommended. -
DannyD199726 July 2017Ah, yes. Dexter's Laboratory. One of my all time FAVORITE Cartoon Network shows. It's about a boy named Dexter who has a secret lab in his bedroom. This show was made by Genndy Tartakovsky, who is also the creator of Samurai Jack. Seasons 1 and two were by far the best seasons of the show. And we thought that Ego Trip would make a great ending for the series, and even Cartoon Network wanted to end the show with Ego Trip. However, while Samurai Jack went on to create Samurai Jack, Chris Savino, who was the storyboard artist and writer for Dexter's Laboratory, AND also the guy who made the Loud House for Nickelodeon, took over the show. Now, I'm gonna be honest with you, I DON'T hate seasons 3 to 4 of Dexter's Laboratory. Yeah, I know, they are very boring, and have lazy animation, and the writing became stale, but they're nowhere near AS abysmal as Johnny Test. Yes, "A Third Dad Cartoon" IS the worst episode of the series, but NOT ALL of the episodes from seasons 3 to 4 were terrible. They can still shoot out a few entertaining ones here and there. As I said before, my personal favorite episode from the Chris Savino era was "My Dad vs Your Dad". Yeah, the quality is low, and sometimes good ideas can fall flat due to its bland animation, but give Savino credit: at least he's not as bad as Paul Tibbitt for MOST of HIS episodes of SpongeBob. And I honestly do enjoy Candi Milo as Dexter. Not as much as Christine Cavanaugh, but still nice. There was a REASON why Savino took over. Not just because Genndy went on to work on Samurai Jack, but it was also because Christine Cavanaugh, the original voice for Dexter, retired in 2001, and things started getting difficult for Genndy, Chris, and even Cartoon Network keeping the same quality of Dexter's Laboratory without her involved. But I will say this, seasons 1 and 2 are better than seasons 3 to 4. Honestly, I think season 4, while still not as great as seasons 1 and 2, is actually much better than season 3. But I still find seasons 1 and 2, again, a bit more enjoyable. Overall, I love Dexter's Laboratory.