Dexter's Laboratory

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Cartoon Network (ended 2003)

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Dexter's Laboratory
8.6
out of 10
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1,765 votes
157

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Show Summary

Dexter's Laboratory is the story of a young boy prodigy. Born with an extraordinary mind, Dexter has built his very own extremely high-tech and expansive laboratory in his room that NASA could only dream of. But Dexter has to keep his lab a secret for fear others will exploit it. Through out the years, Dexter has had to hide his lab from his parents and others but it is no easy task. All Dexter wants is to spend all the time he can inventing new things in his lab, but between his stupid and annoying older sister Dee Dee constantly barging into his lab and tearing up the place and his arch enemy and rival genius Mandark constantly tiring to take over his lab, Dexter's life is anything but easy. Dexter's Laboratory was originally premiered on Cartoon Network as part of the inaugural, Space Ghost hosted, "World Premiere Toons" before becoming a feature with two full shorts on the regular series, a.k.a. the What a Cartoon Show, it eventually became a series itself. Characters: Dexter - Dexter is the big guy here to spite his short size. Dexter's IQ is enough to rival his role model, Albert Einstein. Dexter is an impressionable little boy who loves action. He is always looking for a fight in his giant Robo-Dexter or against his rival, Mandark and when he isn't doing that or working in his lab, he is playing with his action figures or watching TV. You would be hard pressed to see Dexter outside unless he is doing some sort of experiment or fighting some sort of evil. But other than all that, Dexter spends all his time in his lab. Dexter is constantly working on something new and building on to the lab. So much in fact that he has some inventions he can't even remember making and there are parts of the lab he doesn't know anything about. Naturally, Dexter is the head of his class much to the dismay of his fellow students. Dexter is pretty much devoid of friends but he isn't really bothered by it. As long as he can work in his lab, Dexter lives on. Dee Dee - Dexter's older sister is a very happy and delightful girl. Being taller and older than Dexter gives her a sisterly edge. Dee Dee is one of the few who knows about Dexter's lab as she stumbled upon in when the both were younger. But Dexter does not need to worry about her spilling the secret as no one would believe her even if she did. Dee Dee lives in her own little world complete with unicorns, imaginary dragons, and talking ponies. Her room is a pink nightmare of stuffed animals and dolls that Dexter must avoid at all costs. So naturally, no one really takes her seriously. She is a dancer and a singer but insists on practicing in the lab and wreaking the place in the process. She also has some athletic skill in most sports. But behind it all, Dee Dee is actually a very caring sister who does truly love her little brother. Mom - Mom is a happy home maker who can't stand filth in any form. You will be hard pressed not to find her wearing her yellow gloves. She, like Dexter, wears them everywhere. Mom always has dinner on the table by the time Dad gets home and is always willing for a bit of "playing around" with her husband at anytime. She gets the kids on the bus in the morning and off in the evening. Just your standard work at home Mom who sits on the brink of insanity at times. Dexter seems to take after her with her hard work ethic and inability to stop once she starts. She works in the kitchen much like Dexter works in the lab and hates it when Dad drops in to bother her. Dad - Dad is the typical working man. He leaves in the morning for work and comes home in the evening for dinner. He loves sports and working with his tools. He is a handy man and handles most of the hard work around the house. He likes to mess around with his family, especially Dexter. He enjoys annoying his wife in the kitchen and giving her a playful little pinch in the butt. His constant attempts to get Dexter out of his room and into a uniform of some sort usually are forfeit. He is an outdoors man as well. He loves to fish and camp. Dad is a very laid-back guy. Dee Dee seems to take after Dad with his sports skill, his love of the outside, and his thrive at being annoying. Mandark - Mandark is Dexter's rival and he is totally evil. Mandark is on the same intellectual level as Dexter and has proved it many times. He also has his own lab in his room though it doesn't seem to be a secret as Dexter's. Mandark's lab is bigger and better than Dexter's and he never misses a chance to reminded Dexter of that fact. Mandark's #1 ambition is to shut down Dexter's lab thus making him the only genius around. Mandark is always looking for a way to outdo Dexter in anyway possible. Mandark also has a major crush on Dee Dee which is a point that Dexter exploits all the time. His parents are actually peace loving and hippies in a sense. He repents his parent's ways, but still is forced by them to do peaceful rituals when the time comes. Annie Awards: 1997 - Nominated, Best Individual Achievement: Voice Acting by a Female Performer in a TV Production - Christine Cavanaugh as Dexter. 1997 - Nominated, Best Individual Achievement: Producing in a TV Production - Genndy Tartakovsky. For episode "Hamhocks and Armlocks." 1997 - Nominated, Best Individual Achievement: Music in a TV Production - Steve Rucker and Thomas Chase. 1997 - Nominated, Best Animated TV Program. 1997 - Won! Best Individual Achievement: Writing in a TV Production - Paul Rudish and Jason Butler Rote. For episode, "Beard to be Feared." 1998 - Nominated, Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Female Performer in an Animated Television Production - Christine Cavanaugh as Dexter. 1998 - Nominated, Outstanding Individual Achievement for Music in an Animated Television Production - Thomas Chase, Steve Rucker and David Smith. For episode, "LAB-retto." 1998 - Nominated, Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Primetime or Late Night Television Program. 2000 - Nominated, Outstanding Achievement in a Primetime or Late Night Animated Television Program. 2000 - Won! Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Female Performer in an Animated Television Production - Christine Cavanaugh as Dexter. For episode, "Ego Trip." Emmy Awards: 1995 - Nominated, Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming One Hour or Less) For episode, "Changes." 1996 - Nominated, Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming One Hour or Less) For episode, "The Big Sister." 1997 - Nominated, Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming One Hour or Less) For episode, "Star Spangled Sidekicks" / "TV Super Pals" / "Game Over." 1998 - Nominated, Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming One Hour or Less) For episode, "Dyno-Might" / "LAB-retto." Ending Theme tune: Into at your own peril, past the volted door where impossible things may happen that the world's never seen before In Dexter's Laboratooooryyyyy.... lives the smartest boy you ever seeeeeeen... But Dee Dee blows his experiments to smithereeeennnsss.. there is doom and gloom while things go booooom... in Dexter's Laaaaaaab...moreless
Christine Cavanaugh

Christine Cavanaugh

Dexter (Seasons 1 and 2)

Kath Soucie

Kath Soucie

Mom/Dexter's Computer

Jeff Bennett

Jeff Bennett

Dad

Allison Moore

Allison Moore

DeeDee (Seasons 1 and 3)

Kat Cressida

Kat Cressida

DeeDee (Seasons 2 and 4)

Candi Milo

Candi Milo

Dexter (Seasons 3 and 4)

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Fan Reviews (157)

SUBMIT REVIEW
  • My All-Time Favorite Cartoon Cartoon Classic

    10
    Dexter is a boy genius who has a secret laboratory by activating the button on a bookshelf with his sister Dee Dee and the evil Mandark.
  • Only have 7 words to say!

    10
    I only have 7 words to say: DEEDEE, GET OUT OF MY LABORATORY!
  • A CN Classic! :)

    10
    In 1995, Cartoon Network made a animation showcase called "What-a-Cartoon!" Dexter's Laboratory was one of the shorts from there The first episode was called "Dexter's Laboratory" but then when the show premired they changed it to "Changes". That short was awesome and funny. In 1996, the short became a TV Series and was one of Cartoon Networks first original show. This show is about a boy genius named Dexter who has a secret laboratory in his room filled with inventions and equipment. He has a sister who is a pest to Dexter named Dee-Dee. Dee-Dee is Dexter's curious sister who destroys his lab. So Dexter always tells her to get out sometimes she does, sometimes she doesn't. Dexter has a mom and dad. Dexter's parents haven't revealed there real names leaving us curious about it. Dexter's Mom is a mom that always cleans up, and she has Rupophobia (fear of dirt), sometimes she can be nice, but at times she can be hardcore. Dexter's Dad is a dad that is like any other ordinary dad is he's voice by the voice actor who does Johny Bravo (Jeff Bennett). Dexter has an arch-nemesis named Mandark who also has a secret laboratory Mandark has evil equipment and stuff in his lab. Mandark's catchphrase is his laugh (HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA). He also has a crush on Dee-Dee.

    Dexter had 2 segments one is "The Justice Friends" is about 3 superheros that are knockoffs of Marvel Heroes. And The Segment was SUPER FUNNY!!!And "Dial M for Monkey" which is about Dexter's lab monkey who turns into a supermonkey who saves the day from evil villain. Dexter was one of Cartoon Networks classics from the '90s. The show was suspose to end in 1998 with the final called "Last But Not Beast" when Dexter and an Japanese kid switch places, Dexter wakes the monster that lives in a volcano and is destroying the city.

    There was a TV movie of Dexter's Laboratory called "Ego Trip" was the final project of Dexter's Laboratory. I liked the movie it was very interesting.

    Until in 2001 Chris Savino (director, producer on Kick Buttowski) brought the series back and made Season 4 which was the last season of Dexter's Laboratory. Season 4 was good.

    So here are my thoughts on "Dexter's Laboratory". "Dexter's Laboratory" is one my #1 favorite show on Cartoon Network.

    Characters 5/5

    Plots 4.5/5

    Voice Acting 5/5

    You can stay tuned to reruns on "Boomerang" or "Cartoon Planet"moreless
  • The ultimately greatest show ever. Genndy Tartakovsky, you are the bestest one who created that tv show.

    10
    This show is really the best on seasons 1-2, just because the graphics look extremely great in Babysitter Blues, Way of the Dee Dee, Tribe Called Girl, and Inflata Dee Dee. Season 2 is my personal favorite from Dexter's Lab because i am the fan of Kat Cressida, Kimberly Brooks, and Kath Soucie. Dee Dee, Mee Mee, Lee Lee, and Dee Dee's mom are my all time favorite characters just because they're awesome. For my special review on this: i shall nominate Kat Cressida, Kimberly Brooks, and Kath Soucie for the academy awards for the best actresses they've been, along with Eddie Deezen, Allison Moore, and a whole bunch other actors for their hard work of voice acting "today". I occasionaly watch seasons 3-4 because i am not used to Chris Savino episodes unlike seasons 1-2 episodes. I'll even nominate the people a great and good award who done the graphics for the bestest graphic design ever. The plot of this show is the best in the world. Watch this tv show for all of your heart's content. And one more nomination for the people who did the music score for the best music score ever. Cartoon Network, this is my extremely special review for Christine Cavanaugh, Allison Moore, Jeff Bennett, Frank Welker, Tom Kenny, Rob Paulsen, Eddie Deezen, Kat Cressida, Kimberly Brooks, and Kath Soucie who have done their great work on this super great tv show. And people, i hope you'll love my special review.

    moreless
  • A great show that unfortunately went downhill.

    8.0
    Dexter's Laboratory was a really great Cartoon Cartoon. The story behind it was pretty good. A boy genius, Dexter, invents things in his laboratory, while trying to prevent his (In his mind) "stuuupid" sister Dee Dee from destroying it. He also tries to outbest his rival, Mandark in everything thats science. There were also some pretty cool side stories involving superheroes. Like The Justice Friends (An obvious parody of the Avengers) and Dexter's pet monkey, well, Monkey.



    The show was amazing. It had a lot of funny parts in it, and there was plenty of action in more than a few episodes. It also ended on a good note with the movie Ego Trip. Or so I thought. When the 2000s came around Cartoon Network decided to bring the show back. Turns out, it wasn't such a good idea.



    Who were the people who decided to make those last two seasons? A whole new creative company apparently. They changed the animation and they got a new team of writers, who completely messed up the show. They changed so many things that made the first two seasons good. The biggest thing they screwed up on was they changed how Dexter and Mandark met. The only episode that was really good was the "Wacky Races" episode. Apart from that, Dexter's Lab got pretty stupid.



    But even though the new series wasn't that good. The old series was a really good show. Dexter's Laboratory was one of Cartoon Network's best shows, and it deserves to be remembered for the first two seasons.moreless
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    Themes

    cool gadgets, genius inventor, keeping secrets, kids hijinks, mad scientists