Dexter's Laboratory
Series, 1996, Cartoon Cartoons, Set in A secret lab
Dexter's Laboratory is #1 of 18 in release order and #1 of 18 in chronological order in the Cartoon Network Classics.
The story
Dexter, a boy-genius with a secret laboratory, constantly battles his sister Dee Dee, who always gains access despite his best efforts to keep her out, as well as his arch-rival and neighbor, Mandark.
Dexter's Laboratory recap
Dexter is a boy genius with a thick accent who has built an enormous secret laboratory behind a bookcase in his bedroom. His parents never notice it, but his older sister Dee Dee, a tall, cheerful ballet lover, gets in every time and wrecks whatever he is working on with one push of a button. His rival is Mandark, a cackling genius from his school who wants to destroy the lab and has a crush on Dee Dee. Most episodes are short, self-contained clashes between Dexter's plans and Dee Dee's chaos. The first two seasons, 1996 to 1998, also include segments about Dexter's lab monkey, secretly the superhero Monkey, and the Justice Friends, superheroes sharing an apartment. The series is meant to end in 1998, but the TV movie Ego Trip (1999), in which Dexter travels through time to meet his future selves, leads into a revival from 2001 to 2003 with a new team, a new look and a new voice for Dexter.
Dexter's Laboratory ending explained
The final episode is "Comedy of Feathers" in November 2003, in which Dexter has to take Dee Dee to the zoo and she tries to rescue an ostrich, with disastrous results. It is an ordinary episode rather than a planned conclusion. The original intended finale is "Last But Not Beast" (1998), where Dexter accidentally frees a giant monster in Japan and has to team up with his family, Monkey and the Justice Friends to stop it.
Where to watch Dexter's Laboratory
Dexter's Laboratory is streaming on Tubi in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 7.8/10
Where it fits
- Release order: first, before Johnny Bravo.
- Chronological order: first, before Johnny Bravo.
Cast
- Jeff Bennett as Dad (voice)
- Kath Soucie as Mom (voice)
- Christine Cavanaugh as Dexter (voice)
- Kat Cressida as Dee Dee (voice)
- Candi Milo as Elsie / Granny / Crow (voice)
- Allison Moore as Dee Dee (voice)
- Tom Kenny as Lucky / Pirate Kid (voice)
- Frank Welker as Mr. Luzinsky (voice)
- Rob Paulsen as Gold Fish / Wolf / Mice (voice)
- Eddie Deezen as Mandark / Momdark (voice)
- Kimberly Brooks as Gwen / Bus Driver (voice)
- Dee Bradley Baker as Man #2 / Billy (voice)
Created by Genndy Tartakovsky.