Dexter's Laboratory (TV series)
- This article is about the TV series. For other uses, see Dexter's Laboratory.
| Dexter's Laboratory | |
|---|---|
 Season 2-4's title card. | |
| Created by | Genndy Tartakovsky |
| Network | Cartoon Network |
| Production company | Hanna-Barbera Cartoon Network Studios |
| Distributor | Turner Entertainment Company Warner Bros. Television Distribution |
| Original release | April 27, 1996—November 20, 2003 |
| Run time | 22 minutes |
| Starring | Christine Cavanaugh Candi Milo Allison Moore Kat Cressida Kath Soucie Jeff Bennett Eddie Deezen Frank Welker Rob Paulsen Tom Kenny |
| Executive producer(s) | Larry Huber Sherry Gunther |
| Producer(s) | Debby Hindman Selma Edelman |
| Music composed by | Thomas Chase Steve Rucker Gary Lionelli |
| Writer(s) | Genndy Tartakovsky Jason Butler Rote Zeke Kamm Michael Ryan Seth MacFarlane |
| Director(s) | Genndy Tartakovsky (also voices) Craig McCracken Paul Rudish Rob Renzetti Robert Alvarez John McIntyre Rumen Petkov Chris Savino Don Judge |
| Second title card | |
 Season 1's title card. | |
Dexter's Laboratory, also known as Dexter's Lab, is an American animated sci-fi/fantasy comedy television series created by Genndy Tartakovsky. It was produced by Hanna-Barbera (seasons 1-2) and Cartoon Network Studios (seasons 3-4) for Cartoon Network. It ran from 1996 to 2003, airing 78 episodes that spanned four seasons. A TV movie titled Dexter's Laboratory: Ego Trip aired in 1999.
Underneath his ordinary suburban house, boy genius Dexter lives a secret life in his laboratory, creating new inventions the world has never seen before. However, they all fall prey to his intrusive older sister, Dee Dee, who despite meaning well, acts rather foolish and clumsy.
There are two other segments set within the world of Dexter's Laboratory: Dial M for Monkey, which starred Dexter's superhero pet, Monkey; and The Justice Friends, a trio of superheroes, who after saving the world together, go home under the same apartment roof.
The entire series has been released on DVD.
Production
Development
After being transferred from Columbia College Chicago to the California Institute of Arts in 1990, Genndy Tartakovsky wrote, directed, animated, and produced two student short films; one of them of which was the basis for the television pilot of Dexter's Laboratory.[1][2] The concept of the short originated with one of Tartakovsky's designs at CalArts, where he drew a tall, skinny girl dancing and decided to pair her with a short, blocky scientist who's the opposite. The drawing of these two would become the characters of Dee Dee and Dexter, respectively.[3] It was included in a university screening for the producers of Batman: The Animated Series, who were impressed and hired Tartakovsky.
Later, Tartakovsky joined Hanna-Barbera in the production team of 2 Stupid Dogs. The co-workers on that series—Craig McCracken, Rob Renzetti, Paul Ruddish, and Lou Romano—were classmates of his and went on to collaborate with him on Dexter's Laboratory. While working as a sheet timer on The Critic, Tartakovsky received a phone call from Larry Huber, a producer on 2 Stupid Dogs. Huber had shown Tartakovsky's unfinished student film to the recently-emerging Cartoon Network and wanted Tartakovsky to develop its concept into a seven-minute storyboard. Unhappy with his position on The Critic, Tartakovsky accepted the proposal, and the resulting project was produced as part of Cartoon Network's showcase series, What a Cartoon![4] The pilot, "Dexter's Laboratory," made its debut on February 26, 1995.
Casting
Segments
Music
The music and main/end title themes were composed by Thomas Chase and Steve Rucker. Additional music was provided by Gary Lionelli. The end credits featured lyrics written by Pamela Phillips Oland. Bodie Chandler was the director of music production.
Episodes
| Title | Original air date |
|---|---|
0x01
|
February 26, 1995 |
| 0x02 | March 10, 1996 |
| 0x03 | March 24, 1996 |
| 0x04 | April 14, 1996 |
1x01
|
April 27, 1996 |
1x02
|
May 4, 1996 |
1x03
|
May 11, 1996 |
1x04
|
May 18, 1996 |
1x05
|
May 25, 1996 |
1x06
|
June 1, 1996 |
1x07
|
November 20, 1996 |
1x08
|
November 27, 1996 |
1x09
|
December 4, 1996 |
1x10
|
December 11, 1996 |
1x11
|
December 18, 1996 |
1x12
|
December 25, 1996 |
1x13
|
January 1, 1997 |
| 2x01 | July 16, 1997 |
| 2x02 | July 23, 1997 |
| 2x03 | July 30, 1997 |
| 2x04 | August 6, 1997 |
| 2x05 | August 13, 1997 |
| 2x06 | August 20, 1997 |
2x07
|
August 27, 1997 |
| 2x08 | September 3, 1997 |
| 2x09 | September 10, 1997 |
| 2x10 | September 17, 1997 |
| 2x11 | September 24, 1997 |
2x12
|
October 1, 1997 |
| 2x13 | October 8, 1997 |
| 2x14 | October 15, 1997 |
| 2x15 | October 22, 1997 |
| 2x16 | October 29, 1997 |
| 2x17 | November 5, 1997 |
| 2x18 | November 12, 1997 |
| 2x19 | November 19, 1997 |
2x20
|
November 26, 1997 |
| 2x21 | December 3, 1997 |
| 2x22 | December 10, 1997 |
| 2x23 | December 17, 1997 |
| 2x24 | January 28, 1998 |
| 2x25 | February 4, 1998 |
| 2x26 | February 11, 1998 |
| 2x27 | February 18, 1998 |
| 2x28 | February 25, 1998 |
| 2x29 | March 4, 1998 |
| 2x30 | March 11, 1998 |
| 2x31 | March 18, 1998 |
| 2x32 | March 25, 1998 |
| 2x33 | April 1, 1998 |
| 2x34 | April 8, 1998 |
| 2x35 | April 15, 1998 |
| 2x36 | April 22, 1998 |
2x37
|
April 29, 1998 |
2x38
|
May 13, 1998 |
| 2x39 | June 15, 1998 |
| 3x01 | November 18, 2001 |
| 3x02 | November 18, 2001 |
| 3x03 | November 30, 2001 |
| 3x04 | January 18, 2002 |
| 3x05 | February 22, 2002 |
| 3x06 | March 29, 2002 |
| 3x07 | June 7, 2002 |
| 3x08 | June 14, 2002 |
| 3x09 | June 21, 2002 |
| 3x10 | June 28, 2002 |
| 3x11 | July 5, 2002 |
| 3x12 | July 12, 2002 |
3x13
|
September 20, 2002 |
4x01
|
November 22, 2002 |
| 4x02 | April 25, 2003 |
| 4x03 | May 2, 2003 |
| 4x04 | May 9, 2003 |
| 4x05 | May 16, 2003 |
| 4x06 | May 23, 2003 |
| 4x07 | May 30, 2003 |
| 4x08 | September 5, 2003 |
| 4x09 | September 12, 2003 |
| 4x10 | September 19, 2003 |
| 4x11 | September 26, 2003 |
| 4x12 | November 4, 2003 |
| 4x13 | November 20, 2003 |
There was also the never-aired episode, "Rude Removal," which was produced during season two. It eventually was uploaded to YouTube by Adult Swim on January 22, 2013.
Cast
- Christine Cavanaugh (seasons 1-3) and Candi Milo (seasons 3-4) as Dexter
- Allison Moore (seasons 1 and 3) and Kat Cressida (seasons 2 and 4) as Dee Dee
- Kath Soucie as Mom, Computer and Agent Honeydew
- Jeff Bennett as Dad
- Eddie Deezen as Mandark
- Frank Welker as Monkey and Krunk
- Rob Paulsen as Major Glory
- Tom Kenny as Van Halen
Celebrity guests
In popular culture
Gilmore Girls
- "Haunted Leg" and "One's Got Class and the Other One Dyes:" Lorelai and Rory have a box of Kellogg's Rice Krispies with Johnny, the Powerpuff Girls, and Dexter on them.
- "Application Anxiety:" Lorelai says Rory should send Harvard their photo of them with their faces sticking out of cardboard holes of Johnny Bravo and SpongeBob SquarePants.
Merchandise
Home media
Reading material
Toys
References
- ^ People Staff (March 3, 1997). "In Toon with Tots". People. Archived from the original on November 28, 2018. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
- ^ "Animator Profile: Genndy Tartakovsky". CartoonNetwork.com. Archived from the original on June 19, 2009. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
- ^ Davenport, Misha (November 24, 2002). "'Dexter' Creator Draws on His Youth". Chicago Sun-Times. Wrapports. Archived from the original on December 1, 2002. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
- ^ Neuwirth, Allan (2007). "From Russia, with Glove: Genndy Tartakovsky's Dexter's Lab Explodes". Makin' Toons: Inside the Most Popular Animated TV Shows and Movies. New York City: Skyhorse Publishing. ISBN 978-1-62153-197-5.
