Dexter's Laboratory

Much like the cartoon, the older sibling annoys the younger

Dexter's Laboratory produced by Cartoon Network.

Plot: Dexter is an average, elementary-aged boy with a high grade point average and interest in science. He also has a large, complex laboratory, complete with supercomputers, nuclear chemicals, weapons, and killer robots. His parents remain clueless about the lab. However, his older sister, DeeDee, knows everything about the laboratory, much to her brother's chagrin. Dexter must maintain the lab's secrecy despite his sister's klutz-induced disasters.

Genre: Animation, Television, Comedy

Reading Level: I believe the show was rated TV-Y.

Similar Titles: Powerpuff Girls, Phineas and Ferb

Personal Thoughts: While I was always more of a Powerpuff Girl fan, Dexter's Laboratory set the stage for a new trend in Western animation. Cartoons began to focus on pleasing both children and adults, as some of the jokes in Dexter focus on one demographic or the other without necessarily excluding either. Like Powerpuff Girls, though, some newer viewers may find the older, rougher animation style unattractive. Still, many of the jokes remain relevant and pleasing to modern viewers.