Dexter's Laboratory | |
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The series' title card from season 2 onwards. In season 1, the show's title was written in yellow capital letters.
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Genre | |
Created by | Genndy Tartakovsky |
Written by |
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Directed by |
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Voices of |
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Theme music composer | Thomas Chase and Steve Rucker (main series) Gary Lionelli (Dial M and The Justice Friends) |
Opening theme | "Dexter's Laboratory" (main title) |
Ending theme | "Dexter's Laboratory" (end title), performed by Agostino Castagnola |
Composer(s) | Thomas Chase and Steve Rucker (main series) Gary Lionelli (Dial M and The Justice Friends) |
Country of origin | United States |
No. of seasons | 4 |
No. of episodes | 78 (221 segments) (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) |
Larry Huber (1996–97) Buzz Potamkin (1996–97) Sherry Gunther (1997–99) Genndy Tartakovsky (2001–03) |
Producer(s) | Genndy Tartakovsky Chris Savino (2001–03) Davis Doi (supervising producer, 1997-2002) |
Running time | 22 minutes |
Production company(s) |
Cartoon Network Studios (1996-1997; 2001–03) Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, inc. (1997–99) |
Distributor | Warner Bros. Television Distribution |
Release | |
Original network | Cartoon Network |
Picture format | 480i (4:3 SDTV) |
Audio format |
Dolby Surround (1996–99) Dolby Digital 5.1 (2001–03) |
Original release |
Original series: April 28, 1996 – December 10, 1999 Revival series: November 16, 2001 – November 20, 2003 |
Chronology | |
Related shows | What a Cartoon! |
External links | |
Website | web |
Dexter's Laboratory (commonly abbreviated as Dexter's Lab) is an American comic science fiction animated television series created by Genndy Tartakovsky for Cartoon Network, and the first of the network's Cartoon Cartoons. The series follows Dexter, a boy-genius and inventor with a secret laboratory in the basement of his house, who constantly battles his sister Dee Dee in an attempt to keep her out of the lab. He also engages in a bitter rivalry with his neighbor and fellow-genius Mandark. The first two seasons contained additional segments: Dial M for Monkey, which focuses on Dexter's pet lab-monkey/superhero, and The Justice Friends, about a trio of superheroes who share an apartment.
Tartakovsky pitched the series to Fred Seibert's first animated shorts showcase What a Cartoon! at Hanna-Barbera, basing it on student films he produced while attending the California Institute of the Arts. Three pilots aired on Cartoon Network from 1995 to 1996; viewer approval ratings convinced the network to order a half-hour series, which ran for two initial seasons from 1996 to 1998. In 1999, a television movie titled Ego Trip aired as the intended series finale, and Tartakovsky left to begin work on his new series, Samurai Jack. However, from 2001 to 2003, Cartoon Network revived the series for two more seasons, under Chris Savino and a different production team at Cartoon Network Studios.
Dexter's Laboratory received widespread critical acclaim and high ratings, and became one of Cartoon Network's most popular and successful original series. During its run, the series won three Annie Awards, with nominations for four Primetime Emmy Awards, four Golden Reel Awards, and nine additional Annie Awards. The series is notable for helping launch the careers of several cartoonists, such as Craig McCracken, Seth MacFarlane, Butch Hartman, and Rob Renzetti. Spin-off media include comic books, DVD and VHS releases, music albums, collectible toys, and video games.