As far as nostalgia goes, for a certain generation, “Dexter’s lab” takes the cake – pineapple upside-down cake, to be exact.
The series details Dexter, a genius boy with an indeterminate accent who uses his secret laboratory to create inconceivable inventions, which are frequently destroyed by his dimwitted sister Dee-Dee. In typical cartoon parenting style, Dexter’s mom and dad have no idea what’s going on behind his closed door, giving him free rein to do whatever he wants, whether he’s Whether it’s building robots or cloning yourself. He feuds with another less capable scientist, Susan “Mandark” Astronomonov, but their relationship doesn’t really go beyond competition in the schoolyard.
The series was another Hanna-Barbera production, following the same style of animation with simple movements and flat backgrounds. Much like “The Powerpuff Girls” and “Johnny Bravo,” the series used bright colors in most scenes, choosing to avoid any contrast or dark shadows. While the premise was fun, it never really showed any desire to build much of an actual plot into the episodes. Still, it’s a fan favorite and one of the main original programs of Cartoon Network’s early years.
