Dexter’s Laboratory Season 2 (1997)
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Dexter’s Laboratory Season 2 Review
The second season of Dexter’s Laboratory is not as strong as the first season, but it still came pretty close. It has its clunkers, but most episodes are winners.
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“The sewers. That’s where all the less significant pets go to when they die“
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This is by far the longest season in the history of the show with a high number of 39 episodes so this review is going to be a bit longer. Here we go. Beard to be Feared is quite fun and playing on Dexter’s insecurities so well, but Quackor the Fowl is disappointing having in mind it’s a Mandark segment. Ant Pants is interesting in concept.
Mom and Jerry succeeds as a fine cartoon parody, but Chubby Cheese is forgettable. That Crazy Robot is also pleasantly cartoony in the best way possible. D & DD makes use of Dee Dee’s unconventional gaming style to an amusing effect, but Hamhocks and Armlocks is a true gem focusing on their weakling father having to fight a guy. Hunger Strikes is actually ingenious and hilarious at first, but the later Hulk part disappointed me as it was not as funny. The Koos is Loose is interesting, but not too successful.
Morning Stretch is another classic where Dexter time travels so he can get to school. So superbly executed in action and tightly paced. Dee Dee Locks and the Ness Monster is another one of those Dee Dee’s imagination segments which works, but isn’t too remarkable. Backfire is pretty funny in its cartoony nature and a great emphasis on Dee Dee once again.
Book ‘Em is somewhat forgettable as is Sister’s Got a Brand New Bag. Shoo, Shoe Gnomes is fun, but again not great, but Lab of the Lost is successful in its very inventive and intriguing storyline. Labels and Game Show are both quite amusing, authentic and funny and Fantastic Boyage is a great Dexter focused adventurous episode.
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Fillet of Soul is so funny and actually rather spooky and dark for this show. The line about less important pets cracked me up as it was so true. Golden Diskette is okay, but honestly not memorable. Snowdown is a wonderful parents’ storyline which showcases just how goofy and overly competitive these two are.
Figure Not Included focuses on action figures so I was bored, Mock 5 is simply entirely forgettable and Ewww That’s Growth is not the most memorable invention story here. Nuclear Confusion is too global scale for my taste, but Germ Warfare amusingly focuses on Dexter’s germ phobia. A Hard Day’s Day is way too ridiculous in its plot, Road Dash is a good sibling competition episode and Ocean Commotion is too fantastical for the show.
The Bus Boy is forgettable and Things That Go Bonk in the Night is unappealing. O’l McDexter, however, features a killer concept well explored. Sassy Come Home could have been better and the same goes for Photo Finish whereas Star Check Unconventional is too pop culture influenced.
Dexter Is Dirty is solid if far from great, Ice Cream Scream is delightfully cartoony and Decode of Honor is another superhero-like segment that’s not my thing. World’s Greatest Mom is quite a lot of fun and very comedic, Ultrajerk 2000 is amusing in its tech and Techno Turtle is not the most memorable tech segment. Surprise! is great in concept and Got Your Goat is an amusing South American show.
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Dee Dee Be Deep just goes to show how annoying Dee Dee can really be in a funny fashion, 911 is another boring action segment and Down in the Dumps is a rather interesting adventure installment. Unfortunate Cookie is a fun siblings bickering segment and The Muffin King is one of the very best of this season. It showcases dad’s obsession with muffins to such a hilariously cartoony, goofy manner in the best way possible – in the fun style of the show. Picture Day is also very funny in its situational comedy.
Now That’s a Stretch is a forgettable experiment episode, Don’t Be a Baby is too silly and Peltra is annoying. These three segments thus make this entire episode pretty weak. G.I.R.L. Squad is a fun emphasis on Dee Dee and her friends, Sports a Poppin’ is an important, relatable father/son story and Koosalagoopagoop is not the most accomplished imaginary land story.
Project Dee Dee is amazing! It’s such a phenomenal, funny and classic showcase of his dependence on Dee Dee and I just loved its every moment. Topped Off is another very funny look at adulthood (dependence on coffee this time around) and Dee Dee’s Tail is too girly of a story. No Power Trip is a solid lab installment, if not great.
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Sister Mom is such a phenomenal Dee Dee/Dexter episode with some hilarious interactions between the two and great situational comedy. The Laughing is goofy and fun whereas Dexter’s Lab: A Story finds Dexter having a dog for once with expectedly humorous results. Coupon for Craziness is one of those episodes where the protagonist sees how valuable his family really is and it’s pretty good. Better Off Wet is a good showcase on Dexter’s weakling nature.
Critical Gas is interesting and important in some plot points, Let’s Save the World You Jerk! is a great rivalry episode with Mandark and of course Average Joe is great for showing how grading is important to him. Rushmore Rumble is an amusing, comedic portrayal of the calm nature of Lincoln and Washington, A Boy and His Pet Bug is definitely a lot of fun and You Vegetabelieve It is too cartoony.
Aye Aye Eyes sees Dexter being followed by a creepy girl in such an atmospheric, delightfully authentic episode. Dee Dee and the Man is great just in the first scene alone where she fires her by making this amazing, hilarious speech. These two greats make this episode truly fantastic. But even though Old Flame is amusing, Don’t Be a Hero and My Favorite Martian significantly bring this episode down in quality.
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Paper Route Bout is forgettable, The Old Switcharooms is a lot of fun and Trick or Treehouse is absolutely hilarious in showing Dexter’s incredibly curious nature. Quiet Riot is a classic, archetypal show’s story where he is constantly interrupted by his sister, Accent You Hate finds Dexter having a bully who hates kids with different accents and it’s naturally a great, original episode and a fantastic joke on the entire show while Catch of the Day is disappointing when compared to the previous two segments.
Dad is Disturbed is an amusing showcase on the father’s obsession with sports and a silly one at that. Framed is such a funny look at fads and That’s Using Your Heads is too silly in its SF elements. DiM is forgettable, Just an Old-Fashioned Lab Song is an amusing, different episode for the show which focuses on music and Repairanoid is mostly disappointing.
Scdrawkcab is forgettable, The Continuum of Cartoon Fools is quite interestingly plotted and Sun, Surf and Science is goofy, but fun. Big Bots is unappealing, Gooey Aliens That Control Your Mind is another dull alien installment and Misplaced in Space is solid, but underutilized. Dee Dee’s Rival is fine, Pslyghtly Psycho is too stereotypical and Game for a Game is a very entertaining game segment.
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Blackfoot and Slim is a different experiment that mostly works, Trapped with a Vengeance is also quite interesting and The Parrot Trap is quite funny and with a great ending. Dexter and Computress Get Mandark! is originally plotted and a lot of fun, Pain in the Mouth is mediocre and Dexter vs. Santa’s Claws is actually pretty good. Dyno-Might is annoyingly detourish, LABretto is a unique opera-like retelling of family’s history and Last But Not Least is a solid, but far from great finale.
Overall, I liked this season quite a bit. Some episodes definitely felt like annoying, pointless detours and some storylines just didn’t work, but more often than not, the season was wonderful with a high number of truly classic, hilarious and even inventive segments. It is an overlong, but consistently entertaining season.
Worst Episodes: Don’t Be a Baby; Peltra; G.I.R.L Squad and Dexter and Computress Get Mandark!; Pain in the Mouth.
Best Episodes: Critical Gas; Let’s Save the World You Jerk!; Average Joe and Aye Aye Eyes; Dee Dee and the Man.
