Dexter’s Laboratory was one of the most beloved Cartoon Network series of the late 1990s. Created by Genndy Tartakovsky, this comedic science-fiction series was the highest-rated cartoon series for years, even receiving a special mention for Best Script at the Cartoons on the Bay Animation Festival in 1997. This show was a goldmine among many other popular Cartoon Network shows, such as The Powerpuff Girls, The Tom and Jerry Show, and Teen Titans.
To commemorate the legacy of this nostalgic cartoon series, here are some of the best episodes of Dexter’s Laboratory, ranked:
8 Decode of Honor (Season 2, Episode 15a)
Warner Bros. Television Distribution
First up is the iconic episode that puts a spin on the phrase “Code of Honor.” Exhibiting a heist-like high stakes situation, the episode pays homage to films like the A-Team. Dexter and Dee Dee get their Action Hank and Pony Puff Princess Decoder ring tasks switched, in what becomes a hilarious journey to complete odd tasks for club membership. While Dexter is forced to wear ballerina tattoos and pick flowers, Dee Dee is tasked with wearing camouflage and getting a tattoo.
7 World’s Greatest Mom (Season 2, Episode 15b)
The second part of the Decode of Honor saga, this episode takes Dexter’s challenges to new heights in homage to superheroes/mutants in pop culture. In a great act of subversion, the person with the powers isn’t Dexter, or even Dee Dee; it’s Mom! Mom is accidentally hit with a ray of energy from the lab. Despite her not noticing anything out of the ordinary, she starts to exhibit symptoms of superpowers, acting like a superhero out on her daily crime-fighting spree. When the superpowers start to get out of hand, Dexter has to step in to bring his mom back to normal.
6 Dexter’s Rival (Season 1, Episode 3a)
This episode exists in a world of its own due to the introduction of Dexter’s longtime iconic rival, Mandark (Eddie Deezen). A precocious young boy matched in intelligence and ambition to Dexter, Mandark is the perfect foil for the often-arrogant Dexter, and this episode serves as the perfect introduction to him.
Dexter has a difficult time starting a new year of school when everyone starts cherishing new kid Mandark instead of him. Finding the new guy to be superior to him in every way, Dexter is faced with two choices: become Mandark’s minion, or shut down his own lab forever. Unbeknownst to Dexter, Mandark does have a weakness, his secret crush on Dee Dee.
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5 Golden Diskette (Season 2, Episode 8b)
This episode pays homage to the classic children’s books by Road Dahl, in particular, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. With a twist on the golden ticket in the form of a golden diskette, this episode takes the chaos outside of Dexter’s laboratory and into Professor Hawk’s factory instead.
With the whole city clamoring to get their hands on Professor Hawk’s floppy disks, Dee Dee comes across the treasured golden diskette, which earns her a VIP tour to Professor Hawk’s factory. Dexter tags along to ensure that Dee Dee doesn’t cause any trouble, but things are bound to go haywire whenever she is around.
4 LABretto (Season 2, Episode 38b)
With a clever twist on the words “lab” and “libretto,” the text for an opera, this episode’s title tells the audience everything they need to know about what’s to come. In a stellar first for the show, Dexter’s Laboratory dedicated an entire episode to a musical opera, featuring wonderful music and stunning vocal performances from the cast.
The lab’s history is revealed in this dramatic musical opera, from the birth of Dexter, to the day he inaugurates his greatest achievement. Along for the ride are Dee Dee and Dexter’s parents, as conflicts arise in the form of sibling rivalry and the urge to uphold the expectations set on oneself.
3 Trapped With a Vengeance (Season 2, Episode 36b)
Things get vengeful in this episode and Dexter isn’t quite ready for it. In a comedic homage to the 1995 film Die Hard with a Vengeance, Dexter channels his inner Bruce Willis and goes all out in this action-packed journey within the school halls.
Yani, the janitor at Dexter’s elementary school, has grown sick and tired of cleaning up after Dexter’s shenanigans. Armed with a streak for revenge, he plots an elaborate scheme to make Dexter pay for all the times that Yani had to spend overnight in the school. Things soon get heated up, with sentient computers and family members getting involved in the chaos.
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2 The Muffin King (Season 2, Episode 18b)
This family-oriented episode references the Muffin Man nursery rhyme in its title, as things get chaotic within Dexter’s family, revealing important details from his parents’ past. Featuring iconic dialogues from Star Wars, to fantastical cupcakes singing the Muffin Man rhyme, this action-packed episode is as sweet as a muffin at heart.
Mom makes her best muffins, assigning Dexter and Dee Dee with the task of keeping Dad away from them. Unbeknownst to the kids, their Dad has an entire arsenal of tricks up his sleeve. He will stop at nothing to get his hands on the delicious muffins, even if it means striking a deal with a mischievous squirrel.
1 Last But Not Beast (Season 2, Episode 39)
With the episode title being a direct reference to the phrase “Last but not the least,” Genndy Tartakovsky intended for this episode to be the epic grand finale of the Dexter’s Laboratory saga. Although that didn’t end up being the case, this episode stands the test of time as the highest-rated episode of the show.
Dexter and friends take on Japan in this tumultuous episode, where he accidentally unleashes a giant ax monster called Badaxtra upon the city. Dexter then has to enlist the help of allies and foes from episodes past to unite and defeat this monster once and for all.
