Genius can truly be in the eye of the beholder. But, grab any Milennial and ask them about a smart guy from the world of animation and they’re bound to bring up Dexter’s Laboratory at some point. Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment and Cartoon Network Studios are releasing Dexter’s Laboratory: The Complete Series on DVD for the first time on June 25. That means nostalgic fans and younger viewers can revisit all 78 episodes of the classic series with physical copies. (Dexter’s Laboratory is available on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, Apple TV, Vudu and more right now too.)
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But, for some fans, they’re going to want the peace of mind and cool packaging that comes with the Complete Series. In this collection, longtime fans can also celebrate the arrival of Dexter’s Laboratory: Ego Trip as well. That animated feature holds the distinction of being Cartoon Network’s first original TV movie. So, there’s a bit of animated incentive as well. Dexter’s Laboratory: The Complete Series retails for $69.99 in the United States and Canada.
It’s been over 30 years since Cartoon Network stepped into the public consciousness. And along with the Powerpuff Girls and Courage the Cowardly Dog, Dexter is something of a mascot for those early days. Over the course of 12 DVDs, viewers can chart Dexter’s journey from 1996-2003. Animation fans consider Genndy Tartakovsky one of our most talented creators still doing it and seeing his earlier work collected in-full here will lure a lot of viewers in. Cartoon Network has also put the spotlight on these older programs with the Checkered Past programming block which might have birthed some new fans too. So, there’s plenty to sift through with this collection.
What Is Dexter’s Laboratory About?
Here’s what Cartoon Network Studios has to say about the show: “Dexter’s Laboratory is about half-Einstein, half-third grader, Dexter. This boy genius creates the most amazing inventions in the top secret and highly advanced laboratory attached to his room. But his genius can’t stop his space-brained sister Dee Dee from messing up and his work and pushing his buttons. Or his annoying rival Mandark from constantly trying to one-up him. Can Dexter use his intelligence to solve his problems? Time to fight fire with…SCIENCE!”
Is This Collection Worth It?
The question of a lengthy Complete Series DVD release remains the same in this era. Does the cost outweight the peace of mind that comes with owning your favorite shows. In these streaming-dominated times, fans of all types of art have begun flocking back to analog objects to solidify their obsession. (As one pithy person on the Internet put it, you can’t really physically show off your Apple Music or Tidal collection the way you get to display vinyl.) If you’re a Cartoon Network devotee, this critic would argue that it’s in your best interest to figure out how to collect as many of your favorite shows from that golden era as you can.
There’s one more really good reason to own Dexter’s Laboratory: The Complete Series though. In essence, this is one of those Cartoon Network series that probably won’t get a reboot or revisitation anytime soon. A lot of those earlier works have projects that try to capture the feel. But, the original creators rarely come along for the ride. (Even this series creator stepped away for the latter half of the show.)
In a previous interview with ComicBook asked series creator Genndy Tartakovsky about the posibility of revisiting Dexter’s Laboratory. For fans who really love the show, the exisxting episodes and movie are probably all we’re going to get. During that 2023 conversation, Tartakovsky explained that it wasn’t something that moved him in the moment. A lot of that has to do with Christine Cavanaugh’s tragic passing. But, in an era where there are so many reboots and reimagining of beloved cartoons, he probably didn’t see the point.
“Dexter? Probably no,” Tartakovsky told us. “Because number one, the voice actress [Christine Cavanaugh] passed away and she was such the soul of Dexter I don’t feel comfortable trying to replace her in a way. And we’ve done so many of them. I don’t know why there’s more to be done. You know what I mean? It’s kind of a weird thing.”
A Fun Trip Down The Checkerboard Blocked Road
Despite that fact, Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. Discovery see the appeal of these cartoons from yesteryear. In addition to releasing these Complete Series DVD collections, the Checkered Past programming block puts the spotlight on early Cartoon Network favorites now. It’s a fun look back. But, that’s just the rub of only featuring these classic toons on the broadcast side of things. The Checkered Past block is only two hours long.
At the time of writing, Dexter and Dee Dee are out of the rotation and mostly focusing on the greatest hits from the late 1990s to the early 2000s. If you want to watch these episodes on-demand without a streaming service subscription there’s really only one show in-town. Which is fine, by the way. With the environment for physical media at the current moment, getting any release at all is a pretty big win.
So, basically, if you’re down for a little black and white-themed nostalgia, Dexter’s Laboratory: The Complete Series is probably worth picking up. Gathering all 78 episodes from this series and Dexter’s Laboratory: Ego Trip would take you a long time through previous releases. (And some of it may be lost to time otherwise!) Cartoon Network completionists, your time draws even closer as the past becomes the present and it doesn’t take a genius to see that
Dexter’s Laboratory: The Complete Series releases on June 25 for $69.99 in the United States and Canada.
Will you be picking up Dexter’s Laboratory The Complete Series? Let us know down in the comments!
