Hanna-Barbera's
Dexter's Laboratory told the story of Dexter, a bespectacled young boy who just happened to be a genius. The title referred to the enormous laboratory Dexter built in his room, unbeknownst to his parents. But despite his tremendous I.Q., Dexter could never figure out a way to ward off the plague that was his annoying older sister, Dee Dee.
Dexter was an outcast with a very active imagination. He was the apple in his teachers' collective eye, which, combined with his intelligence, made him an obvious target amongst his peers at Huber Elementary School in California. Escaping from the rest of the world, the oddly-accented Dexter took his revenge in the lab. With the aid of his computer, he designed weapons of mass destruction, like atomic-powered robots and other exotic machines.
The only person he couldn't escape was his ballet tights-wearing pest of a sister. Bug-eyed Dee Dee was the only person who knew of her little brother's lab and ongoing scientific experiments. In typical older sister fashion, she took it upon herself to single-handedly thwart any and all efforts made by Dexter, scientific or otherwise. She destroyed his lab, constantly made fun of him, and generally made life even more miserable for young Dex. However, in the name of science, Dexter usually prevailed, with his moronic parents none the wiser.
Changes
Written & Directed by Genndy Tartakovsky
Released on February 23, 1995
Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, in cooperation with Rough Draft Studios
Distributed by Cartoon Network
{If the above embeddable should break, a redirect link: Dexter's Lab - Changes (Pilot)}
"Dexter's Laboratory":
Dee Dee and Dexter test his latest invention, a device that turns people into animals. Premiering on 'World Premiere Toons' and originally aired as part of the 'What A Cartoon! Show', this was the pilot episode, which was usually referred to later as "Changes," when it aired a part of the series, but the title card remained intact with the original title.
The Big Sister
Written & Directed by Genndy Tartakovsky
Released on March 10, 1996
Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, in cooperation with Rough Draft Studios
Distributed by Cartoon Network
{If the above embeddable should break, a redirect link: Dexter's Lab - "The Big Sister"}
When Dee Dee eats an experimental cookie of Dexter's design, she grows extremely tall and goes on a godzilla style rampage.
Old Man Dexter
Directed by Genndy Tartakovsky and Craig McCracken
Written by Craig McCracken
Released on March 17, 1996
Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, in cooperation with Rough Draft Studios
Distributed by Cartoon Network
Dexter, tired of being too young to stay up for the Late Movie on TV, uses his Excellerager to make himself older. When Dee Dee messes up the mechanics and Dexter turns himself an old man, his family mistakes him for Grandpa (no one notices Dexter's disappearance). He's finally able to watch the late night movie, but before it starts airing he falls asleep.