Dexter's Laboratory (Boomerang)

DEXTER'S LABORATORY chronicles the life of Dexter (voiced by Christine Cavanaugh), a child prodigy with a secret lab that he uses to conduct experiments like building a mass-destructing robot or using advanced technology to catch up with the ice cream man. Something's guaranteed to go awry in each episode, with Dexter's sister Dee Dee (Allison Moore) often having a hand in the trouble.

There's plenty of cartoon violence here. In one episode, for example, Dexter and his friends play an interactive game that features Robin Hood look-alikes and magicians who battle dragons with swords and bows. As if gruesome stabs weren't enough, at one point a dragon's arm is sliced off, and after a few seconds he turns into a piñata with candy pouring out of his body. The story twist might be clever, but the endless displays of mocking violence are almost shocking

Plus, Dexter's parents are nowhere to be seen, mimicking '50s TV moms and dads in their complete denial of their kids' problematic behavior. Most Their obliviousness sends a confusing message -- are they really clueless, or are they too lazy to invest the proper time and care necessary to raise their kids? (On a positive note, Dexter and his sister do stick by their parents when necessary.) Bottom line? When watching Dexter's Laboratory, expect shrill, piercing voices accompanied by temper tantrums, violence, name calling, and overall disrespect. Kids might enjoy this three-ring circus of a show, but a headache is the only thing a parent will walk away with. If Dexter's Laboratory was synthesized in the cartoon lab, its formula would be 1/10 funny and three parts obnoxious.