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* EvolvingCredits: While the song used for the credits always remains the same, the credits themselves are different every season.
** Season 1: The credits are parallel to footage from the show that's edited to match the song lyrics as they play.
** Season 2: The credits play over a purple image of Dexter and Dee Dee doing action poses.
** Season 3: The background is completely black, and the text of the credits is stylized to look like computer coding.
** Season 4: The credits play over still images from various episodes.
** Season 1: The credits are parallel to footage from the show that's edited to match the song lyrics as they play.
** Season 2: The credits play over a purple image of Dexter and Dee Dee doing action poses.
** Season 3: The background is completely black, and the text of the credits is stylized to look like computer coding.
** Season 4: The credits play over still images from various episodes.
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* FanserviceExtra: Candi from the episode ''Dee Dee and the Man'' is intentionally designed for [[ParentService older male viewers]]. She even says it costs "50 bucks extra" for her to dance, implying she's a [[TheOldestProfession stripper]].
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* FanserviceExtra: FanserviceExtra:
** Candi from the episode ''Dee Dee and the Man'' is intentionally designed for [[ParentService older male viewers]]. She even says it costs "50 bucks extra" for her to dance, implying she's a [[TheOldestProfessionstripper]].stripper]].
** [[WalkingSwimsuitScene Ms. Physics]] from the episode ''The Big Sister'' is a scantily dressed [[BeautyContest beauty queen]] and supermodel who [[SmoochOfVictory rewards Dexter with a kiss]].
** Candi from the episode ''Dee Dee and the Man'' is intentionally designed for [[ParentService older male viewers]]. She even says it costs "50 bucks extra" for her to dance, implying she's a [[TheOldestProfession
** [[WalkingSwimsuitScene Ms. Physics]] from the episode ''The Big Sister'' is a scantily dressed [[BeautyContest beauty queen]] and supermodel who [[SmoochOfVictory rewards Dexter with a kiss]].
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** "Morning Stretch" has him slow down time to turn 30 seconds into 30 minutes in order to go to school on time, not realizing that it would be really difficult to shower and take forever to microwave breakfast with time slowed down. In the end, his efforts are for naught because [[spoiler:it was a snow day]].
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** [[Recap/DextersLaboratoryS2EP4 "Morning Stretch" has him slow Stretch"]]: He slows time down time to turn 30 seconds into 30 minutes in order to go to school on time, not realizing that it would be really difficult to shower and take forever to microwave breakfast with time slowed down. In the end, his efforts are for naught because [[spoiler:it was [[spoiler:it's a snow day]].
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* DumbassHasAPoint: In "Sister Mom", when Dee Dee (disguised as their mother) finds out that Dexter getting an A- on his last test was the reason for the parent-principal conference, she gets mad (mainly because she had expected something more serious). Even though Dexter is supposed to be one of Huber Elementary's finest students, one has to admit that a kid like him getting a still-good grade like an A- is a pretty superfluous reason for arranging a conference with the school principal.
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* FoodAndBodyComparison: Dexter encounters two strangers who are dead ringers for his parents, save that they are actually scientifically inclined. When we meet them, the wife has her back to the audience and says [[BaitAndSwitch "I'm telling you, the left one is proportionately larger than the one on the right." before we're shown that she's holding a pair of cantaloupe.]]
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* FanserviceExtra: Candi from the episode ''Dee Dee and the Man'' is intentionally designed for older male viewers. She even says it costs "50 bucks extra" for her to dance, implying she's a stripper.
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* FanserviceExtra: Candi from the episode ''Dee Dee and the Man'' is intentionally designed for [[ParentService older male viewers. viewers]]. She even says it costs "50 bucks extra" for her to dance, implying she's a stripper.[[TheOldestProfession stripper]].
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* FanserviceExtra: Candi from the episode ''Dee Dee and the Man'' is intentionally designed for older male viewers. She even says it costs "50 bucks extra" for her to dance, implying she's a stripper.
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* DisguisedInDrag: In "The Muffin King", Dad disguises himself as Mom to trick Dexter and Dee Dee into leaving the house so he can sample Mom's dinner muffins unguarded. It works at first, but the kids see right through the disguise once Dexter points out "Mom" is looking "[[SpottingTheThread stubbly]]" today.
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* ExtremelyEasyExam: “The Big Cheese” has Dexter preparing for a French test by wearing an invention and placing a French record inside while he sleeps allowing him to memorize the French phrases. However, it gets stuck on the phrase "omelette du fromage" (which means "cheese omelette"), and the next day, it's the only thing he can say. When he attends school, his French teacher tells the class the exam is one question, asking how do you say "cheese omelette" in French?
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* ExtremelyEasyExam: “The "The Big Cheese” Cheese" has Dexter preparing for a French test by wearing an invention a device and placing a French French-language record inside it while he sleeps sleeps, [[SleepLearning allowing him to memorize the French phrases.phrases]]. However, it gets stuck on the phrase "omelette du fromage" (which means "cheese omelette"), and the next day, it's the only thing he can say. When he attends goes to school, his French teacher tells the class the exam is one question, asking how "How do you say "cheese omelette" 'cheese omelette' in French?French?"
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* ExtremelyEasyExam: “The Big Cheese” has Dexter preparing for a French test by wearing an invention and placing a French record inside while he sleeps allowing him to memorize the French phrases. However, it gets stuck on the phrase "omelette du fromage" (which means "cheese omelette"), and the next day, it's the only thing he can say. When he attends school, his French teacher tells the class the exam is one question, asking how do you say "cheese omelette" in French?
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* DownerEnding: The show has plenty of these, most of which are PlayedForLaughs, [[MoodWhiplash but not always.]]
** In "Let's Save the World, You Jerk!", Dexter and Mandark fail to stop an asteroid from destroying the world [[NiceJobBreakingItRivals due to them fighting for the glory of world salvation]], despite having promised to work together beforehand. The two fail to notice this, still bickering inside their mechs in outer space. Thankfully, [[NegativeContinuity that doesn't mean much here.]]
** In "Let's Save the World, You Jerk!", Dexter and Mandark fail to stop an asteroid from destroying the world [[NiceJobBreakingItRivals due to them fighting for the glory of world salvation]], despite having promised to work together beforehand. The two fail to notice this, still bickering inside their mechs in outer space. Thankfully, [[NegativeContinuity that doesn't mean much here.]]
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* DownerEnding: The show has plenty of these, most of which [[NegativeContinuity don't mean much for the continuity]] and are PlayedForLaughs, [[MoodWhiplash but not always.]]
always.
** In "Let's Save the World, You Jerk!", Dexter and Mandark fail to stop an asteroid from destroying the world [[NiceJobBreakingItRivals due to them fighting for the glory of world salvation]], despite having promised to work together beforehand. The two fail to notice this, still bickering inside their mechs in outer space. Thankfully, [[NegativeContinuity that doesn't mean much here.]]
** In "Let's Save the World, You Jerk!", Dexter and Mandark fail to stop an asteroid from destroying the world [[NiceJobBreakingItRivals due to them fighting for the glory of world salvation]], despite having promised to work together beforehand. The two fail to notice this, still bickering inside their mechs in outer space.
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** "The Big Cheese" ends with Dexter, possibly permanently, only able to say "Omlette du fromage," locked out of his lab, which is then blown up completely while Dee Dee mocks him.
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** "The Big Cheese" ends with Dexter, possibly permanently, Dexter only able to say "Omlette du fromage," fromage" (possibly permanently) and locked out of his lab, which is then blown up completely while Dee Dee mocks him.
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* DenserAndWackier: The third and fourth seasons. While the first two seasons didn't shy away from levity the last two abandoned virtually all the action and sci-fi elements in favor of more sitcom formulas and plots that wouldn't be out of place in classic cartoons. The titular lab in particular went from an important set piece to a plot device to enable the more humorous antics.
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* DenserAndWackier: The third and fourth seasons. While the first two seasons didn't shy away from levity levity, the last two abandoned virtually all the action and sci-fi elements in favor of more sitcom formulas and plots that wouldn't be out of place in classic cartoons. The titular lab in particular went from an important set piece to a plot device to enable the more humorous antics.
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* DetentionEpisode: "Dexter Detention" involves Dexter getting sent to detention after accidentally yelling out a test answer in annoyance. This trope is turned on its head at the end, when Dexter and a pair of detention-birds dig their way out of the school...and into an actual prison.
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* DetentionEpisode: "Dexter Detention" involves Dexter getting sent to detention after accidentally yelling out a test answer in annoyance. This trope is turned on its head at the end, when Dexter and a pair of detention-birds dig their way out of the school... and into an actual prison. prison.
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* DownerEnding: The show has plenty of these! Most of them PlayedForLaughs, [[MoodWhiplash but not always.]]
** In one episode Dexter and Mandark [[spoiler: fail to stop an asteroid from destroying the world]] due to their refusal to work together. The two fail to notice this, still bickering inside their mechs in outer space. Thankfully, [[NegativeContinuity that doesn't mean much here.]]
** The ending of "The Way of Dee Dee" is pretty sad as well, with Dee Dee's attempt to get Dexter to enjoy himself end with Dexter wrecking his own lab, and Dee Dee apologizing to him for trying to change him, and running to her room in tears. The last scene is Dexter noticing the destruction he caused and quietly working to repair his lab. It's one of the few genuine {{Tear Jerker}}s in the show.
** "The Big Cheese" ends with Dexter, possibly permanently, only able to say "Omlette du fromage," locked out of his lab, which is then blown up completely while Dee-Dee mocks him.
** Possibly the ultimate example of this is "Ewww, That's Growth". Dexter, having grown himself grotesquely tall in order to ride a roller coaster, approaches a tunnel. He proclaims that this is the greatest day of his entire life. His head hits the tunnel, quick cut to black, the end. The implication was Dexter died, or more realistically, was stunned from hitting the tunnel (which would have required medical attention in a more realistic series in its setting).
** In one episode Dexter and Mandark [[spoiler: fail to stop an asteroid from destroying the world]] due to their refusal to work together. The two fail to notice this, still bickering inside their mechs in outer space. Thankfully, [[NegativeContinuity that doesn't mean much here.]]
** The ending of "The Way of Dee Dee" is pretty sad as well, with Dee Dee's attempt to get Dexter to enjoy himself end with Dexter wrecking his own lab, and Dee Dee apologizing to him for trying to change him, and running to her room in tears. The last scene is Dexter noticing the destruction he caused and quietly working to repair his lab. It's one of the few genuine {{Tear Jerker}}s in the show.
** "The Big Cheese" ends with Dexter, possibly permanently, only able to say "Omlette du fromage," locked out of his lab, which is then blown up completely while Dee-Dee mocks him.
** Possibly the ultimate example of this is "Ewww, That's Growth". Dexter, having grown himself grotesquely tall in order to ride a roller coaster, approaches a tunnel. He proclaims that this is the greatest day of his entire life. His head hits the tunnel, quick cut to black, the end. The implication was Dexter died, or more realistically, was stunned from hitting the tunnel (which would have required medical attention in a more realistic series in its setting).
to:
* DownerEnding: The show has plenty of these! Most these, most of them which are PlayedForLaughs, [[MoodWhiplash but not always.]]
** Inone episode "Let's Save the World, You Jerk!", Dexter and Mandark [[spoiler: fail to stop an asteroid from destroying the world]] world [[NiceJobBreakingItRivals due to their refusal them fighting for the glory of world salvation]], despite having promised to work together.together beforehand. The two fail to notice this, still bickering inside their mechs in outer space. Thankfully, [[NegativeContinuity that doesn't mean much here.]]
**The "The Big Cheese" ends with Dexter, possibly permanently, only able to say "Omlette du fromage," locked out of his lab, which is then blown up completely while Dee Dee mocks him.
** A notably sad example is the ending of "The Way of DeeDee" is pretty sad as well, with Dee", wherein Dee Dee's attempt attempts to get Dexter to enjoy himself end with Dexter wrecking his own lab, and to which Dee Dee apologizing apologizes to him for trying to change him, and him before running to her room in tears. The last scene is Dexter noticing the destruction he caused and quietly working to repair his lab. It's one of the few genuine {{Tear Jerker}}s in the show.
** "The Big Cheese" ends with Dexter, possibly permanently, only able to say "Omlette du fromage," locked out of his lab, which is then blown up completely while Dee-Dee mocks him.
** Possibly the ultimate example of this is "Ewww, That's Growth". Dexter, having grown himself grotesquely tall in order to ride a roller coaster, rollercoaster, approaches a tunnel. He proclaims that this is the greatest day of his entire life. His life, only for his head hits to hit the tunnel, tunnel followed by a quick cut to black, black that ends the end. episode. The implication was is either that Dexter died, or more realistically, was got stunned from hitting the tunnel (which would have required medical attention in a more realistic series in its work with such setting).
** In
**
** A notably sad example is the ending of "The Way of Dee
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** The new Phys-Ed teacher in "Dexter Dodgeball", who forces Dexter to compete in the most brutal sport of all: '''DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODGE. BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALL.'''
to:
** The new Phys-Ed substitute PE teacher in from "Dexter Dodgeball", who forces Dexter to compete in the "the most brutal sport of all: '''DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODGE. BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALL.all": '''DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODGE-BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALL.'''
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** One of the ''Justice Friends'' episodes explains that Major Glory was trained into superheroics when he was young by his uncle, Uncle Sam, who treated him this way. When Mayor Glory meets Uncle Sam again as an adult, he finds out that the latter became a NewAgeRetroHippie.
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** The Detention Warden of Dexter's school in "Dexter Detention".
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** [[NoNameGiven The Detention Warden with no name]] from "Dexter Detention" is a detention teacher at Dexter's school who refers to and treats the students who go to detention as "criminals", with the facility where he works at being similar to a prison setting. His harsh manners prompt Dexter and the other students to escape from him via FastTunneling.
--->"You make me sick, criminal!"
** One of the ''Justice Friends'' episodes explains that Major Glory was trained into superheroics when he was young by his uncle, Uncle Sam, who treated him this way. When Mayor Glory meets Uncle Sam again as an adult, he finds out that the latter became a NewAgeRetroHippie.
--->"You make me sick, criminal!"
** One of the ''Justice Friends'' episodes explains that Major Glory was trained into superheroics when he was young by his uncle, Uncle Sam, who treated him this way. When Mayor Glory meets Uncle Sam again as an adult, he finds out that the latter became a NewAgeRetroHippie.
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* DarkerAndEdgier: 'Ego Trip', as you might expect, BadFuture and all.
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* DarkerAndEdgier: 'Ego Trip', ''Ego Trip'', as you might expect, BadFuture and all.
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Up To Eleven is a defunct trope
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* DigitalPiracyIsEvil: Played for laughs on "Bad Cable Manners", where Dexter managed to steal satellite TV, since his dad couldn't do it. Turned UpToEleven when the "Satellite Swat", aware of the situation, came out to arrest Dexter's Dad.
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* DigitalPiracyIsEvil: Played for laughs on "Bad Cable Manners", where Dexter managed to steal satellite TV, since his dad couldn't do it. Turned UpToEleven Exaggerated when the "Satellite Swat", aware of the situation, came out to arrest Dexter's Dad.
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* DoWellButNotPerfect: Downplayed in "Game Show", where Dexter enters the titular game show to win a high-tech telescope. The question-and-answer round offers 30 points to the player who answers more questions correctly than the other player. Dexter, being Dexter and having had no luck in the physical challenges, [[UpToEleven literally hands the host a list of every possible answer to every single question that could've been asked]] for an easy 30. He then discovers that a player who gets ''all'' the questions correct is given an additional "geek award" in the form of a pie to the head.
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* DoWellButNotPerfect: Downplayed in "Game Show", where Dexter enters the titular game show to win a high-tech telescope. The question-and-answer round offers 30 points to the player who answers more questions correctly than the other player. Dexter, being Dexter and having had no luck in the physical challenges, [[UpToEleven literally hands the host a list of every possible answer to every single question that could've been asked]] asked for an easy 30. He then discovers that a player who gets ''all'' the questions correct is given an additional "geek award" in the form of a pie to the head.
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%%* DumbBlonde: Dee Dee... though she has her moments.%%Explain.
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* DanceOff: "Dee Dee's Rival" has Dee Dee facing Mandark's sister in ballet at the beginning. At the end of the episode, they compete against each other while piloting MiniMechas.
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[[WMG:[[center:[-''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'' '''Trope Examples'''\\
'''''Main series:''''' [[DextersLaboratory/TropesAToC A - C]] | '''D - F''' | [[DextersLaboratory/TropesGToL G - L]] | [[DextersLaboratory/TropesMToR M - R]] | [[DextersLaboratory/TropesSToZ S - Z]]\\
'''''Spin-offs:''''' ''[[DextersLaboratory/TropesDialMForMonkey Dial M for Monkey]]'' | ''[[DextersLaboratory/TropesJusticeFriends Justice Friends]]''-]]]]]
----
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:D]]
* DanceOff: "Dee Dee's Rival" has Dee Dee facing Mandark's sister Lalavava in ballet at the beginning. At the end of the episode, they compete against each other while pilotingMiniMechas.mini mechas.
'''''Main series:''''' [[DextersLaboratory/TropesAToC A - C]] | '''D - F''' | [[DextersLaboratory/TropesGToL G - L]] | [[DextersLaboratory/TropesMToR M - R]] | [[DextersLaboratory/TropesSToZ S - Z]]\\
'''''Spin-offs:''''' ''[[DextersLaboratory/TropesDialMForMonkey Dial M for Monkey]]'' | ''[[DextersLaboratory/TropesJusticeFriends Justice Friends]]''-]]]]]
----
[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:D]]
* DanceOff: "Dee Dee's Rival" has Dee Dee facing Mandark's sister Lalavava in ballet at the beginning. At the end of the episode, they compete against each other while piloting
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* ADayInTheLimelight: Dexter [[ThrowTheDogABone finally manages to one-up Dee Dee]] in the episode "[[SdrawkcabName sdrawkcaB]]."
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* ADayInTheLimelight: ADayInTheLimelight:
** Dexter [[ThrowTheDogABone finally manages to one-up Dee Dee]] in the episode "[[SdrawkcabName sdrawkcaB]]."
** Dexter [[ThrowTheDogABone finally manages to one-up Dee Dee]] in the episode "[[SdrawkcabName sdrawkcaB]]."
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** Episode 32: "Dexter Detention".
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** Episode 32: The Detention Warden of Dexter's school in "Dexter Detention".
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** Dee Dee is generally more laid back, more sensible (sometimes), and cheerful than her brother.
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** Dee Dee is generally more laid back, laid-back, more sensible (sometimes), (sometimes) and cheerful than her brother.
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* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The first season had much more "rubbery" cartoon animation and were significantly more dialogue-heavy, as opposed to later seasons where the animation was slicker and hard-edged and dialogue was dialed back to near [[NoDialogueEpisode non-existence]].
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[[/folder]]
[[folder:E]]
*EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: EarlyInstallmentWeirdness:
** The first season had much more "rubbery" cartoon animation and were significantly more dialogue-heavy, as opposed to later seasons where the animation was slicker and hard-edged and dialogue was dialed back to near [[NoDialogueEpisode non-existence]].
[[folder:E]]
*
** The first season had much more "rubbery" cartoon animation and were significantly more dialogue-heavy, as opposed to later seasons where the animation was slicker and hard-edged and dialogue was dialed back to near [[NoDialogueEpisode non-existence]].
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--> ''"[[MadnessMantra NRFB! NRFB! NRFB!]]"''
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[[/folder]]
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* DanceOff: "Dee Dee's Rival" has Dee Dee facing Mandark's sister in ballet at the beginning. At the end of the episode, they compete against each other while piloting MiniMechas.
* DarkerAndEdgier: 'Ego Trip', as you might expect, BadFuture and all.
* ADayInTheLimelight: Dexter [[ThrowTheDogABone finally manages to one-up Dee Dee]] in the episode "[[SdrawkcabName sdrawkcaB]]."
** Their parents would also get episodes like this entitled, appropriately enough ''A Dad Cartoon'' and ''A Mom Cartoon''. They also get similar treatment in episodes like "Dad is Disturbed" and "World's Greatest Mom".
** In a real-life example, a kid named Tyler Samuel Lee won a contest that aired an [[http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/video/?episodeID=8a250ab02926f4b501299488c7270590 episode]] he wrote, entitled "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Dexter And Computress Get Mandark]]"
** Mandark gets an episode like this in "Sun, Surf and Science", in which he competes in a surfing contest to impress Dee Dee, using science to create his own surfboard and to sabotage the contest with mines and robotic sharks. Dexter, incidentally, does not appear in this episode at all.
* DeconstructiveParody: The episode where Dexter tries out different superpowers.
* DefeatingTheUndefeatable: Dad defeating the massive Earl at arm wrestling in "Hamlocks and Armlocks", with a little help from Dexter.
* DemotedToExtra: Monkey, the Justice Friends and their respective supporting characters rarely appeared in the show's later seasons.
* DenserAndWackier: The third and fourth seasons. While the first two seasons didn't shy away from levity the last two abandoned virtually all the action and sci-fi elements in favor of more sitcom formulas and plots that wouldn't be out of place in classic cartoons. The titular lab in particular went from an important set piece to a plot device to enable the more humorous antics.
* DependingOnTheWriter: Along with [[NegativeContinuity very loose continuity]], the character's personalities vary quite wildly depending on the needs of the plot.
** Dexter's general temperament varies from a genuinely benevolent CheerfulChild to a ''very'' [[HairTriggerTemper irritable]] and InsufferableGenius. Often he's shown as a [[FriendlessBackground friendless]] [[TheShutIn recluse]] who leaves his lab as little as possible, but he's occasionally shown as much more outgoing (at least when it comes to academics) and having numerous friends. His general worldliness outside of science varies from [[NoSocialSkills nonexistent]] to [[WiseBeyondTheirYears comparable to an adult]].
** Sometimes Dee Dee is a BigSisterBully who wrecks Dexter's things deliberately and relentlessly mocks him. Sometimes she is innocent, but LethallyStupid and oblivious to her destruction. In a few episodes, Dee Dee counters Dexter's high intellect by simply having more common sense, and comes across as a CoolBigSis with whom Dexter either gets along with or distrusts unreasonably.
** Mandark varies from a meaner counterpart to Dexter to an outright super villain. Thus you have the situation where one episode will have his only goal be trying to impress Dee Dee at the beach, while the BigDamnMovie has him as a sadistic CorruptCorporateExecutive who drains the world intelligence, transforming it into a feudal {{Mordor}}.
* DidntThinkThisThrough: Some episodes have Dexter plan to do something, only to fail because of a huge flaw he doesn't realize until it's too late to do anything about it.
** "Morning Stretch" has him slow down time to turn 30 seconds into 30 minutes in order to go to school on time, not realizing that it would be really difficult to shower and take forever to microwave breakfast with time slowed down. In the end, his efforts are for naught because [[spoiler:it was a snow day]].
** In "The Continuum of Cartoon Fools", Dexter makes several attempts to keep Dee Dee out of his laboratory permanently. It isn't until after he's destroyed or blocked all the secret entrances and locked the front entrance hidden behind his bookcase that he realizes that this course of action would prevent ''himself'' from entering the lab, too.
** "Comic Stripper" has Dexter find out that Mandark has patterned their mecha battles after the comic book ''Mister Misery''. In an attempt to beat Mandark at his own game, Dexter buys out every copy of the next issue of ''Mister Misery''. As Mandark eventually points out to him, Dexter did not consider that Mandark wouldn't be able to buy the next issue of ''Mister Misery'' if it was sold out and would resort to copying the events of a different comic book, ''Dangerous Duck''.
* DetentionEpisode: "Dexter Detention" involves Dexter getting sent to detention after accidentally yelling out a test answer in annoyance. This trope is turned on its head at the end, when Dexter and a pair of detention-birds dig their way out of the school...and into an actual prison.
* DistractedByTheSexy:
** At one point, Dexter gets so fed up with Dee Dee, he holds ''interviews'' to get a replacement. At one point, he winds up hiring a vixen who he can't do any work around.
** In another episode, when going through different new voices for Computer, one of the voices ends up being a sexy one that makes him too hot and bothered to focus properly.
* DigitalPiracyIsEvil: Played for laughs on "Bad Cable Manners", where Dexter managed to steal satellite TV, since his dad couldn't do it. Turned UpToEleven when the "Satellite Swat", aware of the situation, came out to arrest Dexter's Dad.
-->"Mr. Dexter's Dad. We're well aware of your current situation. piracy of our satellite broadcast is a felony. This is your last warning. Legal action will be taken".
* [[DisappointedInYou Disappointed In Myself]]: Present-day Dexter with Young Adult Dexter in "Ego Trip". Not only would he be working in a cubicle at an office run by Mandark, but he would also be a complete wimp. Upon meeting him, Dexter voices how upset he is to discover what he would become and that his future self denies his high intelligence and brilliance in revolutionary inventions. This is explained through Hero Dexter who reveals that Mandark used his plans to build himself up and ruin Dexter's credibility.
* TheDitz: Dee Dee is a total moron who often annoys Dexter because of her idiocy.
** GeniusDitz: There are rare moments when Dee Dee shows a surprising level of insight, without some re-wiring to her brain.
* DitzyGenius: Dexter fits the bill, hands down. He can create time machines, sentient robots, and interdimensional portals, but in "Maternal Combat," he is utterly incapable of taking care of himself for a single day while his mom is sick. He doesn't know how to cook (having never heard of flour), and is [[MundaneObjectAmazement is amazed at the sight of dust.]] Let's not forget that he's also gullible, and in the episode where he gets chicken pox, he literally has no idea ''what'' chicken pox is.
** Dexter's parents also can be considered this. While they're normally shown to be of average intelligence and more than a little quirky, his dad becomes frighteningly crafty and manipulative when mom's muffins are on the line and his mom shows incredible talent with Dexter level gadgetry when fighting germs. It almost seems believable that they birthed a boy genius because of this.
* DoNotCallMePaul: Mandark is not happy about his parents naming him Susan.
* DoWellButNotPerfect: Downplayed in "Game Show", where Dexter enters the titular game show to win a high-tech telescope. The question-and-answer round offers 30 points to the player who answers more questions correctly than the other player. Dexter, being Dexter and having had no luck in the physical challenges, [[UpToEleven literally hands the host a list of every possible answer to every single question that could've been asked]] for an easy 30. He then discovers that a player who gets ''all'' the questions correct is given an additional "geek award" in the form of a pie to the head.
* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything:
** The Muffin Episode. Drug addiction or sex (muff-a-holic?) addiction, take your pick.
** Mandark's backstory in "A Boy Named Sue" seems like a transgender metaphor.
* DontAsk:
** In "Sister Mom", Dexter and "Mom" (a disguised Dee Dee) attend a conference with the school principal. When the principal's secretary calls them into the office, "Mom" joyously dances around singing "Dexter is in trouble!"; Dex shoots the secretary a sideways glance and says "Don't ask!" in a flat, annoyed tone of voice.
** In "Dexter's Debt", Dexter's Dad asks the mailman about his day. The mailman tells Dexter's Dad not to ask and Dexter's Dad says it's too late because he already did.
* DownerEnding: The show has plenty of these! Most of them PlayedForLaughs, [[MoodWhiplash but not always.]]
** In one episode Dexter and Mandark [[spoiler: fail to stop an asteroid from destroying the world]] due to their refusal to work together. The two fail to notice this, still bickering inside their mechs in outer space. Thankfully, [[NegativeContinuity that doesn't mean much here.]]
** The ending of "The Way of Dee Dee" is pretty sad as well, with Dee Dee's attempt to get Dexter to enjoy himself end with Dexter wrecking his own lab, and Dee Dee apologizing to him for trying to change him, and running to her room in tears. The last scene is Dexter noticing the destruction he caused and quietly working to repair his lab. It's one of the few genuine {{Tear Jerker}}s in the show.
** "The Big Cheese" ends with Dexter, possibly permanently, only able to say "Omlette du fromage," locked out of his lab, which is then blown up completely while Dee-Dee mocks him.
** Possibly the ultimate example of this is "Ewww, That's Growth". Dexter, having grown himself grotesquely tall in order to ride a roller coaster, approaches a tunnel. He proclaims that this is the greatest day of his entire life. His head hits the tunnel, quick cut to black, the end. The implication was Dexter died, or more realistically, was stunned from hitting the tunnel (which would have required medical attention in a more realistic series in its setting).
* DrillSergeantNasty:
** Episode 32: "Dexter Detention".
** The new Phys-Ed teacher in "Dexter Dodgeball", who forces Dexter to compete in the most brutal sport of all: '''DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODGE. BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALL.'''
%%* DumbBlonde: Dee Dee... though she has her moments.%%Explain.
* DumbIsGood:
** Dee Dee is generally more laid back, more sensible (sometimes), and cheerful than her brother.
** Played straight in an episode where Dexter ends up switching families with a hyperactive kid named Dextor. His parents are as smart as Dexter is, and even Dexter himself gives them a TheReasonYouSuck speech.
* DudeWheresMyRespect: Dexter has saved the world several times and has yet to be recognized for it.
* DysfunctionalFamily: Dexter's family can be quite erratic and argumentative at times.
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The first season had much more "rubbery" cartoon animation and were significantly more dialogue-heavy, as opposed to later seasons where the animation was slicker and hard-edged and dialogue was dialed back to near [[NoDialogueEpisode non-existence]].
** The earliest episodes of the series (including the pilot episodes, obviously) have notably different character designs, including a slightly taller Dexter and a Dee Dee with practically no chin whatsoever (and more prominent eyebrows).
** The Justice Friends first appeared in the ''Dial M for Monkey'' segment "Wrasslor" with slightly different character designs and voices (and a couple heroes who weren't named or seen again after this), as well as a base (the "[[WesternAnimation/SuperFriends Hall of Heroes]]") that never appeared again.
* EarthShatteringKaboom: "Let's Save the World, You Jerk!" ended with [[ColonyDrop meteors blowing up the Earth]], after Dexter and Mandark keep bickering while in their robot suits and fail to stop the meteors and save the Earth.
%%* EggshellClothing: Dee Dee really spoofs this.%%How?
* ElaborateUndergroundBase: Dexter and Mandark's labs, with the latter having a more elaborate feel to rival Dexter's.
* EldritchAbomination:
** The monster in "Dee-Dimensional" definitely counts, being a huge pink blob with multiple eyes and tentacles and a red-lipped mouth full of fangs.
** The interdimensional beast "Jojo" in "Mandarker". He apparently helped Mandark write the book ''The Magic of Science by Mandark and Jojo'', but when Mandark summons him as part of a science fair project, he goes berserk and tries to eat Dee Dee.
* ElephantsAreScaredOfMice: In "Dial M For Monkey: Huntor", Snorkdro, an alien elephant, is scared when a mouse is thrown in front of him and knocks the VillainOfTheWeek off his back.
* EmergencyBroadcast: A plot point of one episode has it interrupting Dexter's show, supposedly with a series of emergencies.
* EndingTheme: Narrated by {{Creator/Mako}}, no less!
* EnfantTerrible: Dexter's dad, apparently, when he and Dexter's mom turned into toddlers. During that time, Dexter's dad took pleasure at beating up Dexter's mom as a baby. Using Dexter's inventions to torture her.
* EnslavedTongue: After an experiment in SleepLearning backfiring, Dexter wakes up unable to say anything except "omelette du fromage". Bizarrely enough, everyone he faces in the episode happens to want to hear the very phrase -- from his French teacher to the crowd at the UN. [[spoiler:Except the password authentication system in his lab.]]
* EntertainmentAboveTheirAge: In "Don't Be a Baby", Dexter and Dee Dee ask their parents for money so that they can watch an R-rated movie called ''[[ShowWithinAShow Violance: Robot Vigilante!]]''. Their parents turn this down, saying that they're too young for it.
* EpicFail: In the Justice Friends episode "Bee Ware", the Justice Friends get defeated and scared out of their apartment by a ''bumblebee''.
* EverybodyLaughsEnding: The episodes "Backfire" "Mock 5", and "The Bus Boy" all end with everyone laughing.
* EvilChef: In "Beard to be Feared", the main villain was an evil chef who used his long pointed beard like a sword.
* EvilTwin: Parodied in "Dollhouse Drama", which is also a parody of the SoapOpera concept in general.
%%* {{Eyecatch}}: On Boomerang.
* ExpositoryThemeTune: Provides the page quote, though instead of playing at the beginning as usual it plays over the end credits.
* {{Expy}}:
** Action Hank is very much a send-up of Franchise/GIJoe.
** Pony Puff is obviously this to Franchise/MyLittlePony.
** "Dexter Dodgeball" features three bullies that bear some resemblance to [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Jimbo Jones, Kearney Zzyzwicz, and Nelson Muntz]].
* EyeGlasses: Dexter and his dad's glasses, which can change shape depending on expression.
* TheFaceless: Earl in "Hamhocks and Armlocks" is only seen from the neck down.
* FaintInShock: In "A Duck's Cartoon", Mandark thinks Dexter stole the former's duck and Dexter responds that Mandark's duck isn't in Dexter's laboratory. Then they both faint when they notice Dexter's monkey starting a family with Mandark's duck.
* FantasticTimeManagement: There's an episode where Dexter has only 1 minute before the school bus arrives and he hasn't done his homework yet, so he use a time extending helmet to make it 30 minutes for him get everything done. [[spoiler:...it turns out to be [[AllForNothing a snow day.]]]]
* {{Fartillery}}: This happens in Episode 25/Part 1: "Critical Gas"
* [[strike:Five]][[FiveTokenBand Three Token Band]]: Dee Dee (white) and her posse, Mee Mee (black) and Lee Lee (Asian)
* FetishFuelFuture: The second future in "Ego Trip" shows a world where a CEO has a harem in his office and strips his employees to their underwear for a whipping when they're not productive.
* FiveSecondForeshadowing: The horror movie Dexter's parents watch in "Don't Be a Hero" prominently features Dee-Dee's accidental martian disguise from "My Favorite Martian", the very next short in the episode.
* {{Flanderization}}: Mandark in the post-finale seasons was pretty much ''defined'' by his hamminess and crush on Dee-Dee.
** "Old Man Dexter" has Dexter (as an old man) repeatedly mispronouncing Dee Dee's name, until he suddenly loses interest and calls her "Billy." In later seasons, Dexter's grandfather (technically a separate character, but identical in terms of character design) shoehorned the name "Billy" into most of his lines, so that the entire character was more or less a single joke about an old man mistakenly calling people "Billy." Not an entirely straight example due to the technical difference between the two characters, but the progression from one well-timed "Billy" to every-other-sentence "Billy" was nevertheless notable between the original episode, the movie, and later episodes.
* FlyCrazy: The ''Justice Friends'' episode "Bee Where" features a bee entering the Justice Friends' apartment, causing the trio endless grief as they try to shoo it out.
* ForScience: Much of Dexter's motivation.
* FracturedFairyTale: A story Dee Dee tells in "Dee Dee Locks and the Ness Monster", starring Dee Dee Locks, sentient bagpipes, [[Literature/TheThreeLittlePigs a brick pig]], the Big Bad Wolf as [[UsefulNotes/NapoleonBonaparte Napoleon]], a foppish fish, and The Three Evil Blind Mice!!
* FreakyFridayFlip: Played with in "The Old Switcharooms", where Dad forces Dexter and Dee Dee to switch places.
* FrictionBurn: When Dexter gives himself SuperSpeed to go through his whole daily routine in 1 minute he accidentally lights his homework on fire from the friction.
* TheFundamentalist: Let's just say that both the ''Darbie'' doll fans and ''Star Check'' fans in episode "Star Check Unconventional" are really, REALLY into their hobby. And whatever you do, do NOT remove a classic figure from its box.
--> ''"[[MadnessMantra NRFB! NRFB! NRFB!]]"''
* FunnyForeigner: In the episode "The Bus Boy" there's a German boy in lederhosen. His story involved him dancing around eating food and commenting how good it was.
* FunWithFlushing: Spirits from the dead hold Dee Dee hostage unless the dead Goldfish is flushed down the toilet.
* FutureBadass / FutureLoser: Dexter has ''both'' in TheMovie.
----
* DarkerAndEdgier: 'Ego Trip', as you might expect, BadFuture and all.
* ADayInTheLimelight: Dexter [[ThrowTheDogABone finally manages to one-up Dee Dee]] in the episode "[[SdrawkcabName sdrawkcaB]]."
** Their parents would also get episodes like this entitled, appropriately enough ''A Dad Cartoon'' and ''A Mom Cartoon''. They also get similar treatment in episodes like "Dad is Disturbed" and "World's Greatest Mom".
** In a real-life example, a kid named Tyler Samuel Lee won a contest that aired an [[http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/video/?episodeID=8a250ab02926f4b501299488c7270590 episode]] he wrote, entitled "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Dexter And Computress Get Mandark]]"
** Mandark gets an episode like this in "Sun, Surf and Science", in which he competes in a surfing contest to impress Dee Dee, using science to create his own surfboard and to sabotage the contest with mines and robotic sharks. Dexter, incidentally, does not appear in this episode at all.
* DeconstructiveParody: The episode where Dexter tries out different superpowers.
* DefeatingTheUndefeatable: Dad defeating the massive Earl at arm wrestling in "Hamlocks and Armlocks", with a little help from Dexter.
* DemotedToExtra: Monkey, the Justice Friends and their respective supporting characters rarely appeared in the show's later seasons.
* DenserAndWackier: The third and fourth seasons. While the first two seasons didn't shy away from levity the last two abandoned virtually all the action and sci-fi elements in favor of more sitcom formulas and plots that wouldn't be out of place in classic cartoons. The titular lab in particular went from an important set piece to a plot device to enable the more humorous antics.
* DependingOnTheWriter: Along with [[NegativeContinuity very loose continuity]], the character's personalities vary quite wildly depending on the needs of the plot.
** Dexter's general temperament varies from a genuinely benevolent CheerfulChild to a ''very'' [[HairTriggerTemper irritable]] and InsufferableGenius. Often he's shown as a [[FriendlessBackground friendless]] [[TheShutIn recluse]] who leaves his lab as little as possible, but he's occasionally shown as much more outgoing (at least when it comes to academics) and having numerous friends. His general worldliness outside of science varies from [[NoSocialSkills nonexistent]] to [[WiseBeyondTheirYears comparable to an adult]].
** Sometimes Dee Dee is a BigSisterBully who wrecks Dexter's things deliberately and relentlessly mocks him. Sometimes she is innocent, but LethallyStupid and oblivious to her destruction. In a few episodes, Dee Dee counters Dexter's high intellect by simply having more common sense, and comes across as a CoolBigSis with whom Dexter either gets along with or distrusts unreasonably.
** Mandark varies from a meaner counterpart to Dexter to an outright super villain. Thus you have the situation where one episode will have his only goal be trying to impress Dee Dee at the beach, while the BigDamnMovie has him as a sadistic CorruptCorporateExecutive who drains the world intelligence, transforming it into a feudal {{Mordor}}.
* DidntThinkThisThrough: Some episodes have Dexter plan to do something, only to fail because of a huge flaw he doesn't realize until it's too late to do anything about it.
** "Morning Stretch" has him slow down time to turn 30 seconds into 30 minutes in order to go to school on time, not realizing that it would be really difficult to shower and take forever to microwave breakfast with time slowed down. In the end, his efforts are for naught because [[spoiler:it was a snow day]].
** In "The Continuum of Cartoon Fools", Dexter makes several attempts to keep Dee Dee out of his laboratory permanently. It isn't until after he's destroyed or blocked all the secret entrances and locked the front entrance hidden behind his bookcase that he realizes that this course of action would prevent ''himself'' from entering the lab, too.
** "Comic Stripper" has Dexter find out that Mandark has patterned their mecha battles after the comic book ''Mister Misery''. In an attempt to beat Mandark at his own game, Dexter buys out every copy of the next issue of ''Mister Misery''. As Mandark eventually points out to him, Dexter did not consider that Mandark wouldn't be able to buy the next issue of ''Mister Misery'' if it was sold out and would resort to copying the events of a different comic book, ''Dangerous Duck''.
* DetentionEpisode: "Dexter Detention" involves Dexter getting sent to detention after accidentally yelling out a test answer in annoyance. This trope is turned on its head at the end, when Dexter and a pair of detention-birds dig their way out of the school...and into an actual prison.
* DistractedByTheSexy:
** At one point, Dexter gets so fed up with Dee Dee, he holds ''interviews'' to get a replacement. At one point, he winds up hiring a vixen who he can't do any work around.
** In another episode, when going through different new voices for Computer, one of the voices ends up being a sexy one that makes him too hot and bothered to focus properly.
* DigitalPiracyIsEvil: Played for laughs on "Bad Cable Manners", where Dexter managed to steal satellite TV, since his dad couldn't do it. Turned UpToEleven when the "Satellite Swat", aware of the situation, came out to arrest Dexter's Dad.
-->"Mr. Dexter's Dad. We're well aware of your current situation. piracy of our satellite broadcast is a felony. This is your last warning. Legal action will be taken".
* [[DisappointedInYou Disappointed In Myself]]: Present-day Dexter with Young Adult Dexter in "Ego Trip". Not only would he be working in a cubicle at an office run by Mandark, but he would also be a complete wimp. Upon meeting him, Dexter voices how upset he is to discover what he would become and that his future self denies his high intelligence and brilliance in revolutionary inventions. This is explained through Hero Dexter who reveals that Mandark used his plans to build himself up and ruin Dexter's credibility.
* TheDitz: Dee Dee is a total moron who often annoys Dexter because of her idiocy.
** GeniusDitz: There are rare moments when Dee Dee shows a surprising level of insight, without some re-wiring to her brain.
* DitzyGenius: Dexter fits the bill, hands down. He can create time machines, sentient robots, and interdimensional portals, but in "Maternal Combat," he is utterly incapable of taking care of himself for a single day while his mom is sick. He doesn't know how to cook (having never heard of flour), and is [[MundaneObjectAmazement is amazed at the sight of dust.]] Let's not forget that he's also gullible, and in the episode where he gets chicken pox, he literally has no idea ''what'' chicken pox is.
** Dexter's parents also can be considered this. While they're normally shown to be of average intelligence and more than a little quirky, his dad becomes frighteningly crafty and manipulative when mom's muffins are on the line and his mom shows incredible talent with Dexter level gadgetry when fighting germs. It almost seems believable that they birthed a boy genius because of this.
* DoNotCallMePaul: Mandark is not happy about his parents naming him Susan.
* DoWellButNotPerfect: Downplayed in "Game Show", where Dexter enters the titular game show to win a high-tech telescope. The question-and-answer round offers 30 points to the player who answers more questions correctly than the other player. Dexter, being Dexter and having had no luck in the physical challenges, [[UpToEleven literally hands the host a list of every possible answer to every single question that could've been asked]] for an easy 30. He then discovers that a player who gets ''all'' the questions correct is given an additional "geek award" in the form of a pie to the head.
* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything:
** The Muffin Episode. Drug addiction or sex (muff-a-holic?) addiction, take your pick.
** Mandark's backstory in "A Boy Named Sue" seems like a transgender metaphor.
* DontAsk:
** In "Sister Mom", Dexter and "Mom" (a disguised Dee Dee) attend a conference with the school principal. When the principal's secretary calls them into the office, "Mom" joyously dances around singing "Dexter is in trouble!"; Dex shoots the secretary a sideways glance and says "Don't ask!" in a flat, annoyed tone of voice.
** In "Dexter's Debt", Dexter's Dad asks the mailman about his day. The mailman tells Dexter's Dad not to ask and Dexter's Dad says it's too late because he already did.
* DownerEnding: The show has plenty of these! Most of them PlayedForLaughs, [[MoodWhiplash but not always.]]
** In one episode Dexter and Mandark [[spoiler: fail to stop an asteroid from destroying the world]] due to their refusal to work together. The two fail to notice this, still bickering inside their mechs in outer space. Thankfully, [[NegativeContinuity that doesn't mean much here.]]
** The ending of "The Way of Dee Dee" is pretty sad as well, with Dee Dee's attempt to get Dexter to enjoy himself end with Dexter wrecking his own lab, and Dee Dee apologizing to him for trying to change him, and running to her room in tears. The last scene is Dexter noticing the destruction he caused and quietly working to repair his lab. It's one of the few genuine {{Tear Jerker}}s in the show.
** "The Big Cheese" ends with Dexter, possibly permanently, only able to say "Omlette du fromage," locked out of his lab, which is then blown up completely while Dee-Dee mocks him.
** Possibly the ultimate example of this is "Ewww, That's Growth". Dexter, having grown himself grotesquely tall in order to ride a roller coaster, approaches a tunnel. He proclaims that this is the greatest day of his entire life. His head hits the tunnel, quick cut to black, the end. The implication was Dexter died, or more realistically, was stunned from hitting the tunnel (which would have required medical attention in a more realistic series in its setting).
* DrillSergeantNasty:
** Episode 32: "Dexter Detention".
** The new Phys-Ed teacher in "Dexter Dodgeball", who forces Dexter to compete in the most brutal sport of all: '''DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODGE. BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALL.'''
%%* DumbBlonde: Dee Dee... though she has her moments.%%Explain.
* DumbIsGood:
** Dee Dee is generally more laid back, more sensible (sometimes), and cheerful than her brother.
** Played straight in an episode where Dexter ends up switching families with a hyperactive kid named Dextor. His parents are as smart as Dexter is, and even Dexter himself gives them a TheReasonYouSuck speech.
* DudeWheresMyRespect: Dexter has saved the world several times and has yet to be recognized for it.
* DysfunctionalFamily: Dexter's family can be quite erratic and argumentative at times.
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The first season had much more "rubbery" cartoon animation and were significantly more dialogue-heavy, as opposed to later seasons where the animation was slicker and hard-edged and dialogue was dialed back to near [[NoDialogueEpisode non-existence]].
** The earliest episodes of the series (including the pilot episodes, obviously) have notably different character designs, including a slightly taller Dexter and a Dee Dee with practically no chin whatsoever (and more prominent eyebrows).
** The Justice Friends first appeared in the ''Dial M for Monkey'' segment "Wrasslor" with slightly different character designs and voices (and a couple heroes who weren't named or seen again after this), as well as a base (the "[[WesternAnimation/SuperFriends Hall of Heroes]]") that never appeared again.
* EarthShatteringKaboom: "Let's Save the World, You Jerk!" ended with [[ColonyDrop meteors blowing up the Earth]], after Dexter and Mandark keep bickering while in their robot suits and fail to stop the meteors and save the Earth.
%%* EggshellClothing: Dee Dee really spoofs this.%%How?
* ElaborateUndergroundBase: Dexter and Mandark's labs, with the latter having a more elaborate feel to rival Dexter's.
* EldritchAbomination:
** The monster in "Dee-Dimensional" definitely counts, being a huge pink blob with multiple eyes and tentacles and a red-lipped mouth full of fangs.
** The interdimensional beast "Jojo" in "Mandarker". He apparently helped Mandark write the book ''The Magic of Science by Mandark and Jojo'', but when Mandark summons him as part of a science fair project, he goes berserk and tries to eat Dee Dee.
* ElephantsAreScaredOfMice: In "Dial M For Monkey: Huntor", Snorkdro, an alien elephant, is scared when a mouse is thrown in front of him and knocks the VillainOfTheWeek off his back.
* EmergencyBroadcast: A plot point of one episode has it interrupting Dexter's show, supposedly with a series of emergencies.
* EndingTheme: Narrated by {{Creator/Mako}}, no less!
* EnfantTerrible: Dexter's dad, apparently, when he and Dexter's mom turned into toddlers. During that time, Dexter's dad took pleasure at beating up Dexter's mom as a baby. Using Dexter's inventions to torture her.
* EnslavedTongue: After an experiment in SleepLearning backfiring, Dexter wakes up unable to say anything except "omelette du fromage". Bizarrely enough, everyone he faces in the episode happens to want to hear the very phrase -- from his French teacher to the crowd at the UN. [[spoiler:Except the password authentication system in his lab.]]
* EntertainmentAboveTheirAge: In "Don't Be a Baby", Dexter and Dee Dee ask their parents for money so that they can watch an R-rated movie called ''[[ShowWithinAShow Violance: Robot Vigilante!]]''. Their parents turn this down, saying that they're too young for it.
* EpicFail: In the Justice Friends episode "Bee Ware", the Justice Friends get defeated and scared out of their apartment by a ''bumblebee''.
* EverybodyLaughsEnding: The episodes "Backfire" "Mock 5", and "The Bus Boy" all end with everyone laughing.
* EvilChef: In "Beard to be Feared", the main villain was an evil chef who used his long pointed beard like a sword.
* EvilTwin: Parodied in "Dollhouse Drama", which is also a parody of the SoapOpera concept in general.
%%* {{Eyecatch}}: On Boomerang.
* ExpositoryThemeTune: Provides the page quote, though instead of playing at the beginning as usual it plays over the end credits.
* {{Expy}}:
** Action Hank is very much a send-up of Franchise/GIJoe.
** Pony Puff is obviously this to Franchise/MyLittlePony.
** "Dexter Dodgeball" features three bullies that bear some resemblance to [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons Jimbo Jones, Kearney Zzyzwicz, and Nelson Muntz]].
* EyeGlasses: Dexter and his dad's glasses, which can change shape depending on expression.
* TheFaceless: Earl in "Hamhocks and Armlocks" is only seen from the neck down.
* FaintInShock: In "A Duck's Cartoon", Mandark thinks Dexter stole the former's duck and Dexter responds that Mandark's duck isn't in Dexter's laboratory. Then they both faint when they notice Dexter's monkey starting a family with Mandark's duck.
* FantasticTimeManagement: There's an episode where Dexter has only 1 minute before the school bus arrives and he hasn't done his homework yet, so he use a time extending helmet to make it 30 minutes for him get everything done. [[spoiler:...it turns out to be [[AllForNothing a snow day.]]]]
* {{Fartillery}}: This happens in Episode 25/Part 1: "Critical Gas"
* [[strike:Five]][[FiveTokenBand Three Token Band]]: Dee Dee (white) and her posse, Mee Mee (black) and Lee Lee (Asian)
* FetishFuelFuture: The second future in "Ego Trip" shows a world where a CEO has a harem in his office and strips his employees to their underwear for a whipping when they're not productive.
* FiveSecondForeshadowing: The horror movie Dexter's parents watch in "Don't Be a Hero" prominently features Dee-Dee's accidental martian disguise from "My Favorite Martian", the very next short in the episode.
* {{Flanderization}}: Mandark in the post-finale seasons was pretty much ''defined'' by his hamminess and crush on Dee-Dee.
** "Old Man Dexter" has Dexter (as an old man) repeatedly mispronouncing Dee Dee's name, until he suddenly loses interest and calls her "Billy." In later seasons, Dexter's grandfather (technically a separate character, but identical in terms of character design) shoehorned the name "Billy" into most of his lines, so that the entire character was more or less a single joke about an old man mistakenly calling people "Billy." Not an entirely straight example due to the technical difference between the two characters, but the progression from one well-timed "Billy" to every-other-sentence "Billy" was nevertheless notable between the original episode, the movie, and later episodes.
* FlyCrazy: The ''Justice Friends'' episode "Bee Where" features a bee entering the Justice Friends' apartment, causing the trio endless grief as they try to shoo it out.
* ForScience: Much of Dexter's motivation.
* FracturedFairyTale: A story Dee Dee tells in "Dee Dee Locks and the Ness Monster", starring Dee Dee Locks, sentient bagpipes, [[Literature/TheThreeLittlePigs a brick pig]], the Big Bad Wolf as [[UsefulNotes/NapoleonBonaparte Napoleon]], a foppish fish, and The Three Evil Blind Mice!!
* FreakyFridayFlip: Played with in "The Old Switcharooms", where Dad forces Dexter and Dee Dee to switch places.
* FrictionBurn: When Dexter gives himself SuperSpeed to go through his whole daily routine in 1 minute he accidentally lights his homework on fire from the friction.
* TheFundamentalist: Let's just say that both the ''Darbie'' doll fans and ''Star Check'' fans in episode "Star Check Unconventional" are really, REALLY into their hobby. And whatever you do, do NOT remove a classic figure from its box.
--> ''"[[MadnessMantra NRFB! NRFB! NRFB!]]"''
* FunnyForeigner: In the episode "The Bus Boy" there's a German boy in lederhosen. His story involved him dancing around eating food and commenting how good it was.
* FunWithFlushing: Spirits from the dead hold Dee Dee hostage unless the dead Goldfish is flushed down the toilet.
* FutureBadass / FutureLoser: Dexter has ''both'' in TheMovie.
----
