Dexter's Laboratory is an American comic science fiction animated television series created by Genndy Tartakovsky for Cartoon Network. The series follows a boy-genius named Dexter who has a secret laboratory filled with an endless collection of his inventions. He constantly battles his annoying sister Dee Dee, who always gains access to his lab despite his efforts to keep her out, as well as his arch-rival and neighbor, Mandark. Three shorts were created and broadcast on Cartoon Network in 1995 and 1996 until viewer approval ratings convinced the network to order a 13-episode first season, which premiered on April 28, 1996. In 2001, the network revived the series under a different production team at Cartoon Network Studios since Season 1, and after 26 more episodes, the series finally ended on November 20, 2003. Dexter's Laboratory became one of Cartoon Network's most popular and successful original series, and it led to a change in direction for the station centering on more original animated programming.