It Came From Next Door
Year produced: 2002
Production code: 102-004
Original U.S. air date: 8/1/2003 (first aired in the U.K. on 11/3/2002)
Welcome to my life!
The one that started it all.
In the first episode of My Life as a Teenage Robot, ordinary teenager Brad and his little brother Tuck encounter a robotic teenage girl named XJ-9, or Jenny, the creation of next-door neighbor Dr. Nora Wakeman.
"It Came From Next Door" contains examples of:
- An Aesop
- Don't restrict your kids’ freedom. They could start resenting you as a parent if you do. They want to live their lives, so let them.
- Let your kids or workers have fun outside of their duties.
- Don't judge others before you get to know them.
- Adaptational Nice Guy: This show came from the Oh Yeah! Cartoons short which was titled "My Neighbor was a Teenage Robot". In the original short, Jenny said that no boys were allowed in her room. Whereas here, in the proper series, she does not discriminate when Brad enters her room.
- Art Evolution: Basically an extended remake of the 1999 Oh Yeah! Cartoons short My Neighbor was a Teenage Robot. Since this was produced three years later, the animation is vastly improved. The pilot was also animated with traditional cel animation, whereas the series proper uses digital ink-and-paint.
- Batman Can Breathe in Space: Jenny is able to rocket into space, blast away several meteors, get smacked around a bit, and reenter the atmosphere and return safely to Earth... with Tuck clinging onto her every step of the way. And he survived. And thought it was "Cool!"
- Creator Cameo: Rob Renzetti cameos as the mean ice cream truck driver.
- Discreet Dining Disposal: Jenny tries to eat an ice cream cone but can’t because she’s a robot, so she puts onto her stomach via a door and throws it on the ground.
- Do Not Call Me "Paul": Jenny wants to be referred to as "Jenny" and not XJ-9. Her actual and technical name. Especially when talking to her mom, Nora.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: The outlines tend to be a darker shade of each character's colors, and Jenny noticeably sounds lower-pitched.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: She snuck out against her mother’s orders and became friends with Brad and Tuck, and also earned her mother’s approval of going out more. This was the stepping stone for the rest of her role in the series.
- Fire-Forged Friends: Jenny and Tuck. At first Tuck was afraid of Jenny upon first meeting her and thought she was evil. However, when he accidentally gets dragged along when she goes destroy the meteor, and Tuck sees Jenny's powers and weapons, he becomes impressed and decides he thinks she is cool.
- Goofy Print Underwear: Jenny causes a baseball to fly so fast it rips off the clothes of everyone it passes, and every single person is wearing polka-dot boxers. Even birds.
- Parents as People: Nora is shown here as having been restricting Jenny’s freedom for a long time. Jenny finally is not having it with her mother’s orders and sneaks out.
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: Jenny sneaks out and makes friends and proves herself to be worthy of living a life of her own despite Nora's orders.
- Tempting Fate: At the end of episode, after Jenny destroys the meteor, Dr. Wakeman decides to give Jenny the rest of the afternoon off, believing there is no harm it. Then several alien ships begin approaching Earth's orbit.
Pest Control
Year produced: 2002
Production code: 102-005
Original U.S. air date: 8/1/2003 (first aired in the U.K. on 11/3/2002)
This show brings a whole new meaning to "lab rats"....
The one with the Mickey Mouse-esque lab rats.
A group of sapient lab rats take over Jenny’s body for their own uses.
"Pest Control" contains examples of:
- An Aesop: Since Vladimir and his rat friends are sentient beings, don't hurt others just for experimentation.
- Balloon Belly: Jenny for a very brief moment when the rats disabling her central wiring system cause her belly to blow up like a balloon.
- Big "NO!": Vladimir towards the end of the episode after he sees the Mickey Mouse shorts that Dr. Wakeman intends to make him wear after some experiments.
- Disney Death: Jenny's head comes off, and though she tried to fight back, she gets knocked unconscious. Tuck comes in, puts stuffed animals around her, and mourns until she regains consciousness upon hearing him call her "creepy".
- Do Not Call Me "Paul": Vladimir does not want to be referred to by his original name. Mr. Scruffles.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: This one is rather serious. It seems Vladimir and his rats “messing with” Jenny’s body could be interpreted as sexual assault.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Vladimir gets put back into his cage and given red pants. Much to his embarrassment.
- Mocky Mouse: Vladimir is a lab rat who's gained a Mickey Mouse-like appearance from Dr. Wakeman experimenting on him. The episode even ends with him upset at Dr. Wakeman offering a familiar-looking pair of red shorts with two buttons on them.
- Shout-Out: Since Vladimir is a clone of Mickey Mouse, in the end, he is given the same red pants Mickey wears as part of his punishment.
