B.R.A.T.S. of the Lost Nebula is a hybrid show, using puppets created by Jim Henson's Creature Shop, mixed with computer animation. The series was originally broadcast on Kids' WB! However, only three episodes were broadcast before it was taken off the air. The show fared somewhat better in Canada, where it aired all 13 episodes aired on YTV.
The plot was that a group of alien teenagers who'd lost their families thanks to the invasion of the evil alien force called "the Shock" banded together to fight back, find their families and reclaim their homes.
B.R.A.T.S. of the Lost Nebula provides examples of:
- And the Adventure Continues: In the final episode, the Brats manage to destroy the machine the Hosts use to control the Eye, sending the Shock forces into disarray, and Duncan gets into contact with his grandfather and learns where he is. But as Lavana points out, the Hosts have only gone into hibernation, and Vigar escaped with Faboo, meaning the Brats' mission isn't done yet.
- Earth-Shattering Kaboom: What happens to every planet destroyed by the Shock.
- Emotion Eater: In "Mom & Dad", it is revealed that the Eye which observes the Shock's destruction of a planet absorbs the despair for the Hosts to consume.
- Genius Loci: Discussed. Lavana believes The Planetoid, which is also their home base, is alive in some way.
- Greater-Scope Villain: Although Vigar leads the Shock's troops and is actively fighting against the Brats, he still gets his orders from mysterious beings called "The Hosts".
- The Horde: The Shock, who go around obliterating whole planets.
- In Case You Forgot Who Wrote It: The show is also advertised as Jim Henson's B.R.A.T.S. of the Lost Nebula.
- Insane Troll Logic: In "The Acceptors", the Brats try to save a cult called The Acceptors, who accept anything, including the destruction of their own planet. When the Brats try to save them, pointing out that the Acceptors have to accept their salvation, this puts the cult in a conundrum; how to accept two things that contradict each other? The cult leader concludes that the best way is to destroy the Brats' ship, so they only have one thing to accept- destruction! When the cult's members flee, leaving only the leader, he realizes that since a cult can't have one member, there is no cult, and if there is no cult, he doesn't have to accept destruction, and flees as well.
- I Will Find You: The Brats are mostly trying to find their lost families, whom they became separated from while trying to escape from the Shock.
- Luke, I Am Your Father: The final episode reveals that Vigar is the creator of the Planetoid, having created it to defeat the Shock.
- Mad Eye: The Vigar puppet was the first one with different sized eyes to be approved by Brian Henson.
- Mad Scientist: Dr. Faboo, who works for the Shock as their main researcher.
- Mecha-Mooks: The Shock Troopers.
- Mysterious Past: Not even Vigar knows what his life was like before becoming leader of the Shock's army.
- Recruit Teenagers with Attitude: Explained as the reason why the Mother Planetoid adopted the title characters and gave them the equipment they needed to battle the Shock forces, as the Planetoid's creator believed that only teenagers and their chaotic nature could outmaneuver the Shock's forces.
- Quest for Identity: Vigar is motivated to figure out his past learn who he was before being harvested by the Hosts.
- Ship Tease: Between Zadam and Lavana.
- Space Elf: Lavana, who has pointy ears, strange mental powers, and a generally aloof personality. She resents being called an 'elf', though.
- Totally Radical: The writing's attempts at things teenagers might say can be so bad it embarrasses the viewer on their behalf sometimes, like when the brats find their hideout, and Triply exclaims "This place is so cool, it makes cool look uncool!" The champion of this might be from the episode "Heart Seekers", when Zadam joyfully exclaims, "I know my sister's fumes anywhere!"
- Two Girls to a Team: The boys are Zadam, Duncan, and Ryle. The girls are Triply and Lavana.
- Winged Humanoid: Lavana is a humanoid with large butterfly wings on her back of the fairy-like variety.
- Wham Line: In "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag"; "Set course for the Planetoid...my Planetoid."- said by Hextar Vigar
- You Can't Go Home Again: Because the Shock destroyed their planets, the Brats can't return to their homes- with the exception of Ryle, who left his home planet for his own reasons.
