Nickelodeon was home to numerous iconic and memorable cartoons during the 2000s, from critically acclaimed shows likeSpongeBob SquarePantsandAvatar: The Last Airbenderto bonafide hits likeDanny PhantomandInvader Zim. However, when it comes to hidden gems andunderrated cult classic Nicktoonsof the era, few have retained as notable of a legacy asMy Life as a Teenage Robot. The show follows Jenny Wakeman (also known as XJ-9), a robotic teenage girl who attempts to balance saving the world with the life of a normal teenage girl.
While it wasn’t nearly on the same levels of success as shows likeSpongeBoborFairly OddParents,My Life as a Teenage Robothas continuously grown a massive cult following and fanbase over the years. Especially in recent years, the show’s themes and messages of self-identity and humanity, combined with its mixture of creative action sequences and compelling teenage narrative, proved deeply compelling to audiences. Funny, clever, and surprisingly insightful,My Life as a Teenage Robot’s best episodes prove that an animated show can be just as relatable and revealingas any other television effort.
10"Party Machine"
Season 1, Episode 5a
A classic animated series premise with aTeenage Robot twist placed upon it, “Party Machine” sees Jenny and Brad preparing for a secret house party while Dr. Wakeman goes on vacation. Simultaneously, Jenny has a responsibility to stop an oncoming alien invasion that could take over the entire planet in under an hour. These aliens always arrive at Dr. Wakeman’s house at 6 AM, so as long as the party ends before, there should be no issues.
The house party that gets out of control isa classic trope of animated series, yetTeenage Robotfinds a way to build upon and make the concept that much more tense by introducing a world-ending threat into the mix. It’s an angle that, while only physically coming into play in the climax of the episode, is in the back of Jenny’s head for the entire party.It makes the classic chaos and loss of control at a house party that much more dangerous and compelling.
9"Turncoats"
Season 3, Episode 13b
The final episode of the series, “Turncoats” starts with Dr. Wakeman’s latest robot invention going haywire at the Invention Convention, making her the laughingstock of the event. As if this misfire wasn’t already confusing enough, things take a turn for the dangerous as all the previous XJ models also go haywire and attack Wakeman. It soon becomes up to Jenny to take down her sisters while they attempt to figure out why the robots are going haywire.
The XJ sisters are easily some ofthe most iconic and memorable side charactersin the entire series, as each is distinct and grows to be more advanced and capable, leading up to the golden standard with Jenny.The XJ sisters' battles with Jenny make for one of the most memorable and exemplary battle sequencesin the entire series, making full capabilities of everything the show had learned up until this point. The episode brings out the best in the show in terms of creative action, effective emotion, and a final payoff for a long-running series villain.
8"Raggedy Android"
Season 1, Episode 2a
One of the earliest and most notable dynamic-establishing episodes in the series, “Raggedy Android” sees Jenny wanting to leave the confines of her home for the first time to visit the local town fair. However, Dr. Wakeman is too afraid that her robotic appearance will scare off the townsfolk and forbids her from leaving the house. The discovery of a prototype “exo-skin” suit to wear allows Jenny to go to the fair, but unfortunately, the suit’s incomplete appearance only proves to be good at scaring townsfolk away.
While the “exo-suit” is more commonly remembered and beloved for an episode later in the series, its introduction still does wonders in terms of the core themes and message of the show. The episode acts asthe perfect isolated example of Jenny’s core struggles with wanting to fit in with her contemporariesin Tremorton while eventually coming to understand how special she really is. This episode also marks a turning point for the series early on, as, from this point onward, Jenny is accepted by the people and assumes the responsibility to keep Tremorton safe.
7"Victim of Fashion"
Season 2, Episode 1
One of the few special double-length episodes of the series, “Victim of Fashion” sees Jenny becoming the object of ridicule and disgust from school bullies Brit and Tiff, who comment on Jenny wearing the same outfit to school every day. Not wanting to be the subject of mockery anymore, Jenny teams up with Sheldon to create a variety of stylish and over-the-top outfits that make perfect use of her robotic abilities in an ever-expanding war of fashion.
The episode’s true highlight comes fromthe wild creativity and over-the-top fashionon display, not just from the robotic and impractical outfits worn by Jenny but also the equally over-the-top responses from Brit and Tiff. The episode also has an effective message of not losing sight of one’s strengths and identity in the pursuit of wanting to fit in, as it soon becomes a quarrel for Jenny when she realizes that she’s gotten rid of all her weapons to chase the trends.
6"Teenage Mutant Ninja Troubles"
Season 2, Episode 12b
Following up and building upon a side character introduced in a previous episode, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Troubles” sees the return of Misty, a fellow teenage crime fighter who was a part of the “Teen Team.” Following the team’s separation, Misty returns to Earth to hang out with Jenny, with the duo quickly becoming best friends and climbing to the top of the social pecking order. However, Misty doesn’t know when to hold back and frequently finds herself going too far, leading to a divide between the two.
While her introductory episode, “Teen Team Time,” was mostly forgettable and uneventful,“Teenage Mutant Ninja Troubles” fully explores and expands upon the dynamic between Misty and Jenny. It’s rare for another character to have such an immediate connection with Jenny, as few understand the struggles and difficulties of fighting world-ending threats and protecting people daily. This makes the eventual fall and divide between the characters all the more heartbreaking.
5"Killgore"
Season 2, Episode 8b
Jenny has faced off against numerous iconic and memorable villains throughout the series, yet few have made as much of a lasting impact in their debut episode as Killgore. In the episode aptly titled “Killgore,” the character is shown to have massive dreams as a villainous mastermind, hoping to take down and capture Jenny in the name of the cluster. However, his small stature, cute voice, and complete lack of strength make him nothing more than a nuisance for Jenny, as Killgore refuses to leave her alone.
“Killgore” is the perfect example of howa memorable villain is far from required to be a powerful one, as the tiny creature steals the show with his brand of hilariously dark intentions. It proves to be an interesting conundrum for Jenny, as after initially writing him off as too harmless to destroy, it becomes too late to get rid of him for good once he starts to be annoying. His cuteness provides him a shield in the form of the other students' love and affection, making him one ofthe most memorable animated villains.
4"Escape from Cluster Prime"
Season 2, Episode 13
The only true extended television special that the series received, “Escape from Cluster Prime” is a 44-minute event that sees Jenny finally bearing witness to the often alluded to robot planet, Cluster Prime. After accidentally being transported to what she presumed to be the villainous and evil home planet of the series’s main antagonist, Vexus, she realizes that the planet is peaceful and filled with a blossoming robotic community. However, as the planet’s ruler, Vexus has been spreading a propaganda campaign against her for years, painting her as a monster who gleefully destroys robots, forcing Jenny to go into hiding.
Cluster Prime has always been a location that was name-dropped and mentioned throughout the series, soit was wholly satisfying for fans to finally get a look into this wildly creative robot world. This revelation proves itself to make the episode’s core themes of propaganda and misinformation that much more powerful, acting as the best showcase of Vexus and the Cluster in the entire series. As a TV special, the show goes out of its way to do as much possible with its story, with outstanding visuals, an array of great new characters, and a powerful climax that impacts the rest of the show.
3"Voyage to the Planet of the Bikers"
Season 3, Episode 12a
While not as iconic as long-running villains like Vexus or Smytus, the Space Bikers are some of the most constantly recurring andsmart villains in the series, and “Voyage to the Planet of the Bikers” is easily their best showing. The episode sees Jenny losing to the bikers in a fight, leading to her reconstruction as a bike. In an attempt to force them to change Jenny back, Tuck and Jenny travel through space to the Space Bikers' home planet, where they learn that they actually live normal lives and don their Space Bikers personas to let off steam.
This hilarious and unexpected reveal redefines and recontextualizes nearly the entire series, as it adds unexpected levels of humanity and reliability to what were often nothing more than generic, goon-like villains.This twist is only one aspect that makes the episode great, as the back-and-forth between the scaredy-cat Tuck learning to ride a bike with Jenny fuming with rage at her new form results in a great deal of comedy. The episode is also brimming with creativity, from Jenny’s design and workarounds as a bike to the unexpected pleasantness of the Biker Planet.
2"The Return of Raggedy Android"
Season 1, Episode 7a
“Raggedy Android# was already an effective episode when it came to dealing with Jenny’s internal struggles and body image, but “The Return of Raggedy Android” improves the original premise in every conceivable way. The episode sees Jenny attempting to dig up the old exo-skin to enter a local teen hangout where robots aren’t allowed. However, Jenny soon learns that the suit has a mind of its own and is manipulating her into fully adopting a “normal girl” persona.
Despite only appearing in this singular episode, the sentient and upgraded exo-skin immediately makes a powerful impact as one of the most threatening and memorable villains in the entire series. It works wonders as a physical manifestation of Jenny’s biggest self-destructive tendencies, fully brought to life with the top-notch vocal performance fromvoice actress legendGrey DeLisle. Funny yet remarkably smart,the episode’s themes and message have only continued to age well as the years have gone on, as body positivity and self-image problems continue to be prevalent and painful aspects of life for many people.
1"Speak No Evil”
Season 1, Episode 5b
A simple premise that is executed to absolute perfection, “Speak No Evil” sees Jenny returning from an overseas mission in Japan, where she lost one of her discs for English. Now only able to speak full Japanese and unable to connect with anyone in Tremorton, she quickly finds just how important communication is in day-to-day life, with every aspect of her role as a guardian now infinitely harder.
While other animated series feature similar plots about the struggles of miscommunication, “Speak No Evil” is so exceptional because of the dedication and respect given to its concept. It would be incredibly easy for an animated show of the era to simply have another voice actress do Jenny’s Japanese voice or even have the Japanese be an incorrect translation. Not only is the translation top-notch and unlike any other animated show of the time, but Jenny’s voice actress,Janice Kawaye, fluently spoke all the Japanese lines to perfection. This is simply icing on the cake for what isa brilliant and hilarious portrayal of the importance that communication holds in everyday life.
My Life as a Teenage Robotis available to stream on Paramount+.
