Top 20 Codename Kids Next Door Episodes
Oh, yeah. Here we go. Anyone who has known me on DeviantArt for a while knows that this journal has been a long time coming.I was born in 1996 and had the pleasure of growing up during Cartoon Network’s golden age. “Dexter’s Laboratory”, “The Powerpuff Girls”, “Courage The Cowardly Dog”, “Ed Edd n’ Eddy”, and many more. Of course, everybody has their personal favorite. A show that stands out from the rest. A show that fires up your imagination the most. A show that, when it aired, had you looking forward to seeing new episodes every week. For me, that show was “Codename: Kids Next Door”.My closest colleagues on this site are already aware of this, because four years ago, I put this show at #1 on my “Top 10 Favorite Cartoon Network Shows” list. I also participate in discussions of the show quite often. Of all the shows I saw as a kid that inspired me and helped shaped my imagination, no show did it for me more than “Kids Next Door”. When I started revisiting this show back in 2016 (along with many other shows as part of my cartoon resurgence that lead me to become the animation critic that I am today), I was shocked to see how well this show still holds up. Some things you just never grow out of, I guess. I enjoyed it just as much as when I was a kid, and there were some aspects of the show I gained a new perspective on after having grown up.Over the course of the show, we were treated to many epic adventures with likeable and interesting characters, unique villains, wicked cool gadgets, fantastic action sequences, imaginative locations, creative premises, and even some unexpected revelations along the way. The show was funny, clever, and just all-around cool. I’d still consider it one of my top 3 favorite animated shows along with “Batman: The Animated Series” and “Avatar: The Last Airbender”.Today is the 20th anniversary of the day the show’s first episode premiered. What better way to celebrate this show’s 20th anniversary than by listing my top 20 favorite episodes? I’m looking at the episodes that I personally enjoyed the most. The episodes that encapsulate everything that makes this show a classic.Let me make this clear. Making a favorite episodes list for a show like KND was NOT easy to do. The series has 140 episodes total, with about 80% of them being top-quality. When the majority of episodes of the show are bangers, there are obviously gonna be lots of episodes I love that won’t make the list. Therefore, I am listing 30 honorable mentions before we get to the list proper. Yes, 30.HONORABLE MENTIONSOperation M.I.N.I.-G.O.L.F.Operation L.I.C.E.Operation Q.U.I.E.T.Operation P.O.P.Operation M.O.V.I.E.Operation T.H.E.-S.H.O.G.U.N.Operation C.A.K.E.D.-T.W.O.Operation B.E.A.C.H.Operation D.O.G.F.I.G.H.T.Operation A.F.L.O.A.T.Operation S.L.U.M.B.E.R.Operation C.A.K.E.D.-T.H.R.E.E.Operation J.E.W.E.L.S.Operation H.O.U.N.D.Operation R.A.B.B.I.T.Operation F.L.U.S.H.Operation C.L.U.E.S.Operation N.U.G.G.E.T.Operation M.A.C.A.R.R.O.N.I.Operation P.O.O.L.Operation S.A.T.U.R.N.Operation C.H.O.C.O.L.A.T.E.Operation F.I.S.H.Y.Operation B.R.E.A.K.-U.P.Operation N.A.U.G.H.T.Y.Operation C.A.K.E.D.-F.I.V.E.Operation H.O.T.S.T.U.F.F.Operation L.I.C.O.R.I.C.E.Operation E.N.G.L.A.N.D.Operation H.A.M.S.T.E.R.Now on to the list!20. Operation L.E.A.D.E.R.Surprising that a Lizzie episode made it on this list, I know (there will be another one further down the list). The scenes of Lizzie trying to be Sector V’s leader were really funny, especially the part when she got them makeovers. Add to that a really well-done football game climax with Sector V going up against the teenagers, and you have a really fun episode to kick off the list.19. Operation I.-S.C.R.E.A.M.This was the second episode of the series, and it is a pretty great one! Sector V is on a mission to bring justice to the ice cream company that doesn’t ever serve ice cream to kids. When they make it to the factory, however, they end up having to take on a giant ice cream monster. While not as elaborate as many later episodes, this is still a fun ride from start to finish. You also got to love how the ice cream monster was destroyed. He melted because there for some reason was a heater in an ice cream factory!18. Operation E.L.E.C.T.I.O.N.S.This was a very entertaining and action-packed episode that is both a parody of politics and a parody of “Star Wars.” The Delightful Children end up becoming the 4th Grade class president(s) after tricking the secretary into fudging the results. They then plan to turn the grades against each other and are in cahoots with the middle schoolers, depending on them to put the grades 1-5 in their place. The plot twists are really good and the way the Delightful Children’s plans unfold really keeps you interested. It also has one of the best action scenes in the series. The war at the end between Gallagher Elementary and Hendry Middle schools with everyone riding their bikes is both an exhilarating action sequence and a nice tribute to the climax of “Star Wars: A New Hope.” The ending where it’s revealed that Eggbert Eggleston is the real winner of the election was kind of dumb, but it doesn’t ruin this episode.17. Operation F.L.A.V.O.R.The series of episodes involving Heinrich Von Marzipan that began in Season 3 are known for parodying “Indiana Jones”, but there was another episode that did the same thing before any of those were made. With the golden scoop parodying the gold statue and the huge rolling ball of ice cream parodying the rolling boulder, this one most resembles “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. This is a fun and adventure-filled episode with some good action scenes and a delightful backstory about the legend of the primary ice cream flavors. It made me want to believe that such a legend really existed when I was a kid.16. Operation I.T.The show was in its fifth season, and it was great that we finally got an episode centered on Numbuh 362, one of my favorite characters in the show. We got to learn all the downsides of being Supreme Commander, that she dislikes pressure, and that she was evidently pretty close to Numbuh 1. I’m a Nigel/Rachel shipper, just so you know. The conversations between the two were really good and gave Numbuh 362 great character development. When Father is inadvertently tagged in the tag game to become the new Supreme Commander of the KND, he plans to fill every KND base with the dreaded vegetable broccoli. After Numbuh 1 and Numbuh 362 battle a whole army of Father clones, Numbuh 362 manages to eat her way through a whole wall of broccoli and makes Father tag her by threatening to make him eat broccoli, regaining her position as Supreme Commander. The climax had a lot of dramatic urgency to it, and Rachel proved just how strong and heroic a leader she really is. I do think they went overboard by having Rachel be in a coma for A WHOLE WEEK from her broccoli intake (I’ve always liked broccoli, even as a kid), but this episode is still well worth a spot on the list.15. Operation L.O.C.K.D.O.W.N.I’ve come across many people who list this as one of their favorites, and it’s easy to see why. With Sector V’s treehouse being in lockdown until sunrise and an intruder lurking somewhere inside the treehouse with them, the episode has a tense and claustrophobic feel to it. With the characters having no way of knowing exactly what’s going on, you can feel Numbuh 5’s desperation and panic as her friends become spank victims one by one. She even considers using the quadruple bypass code, which is against KND regulations! Tying the whole episode together is the dark atmosphere that makes it feel a bit like a horror movie.14. Operation R.O.B.B.E.R.S.Featuring robbers and taking place on a school bus that operates more like an old-fashioned steam train, this episode is clearly a parody of typical Old West robbery films, and we get an exciting and fast-paced adventure out of it. The homework-stealing Six-Gum gang make for entertaining villains, and the episode had great action inside the train and on the flying pods. I also find a lot of Numbuh 4’s constant misspelling of the words to be hilarious. Spelling “Mississippi” with no “s” is one of my favorites; my family and I sometimes reference it when we cross the Mississippi state line on road trips. To cap it off, The Delightful Children’s comeuppance at the end was very satisfying.13. Operation U.N.C.O.O.L.This with Operation T.R.I.C.K.Y. was a pair of episodes that premiered around Halloween time. Both are quality episodes, but I definitely liked this one more. This was a great parody of zombie movies like the “Resident Evil” and “House of the Dead” franchises. The nerd zombies were pretty creepy antagonists for the kids to go up against, and the suspense factor is kept pretty high. I also found the end resolution to be pretty funny; Numbuh 5’s reaction to this whole ordeal being about a trading card was hilarious! A nice touch is that we get to meet Sector X, and there is also a Dexter’s Laboratory nod.12. Operation F.O.O.D.F.I.T.E.The kids go against Grandma Stuffum in this one, and they have to fight off her army of disgusting food. Grandma Stuffum was one of my favorite KND villains as a kid, so I had to find room for one of her episodes on this list. This episode is essentially one long music video, and I love it! The song Grandma Stuffum sings throughout the episode is pretty epic, and the action is non-stop. The final showdown between giant Joachim and the Slam-wich monster caps off a very memorable episode.11. Operation G.R.O.W.-U.P.This episode is the first half-hour KND adventure as well as the season 1 finale, and it is arguably the first episode to delve into serious themes and provide some real drama. It effectively showcased the theme of how much of a bummer it is to grow up and how people always try to hold on to their childhood. The story is compelling with Sector V being in a state of near hopelessness after their treehouse was destroyed and Numbuh 1 was turned into an adult by an age-changing ray in the hands of the Delightful Children. The action scenes are also great. The battle where the Delightful Children destroy the treehouse was exciting as was the climax where we see Father in action for the very first time. Father’s debut was arguably the most intimidating he’s ever been in the whole series. This episode opened the door for a change in direction for the series, and it was definitely for the better.10. Operation M.A.U.R.I.C.E.Numbuh 9, A.K.A. Maurice, has been decommissioned because he has turned thirteen and everyone is saddened by it, especially Numbuh 5. The teenagers are looking to recruit Maurice and are planning to spread the disease known as Chicken Pox to the pre-teens. As usual, we get some great action scenes, but this is also one of the more emotional episodes of the series, once again playing with the theme of people not wanting to grow up and having to leave the KND. In this one, we learn that Numbuh 5 is the oldest member of Sector V, how she got her hat, and that there are some KND operatives who continue to be operatives even after turning thirteen. The flashback also shows Numbuh 362, Numbuh 86, and Numbuh 274 when they were young. Maurice is an awesome character, and the episode gave really nice character development for Numbuh 5. This is probably the best episode centered on her. Like Operation I.T., this is another episode that I appreciate even more as an adult.9. Operation M.U.N.C.H.I.E.S.In this one, the kids are after the last box of Rainbow Munchies cereal, and nothing is standing in their way…well, except for the entire rogues gallery in the series. This was a straight-up fun episode. It was a non-stop thrill ride with just about every character given a chance to do their stuff. There were many funny moments throughout, my favorite being when Father’s flames made all the popcorn in the aisle pop. It was also pretty cool that the KND and villains teamed up in the end to stop Knightbrace from destroying the cereal. For a filler episode, it was pretty dang awesome.8. Operation T.R.A.I.N.I.N.G.In this one, we get to see Tommy work with his team of Sonya and Lee for the first time. The three are in a lot of danger because they are all by themselves at the KND Arctic Base while Father and his goons are trying to acquire the KND Code Module. This is a suspense-filled episode with Tommy’s team being in a vulnerable state with no other KND operatives to rescue them. The three make for a really good team and work well together, having to think outside the box and use their resourcefulness to make it through. I also really like the running gag with the ice melting and pouring on Father every time he flames up. The cadets end up outsmarting Father and get rid of him and his goons. This was a great building for Tommy’s character, which would continue with Operation G.R.A.D.U.A.T.E.S. More on that episode in a little bit.7. Operation E.N.D.In this one, Sector V is scheduled to be decommissioned even though none of them are thirteen yet. Numbuh 1 has to get to the bottom of this strange turn of events, and he finds out that it’s actually Supreme Commander Numbuh 274 who has turned thirteen and was trying to cover his tracks. He then sends the Moonbase heading toward the sun. The plot of this episode is really good and keeps you interested. They built up to the reveal that Chad is now thirteen pretty well. This would lead to many adventures with him as a villain. It’s too bad they botched it up in the Season 6 episode Operation T.R.E.A.T.Y., but that’s another story. The interactions between Numbuh 1 and his decommissioned teammates were really interesting, and it was nice to have Tommy be a part of the adventure. The chase scene at the beginning of the episode is edge-of-your-seat, and the climax with them trying to save the Moonbase from flying into the sun is filled with great tension. This was a great finale for Season 2 of the show.6. Operation F.U.T.U.R.E.You guys might remember a while back when The Mysterious Mr. Enter gave an Admirable Animation review for this episode. This was a time travel adventure done right. Madame Margaret wants to rid the world of boys and create a future without them. We then see a very grim future with very few boys around. It is up to the Boys Next Door to undo everything that has been done. This is a very thrilling and high-stakes adventure, and the way that the time travel comes into play is very well done. Madame Margaret is a pretty crazy villain, and I also really liked the characters in the dystopian future, which include Numbuh 3’s granddaughter Sally and an aged Numbuh 4. To boot, this episode also managed to take gender stereotypes and use them the right way, presenting them as being silly. The review Mr. Enter gave it was well deserved.5. Operation C.A.K.E.D.-F.O.U.R.Out of all the C.A.K.E.D. missions, this one is definitely my favorite. The dynamic of a tube race was an awesome idea, and it made this episode really fun to watch with many exciting sequences. The plan to bake all the kids in a giant cake was pretty insane, further cementing just how insane Father really is. This episode also did a great job of making Numbuh 2 look strong. Some people might not like that Numbuh 2 was the only one who didn’t win the race, but he believed in his dad even though no one else did, and he ended up foiling Father’s plans and saved everyone thanks to a little something called Farfegtubing. Fargegtubing indeed!4. Operation G.R.A.D.U.A.T.E.S.This half-hour adventure sees Numbuh 2’s little brother Tommy graduating from the cadets into an official KND operative. He is assigned to join his brother’s sector and this is supposed to be the happiest day of his life, but the celebration is cut short as Father has something planned. He has created an animalization ray that turns any KND operative into an animal. There are many great things about this one. This is the first KND episode that has the entire organization on the battle field, and we get an epic battle out of it. This is also the first episode to showcase the new supreme commander Numbuh 362 prominently, and she immediately establishes herself as a really neat character. Of course, this was Tommy’s episode. As things started to look hopeless, he sacrificed his place in the KND to avoid being turned into an animal, and he subsequently outsmarted Father and saved everyone. Sadly, the failsafe in the KND’s computer keeps him from reentering. So you have an exciting plot, great character development, and a heroic sacrifice by Tommy that only a true soldier would do. That should definitely secure it a spot among the best episodes of the show, in my opinion.3. Operation G.I.R.L.F.R.I.E.N.D.You know, I honestly feel that Season 6 was by far the weakest season of KND. It wasn’t a bad season by any means, but it feels a bit lackluster compared to the previous seasons. There were plenty of good episodes, but a fair amount of mediocre ones, too. I think that they ended the show at just the right time. That being said, however, I won’t deny that one of the very best episodes came from Season 6. This is, without a doubt, the saddest episode of the entire series. It brilliantly portrays what it is like for people who have time-consuming jobs and don’t have much time for their loved ones. The scene at the end where Lizzie breaks up with Nigel for good was heartbreaking and cements this episode as a classic. You really felt bad for Nigel, and the sad music they used for that scene made it that much more effective. I remember being totally shocked by it when the episode first premiered. In addition, the two chase scenes in this one are top-notch and some of the best in the entire show. This episode also made it pretty obvious that Numbuh 362 had the hots for Numbuh 1. Too bad it was never explored.2. Operation S.N.O.W.I.N.G.The one snow day of the year has arrived, and Fourth Grade class president James McGarfield has sent his troops to capture the whole school and plans to brainwash Lizzie into being his girlfriend. I have a lot of nostalgia for this episode. I distinctly remember that May 27, 2005, the night that this episode premiered, was the last day of school when I was in second grade. Coming home from school and watching this sure was a heck of a way to kick off the summer season that year, let me tell you. This is one of the best “Star Wars” parodies I’ve ever seen. With Jimmy’s Darth Vader-esque clothing, the walking machines, the “use the soup” line (parodying “use the force”), and the showdown at the end with Jimmy and Numbuh 1 using sticks like light sabers, this episode parodies ”The Empire Strikes Back” in the most entertaining way. On top of that, this is also one of the most epic KND adventures to date. The action scenes are thrilling and large in scope, and the snowy environment makes for a wonderful atmosphere. Jimmy is a great villain, and I loved how Lizzie’s terrible cooking is what saved the day in the end. A wonderful episode all around.1. Operation Z.E.R.O.Now, I realize that this is technically a movie, not an episode, but screw it. This is my personal list, and this one is simply my favorite. I did have to do a fair amount of thinking on where I would rank a lot of entries on this list, but I knew going in that I would put this at #1. This movie does everything right. An extended episode this is not; it really feels like a big time adventure with the stakes at their highest like any full-length movie based on a TV show should. There are so many shocking reveals in this movie, such as The Delightful Children being the long lost Sector Z, Father being Numbuh 1’s uncle, and of course, Numbuh 1’s father being Numbuh Zero. Grandfather is a great villain. He is very cruel, vile, and menacing, and he came very close to actually destroying the KND once and for all. There is plenty of action and excitement throughout the film, and the main and supporting characters are all showcased really well. Numbuh 1 especially puts on a great performance here, managing to save not only the KND, but the world. This film is everything great about the show all rolled into one. With the perfect blend of action, adventure, humor, drama, and emotion, this is my favorite adventure from my favorite childhood show.THOMAS WARBURTON, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING!
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