Codename: Kids Next Door

Overview

Synopsis

The series revolves around the adventures of a diverse group of five 10-year-old children (later retconned to be varying ages), using code names Numbuhs 1 through 5, who are the main home operatives of what is known as Sector V, which is part of a worldwide global espionage-style organization called the Kids Next Door. Their mission is to fight crimes against children (such as homework, flossing, doctor, baths, bedtime, teeth brushing, babysitters, sharing, doing chores, etc.), many of which are willingly committed by "evil" adults, senior citizens, teenagers, and occasionally other children. Numbuh 1 is a level-headed, no-nonsense British boy named Nigel Uno, leader of Sector V. Numbuh 2 is an overweight, nerdy American boy named Hogarth "Hoagie" Pennywhistle Gilligan, Jr. Numbuh 3 is a friendly, happy-go-lucky Japanese girl named Kuki Sanban. Numbuh 4 is a short-tempered, irrational Australian boy named Wallabee "Wally" Beetles. Numbuh 5 is an intelligent, relaxed, French-born African-American girl who speaks in illeism named Abigail "Abby" Lincoln.

Following a period of training, every member of the Kids Next Door chooses a number or alphanumeric code (deliberately pronounced and spelled as "Numbuh") and is sent to a "sector" that acts as their home base. The sector headquarters, like some of the organization's bases and facilities, are high-tech tree houses, with both treehouse and the tree it is in being of ludicrous proportions, and often suited to their environment. This includes a base constructed beneath the Arctic ice shelf, and a base built into a large pine tree. The main headquarters of the Kids Next Door is a treehouse Moon Base. The Kids Next Door follow their oath of protecting other kids as well as fighting against adult and teenage tyranny and battling adulthood until the age of 13 when they are "decommissioned", a process of wiping their memories of all and any past KND activity and warping their minds. Such a practice has inevitably led to the creation of many KND villains who escaped decommissioning, including Numbuh 5's older sister Cree, formerly known as Numbuh 11 and former leader of Sector V; and Chad, formerly known as Numbuh 274 and supreme commander of the Kids Next Door.

It is later revealed that the decommissioning rules can be relaxed for agents who demonstrate exceptional skill and loyalty. These agents are offered the chance to join the Teens Next Door, an organization whose members undergo a faked memory wipe and then go undercover to infiltrate the teenagers' ranks so they can pass information back to the KND. They face mandatory decommissioning upon reaching the age of 20. Decommissioning has also proved reversible via a "re-commissioning" module used four times in the series (once in "Operation: E.N.D." and three times in "Operation: Z.E.R.O.").

Storylines

The episodes are titularly presented as the missions of the members of Sector V in the Kids Next Door, denoted as "Operation:" followed by a backronym that can give viewers clues as to what each mission is about. Most episodes are divided into two parts, each with a different mission, while some episodes consist of two directly linked parts with one mission. Usually, the episodes have very little continuity with each other, although occasionally an episode will have a reference to at least one earlier episode and/or lead to consequences in later ones. Season Five's "Operation: O.U.T.B.R.E.A.K." is a direct continuation of the episode "Operation: V.I.R.U.S.", and Season Six's "Operation: R.E.C.E.S.S." and "Operation: H.A.M.S.T.E.R.", occur simultaneously, the latter showing what sort of thing transpires while the team is away; while another pair of Season Six episodes "Operation: S.C.I.E.N.C.E." leads into "Operation: A.M.I.S.H.".

Stories in the earlier episodes were often about typical childhood problems, but magnified and exaggerated. As the series progressed, a more complex and continuous storyline developed. The final season revolved around the mysterious Splinter Cell within the KND itself observing Numbuh One for an unknown assignment, which was concluded in the series finale "Operation: I.N.T.E.R.V.I.E.W.S.".

Production

Warburton created a pilot episode, titled "Diseasy Does It", for another planned show, Kenny and the Chimp, which was to be produced by Hanna-Barbera. Among the planned recurring characters for Kenny and the Chimp was a group of rebellious children known as "Those Kids Next Door", who carried out their mischief from a house next to Kenny's home, and frequently caused trouble for him. The plot-line was then changed to focus on the group of kids alone, and later, the kids battling adulthood. The show began development under the name The Kids Next Door, which was later changed to the current title after another network began developing a show called Pigs Next Door. In 2001, the show's pilot episode, "No P in the OOL", which was produced at Cartoon Network Studios, won a Cartoon Network viewer's poll, and as a result, Codename: Kids Next Door was greenlit to become a series, while Kenny and the Chimp was not greenlit by the channel. The character Professor XXXL, who appeared in "Diseasy Does It", became a recurring character in Codename: Kids Next Door after Kenny and the Chimp was not picked up for a series, while Kenny and Chimpy did make a cameo in "No P in the OOL".

Codename: Kids Next Door was the most popular TV series produced at Curious Pictures, who previously did the work on Sheep in the Big City at Cartoon Network.

Characters

Main characters

Numbuh 1/Nigel Uno (voiced by Benjamin Diskin) - The leader and head operative of Sector V as well as the only child of Monty Uno.

Numbuh 2/Hogarth Pennywhistle "Hoagie" Gilligan, Jr. (voiced by Benjamin Diskin) - The best friend of Numbuh 1, the joke-cracking engineer and 2x4 Technology Officer of Sector V as well as the older brother of Tommy Gilligan.

Numbuh 3/Kuki Sanban (voiced by Lauren Tom) - The happy-go-lucky tactician and medic of Sector V as well as the older sister of Mushi Sanban.

Numbuh 4/Wallabee "Wally" Beetles (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) - The brash combatant of Sector V as well as the older brother of Joey Beetles.

Numbuh 5/Abigail "Abby" Lincoln (voiced by Cree Summer) - The intelligent, relaxed second-in-command/spy of Sector V and the younger sister of Cree Lincoln. Numbuh 5 speaks in an illeism.

KND Organization

Numbuh 6/Bradley (vocal effects provided by Dee Bradley Baker) - A skunk who became an honorary member of Sector V after Hoagie and Kuki saved him in the streets. In "Operation: H.O.S.P.I.T.A.L.", Bradley is converted into a cyborg to save his life after he is hit by a car.

Numbuh 9/Maurice (voiced by Khary Payton) - A former member of Sector V whose decommissioning was faked when he turned 13 so he could join the Teens Next Door, a special team tasked with infiltrating the ranks of teens and adults in order to pass information on their plans back to the KND.

Numbuh 13 (voiced by Billy West) - The Klutz of the KND. While he means well, he is ignorant to the fact that he is incredibly clumsy, klutzy, and moronic. Like the KND's Toiletnator, every sector dreads having to work with him, even his own. The Sector Leader of N, Numbuh 14/Mary-Lou Sara-Jane Jones (voiced by Lauren Tom), has the literal job of being his damage control, which she resents very much.

Numbuh 60/Patton Drilovsky (voiced by Matt Levin) - A high-ranking operative of the Kids Next Door Arctic Base.

Numbuh 65.3/Herbie (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) - The stuffy and nerdy Head Communications Officer of Moonbase.

Numbuh 83/Sonia (voiced by Janice Kawaye) - The Soda, Snacks, and Treats officer of Sector W, she has an irrational fear of the dark and will go into a blind rage when she is forced towards it.

Numbuh 84/Lee (voiced by Janice Kawaye) - The tactical Yo-yo Specialist of Sector W.

Numbuh 86/Fanny Fulbright (voiced by Jennifer Hale) - The Head of Decommissioning and Global Tactical Officer of the KND Organization. She is a bossy girl and speaks with an Irish accent.

Numbuh 92 and Numbuh 93 (voiced by Benjamin Diskin and Tara Strong) - Two KND operatives who reside on the Kids Next Door Moonbase. Their roles are effectively replaced with Numbuh 44/Pete and Peter Doblemitz (voiced by Lauren Tom), twin operatives who also work as infantry.

Villains

Father / Benedict Wigglestein-Uno (voiced by Maurice LaMarche when suited, Jeff Bennett when unsuited) - The arch-nemesis of the KND, the main antagonist of the series, and the "adoptive" father of the Delightful Children From Down the Lane. He is also Nigel's paternal uncle and Monty's brother. Father wears a silhouetted suit and possesses pyrokinesis. In "Operation: Z.E.R.O.", it is revealed that Father kidnapped the members of Sector Z and brainwashed them to become the Delightful Children.

The Delightful Children From Down the Lane (voiced by Benjamin Diskin, Dee Bradley Baker, and Cree Summer in unison, and by Tom Kenny, Rachael MacFarlane, Jason Harris, Dee Bradley Baker, and Cree Summer individually as Sector Z), are five kids who serve Father. In "Operation: Z.E.R.O.", they are revealed to be the former members of the missing Sector Z; Bruce, Alessandra, David, Lenny, and Constance, who were permanently brainwashed into serving Father.

Jenkins (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) - The butler of the Delightful Children From Down the Lane.

The Teen Ninjas - A group of teenagers in Battle Ready Armor who often work for Father or the Delightful Children From Down the Lane.

The Steve (voiced by Jeff Bennett) - The leader of the Teen Ninjas.

Cree Lincoln (voiced by Cree Summer) - Numbuh 5's older sister, field leader of the Teen Ninjas, and an apprentice to Father. She was originally KND operative Numbuh 11. While a dangerous foe, Cree does care about her sister and wished that Numbuh 5 joined the teens just like her.

Chad Dickson (voiced by Jason Harris) - Formerly Numbuh 274, Chad was the supreme leader of the Kids Next Door until it was revealed in "Operation: E.N.D." that he had hidden his thirteenth birthday to the KND and arranged Sector V's decommissioning. In "Operation: T.R.E.A.T.Y.", it is revealed that he is a TND operative working for the Splinter Cell.

Mr. Boss (voiced by Jeff Bennett) - A corporate businessman, the CEO of Werk Co. and the de facto second-in-command of the KND's enemies. In "Operation: D.A.D.D.Y.", it is revealed that he is Numbuh 86's father.

Other characters

Lizzie Devine (voiced by Grey DeLisle) - Nigel's girlfriend and then later ex-girlfriend; they broke up at the end of the season 6 episode, "Operation: G.I.R.L.F.R.I.E.N.D.". While they were together, she was extremely possessive of him and was always looking to spend as much time with him as possible, which inconveniences him if he was in the middle of KND business.

Numbuh 0/Montgomery "Monty" Uno (voiced by Frank Welker as an adult, Dave Wittenberg as a child) - Nigel's father. He is later revealed to have started the Seventh Age of the KND after defeating Grandfather as Numbuh 0.

Mrs. Uno (voiced by Jennifer Hale) - Numbuh 1's mother and Father's sister-in-law. In "Operation: I.N.T.E.R.V.I.E.W.S.", it is revealed that she was originally a KND operative Numbuh 999, and was the first female operative of the Seventh Age.

Betty Gilligan (voiced by Candi Milo) - Numbuh 2's mother.

Thomas "Tommy" Gilligan (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker) - Hoagie's baby brother who constantly wanted to join Sector V on their missions, much to their annoyance. In "Operation: G.R.A.D.U.A.T.E.S.", he temporarily becomes a KND operative "Numbuh T" until he deletes himself from the code module in order to stop one of Father's plans, and becomes a vigilante known as "The Tommy".

Kani Sanban (voiced by Keone Young) - Kuki's father. While high strung and moody, he does love his children. His name means "crab" in Japanese, fitting his crabby personality.

Genki Sanban (voiced by Lauren Tom) - Kuki's mother. She is a successful businesswoman and is the boss of Betty Gilligan. While she never played with toys as a girl, she does let her daughters have toys as to give them a happy childhood unlike her.

Mushi Sanban (voiced by Tara Strong), Numbuh 3's little sister. In season 4, she becomes a villain after "murdering" her sister's new Rainbow Monkey out of jealousy. Mushi kidnaps Count Spankulot to create Spankenstine as revenge towards Numbuh 2.

Episodes

There are six seasons, each with 13 episodes (two half-length episodes counting as one), adding up to 78 episodes altogether. There have been two TV movies, the first taking place between the second and third episodes of season 6 (Operation: Z.E.R.O.), and the second at the end of season 6 (Operation: I.N.T.E.R.V.I.E.W.S.), which serves as the series finale.

Reception

Awards and nominations

In 2005, the series won the Best Television Series for Children Award at the Ottawa International Animation Festival for "Operation: A.R.C.H.I.V.E.", which was written by Mr. Warburton and Mo Willems and storyboarded by Guy Moore and Quack Leard. The following year, "Operation: L.I.C.O.R.I.C.E." won the Festival's Collideascope Award for Television Animation for Children.

It was also nominated for the Pulcinella award at the 2007 Cartoons on the Bay festival, in the category of action-adventure TV series.

Other media

Home media

Two DVDs totaling sixteen episodes were released by Warner Home Video. Four episodes were also released on the Game Boy Advance Video cartridge Codename: Kids Next Door, Volume 1. The entire series is available on digital purchase on Amazon Prime and Apple TV+. On May 30, 2019, the entire series, except for the "Operation: Z.E.R.O." TV movie, was added to the Boomerang streaming service and its VRV channel. The series, including "Operation: Z.E.R.O.", was available on the Max streaming service until it was removed.

In other series or works

The show made several appearances in The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy; though often just cameo appearances, the two series had a proper crossover in the television special The Grim Adventures of the KND. Other mediums that have referenced the series include the television shows MAD, Villainous, OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes, Craig of the Creek, and Jellystone!, the film Sideways, and the New Boyz song "Tough Kids".

Publications

Stories featuring the Kids Next Door have been featured in the comic series Cartoon Cartoons, Cartoon Network Block Party, and Cartoon Network Action Pack from DC Comics. The characters are also featured in the books 2x4 Technology Handbook and Sooper Secrets and Boomerang Bloopers, both by Benjamin Alison Wilgus. The characters appeared in a one-shot tie-in for Cartoon Network and IDW's Super Secret Crisis War crossover comic in 2014.

Trading cards

A trading card game based on the series was launched by Wizards of the Coast in July 2005.

Video games

Two video games were released for the series: Operation: S.O.D.A. in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance and Operation: V.I.D.E.O.G.A.M.E. in 2005 for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube. Several browser games were also released on the Cartoon Network website. The MMORPG style game Operation: B.E.S.T. was playable for a brief time in 2005, but was shut down shortly thereafter.

In Cartoon Network Universe: FusionFall, Numbuhs One through Five, and villains Father, Toiletnator, and Stickybeard appear as non-playable characters. KNDefense armor and 2x4 Tech weapons are available for players, Sector V's treehouse can be explored, and KND S.C.A.M.P.E.R.s can be used for transport. In Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion, Father and Numbuh 1 are playable, Sector V Treehouse and the C.O.O.L.-B.U.S. are arenas, and Numbuh 2 and Stickybeard are assisted characters. In the console versions, Toiletnator is a playable character, Numbuh 4 is an assist character, and KND Moonbase is an arena.

Future

On January 31, 2008, during a Q&A session on LiveJournal, when Tom Warburton was asked if "Operation: I.N.T.E.R.V.I.E.W.S." was in fact the true finale of Codename: KND, he said that it was not necessarily meant to be the finale, stating that a revival could be made in the future.

Warburton had pitched a Galactic Kids Next Door sequel several times to Cartoon Network executives, and at one point he considered making a TV movie as a pilot for the potential series. As there was no response, Warburton eventually decided to create a pitch that would be distributed over the internet pseudonymously to try and get the series approved with help from fans. Warburton wrote the script and collaborated with others who had worked on the series to produce an animatic-style pitch. On March 19, 2015, the animatic was released, entitled Galactic Kids Next Door. On April 1, 2015, a fan-made petition was started on Change.org to have Galactic Kids Next Door be picked up for a full series, and it was signed by Warburton himself as well as Dee Bradley Baker. Warburton later noted that the executives at Cartoon Network had noticed the response but were not interested in a follow-up to KND, though he hopes to get the sequel approved in the future.

In 2025, Warburton, along with the voice actors for the main characters, appeared at Nostalgia Con in Houston, Texas to conduct a table read of a "pitch script" based on the Galactic Kids Next Door project. Warburton followed up by saying. "We are always trying to get Warner Bros. interested and just say like, 'Hey, look at this great thing we've got. We have got a lot of people really interested in it.' So, we wrote a little teaser script."