Lab Rats (American TV series)

Lab Rats, also known as Lab Rats: Bionic Island for the fourth season, is an American comedy television series created by Chris Peterson and Bryan Moore that aired on Disney XD from February 27, 2012 to February 3, 2016. The series stars Billy Unger, Spencer Boldman, Kelli Berglund, Tyrel Jackson Williams, and Hal Sparks.

Lab Rats
GenreComedy
Created byChris Peterson & Bryan Moore
Starring
Theme music composer
ComposerBert Selen
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons4
No. of episodes89 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
ProducerGreg A. Hampson
Cinematography
  • Rick F. Gunter
  • Thomas Eckelberry
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time20–22 minutes
Production companyIt's a Laugh Productions
Release
Original networkDisney XD
Original releaseFebruary 27, 2012 (2012-02-27) –
February 3, 2016 (2016-02-03)
Related
Lab Rats: Elite Force (2016)

Plot

A young teenager named Leo Dooley lives a normal life until the day his mother Tasha gets married to billionaire inventor Donald Davenport, with whom they move in. While trying to find his bedroom, Leo accidentally discovers teenage siblings with bionic superpowers living in his new basement. The series follows the bionic teens as they unravel in adventurous situations in an attempt to live life like a normal family in the fictional town of Mission Creek, California.

As the series progresses, the series introduces various new characters, including Davenport's younger brother Douglas and Douglas' android son Marcus; Krane and his bionic soldiers Taylor, formerly known as S-1, and Sebastian, formerly known as S-3; and scientist Giselle and her android Troy West. In the third season, Davenport opens up a bionic academy on a bionic island to train Krane's soldiers to be the world's new bionic heroes.

Episodes
Main article: List of Lab Rats episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
119February 27, 2012 (2012-02-27)November 5, 2012 (2012-11-05)
225February 25, 2013 (2013-02-25)January 13, 2014 (2014-01-13)
323February 17, 2014 (2014-02-17)February 5, 2015 (2015-02-05)
422March 18, 2015 (2015-03-18)February 3, 2016 (2016-02-03)

Cast
Main article: List of Lab Rats characters

Main

Recurring

Production

On May 10, 2010, Disney XD green-lit a pilot under the title of Billion Dollar Freshmen, created by Chris Peterson and Bryan Moore, as executive producers alongside Mark Brazill.[1] The pilot was filmed in the summer of 2010.[2][3] On July 13, 2011, Disney XD officially ordered Lab Rats, with production to begin in September 2011 in Hollywood for a 2012 premiere. Starring in the series are Tyrel Jackson Williams as Leo, Billy Unger as Chase, Spencer Boldman as Adam, Kelli Berglund as Bree, and Hal Sparks as Davenport.[4]

On May 18, 2012, Disney XD renewed the series for a second season.[5] On July 26, 2013, Disney XD renewed the series for a third season.[6] On May 9, 2014, Disney XD renewed the series for a fourth season.[7] On June 25, 2015, Kelli Berglund stated in an interview that the fourth season would be the final season.[8]

Broadcast

The series originally premiered on Disney XD on February 27, 2012,[9] and on Disney Channel on March 2, 2012.[10] In Canada, it first aired on Disney XD on February 24, 2012. It later stopped airing on Disney XD in Canada and moved to Disney Channel due to DHX Media losing Disney rights. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, it first aired as a preview on March 29, 2012, and officially premiered on April 19, 2012. In South Africa, it premiered on Disney XD on June 10, 2012. In Australia and New Zealand, it first aired on Disney Channel on December 31, 2012, and officially premiered on January 10, 2013.

Reception

Critical

Variety television critic Brian Lowry knocked the series' one-hour premiere for failing "to exhibit basic elements of coherence" and for featuring "too many lapses in logic".[11]

Ratings

The series launch of Lab Rats in February 2012 was the most-watched series premiere in Disney XD history,[12] drawing 1.27 million viewers and performing well in key demographics.[13] The followup encore of the premiere that aired on Disney Channel on March 2, 2012, ranked as the number-one telecast in kids 2–11 for the week of February 27–March 4, 2012, drawing 2.3 million viewers in the demographic.[10]

Viewership and ratings per season of Lab Rats
Season Episodes First aired Last airedAvg. viewers
(millions)
Date Viewers
(millions)		 Date Viewers
(millions)
1 15 February 27, 2012 (2012-02-27)1.27[14] November 5, 2012 (2012-11-05)0.85[15]0.89
2 25 February 25, 2013 (2013-02-25)1.01[16] January 13, 2014 (2014-01-13)0.74[17]0.73
3 20 February 17, 2014 (2014-02-17)1.05[18] February 5, 2015 (2015-02-05)0.81[19]0.71
4 22 March 18, 2015 (2015-03-18)0.86[20] February 3, 2016 (2016-02-03)0.71[21]0.62

Awards and nominations
Year Awards Category Nominee Result Ref
2016 Kids' Choice Awards Favorite TV Show – Kids Show Lab Rats: Bionic Island Nominated [22]

Lab Rats: Elite Force spinoff series

On September 3, 2015, it was announced that Lab Rats would have a joint spinoff series with Mighty Med under the title of Lab Rats: Elite Force. Only Billy Unger and Kelli Berglund from Lab Rats were reported to be returning for the new series, alongside Bradley Steven Perry, Jake Short, and Paris Berelc from Mighty Med.[23] It was subsequently announced that Lab Rats: Elite Force would premiere on Disney XD on March 2, 2016.[24]

References
  1. Nellie Andreeva (May 10, 2010). "Disney XD Orders Billion Dollar Pilot". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  2. "Billion Dollar Freshmen". billy-unger.com. November 1, 2010. Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  3. "Lab Rats". billy-unger.com. February 16, 2011. Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  4. "Disney XD Orders New Live-Action Comedy Series Lab Rats" (Press release). Disney XD. July 13, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2018 – via The Futon Critic.
  5. Nellie Andreeva (May 18, 2012). "Disney XD's Top-Rated Series Lab Rats Renewed for Second Season". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  6. "Disney XD Orders Third Season of Lab Rats". Deadline Hollywood. July 26, 2013. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  7. "Disney XD Orders Fourth Season Of Lab Rats". Deadline Hollywood. May 9, 2014. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  8. Stephanie Osmanski (June 25, 2015). "Kelli Berglund Confirms Disney XD's Lab Rats: Bionic Island Is Ending". M Magazine. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
  9. "Disney XD Set to Premiere Lab Rats, a Comedy About a Teenager and His Three Super-Human Siblings, on Monday, February 27" (Press release). Disney XD. January 9, 2012. Retrieved May 8, 2018 – via The Futon Critic.
  10. "Disney Channel is TV's #1 Network in Total Day for Record-Setting 38 Consecutive Weeks in Kids 6-11 and Tweens 9-14" (Press release). Disney Channel. March 6, 2012. Retrieved May 8, 2018 – via The Futon Critic.
  11. Brian Lowry (February 23, 2012). "Lab Rats". Variety. Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  12. Rick Kissell (April 6, 2015). "Disney XD Sets Animated Ratings High with Premiere of Star vs. the Forces of Evil". Variety. Retrieved May 8, 2018. Among all series on the network, it ranks second to date behind only the live-action original series Lab Rats in February 2012.
  13. "Disney XD Original Series Lab Rats Is Network's #1 Launch Ever" (Press release). Disney XD. February 29, 2012. Retrieved May 8, 2018 – via The Futon Critic.
  14. "Monday's Cable Ratings". The Futon Critic. February 28, 2012. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  15. "Monday's Cable Ratings". The Futon Critic. November 6, 2012. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  16. "Monday's Cable Ratings". The Futon Critic. February 26, 2013. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  17. Son of the Bronx (January 24, 2014). "Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD Ratings (January 13–19, 2014)". Son of the Bronx. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  18. Son of the Bronx (February 28, 2014). "Disney Channel, Disney Junior and Disney XD Ratings (February 17–23, 2014)". Son of the Bronx. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  19. Douglas Pucci (February 6, 2015). "Thursday Final Nationals". TV Media Insights. Archived from the original on February 10, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2018. Note: The viewers are in the comments section.
  20. Mitch Metcalf (March 19, 2015). "Top 25 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Update: 3.18.2015". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on March 20, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  21. Mitch Metcalf (February 4, 2016). "Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 2.3.2016". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on February 5, 2016. Retrieved August 12, 2018.
  22. THR staff (March 12, 2016). "Kids' Choice Awards: The Complete Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  23. Elizabeth Wagmeister (September 3, 2015). "Disney XD Greenlights Lab Rats and Mighty Med Spinoff Series". Variety. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  24. "Disney XD's New Spinoff Series Lab Rats: Elite Force Premieres Wednesday, March 2" (Press release). Disney XD. February 2, 2016. Retrieved February 2, 2016 – via The Futon Critic.
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