Invader ZIM (2001)

*SPOILER REVIEW*

This could've honestly only been a three-day watch if I actually put dedication into watching it, but it just took me over a month because I wasn't *that* interested in it.

Overall my thoughts on the show are pretty good, but I feel like a lot of it's praise is a bit overblown because it has a way more dark tone compared to other Nickelodeon shows and has been looked as a black sheep in the studio's catalog and raided Hot Topic ever since. I will admit seeing pretty dark and graphic in a show that was targeted to families is pretty cool, but after a dozen or so episodes, the show stops having these really dark moments, probably because Nick didn't like *how* dark it could get. Like in the second episode, A kid gets his eyes popped out and of course the infamous "Dark Harvest" episode which has sense been linked to a real world crime, but I'm just say this, if you say something "inspired" you do a crime, you were gonna do it anyway, you would just be pointing the finger to the creators who had nothing to do with it. So yeah, it's main appeal of being graphicly dark wears off in the first dozen or so episodes, so what else does the have?

Well, I guess I could talk about the characters. Zim was pretty good as the titular main character. I like seeing this enjoyably over-the-top, yet incompetent little alien constantly attempting to take over the earth only fail miserably, and I even like the fact that he's hated by the Irken Empire because ruins everything. I'm kinda mixed on Dib, because he can be really unlikable and acts really selfishly, but he can be really entertaining also in good episodes. Gaz is also enjoyable, but unfortunately the shows doesn't give her a lot of time to shine. Same can be said about Professor Membrane, but barely gets any time to shine, but the moments he had were hilarious. and of course, GIR. GIR, best character in the whole show and I totally understand the hype
around him. I mean it's GIR!!! He's so precious, I loved watching that little ball of cuteness just be GIR and I would totally buy a plushie of him.

I've noticed that most of my favorite episodes involve that actual Irken Empire, which made me realize that the show barely ever tries to flesh out this race of aliens and their world which made me pretty disappointed, but maybe the comics dive into it more, so who knows. The Taller duo could be pretty fun sometimes and it's cute that it's just because of their height gives them power.

After that, I don't have too much to add. Good show, enjoyable characters, cool art direction, rad dark moments, but with some comedy that doesn't really work for me.

Best episode (in my opinion): Backseat Drivers from Beyond the Stars

Weakest episode: Bolognius Maximus

3/2/23 Edit: I watch the pilot, it was okay. I mean it got the style right in all, but the story was incredibly basic and the voices for Zim and GIR in the pilot just don’t fit those characters at all, also the teeth for Dib was just gross