''Lab Rats'' is an American

comedy Comedy is a genre of dramatic works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. Origins Comedy originated in ancient Greec ...

television series created by Chris Peterson and Bryan Moore that aired on

Disney XD Disney XD is an American pay television television channel, channel owned by the Disney Branded Television and Disney Entertainment units of The Walt Disney Company. The channel is aimed primarily at older children ages six to eleven years old ...

from February 27, 2012 to February 3, 2016. The series stars Billy Unger,

Spencer Boldman Spencer Boldman (born July 28, 1992) is an American actor. He is known for his role as Adam Davenport on Disney XD's '' Lab Rats'', and for playing Gio in the film '' Cruise''. Early and personal life Spencer Boldman was born in Dallas, Texas, a ...

Kelli Berglund Kelli Michelle Berglund (born February 9, 1996) is an American actress. She is known for portraying Bree Davenport in the Disney XD series '' Lab Rats'' and '' Lab Rats: Elite Force'' and also guest starred in ''Mighty Med''. In 2014, she starre ...

Tyrel Jackson Williams Tyrel Jackson Williams (born March 16, 1997), also known under the stage name TJOnline (formerly TJW) is an American actor, rapper and singer. He starred as Leo Dooley in the Disney XD series '' Lab Rats''. Williams also co-starred in the 2014 D ...

, and

Hal Sparks Hal Harry Magee Sparks III (born September 25, 1969) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, musician, political commentator, television and radio host and television personality. He made contributions to VH1, hosting E!'s ''Talk Soup'', and pl ...

Plot

A young teenager named Leo Dooley lives a normal life until the day his mother Tasha marries billionaire inventor Donald Davenport, with whom they move in. While trying to find his bedroom, Leo accidentally discovers teenage siblings with

bionic Bionics or biologically inspired engineering is the application of biological methods and systems found in nature to the study and design of engineering systems and modern technology. The word ''bionic'', coined by Jack E. Steele in August 19 ...

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

Cast

* Billy Unger as Chase *

as Adam *

as Bree *

as Leo *

as Davenport

Production

On May 10, 2010,

green-lit In the context of the film and television industries, to greenlight is to give permission to proceed with a project. It specifically refers to formally approving its production finance and committing to this financing, thereby allowing the projec ...

a pilot under the title of ''Billion Dollar Freshmen'', created by Chris Peterson and Bryan Moore, as executive producers alongside Mark Brazill. The pilot was filmed in the summer of 2010. On July 13, 2011,

officially ordered ''Lab Rats'', with production to begin in September 2011 in Hollywood for a 2012 premiere. Starring in the series are

as Leo, Billy Unger as Chase,

as Adam,

as Bree, and

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

Broadcast

The series originally premiered on

on February 27, 2012, and on

Disney Channel Disney Channel is an American pay television television channel, channel that serves as the flagship (broadcasting), flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Company ...

on March 2, 2012. In Canada, it first aired on

on February 24, 2012. It later stopped airing on Disney XD in Canada and moved to

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

on June 10, 2012. In Australia and New Zealand, it first aired on

on December 31, 2012, and officially premiered on January 10, 2013.

Reception

Critical

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' 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".

Ratings

The series launch of ''Lab Rats'' in February 2012 was the most-watched series premiere in

history, drawing 1.27 million viewers and performing well in key demographics. The followup encore of the premiere that aired on

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.

Awards and nominations

''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 ''Mighty Med'' is an American television series created by Jim Bernstein and Andy Schwartz and produced by It's a Laugh Productions for Disney XD. It stars Bradley Steven Perry, Jake Short, Paris Berelc, Devan Leos, and Augie Isaac. The ser ...

'' under the title of '' Lab Rats: Elite Force''. Only Billy Unger and

from ''Lab Rats'' were reported to be returning for the new series, alongside Bradley Steven Perry,

Jake Short Jacob Patrick Short (born May 30, 1997) is an American actor. His roles have included Fletcher Quimby in the Disney Channel sitcom '' A.N.T. Farm'' (2011–2014), Oliver in the Disney XD series '' Mighty Med'' (2013–2015) and '' Lab Rats: El ...

, and

Paris Berelc Paris Berelc (born December 29, 1998) is an American actress and model. She is known for her roles as Skylar Storm in the Disney XD series ''Mighty Med'' and ''Lab Rats: Elite Force'', and Alexa Mendoza in the Netflix sitcom ''Alexa & Katie.'' ...

from ''Mighty Med''. It was subsequently announced that ''Lab Rats: Elite Force'' would premiere on Disney XD on March 2, 2016.

References

External links

* {{It's a Laugh Productions 2010s American children's comedy television series 2012 American television series debuts 2016 American television series endings American English-language television shows Disney XD original programming Television series about families Television series about siblings Television series by It's a Laugh Productions Cyborgs in television Television shows set in California