The Weekenders was a three-season animated series that originally aired on ABC's block "Disney's One Saturday Morning," before moving to Toon Disney. The premise is centered on four pre-teens and best friends: Carter (Phil LaMarr from Futurama), Lor (Grey Griffin-DeLisle from Avatar: The Last Airbender), Tish (Kath Soucie from Rugrats), and Tino (Jason Marsden from Spirited Away). They're a group that regularly hangs out on the weekends and spends their off-school hours in the Southern California town of Bahia Bay.
The show was adored by fans, who appreciated the multi-faceted and diverse characters, pleasing and upbeat aesthetic, and the copious but creative motif-themed pizza days and puns. Thirty-nine episodes were produced until the show's run ended in 2004.
Nevermore (8.7)
True to its title, "Nevermore" appropriately opens with a Hitchcockian Tino sitting in an Edgar Allan Poe-esque room. On the cusp of adolescence, everyone but Tino feels they are too old to trick-or-treat, whilst the latter disagrees. However, they manage to come to a compromise and realize that as long as they enjoy themselves, who cares what others think.
"Nevermore" succeeds in considering both perspectives on the issue, making both sides of the argument valid with their pros and cons.
Home@work (8.7)
In this episode, Lor needs to pass her history exam, or else her dad will send her to military school. Despite this, the others are hesitant about giving up their weekend, although, with a little prodding from Tino's mom (Lisa Kaplan from Dave the Barbarian) they eventually come to her aid and she passes. This was one of many episodes that tested the bond of the four's friendship - seeing who would stick with Lor and who would not.
Another trait the series has been praised for is its resonance. From Lor struggling in school to the others initially abandoning her but then later on helping her, the interactions between the characters and their journey to finally assisting her seemed fluid and understandable.
Carver The Terrible (8.8)
Everyone at school mistakes Carver for a bully after seeing him "takedown" Laird (Robbie Rist from The Brady Bunch), a local bully. He lets the power get to his head, as his peers fear him. Unfortunately, this causes another Laird's protege, Josh (Carlos Alazrqui from Rocko's Modern Life), to challenge him. By the end, Carver comes clean and everyone learns the truth.
This episode did well with subverting expectations. Usually, with this storyline, they tend to have the protagonist's friend(s) uncharacteristically not believe them, but Carver's friends believed him.
To Be Or Not To Be (8.9)
When Tish lands a part in a local Shakespearan production, she begins hanging out with her fellow actors more, especially after her friends acted judgemental and unsupportive. Towards the end, Tish realizes the performers barely paid her any mind, whilst her true friends came around and watched her play, despite prior skepticism.
Some of the highlights included an emotional moment with Tish on her big night and the gang realizing it was wrong of them to poke fun at Tish's interests.
Party Planning (8.9)
The group's first boy-girl is happening and everyone is on edge. To help with the situation, Tino and Carter teach Tish and Lor how to act around boys and vice versa. When they attend the dance, they realize everyone feels awkward and decide to just go along with things.
Viewers appreciated that the series featured social rites, such as this, as many could relate. The episode also did a decent job of examining various perspectives, from questioning if they are mature enough to being scared about this new experience.
Dead Ringer (9)
The group is trying to pick an event sport but the choices are slim, especially with Tino being inherently bad at sports. However, he finds a niche with horseshoes, although the others are hesitant since their peers think it is lame. They eventually come to a consensus, and Tino is finally able to play horseshoes with his buds.
One of the highlights came when Tino took his mother's advice without doubting her (as he usually did), showing the character's growth, and this was only season 1.
Charity Case (9.2)
Tish goes out of her way to make sure a student named Bebe (Julianne Buescher from Muppets Now) feels welcomed, as she considers Bebe socially beneath her. However, the others are annoyed by Bebe's obnoxious and rude behavior. Tish inevitably has the tables turned on her, as Bebe reveals Tish is cramping her style and she needs to be with her real friends.
While the conclusion paid off hilariously, one of the down points in the episode included Bebe being inherently unlikable. While the episode has them learn a lesson, it seems to validate Tino, Lor, and Carver's dismissal of Bebe by having her be appealing in no way.
Pudding Ball (9.2)
The friends are split into pairs for a game of pudding ball. Trouble brews when Lor and Carver assume that Tish and Tino will be no competition. The latter is determined to prove them wrong and it becomes a close call. Both teams inevitably decide to cheat, which involves both groups being disqualified.
Some of the episode's highlights include pudding ball itself, a fictional sport some fans wished was real, and Coach Colson being hit by pudding balls while Carver pretends to be Mrs. Duwong (Sandra Tsing Loh).
Band (9.4)
Carver gets brownie points with everyone after telling Chum Bucket (a popular rock band) would dedicate a show to him and his friends. However, just as expected, Carver begins to eat his words and is desperate to not reveal his bluff to everyone. While the episode went as one would expect, the ending was surprising.
The gang did meet the band and was even going to be mentioned by them after explaining his dilemma. Yet, due to Carver's poor-handwriting, the band singer misread their names, and Carver was finally found out, showing that actions do have consequences.
Makeover (9.6)
Lor is convinced she needs to change herself in order to impress her crush, Thompson Oberman (Robbie Rist). She decides to take popular girls' Christie and Candi's (both voiced by Tara Strong from Teen Titans Go!) advice, but her friends are skeptical. In the end, Lor comes to the conclusion that it does not matter if Thompson prefers her made up if she is not happy with herself.
While the episode immediately paints Christie and Candi in a negative light, it treats both sides as being problematic. A pattern in these episodes seems to be the gang learning a tired but important lesson, however, it is the execution of these messages that is what sets it apart from other shows.