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Poster for Invader ZIM

Invader ZIM

Seen it?

2001 | 2 seasons | 11 min | Animation, Comedy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Family

Friday Night Flick

Why it’s a Friday Night Flick

Critics loved it (100% on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences rate it highly (8.5 out of 10) and it's still drawing plenty of interest. Make plans for this one.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who wants a laugh, sci-fi fans and families. If you loved Futurama or Dexter's Laboratory, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Light and funny, feel-good.
The pace
2 seasons: a few weeks of evenings, short, snackable episodes, about 8 hours in all.
What might put you off
  • Rated TV-Y7. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.
  • It was cancelled, so the story may not get a proper ending.
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

Zim dreams of greatness. Unfortunately, though, he's hopelessly inept as a space invader. Desperate to be rid of the annoying Zim, his planet's leaders send him on a mission to infiltrate Earth, providing him with leftover, cobbled-together equipment. To their consternation, Zim succeeds in setting up a base on Earth and infiltrating human culture, posing as a human child as he plots the planet's downfall. Only Zim's archnemesis, Dib, recognizes that Zim is an alien, and of course, nobody believes Dib's claims.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    100% on Rotten Tomatoes

  • AudiencesStrong

    8.5 out of 10

  • AwardsSolid

    Won 1 Emmy: | 53rd Primetime Emmy Awards: Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation. Plus 2 other awards.

  • Reach & staying powerBelow par

    Ran for 2 seasons and reached a modest audience

  • Buzz & cultural impactStrong

    About 237K people sought it out in the past year

Season by season

The show overall is a Friday Night Flick. Here's how each season stacks up; Season 1 is the high point.

  1. Sunday Safe Bet
    Season 12001 · 36 episodes · 7.1 out of 10
    Sunday
  2. Season 22002 · 10 episodes
    Not rated yet

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Created by Jhonen Vasquez

  • Richard Steven HorvitzZim (voice)
  • Andy BermanDib (voice)
  • Rosearik Rikki SimonsGIR (voice)
  • Melissa FahnGaz (voice)
  • Lucille BlissMs. Bitters (voice)
  • Rodger BumpassProfessor Membrane (voice)
  • Kevin McDonaldAlmighty Tallest Purple (voice)