The principal characters are most often referred to by their code names, and each have their own specialties.
Numbuh One, Nigel Uno (Ben Diskin), is the leader (and often the brains) of the group. He has a bald head and speaks with a British accent. He is usually seen wearing a red sweater, grey shorts, and dark glasses. Numbuh 1's baldness was apparently brought on by an insidious act performed by the Delightful Children from Down the Lane (Op FOUNTAIN).
Numbuh Two, Hoagie Pennywhistle Gilligan Jr. (also Ben Diskin), is the designer of all the Kids Next Door's vehicles and weapons. He is chubby and wears a blue shirt, brown pants, and an aviator's helmet and goggles. He also possesses a knack for spouting horrible puns and bad jokes, which then lead to being reprimanded by Numbuh Five.
Numbuh Three, Kuki Sanban (Lauren Tom), is the nature lover of the group with what seems the shortest attention span and a love for stuffed animals. She wears a too-large green sweater and sneakers. She is the youngest of the group, and is obsessed with Rainbow Monkeys, an obvious parody of the Care Bears. Her team information card lists her specialty as "diversionary tactics", though she has also been portrayed in a nurse's uniform attending to injured operatives.
Numbuh Four, Wallabee Beetles (Dee Bradley Baker), is the impulsive "tough guy" of the group and hand-to-hand combat expert. He wears an orange hoodie and blue jeans. He speaks with an Australian accent, although any casual Australian watcher could identitfy it as false. He also cannot swim, although that has recently been rectified. He, in the words of Mr. Warburton, "definitely isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer" and is, for some reason, a frequent target of the Adult's verbal animosity. Numbuh Four has an obvious but unadmitted crush on Numbuh Three.
Numbuh Five, Abigail "Abby" Lincoln (Cree Summer), is the group's spy, second in command, and the most laid back of the Kids Next Door. She wears a red baseball cap, white buckle shoes, and a large blue shirt with a white stripe down the side. Her big sister Cree is a former KND operative, now a teenager and a villain; the two clash on multiple occasions. She is often in situations similar to ones one would expect to find Indiana Jones, down to losing her hat when sliding under a closing door, then reaching back for it just before the door closes (Op LICE). (In fact, three episodes starring her are specifically parodies of Raiders of the Lost Ark (Op JEWELS), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (Op RABBIT), and Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade (Op FLAVOR)). In MAURICE, it is revealed that she was given her red hat by her sister, Cree after her second mission as a KND operative. It is said that she still has an emotional cling to Cree, as she values the hat so.
Numbuh 86 Francine "Fanny" Fullbright (Jennifer Hale), Is the officer in charge of decommissioning operatives upon their thirteenth birthday. She hates boys, especially Numbuh 1, and is usually seen chewing out Sector V, but after they saved her life in Op END, she has gotten a bit nicer. She wears a green uniform and a helmet, which make her look like a drill sergeant. Although, as above mentioned, in one mission, she claimed to have a crush on No. 4, but seeing as how he may not have any recollection of her telling him so, the relationship will most likely not advance.
The Kids Next Door are regularly pitted against villains that embody the characteristics they resent. Among their more tenacious adversaries are the Delightful Children from Down the Lane, well-behaved, obedient children who want to eliminate them for setting a bad example; the Common Cold, who blames children's germs for his cold and seeks to make all children as sick as he is; and Gramma Stuffum, who fattens up children with disgusting dishes from her bottomless cookpot.
Other adults who aren't enemies of the Kids Next Door (most often their parents) are often hidden characters whose faces are not usually seen. As of 2005, viewers have seen all the children's parents with the notable exception of Numbuh Two's father (whose absence is a point of debate among fans).
On occassion, the younger siblings of the Kids Next Door have accompanied them on missions. A few episodes feature Numbuh Three's younger sister Mushi (SPACE, KASTLE, NUGGET, CLUES), Numbuh Four's younger brother Joey (Operation SPROUT and DODGEBALL) and Numbuh Two's younger brother Tommy has gone on to become an adult-fighting crusader himself (he was a Kid Next Door, codenamed "Numbuh T", briefly, but he took himself out of their database to save the group; the KND security system won't let him re-enlist). He now goes by the alias "The Tommy" and functions as an independent operative.
Storylines
One ongoing plot arc involves attempts by two former Kids Next Door, Cree (formerly Numbuh 11, who's also Numbuh Five's older sister) and Chad (formerly Numbuh 274, who escaped the KND mandatory decommissioning and memory wipe on his thirteenth birthday), to destroy the Kids Next Door Moonbase. These missions are often coordinated by "Father" (real name Mr. Wigglestein, according to Op ARCHIVE), a shadowy figure who has redoubled his efforts to destroy the Kids Next Door after the Delightful Children (whom he's raised) have failed to do so. This arc stemruns through Ops SUPPORT, KISS, SPACE and END.
A recurring story involves the KND fighting the Delightful Children over the latters' birthday cake. These stories always have the word "CAKED" in the title.
Kids Next Door episodes are always titled by acronyms which often give viewers clues to what the story is about (e.g., "Operation: C.A.K.E.D.: Capture and Kidnapify Enemy Dessert"). Everyone involved with the show is credited as though they're secret agents (e.g., writers are "writing operatives", the voice cast is listed under "vocal assault").
In season 3, several stories take place at Gallagher Elementary School. This is due to the adults extending school to 52 weeks a year, according to a press release from Curious Pictures.1.
The missions (Episode list)
All 15 minutes, except when specified. The Seasons are produced in groups of 13 episodes, regardless of the way they were aired.
Season 1
No P in the OOL (7 minutes; pilot, aired as 3rd segment of 1st ep)
Operation: Diseasy Does It! Otherwise known as "Chimp N. Pox" (Another Warburton short "Kenny and the Chimp")
Operation: C.A.K.E.D. (Capturize And Kidnapify Enemy Dessert, 7 minutes)
Operation: I.-S.C.R.E.A.M. (Important - Secure Creamy Refigerated Edibles - Avoid Meltdown)
Operation: C.A.N.N.O.N. (Cannon And Naptime Not Occurring Normally)
Operation: N.O.-P.O.W.U.H. (New Orders - Pulverise Opposition Without Using Hamsters)
Operation: T.E.E.T.H. (Tooth Extracting Enemy Terrorizes Headquarters)
Operation: P.I.R.A.T.E. (Pirates Invade Repository and Treats Extracted)
Operation: C.O.W.G.I.R.L. (Crazy Old Woman Goes Increasingly Really Loco)
Operation: T.U.R.N.I.P. (Turnips Unfortunately Reaching Near Infestation Point)
Operation: M.I.N.I.-G.O.L.F. (Miniturization Is Now Issue - Golfing Opposite Looney Fanatic)
Operation: O.F.F.I.C.E. (On Fourteenth Floor is Corporate Evil)
Operation: A.R.C.T.I.C. (Am Really Cold That Is Certain)
Operation: L.I.C.E. (Lice Interrupt Cheese Eating)
Operation: L.I.Z.Z.I.E. (Love Is Zesty Zany Insanity Eh?)
Operation: T.H.E.-F.L.Y. (Tiny Horsefly Examines Five Little Youngsters)
Operation: P.O.I.N.T. (Prowling Operatives Investigate Naughty Teenagers)
Operation: C.A.B.L.E.-T.V. (Crazy Arrogant Baby Loses Every Television Viewer)
Operation: C.A.M.P. (Children Are Miserable Parents)
Operation: C.H.A.D. (Charming Hero Avoids Destruction)
Operation: T.O.M.M.Y. (Totally Obnoxious Moronic Meddling Youngster)
Operation: P.I.A.N.O. (Pesky Instrument Advances New Operative)
Operation: Z.O.O. (Zoologically Obsessed Octogenarian)
Operation: Q.U.I.E.T. (Quietude Unlikely In Entire Treehouse)
Operation: R.A.I.N.B.O.W.S. (Running Amok In Nature's Bounty Observing Wild Simians)
Operation: G.R.O.W.-U.P. (Getting Really Old Will Upset Plans, 30 minutes)
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Season 2
Operation: P.O.P. (Preteens Oppose Prohibition)
Operation: C.A.T.S. (Crazy Aged Tyrant Stinks)
Operation: S.P.A.N.K. (Sore Posteriors Annoy Naughty Kids)
Operation: D.A.T.E. (Dance Actually Threatens Everyone)
Operation: S.U.P.P.O.R.T. (Special Underwire Protection Proportedly Outfits Rotten Teenagers)
Operation: T.A.P.I.O.C.A. (Teens And Pudding Inconvenience Our Childish Agents)
Operation: M.O.V.I.E. (Meeting Of Villains Isn't Entertaining)
Operation: F.A.S.T.-F.O.O.D. (Find Another Stupid Task For Our Oblivious Dodo)
Operation: S.H.A.V.E. (Southern Hair Attacks Virtually Everyone)
Operation: O.O.M.P.P.A.H. (Obnoxious Overzealous Male Parent Plays Annoying Horn)
Operation: F.L.A.V.O.R. (Find Lost Ancient Variety Of Refreshment)
Operation: K.I.S.S. (Kid's Identity Suddenly Sixteen)
Operation: G.H.O.S.T. (Ghostly Hamsters Overwhelm Spooky Treehouse)
Operation: F.U.G.I.T.I.V.E. (Facing Unpleasant Girl's Insulting Taunts Isn't Very Enjoyable)
Operation: T.H.E.-S.H.O.G.U.N. (Terribly Huge Enemy Steals Heaps Of Gorgonzola Using Ninja)
Operation: C.O.L.L.E.G.E. (Concerned Operative Leaves Loafers Engaged Goofily Elsewhere)
Operation: R.E.P.O.R.T. (Ridiculous Exaggerations Possess Occasionally Real Truth)
Operation: B.R.I.E.F. (Big Reward If Enemy Finished)
Operation: C.A.K.E.D.-T.W.O. (Commandos Attempt Kapturing Enemy Dessert - They Weren't Obliging
Operation: S.P.A.C.E. (Sister's Playful Antics Cause Emergency)
Operation: B.E.A.C.H. (Boys Enthusiastically Attempt Chivalrous Heroics)
Operation: U.N.D.E.R.C.O.V.E.R. (Unusual New Defector Eagerly Reveals Coffee Operation's Vital Enemy Relevance)
Operation: D.O.G.F.I.G.H.T. (Duelling Over Gooey Frankenfurters Invariably Gives Hoagie Trouble)
Operation: T.R.I.P. (Twins' Reconnaissance Increases Peril)
Operation: E.N.D. (Everyone Nearly Decommissioned, 30 minutes)
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Season 3
Operation: F.U.T.U.R.E. (Female's Utopian Trap Unleashes Reprehensible Evil, 30 minutes)
Operation: A.F.L.O.A.T. (Agents Feared Lost On Awful Tide)
Operation: L.E.A.D.E.R. (Lizzie Enthusiastically Attempts Daring Exectutive Role)
Operation: U.T.O.P.I.A. (Uncovering The Only Perfect Island Accidentally)
Operation: R.O.B.B.E.R.S. (Rather Ornery Bandits Burglarize Educationally Required Schoolwork)
Operation: F.O.U.N.T.A.I.N. (Figure Out Unusual Nerd's Tantalizing And Impossible Necessity, 30 minutes)
Operation: B.U.T.T. (Blackmail Uncovers Titanic Tush)
Operation: T.R.A.I.N.I.N.G. (Tiny Recruits Ambushed In Nefarious Invasion Need Guts)
Operation: A.R.C.H.I.V.E. (Ancient Recorded Children's History is Very Enlightening)
Operation: S.L.U.M.B.E.R. (Stupid Little Undercover Mission Becomes Exciting Romp)
Operation: P.I.N.K.-E.Y.E. (Private Investigator's New Kase-Extra Yucky Epidemic)
Operation: K.A.S.T.L.E. (Kuki And Sister Torpedo Loathsome Engagement)
Operation: C.A.K.E.D.-T.H.R.E.E. (Commados Attempt Kapturing Enemy Dessert - They Have Real Extreme Eggravation)
Operation: L.O.C.K.D.O.W.N. (Lurking Otherworldly Childhood Kalamity Delivers Ouchies When Naughty)
Operation: G.R.A.D.U.A.T.E.S. (Gargantuan Ray's Advance Decimates Unprepared And Terrified Escaping Soldiers, 30 minutes)
Operation: H.U.G.S. (Humungously Unwieldy Gorilla Showdown)
Operation: J.E.W.E.L.S. (Juvenile Escapes With Extremely Luscious Sweet)
Operation: T.R.I.C.K.Y. (Trivial Rival Instigates Candy Krazy Yearning (Halloween Special))
Operation: U.N.C.O.O.L. (Undead's Nocturnal Craving Overtakes Operative's Love)
Operation: P.R.E.S.I.D.E.N.T. (Protection Requires Extreme Skill Involving Democratically Elected Notable's Transportation)
Operation: H.O.S.P.I.T.A.L. (Hurt Operative Safely Protected In Totally Antiseptic Location)
Operation: S.P.R.O.U.T. (Sickening Produce Removal Operation Ultra Tricky)
Operation: H.O.U.N.D. (Homework Obliterated Using Nefarious Dog)
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Season 4
Operation: R.A.B.B.I.T. (Rescue Aids Beloved Bunny in Trouble)
Operation: F.L.U.S.H. (Foolish Loser Undoes Sinister Hopes)
Operation: F.O.O.D.F.I.T.E. (Fiendish Old Ogre's Disgusting Food Is Thrown Everywhere)
Operation: C.L.U.E.S. (Cutlery's Locataion Uncovers Elementary Solution)
Operation: N.U.G.G.E.T. (Numbuh Uncovers Glistening Golden Edible Treat)
Operation: M.A.C.A.R.R.O.N.I. (Museum's Artwork Cruelly And Recklessly Ripped Off Nearly Impossibly)
Operation: P.O.O.L. (Prevent Opposite Operative's Larceny, 30 minutes)
Operation: C.A.K.E.D.-F.O.U.R. (Children's Annual Kompetition Exposes Devilishly Fiendish Operation Up River, 30 minutes)
Operation: S.I.T.T.E.R. (Sweetheart's Involvement Transforms The Evening's Reality)
Operation: S.A.T.U.R.N. (Stuff Abducted Turns Up Revolving Nowhere)
Operation: C.H.O.C.O.L.A.T.E. (Candy Hunting Operative's Chocolatized Opponent Literally A Touchy Enemy)
Operation: M.A.T.A.D.O.R (Misbehaving Agent Teases Adults During Organized Recreation)
Operation: L.U.N.C.H. (Lizzie Underappreciates Nigel's Chowtime Hardworkingness)
Operation: M.U.N.C.H.I.E.S. (Morning Uncovers Needed Crunchiness Hiding In Enemy Store)
Operation: K.N.O.T. (Kids Necks Overwhelmingly Tied)
Operation: C.L.O.S.E.T. (Child Lost On Seriously Elevated Tundra)
Operation: S.N.O.W.I.N.G. (Sickly Nigel Opposes Warped Incumbent's Nasty Grasp, 30 minutes)
Operation: M.A.U.R.I.C.E. (Mature Agent Undergoes Reprogramming Into Childhood's Enemy, 30 minutes)
Operation: L.O.V.E. (Littlest Operative Very Emotional)
Operation: C.O.U.C.H. (Creepy Otherworld Under Cushiony Heap)
Operation: D.O.D.G.E.B.A.L.L. (Dangerous Old Dude's Game Excellently Beats All Little Losers)
Operation: F.E.R.A.L. (Friends Extract Really Ape-fied Leader)
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Season 5
Operation: E.L.E.C.T.I.O.N.S. (Enemy Launches Evil Campaign To Inflame Our Noble School, 30 minutes)
Operation D.U.C.K.Y. (Dirty Unwashed Captain's Kowardly Yacht)
Operation: D.I.A.P.E.R. (Droolind Infants Awarded Perilous Emergency Rescue)
Operation B.U.L.L.I.E.S. (Big Ugly Lunks Like Intimidating Entrapped Scaredy-cats)
Operation: F.I.S.H.Y. (Feline Invaders Swarm Headquarters Yearningly)
Operation B.R.E.A.K.U.P./Operation S.A.F.A.R.I.
Operation: N.A.U.G.H.T.Y. (Ninnies Almost Undo Greatest Holiday This Year, 30 minute Christmas Special)
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Future missions
Unaired as of current writing, and therefore unexpanded.
V.I.R.U.S.
O.U.T.-B.R.E.A.K.
C.A.N.Y.O.N.
H.O.L.I.D.A.Y.
D.A.D.D.Y.
C.A.K.E.D.-F.I.V.E.
R.E.C.R.U.I.T.
C.L.O.W.N.
L.I.C.O.R.I.C.E.
H.O.M.E.
H.O.T.-S.T.U.F.F.
S.P.A.N.K.E.N.S.T.I.N.E.
M.I.S.S.I.O.N.
I.T.
A.W.A.R.D.S.
S.A.F.E.T.Y.
E.N.G.L.A.N.D.
C.R.I.M.E.
H.A.M.S.T.E.R.
R.E.C.E.S.S.
Z.E.R.O. (Movie)
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Trivia
U.N.C.O.O.L. (#69), has a scene in which an Operative escapes when his other operatives were taken by Nerd Zombies. One of the balloons depicts Dexter from Dexter's Laboratory.
A.R.C.H.I.V.E. (#59), is a parody of the The Second Renaissance sequences in The Animatrix, and is a historical record of the rising of adults over their creators, the kids. Although it is shown at the end of the episode that the events in the episode may be just the works of Numbuh 1's overactive imagination...at least, that's what his teacher wants the other students to think.
From season 4 (Ops RABBIT and FLUSH onwards), the closing credits were redone, so that they show on half the screen (the secret agent-themed crediting and closing theme remain) with a "beauty shot" on the right. This is usually showcasing a humorous event inspired from the episode which the ending follows. The storyboard of one such sequence can be seen here. (This type of credits is was also used in the first two season 3 episodes (FUTURE, AFLOAT, and LEADER), while other episodes in that season used the old-style credits.)
For Halloween, Numbuh 1 is dressed as a Borg from Star Trek.
S.N.O.W.I.N.G. (#90), while not a complete parody on the scale of ARCHIVE, has enough Star Wars references (both from the original films and the prequels) to be an obvious parody. (Lizzie's hair is curled up in the way Leia's is) These included 2x4 Tech versions of Imperial Walkers, the AT-ATs, the Hall Monitors controlling the Bus Walkers were dressed as the Storm Troopers, the infamous Force-choke, "Sled Wings" coming from "Snow Speeders" and book-plated versions of the droidekas from the Prequel Trilogy, the robots that surround Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn and roll up into a ball to move. Even the shot and camera angle of the Imperal Walker-esque vehichles coming towards the protagontists is faithfully carried over from Episode V. Also, the battle of stick and mop between Numbuh 1 and Jimmy is a recreation of the epic battle between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. It is very easy to see that this is a recreation of The Battle of Hoth. F.L.I.E.R.P.L.A.C.E. Is a parody of the Star Wars' X-Wing. This episode also aired the same day that Episode III: Revenge of the Sith was released in theaters on U.S.
B.U.L.L.I.E.S. (#100), is a spin-off of Jurassic Park, where all of the bullies resemble dinosaurs, like the Spit ball-o-sauruses resemble the Dilophosaurus, Wet Willie Mammoth is a joke on the Woolly Mammoth.
F.I.S.H.Y (#101), is a parody on the Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in which numbuh 4 treats the fish as the ring and is adamant to cast it into the volcano.
The given name of each kid is a reference to his/her code name.
Numbuh 5 is Abigail Lincoln, the $5 bill shows Abraham Lincoln.
Numbuh 4 is Wallabee Beatles, The Beatles had four members.
Numbuh 3 is Kuki Sanban, "? (pronounce: sanban)" means No. three in Japanese.
Numbuh 2 is Hoagie P. Gilligan, Jr., he is the second person in his family to have the name.
Numbuh 1 is Nigel Uno, "uno" means one in Spanish.
In the show's pilot episode, Numbuh 4 was refered to as Wallace, not Wallabee.
Numbuh four's soda in the mission G.H.O.S.T. (#36) came from a soda dispenser labeled "Dolt," an obvious play on Jolt Cola.
There is a KND Movie "Operation: Z.E.R.O" coming in 2006, which will have Numbuh Zero & Numbuh 101.
So far the series has inspired 2 videogames: "Operation: S.O.D.A." for Nintendo Game Boy Advance and "Operation: V.I.D.E.O.G.A.M.E." for Nintendo GameCube, Sony Playstation 2 and Microsoft Xbox.
Numbuh 5's father, Mr. Lincoln, is an obvious parody of Bill Cosby.
The KND Music Score is composed by Steve Rucker & Tom Chase. The end theme song is sung by Fake Brain.
In episode G.R.A.D.U.A.T.E.S one of the Delightful Children from Down the Lane turns into "Sheep" from the Cartoon Network show "Sheep in the Big City" which was also done by Curious Pictures