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Animation Damnation: Invader ZIM - "The Nightmare Begins" (Patreon)

Published:
2025-08-21 10:00:04
Edited:
2025-08-21 18:48:30
Imported:
2026-06
Tags:

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On this month's Animation Damnation, the guys are pleasantly surprised when they first encounter the popular cartoon from the turn of the century, Invader ZIM!

The episode in question, "The Nightmare Begins," originally aired March 30, 2001, and showcases just how the adorably diabolical little ZIM came to Earth. Highlights include the alien/human character design, KITH's Kevin McDonald's showing up to do the voice of an alien leader, the way ZIM creates his house, the gag of the robot parents welcoming him home, and a great reference to the FOX Primetime alien autopsy show hosted by Jonathan Frakes from the late-1990s.! PLUS: Was this little guy's visage Hot Topic's number one seller?

Thanks so much for being so awesome and supporting Animation Damnation on Patreon! Please be sure to spread the word! Your support is what keeps this operation going! We know you have a number of choices for pods and we appreciate you spending some time with us!Original cover art by Felipe Sobreiro.

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Comments

Dominic Kovell

Everyone, let's sing the Doom Song now!

Russell Balow

You guys gotta go back and check out that theme song; its a total ear-worm banger that was my phones ringtone for an embarrassingly long time, haha.

Zach Hughes

I’m astonished the guys liked this. They always talk about how 2001 was the Worst Time to be Alive Before 2025. Also, this show was never cute? GIR is ADORABLE, gentlemen. Oh and the “this show makes weird kids” is spot on. My teen loved it as a kid/preteen, now she’s a totally awesome weirdo.

Voror

Glad that the guys had a good time. I haven't seen the original show in years, though I did see that revival movie which I remember thinking was fine. I was quite happy to hear the positive talk on the Venture Bros. Hope Andrew does check it out at some point.

Adam Ray

I was a giant fan of the creator's comic line (also found in hot topic) Johnny The Homicidal Maniac. When I heard he had a cartoon premiering on Nickelodeon I was cautiously optimistic. I didn't get fully into the series because I wasn't really watching tv anymore around that time, but every episode I watched was at least good if not great.

Tony King

This was my first time watching this show as well, and it wasn't bad. It's probably one I'll get around to watching more of eventually. It got a legitimate laugh out loud moment from me, with the old man kid at school.

James

Would love to see an AD episode on The Venture Bros. in the future.

Rod

If yall wanna see the shows that create weird kids these days, watch Gumball. May have found my LRM submission…

Winson Paine

Stunned two of the lads have not seen Lilo and Stitch, massive, massive rec. Closest Disney ever got to doing a Ghibli movie, fucking amazing film.

Natasha Luepke

I loved Zim back in the day. Glad the guys enjoyed it. :)

Bintu

I popped in to give the Zim theme song some love. Weird + good show🍻

Busiris

The discussion of this show REALLY takes me back. I was in late middle/early high school when this did it's initial run and I think I really gravitated toward the general weirdness and the humor/style being different from what was out there at that time. Haven't seen it in probably 20 years but I did wonder if I'd still like it if I went back.

Rose Esposito

I seem to recall a lot of overlap between the Invader Zim kids and the Magic: The Gathering kids at my middle/high school...anyone else?

Vicky I

Invader Zim was basically my entire middle school career and is responsible for why I still catch myself thinking "I have a MIGHTY NEED"

Brian Moreau

I'm always confusing this with Earthworm Jim. Dan Castellaneta did the voice of EJ, I remember him doing the "I think he's talking to you" Homer voice in that show.

Wesley

I demand the animator hater himself Eric, comes back to review Zim. Or if anyone is looking for some classic Zim episodes try "Rise of the Zitboy" or "Bloaty's Pizza Hog"

Ray

My favorite character is old kid.

Amberwing Tundrawing

I'm not sure if you guys have talked about The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy yet but it has a very similar vibe to Zim. Creepy, cynical comedy, magnets for goth kids lol

John Edwards

I always associated Zim with more of the emo/scene crowd, at least where I was growing up. I think the more offbeat comedy resonated well with less mainstream teens, especially since bits like the Doom Song dovetailed with the kind of humor that was popular on the burgeoning internet.

Jonathan Lyons

We called it adhd humor back then. Kids today call it brainrot. I remember my mother asking me why the doom song was funny. There was a point where stuff like that was almost like counter culture Kinda like how The Thing didn't do well theatrically, but it gained cult status from people outside the mainstream

MANTE IV

It’s more than likely spelled SKOOL just because that’s what Jhonen Vasquez’s sense of humor is like. It wouldn’t be out of place in his comics at all. Partly out of goofiness, but there’s a pessimistic, even misanthropic streak throughout all of his work. Societies run by idiots, for idiots. There’s a leading soft drink later in Invader Zim called Poop Cola. Honestly at this point I’d beg to live in his universe, instead of this one.

J HEASLEY

Live action cowboy bebop was great! Fuck the haters.

Logan Anderson

I watched my copies of Zim for the show. It mostly holds up, but the repetition of "Doom" heavily informed my sense of humor, I watched the first episode half enjoying myself and half being secondhand embarrassed at finding it funny. Great episode, I love these discussions!

DRB

i was a freshman in hs when this came out and i loved it. gir was adorable

DRB

lol & my first job was hot topic

DRB

this was definitely for the older crowd iirc it came on around 8pm before nick at nite started