The Powerpuff Girls

When I was a wee lad, superhero cartoons were, for the most part, pretty lame. The Superfriends were a little too rah-rah-go-team!, G.I. Joe had too many life lessons (''Don't lick the electrical sockets, kids''), and the ''relationship'' between Race Bannon and Dr. Quest kept me from fully concentrating on whatever gee-whiz adventure Jonny and Hadji stumbled into. At least I had those shows to complain about; little girls didn't even have that. But young damsels don't have to be in distress any longer, thanks to The Powerpuff Girls. Created by Professor Utonium — who combined sugar, spice, everything nice, and a dash of Chemical X — Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup are three superpowered, supercute kindergarteners charged with protecting the city of Townsville from a variety of villains, including maniacal monkey geniuses, killer mimes, and evil would-be Mrs. Utoniums. With spot-on pop-culture acumen — including riffs on everything from This Is Spinal Tap(torture device dials that go up to 11) to James Bond (what if the cat that Blofeld always strokes was the true criminal mastermind?) — and an unparalleled sense of fun, this Cartoon Network series is blisteringly creative in the most unassuming way. A

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