The Fresh 2008 Captain Planet Discussion Thingy

[Peter Paltridge]

Fresh for '08...you suckas!

The last thread was here:
http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=53532

The last comment was:

Has there ever been a good "Preachy" cartoon period? That's my question.

I think the problem is that when you emphasize message over story you miss the point entirely. Usually when you have the cliche Five Man Band (thank you TV Tropes) they need to be distinguishable.

It's a good point. I also want to know this:


Dr. Blight was just mad, a doctor who wanted to mess with everything and everything. I mean, she has turned Wheeler into a frog, taken Gaia's body, experimented on animals, she's nuts. My favorite villian.

I couldn't force myself to watch this show, but now I want to know more about Dr. Blight. How does one take Gaia's body? And would that make you master over the entire earth? And then wouldn't there be no way to defeat you?

[Anyone00]

Remember kids to defeat dastardly Eco-villains it's business in the front, party in the back.

Why do I have the sudden image of Brock Samson cosplaying as Captain Planet flashing through my head?

[Beat]

Eh, I always pictured Captain Planet as the sentai team without any weapons, or robot. Maybe if they had samurai armor (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc7dW1sajKE) instead.

I stand behind my belief that neither kids nor adults want to be talked down to, and any preachy cartoon inevitably does that.

[Lavenderpaw]

Eh...this show was always weird.

I mean,check out the theme song....

"Were the planateers,you can be one too.'Cause saving out planet is the thing to do."

Educational television meets cornball superhero show meet the Gardening channel.

[DrTooth]

I say one thing I always say. Captain Planet is fine and everything, but I learned my Ecology from the Toxic Crusaders. Come one, who doesn't love a kid's cartoon show based on a cult movie where a kid gets his head crushed through by a truck?

But I will say this, I liked it when I was a kid. Not half as much as the Crusaders, but I kinda liked it.

[PC!]

The closing theme song was catchy as all get out. Don't know why they didn't use it for the opening theme.

[Dr.Pepper]

I thought it was cool when I was little but it has been years since I have seen it. Hate to sound negative, but I have a feeling that I would find it very corny.

[Dudley]

Hmmm....Captain Planet was fun to watch as a kid, though I preferred Widget the World Watcher more, because it was funnier.

[Beat]

I say one thing I always say. Captain Planet is fine and everything, but I learned my Ecology from the Toxic Crusaders. Come one, who doesn't love a kid's cartoon show based on a cult movie where a kid gets his head crushed through by a truck?

But I will say this, I liked it when I was a kid. Not half as much as the Crusaders, but I kinda liked it.

Wasn't that show cancelled after one season? The whole saving the environment kick became popular in a lot of children's media at that time (Most notably in Ultraman Great, an Australian take on Ultraman where the Earth is actually the main villain halfway through, and creates monsters to exterminate humanity). It seemed like many things, a flash in the pan, but Turner took the preachiness to a whole new level of disturbing moral lessons.

[Lavenderpaw]

Hmmm....Captain Planet was fun to watch as a kid, though I preferred Widget the World Watcher more, because it was funnier.

That makes me think of Witches of Waverly place.

*sigh* Aliterated Animation titles...:sweat:

[The Weed Of Cri]

Given the recent accelerated "greening" of our pop culture, with Al Gore's propaganda film winning all kinds of awards, the General Electric-owned NBC going "eco-friendly" to sell their parent company's energy-saver lightbulbs, and carbon dioxide officially replacing transfats as The Thing That's Gonna Kill Us All, it should surprise nobody the Planeteers are poised for a comeback. And if you thought they were preachy before.......

Personally, I always thought the Planeteers were the worst villains on that show. They acted as judge, jury and executioner for the show's "villains". Come on, a group of teenagers, three of whom came from Third World Countries and who probably never saw indoor plumbing until they moved in with the Druidic goddess, passing judgement on technological combines, never offering the polluters a chance to clean up their acts, destroying other people's property and putting people out of work without legal sanction or reimbursement, shutting down legitimate business ventures without a fair hearing. It was anti-capitalist, anti-technology, anti-free economy and more sanctimonious than a convention of evangelicals.

[Fan of Sponge]

It's interesting that environmental awareness has popped up last year and unfortunately, Captain Planet has yet to reappear with a new series. Too bad I didn't catch on to the series until it was too late.

Also does Ted Turner still has his Captain Planet website running online?

[Cobblepot1982]

Oh, hehe, not only is HIS official site up- there's a Captain Planet FOUNDATION...this "green" foundation that sponsors events which promote conservation. It comes to schools and all that...and my biggest question:

Ya mean in '08, kids are actually dying to see a 20-something year old blue dude with a mullet and a quarter-shirt prancing around their school, telling them how in love with Al Gore he is? That's just creepy, IMO....

[Lonestarr]

How does one take Gaia's body?

A good ol' fashioned mind-swap. That's all I really remember from that episode.

[Chris Johnston]

Oh, hehe, not only is HIS official site up- there's a Captain Planet FOUNDATION...this "green" foundation that sponsors events which promote conservation. It comes to schools and all that...and my biggest question:

Ya mean in '08, kids are actually dying to see a 20-something year old blue dude with a mullet and a quarter-shirt prancing around their school, telling them how in love with Al Gore he is? That's just creepy, IMO....

With the way he's talkin' bout the environment and global warming nowadays, I'm surprised no-one has done a parody of Al Gore as Captain Planet. :confused:

[Cobblepot1982]

It's ironic- I figured if they DID do this live movie that's rumored, who better than Al Gore TO be cast as Captain Planet? And then throw in Bono as Wheeler, the "loser American"...yeah, I know- he's not American...but I can't see him pulling off Kwame or Ma-Ti that well :D

[Beat]

So in five year's time, Al Gore's bluster will most likely be a thing of the past, along with the quick "greening" trend in popular culture, which would prevent a Planet reheash. I think this review spells out a lot of the issues with that sort of preaching. (warning, language) (http://www.jabootu.com/capplanet.htm)

I remember a few years ago tossing around ideas for a redone version of Planet that wouldn't be a horrible preachy mess. Unfortunately, it seems that every idea I came up with ended up removing the final product so far from the original premise that it would be better marketed as a new Five Man Band show ala Ronin Warriors, with the culmination of my argument being "Eh, Captain Planet wouldn't have sucked as much if it was Tekkaman Blade." But then it wouldn't be Captain Planet, it'd be Tekkaman Blade! That's the main issue here. Planet and preaching are tied so close together that the entire product was poisoned from the start. If Wheeler was an idealist rather than an idiot, it would counteract Planet's theory that most pollution is our fault. If the Planeteers had actual uses for the rings besides summoning Captain Planet (my script suggested the ultimate of cliches, elemental "armor" that the rings could form around the heroes as the ultimate manifestation of their individual powers, although said clichessness was commented on), it would run counter to Planet's theme about the one generally being well...useless in the long run. If Planet wasn't a total dork that cracked lame puns, it might imply that we needed to be sufficient in solving these problems, as opposed to their theme of "Only someone else can handle it, with enough pestering." If the main villain was supernatural in origin rather than the usual cast of "We hate clean things" eco-villains, pointing out the follies of everything those guys represent would be impossible. (Ex- Hoggish Greedlys sole qualification for being evil was that he was fat. You don't need a superhero for that, you need a nutritionist) Every aspect of Planet that is deserving of ridicule and critique is also every aspect that defines the show.

[The Weed Of Cri]

With the way he's talkin' bout the environment and global warming nowadays, I'm surprised no-one has done a parody of Al Gore as Captain Planet. :confused:

Probably because most of the people who are positioned to parody him (entertainers) believe everything he says and treat him like their high priest. Only a handful of skeptics, like Matt Stone and Trey Parker, are willing to challenge him.

And while I think casting a 60-year-old fat man as Captain Planet has a certain appeal to it, somehow, I don't think it will fly. Gore's better suited to play Hoggish Greedly.

[Space Cadet]

So, do we even know if they are making this movie? It seems the source was based off a Wikipedia entry, which isn't always reliable.

[Caswin]

Personally, I always thought the Planeteers were the worst villains on that show. They acted as judge, jury and executioner for the show's "villains". Come on, a group of teenagers, three of whom came from Third World Countries and who probably never saw indoor plumbing until they moved in with the Druidic goddess, passing judgement on technological combines, never offering the polluters a chance to clean up their acts, destroying other people's property and putting people out of work without legal sanction or reimbursement, shutting down legitimate business ventures without a fair hearing. It was anti-capitalist, anti-technology, anti-free economy and more sanctimonious than a convention of evangelicals.I haven't seen it in a long time, but it was my understanding that they did give the polluters second chances, which they rarely if ever took - although I imagine they'd be less willing in the face of established supervillains.

And before anybody says it, most of the aforementioned supervillains did have reasons for polluting the environment, not just the corrupt businessman Looten Plunder. Off the top of my head (I think I got these from the official website, actually), Duke Nukem thrived on radiation, and Dr. Blight was genuinely crazy.

[Mek]

Probably because most of the people who are positioned to parody him (entertainers) believe everything he says and treat him like their high priest. Only a handful of skeptics, like Matt Stone and Trey Parker, are willing to challenge him.

"I'm super serial!" :D

Yeah, 'Manbearpig' was one of the better SP episodes in recent years.

Anyhow, I don't think Captain Planet is THAT bad of a show. It is a good idea, but unfortunately, poorly executed. Like someone mentioned earlier, kids AND adults do not like to be talked down to. When I was a kid, I didn't really like the forcefully preachy aspect of the cartoon -or anything that was preachy, period-, though there were some episodes I liked (the one where Hoggish's son falls in love with Linka was always one of my favorites).

It is interesting to note that CP was the first show to tackle the issue of AIDS. Which strikes me as odd, because AIDS isn't exactly an environmental (read: to the trees, ocean and flora) danger...

[Don_East]

I watched a few episodes and I must say, as a mid 80s to early 90s action show it was okay. But as a show with a serious message, it's laughable. It's like Reefer Madness only instead of drugs, it's pollution.


The villains are laughably bad, especially Duke "Not The Badass Video Game Character" Nukem. Zarm was the only threatening one and was also the least recurring.
Also bad is all the hokey one-liners Cap himself said when he's onscreen.
Gi has to be my favorite Planeteer, she's has cool power, her accent isn't as put-on as Linka(since her VA is actually Asian), she's likes dolphins like I do, and she's pretty cute too.

[DrTooth]

Wasn't that show cancelled after one season? The whole saving the environment kick became popular in a lot of children's media at that time (Most notably in Ultraman Great, an Australian take on Ultraman where the Earth is actually the main villain halfway through, and creates monsters to exterminate humanity). It seemed like many things, a flash in the pan, but Turner took the preachiness to a whole new level of disturbing moral lessons.

the 80's TMNT (both the cartoon and the Archie Comics) also did envoronmental stuff as well. My favorite line comes from Shredder's Mom where a scientist says:

"The Earth's temperature will gradually rise, casuing the polar ice caps to melt, and your nice beachfront property to rapidly decrease in value"

[Beat]

the 80's TMNT (both the cartoon and the Archie Comics) also did envoronmental stuff as well. My favorite line comes from Shredder's Mom where a scientist says:

"The Earth's temperature will gradually rise, casuing the polar ice caps to melt, and your nice beachfront property to rapidly decrease in value"

That's actually pretty lol worthy.

So environmental messages in children's cartoons are not problematic, nor were they all that uncommon. BUT Planet's messages were, among other things, included a general distrust of any capitalist buisness, and the aformentioned hatred of children of all things (Numbers Game).

[Zorak Masaki]

Oh, hehe, not only is HIS official site up- there's a Captain Planet FOUNDATION...this "green" foundation that sponsors events which promote conservation. It comes to schools and all that...and my biggest question:

Ya mean in '08, kids are actually dying to see a 20-something year old blue dude with a mullet and a quarter-shirt prancing around their school, telling them how in love with Al Gore he is? That's just creepy, IMO....

Do kids even know who captain planet IS nowadays? Its not like his cartoon has aired on tv recently. That would be like having an "above the influence" ad with the silverhawks.

[Peter Paltridge]

Beat: I've read that link before, and despite how obviously slated Captain Planet is, that essay's pretty slanted itself (yet also funny). I think I have the right to question things like this:


The most telling incident occurred at CNN anchor Bernard Shaw’s company birthday party. Turner, the network founder and president, came across an employee with a smudge on her forehead. Initially, and it says something that he himself would have the (censored) to tell this story, he was bewildered by this. Finally realizing that it was Ash Wednesday, Turner called the woman to her face a "Jesus Freak" and said she "should be working at Fox."
I've heard Turner's a jerk before, but did he really do this?

[Beat]

I can't confirm that directly, (for obvious reasons) but the story has been repeated on several websites besides that one, including an article in the New York Times that was quoted for a Wikipedia entry. (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0DEFDA133DF93AA25750C0A9679C8B63)

[Caswin]

I'm going through the review again (I know I liked it last time)... and I can't find anything on a miniseries, by Ted Turner or otherwise, called The Cold War or a John Stossel special called "The Value of Greed" apart from the webpage itself. Can anyone shed some light on this?

[DrTooth]

"NO!!! Ernie doesn't like the Monsters"- I'd say that Famliy Guy bit was pretty apt. Not so much his political views, but colorizing everything. Egad. if you want to see where Ted Turner goes green, Look at Humphry Bogart's face in Casablanca (unless a court ruling prevents it from being released, we can only hope).

[Peter Paltridge]

I'm going through the review again (I know I liked it last time)... and I can't find anything on a miniseries, by Ted Turner or otherwise, called The Cold War or a John Stossel special called "The Value of Greed" apart from the webpage itself. Can anyone shed some light on this?
"The Value of Greed" is at least real; I remember seeing ads for that and several other Stossel specials in that vein where he touted his controversial opinions.

[Br26]

Eh..lots of cartoon characters in the 80s-early 90s did a bunch of PSA stuff. Even going as far back as the Superfriends telling us how street racing was wrong and soforth. I'm pretty sure they did a pollution episode somewhere during their run.

But I like Capitan Planet; I still remember it back when it was on Cartoon Network and not on at 5:00 am in the morning. The ending theme song is awesome too.

[Beat]

Eh..lots of cartoon characters in the 80s-early 90s did a bunch of PSA stuff. Even going as far back as the Superfriends telling us how street racing was wrong and soforth. I'm pretty sure they did a pollution episode somewhere during their run.

There's nothing inheritely wrong with PSA's, morals, Aesop's, etc, etc. The problem is that Planet was a soapbox for Turner's views disguised as a sentai hero show. The plots were merely viewpoints in disguise.

One episode comes to mind- The villains take over TV episode. Both GI Joe (a show that could be just as silly, if not sillier than Planet at times) and Planet used the same plot. But they went about it completely differently. Joe used the premise to mock TV in general as well as a lot of cliches (Targets include the Smurfs, talk shows, and The Great Dictator)

Planet used the premise to condemn things on TV that weren't consider eco-friendly, among them-

Pro wrestling (This is the same Turner who owned WCW)
Perfume ads
Violence on TV in general.

Note that these weren't parodied, they were pretty much presented and the audience was told "This is bad."

[Zorak Masaki]

There's nothing inheritely wrong with PSA's, morals, Aesop's, etc, etc. The problem is that Planet was a soapbox for Turner's views disguised as a sentai hero show. The plots were merely viewpoints in disguise.

One episode comes to mind- The villains take over TV episode. Both GI Joe (a show that could be just as silly, if not sillier than Planet at times) and Planet used the same plot. But they went about it completely differently. Joe used the premise to mock TV in general as well as a lot of cliches (Targets include the Smurfs, talk shows, and The Great Dictator)

Planet used the premise to condemn things on TV that weren't consider eco-friendly, among them-

Pro wrestling (This is the same Turner who owned WCW)
Perfume ads
Violence on TV in general.

Note that these weren't parodied, they were pretty much presented and the audience was told "This is bad."

How was pro wrestling presented as "eco-unfriendly"? Pro wrestling has no connection to the environment, either good or bad.

[Beat]

How was pro wrestling presented as "eco-unfriendly"? Pro wrestling has no connection to the environment, either good or bad.

The episode was just...so bad it's hard to justify it, but there was a scene where Nukem was going to wrestle a geek dressed as Captain Planet. The entire notion of pro wrestling, along with violence on TV in general, was shown to be this horrible thing that only the evil villains supported (nicely spelled out for us when Mr. Learner says he "REFUSES TO INSULT THE INTELLEGENCE OF HIS VIEWERS WITH SUCH THINGS!")

[sdp]

Captain Planet was awesome, I do not understand all the bashing it gets here. You were expecting a show about earth and thats what they gave you, its not like it was some cartoon with a premise only to be disguised as a ecological cartoon. As a kid it never bothered me and I thought it was a cool show. Now I can appreciate the message even more.
Some of you are also treating it like it wasn't successful, it lasted 6 seasons and got over 100 episodes and is recognizable internationally.
The thing is the show is not only still relevant but even more so now. The world has only become a lot more polluted and we are seeing effects of it that are not good now.

Sure, its going to have a lot of "silly" things but so will any cartoon of that same era, its not an exception. Toon Zone loves South Park and yet that is one of the preachiest cartoons I have ever seen.

[FGfan]

Yeah, why DOES this show get so much bashing around here? More specifically, WHY do I have a feeling it's just being done to tick off those who know better?

[Beat]

Know what better? The plots were overly preachy, the characters were one note stereotypes that seemed to present a sort of "Westerners are ignorant" mantra, and the villains and situations failed to address any true solutions, much less entertain people. It was a soapbox, not a quality TV show.

[Captain Highwind]

Also bad is all the hokey one-liners Cap himself said when he's onscreen.

I thought it was funny how apathetic Planet was in the show. I can't think of any examples, but it just seemed like everytime he was summoned, he was more concerned with saying the next pun than anything else. He was like some programmable robot.

He never interacted with the cast at all.

[Antiyonder]

Know what better? The plots were overly preachy, the characters were one note stereotypes that seemed to present a sort of "Westerners are ignorant" mantra, and the villains and situations failed to address any true solutions, much less entertain people. It was a soapbox, not a quality TV show.

Plus another thing they briefly touched on but never brought up again was their dependancy of Cap. The only time they acquired the means to operate without him, they became a little too power hungry for their own good.

[DrTooth]

There's nothing inheritely wrong with PSA's, morals, Aesop's, etc, etc. The problem is that Planet was a soapbox for Turner's views disguised as a sentai hero show. The plots were merely viewpoints in disguise.

One episode comes to mind- The villains take over TV episode. Both GI Joe (a show that could be just as silly, if not sillier than Planet at times) and Planet used the same plot. But they went about it completely differently. Joe used the premise to mock TV in general as well as a lot of cliches (Targets include the Smurfs, talk shows, and The Great Dictator)

Planet used the premise to condemn things on TV that weren't consider eco-friendly, among them-

Pro wrestling (This is the same Turner who owned WCW)
Perfume ads
Violence on TV in general.

Note that these weren't parodied, they were pretty much presented and the audience was told "This is bad."

Can I just chime in and say I can't stand TV shows telling us NOT to watch TV? That's overly hypocritical in every aspect. I did like Mighty Mouse's speach at the end of "Don't Touch that Dial" which mocked how hypocritical it was.

[Antiyonder]

Can I just chime in and say I can't stand TV shows telling us NOT to watch TV? That's overly hypocritical in every aspect. I did like Mighty Mouse's speach at the end of "Don't Touch that Dial" which mocked how hypocritical it was.

Frylock's stance sums that up pretty well too. You know, even if TV is bad for us, we need it.

[Beat]

Can I just chime in and say I can't stand TV shows telling us NOT to watch TV? That's overly hypocritical in every aspect. I did like Mighty Mouse's speach at the end of "Don't Touch that Dial" which mocked how hypocritical it was.

Joe wasn't telling people not to watch TV, it was just lampooning everything and anything they could in a kids toon.

Still though, I agree. "Don't watch TV! I mean it...but watch these commercials first."

[Don_East]

Why does it get bashed? Let's start the topic of this thread's predecessor, the villains.


Hoggish Greedly: A fat southern guy that looks like a pig and voiced by socialist actor Ed Asner. He doesn't care how much money he spends making his pig-themed vehicles he use just to pollute the land. He usually has a henchman with him, Rigger the retarded redneck.
Verminous Skumm: A mutant ratman who tries to rid the Earth of mankind by polluting the water supply. He also was the villain in some of the most controverial episodes of the series. One episode in which he's a drug dealer that makes everyone who takes it(including Linka) a mindless zombie. Another one that has him making up lies about high school student who has HIV. And finally one in which he gave a detonator to a nuclear bomb to 6 stereotypes. A couple times he had henchmen who are also ratmen, never explained how though.
Duke Nukem: Like I've said before, he's laughably bad. All he wants to do is to make the world a nuclear wasteland so he can live forever. They never explain why he looks like a yellow Thing with mohawk. He also has the weakest underling, a wimp named Leadsuit.
Sly Sludge: I've barely seen any episodes with him save for when he teams up with more commonly used villains like Dr. Blight or Looten Plunder. He runs a waste disposal company that dumps their clients garbage in the ocean or underground, like Mr. Burns. He does have an assistant named Ooze, sounds like Rocksteady from TMNT and is dumb like him.
Dr. Blight: I think she pollutes because she's insane. She's slightly more competent than the other villains. But still, her MO is polluting for the sake of polluting. She has MAL as her assistant and implied they have a romantic relationship. [Eww] MAL was actually a game computer until he was reprogrammed by Blight. One of the most infamous episodes with Blight involves her & her future counterpart going to back in time to WWII and sell an atomic bomb to a Hitler-lookalike.
Looten Plunder: Unlike the other villains who pollute for the sake of polluting. Plunder usually just swindles small third world villages of their money so he can sell things that do pollute. He was voiced by Oscar winning actor James Coburn. But sadly he crack as many bad one-liners that could rival Captain Planet. He also has the most competent henchman, a mercenary named Argos Bleak, who actually was the villain of one episode without even a mention of Plunder. Bleak looks a Dreadnok who was rejected because he looked too much like Gung-Ho.
Zarm: He's probably the best villain. He's manipulative and uses it start such things as war and other forms of hatred between the people.
Captain Pollution: An evil double of Captain Planet. So he says bad one-liners but they're even worse because he says them in a surfer accent. Only appeared in two two-part episodes in which most of the time he fights Planet or wallows in the pollution he loves so much. Apparently the time he spends, the more larger he gets and sports a Super Saiyan haircut.The sad thing is, even with the combined effort of Nukem, Greedly, Plunder, Sludge, Skumm, Blight, & Zarm couldn't stop the Planeteers. Why is this a bad thing, find out in part two when I look at the Planeteers and their allies.

[Antiyonder]

Sly Sludge: I've barely seen any episodes with him save for when he teams up with more commonly used villains like Dr. Blight or Looten Plunder. He runs a waste disposal company that dumps their clients garbage in the ocean or underground, like Mr. Burns. He does have an assistant named Ooze, sounds like Rocksteady from TMNT and is dumb like him.

Didn't he consider going straight at the end of his last appearance? Haven't seen the episode, but I heard that Captain Planet told him that there's profit to be made in recycling.

[Beat]

Why does it get bashed? Let's start the topic of this thread's predecessor, the villains.

Hoggish Greedly: A fat southern guy that looks like a pig and voiced by socialist actor Ed Asner. He doesn't care how much money he spends making his pig-themed vehicles he use just to pollute the land. He usually has a henchman with him, Rigger the retarded redneck.
Verminous Skumm: A mutant ratman who tries to rid the Earth of mankind by polluting the water supply. He also was the villain in some of the most controverial episodes of the series. One episode in which he's a drug dealer that makes everyone who takes it(including Linka) a mindless zombie. Another one that has him making up lies about high school student who has HIV. And finally one in which he gave a detonator to a nuclear bomb to 6 stereotypes. A couple times he had henchmen who are also ratmen, never explained how though.
Duke Nukem: Like I've said before, he's laughably bad. All he wants to do is to make the world a nuclear wasteland so he can live forever. They never explain why he looks like a yellow Thing with mohawk. He also has the weakest underling, a wimp named Leadsuit.
Sly Sludge: I've barely seen any episodes with him save for when he teams up with more commonly used villains like Dr. Blight or Looten Plunder. He runs a waste disposal company that dumps their clients garbage in the ocean or underground, like Mr. Burns. He does have an assistant named Ooze, sounds like Rocksteady from TMNT and is dumb like him.
Dr. Blight: I think she pollutes because she's insane. She's slightly more competent than the other villains. But still, her MO is polluting for the sake of polluting. She has MAL as her assistant and implied they have a romantic relationship. [Eww] MAL was actually a game computer until he was reprogrammed by Blight. One of the most infamous episodes with Blight involves her & her future counterpart going to back in time to WWII and sell an atomic bomb to a Hitler-lookalike.
Looten Plunder: Unlike the other villains who pollute for the sake of polluting. Plunder usually just swindles small third world villages of their money so he can sell things that do pollute. He was voiced by Oscar winning actor James Coburn. But sadly he crack as many bad one-liners that could rival Captain Planet. He also has the most competent henchman, a mercenary named Argos Bleak, who actually was the villain of one episode without even a mention of Plunder. Bleak looks a Dreadnok who was rejected because he looked too much like Gung-Ho.
Zarm: He's probably the best villain. He's manipulative and uses it start such things as war and other forms of hatred between the people.
Captain Pollution: An evil double of Captain Planet. So he says bad one-liners but they're even worse because he says them in a surfer accent. Only appeared in two two-part episodes in which most of the time he fights Planet or wallows in the pollution he loves so much. Apparently the time he spends, the more larger he gets and sports a Super Saiyan haircut.The sad thing is, even with the combined effort of Nukem, Greedly, Plunder, Sludge, Skumm, Blight, & Zarm couldn't stop the Planeteers. Why is this a bad thing, find out in part two when I look at the Planeteers and their allies.

That's pretty good. If anything, like you're probably going to get to, the 'heroes' are worse. Playing off the sentai team format, we have "5 special young people." Or rather, four token foreigners and the stereotype of the stupid American whose sole purpose through six Turner funded seasons was to look and act stupid, which was designed to play off of the guilt trip Turner had in mind for us. I'm half surprised he didn't get the dumb "heart" power.


I thought it was funny how apathetic Planet was in the show. I can't think of any examples, but it just seemed like everytime he was summoned, he was more concerned with saying the next pun than anything else. He was like some programmable robot.

He never interacted with the cast at all.

Yes, but there seemed to be a rather twisted moral in each of the episodes, that the Planeteers were forced to rely on Captain Planet for everything, and that efforts at self-sufficiency were actually bad (see the Gauntlets). Usually, when a team combines their powers to form a creature/weapon/giant robot it takes their combined effort to control and use it, a symbol of teamwork. With Planet, they just sit down, take a seat, and let him work.

Then we have the people themselves, whose role in the story is to do one of three things.

1. Re-interate how bad the environment is doing.

2. Tell Wheeler how stupid he is.

3. Summon Captain Planet.

That's about it. Kwame was the fearless, quote-spouting sage, Linka was shown as being noble and an example to behold, Gi, well, she's Asian, meaning she has an accent according to the writers. That's about it, but I didn't think many of you were expecting Lucy Liu or Orihime anyway. And finally Mai-Ti has a monkey. Nevermind that a good deal of pollution emerges from Third World countries for purely economic reasons, Ted wants us to know how stupid the American is. So instead of the five having varying personalities (Ex- Leader, rebellious 2nd, girly girl, tough girl, kid), we have four lecturers and Wheeler, and it's up to the four to keep Wheeler in line.

Had it been any other show, I think Wheeler would have been the main character, and probably the leader of the team. He ring is red, so he's already pre-qualified. His power is the most useful. Usually it's someone like him that's piloting the big robot in the captain's chair, or getting the cool armor power up. And in a few brief moments, it seemed like the writers were arguing with Turner over how dumb Wheeler should be played vs him being heroic. Of course, with Turner funding the show (It was his cashflow which kept Planet on the air, nothing more) Wheeler always got the short end of the stick. Tommy or Ken the Eagle he was certaintly not.

What makes these "heroes" so horrible is simple. It's their interactions with the villains, which have so many headshaking moments it's hard to believe. Since the Planeteers weren't allowed to phsycially attack the eco-villians, it became a game of blame. Who could make the other look more stupid? Normally in a show like this, there's a lot of violence, but considering the villians didn't lend themselves to actual fights, the action was stilted. (What's Looten Plunder going to do? LEGAL FEE ATTACK!) In the few instances of violence, it was some laser firing, and little else.

[DrTooth]

Frylock's stance sums that up pretty well too. You know, even if TV is bad for us, we need it.

I swear... like reading is so much better? Sure, you can learn a lot from books, but you can also read trashy romance novels, half truth and lie filled unauthorized biographies, and moronic conspiracy theories, such as the exact date and time the world will end (mostly 15 years ago or more). Watch freakin' Nova or something. That's what I always say.


on the subject of reading, however:


The sad thing is, even with the combined effort of Nukem, Greedly, Plunder, Sludge, Skumm, Blight, & Zarm couldn't stop the Planeteers. Why is this a bad thing, find out in part two when I look at the Planeteers and their allies.

One of the best things I ever read was a Toxic Crusaders comic book where Dr. Killemoff was fighting a Captain planet satire. The Captain said something to the extent of "This isn't fair! I'm supposed to fight stereotpical easy to beat villains with pun names!!!" At the end of the comic, the Tromavillians want to run the Planeteers out of town for forcibly telling them to live their lives. Once again, Toxic Crusaders prove to be a more effective force. And it would have gone on to be a success if it wasn't for the "Evil Devil Worshipping Media Conglomerates" (God, I wish they'd release the rest of that series to DVD!)

At least with the Toxic Crusaders, you learned the moral, but had fun as well. Plus how many kiddy cartoons are made from odd Cult movies?

[FGfan]

A little question, WHY do so many of y'all focus so much on the negatives and so little on the positives? And WHY is the reverse true among several here for The Batman?

[Antiyonder]

I swear... like reading is so much better? Sure, you can learn a lot from books, but you can also read trashy romance novels, half truth and lie filled unauthorized biographies, and moronic conspiracy theories, such as the exact date and time the world will end (mostly 15 years ago or more). Watch freakin' Nova or something. That's what I always say.


I meant that as a joke.

[Caswin]

Why does it get bashed? Let's start the topic of this thread's predecessor, the villains.Is it wrong that many of those don't sound bad to me?

A little question, WHY do so many of y'all focus so much on the negatives and so little on the positives? And WHY is the reverse true among several here for The Batman?Because many people here like The Batman, I'd imagine. It's far from unreasonable.

[Master Moron]

There's nothing inheritely wrong with PSA's, morals, Aesop's, etc, etc. The problem is that Planet was a soapbox for Turner's views disguised as a sentai hero show. The plots were merely viewpoints in disguise.

One episode comes to mind- The villains take over TV episode. Both GI Joe (a show that could be just as silly, if not sillier than Planet at times) and Planet used the same plot. But they went about it completely differently. Joe used the premise to mock TV in general as well as a lot of cliches (Targets include the Smurfs, talk shows, and The Great Dictator)

Planet used the premise to condemn things on TV that weren't consider eco-friendly, among them-

Pro wrestling (This is the same Turner who owned WCW)
Perfume ads
Violence on TV in general.

Note that these weren't parodied, they were pretty much presented and the audience was told "This is bad."

Hmmm...that's strange, since I remember the later episodes of Captain Planet being a lot more violent than other cartoons at the time. I remember in one episode one of Wheeler's friends got decapitated from riding on the top of a train.

[Peter Paltridge]

Hmmm...that's strange, since I remember the later episodes of Captain Planet being a lot more violent than other cartoons at the time. I remember in one episode one of Wheeler's friends got decapitated from riding on the top of a train.
That'll teach you to ride on top of trains, kids. It's bad for the environment.

How graphic was the beheading?

[Blue Priestess]

That'll teach you to ride on top of trains, kids. It's bad for the environment.

How graphic was the beheading?

It was implied, but it was one of those cases where the implication was unnerving enough (especially if, like me, you grew up near train tracks).

[FGfan]

Might I hear something POSITIVE about this show, for once?

Because to me, it sounds like the show is just being ragged on to tick off those who know better, hey why was The Batman given endless chances while this is given so little?

[Beat]

Might I hear something POSITIVE about this show, for once?

Most people here don't have a positive opinion of Planet. If you do and feel like we're being overly harsh, then feel free to defend it against the accusations bought against it.

[FGfan]

Yeah, well come on, if you're going to relentlessly diss a classic series such as this, while people expressing their opinions on The Batman are shushed (gee, how come it happens for The Batman, but not here?), you're just baiting those who can appreciate such classics as this, I can look at any show, The Batman included, and find at least one positive. I'd like to see some of you do that.

[DrTooth]

Because to me, it sounds like the show is just being ragged on to tick off those who know better, hey why was The Batman given endless chances while this is given so little?

Because The Batman is neither here nor there. Especially as a comic book, a character has many different adaptions. Do you expect every Batman to be like the 1960's series because it was the most popular? That's like saying that the only version of Spiderman we should see is either the 1966 series or the Electric Company segments since most people grew up remembering that version. The Batman at the very least didn't get on a soap box about non-environmental social issues. I liked the show as a kid, mind you, but I don't think I'd ever want to watch it again. The world IS screwed up, no question. i watch cartoons to forget about that stuff, not be reminded of it.

[Beat]

Yeah, well come on, if you're going to relentlessly diss a classic series such as this, while people expressing their opinions on The Batman are shushed (gee, how come it happens for The Batman, but not here?), you're just baiting those who can appreciate such classics as this, I can look at any show, The Batman included, and find at least one positive. I'd like to see some of you do that.

1. This show isn't, nor has it ever been defined under the term 'classic'.

2. Why do you keep bringing up The Batman? I have no opinion on that show at all, having never watched it consistently. Going "At least Show A isn't like Show B" isn't a convincing argument, just like saying "Show A stinks compared to Show B." That's like me saying "At least Bots Master isn't Double Dragon." Maybe so, but Bots Master is still awful.

3. This isn't baiting. This is forumgoers deconstructing and breaking down why they dislike this show so much. Criticism that I at least think, is well thought out. If you think we're wrong, please, point out why you think so.

[FGfan]

I was only using TB as an example, point is, so many of y'all are doing nothing but rag on Captain Planet, without giving any attention to its positive aspects, I was doing the same at first for The Batman, but soon learned from my mistakes and started looking at it objectively, I'd like to see that happen here.

[Beat]

I was only using TB as an example, point is, so many of y'all are doing nothing but rag on Captain Planet, without giving any attention to its positive aspects, I was doing the same at first for The Batman, but soon learned from my mistakes and started looking at it objectively, I'd like to see that happen here.

Well, I like to think I was looking at it objectively. I'm not going "Captain Planet sucks, I'd rather watch Gurren Lagann". (Now there's an unfair comparison if I've ever seen one) I'm viewing the show on its own base, and on the formula that it took on.

And looking at it that way, I find no redeeming qualities to this show, and had viewpoints at such an extreme they were disturbing.

[Harlan_Phoenix]

Yeah, well come on, if you're going to relentlessly diss a classic series such as this, while people expressing their opinions on The Batman are shushed (gee, how come it happens for The Batman, but not here?), you're just baiting those who can appreciate such classics as this, I can look at any show, The Batman included, and find at least one positive. I'd like to see some of you do that.

I've said this before: As a fan of Captain Planet, I cannot bare to call it a classic. Because it isn't. Far from it, even.

[Don_East]

With every good villain, there's a good hero prepared to stop him. In the case of the "Eco-Villains": with every lame villain, there must be a lame hero prepared to stop him. Enter the show's main protagonist, the Planeteers. Going with the requested Sentai comparisson, mostly due to many similarities between them and the famous Japanese henshin series.
First I will break down each Planeteer, then their allies. Captain Planet, who is bascally their Mecha usually used in each episode's climax, will be examined in the next addition.

They have a similar clothing with the main difference being being the color scheme of them. Their clothes in Season 6 are radically different, though Wheeler's was basically the same save for his shirt was red.
They are each given a special power by being that also serves as their mentor.The Planeteers, going by the order of each power, are...

Kwame, the Red Eco-Ranger: While green would be more fitting, with his power being earth. But Kwame acts as the leader, telling what he and his Planeteers what to do next and starts the summoning of Captain Planet by saying "Let our powers combine". Kwame was given the power of Earth because he planted trees in his homeland of Africa so it won't become a desert. Interesting fact, Kwame was voiced by Levar Burton, in one episode has scene where Kwame does the "same roll under a closing door" thing that was usually done by Geordi La Forge.
Wheeler, the Yellow Eco-Ranger: The dumb American meant to be us, because we don't know better. Wheeler was clumsy and always asks why should he care about the eco-emergency of the episode, which always leads to a full blown lecture. Like any another token American, Wheeler came from New York, his dad was jerk, and raised by, and I am not kidding, two people that saved him from being mugged and they both live in the trees in Central Park. He has the power of Fire for some reason, probably because his hair red or his so-called "fighting spirit".
Linka, the Pink Eco-Ranger: She's from the Soviet Union(Eastern Europe in later seasons), so she has a thick Russian accent. She even says Russian words which brings into question how can 5 young people from other parts of the world with different languages are able to speak English so easily. Wheeler has the hots for Linka and so a cliched antagonistic romantic relationship that makes Inuyasha & Kagome look like a steady couple. She has the power of Wind, because she likes birds.
Gi, the Blue Eco-Ranger: She's the Asian girl, she's pretty smart and likes the animals that live undersea, especially dolphins. Sadly, I just described everything about the character. She has the power of Water because of her love the Ocean.
Ma-Ti, the Green Eco-Ranger: From South America, the much ridiculed of the team. Why? Maybe because the yongest and that's usually perfect fodder for that. Maybe because he has a pet monkey. Or maybe because he the most retarded power of all five rings. I mean, Heart? That's no element, that's an organ used in cartoons as a way to show emotion. He was raised by his grandfather, who was a shaman, because his parents, who were trying bring peace to their respective people, were killed. I believed that the writers had to actually think on how to make his power of Heart useful. So they have be able to read people's hearts so Ma-Ti can tell if someone is telling the truth, can communicate with animals like Aquaman(which necessarily isn't a good thing), and send telepathic messages to the other Planeteers. That last is probably the most commonly used because he usually gets kidnapped by the main villain of the episode, but that comes with the territory of being the kid.The rings could be used by it's respective owner by yelling it's power. Like Captain Planet, pollution, which they were made to fight, are their weakness. It there's too much, the rings short out. Also, whenever Captain Planet is summoned, the rings won't work because each ring's power is combined to summon Planet. The villains usually take the captured Planeteer's/Planeteers' ring/rings, but all the times I've seen them do that, they never even try to dispose of the rings. Proving how incompetent they are.

Their mentor was Gaia, the goddess of the Earth from Greek mythology. First voiced by Whoopi Goldberg, now sharing her left-wing ideals on The View, and then by a pre-crazy Margot Kidder. She provided the Planeteers with the rings, briefs the Planeteers on the eco-emergency of the episode, and gives a full blown lecture to ol' ingorant Wheeler on why it's bad. Heck, in some episodes she doesn't appear at all save for the PSAs at the end of the show.

The Planeteers would also have help in each episode. Usually a local youth, a village elder, or a member of enviromental group. The only real ally I should mention is Commander Clash, voiced by Lou Gosset Jr. He first appeared in the two parter "The Mission To Save Earth" as a soldier from a undisclosed country serving a sentry on a otherwise deserted island. He was able to drive Skumm & Sludge away with his weird tank that only fired water and was tricked by Blight into thinking the stranded Planeteers were spies sent by "the enemy". After some explanation from the Planeteers, Clash would find out that the Cold War was over and he was "ob-so-leet". Despite being able to save the Planeteers from Captain Pollution with his water tank thing. It wasn't after a speech from Ma-Ti he would feel useful again. He would help them get their rings back and give a speech heavily lifted from "Henry V" about why Plunder's hired soldiers shouldn't work for him. He and the soldiers would form what Wheeler describes as "environmental clean-up force".

His next and I believe his final appearance would be in "The Summit To Save Earth" Part 2. This two-parter was aforementioned "Every Villains" team-up episode I mentioned a few posts back. In part 1, Zarm and other six "Eco-Villains" were able to sabotage a special meeting of world leaders to solve the "pollution crisis". There by making the planet polluted like hell and Gaia aged & decrepit. The Planeteers were warped 10 years into future and enlisted asked for the help of Clash, who still looks the same. With his help, the Planeteers were able to save Gaia.

I should also point out that Zarm, who was Gaia's predecessor as a spirit of the Earth and has alot of power at his disposal, had trouble with Clash who had a mirror.

So, atleast most of the heroes are on the same level as the villains. But what about the title character himself? Find out in the next time.

[Master Moron]

That'll teach you to ride on top of trains, kids. It's bad for the environment.

How graphic was the beheading?

It was offscreen. What happened was earlier in the episode Wheeler's friends were riding on top of trains. Later in the episode, Wheeler asked his female friend what happened to his male friend, and she told him that he lost his head when the train went through a tunnel. Watching this as a kid was pretty shocking. Even though they didn't show the decapitation, the description itself was pretty gruesome for a kid's show.

[FGfan]

Nice to hear something that isn't endless dissing the show considering that half the people on these boards have rarely-never been able to say much more than "suck" about this show, giving little or no attention to its positives, whilst I do see the occasional good point about its negatives - i.e. certain politically incorrect aspects - I can look even at disliked shows and address at least one positive, I challenge CP's bashers to do so.

[Anarky]

Fresh for '08...you suckas!

The last thread was here:
http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=53532

The last comment was:


It's a good point. I also want to know this:


I couldn't force myself to watch this show, but now I want to know more about Dr. Blight. How does one take Gaia's body? And would that make you master over the entire earth? And then wouldn't there be no way to defeat you?


Good to see another KRS-One fan on TZ.

[Beat]

Nice to hear something that isn't endless dissing the show considering that half the people on these boards have rarely-never been able to say much more than "suck" about this show, giving little or no attention to its positives, whilst I do see the occasional good point about its negatives - i.e. certain politically incorrect aspects - I can look even at disliked shows and address at least one positive, I challenge CP's bashers to do so.

I can't think of any. It's not a show that lends itself to positive viewpoints so readily due to its origin (funded by a single-minded executive almost exclusively, who used the networks he owned to put it on TV), messages (which range from the ridiculous to the controversial) to its content (utterly boring as far as conventional action is concerned.) It's today, a show remembered for how utterly cheesy and horrible it was, while trying to do everything, educate, entertain, and impress adults. And it failed in nearly all accounts. Can you really expect something like Tekkaman Blade from a show designed to be about saving the environment? Not really. Could you expect something that did what it was supposed to do as an action cartoon funded by someone with Ted Turner's resources? I'd say yes. I don't know, maybe I've been spoiled by years of flashy transformation sequences and big explosions in cartoons.

What would you consider its positives, might I ask?

[FGfan]

I can't think of any. It's not a show that lends itself to positive viewpoints so readily due to its origin (funded by a single-minded executive almost exclusively, who used the networks he owned to put it on TV), messages (which range from the ridiculous to the controversial) to its content (utterly boring as far as conventional action is concerned.) It's today, a show remembered for how utterly cheesy and horrible it was, while trying to do everything, educate, entertain, and impress adults. And it failed in nearly all accounts. Can you really expect something like Tekkaman Blade from a show designed to be about saving the environment? Not really. Could you expect something that did what it was supposed to do as an action cartoon funded by someone with Ted Turner's resources? I'd say yes. I don't know, maybe I've been spoiled by years of flashy transformation sequences and big explosions in cartoons.

What would you consider its positives, might I ask?

-Educational
-Has some good messages
-Tried to cover serious topics not every animation would have the guts to

Whilst I do agree it had some rather politically incorrect elements, took things a little too far at times, etc., please, if you're going to diss a classic like this, have some respect for those who can appreciate how great it was in certain regards.

As for expecting something like Tekkaman Blade? Hello, OF COURSE NOT, these AREN'T EVEN THE SAME BLOODY GENRE.

You do absolutely nothing but spit all over this show, giving no attention to ANY positives, not even bothering to look for any positive aspects. I can give attention to positives with even shows I dislike such as The Batman. So far, from what you've demonstrated, you cannot.

[G. Wen]

Is there anything positive about Captain Planet? Well, it did make kids more aware about their interaction with the environment. However, the negatives far outweigh the positives.

My biggest problem of the show was how they simplified everything. "Polluters pollute because they're evil." That's not true. It's more complicated than that. It has to do with economics, social structures, government policy and stability, cultural expectations, etc... I know it's a kid's show, but they could've covered all these topics, show both sides struggling, developing, and ultimately respecting each other, and therefore giving plot and character development to the show. Which is more interesting: the Earth planeteer always being right because he's African and from a third world country, or the Earth planeteer coping with environmental policy while satisfying the economic demands his country faces? I pick the later.

Many children's show have dealt with darker issues. In Gargoyles, Broadway shot Elisa. In B:TAS, Bruce loses his friend, Harvey. Terry's dad dies in BB. But Cap Planet doesn't offer any of that. Instead, it relies on a dude in a two piece spandex and a mullet (Who the hell did the character design?) to solve everyone's problems, instead of having the charcters resolving the issue themselves. How boring.

[Rud]

I should also point out that Zarm, who was Gaia's predecessor as a spirit of the Earth and has alot of power at his disposal, had trouble with Clash who had a mirror.


i think your forgeting how badass Clash was....

[FGfan]

Is there anything positive about Captain Planet? Well, it did make kids more aware about their interaction with the environment. However, the negatives far outweigh the positives.

My biggest problem of the show was how they simplified everything. "Polluters pollute because they're evil." That's not true. It's more complicated than that. It has to do with economics, social structures, government policy and stability, cultural expectations, etc... I know it's a kid's show, but they could've covered all these topics, show both sides struggling, developing, and ultimately respecting each other, and therefore giving plot and character development to the show. Which is more interesting: the Earth planeteer always being right because he's African and from a third world country, or the Earth planeteer coping with environmental policy while satisfying the economic demands his country faces? I pick the later.

Many children's show have dealt with darker issues. In Gargoyles, Broadway shot Elisa. In B:TAS, Bruce loses his friend, Harvey. Terry's dad dies in BB. But Cap Planet doesn't offer any of that. Instead, it relies on a dude in a two piece spandex and a mullet (Who the hell did the character design?) to solve everyone's problems, instead of having the charcters resolving the issue themselves. How boring.

Ummm, of course Captain Planet isn't going to go that far, it was targeted at a certain audience which B:TAS and BB were not.

At least the show tried to deliver education about the environment to young audiences, even if it wasn't successful at times. Even if the characters were corny, well, that's not a problem with '90's cartoons like this. And as for how they simplified these issues: maybe some of the kids this show was targeted at hardly knew about government stuff, so the producers didn't want to confuse kids.

And y'all know, bashing this show is inevitably going to get the attention of those who can appreciate how great this show was in certain respects.

[Antiyonder]

At least the show tried to deliver education about the environment to young audiences, even if it wasn't successful at times. Even if the characters were corny, well, that's not a problem with '90's cartoons like this. And as for how they simplified these issues: maybe some of the kids this show was targeted at hardly knew about government stuff, so the producers didn't want to confuse kids.

They don't have to go into political detail to illustrate that pollutor's dump garbage for laughs. To make it more simple, it's usually cheaper and faster to dump garbage than it is to recycle it or throw it away properly. Heck, Tiny Toons even managed to drive that point home, so a more serious show like Captain Planet should be able to as well.

[Beat]

-Educational
-Has some good messages
-Tried to cover serious topics not every animation would have the guts to

Whilst I do agree it had some rather politically incorrect elements, took things a little too far at times, etc., please, if you're going to diss a classic like this, have some respect for those who can appreciate how great it was in certain regards.

As for expecting something like Tekkaman Blade? Hello, OF COURSE NOT, these AREN'T EVEN THE SAME BLOODY GENRE.

You do absolutely nothing but spit all over this show, giving no attention to ANY positives, not even bothering to look for any positive aspects. I can give attention to positives with even shows I dislike such as The Batman. So far, from what you've demonstrated, you cannot.

First, I don't consider those positives as much as they were goals. Goals that they ultimately failed at. Messages, attempts at being mature were goals, but they came off as cheesy and ultimately ineffective.

Yeah, it's not Tekkaman Blade. It's not Ronin Warriors, or any of those shows. But it seems like it was cut from the same relative cloth as Ronin Warriors or sentai, a team of 5 teens fighting against something. Unfortunately, instead of fighting an army of Japanese demons, or invading aliens, they were "fighting" people who polluted for no reason except that they thought it was fun, a business man who was evil for making money off polluting ventures, and one guy who between polluting, moonlighted as a drug dealer, gossip, and chef who polluted his food. How were you expected to create an exciting plot when you drew from a Rouges gallery like that? That goes beyond things like animation quality and battles, or little silly complaints like how Mai-Ti would trade in his heart ring for something like inferno armor (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGH-By_A3YQ) in a heartbeat if he thought he could get away with it. That goes to the very heart of the series failure.

And let's face it, if the world is in danger, who would you rather have fighting the bad guys, these guys (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-fP1zqvfcE), or these guys? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CILZ-w-XHiw&NR=1)

[FGfan]

Yeah, well, whatever the case, someone on these boards is jealous of how great Captain Planet was, and it sure is heck isn't me.

Since next to no one else on this board cares to do anything but spit on this, I'm here to say that it's a '90's classic, least it's far better than Loonatics and The Batman, it had good intentions, sure it didn't always live up to them, but come on, it's a classic of '90's animation

And the way you haters carry yourselves on, you're just dooming yourselves to inevitable conflict with those who can appreciate how great this show was, even if it did get a little extreme at times. I learned that lesson before when I would constantly mention Yu-Gi-Oh and The Batman, and have stopped since then. You, evidently, have not.

And just so you know, I WILL BE BACK.

[Don_East]

Yeah, well, whatever the case, someone on these boards is jealous of how great Captain Planet was, and it sure is heck isn't me.
Oh, so now I am jealous? How? I just don't think Captain Planet is a good show.


Since next to no one else on this board cares to do anything but spit on this, I'm here to say that it's a '90's classic, least it's far better than Loonatics and The Batman, it had good intentions, sure it didn't always live up to them, but come on, it's a classic of '90's animation.
A classic? No, Batman: The Animated Series is a classic from the 90s. Beast Wars is a classic from the 90s. Gargoyles is a classic from the 90s. Captain Planet is in the same laughably bad category as the 60s Batman show.


I learned that lesson before when I would constantly mention Yu-Gi-Oh and The Batman, and have stopped since then. You, evidently, have not.

Instead retreading the reason why Beat keeps mentioning Ronin Warriors & Tekkaman Blade. I'll just repost it.


Yeah, it's not Tekkaman Blade. It's not Ronin Warriors, or any of those shows. But it seems like it was cut from the same relative cloth as Ronin Warriors or sentai, a team of 5 teens fighting against something.
If you don't know what sentai is, it's essentially the concept which Power Rangers is based on. And let me tell you, I grew up watching Captain Planet & Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers. The thing is, when I see Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers on TV, I'll watch it and remember the fun memories with it. But when I see Captain Planet on TV, I'll change the channel and remember how bad it was.


And just so you know, I WILL BE BACK.
And I will be ready.

[Caswin]

Captain Planet is in the same laughably bad category as the 60s Batman show.Hey, watch the West. Batman was as much a conscious self-parody as it was a straight action show. Planet doesn't have that excuse.

It had lofty goals, and occasionally got a good message across - but, as we've heard, even the messages themselves didn't have a great track record, and the execution failed to varying degrees of miserableness on nearly every angle.

Desdiablo's got a good idea. Give the issues behind pollution their due, or if they're too complicated for a kid's show (don't be too quick to count this out; some are more complicated than I'd care to get into myself), at least acknowledge that there are issues driving them. It's been a long time, but it would help to linger a little less on the terrible effects of pollution on the environment, and a little longer on the corrupt businessmen and their kin. Deal with how much time and money they're saving with their practices. (Heck, flesh them out in general. Complex characterizations for everyone!)

I'll spot the show some demonized antagonists - frankly, again, it's a kids' cartoon we're talking about, not that "adult" live-action shows are above that. The show should still deal, unflinchingly as possible, with why people who pollute, from casual littering to grand-scale waste dumping, do what they do. We don't want the kids watching the show, hearing the message, then falling into the same traps. Drive it home as solidly and realistically (as much as a show with a premise like this can get) as possible.

Granted, hindsight is 20/20, but it's still kind of painful to see a show with so much potential...

[Beat]

Eh, I liked 60's Batman. It never reached for more than it could grasp, distinctly unlike Planet.

"Some days, you just can't get rid of a bomb!"

[Doz Hewson]

Is there anything positive about Captain Planet? Well, it did make kids more aware about their interaction with the environment. However, the negatives far outweigh the positives.

My biggest problem of the show was how they simplified everything. "Polluters pollute because they're evil." That's not true. It's more complicated than that. It has to do with economics, social structures, government policy and stability, cultural expectations, etc... I know it's a kid's show, but they could've covered all these topics, show both sides struggling, developing, and ultimately respecting each other, and therefore giving plot and character development to the show. Which is more interesting: the Earth planeteer always being right because he's African and from a third world country, or the Earth planeteer coping with environmental policy while satisfying the economic demands his country faces? I pick the later.

Many children's show have dealt with darker issues. In Gargoyles, Broadway shot Elisa. In B:TAS, Bruce loses his friend, Harvey. Terry's dad dies in BB. But Cap Planet doesn't offer any of that. Instead, it relies on a dude in a two piece spandex and a mullet (Who the hell did the character design?) to solve everyone's problems, instead of having the charcters resolving the issue themselves. How boring.


In the DIC era the character designers were: Paula LaFond/Continuity Studios, and also, if memory serves, one Kathi Castillo. IMPO,the DIC era had,hands down, the best cdes. I hated the HBCI era cdes; the characters looked, at too many times,to be in danger of some type of disintegration.

[Blue Priestess]

Yeah, well, whatever the case, someone on these boards is jealous of how great Captain Planet was, and it sure is heck isn't me.

Since next to no one else on this board cares to do anything but spit on this, I'm here to say that it's a '90's classic, least it's far better than Loonatics and The Batman, it had good intentions, sure it didn't always live up to them, but come on, it's a classic of '90's animation

And the way you haters carry yourselves on, you're just dooming yourselves to inevitable conflict with those who can appreciate how great this show was, even if it did get a little extreme at times. I learned that lesson before when I would constantly mention Yu-Gi-Oh and The Batman, and have stopped since then. You, evidently, have not.

And just so you know, I WILL BE BACK.

That post works so much better if you hum "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" as you read it. :p

You can admire what a show was aiming to do but not the end product, and that's exactly how I feel about Captain Planet. Do I think using an action cartoon to teach was a good idea? Yes, of course, and I'd like to see it attempted again someday. But they faltered on the 'action' part and concentrated too little on actually making it entertaining enough to make its lessons anything other than laughable. So I admire what they were trying to do, but can't help but consider them having missed their mark by several miles.

[Antiyonder]

Yeah, well, whatever the case, someone on these boards is jealous of how great Captain Planet was, and it sure is heck isn't me.

Since next to no one else on this board cares to do anything but spit on this, I'm here to say that it's a '90's classic, least it's far better than Loonatics and The Batman, it had good intentions, sure it didn't always live up to them, but come on, it's a classic of '90's animation

And the way you haters carry yourselves on, you're just dooming yourselves to inevitable conflict with those who can appreciate how great this show was, even if it did get a little extreme at times. I learned that lesson before when I would constantly mention Yu-Gi-Oh and The Batman, and have stopped since then. You, evidently, have not.

And just so you know, I WILL BE BACK.

If you like the show, that's cool, but defending it in a biased manner doesn't help to convince people to enjoy it you know. I myself don't outright hate the show, and heck I like Power Rangers myself. But I don't delude myself into thinking those are top quality programs. I tend to think you're not so secure with your decision to enjoy the show if you have to get that defensive over it. If you like it, that's all that matters (You don't need to tell everyone that it's the perfect show and that they are jealous of it).

Aside from what Caswin brought, I and some other posters mentioned a bit of a contradiction the series brought on. The show tries too teach viewers that one person alone will make a difference, yet on the show, The Planeteers always need Captain Planet to help them out of trouble. He needs to be an extension of their teamwork, not their janitor.

[FGfan]

I'm not deluded at all, it's just incredibly irritating to see y'all endlessly diss this show, especially when no attention is given to the positives. And dissing the '60's Batman is just asking for trouble.

[Antiyonder]

I'm not deluded at all, it's just incredibly irritating to see y'all endlessly diss this show, especially when no attention is given to the positives. And dissing the '60's Batman is just asking for trouble.

Except that many of us are giving civil and well thought out flaws of the show. Did any of my comments come across as "Captain Planet sucks"? Did Caswin say "Only basement losers watch Captain Planet"?

Bringing up the flaws of a show doesn't automatically equal a diss or bashing.

[FGfan]

Except that many of us are giving civil and well thought out flaws of the show. Did any of my comments come across as "Captain Planet sucks"? Did Caswin say "Only basement losers watch Captain Planet"?

Bringing up the flaws of a show doesn't automatically equal a diss or bashing.

Yeah, that was a grammatical error, but the way you CP's haters carry on, endlessly criticizing the show (although I'll admit some of those flaws are right) while frequently giving little-no attention to the positives, sooner or later, you're going to get attention.

[Zorak Masaki]

Another problem i had with CP is that they only focused on environmental issues (save for the AIDS episode and the ep with lotten plunder as an arms dealer, the latter plot which was already done in the transformers ep "the quintesson journal). I mean, there were all kinds of other problems they could deal with like say letting fame go to your head or even some non-educational plot like space aliens invading earth or one of the villains teaming up with the planeteers to face some greater global threat. I mean, there were reasons that there were never woodsy owl or smokey the bear cartoons (there were comics, but thats neither here nor there), its because you can only stretch one premise so far.

[Peter Paltridge]

Another problem i had with CP is that they only focused on environmental issues (save for the AIDS episode and the ep with lotten plunder as an arms dealer, the latter plot which was already done in the transformers ep "the quintesson journal). I mean, there were all kinds of other problems they could deal with like say letting fame go to your head or even some non-educational plot like space aliens invading earth or one of the villains teaming up with the planeteers to face some greater global threat. I mean, there were reasons that there were never woodsy owl or smokey the bear cartoons (there were comics, but thats neither here nor there), its because you can only stretch one premise so far.
Ha! There was a Saturday Morning Smokey the Bear cartoon in 1969!

[Zorak Masaki]

Ha! There was a Saturday Morning Smokey the Bear cartoon in 1969!

Source? This is the first ive heard of a smokey the bear cartoon.

[Antiyonder]

Yeah, that was a grammatical error, but the way you CP's haters carry on, endlessly criticizing the show (although I'll admit some of those flaws are right) while frequently giving little-no attention to the positives, sooner or later, you're going to get attention.

As long as our comments remain valid and civil, then there shouldn't be any problem. I'm not doing it to get attention, just to let my comment out.

[Blue Priestess]

As long as our comments remain valid and civil, then there shouldn't be any problem. I'm not doing it to get attention, just to let my comment out.

Most of us are just letting our comments out, but I have a feeling that so long as we are giving mixed/not relentlessly, unexplainedly positive opinions, we'll be treated as though we're being uncivil. Frankly, I'm a little tired of this derailment. Captain Planet is a series that a lot of people just don't like, but they'll give reasons why. Until I get a reason beyond "it's better than newer show X", we're having our discussion derailed.

[DrTooth]

So I admire what they were trying to do, but can't help but consider them having missed their mark by several miles.


That's the best way to sum it up. But when you get preachy and snotty about teaching lessons, people shout "Propaganda." and ignore you. If you nag, people won't listen.

Look at Fat Albert. they got into some serious lessons, and the feelings of the writers and Bill Cosby came across the series, but it was fun to watch. But then again, those characters were lovable.

I really can't say any characters from CP were lovable. The Captain was outright arrogant, and his terrible "Pun Fu" (the term for how Superheroes always pound the villains, and whip out snappy word play) was just unbearable at some points.

If you want a good show, you need one or two of the main characters to be lovable. I agree with the character deconstruction. They're all stereotypes, and the American one of course has to be the reluctant jerk of the group. As if the US is the only one that causes problems in the world (pollution especially).

[G. Wen]

You know what really dragged the show down? Captain Planet, the character. I swear, the show would've been much better if the characters had to rely on their wits and skill in handling their powers to solve problems, instead of say, "Ooooops, I give up. This problem is too big. I'll have some deux ex machina solve it for me!" Is that a lesson we want to teach kids? If things get too hard and complicated, depend on a magicalbluegreenmulletman to solve it for you? Captian Planet ended up infantizing all the characters because he took all the challenge away from the script and plot.

[Antiyonder]

You know what really dragged the show down? Captain Planet, the character. I swear, the show would've been much better if the characters had to rely on their wits and skill in handling their powers to solve problems, instead of say, "Ooooops, I give up. This problem is too big. I'll have some deux ex machina solve it for me!" Is that a lesson we want to teach kids? If things get too hard and complicated, depend on a magicalbluegreenmulletman to solve it for you? Captian Planet ended up infantizing all the characters because he took all the challenge away from the script and plot.

Now I agree that they depended too much on Cap, he could still show up if the situation called for it. Someone else stated that CP should be an extension of their teamwork rather than babysitter who cleans up after them.

Heck even the Power Rangers won some fights without their Mega Zord.

[Beat]

Heck even the Power Rangers won some fights without their Mega Zord.

Yeah, but the Rangers piloted the Megazord. The Megazord didn't go on its own and solve the problems, it had to be controlled by the Rangers to fight and defeat the villains.

There was no reason for Planet not to function as something besides a babysitter, although apparently, as long as Ted was in charge, fighting the villains directly with their powers was out. (According to Turner's Standards and Practices, characters in Captain Planet were forbidden from physically attacking each other with fisticuffs or weapons) That sort of dedication to non-action and finger pointing prevents a lot of ideas, like say, the Planeteers actually fighting villains with something like armor and weapons.

[Jackson54]

Captain Panet's a has-been. right message, wrong plot structure.

[GregX]

So, according to Captain Planet... Israeli Jews and Palestinians will get along and be friends if they both remember that Abraham was the father of their faiths. Riiiiiiight.

[Antiyonder]

So, according to Captain Planet... Israeli Jews and Palestinians will get along and be friends if they both remember that Abraham was the father of their faiths. Riiiiiiight.

If all else fails, a little Heart power from Ma-Ti will set things straight for them.:sweat:

[Don_East]

So, according to Captain Planet... Israeli Jews and Palestinians will get along and be friends if they both remember that Abraham was the father of their faiths. Riiiiiiight.
Yeah, it's not really believeable.

When I (hopefully) get to the point in my "Deconstructing Captain Planet" where I talk about the issues. That episode and the one about HIV/AIDS I will talk the most.

[The Nameless]

Did anyone see the episode "Mind Pollution" on the marathon today? That one was pretty dark (and overly preachy, even though you CAN die from drugs).

Note to self: If world conquest is wanted, enslave entire human population with "bliss".

[GregX]

Damn this show sucks.

- There is an apocalyptic future... the world is a toxic dump... the rat guy grew a second, smaller head and Looten Plunder has a son named Pillage
- Oh great, it's Zarm
- "I hired Dr. Blight here to blow up this Solar Plant. It was making my polluting power plant look bad." -Looten Plunder
Yeah, those villains jus treally liked to pollute. Not because it was cheaper or made better profit... they just preferred to pollute. And not to conquer the world either. They just liked polluting.
- "Heart is the coolest power of all!" -Wheeler He's just trying to make Mati feel better
- So, Ted... how many trees did you chop down to have this show drawn and animated?
- Another post-Apocalyptic future episode... this one where gorillas are extinct. OH NOES!!!!!! :evil:
- "Poachers cut that gorilla's hand off." - I want a gorilla hand.
- "It's the old story. Boy meets gorilla, boy loses gorilla." - Looten Plunder... BEST DIALOGUE EVER!

This show makes me want to be a poacher. They make money.

[Don_East]

Atleast the Hanna-Barbera episodes has better animation.

[Harlan_Phoenix]

I'm hoping this marathon shows the episode with Adolf Hitler. Because, as we all know, Hitler is Captain Planet's kryptonite.

[Don_East]

I'm hoping this marathon shows the episode with Adolf Hitler. Because, as we all know, Hitler is Captain Planet's kryptonite.
They won't, most of Season 6 never aired in the US. Even now they don't air in the 5:30 AM rotation on Boomerang. This marathon could cover two days since the show has 113 episodes but Boomerang skip around, showing a few episodes from each season. I was hoping to record a couple.

[Harlan_Phoenix]

They won't, most of Season 6 never aired in the US. Even now they don't air in the 5:30 AM rotation on Boomerang. This marathon could cover two days since the show has 113 episodes but Boomerang skip around, showing a few episodes from each season. I was hoping to record a couple.

Damn. Color me disappointed.

[Don_East]

Sorry to keep you waiting for this but this thread's ressurection got motivated to finish this.


"Earth..."

"Fire..."

"Wind..."

"Water..."

"Heart..."

"GO PLANET!!!"

"By your powers combined, I AM CAPTAIN PLANET!"

The main hero, Earth's Greatest Champion himself. Captian Planet has all the powers of all five Planeteers.

Earth: Can cause earthquakes and raise the land
Fire: Change into a blatent Human Torch knock-off
Wind: That's how he can fly
Water: Turn himself into water(Wonder Twins FTW)
Heart: Communicate with animals and send telepathic messagesBut despite being the title character of this show, he usually appears for 4 & a 1/2 minutes per episode. And most of those times are in the climax of the episode. If he's summoned before said climax, chances are he'll leave due to having too much exposure to his main weakness, pollution. Which leads to my first complaint...

Why does Captain Planet's weakness is also the thing he's suppose to take down to zero? What's worse is everytime he gets hit with even the smallest amount, he wusses out and dematerializes back into the five rings to recharge or "return to the Earth" as he calls it sometimes. Come on, Superman had to fight Metallo, and uses kryptonite as a weapon. Green Lantern had to defeat Sinestro who wields a weapon that that has the weakness. Hell, it's not even a large amount. It's only a splash and he retreats. He's weaker than DCAU Superman.


Then there's the his infamous one-liners. Obviously the writers wanted to make him cool. And since one most the popular superheroes, Spider-Man, makes witty remarks when fighting his enemies. Unfortunately, they did to a extreme, 90% of his lines are some sort of joke. Like if he uses his fire powers, he'll say something like "Time to heat things up" or "It's about to get hot in here" or something like that. It makes him look like a tool most of the time. Even Spider-Man didn't make that many, he would probably touch them with a 10 ft poll.

And finally his purpose, he's suppose to be the embodiment of the Planeteer's teamwork. However, he's essentially the Deus ex Machina at the end of the episode. Every single trouble in the final few minutes of the episode has the Planeteers decide that he's needed. Having him being summoned almost two minutes(showtime) he splits up.


Well, that takes care of the characters of Captain Planet. Next time, the show's writing & some of the most well known episodes.

[GregX]

Must share...


We all remember Captain Planet--the incredibly PC show about saving the environment and showing that people who don't want to save the environment are secretly mutated rats or evil rock-monsters. The theme song rocked. We probably even liked it as we were growing up.

I had the displeasure of watching Captain Planet recently, and to my dismay, it really sucked. I mean, more than most kids shows do when you go back and watch them--it really sucked. I can't believe I didn't see it as a kid. In an effort to show that, I've written up these reminders of what the show was really like. Relive your childhood! Goooo Planet!

Some information is taken from the Official Captain Planet Website and then mocked here mercilessly.

THE PLANETEERS
Kwame - I really don't know much about Kwame except that he was always the one to say "Let our powers combine!" So now I'm wondering: were those words really necessary? If not, did the other kids know? Did they just let him say his little catch phrase so he could feel good about himself? He had the power to cause huge earthquakes, sinkholes, and whatever else you could do if you had supernatural control over rocks, dirt, and the like. He could make spikes shoot up from the ground or open up huge holes to swallow up bad guys, but he never did; he obviously had severe self-esteem issues. Maybe "Let our powers combine!" was all he had in this world.

The website states of Kwame, "Though fundamentally serious, he has an impish sense of humor and often delivers off-the-wall lines in perfect deadpan." I don't seem to remember that at all. If there was a drinking game that said to take a drink whenever Kwame delivered an off-the-wall line in perfect deadpan, I could be sober forever. All I remember him saying is his catch phrase, and him occasionally yelling at Wheeler for setting Ma-Ti's monkey on fire. The website also states that he is an excellent gardener. Just in case you were wondering.



Wheeler - Amazingly, Wheeler manages to know absolutely nothing about ecology. You'd think that Gaia, being the goddess of the earth with a magical crystal thing, would be able to figure this out before she gave him a Planeteer ring, but she still seems to be oblivious to this fact. If that weren't enough, they give him the most destructive ring they had access to. "What do we give the snot-nosed American who doesn't know anything about ecology? How about a FIRE ring!" Sure, why not give him a toxic-waste anklet while you're at it.

When he's not setting tropical rain forests on fire, Wheeler is either delivering a bad pun about fire or trying to pick up Linka, who is quite possibly the worst match in the world for him. If I were him, I'd go for Gaia. She obviously has the hots for him, since she gave him the magic fire ring even though he doesn't even care about the environment.



Linka - The website states that Linka is "the most cerebral of the five Planeteers." What they really mean is that Linka is the most anal-retentive of the five Planeteers. She's the uptight one. Every kids show has one--we had Brainy Smurf, Storm from X-Men, Leonardo from the Ninja Turtles (Raphael in the comics), Piggy on Muppet Babies. But Linka takes this to a whole new level. You'd think an environmentalist show would stay away from the stereotypical tree-hugger, but they seemed to use that as a model for Linka. If you tell a joke, Linka will say, "Why are you wasting time on jokes? Three whales just died as we were laughing!" If you go to the bathroom, Linka will say, "Don't you dare flush that! You'll screw up the ecosystem in Antarctica!"

The writers of the show constantly stress how humorless Linka is by putting her and Wheeler together for long periods of time. They're paired together like Fred and Daphne. Linka and Wheeler would go off to find where all the toxic waste was coming from, and Wheeler would say something along the lines of, "You're hot. I'm American. Let's make out." Linka would then reply, "How can you waste time making out? Three whales just died as you distracted me from driving!" This happened every episode.



Gi - Gi is a total babe. If she knew how attractive she was, she wouldn't spend all her time with these Planeteer geeks. Her attractiveness is what prompted the network to dress them in those ridiculous clothes. "This is supposed to be an educational show!" remarked Ted Turner, "We can't have them looking better than me. Give them ridiculous clothes. Especially that hot Asian chick. The water girl."

I'm really glad they didn't make Gi the stereotypical Asian kid who's really good at Calculus and doesn't say a lot. However, in doing so, they also sapped her of character development of any kind in the show. She was one of the most understated characters in the whole show. Did you know she liked surfing and rock music? No. All people know about her is that she's the water girl. But not me. I know everything about her. Did you know she's a C-cup? I did.



Ma-Ti - Ma-Ti is Aquaman for our generation. In the opening credits, all the Planeteers are shown using their powers. Kwame shouts "Earth!" and a big rock flies up out of nowhere. Wheeler shouts "Fire!" and shoots some fire out of his ring. Ma-Ti shouts "Heart!" and his loser monkey friend runs onto the screen. His only purpose in the show was to be captured, then send his pet monkey to get help.

The similarities between Ma-Ti and Aquaman are astounding. Both of them spent at least 90% of their time out of their element. If the Planeteers were all going to a rain forest full of savage monkey-beasts, but needed one person to disarm the robot guards, Ma-Ti would be the one to do it. Aquaman and Ma-Ti would have a lot to talk about, actually:

Aquaman: One time, we were fighting off villains underwater and this fish told a really funny joke.

Ma-Ti: Really? The same thing happened to me!

Aquaman: No kidding! Did you get captured all the time, too?

Ma-Ti: Yes! One time, it took the Planeteers so long to find me that I tried to hook up with some of the livestock that they had me locked up with. Most of them were pretty dull, but there was this one calf with blue eyes and a great personality. Her name was Mona.

Aquaman: ...

THE BIG GUYS

Captain Planet - Ah, Captain Planet, the star of the show. Seriously, who doesn't love a green mullet? As an environmental superhero who fights pollution (things like smog, toxic waste, and acid rain), he has all the superpowers of nature on his side. His only weakness is exposure to pollutants (things like smog, toxic waste, and acid rain). Is that a good thing? It seems really ecological, and all, but would you send a firefighter into a burning building with clothes made of tissue paper doused in gasoline? It seems like the Planeteers might be better off on their own, because they can take a little bit of pollution and keep right on going. Especially that American kid.


Okay, now check out those clothes. Here's what the website says: "Captain Planet only appears in his Captain Planet garb. These are not clothes but elements of the Earth that are integral to his composition." Ah! So it's okay if his clothes suck--they're integral to his composition! But what about the green mullet? Is that integral to his composition, or is it from his side job as an ecological country singer? Also from the website: "Captain Planet's outfit does not represent a specific culture," not because Captain Planet is crossing cultural boundaries, but because no culture on Earth wants to be associated with that outfit.



Gaia - The spirit of Earth. She was originally voiced by Whoopi Goldberg. How cool is that? I keep hoping it'll be like Sister Act and she'll make all the Planeteers sing "Oh Happy Day," but that has never (to my knowledge) happened on the show.

The website says, "she feels anguish whenever damage is done to the planet, its seas, atmosphere, or any living creatures." Doesn't that seem a little extreme? She seems to be in pretty good cheer, considering how many bad things happen every minute. You'd think she would have killed the American kid by now for setting all kinds of living creatures on fire:

Wheeler: Ow! That little furry thing bit me!

(Wheeler uses his ring to set the furry thing on fire.)

Gaia: Aaargh!! Anguish!

Wheeler: Heh heh... It's not furry anymore.

Gaia: Ohh!! Stop the torment!

And that happens every time you swat a mosquito or step on an ant, too. Gaia has to be the most desensitized person ever.

THE VOICES

Do you seriously know how many famous people were involved in Captain Planet? It's ridiculous. Here's the brief:


LeVar Burton as Kwame. This guy had a monopoly on kids' imaginations in the early 90s: this show for the hippy kids, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" for the nerdy kids, and "Reading Rainbow" for the literary kids. LeVar, the power is yours.


Whoopi Goldberg as Gaia. Oh happy day! Anything can be made better with Whoopi.



Edward Asner as Hoggish Greedly. I never really got this guy. Hoggish Greedly, I mean. Well, I guess I never really got Asner, either. I mean, I know the name, but I have no idea who he is.


Tim Curry as MAL. I think MAL was Dr. Blight's computer; kinda like HAL, but more into polluting things for senselessly evil purposes. He did play the devil in Legend, so I guess he's good at it.


Jeff Goldblum as Duke Nukem. Jeff Goldblum is so awesome.



Helen Hunt as... Additional Voices! She didn't even have a character with a name! She was just the woman that Captain Planet saved from the burning building.


Meg Ryan as Dr. Blight. I don't think I can see Meg Ryan as a villain. It would taint my image of her.



Martin Sheen as Sly Sludge. He was the one that always said, "You'll pay for this, Captain Planet!"



Sting as Zarm. Zarm was a conqueror from outer space who occasionally tried to incite nuclear war on Earth for absolutely no reason. But seriously, who would make a better intergalactic conquerer than Sting?

Scott Menville as Ma-Ti. Okay, I've never heard of him, either, but let's look at some of the other voices he's done: Robin in "Teen Titans" (that's right, the whiny, prepubescent superhero kid in tights), Joe McIntyre in "New Kids on the Block," Brian in "Rainbow Brite," Danny in My Little Pony: The Movie. Seeing a trend? But before you think he's a total pansy, let's look at his crowning achievement: Jonny Quest in "Jonny Quest"!! Actually, he was in the 80s remake of the original series, but still... Jonny Quest...

[Don_East]

The episode that's on Boomerang as I am typing is pretty stupid, it's essentially a 22 minute long guilt trip telling that humans are bad for killing animals. I can't believe the great talent of late Tony Jay was used in this.

[GregX]

Captain Planet- Ma-Ti is kicked out of the team (http://youtube.com/watch?v=3JeLcP7Xa5o)

[Harlan_Phoenix]

Captain Planet- Ma-Ti is kicked out of the team (http://youtube.com/watch?v=3JeLcP7Xa5o)

Haha, that's just gold.

[Antiyonder]

I honestly can't decide which of the two scenes are my favorite from that clip. They tie down to:

1. Wheeler saying "Hey man, you can still be a Planeteer. Remember the song? We are Planeteers, you can be one too."

2. Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Fire.


I'm wondering what everyone thought of that episode where they actually lose to Plunder. You know the episode which ends with him clear cutting the forest.

[G. Wen]

Ma-ti's power should've made him on par with Prof. X. He should've read minds, gone undercover, controled people and animals, etc... but noooooo, that would've made him useful, and as we all know, we need an exotic where we can be as backhanded as we want with him...

I don't think Turner realized how much stereotyping his show actually promoted.

[Anyone00]

(Warning: a bit of bad language ahead)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNxeKRyq8o4

[Beat]

Ma-ti's power should've made him on par with Prof. X. He should've read minds, gone undercover, controled people and animals, etc... but noooooo, that would've made him useful, and as we all know, we need an exotic where we can be as backhanded as we want with him...

I don't think Turner realized how much stereotyping his show actually promoted.

Like many things, powers and appearance are all based on presentation.

Case 1- This (http://youtube.com/watch?v=sQEzrkCeZkU&feature=related)and this (http://youtube.com/watch?v=lfWPDzvWNds). Same character, totally different approaches.

Ma-Ti could have been a forced to be reckoned with, if he used his power to do something like mess with people's minds or create psychic weapons. Instead, when given his ring and told by Zarm to actually fight him, Ma-Ti confesses his power is utterly useless.

[GregX]

Where Are They Now? The Captain Planet Edition (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3m24bjtOFv0)

:evil::evil::evil::evil::evil::evil:

[FGfan]

Man, I see this show get almost NOTHING but bad reviews these days, and that's really startin to piss me...or it was, as so far, many who have the bashed the show (excluding the objective ones) haven't been able to find anything positive to say about it, I can look at even my most disliked shows and find at least one positive, them cowards cannot.

[GregX]

Man, I see this show get almost NOTHING but bad reviews these days, and that's really startin to piss me...or it was, as so far, many who have the bashed the show (excluding the objective ones) haven't been able to find anything positive to say about it, I can look at even my most disliked shows and find at least one positive, them cowards cannot.

How does not being able to find something positive to say about a bad show make one a coward? Do you even know what a coward is?

[FGfan]

Because when I challenge 'em, they don't even TRY to look for positives. :P

Whilst this is frequently compared to anime, a genre which is too different from this to even compare (I've learned that lesson myself).

[GregX]

Because when I challenge 'em, they don't even TRY to look for positives. :P

Whilst this is frequently compared to anime, a genre which is too different from this to even compare (I've learned that lesson myself).

First of all, sometimes there are no positives.

Second of all. A coward is someone who leaves friends/family/comrades/what have you to die. A coward is someone who won't face the consequences of their actions. A coward is someone who won't stand up for themselves and lets others walk all over them. A coward is someone who won't make the effort to improve themselves.

Not "finding any positives" in a cartoon show does not compare.

Finally, anime is not a genre.

[Don_East]

Because when I challenge 'em, they don't even TRY to look for positives. :P

Whilst this is frequently compared to anime, a genre which is too different from this to even compare (I've learned that lesson myself).
I will say that the intentions of "Captain Planet" was noble. However, it's the final product that I complain about. It does teach an important lesson, but it's how they did it take I make my valid complaints with.

Take example the infamous AIDS episode, "A Formula For Hate", they tried to educate the truth about HIV/AIDS with a nicely/cheesy speech by CP at the end. But they pass off mass ignorance on the HIV virus is caused someone lied with the intentions of spreading hate, namely Verminous Skumm. Then there's the fact that Skumm took so much of his time and money spreading rumors about a high school basketball player from a small town in Louisana. If it was a college basketball player I guess it would make some sense.

However, I will say a positive just to show I'm not some random hater, the episode "Talkin' Trash" was probably the best episode of the series. It really shows Wheeler's character could be used more than just "Gee Gaia, I don't see what's so bad about Hoggish Greedly dumping into corn cobs into the Grand Canyon?" If there were more episodes like that and less of the overly preachy type. It might have been a better show.