Captain Planet and the Planeteers

“Earth! Fire! Wind! Water! Heart! Gooooo Planet!” “By your powers combined, I am Captain Planet!”

Captain Planet and the Planeteers was an edutainment show inspired by Ted Turner, and produced by Turner Program Services and DiC (later to be replaced by Hannah-Barbera) that ran from 1990 through 1996 and is still in syndication to this day. The show featured extremely blunt environmental themes, presented in the form of exciting, but relatively standard plot threads.  

The plot centers around “5 special young people” who have been given magic rings by Gaia, the spirit of the earth. Each ring gives its user limited power over one of the four classical elements (earth, fire, wind, and water) in addition to an extra one, heart, the power of positive and peaceful emotions within the mind. When they use their powers together, the five teens, or “Planeteers” can summon the green mullet-sporting guardian of the earth, Captain Planet. Together, Captain Planet and the Planeteers fight the evil eco-villains, each of which represents a specific way in which human corruption harms planet.  Hoggish Greedly, for example, is an obese pig-like man whose main character trait is his nature to over consume recourses in the pursuit of oil or valuable gems. Another villain, Dr. Blight, represents the inherent dangers involved with irresponsible use of science and technology.

Although as I child, I didn’t normally enjoy shows sporting the 80’s reminiscent style of animation that was promininant in the Hasbro cartoons (like G.I. Joe or Transformers), but I absolutely adored this show. While the characters themselves were about as deep as cardboard cutouts, the extreme polarization between the attitudes of the Planeteers and the Eco-Villains was entertaining on its own. With the exception of a few individual episodes, the Planeteers were always appaled and revolted at the very thought of even the slightest damage to the earth, while none of the Eco-Villains possessed a single redeeming quality. Each episode made sure that its environmental message were hammered home with led hammers.

The show has also had a few far reaching effects as well.  It is the principle idea behind the Captain Planet Foundation, which supports environmental awareness among children and young teens, is still active to this day. The Mother Nature Network has a large portion of episodes online and includes quizzes about each one at the end.

Recources:
Jensen, Elizabeth (2006, April 22) An Aging Superhero Wins a Life Beyond Reruns. Retrieved from http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9803E4DC153FF931A15757C0A9609C8B63

http://www.turner.com/planet/characters/index.html