Captain Planet

[Manic Webb]

Warning: This is going to be very long and essay-like. I just have a lot to say...

Captain Planet. He's our hero. Quite a few of us grew up watching this show. It's surprising how well they actually managed to make an educational cartoon that didn't even feel educational. We started each episode wanting to see the Planeteers use their rings to summon a superhero, and we walked away knowing at least 7 new ways to recycle our old garbage and make the world less polluted. How clever is that?

Looking back, this show was incredibly cheesy. If we were to watch it today, we wouldn't give it the time of day. Right? Or perhaps this show was just a little deeper than we remember. Looking back in detail, [i]Captain Planet and the Planeteers[/i] had some amazing character development and delt with some serious issues. This was actually a lot for a show geared toward pre-teens and kids.

It started out like any epic tale. Gaia, mother nature herself, was growing tired of the constant mistreatment to the Earth. So she forged 5 rings, each controlling a different element, and gave them to 5 young people in different corners of the Earth.
Kwame, a man from Africa, was given the ring of Earth. This allowed him to cause small quakes and reshape landscapes.
Wheeler, a man from North America, was given the ring of Fire. With this, he could generate flames and set objects around him ablaze.
Linka, a woman from Europe, obtained the ring of Wind. She could control the direction and intensity of the wind.
Gi, a woman from Asia, held the ring of Water, which allowed her to control any body of water she was near.
Mati, a boy from South America, used the final ring: Heart. This was a unique ring that allowed him to feel the presence of others, communicate with animals, and feel the strong emotions others were giving off.
When they united their powers, a being with control over all nature was created. His name was Captain Planet.

Alright, then things got really cheesy. Some corporate exec wanted to cut corners by dumping toxic waste. A nuclear mutant wanted to cover the entire Earth in radiation. A sociopathic eco-terrorist wanted to see the world destroyed by her hands-- even if it meant going back in time and selling Hitler a nuclear warhead. The villains were completely one-dimensional and their plots were asinine. It got to the point where they were each polluting the planet just to spite the Planeteers. This show got corny. Fast.

However, at some point, the writers of the show managed to get their acts together. The Planeteers were given some excellent backstories, and their missions became more serious. Even in the most ridiculous of situations, you felt like you knew the characters. You knew about how Gi used to play with dolphins as a child. And how Ma-Ti was mixed with Native American and European, and how is parents' people never got along. And how Wheeler ran away from home as a teen to avoid an abusive relationship with his father. Beyond the fancy rings and corny conflicts, you knew them.

Then one day, Gaia sent the Planeteers to battle something new; pollution of the mind. Drugs and gang wars. You started seeing less and less of Captain Planet, and more of the Planeteers. They were getting involved with conflicts between African villagers and industrialists; Irish Catholics and Protestants. We saw how Wheeler's old friends had become addicts and violent ravers. One episode that I'll always remember is the one where the Planeteers split up and joined two opposing inner-city gangs. That episode in particular had different artwork, more violent themes, and an instance or two of gunfire.

Yep. Educational television. We learned to recycle, solar energy is an effective source of power, stay away from drugs, gangs are more complicated than you think, what problems can't be solved with magic, and aliens should clean their own polluted planets instead of moving to new ones. This classic animated series lives now only in syndication, but those six years it originally aired will hold a special place in our hearts.

[Shinmaru]

I actually used to watch Captain Planet all the time lol. I still catch the odd episode on Cartoon Network from time to time, heh.

Though it was incredibly cheesy when I watched it, I loved it regardless. I was too young to really give a crap, anyway. All I wanted was one of those rings. You can't tell me that those rings weren't awesome, yet environmentally safe at the same time.

And I still have the theme song memorized (as evidenced by Saving Sennen's Soul lol), too. I mean, the darn thing was just really, really catchy. Who cares about whether or not it was good or bad? People sung it. That's all that really mattered.

[OtakuSennen]

[color=midnightblue]Yeah, I remember this show from its syndication on Cartoon Network a while back (Ah, the disadvantages of youth..), but I still remember Captain Planet rather vividly.

It was one of my first shows that I absolutely had to watch every time it was on, even if I had seen it a hundred times, and annoy the sanity out of my parents with the theme song as I repeatedly sung the bridge over and over for hours on end. I remember the plot well, and the characters remain vivid in my mind. Except for their names. Those weren't very original, anyway.

There was the outgoing, leader-esque fire character, red hair, with one of those strange, optimistic/can accomplish anything voices reminiscent from cartoons of the era. The wind character was a blonde, foreign female with a funny accent, wasn't she? They all kind of were poorly constructed characters, design-wise and mentally, but plot wasn't the strong point of this show. The morals that were held within were the point.

I don't know how many people were actually affected by Captain Planet, and it may not have saved the human race from its inevitable suicide, but it captured the hearts of a generation, which I think deserves some recognition. Here's to you, Captain Planet. You taught us that the power is ours.[/color]

[Guest Inuyasha7575]

I used to love to watch Captain Planet every episode had a moral something you could learn from,but after a while things got to lame and cheesy people stopped watching and sadly it went off the air that happens to be one show I hope I pray that they don't bring back.

[TheShinje]

I used to watch Captian Planet when I was younger, but the thing that really bugged me was the fact that the Villains was what you ere saying about the villains seemingly polluting the planet just to spite the planeteers.

It just didn't make sense, why dump toxic waste for the hell of dumping toxic waste?

We never got the episodes in which Gaia sends the Planeteers into fight pollution of the minds, however, I'd have to questiuon why the Planeteers would choose to get involved between Catholics and Protestants.

The drug and gang angles seem really good though. Taking CP away from what was holding it back (and what, I guess, eventually killed it), the one sided "pollute for the hell of it" villains.

[Ninjaman]

I too watched Captain Planet when I was young. It was one of my favorites. I loved those rings and their powers. I remember always shouting out one of the elements with a plastic ring when I was little, lol.

The episodes with drugs and gangs sound new to me, either I stopped watching the show before those episodes or I don't remember them. Sounds interesting though.

But it's been too long since I've last seen it so I barely remember any of it. Ah, good times those were though. ^_^

[ChibiHorsewoman]

[color=violet]Yes, I watched it. No, I really don't want to admit to watching it. I did like how they had to change Soviet Union to former SOviet Union, but why not just say Russia? It's all inclusive.
I wonder why the ppl ended up with teh rings tho, and why those rings? Did it have something to do with their astrological signs? (ok with the exception of the South American kid) Or was it deeper?
Looking back I seem to think those rings would do wonders for calling the quarters. Samurai knows what I mean.
Okay, now that I've said what I came to say, you will all forget that I watched Captain Planet[/color]

[Brasil]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by ChibiHorsewoman [/i]
[B][color=violet]Yes, I watched it. No, I really don't want to admit to watching it. I did like how they had to change Soviet Union to former SOviet Union, but why not just say Russia? It's all inclusive.
I wonder why the ppl ended up with teh rings tho, and why those rings? Did it have something to do with their astrological signs? (ok with the exception of the South American kid) Or was it deeper?
Looking back I seem to think those rings would do wonders for calling the quarters. Samurai knows what I mean.
Okay, now that I've said what I came to say, you will all forget that I watched Captain Planet[/color] [/B][/QUOTE]

I think the ring assignments just had to do with stereotypes, lol.

I mean...

Kwame...earth...Africa...essential stereotype of "people of the land." No offense to anyone, but in those years, what else did most people think of Africans?

Wheeler...fire...virulent inner-city kid...stereotyped with arsonist qualities.

Linka...wind...she sounds Scandinavian, or at least a country in that area...and what are those areas stereotyped with? Windmills, primarily, I think.

Gi...water...Asian...when we think of Asians, what country comes to mind? The immediate thoughts are China, Japan, or the Philippines, most of which are totally surrounded by water.

Mati. Heart and connection with animals. South America...and he was primarily seen talking to a monkey, right? Or with a monkey on his shoulder or something? Rain Forest, anyone?

Maybe I'm just reading into it too much...but I don't know. Something tells me I'm not, lol.


I had fun watching Captain Planet, but I'd be very interested to see where the funding for it came from...it'd make for a very neat little twist to the show if the funding came from EPA or an environmentally concerned group...I already have a suspicion that the show's creators' motives weren't entirely...forthcoming. I'm going to look into this. See what I can dig up. :D

And Captain Pollution rocked. He was so evil. It was delicious.

[Manic Webb]

In one episode, the Planeteers were discussing some of the more important parts of their lives pre-planeteering. Each of their stories had to do with their ring's power-- even if vaguely. Kwame and the African "people of the Earth" thing... okay, that was basically it. Wheeler moved out on the street and spent a lot of cold nights setting fire to trash bins to keep warm. Gi used to swim with dolphins as a child. Linka lost an important member of her family to toxic air in a mine shaft. Mati is just an emotional person. A good portion of their backstories were flash-backed in the two-part episode about Captain Pollution's return. The main villains trapped the Planeteers in a mine, while the captains fought. The kids had a lot of time to talk.

You know, I remember way too much about this show for my own good. Don't even ask me what else was on TV from 1990-96.

[krippled master]

I hated Captain Planet. For some reason, he just pissed me off. He would always talk for a majority of the time then bust out into action for like 5 seconds and start talking again. I was always pissed that he didnt fight for very long. Then he would get garbage thrown on him and he would start to die. The whole experiance kind of pissed me off. Im a child of TMNT.

[Kanariya]

[size=1][color=chocolate]Captain Planet...he's a hero...gonna take pollution down to zero...
Wow, cheesy.
And I can't believe I actually remembered that...

Anyway, I liked Captain Planet at an earlier age. I think it still does come on CN, but rarely. I hardly remember their names, except Wheeler because he had the fire power.
It kind of did inspire me to recycle and all. I do have a recycling bin, but end up putting cans in the trash can. Heh, so much for me saving the enviorment.
I did like it, but what actually made me mad was about Captain Planet himself. He started to make me jealous cause he could fly, and I couldn't. I complained how I wanted to fly and got mad because there were birds in the world.
Of course, that was an earlier age, and now I know people can't fly and have rings to have power. Man I really was screwed then.[/size][/color]

[Turkey]

I was a really big fan of Captain Planet back in the day. Nowadays, I can still see it, appreciating the pure cheesyness of it. I really recommend seeing the Spanish Dub, since it features hilarious voice acting (only second to Fist of the North Star).

[JCBaggee]

[color=red][size=1]Mmm....I remember this series. Heck, I remember sitting at the table with cups of hot and cold water and a CP action figure. Ah, those were such better days.

Great show, but....did Cap have a mullet?

--Chris[/color][/size]

[Semjaza]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by JCBaggee [/i]
[B][color=red][size=1]

Great show, but....did Cap have a mullet?

--Chris[/color][/size] [/B][/QUOTE]

It's more of the weird offspring of a mullet. Like if a mullet and a flat top had a baby... Captain Planet's hair would be the result.

I've not seen this show since I was a child, so I can't really say too much about it. However, it was certainly one of the better "educational" shows.

For some reason I was always reminded of this show when I'd watch the awful James Bond, Jr. Who the hell greenlighted that show anyway?

[JCBaggee]

[color=red][size=1]Ah, I remember James Bond Jr. Geez, he had the pseudo-mullet too, didn't he?

And, Poison, you forgot one stereotype for Wheeler...he was always hitting on the blonde.

--Chris[/color][/size]

[shahi]

Back in the days when I was young I'm not a kid any more but some days I sit and think what the hell was I watching. Your not alone Wasabi I remember the theme song too. I can't choke down the fact that it still comes on. That sailor moon, the power rangers,I remember some thing about zorro,And lets not for get the dreaded Barney! all these songs were implanted in my head as childhood membories I'm sad to say. I really use to like captain plant though although he died alot. After a while he started to tick me off and the theme songs of all these shows started to annoy me. I guess it seems better when your a kid.

[OlgaTheDwarf]

I hated this show. Who needs tree hugging Superheros?

I always hated how the kids tried to stop the villains with their singular rings, and always failed. I mean, gee, everyone who watched the show knew, by the end they would eventually have to call on Captain planet to solve the problems. But no, they always had to find out how wimpy their rings were on their own, then put them together and come up with C. Planet. When they could have done that in the first place and been done with the whole mess a lot sooner...

...I believe someone mention TMNT? They were MUCH better.

[kyonen]

I loved Cap's [b]TOXIC[/b] colored hair!!!!! Hahaha