Captain Planet

This show was very good in my opinion. The lessons were valuable and there was also a lot of fun in the storylines. Especially the romantic tension between Wheeler and Linka was good, they liked each other but never acted on those feelings. Well... never? Wheeler often tried to approach her and, although she rejected him just as much, she cared for him a great deal. Whenever he was in danger, she freaked out.

This show was excellent in teaching kids and older people how to be an environmentally conscious consumer and they also provided lots of tips for other problems that occur in these days. Though some episodes were less than others, I have enjoyed the entire show very much. I am an adult (having known the show since I was a child) and I still like it.

Unlike many of the reviewers here, I'm NOT going denigrate a television show just for the sake of bashing a political ideology. Of course the show is PC, just like "Sesame Street" is PC. It's a CHILDREN'S SHOW -- it needs to be simplified and non-cynical for the consumption of the younger audience. Plus, whether you like it or not, concern for the environment is not a throwaway, frivolous subject to mock. The people of LA had to find out the hard way.

Anyhoo, probably the only reason why I watched this show in the first place was that there was nothing else on at five in the afternoon on Saturdays. Back then, I thought the show was pretty cheesy with very little variations on the plot lines. Yet I still rooted for the Planeteers and was satisfied whenever the bad guys were dealt with.

But now that I'm older and a little bit wiser, I now reserve full appreciation of the cosmic and biblical cheesiness this cartoon had to offer. Whenever I think of the villain, I just wonder what's going through their minds: "Hahahah! I've just wasted precious time and money creating this environmentally unsafe factory, not to make any profits, not even to make a product of any kind, but just for the sake of polluting the planet and p**sing off the Planeteers, hahahahah!" Yeah, that's what most of these villains were thinking in most of the episodes.

Also, I agree with the other reviewers that there were hardly any character growth among the Planeteers, although the tension between Wheeler and Linka had me at least halfway interested.

There were some keeper episodes, like the one where three oppressed persons, an Irish Catholic living in Belfast, a Palestinian, and a black South African were supplied with triggers that will set off nuclear weapons which can then wipe out their adversaries. The Planeteers were dispached to those separate areas and only succeeded in turning around those people by having them experience the *hypothetical* consequences of their actions if they chose to press the button.

Of course, Captain Planet comes to the rescue, digs up the nukes and throws them like discuses towards the sun, which begs the question why didn't he just do that in the first place?

So one and a half stars (* 1/2) our of four for the Planeteers. Protecting the environment is an important thing, but we can do better.

FYI, Ma-Ti's Power of Heart allows him to communicate with the animals, so that in some episodes elephants and giraffes gives Captain Planet a breather and take care of all the dirty work.

"It was probably only made to teach kids to keep the environment clean." This was posted by a few other people... Duuuhhhh!

I remember watching this as a kid when it first came out. My brother and I enjoyed watching it every week. It may have been repetitive and a little cheesy, but it had a good message.

As far as the show implying that we can't really save the planet, only a superhero can, give me a break. I, at the age of 8, realized that Captain Planet and the Planeteers did not exist in real life and therefore, it really was up to us to help save the planet. I credit this show along with Raffi's Evergreen Everblue album and the movie Ferngully the Last Rainforest as the reason I recycle today.

A little plug for those who want to help the environment a little. Check out the Seventh Generation line of products and click everyday on the website - the rain forest site. :) I hope they decide to put this out on DVD soon!

I may be in the minority but I was first introduced to this show once it was on syndication and actually liked it. I never saw the reason to write such an extended response that dealt with the complete and utter negativity of a TV show or movie as I've seen here. It truly is amazing that there are individuals that would sit there and write such elongated responses. Is it political, absolutely. This show is somewhat ahead of its time, as I don't recall a strong effort being made to concern ourselves with the environment at that time. Regardless, I enjoyed it and whereas I have not seen this show in quite a while, I imagine that I'd enjoy it as much as I did in the past were I to see it again.

I don't understand you people. This show was meant for children to teach them to respect the environment. You christians who claim that it offends you, get over it. Be accepting of other peoples beliefs, even if they are different. There is already more than enough Christian shows out there.

This show taught me valuable lessons, and as a kid, I never saw any underlying themes, other than to help the planet. It may not have been the best cartoon, but it was one of the few that had a great message, and one of my favorites.

As for political aspects, do you people spend your every waking moment searching cartoons for secret agendas? Get a life! This show may have other agendas, I don't know and I doubt that if it did, anyone who watched it, being a young child, would even notice. This show tried to unite different beliefs, different backgrounds and to show us that we can work together and make a difference. I admit that as an adult, I now see the cliché-ness of the villains, but as a kid I never noticed and I doubt any child would. The message of saving the earth won't even reach every watcher (though it will reach some), let alone all this other junk you are reading into it.

All in all, this was a good show, and I think kids need more shows like it. I wish that all those who disliked it for whatever reason, could at least try to see the good it was trying to do.

"All things are connected...whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth." -Chief Seattle