Widget, the World Watcher

"Widget, the World Watcher" was similar to "Captain Planet" in that both revolved around supernaturally-gifted people... okay, creatures in this case... battling to rescue the earth from environmental catastrophe. This didn't have any Ted Turner backing or name stars doing voices - although I doubt Tom Cruise would have been as good a voice actor as Rob Paulsen - but it was less pretentious, less politically correct in its characters (face it, apart from Wheeler none of the Planeteers were renowned for their looseness) and ultimately more watchable. Plus it did have a sense of humour absent from the good Captain.

The "Awesome!" lingo spouted by Widget really grated, as if the producers were trying too hard to appeal to its audience, but as far as cartoons aired by Channel 4 in the early 1990s went, there were far worse offenders (case in point the American-Dutch cartoon "The Bluffers," which is so (rightly) obscure it isn't even listed on the IMDb). Forget "RI:SE," bring back the Banana Splits and "The Adventures of T-Rex" I say...

though not the best cartoon ever, the sheer pursuit of finding anyone else in the world who'd seen it was enough to start a cult following. i seriously almost began to believe that i had imagined the whole thing. everyday before school i'd watch it. it used to come on right before Captain Planet. when both shows ended i knew it was time to go to school. where did this show go and why doesn't anyone else remember it?

"Widget" was one of the better enviromental shows they played down here on Rede Globo de Televisão [RGDT] that was not from Japan nor Canada. Most of the US or Latino stuff played was too preachy or it talked down to young audiences. However, Widget (US/Philipine co-production) fit neither of those stereotypes.

The plot focuses around shapeshifting alien (title character) and his race, plus, a talking brain robot and psychic kids noticing the disasters that takes place on Earth and Widget's homeworld, so they must try to enlighten the ignorant and punish the wrong-doing aliens that cannot survive on earth and pollute it with their own chemicals or introduce foreign species to interfere with Earth.

From some sources I have heard, this cartoon was made, due to the fact of the high pollution rate in the Philipines (or at least Manilla anyways), so Pinay animations and various Philipina and America companies decided to come up with this concept.

I was eight years old when I first saw this cartoon, and think I was ten when I last saw it. I'm 21 now, so it's been a while, but about three years ago, while looking through the credits of voice actor Jim Cummings on IMDb, I came across "Widget, the World Watcher", which brought back memories! As a Canadian, the only station I ever saw this show on was TVO, and if it wasn't aired on that station, I would have never heard of it, but they did air it, and I liked it a lot!

Widget was a little purple shape-shifting alien who lived in a cave on Earth, and was known as a "World Watcher". Each episode would show him on a mission to fight evil and pollution, and help protect the planet, whether it was aliens or humans causing the trouble! To help him on his missions, there was the intelligent but goofy MegaBrain, a being with only a floating head and a pair of hands. The top of MegaBrain's head was see-through, so you could see his brain. Also accompanying Widget on his missions were two young Earthling brothers named Brian and Kevin.

This show could entertain kids with its exciting adventures, interesting characters, humour, etc. From what I remember, most of the humour was provided by MegaBrain, a very funny character. The show also had a catchy theme song, one which I recently got to hear again on Youtube. Unfortunately, it appears the cartoon was always pretty obscure, and at one point back in elementary school, I remember some of my peers were familiar with it, but I don't think too many of them were. I guess episodes of "Widget, the World Watcher" are very rare now, and I doubt it will ever be shown of TV again, but at least some people who were kids in the '90s still have fond memories of it, including me.

Amazing, I been asking people over the years, "do you remember Widget?" and the reply is always no, but I sure do, and because everyone I've asked said no, I also thought I made up the show. I enjoyed the show a great deal, it started my day off right, so I know how you feel, I would watch the show if I could, for sure! I loved IT!!!!

If they had it on TV, I'd introduce it to my children, and watch it with them for sure.

It was a great show! This is my opinon though.

If you come accross a tape, let me know, I would love to have a copy.