MovieChat Forums > Captain Planet and the Planeteers (1990) Discussion > So liberal

So liberal

posted 20 years ago by AllisonLVenezio
78 replies | jump to latest

This was one of the worst cartoons I have EVER seen. I hated it when I was 7 but I hate it now, at 21, for entirely different reasons.

It's a completely liberal concept. Ted Turner (jerk) created this show to cash in on his liberal agenda. After all, he's a media guru--he can do what he wants, right? Wrong! What the hell was up with this show? Those characters, the music, CAPTAIN PLANET?! WTF?????? This guy wussed out if pollution hit him, and it was up to his rainbow coalition of Planeteers, all of whom were corny, to save the day. Earth, wind, fire, water, heart. Wait a minute...heart?! did they run out of elements? The "bad guys" are big business. To Democrats, big business IS the bad guy.

Ok, so it sounds like I just saw this recently. I havent seen this since 1995, when it went off the air (I was 12 by then). My brother liked it, so I was a nice sister who watched this junky cartoon with him. Perhaps I was too nice.

Why do I think this? I'm not on my soapbox, I just happen to study politics a little bit and have heard some lovely things (exaggeration) about Ted Turner. I also taped this for a project on media violence effects. I refuse to watch it unless we edit a clip onto the video we are making. Ick!

Look, I'm not saying I'm closed-minded. If anyone objects to what I've said, tell me (in a non-deroggatory fashion). I'm open to your opinions.

Allison:)

"It's like people only do things because they get paid. And that's just really sad."

[–] 20 years ago

[deleted]

[–] AllisonLVenezio 20 years ago

I read yours last night--it was really good. Thanks for complimenting mine!!!!

Allison:)

"It's like people only do things because they get paid. And that's just really sad."

[–] Thanos6 20 years ago

While I think the cartoon's creators had their hearts in the right place, they definitely botched the execution a bit.

Cartoonish supervillains? Sure, you can use those in an environmental cartoon, no problem. But at least give them a good motive. And "Rah, I feel like polluting today" is not a good motive. I think if they'd started out polluting for various reasons (Looten Plunder--to earn money, Verminous Skumm--to turn people into rats, etc, etc) and THEN, after numerous defeats, started polluting just to SPITE the Planeteers out of insane revenge; then they would be less two-dimensional caricatures and a lot of criticism of the show would be defused.

[–] AllisonLVenezio 20 years ago

That's genius. Pretty interesting execution.

Allison:)

"It's like people only do things because they get paid. And that's just really sad."

[–] Thanos6 20 years ago

Thanks. I think one of the things that anime can teach American action cartoon makers (comedy cartoons, of course, are a different bag) is the importance of character development. Even the most shallow anime, like POKEMON, ends with its characters in totally different places than where they began. whereas with CAPTAIN PLANET no such change is noticeable.

It's obvious the basic premise of the show--kids get elemental rings to help save world--struck a chord with a lot of people. But the execution was, like I said, botched.

If I was put in charge of a CAPTAIN PLANET remake, I'd have the first season devoted to introducing the villains. No villain, in the first season, would team-up with any other villain; also, they would not pollute just for the hell of it, but it would be a SIDE-EFFECT of their main goal; Hoggish Greedly might cause pollution with depleted uranium shells his military contracts left behind, for example. The exception to this, of course, is Dr. Blight; she's just F-ing nuts. :)

The second season would see the villains slowly driven over the brink by their repeated humiliations at the hands of the Planeteers; elemental rings aside, wouldn't YOU be humiliated being defeated by 5 kids? They'd start to pollute out of spite, or perhaps even to lay a trap. Also, this is when they'd start to form tentative contacts with one another, but they still wouldn't trust each other too much. The season finale would end with the first defeat of Captain Pollution, observed (unknown to all) by a mysterious alien presence.

The third season would reveal that presence to, of course, be Zarm. He comes to Earth for the first time and assembles all the villains as a permanent anti-Planeteer squad. All the defeats will have destroyed their common sense--which normally would tell them to get AWAY from this guy--enough that they'd agree.

Thoughts?

[–] i_have_hate 20 years ago

i first watched that a boy and it was the best show on after skool. although that was many a year ago, i only thought of the show the other day what makes me think, is that why ppl wonder why the planeteers need a heart ring, i remember a ep when a baddy ( cant remember so long ago) had burnt out everyone ring and the dude with the heart ring used his to free all his friends rings. if you wonder also y heart is needed, insted of i dont know like a more powerful element, take a look outside and look around the world heart is the only thing that holds this iron rock together, not air,fire,earth, or water but human "compassion"

[–] chemguy 20 years ago

The funniest part is that the Villans all intentionally polluted, for the Hell of it. It was hysterically absurd. Where are they getting the capital to build the pollution infrastructure?

I loved this show when I was a child; I used to wake up early Saturday mornings to see it.

I turned out Conservative, though I have a tough environmental steak in me. (There are Environmentalist conservatives)

[–] aristotlekh100 20 years ago

^Really?!

*RIP, Ronald Reagan*

[–] tvinoi 18 years ago

Oh well... I guess it's time to call Captain Planet!

Let our powers combine!

Earth!
Fire!
Wind!
Water!
Heart!

By your powers combined, i am Captain Planet!

Go, Planet!

If they won't play dirty...
Then we'll call Captain Pollution!

Let our polluting powers combine!

Super Radiation!
Deforestation!
Smog!
Toxic!
Hate!

By your polluting powers combined, I am Captain Pollution!

Go, Pollution!

[–] marl_232001 16 years ago

Capt. Pollution: Captain Planet huh? You don't look so tough.
Capt. Planet: Neither do you Pollution. In fact, you look a little green around the gills!
Capt. Pollution: Grrrr!!!!

[–] fubleduck 14 years ago

Captain Planet is the main reason I hyped Jonny Quest as my all-time favorite cartoon by comparing it to what came out since. JQ had ba better "villainology". Dr. Zin, Ashida, the Poho, & the Pygmies, were NOT strawman metaphors of legitimate industry & technology. They were analogies, simply of what they were-criminals & enemy combatants. You weren;t asked to pity them or give them passes because they aren't white.
I don't know if CP asked us to believe the latter. But even though Captain pollution was maliciously polluting for pollution's sake, I can't escape the impression that he's a strawman for what I previously mentioned. Taking the strawman to his logical extreme, Captain Pollution is the reason you have power to run the tv to watch Captain Planet in the 1st place! Unless you power it w/ bike pedals. Can you manufacture such a generator by hand?

Kyle: It's bigger than Cartman's @$$!
Eric: No it isn't you guys

[–] tcshan 13 years ago

>I think if they'd started out polluting for various reasons (Looten Plunder--to earn money, Verminous Skumm--to turn people into rats, etc, etc) and THEN, after numerous defeats, started polluting just to SPITE the Planeteers out of insane revenge;

That WAS the original idea; apparently, it just got mutated.

[–] CamelCamelCamel 18 years ago

Duh, it had an agenda. And who's going to fault that agenda? Maybe somebody who was made to feel self conscious because their dad worked at the oil company or their mom was a logger in the Amazon. (Or maybe young Republicans who want to lose themselves in irrelevant discussions about politics from sixteen years ago because the modern reality of their party's too embarrassing?)

And you dorks are evaluating its quality from an adult perspective. Subtlty, both in story and design, is lost on children, and I think this cartoon proved effective in compelling kids to get involved in conservation. I know it lead directly to my starting a club (of two people) devoted to picking up garbage in our neighborhood, and to this day I still panic a bit if I realize I've left a light on when I've left the room. How many other cartoons can boast such positive impact?

I feel safer in New York knowing that Phoebe Cates is looking out for me.

[–] erinwolfrus 18 years ago

That summed it up in ways that made me too lazy to type. Kudos, Frank :)

Death: I shall leave your room exactly as you left it...
D: A *mess*
Susan: Sorry :(

[–] Stratego (29252) 4 years ago

Please, I was a kid back then and it was embarrassingly unsubtle. I had to eyeroll at the obvious propaganda every episode. I'm not even sure why I watched it. Probably because of the catchy themesong and because I watched pretty much everything and anything in those days.

[–] Chrisbc-1 18 years ago

This show is terrible even by taking out the liberal themes. This show came out when I was 8 and I should have been the target audience. I thought it was lousy back then. Certainly not on par with Thundercats or the traditional superhero shows involving Marvel or DC characters. It doesn't hold up like Batman the Animated Series, thats for sure.

And Captain Planet, whats with that mullet?

[–] AllisonLVenezio 18 years ago

I was eight (or around it) when it came on in 1990. I couldn't stand it, yet my brother made me watch it. I hate TBS/Superstation (and Ted Turner) to this day.

Question--I know it's listed as TBS on the channel lineup, but is it nicknamed the Superstation, or is that an outdated name?

Allison :-)

"It's like people only do things because they get paid. And that's just really sad."

[–] chemguy 18 years ago

Notice how the American character is obnoxious and uneducated ... it's a lot like how the democrats perceive the American public.

[–] erinwolfrus 18 years ago

"Waaah! Baby Jesus does not approve of this cartoon! We must flame it!"

You're just talking about stuff that's been mentioned before. Just shut up before you hurt yourself.

Death: I shall leave your room exactly as you left it...
D: A *mess*
Susan: Sorry :(

[–] AllisonLVenezio 18 years ago

Oh, good one!!! Haha! I noticed that too.

Allison :-)

"It's like people only do things because they get paid. And that's just really sad."

[–] CamelCamelCamel 18 years ago

But that's the uniquely American quality. We're obnoxious and stupid, but sometimes, just sometimes, we get it together and do something positive. Just like Wheeler.

I feel safer in New York knowing that Phoebe Cates is looking out for me.

[–] Chrisbc-1 18 years ago

Speak for yourself TheFrankEinstein. And whats with this pompous sounding "We're obnoxious and stupid..." Maybe you are but I am certainly not. If the U.S. is so bad then why does California have a problem keeping immigrants out. You would think they would want to avoid such a "horrible" place as the U.S.A.

[–] prajscififan 18 years ago

The U.S. is not a horrible place. We just give too much power over our lives to horrible people who ultimately abuse that power to their own benefit, regardless of how noble their intentions are at the start. Despite all of this, there is still plenty of opportunity and cash to be made so illegal immigrants are drawn like bees to flowers or flies to !!!!.......

[–] CamelCamelCamel 18 years ago

We're angry and defensive, too. Thanks for reminding me, Chris.

I feel safer in New York knowing that Phoebe Cates is looking out for me.

[–] BuzzHatHead 18 years ago

Man...who cares? It's Captain Planet.

[–] yugondie 18 years ago

Azmondious is right: its a kids cartoon...kids arent smart. There all stereotypes on purpose. The singular purpose of this cartoon was to make kids think that pollution is bad...which it is (if you say different get the hell out) and, for my part anyway, it made me think that it was bad. It didnt tunr me into a greenie..or a liberla or anything like that.
Pollution = Bad
True

Captain Planet rules anyway

hes a cool guy

[–] qrue3sixteen 18 years ago

Whoever started this, shut up. When people start breaking down cartoon shows into categories of liberal and conservative, or if characters are gay or bisexual or whatever, they ruin it, and they miss the point. It's aimed at kids, and they don't care.

And what's so liberal about not wanting to have pollution? I bet when global warming actually does happen, people won't be talking as much crap.

[–] CamelCamelCamel 18 years ago

I bet when global warming actually does happen, people won't be talking as much crap.

May I refer you to CNN, BBC, The Weather Channel, or a, y'know, window? And people are indeed talking as much crap. More, in fact. Al Gore's been compared to a Nazi by, if I can oxymoronize here, legitimate Conservative opinionists, for his environmental message.

I feel safer in New York knowing that Phoebe Cates is looking out for me.

[–] qrue3sixteen 18 years ago

What do people have to see happen before they buy into global warming becoming a problem? Actual fume clouds looming over their houses? The glacier count has been reduced significantly. Just because people aren't adversiting it doesn't mean it's not a problem.

[–] CamelCamelCamel 18 years ago

You reminded me, Grue, of a local news broadcast story about oily rain caused by emissions from a local industrial plant of some kind. The people interviewed were concerned because it might damage the paintjob on their cars. So there's the answer to your rhetorical question about what it'll take. (Even my family, subject to my lifelong environmentalism, missed the ominous implication of the white Christmas we enjoyed in tropical South Texas a couple of years ago.)

I feel safer in New York knowing that Phoebe Cates is looking out for me.

[–] Chrisbc-1 17 years ago

There is no disbuting that global warming happens. The arguement is whether humans can or cannot influence global warming. I'd have to say no in my opinion. Humans are simply too small and insignificant relative to the earth. Did cavemen cause the end of the ice age because they polluted the atmosphere? I doubt it. The earth just goes through heating and cooling cycles and we just happen to be in a heating cycle. If the earth was in a cooling cycle liberals would be claiming that "human polution causes global cooling!"

[–] C.S.Wood 17 years ago

. If the U.S. is so bad then why does California have a problem keeping immigrants out. You would think they would want to avoid such a "horrible" place as the U.S.A.

Pfft, the money! If Mexican money was worth more than the American dollar and the average Mexican job paid more, we wouldn't have an immigration problem.

Make A Movie At http://www.thatmoviegame.com/

[–] CamelCamelCamel 18 years ago

At what?

I feel safer in New York knowing that Phoebe Cates is looking out for me.

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] CamelCamelCamel 18 years ago

Ohhhhhhh.

Proud of what the Republicans have done? If not, vote Democrat this November!

[–] drunkensqurl888 18 years ago

Back up...you guys are arguing about the political merrits of a childrens show that went off the air...10 years ago..

[–] Abstraction1 18 years ago

a) This Show is For little Kids

b) Its some Education about How not to Pollute, and how the earth will be affected by Pollution

c) The cartoon, at the end of the day, was right, as Global Warming Is Destroying the Planet.

d) TO the Author: I know where you are coming from, but at 21, i dont think Captain Planet is targeting you, its targeted at Little Kids.

-----------

As i Kid, i LOVED this show.

If i were to watch it now, at 18, im sure i would not think the same.

Hence, we know, this Show was for Kids, DUH!

P.S (Sorry if i offended anyone)

[–] deadsetlace 18 years ago

Lame pathetic topic.

[–] my_baloney-1 18 years ago

Seriously, what's the point of dissecting and hating this show? It's not trying to brainwash into a way of thought, it's not provoking harm, it's not hurting anyone itself. All it did is raise awareness of serious environmental isssues in a way that kids could digest, and thus maybe think about later in life. If you think this show is anything beyond that, ur going waaaaaaay to deep into it.

[–] AllisonLVenezio 18 years ago

Actually, it's nuts now - I'm 23 now (almost 24) - this thread was started two years ago. I've moved on. I still dont like this show, but I dont gripe about it anymore. I can't believe this thread lives on. Amazing.

Allison :-)

"It's like people only do things because they get paid. And that's just really sad."

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] deadsetlace 18 years ago

Of course.

[–] quosimosaur 18 years ago

gah i cant help but post on these flame threads
since when is something bad just because it is preceived as liberal or conservative?

[–] udabac 17 years ago

Thank you thank you thank you. My political alignment is a secret, because if I said what it was, roughly half the people on the board would decide I am stupid. I loved Captain Planet when I was a kid, and I still enjoy it as a campy reminder of my younger days. The message wasn't "liberal", it was pro-environment. That's like saying that Captain America is a flag-waving conservative- It's not a political statement, it's a plot device. Get over it. If you don't like the show...

DON'T WATCH IT

[–] natersc 17 years ago

yep, he's a liberal.......

[–] AmandaCrewFan 17 years ago

So, let me get this straight, you have to be LIBERAL to care about the environment? Right, that makes a whole lot of sense. I'm CONSERVATIVE, and I STILL CARE about the environment at 17.

So, basically, everyone who agrees with the poster who started this thread thinks that cleaning up the environment is BAD. Sure, that REALLY blows over with people. Do you know how crazy that idea sounds? People can care about the environment DESPITE being Liberal or Conservative. This is just another frickin' STUPID AND POINTLESS post that someone created to pit two opposing parties or whatever against each other because they wanted a good laugh at something that is SO STUPID it's not even funny.

Seriously, WHERE DID SOME OF YOU PEOPLE COME FROM? By the way, this question is rhetorical.

Captain Planet is/was a show to teach and inform kids about the dangers of pollution and what is causes. If you want to get sick from it one day and possibly fall fatally ill, so be it. At that time, MAYBE you'll look back on the day(s) you posted here and think "You know, pollution IS BAD." Gee, like it takes a genius to figure THAT out. WE'RE THE ONES who will have to live with the MAJOR EFFECTS of pollution when we grow up. And, heck, we're living with some of them NOW. Don't you people see it? So, before you BASH a cartoon for ANY REASON(especially a reason as STUPID as this), think to yourself that MAYBE their IS a point to this cartoon. It ACTUALLY HAS meaning, unlike stupid and pointless cartoons on today. Do ANY of you people who think this show was Liberal vs. Conservative even SEE what's around you. Yet alone, SEE and UNDERSTAND what you read and write? Oh, wait... Nope, apparently, you don't.

This show is Liberal vs. Conservative my butt, get a life.

[–] GethinVanH 17 years ago

Ted Turner was responsible for the show. He's a self-admitting Libertarian. Libertarianism sounds like liberalism but they're opposite ideologies. Classic liberalism is all about individual freedoms but most liberals support government intervention such as gun-control, state welfare etc. Libertarians are the opposite, they're opposed to government intervention like gun control, seat belt laws, death penalty but they support individual freedoms.

[–] Iceman_x21 17 years ago

ive never heard about him stating he was a libertarian (he probably did i just havent heard that stated) But whether he is libertarian, liberal or conservative (im sure we can rule out conservative do to him being form Georgia in the time where the majority was liberal/democratic, partially because the racist were pissed at the republicans for giving blacks more rights after the civil war (cant believe some people held that anger for that long and because the tradition of georgia (and most of the south being democratic/liberal)) CNN a news company that he created has a clear liberal bias just like every other news network other than FOX News and its been that way since it was created. Though who cares whether this show was liberal or not cause overall the only "liberal" idea it posed was care for the environment which isnt an ideal limited to the liberal mindset. Really every party should and most do care about the environment. The liberal view seems to be the belief in global warming (which is highly debatable, especially considering it was hotter during the middle ages than it is now and they only had to deal with human waste pollution no "green house gases" they change in temperature we are experiancing is a typical patter that has happened hundreds of times since humanity first began) and other environmental issues.

You could say this show passes on liberal ideas but as kids they arent going to make connections like the ignorant american boy, or the business heads being upsessed with pollution they are going to see a bad guy who needs to beat down by Captain Planet, and even then the value which for some reaason is only accepted as a liberal value (which it is not limited to liberalism) is one everybody should take into account helping keep the planet cleaner whether to prevemt global warming or not, becauise either way it helps make the earth an easier place to live.

[–] GethinVanH 17 years ago

" CNN a news company that he created has a clear liberal bias just like every other news network other than FOX News"

No. CNN is conservative, pro-nationalist, pro-capitalist crap just like the rest of the networks. They're totally afraid of reporting anything against the war, against the troops or against Bush unless it's strikingly obvious and they have to report it. You want to see an example of liberal news? Watch BBC World and you'll see it. They actually report on events OUTSIDE of North America. I know, it's pretty scary. They talk about Africa!

[–] adamsmo 13 years ago

Libertarianism is NOT the opposite of liberalism. In fact, libertarianism is nothing more than classical liberalism, remarketed in a sense.

Anyway, I always loved Captain Planet. It's obvious that it was basically to brainwash kids (even though that's pretty acceptable to a degree on this topic, imo). Still do, though now it's sort of moreso nostalgia and a ICANTBELIEVETHISISINAKIDSCARTOON factor. I'm also an unabashed liberal.

[–] Jack Doyle 17 years ago

it seemed a pretty positive cartoon, and parents always complain cartoons are nothing but violence probably why i found it dull. give me Batman anyday but then he's a socialist so you probably wouldn't like him either

[–] terror_and_submission 17 years ago

Liberal schmiberal. Captain Planet is fun to watch because of how obscenely corny it is. It's great nostalgia, and the political agenda is so blatantly obvious, and painstakingly positive, liberal or not. The messages are like POACHING IS BAD, POLLUTING IS BAD. How can you go wrong?