29 September 1990 (1990-09-29)– 12 December 1991 (1991-12-12)
Widget (also known as Widget the World Watcher) is an animated children's television series created by Peter Keefe, and directed and produced by Tom Burton of Zodiac Entertainment, which debuted in syndication on September 29, 1990.[2] The series ran for two seasons; in the first season (1990), it aired once a week (usually on Saturday or Sunday), and in the second season (1991), the series expanded to weekdays. The show featured environmentalist themes and was recognized by the National Education Association as recommended viewing for children.[3]
The show focused on a short purple extraterrestrial from the planet Widget who could shapeshift by spinning like a spinning top into different forms. He and a group of young human friends - brothers Kevin and Brian, and their veterinarian friend Kristine - protect the natural environment from those who wish to plunder or harm it. Later on they are joined by fellow shapeshifter Half-Pint, Widget's mischievous and overly-curious cousin. Widget is frequently accompanied by the Mega Brain, an intelligent but somewhat clumsy being who appears as a floating head (with a transparent cranium) and floating hands.[4]
The show was produced by Calico Creations to teach children about the dangers of pollution. Each episode would have Widget contending with a villain from either Earth or outer space wishing to exploit Earth's environment or natural resources, like Dr. Dante, Mega Slank, and his evil twin, Ratchet. In this respect, Widget, the World Watcher is similar to Captain Planet and the Planeteers and Toxic Crusaders, as all those heroes attempt to save the Earth from ecological disaster. As in those series, Widget occasionally fought against malicious entities spawned by copious pollution. For example, in one episode Widget battled a fellow shapeshifter, a sentient but hostile life form, disguised as a toxic ooze/slick, who was contaminating Earth's beaches and oceans.
The TV series ran for 65 episodes: 13 in the first season, and 52 in the second season. The animation for the show was produced by South Korean studio Sei Young Animation.
Mega Brain (voiced by Jim Cummings) is Widget's assistant. He is a rose pink floating head with floating glove-like hands. He has a transparent brain enclosed by a dome on top of his head.
Half-Pint (voiced by Cree Summer) is Widget's mischievous, overly-curious, hyperactive cousin, fellow shapeshifter and is the sky blue alien.
Kevin (voiced by Dana Hill) is Brian's older brother and a friend of Widget.
Brian (voiced by Kath Soucie) is Kevin's younger brother and a friend of Widget.
Kristine (voiced by Kath Soucie) is Brian and Kevin's veterinarian friend and a friend of Widget.
The Elders (Voiced by Jim Cummings and Tress MacNeille) are Widget's guardians and Half Pint's uncle and aunt who give Widget an environmental emergency.
Eco-Villains
Ratchet the World Trasher (voiced by Tress MacNeille) is Widget's evil twin, who lives in an alternate dimension called Pollutia. Whereas Widget tries to save the world, Ratchet attempts to pollute it.
Bob and Betty (Voiced by Peter Cullen and Tress MacNeille respectively) are poachers who will capture animals to earn a profit.
Dr. Dante (voiced by Jim Cummings) is the natural earth villain and a confidence trickster scientist.
Hubert Ratman is doctor Dante's main minion who is willing to correct Dante most times he calls him "Ratty".
Mega Slank (voiced by Pat Fraley) is the other natural outer space villain, who seems to have a grudge against Widget's kind.
Flim Flam McSham is a two-headed ringmaster who captures creatures from across the universe.
Gyp works alongside Flim Flam. She is a slave trader whose loyalty to Flim Flam is quite strong.
Mr. Beetlebug is a businessman who will ruin the environment for money.
Crocorilla is a crocodile/gorilla creature, who is one of Ratchet's minions.
Hyenaphant is an hyena/elephant creature, who is one of Ratchet's minions.
Roostuck is a rooster/duck creature, who is one of Ratchet's minions.
Piglion is a pig/lion creature, who is one of Ratchet's minions.
Bizzaro Brain (voiced by Jim Cummings) is a floating head with a transparent brain who will do anything in his will to best Mega Brain.
Episodes
Season 1 (1990)
No. overall
No. in season
Title
Original release date
1
1
"Widget's Great Whale Adventure"
29September1990(1990-09-29)
Widget reluctantly travels to Earth and he saves a whale caught by some poachers.
2
2
"Gorilla My Dreams"
6October1990(1990-10-06)
On a school trip, Kevin and Brian adopt a gorilla named Johnny Africa.
3
3
"Kona, the Captive Whale"
13October1990(1990-10-13)
On a trip with Kevin, Brian, and Kristine, Widget assumes the zookeeper of a baby whale named Kona is hurting her, while really the zookeeper is just doing his job.
4
4
"Widget of the Jungle"
20October1990(1990-10-20)
Widget travels to the jungles of Africa where evil poachers, Bob and Betty try to capture an elephant for his tusks.
5
5
"Widget's Walkabout"
27October1990(1990-10-27)
Widget travels to Australia to ensure its red kangaroos enjoy their new habitat.
6
6
"Amazon Adventure"
3November1990(1990-11-03)
Construction men are building a giant highway through the rainforest, cutting down special trees used by the natives as medicine.
7
7
"Mediterranean Adventure"
10November1990(1990-11-10)
A trip to the Mediterranean Sea gets Kevin, Brian, Kristine, and Mega Brain captured by fishermen, while Widget has to help out a cattle farmer.
8
8
"Slime Sleuths"
17November1990(1990-11-17)
Dr. Dante presumably has invented a machine to solve the issue of toxic waste disposal. Widget wonders about that when problems arise when the barrels containing the waste are reused.
9
9
"Rock 'n' Roll Widget"
24November1990(1990-11-24)
Kristine takes Widget, Brian and Kevin to a rock concert which is seemingly a charity for marine life, little knowing the concert was being run by Mr. Beetlebug.
10
10
"Teacher's Pets"
1December1990(1990-12-01)
Widget gets to be the children's substitute teacher of biology and zoology after their regular teacher keeps having car trouble.
11
11
"The Carnival Kids"
8December1990(1990-12-08)
A carnival is being thrown by Doctor Clang, seemingly for building an animal shelter. But what are Dr. Clang's true intentions for the carnival?
12
12
"Mega-Slank from Titanium"
15December1990(1990-12-15)
The evil Mega Slank steals animals to bring back to his planet.
13
13
"That's the Spirit"
22December1990(1990-12-22)
While planning to demolish a town's fountain for a mall, the mayor is visited by three Ghosts.
Season 2 (1991)
No. overall
No. in season
Title
Original release date
14
1
"Two Times Widget Equals Trouble"
23September1991(1991-09-23)
A careless mistake by Mega Brain sends Ratchet, Widget's alter ego, out to trash.
15
2
"You Talkin' to Me?"
24September1991(1991-09-24)
Mega Brain invents a machine which supposedly cleans the air, but it actually makes animals talk like humans, leaving Widget to no longer be the only one who could understand them.
16
3
"Sort It Out"
25September1991(1991-09-25)
Widget teaches the city people how to recycle.
17
4
"Watcher's Warning"
26September1991(1991-09-26)
Widget, Mega Brain, Kevin and Brian travel to Planet Scraboolie which is completely polluted and used to be beautiful. Widget wants to ensure the same thing does not happen to Earth.
18
5
"The Great Brain Robbery"
27September1991(1991-09-27)
Ratchet captures Mega Brain and turns him into a mindless trasher.
19
6
"The Greatest Show in the Galaxy"
1October1991(1991-10-01)
After a video recording of Widget is sent into space, ringmaster brothers Film Flam McSham capture Widget to be in their intergalactic circus.
20
7
"Bonkrz"
2October1991(1991-10-02)
Widget travels to an award show to help Squappy the Sapsimian, who is seemingly endangered, but Widget finds out the air on the planet had acid rain.
21
8
"Glacier Grabber"
3October1991(1991-10-03)
Widget, Mega Brain, Kevin, and Brian find that Dr. Dante is in the arctic with a supposedly harmless machine. Widget finds out that the machine is melting all the glaciers.
22
9
"Where's the Beef?"
4October1991(1991-10-04)
Mega Slank goes to Australia and hypnotizes animals to run his fast food company.
23
10
"Micronauts"
7October1991(1991-10-07)
Widget and friends try to stop mysterious rain that mutates anything into giant monsters.
24
11
"Watcher from Wayback"
10October1991(1991-10-10)
Widget travels to Tibet and unexpectedly meets an old World Watcher.
25
12
"Betty and the Beasts"
11October1991(1991-10-11)
Bob and Betty are capturing animals to make a movie.
26
13
"Maller Crawlers"
15October1991(1991-10-15)
Widget goes to an intergalactic shopping mall, and finds out the mall is no ordinary mall.
27
14
"Never Cry Woof"
16October1991(1991-10-16)
Brian is accidentally turned into a wolf by Mega Brain.
28
15
"All Day Suckers"
17October1991(1991-10-17)
A race of lollipop people seek water and goes to a greedy businessman who is draining out Earth's water.
29
16
"Fifty Foot Ants"
18October1991(1991-10-18)
It's Kevin's birthday, and Mega Brain tells a story about giant ants and Flim Flam McSham trying to capture one.
30
17
"Half-Pint"
22October1991(1991-10-22)
Here, we are introduced to Half Pint, Widget's little cousin, who is rather hyperactive.
31
18
"Air For Sale"
23October1991(1991-10-23)
Mr. Beetlebug starts polluting the air using a supercomputer named Macro Brain in order to sell air for money.
32
19
"Intergalactic Garage Sale"
24October1991(1991-10-24)
Evil Mega Slank steals many of Earth's most magnificent landmarks for his Intergalactic Garage Sale.
33
20
"The Great Brain Drain"
25October1991(1991-10-25)
The Watcher Elders inform Widget that Bizarro Brain is causing mayhem and Mega Brain is afraid to help.
34
21
"Dr. Mega-Slank's Pet Palace"
28October1991(1991-10-28)
Mega Slank is capturing animals from the vet to run his machine.
35
22
"Murtle & Zurtle"
29October1991(1991-10-29)
Widget time travels to reunite a Galapagos turtle couple from a group of pirates.
36
23
"Ratchet Hood"
30October1991(1991-10-30)
Ratchet and his minions steal money intended for the Clean the Earth foundation and Ratchet keeps the money to himself.
37
24
"Crazy 8"
31October1991(1991-10-31)
Mega Brain suggests that Half Pint could have fun at an intergalactic carnival, but when they get there, it is full of strange people and things.
38
25
"Half-Pint's Ransom"
1November1991(1991-11-01)
When Half Pint goes to stay with Widget, he gets into lots of mischief with his Teleportation Device when he is taken by Bob and Betty.
39
26
"Whatsit to You?"
5November1991(1991-11-05)
Mega Slank builds a bunch of Widget robots to pollute Earth and frame Widget the World Watcher for the mess.
40
27
"Widget and the Sqizzlebonk"
6November1991(1991-11-06)
Film Flam McSham tries to enslave the Squizzlebonk, a gluttonous monster, and Widget does his best to protect the Squizzlebonk due to it being the last of its kind.
41
28
"Chaos in Kali-Ko"
7November1991(1991-11-07)
Dr. Dante is building a giant park and hypnotizes Widget to think he works for him.
42
29
"Head Game"
8November1991(1991-11-08)
Ratchet challenges Mega Brain to a set of games against a giant brain in which is not too bright.
43
30
"Mac Bluff"
11November1991(1991-11-11)
Widget and Half Pint go to a planet where a war is about to occur, and are willing to stop it, but things get harder when their king puts on a play.
44
31
"Great Barrier Thief"
12November1991(1991-11-12)
Poachers Bob and Betty are capturing sea life in the Great Barrier Reef and kidnap Mega Brain. Widget enlists the help of some aquatic sea animals.
45
32
"The Brain Who Would Be King"
13November1991(1991-11-13)
Widget the World Watcher and Mega Brain time travel to the time of the dinosaurs and find out that the dinosaurs died out due to the asteroid polluting the air, and then travel to the time of the cave persons, with the cave persons making Mega Brain their king until they decide he is cosmically uncool.
46
33
"The Uncontrollable Urg"
14November1991(1991-11-14)
On a Watcher Scout trip; Widget, Half Pint, and Brian hear the story of the Urg, an always angry monster that lives on Widget's home planet.
47
34
"Intergalactic Grudge Match"
15November1991(1991-11-15)
In order to stop Ratchet from polluting Earth, Widget agrees to an intergalactic grudge match against Garbantua, a giant alien wrestler, with one catch; Widget mustn't shapeshift at any point.
48
35
"Teeny, Weeny, Widget"
18November1991(1991-11-18)
Widget suggests that Kevin and Brian visit the agricultural fair, held by Flim Flam McSham. Widget is separated from the others when he is shrunken to the size of a mouse.
49
36
"Scraboolee Jubilee"
19November1991(1991-11-19)
The Scraboolians kidnap Mega Brain for their Scraboolee Jubilee and have their own fun with him.
50
37
"Culture Crooks"
20November1991(1991-11-20)
Ratchet and his mutant minions have stolen an ancient artefact from the museum and travels back in time to steal some more. It is up to Widget, Mega Brain, and Half Pint to get it back.
51
38
"The Library Card"
21November1991(1991-11-21)
Widget, Mega Brain, Kevin, and Brian go to the library and reimagine the stories they read while waiting for Widget's library card to be approved.
52
39
"Bonkula"
22November1991(1991-11-22)
A no-good prankster vampire named Bonkula befriends Kevin and becomes a bad influence to him.
53
40
"Ratchetland"
25November1991(1991-11-25)
Ratchet has stolen everybody's garbage bins and waste to make his own amusement park in the waste dump and even turning the visitors into pigs. Can Widget and Mega Brain find out what's making the visitors enjoy the garbage-filled theme park?
54
41
"Rose Colored Glasses"
26November1991(1991-11-26)
Widget, Mega Brain and Half Pint travel to Planet Narcissis where a war is occurring, and Widget soon realises it's because of the Narcissians wearing rose-coloured glasses.
55
42
"Crashing Planets"
27November1991(1991-11-27)
A planet is on a collision course with Earth, and Widget the World Watcher is trying his best to change the planet's course.
56
43
"Robo-Zonk"
29November1991(1991-11-29)
Mega Brain creates a robot named Robo-Zonk, who instantly befriends Half Pint. When Half Pint creates more robots, they go against him and it is up to Widget to stop them.
57
44
"Ghost of a Chance"
2December1991(1991-12-02)
In an environmental takeoff of A Christmas Carol, Widget is visited by three ghosts, a Viking who engaged in deforestation, an American pioneer who participated in the buffalo slaughter, and a British big game hunter who contributed to extinction of some animals. The ghosts tell Widget that they are punished until they teach a living person of their wrong acts, and Widget sees their chance for atonement when the city's mayor is making a secret deal for a polluting factory to be built.
58
45
"Rock Around the Cosmos"
3December1991(1991-12-03)
A parody of Star Wars, Widget goes after Flim Flam after an evil plan by Bizarre Brain spirals out of control. They are helped by Princess Aleian (Widget has a crush on her), who is used against her will by Bizarro Brain to destroy Earth.
59
46
"The Wishing Stone"
4December1991(1991-12-04)
Widget travels to Africa and meet a woman named Cleo, who tells them that Professor Geekman is planning to steal a stone that grants wishes.
60
47
"Time Trippers"
5December1991(1991-12-05)
Widget and Mega Brain try to travel to the year 9901 after seeing an old news report on how Ratchet made his mutants and turned Planet Pallinia into Planet Pollutia, but after actually travelling to the year 1066, Widget hopes to stop Ratchet from his scheme. But Widget changing into a dimwitted neanderthal makes it hard.
61
48
"Bungle of the Jungle"
6December1991(1991-12-06)
Bob and Betty build a robotic elephant in order to destroy a jungle and find a priceless artefact.
62
49
"Machine Planet"
9December1991(1991-12-09)
Widget and Half Pint travel to a Machine Planet and try to save the machines that are ready for destruction.
63
50
"Awesome African Adventure"
10December1991(1991-12-10)
Widget and Mega Brain go to the African rain forest to aide the last dinosaur of its kind from a poacher.
64
51
"Beast Side Story"
11December1991(1991-12-11)
A fox that lives on the streets is captured by a gang of weasels and Widget must stop them when Mr. Beetlebug plans to destroy their home; An abandoned apartment building.
65
52
"Mother Slank's Intergalactic Vacation Paradise"
12December1991(1991-12-12)
Mega Slank's mother takes an underwater vacation at Lake Titicaca, and their submarine is ruining it.
Principal cast
Jim Cummings - Mega Brain, Dr. Dante, Elder #1, Bizzaro Brain, Macro Brain, Flim Flam McSham
Widget was produced by Zodiac Entertainment, a Studio City, California-based firm backed by British media company Central Independent Television. Zodiac President Kevin Morrison stated that in 1990, Widget was being broadcast on 80% of independent U. S. television stations and that in 1991, the show started being shown five times a week.[3]
↑ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nded.). McFarland & Co. pp.904–905. ISBN978-1476665993.
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