Widget: an alien as a friend - the 1990 animated series

October 2, 2022

Widget: an alien as a friend (also known as Widget the World Watcher) is an animated television series created by Voltron author Peter Keefe, directed and produced by Tom Burton of Zodiac Entertainment, which premiered in syndication on September 29, 1990. Produced by Kroyer Films, Zodiac Entertainment and Calico Creations. The animations were developed by the South Korean studio Sei Young Animation.

The animated series aims to illustrate the risks due to environmental pollution and therefore is often compared to the more famous Captain Planet series and the Planeteers and Toxic Crusaders.

In Italy the series was first broadcast on Canale 5 in 1993

History

***Widget: an alien as a friend*** (Widget the World Watcher)

The show features a small purple extraterrestrial from the planet Widget. This alien can change its appearance and shape by spinning like a top. He and a group of young human friends - brothers Kevin and Brian, and their teenage sister Kristine - protect the natural environment from those who wish to plunder or harm it. They are later joined by the shapeshifting companion Half-Pint, Widget's mischievous and overly curious cousin. Widget is often accompanied by the Mega Brain, an intelligent but somewhat clumsy being that appears as a floating head (with a transparent skull) and floating hands.

The show was produced by Calico Creations to teach children about the dangers of pollution. Each episode sees Widget grappling with a villain from Earth or outer space who wishes to exploit Earth's environment or natural resources, such as Dr. Dante, Mega Slank, and her evil twin, Ratchet. In this regard, Widget, the World Watcher is very 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 has occasionally battled harmful entities generated by abundant pollution. For example, in one episode Widget he fought a shapeshifter companion; a hostile life form, disguised as a toxic slime, that was contaminating the beaches and oceans of the Earth.

The TV series aired for 65 episodes: 13 in the first season and 52 in the second season.

Characters

widget (voiced by Russi Taylor): The brave and heroic shape-shifting coral alien and the title character.

Mega brain (voiced by Jim Cummings): Mega Brain is the Widget Assistant. He is a pink floating head with floating glove-like hands. He has a transparent brain encased in a dome on top of his head.

Tempestine (half-pint) (voiced by Cree Summer): Widget's mischievous, overly curious and hyperactive cousin, shapeshifter companion and is the sky-blue alien.

Kevin (voiced by Dana Hill): Brian's older brother and a friend of Widget's.

Brian (voiced by Kath Soucie): Kevin's younger brother and a friend of Widget's.

Kristine (voiced by Kath Souci): Brian and Kevin's older sister.

Ratchet (voiced by Tress MacNeille): Widget's evil twin, living in an alternate dimension. Widget tries to save the world, but Ratchet tries to pollute it.

Dr. Dante (voiced by Jim Cummings): The natural earth villain and a cheat scientist of trust.

Mega Slanks (voiced by Pat Fraley): the other natural villain of outer space; who seems to have a grudge against the Widget species.

Flim Flam McSham: a two-headed ringmaster who captures creatures from all over the universe.

gyp: She works alongside Flim Flam and is a slave trader, whose loyalty to Flim Flam is quite strong.

Crocorillagator: a crocodile / gorilla / alligator creature, who is one of Ratchet's minions.

Elewolf: an elephant / wolf creature, who is one of Ratchet's minions.

Ducksters: a duck / rooster creature, who is one of Ratchet's minions.

piglion: a pig / lion creature, who is one of Ratchet's minions.

Episodes

01 - Widget and Whales (Widget at Whale Relief)
02 - Kona, the Captive Whale
03 - The adoption of the gorilla (My Miriend the Gorilla)
04 - Widget in the jungle
05 - Widget to the country without Over Under
06 - Widget and the monster
07 - Cosmic Rock Musician Widget
08 - Mirtillo and Berthold
09 - Giant ant (The giant ants)
10 - Widgets and robots
11 - The widget takes the survey
12 - The storm in the jungle
13 - Mom Slank's Vacation

2 Season
01 - Widget and the Vampire
02 - Widget in the school
03 - A crown for the brain
04 - Adventure in the Mediterranean
05 - King Mac's bluff
06 - Mega Slank
07 - Widget and the Indian
08 - What movie?
09 - Very special glasses
10 - When it comes to the wolf
11 - Robot Zouc
12 - Rock around the galaxy
13 - African adventure
14 - The big heads
15 - Brain washing
16 - Not everything is good to throw
17 - The magic ray
18 - Widget at the School
19 - The glacier thieves
20 - Let's save the planet Lotec
21 - Land of Rack
22 - The universal language
23 - The Three Ghosts
24 - The Magic Mirror
25 - Where's the drama?
26 - The rainforest
27 - Time travel
28 - The Galériens Gallery
29 - Forage them and foxes
30 - The micronauts
31 - Rich in wood
32 - The Scrabouligou
33 - The abominable Urg
34 - Ghost stories
35 - Chaos in Calico
36 - The people of the forest
37 - Half Portion
38 - Income
39 - The Great Barrier of Coral
40 - Selling intergalactic cheap

3 Season
01 - The party
02 - Mega Brain is at the party
03 - A strange adventure
04 - Strange
05 - Widget and its double
06 - The great intergalactic circus
07 - he Aero-Toro
08 - Trip to the Library
09 - The great research
10 - The rock of the votes
11 - The candies to nothing
12 - Intergalactic struggle

Technical data

Toriginal item widget
Original language English
Country United States
Regia Tom Burton
Studio Kroyer Films, Zodiac Entertainment, Calico Creations
Network syndicated
Date 1st TV 29 September 1990 - 19 December 1992
Episodes 65 (complete) 3 seasons
Duration 30 min
Episode duration 30 min
Italian network Channel 5
1st Italian TV June 1, 1993
Italian episodes 65 (complete)