But in breaking new ground, there were lots of hurdles along the way. Finding animation writers who were well versed enough in environmental issues to build them seamlessly into an action-adventure plot was extremely difficult. In the early stages of series development we received premises that were either too literal or that lacked scientific foundation. Working directly with the storyeditors and the environmental community, series producers struggled to find a proper balance. Even after five years of production we still strive to find the fine balance that maintains strong story-telling without compromising educational content.
Excessive violence is common in entertainment programming.
Many action-adventure series present heroes who use violence as an acceptable problem solving technique. However, indiscriminate violence used purely for its entertainment value is contradictory to the Captain Planet ethic. We do not allow the heroes in our series to punch or kick the villains. Because violence is associated with action and excitement we have had to work overtime to ensure that our episodes are dramatic and action-packed. At the same time, our heroes strive to resolve conflict rather than to escalate it.