The Pilot

Turn on the television at prime time on a major network and environmentalism is mostly absent in the entertainment realm. The concerns of the natural world in general are confined to nature shows that no one really watches except when they have run out of things to watch on netflix. The environment is seen as an "out there" thing, and not something we interact with in our day to day activities. Environmentalists that do show up in popular television shows are reduced to caricatures. They tend to be unbearable guest characters who prance around eccentrically proclaiming their vegetarianism and scoffing at someone for not driving a hybrid. The stars of the show then roll their eyes at their friend whose concerns seem self-centered and not in tune with the real issues at hand.

Interestingly, an attempt has been made at making an animated show that follows an environmentalist family. The Goode Family though, to put it nicely, tanked within a few months. The creators of the show intended to critique and poke fun at the do-good liberal lifestyle. Some critics claimed the show had a poor run because liberal North Americans cannot laugh at themselves. However, based on the one episode I watched, I believe the failure in making this show funny was because it portrayed the Goodes as irrational "others" instead of, you know, human beings. On the other hand, Mike Judge's other show, King of the Hill, presents a conservative family in Texas that everyone, including liberals, can still relate to.

In short, while there have been exceptional environmental characters (Lisa Simpson) that have graced the television screen, there are no hit shows that revolve around a lovable environmentally conscious character. It's a shame really. But because environmentalism is viewed as such a privileged topic to think about and not a real world issue that everyday people deal with (which we all do, whether we are aware of it or not), I can understand why possible attempts to create such a show have not done so well. I also understand that  no one wants to watch a show that depresses them and bogs them down with information on how their t-shirt has contributed to environmental and societal problems.

Still, I think there is some potential to make environmentalism entertaining. There just HAS to be a way to create a green show. I want that type of show to exist. However, I have found next to nothing on how to communicate meaningful environmental messages while still being entertaining. So, I guess the only thing to do is to tell comedic stories that just happen to deal with environmental themes. A green sitcom, if you will.

This blog is my attempt at the green sitcom that doesn't exist. I admit, the lack of moving visuals hardly qualifies this blog as a "sitcom"-- all you'll be getting from me is some mediocre paint drawings to accompany my stories. Nevertheless, the aim is the same: to tell memorable stories you can relate to and be entertained by.

What do you think? Can something be entertaining, environmental, and relatable?  I certainly hope so.

-AM