Between Showers

The Smoggies

The Smoggies or Stop the Smoggies (US title, cuz American kids are too dumb to understand that the Smoggies are bad so you shouldn’t love them just cuz the show is named after them) was an animated children’s television show by Cinar that started airing in 1988. It is originally from Canada but the show aired in the United States under the name ‘Stop the Smoggies’ in 1994 as well as in France as ‘SOS Polluards.’

The show revolved around a group of island-dwelling people called Suntots who spent the majority of their time defending their island paradise from the filthy, treasure seeking Smoggies who pollute the water around the island and who try to destroy their home for their own benefits. Almost every episode had the Suntots outsmart the Smoggies in their latest scheme, after which the Smoggies would invariably hatch another scheme to steal the island’s ‘magic coral’ (which the Smoggies believe will grant eternal youth) or to harvest the rare Echo-Tree, a species of plant that is similar to magic coral in its youth-giving properties. It also explains the importance of protecting the environment. The show often implied that neither of these things actually existed, however, and were just manifestations of the Smoggie’s greed and vanity.

Watch some episodes whydontcha?:

The main title theme was written by the man who wrote themes for Sesame Street, Shining Time Station, Three’s Company and The Electric Company Joe Raposo and composed by the woman who wrote themes for Arthur, Mona the Vampire, The Busy World of Richard Scarry and Wimzie’s House Judy Henderson.

Smoggies, Smoggies,
Smoky, oily, greasy…

Have you met the Smoggies?
We love the soot and grime,
We make the whole world dirty,
And we have a real good time.

We love to make things messy,
Just as dirty as can be,
And you can bet we’ll mess you up
ecologically.

Suntots, Suntots,
Earth and wind and sea and,
Make way for the Suntots,
A neat and tidy crew,
We’ll stay young forever,
And we want the same for you.

If we get your magic coral,
Then forever young we’ll be,
Do you think you’ll find it somewhere
In our clear blue sea?

We use the water, wind and sun,
To make our homes and gadgets run,
Where else can you have such fun,
Environmentally?

Come and see our island,
And smell the sweet, sweet breeze,
Where we’ll live for ever,
Just as happy as can be.

With the Suntots and the Smoggies,
Choose the way the world could be,
A messy mess or shiny clear,
Ecologically.

Suntots, Suntots,
Earth and wind and sea, and
Smoggies, Smoggies,
Smoky, oily, greasy…