| 1 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/theearthdayspecial.JPG]] |
| 2 | |
| 3 | ->''"We have searched the skys for signals... Our spacecraft have explored dozens of exquisite worlds in the family of our sun... But as far as we've looked, there's only one place in the entire universe where the miracle of life exists... Our own planet Earth. Life is so rare and precious. We must safeguard... protect... and cherish it."'' |
| 4 | -->-- '''OpeningMonologue''' |
| 5 | |
| 6 | And so begins ''The Earth Day Special'', produced by Time Warner and broadcast on Creator/{{ABC|US}} in 1990 to mark the 20th anniversary of Earth Day. |
| 7 | |
| 8 | It's Earth Day 1990, and a man named Everyman (Creator/RobinWilliams) is boasting about the progress that mankind has made throughout the centuries. Suddenly, Mother Earth (Creator/BetteMidler) appears in the skies, chiding humanity for taking the web of life for granted. Feeling ill, she falls to Earth. Now humanity must learn to get their act together, or Mother Earth's a goner. |
| 9 | |
| 10 | ---- |
| 11 | !!People appearing in this special: |
| 12 | |
| 13 | [[folder:Starring (in alphabetical order)]] |
| 14 | * Creator/DanAykroyd |
| 15 | * [[Creator/CandiceBergen Murphy Brown]] |
| 16 | * Creator/MaryKayBergman |
| 17 | * Creator/MayimBialik |
| 18 | * Creator/JonathanBrandis |
| 19 | * Creator/JamesBrolin |
| 20 | * [[Creator/{{MTV}} Downtown Julie Brown]] |
| 21 | * WesternAnimation/BugsBunny |
| 22 | * Creator/ChevyChase |
| 23 | * Creator/KevinCostner |
| 24 | * Creator/RodneyDangerfield |
| 25 | * Creator/GeenaDavis |
| 26 | * Creator/DanaDelany |
| 27 | * Creator/DannyDeVito |
| 28 | * Creator/MichaelDouglas |
| 29 | * Film/ETTheExtraTerrestrial |
| 30 | * Creator/JaneFonda |
| 31 | * Creator/MorganFreeman |
| 32 | * [[Creator/WillSmith Fresh Prince]] |
| 33 | * Creator/NikaFutterman |
| 34 | * Creator/DanGauthier |
| 35 | * [[Creator/NeilPatrickHarris Dr. Doogie Howser]] |
| 36 | * Music/IsaacHayes |
| 37 | * Music/HeavyD |
| 38 | * Creator/DustinHoffman |
| 39 | * Music/IceT |
| 40 | * UsefulNotes/MagicJohnson |
| 41 | * Music/QuincyJones |
| 42 | * Creator/MichaelKeaton |
| 43 | * Music/KidNPlay |
| 44 | * [[Creator/ChristopherLloyd Dr. Emmett Brown]] |
| 45 | * Creator/JackLemmon |
| 46 | * Creator/MelanieMayron |
| 47 | * Creator/BetteMidler |
| 48 | * Creator/DennisMiller |
| 49 | * Creator/RickMoranis |
| 50 | * Franchise/TheMuppets |
| 51 | * Creator/EdwardJamesOlmos |
| 52 | * Creator/RheaPerlman |
| 53 | * WesternAnimation/PorkyPig |
| 54 | * Music/QueenLatifah |
| 55 | * Creator/HaroldRamis |
| 56 | * Dr. Creator/CarlSagan |
| 57 | * Creator/MartinShort |
| 58 | * Creator/MerylStreep |
| 59 | * Music/BarbraStreisand |
| 60 | * Music/DonnaSummer |
| 61 | * Creator/ToneLoc |
| 62 | * Creator/AlexTrebek |
| 63 | * [[WesternAnimation/SylvesterTheCatAndTweetyBird Tweety Bird]] |
| 64 | * Creator/RobinWilliams |
| 65 | * Creator/RobertWuhl |
| 66 | * And the casts of |
| 67 | ** ''Series/{{Cheers}}'' |
| 68 | ** ''Series/TheCosbyShow'' |
| 69 | ** ''Series/TheGoldenGirls'' |
| 70 | ** ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'' |
| 71 | [[/folder]] |
| 72 | |
| 73 | ---- |
| 74 | !!This special provides examples of: |
| 75 | * ArgumentOfContradictions: Martin Short, as Nathan Firm, engages in one with Harold Ramis, as Elon Spengler, Egon's twin brother and found of Wastebusters. |
| 76 | * AwardBaitSong: Barbra Streisand's "One Day". The opening has a bit of her 1985 song "Somewhere". |
| 77 | * BadFuture: [[Franchise/BackToTheFuture Doc Brown]] is said to have witnessed the year 2057, and it's not pretty. |
| 78 | * {{Blipvert}}: Especially at the beginning, when Mother Earth is rushed into the hospital. |
| 79 | * BreakingTheFourthWall: Bugs Bunny, naturally, and Martin Short as Nathan Firm. The latter ''does'' have some merit, however, as he was being filmed by Downtown Julie Brown's news crew. [[spoiler:Bette Midler and Robin Williams break character at the end, and Midler even says that it's going to take "a whole lot more than just one television show..."]] for humankind to truly save the Earth. |
| 80 | * {{Expy}}: Creator/HaroldRamis as Dr. Elon Spengler, the [[UncannyFamilyResemblance twin brother]] of [[Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}} Dr. Egon Spengler]] and president of Wastebusters. |
| 81 | * GreekChorus: Paula and Victor, watching the special at home while making comments about the plot. |
| 82 | * GreenAesop: What's an Earth Day special without one? |
| 83 | * HilariousOuttakes: Some of the parting advice from the AllStarCast before the credits end up as nothing more than flubs. |
| 84 | * LargeHam: Robin Williams as Everyman. |
| 85 | * LastSecondWordSwap: Everyman brags about Man having a very large... brain. |
| 86 | * LaughTrack: The ''[[Series/SaturdayNightLive Weekend Update]]'' and ''New Dating Game'' segments, and a little bit in the ''Cheers'' segment. |
| 87 | * {{Leitmotif}}: Some characters from other sources have one taken straight from their source material. |
| 88 | * LogoJoke: The Blue Office Pictures logo at the beginning turns into "Green Office Pictures". The Vault Productions logo also turns green. |
| 89 | * MadeForTVMovie |
| 90 | * MassiveMultiplayerCrossover: A good number of actors reprised the roles of characters they were known for playing at the time (Neil Patrick Harris as ''Series/DoogieHowserMD'', for example). |
| 91 | * MoodWhiplash: All over the place, thanks to the combination of comedy sketches and Mother Earth's brush with death. |
| 92 | * MuppetCameo: Kermit the Frog and Robin are seen watching the special with a dozen other Muppet frogs and reptiles in a swamp. The special itself also happened to be one of Creator/JimHenson's last projects, airing mere weeks before Jim passed away. |
| 93 | * NightmareSequence: Vic dreams about his buddies making fun of him and taking the environment for granted, then witnessing Mother Earth flatlining. |
| 94 | * OpeningMonologue: Quoted above. |
| 95 | * PrecisionFStrike: The word "Hell" is used sparingly throughout the special. |
| 96 | * PhysicalGod: Mother Earth. |
| 97 | * {{P|ublicServiceAnnouncement}}SA: They don't kick in until late in the special. |
| 98 | * PunctuatedForEmphasis: The end of Vic's nightmare, where Mother Earth flatlines. |
| 99 | -->'''Doogie Howser:''' "Vic, this is ALL... YOUR... FAULT!" |
| 100 | * RandomEventsPlot: There is a central plot where Mother Earth falls gravely ill and various characters try to save her, but it's combined with skits featuring the casts of sitcoms and environmental aprodies of game shows. |
| 101 | * RecurringRiff: The melody from "One Day" underscores the action occasionally. |
| 102 | * RogerRabbitEffect: How the Looney Tunes characters are able to appear in the special. |
| 103 | * SayMyName: Everyman, when Mother Earth faints. |
| 104 | * TemptingFate: In Everyman's speech, he goes on about how Mother Earth is "the type of mom who could never say no." Cue Mother Earth putting him in his place. |
| 105 | * VisualPun: As Bugs leaves, he mutters, "This was a great place to live, 'til man set foot on it." Cue a closeup of Everyman's foot stepping into frame. |
| 106 | * WrongTurnAtAlbuquerque: Bugs doesn't say the actual phrase, but he ''was'' trying to get to the Cucamonga Carrot Festival. |
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