29 October 1998 - ocean soap opera

The plot: Overfishing decimated fish. With few fish to eat, sea lions and harbor seals declined. With few seals and sea lions, killer whales switched to snacking on sea otters. With few otters to eat them, sea urchins exploded. The urchins wiped out kelp forests along wide stretches of coast. Dozens of species depend on the kelp ecosystem.

In next year’s episode, voter outrage over the environmental damage will lead to the passage of hastily-drafted laws. Attempts to fix the mistaken rules will cause frustration with the political process. Apathy and paralysis will undercut enforcement, fisheries will collapse, agriculture will ramp up to substitute for seafood, the fertilizer runoff will fuel vast algae blooms, and humungous overfed sea urchins will invade Tokyo, fending off army tanks with their purple spines.