Yep, I promised that I would one day tackle the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV Shows, and today I am going to follow through on that promise. Since Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is ninja-kicking through cinemas at the moment, it seems like a good idea to go back and see how their TV offerings have aged over time…
Especially since there is a rumor that if Mutant Mayhem is a success then there will be a TV show based on that concept coming soon.
I know that I shouldn’t have to say this by now, but these rankings are based on a PERSONAL OPINION. The last time I expressed an opinion about the boys in green, I copped a HUGE backlash on Twitter… Sorry… “X”… as I didn’t like the show that they liked. So again, please respect that this is a PERSONAL OPINION and it might not line up with what you think should be in what spot and why.
If you are worried about me repeating my “mistake” about Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, please note that I actually gave the movie a positive review and even took back some of the things I said about the show. I’ll even be rewatching the shows in order to do this list just so I don’t go into things with nostalgia goggles on.
With that all said and done, let’s dive into the sewers and see what stinks and see our way through to the cream of the crop!
Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation
Released: 1997 - 1998
Episodes: 26
Favorite Episode: Power Ranger In Space Episode 4: "Shell Shocked": February 27, 1998
You've read that right, Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation was so bad that my favorite episode from this series isn't actually in the series! Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation was one of those forced series to capitalize upon the success of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle film series. Since the Red Sky seasons effectively killed the original cartoon run during the mid-1990s, the films somehow revived the franchise enough to do something with it. So Eastman and Laird were asked if they could help with the production of the new live-action series... However, there was a lot of studio interference (Saban Entertainment) that created a show that really screwed the pooch.
Obviously, there was the addition of Mei Pieh Chi (aka Venus De Milo) addition, something that Peter Laird has repeatably despised talking about in interviews. Venus was a Saban mandate in order to appeal the brand to female fans of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. But it wasn't this one change that caused fans to hate Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation, there was also the dumbing down of the whole show. Plot lines weren't that great, consisting of one-off episodes based around a "villain of the week" style formula. The Foot Clan and Shredder were removed as the main villains in favor of the Rank, a dragon ninja clan, with their head that was literally called "Dragon Lord" and his comedy sidekick Wick. This group wasn't as effective as The Foot Clan after the first few episodes and got sidelined at times for villains such as Silver, a Silver-back Gorilla mobster; Dr. Cornelius Quease, a mad scientist who ends up working with The Rank; Vam–Mi, A 10,000–year–old female vampire from China; and the only good thing to come from Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation: Simon Bonesteel (portrayed by Scott McNeil), a crazy hunter who wants to add the Turtles to his trophy wall.
The action in Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation was toned down, with flashes cutting off the actual impact of the fights. Then there are the jokes... I know Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is full of jokes, especially the 1987 series. However, Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation takes things down to a lower level. There are also repeated shots and scenes, used with overdubbing, to save money. You can tell that Saban didn't want to invest the same amount of money into Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation as they did into their main cash cow: Power Rangers. So Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation really suffered through production.
There are a million videos and articles about why Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation sucked and almost killed the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise... Though the toys were fire and are worth a small fortune, getting up there with the 1987 original toy line.
Why did you choose that episode?
As I mentioned above, the reason I picked an episode that wasn't even in the series was that it was the only time that the Next Mutation crew was actually decent, plus it was two top franchises in the martial arts space that actually got a chance to face off against each other in a small fight. Something that would rarely happen these days even if they were owned by the same company.
Released: 1997 - 1998
Episodes: 26
Favorite Episode: Power Ranger In Space Episode 4: "Shell Shocked": February 27, 1998
You've read that right, Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation was so bad that my favorite episode from this series isn't actually in the series! Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation was one of those forced series to capitalize upon the success of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle film series. Since the Red Sky seasons effectively killed the original cartoon run during the mid-1990s, the films somehow revived the franchise enough to do something with it. So Eastman and Laird were asked if they could help with the production of the new live-action series... However, there was a lot of studio interference (Saban Entertainment) that created a show that really screwed the pooch.
Obviously, there was the addition of Mei Pieh Chi (aka Venus De Milo) addition, something that Peter Laird has repeatably despised talking about in interviews. Venus was a Saban mandate in order to appeal the brand to female fans of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. But it wasn't this one change that caused fans to hate Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation, there was also the dumbing down of the whole show. Plot lines weren't that great, consisting of one-off episodes based around a "villain of the week" style formula. The Foot Clan and Shredder were removed as the main villains in favor of the Rank, a dragon ninja clan, with their head that was literally called "Dragon Lord" and his comedy sidekick Wick. This group wasn't as effective as The Foot Clan after the first few episodes and got sidelined at times for villains such as Silver, a Silver-back Gorilla mobster; Dr. Cornelius Quease, a mad scientist who ends up working with The Rank; Vam–Mi, A 10,000–year–old female vampire from China; and the only good thing to come from Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation: Simon Bonesteel (portrayed by Scott McNeil), a crazy hunter who wants to add the Turtles to his trophy wall.
The action in Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation was toned down, with flashes cutting off the actual impact of the fights. Then there are the jokes... I know Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is full of jokes, especially the 1987 series. However, Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation takes things down to a lower level. There are also repeated shots and scenes, used with overdubbing, to save money. You can tell that Saban didn't want to invest the same amount of money into Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation as they did into their main cash cow: Power Rangers. So Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation really suffered through production.
There are a million videos and articles about why Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation sucked and almost killed the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise... Though the toys were fire and are worth a small fortune, getting up there with the 1987 original toy line.
Why did you choose that episode?
As I mentioned above, the reason I picked an episode that wasn't even in the series was that it was the only time that the Next Mutation crew was actually decent, plus it was two top franchises in the martial arts space that actually got a chance to face off against each other in a small fight. Something that would rarely happen these days even if they were owned by the same company.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Red Sky Seasons
Released: 1994 - 1996
Episodes: 24
Favorite Episode: Season 8, Episode 8: "Turtle Trek": November 5, 1994
These seasons are really hard to watch. Developed to reflect the success of the 1990s live-action movies, Seasons 8 through 10 of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are referred to as "The Red Sky Seasons" since one of the main changes to the show was to turn the sky for every episode into a blood red. Other changes to these seasons included a new theme song, the removal of Shredder, Krang, Bebop, Rocksteady, and many other series staples as villains in favor of a new intergalactic alien menace called Dregg, the Turtles themselves got a new secondary mutation which was a more beastly brute form, and another human ally in Carter, a hotheaded young man who get mutated into a big yellow brute along the same lines as the Turtles themselves.
While some people might think that these seasons of TMNT were what caused the franchise to eventually die out, it wasn't the whole reason. At this time there was a lot of "Turtle fatigue" in the marketplace, with toys resorting to a lot of weird gimmicks and crossovers in order to keep new toys on the shelves, and after three live-action movies, with the third being complete trash, people were just worn out on Turtles and starting to move onto the newest hot new thing: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
Looking back on the Red Sky Seasons it was obvious that not only did the toy side of things run out of ideas, but the cartoon side of things was running very low on ideas. At this point, there had been over 160 episodes produced, which is more than enough to run any franchise into the "we have no idea what more to do" category. I think that by this point it was a good idea to pull the plug on the cartoon and wait to see what could be done with a reboot or some different ideas.
Why did you choose that episode?
As for my favorite episode (If you can call it that) of this selection is "Turtle Trek", it comes from the fact that this episode was probably the least annoying one to watch. This episode was one of the final episodes where you saw Shredder and Krang have one last attempt in getting access to the Technodrome and Krang's army before Dregg and his mutants took over as the main villains of these seasons.
Released: 1994 - 1996
Episodes: 24
Favorite Episode: Season 8, Episode 8: "Turtle Trek": November 5, 1994
These seasons are really hard to watch. Developed to reflect the success of the 1990s live-action movies, Seasons 8 through 10 of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are referred to as "The Red Sky Seasons" since one of the main changes to the show was to turn the sky for every episode into a blood red. Other changes to these seasons included a new theme song, the removal of Shredder, Krang, Bebop, Rocksteady, and many other series staples as villains in favor of a new intergalactic alien menace called Dregg, the Turtles themselves got a new secondary mutation which was a more beastly brute form, and another human ally in Carter, a hotheaded young man who get mutated into a big yellow brute along the same lines as the Turtles themselves.
While some people might think that these seasons of TMNT were what caused the franchise to eventually die out, it wasn't the whole reason. At this time there was a lot of "Turtle fatigue" in the marketplace, with toys resorting to a lot of weird gimmicks and crossovers in order to keep new toys on the shelves, and after three live-action movies, with the third being complete trash, people were just worn out on Turtles and starting to move onto the newest hot new thing: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
Looking back on the Red Sky Seasons it was obvious that not only did the toy side of things run out of ideas, but the cartoon side of things was running very low on ideas. At this point, there had been over 160 episodes produced, which is more than enough to run any franchise into the "we have no idea what more to do" category. I think that by this point it was a good idea to pull the plug on the cartoon and wait to see what could be done with a reboot or some different ideas.
Why did you choose that episode?
As for my favorite episode (If you can call it that) of this selection is "Turtle Trek", it comes from the fact that this episode was probably the least annoying one to watch. This episode was one of the final episodes where you saw Shredder and Krang have one last attempt in getting access to the Technodrome and Krang's army before Dregg and his mutants took over as the main villains of these seasons.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Legend of the Supermutants
Released: 1996
Episodes: 2-Part Special
Also known as Mutant Turtles: Superman Legend to others, this two-part Japanese OVA was 100% pure toy commercial bait. Based on the Metal Mutation toy line, we got to see a Japanese take on the classic TMNT formula with twists like Mecha and Superheroes.
The story goes: "The Turtles explore the temple of the lost Muta Kingdom where they free the spirit of light called Crys-Mu, who was trapped inside the Muta Stone. As a reward, she gives the Turtles the ability to perform Super Mutation, which transforms them into Super Turtles for three minutes. When all four Super Turtles combine into one, they fuse into the all-mighty Turtle Saint. At the same time, Shredder and Krang find the Dark Muta Stone, and they try to awaken the demoness Dark Mu contained inside the crystal.". Then in the second part of the special, they trade superpowers for metal mecha suits that they use to fight off Shredder, Bebop, and Rocksteady.
One of the good things about this special, which I was able to see due to finding a bootleg DVD in an anime store, is that it tries to do something very different with the TMNT brand at a time when the original cartoon was canceled due to the horrible Red Sky Episodes, and it did give the toys a shot in the arm... in Japan. In the rest of the world, the Metal Mutation line is known as one of the very rare lines to exist, commanding a high price on the second-hand market. But this special is even more rare to find an official copy of since back in 1996 it wasn't easy to get anime outside of Japan.
The other good thing about this special is that you can find it on YouTube with its original subtitles. Make sure to give it a look as this is a rare piece of TMNT history that not many people have seen.
Released: 1996
Episodes: 2-Part Special
Also known as Mutant Turtles: Superman Legend to others, this two-part Japanese OVA was 100% pure toy commercial bait. Based on the Metal Mutation toy line, we got to see a Japanese take on the classic TMNT formula with twists like Mecha and Superheroes.
The story goes: "The Turtles explore the temple of the lost Muta Kingdom where they free the spirit of light called Crys-Mu, who was trapped inside the Muta Stone. As a reward, she gives the Turtles the ability to perform Super Mutation, which transforms them into Super Turtles for three minutes. When all four Super Turtles combine into one, they fuse into the all-mighty Turtle Saint. At the same time, Shredder and Krang find the Dark Muta Stone, and they try to awaken the demoness Dark Mu contained inside the crystal.". Then in the second part of the special, they trade superpowers for metal mecha suits that they use to fight off Shredder, Bebop, and Rocksteady.
One of the good things about this special, which I was able to see due to finding a bootleg DVD in an anime store, is that it tries to do something very different with the TMNT brand at a time when the original cartoon was canceled due to the horrible Red Sky Episodes, and it did give the toys a shot in the arm... in Japan. In the rest of the world, the Metal Mutation line is known as one of the very rare lines to exist, commanding a high price on the second-hand market. But this special is even more rare to find an official copy of since back in 1996 it wasn't easy to get anime outside of Japan.
The other good thing about this special is that you can find it on YouTube with its original subtitles. Make sure to give it a look as this is a rare piece of TMNT history that not many people have seen.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Back to the Sewers
Released: 2008
Episodes: 13
Favorite Episode: Season 7, Episode 7: "Identity Crisis": November 1, 2008
I do have a bit of a love for this series of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, mostly because it was a weird cyber-ninja based season. However, like many TMNT properties, Back to the Sewers really did not age well.
After the horrible Fast Forward season, the TMNT brand tried to do something different and edgy with the brand, pushing a storyline of Splinter being sucked into the internet and scattered all through the digital world by Viral, the computer virus from Fast Forward. The Turtles, wanting to save their master, find a way to enter the digital realm to find the pieces of Splinter in order to restore him into a physical body (through some trademark Donatello nonsense science). However, Viral ends up finding a powerful program hidden in a Foot Clan sub-net... The program being the digital backup of Chur'ell, the Utrom Shredder. The program absorbs Viral, becoming sentient in the process and now wants to escape from the virtual world into the physical one. Thus is the main two points on the show.
On one hand, Back to the Sewer has my favorite modern version of Shredder. He's strong, an asshole, and really just wants to mess up everyone's day through any means. Until the 2012 series, this would have been the most powerful version of Shredder we had seen at the time, and he did come off as a threat whenever the Turtles would go looking for the pieces of Splinter. It's just a shame that he gets deleted at the end of the series with no actual resolution to his character since the show died at this point.
Why did you choose that episode?
One thing that both the main series and Back to the Sewers did was create some scenarios where it would be possible for a member of the Turtles to join the Foot Clan. 'Identity Crisis' is one of those episodes that did this very well. The idea of the whole group of Turtles being brainwashed into thinking that they are members of the Foot Clan is something that would go on to being recreated in the IDW comics (If you're not reading those, you're missing out on over 150 issues of GREAT stories). Seeing the "evil side" of the brothers is something that rarely gets talked about or done in the stories, so it was fun to see them let their honor go and just be unrestrained is something to be savored... Honestly, they make better Foot Soldiers than any others in any series.
Released: 2008
Episodes: 13
Favorite Episode: Season 7, Episode 7: "Identity Crisis": November 1, 2008
I do have a bit of a love for this series of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, mostly because it was a weird cyber-ninja based season. However, like many TMNT properties, Back to the Sewers really did not age well.
After the horrible Fast Forward season, the TMNT brand tried to do something different and edgy with the brand, pushing a storyline of Splinter being sucked into the internet and scattered all through the digital world by Viral, the computer virus from Fast Forward. The Turtles, wanting to save their master, find a way to enter the digital realm to find the pieces of Splinter in order to restore him into a physical body (through some trademark Donatello nonsense science). However, Viral ends up finding a powerful program hidden in a Foot Clan sub-net... The program being the digital backup of Chur'ell, the Utrom Shredder. The program absorbs Viral, becoming sentient in the process and now wants to escape from the virtual world into the physical one. Thus is the main two points on the show.
On one hand, Back to the Sewer has my favorite modern version of Shredder. He's strong, an asshole, and really just wants to mess up everyone's day through any means. Until the 2012 series, this would have been the most powerful version of Shredder we had seen at the time, and he did come off as a threat whenever the Turtles would go looking for the pieces of Splinter. It's just a shame that he gets deleted at the end of the series with no actual resolution to his character since the show died at this point.
Why did you choose that episode?
One thing that both the main series and Back to the Sewers did was create some scenarios where it would be possible for a member of the Turtles to join the Foot Clan. 'Identity Crisis' is one of those episodes that did this very well. The idea of the whole group of Turtles being brainwashed into thinking that they are members of the Foot Clan is something that would go on to being recreated in the IDW comics (If you're not reading those, you're missing out on over 150 issues of GREAT stories). Seeing the "evil side" of the brothers is something that rarely gets talked about or done in the stories, so it was fun to see them let their honor go and just be unrestrained is something to be savored... Honestly, they make better Foot Soldiers than any others in any series.
Turtles Forever
Released: 2009
Episodes: Special
You would think that a special that featured the two main generations of Turtles (1987 and 2003) at the time would be a major thing for the fandom, franchise, and the brand in general. However, the production of this special really did no favors to anyone who wasn't a fan of the 2003 series. The story of the special brought the 1987 Turtles face to face with their 2002 counterparts, but the way the 1987 crew were handled is something akin to trash. The 1987 show was a goofy comedy of sorts, but the way this special handled them made them look a lot worse than rewatching the series ever could. Not to mention that the more serious 2003 crew would do everything in their power to make the 1987 crew out to be nothing more than children.
On the villain side, the use of the 2003 Shredder was really good, and his commanding the 1987 Shredder and Krang around worked well as this is something that a bully would do. The 2003 Shredder comes off as the ultimate threat due to his using the 1987 technology with his 2003 technology and creating a Technodrome that could split dimensions. Going back to the original comic book TMNT universe created something that would be used in multi-universe storylines for decades to come. Seeing those Mirage designs animated for the first time was something that really needed to be seen to be believed.
Outside of the special itself, the production was all over the place, with the 1987 crew not even being asked to reprise their voice work on the special. Not to mention that since this was something written by the 2002 staff, they had no real idea of what made the 1987 series a classic in the first place. Thus the special did not live up to the expectation of what it should have been.
A special episode in the 2012 series would do this idea a million times better with many of the original voices returning for their roles.
Released: 2009
Episodes: Special
You would think that a special that featured the two main generations of Turtles (1987 and 2003) at the time would be a major thing for the fandom, franchise, and the brand in general. However, the production of this special really did no favors to anyone who wasn't a fan of the 2003 series. The story of the special brought the 1987 Turtles face to face with their 2002 counterparts, but the way the 1987 crew were handled is something akin to trash. The 1987 show was a goofy comedy of sorts, but the way this special handled them made them look a lot worse than rewatching the series ever could. Not to mention that the more serious 2003 crew would do everything in their power to make the 1987 crew out to be nothing more than children.
On the villain side, the use of the 2003 Shredder was really good, and his commanding the 1987 Shredder and Krang around worked well as this is something that a bully would do. The 2003 Shredder comes off as the ultimate threat due to his using the 1987 technology with his 2003 technology and creating a Technodrome that could split dimensions. Going back to the original comic book TMNT universe created something that would be used in multi-universe storylines for decades to come. Seeing those Mirage designs animated for the first time was something that really needed to be seen to be believed.
Outside of the special itself, the production was all over the place, with the 1987 crew not even being asked to reprise their voice work on the special. Not to mention that since this was something written by the 2002 staff, they had no real idea of what made the 1987 series a classic in the first place. Thus the special did not live up to the expectation of what it should have been.
A special episode in the 2012 series would do this idea a million times better with many of the original voices returning for their roles.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fast Forward
Released: 2006
Episodes: 26
Favorite Episode: Season 6, Episode 13: "The Journal": December 9, 2006
Surprisingly better than most people would remember. Fast Forward was the season of experimentation with the TMNT brand. Sending the brothers and Splinter from the year 2015 (The current year of the season at the time) to 2105, 90 years into the future. It's here that the Turtles meet the great-grandson of April O'Neil and Casey Jones: Cody Jones, his uncle Darius Dunn, and Sterling the robot servant. The Turtles quickly befriend Cody and begin protecting him from various evils in their new time, including Darius, who is using Cody to control O'Neil Tech, the company April founded after the Turtles disappeared in 2015.
As I said, Fast Forward is a lot better than people remember, with new enemies and plots that the previous series never really touched upon. I'll provide a few examples below.
Why did you choose that episode?
I'm a sucker for "what if" episodes. The Journal is one such episode. The Turtles want to know what they did in the past (aka their future), however, Splinter and Cody thought ahead and changed the stories to teach them a lesson. Not only are these stories amusing by themselves, but give the Turtles a lesson in knowing too much about their own futures and how the future can be whatever you make of it... Something I think Doc Brown would be proud of.
Released: 2006
Episodes: 26
Favorite Episode: Season 6, Episode 13: "The Journal": December 9, 2006
Surprisingly better than most people would remember. Fast Forward was the season of experimentation with the TMNT brand. Sending the brothers and Splinter from the year 2015 (The current year of the season at the time) to 2105, 90 years into the future. It's here that the Turtles meet the great-grandson of April O'Neil and Casey Jones: Cody Jones, his uncle Darius Dunn, and Sterling the robot servant. The Turtles quickly befriend Cody and begin protecting him from various evils in their new time, including Darius, who is using Cody to control O'Neil Tech, the company April founded after the Turtles disappeared in 2015.
As I said, Fast Forward is a lot better than people remember, with new enemies and plots that the previous series never really touched upon. I'll provide a few examples below.
- S06E04 - "Headlock Prime" - September 30, 2006: Raphael attends a wrestling show only to find that wrestling has become a lot more watered down than it was back in their day. However, a criminal former wrestler called Triple Threat comes back to the ring to get the belt back and steal the gate. Rach and Leo jump into the fight to defeat the triple-headed menace and restore the honor of wrestling back to what it was. A great example of how things might not evolve in the ways we expect, but can also stay the same.
- S06E06 - "Bishop to Knight" - October 14, 2006: A follow-up episode that shows that at least someone from the past has stuck around other than the Turtles themselves. It's good to see Bishop is still around given his turn to a good guy late in the main series. Nothing wrong with seeing what has happened since the Turtles disappeared. Also, this episode introduced Tobin Zixx, a mercenary who shows that not everything is as it seems.
- S06E15 - "Graduation Day: Class of 2105" - March 24, 2007: It's not often that we explore the "ninja" part of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This episode changes that for the first time as we see a majority of the brothers actually graduate in rank... Except Mikey, who's goofing off costs him the chance to graduate with his brothers. This creates a divide between the brothers that lasts more than one episode, something that most series don't bother.
- S06E23 - "DNA is Thicker than Water" - October 6, 2007: Nature vs. nurture is always one of those conversations that has a deeper meaning in the psychological development of people, or in the case of this show: Turtles. While the "Dark Turtles" weren't a great thing in Fast Forward, we do get to see the implications of nature vs. nurture thanks to "Dark Leonardo" seeing what life could have been if he and his brothers were a family instead of an experiment that is controlled externally.
Why did you choose that episode?
I'm a sucker for "what if" episodes. The Journal is one such episode. The Turtles want to know what they did in the past (aka their future), however, Splinter and Cody thought ahead and changed the stories to teach them a lesson. Not only are these stories amusing by themselves, but give the Turtles a lesson in knowing too much about their own futures and how the future can be whatever you make of it... Something I think Doc Brown would be proud of.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Released: 1987 - 1993
Episodes: 169
Favorite Episode: Season 1, Episode 1/2: "Turtle Tracks" & "Enter The Shredder": December 14 & 15, 1987
The original series is what started it all, it created a multi-million dollar franchise. Without this TV series, we wouldn't have anything to do with the Trutles and their adventures. As popular as the Mirage comics were, they needed something more to bring the brand into popularity. While historically this series is something we should admire, upon a rewatch, the show has not aged well at all. A lot of the stories really came down to a villain of the week style show, with some lesson being thrown in here and there in order to keep the TV standards and practices off their back and stop them from creating new toys to sell.
The further into the series you get, the more you'll notice animation quality has dropped, voice acting has more issues, and the stories are just trash. By the time Season 4 comes around, you can see that the show has completely jumped the shark with characters like Shredder's mother getting a whole episode for herself. It only gets worse from there with a sub-season called "European Vacation" which takes the crew through Europe for other weird adventures that were meant to fix the show being stuck in New York, but ultimately crashed and burned.
It's sad seeing a beloved series age badly like this, but with the historical context, it still ranks highly in my personal rankings.
Why did you choose those episodes?
When you ask someone about what they remember most about the 1987 episodes, you'll find that it's episode 1 that everyone will remember. With animation done by Toei Animation (Yes, the guys behind Dragon Ball Z, and many other anime classics did the first season of TMNT), these episodes not only look amazing but are a really good introduction to all the main characters that you'll be watching for a majority of the series. You'll see the Turtles, Splinter, April, Shredder, and Krang all in episode one, giving them all time to get introduced and become part of the world. Episode 2 introduces Bebop & Rocksteady in their mutant forms, with them both appearing in the opening scene in episode one. Out of all the series that TMNT has had over the years, it's this first version that will always be the prime introduction to the world of TMNT that fans will remember.
Released: 1987 - 1993
Episodes: 169
Favorite Episode: Season 1, Episode 1/2: "Turtle Tracks" & "Enter The Shredder": December 14 & 15, 1987
The original series is what started it all, it created a multi-million dollar franchise. Without this TV series, we wouldn't have anything to do with the Trutles and their adventures. As popular as the Mirage comics were, they needed something more to bring the brand into popularity. While historically this series is something we should admire, upon a rewatch, the show has not aged well at all. A lot of the stories really came down to a villain of the week style show, with some lesson being thrown in here and there in order to keep the TV standards and practices off their back and stop them from creating new toys to sell.
The further into the series you get, the more you'll notice animation quality has dropped, voice acting has more issues, and the stories are just trash. By the time Season 4 comes around, you can see that the show has completely jumped the shark with characters like Shredder's mother getting a whole episode for herself. It only gets worse from there with a sub-season called "European Vacation" which takes the crew through Europe for other weird adventures that were meant to fix the show being stuck in New York, but ultimately crashed and burned.
It's sad seeing a beloved series age badly like this, but with the historical context, it still ranks highly in my personal rankings.
Why did you choose those episodes?
When you ask someone about what they remember most about the 1987 episodes, you'll find that it's episode 1 that everyone will remember. With animation done by Toei Animation (Yes, the guys behind Dragon Ball Z, and many other anime classics did the first season of TMNT), these episodes not only look amazing but are a really good introduction to all the main characters that you'll be watching for a majority of the series. You'll see the Turtles, Splinter, April, Shredder, and Krang all in episode one, giving them all time to get introduced and become part of the world. Episode 2 introduces Bebop & Rocksteady in their mutant forms, with them both appearing in the opening scene in episode one. Out of all the series that TMNT has had over the years, it's this first version that will always be the prime introduction to the world of TMNT that fans will remember.
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Released: 2018 - 2019
Episodes: 39
Favorite Episode: Season 2, Episode 18/19: "Finale": August 7, 2020
Ok, ok, ok... Consider this my apology for the original impressions article I wrote when Rise of the TMNT first came out.
I'll admit, I'm still not a huge fan of the show and take issue with a few things they did (The Psychopathic April for one thing). However, looking back at the completed work, I could see what they were doing with the show. Rise of the TMNT is a show for the modern generation, one that takes comedy very differently than what I do, one that sees things in a different light than I do. Once I got that into my brain and watched all the episodes again, I noticed small things that would become a lot better produced in the creator's next show... Transformers Earthspark. Yep, the people behind one of the freshest and most innovative Transformers shows in years were the same ones behind Rise of the TMNT.
There were two things that changed my mind about Rise of the TMNT: The second season, which was a very Shredder and character-focused season, and the movie (Which I'll talk about later). I think some of the best stories with TMNT lore come along when Shredder is involved. As much as Baron Draxum was seen as a threat, he's nothing compared to Shredder. The whole thing of having to assemble Shredder's armor, much like the Turtles had to assemble Splinter in Back to the Sewers, allowed me as a viewer to have something to keep me invested in the story. Then once we get to the end of the second season, things pick up a lot... Even if the final battle comes off as something from Dragon Ball Z.
Why did you choose those episodes?
I'm a 90s cartoon kid, so the fast-paced fights really got me into things. It was really one of those "shut brain off, enjoy the fight" moments that don't come along too often these days.
Released: 2018 - 2019
Episodes: 39
Favorite Episode: Season 2, Episode 18/19: "Finale": August 7, 2020
Ok, ok, ok... Consider this my apology for the original impressions article I wrote when Rise of the TMNT first came out.
I'll admit, I'm still not a huge fan of the show and take issue with a few things they did (The Psychopathic April for one thing). However, looking back at the completed work, I could see what they were doing with the show. Rise of the TMNT is a show for the modern generation, one that takes comedy very differently than what I do, one that sees things in a different light than I do. Once I got that into my brain and watched all the episodes again, I noticed small things that would become a lot better produced in the creator's next show... Transformers Earthspark. Yep, the people behind one of the freshest and most innovative Transformers shows in years were the same ones behind Rise of the TMNT.
There were two things that changed my mind about Rise of the TMNT: The second season, which was a very Shredder and character-focused season, and the movie (Which I'll talk about later). I think some of the best stories with TMNT lore come along when Shredder is involved. As much as Baron Draxum was seen as a threat, he's nothing compared to Shredder. The whole thing of having to assemble Shredder's armor, much like the Turtles had to assemble Splinter in Back to the Sewers, allowed me as a viewer to have something to keep me invested in the story. Then once we get to the end of the second season, things pick up a lot... Even if the final battle comes off as something from Dragon Ball Z.
Why did you choose those episodes?
I'm a 90s cartoon kid, so the fast-paced fights really got me into things. It was really one of those "shut brain off, enjoy the fight" moments that don't come along too often these days.
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie
Released: 2022
Episodes: Movie
I'm not going to go too into this movie as I've got a whole review dedicated to that, but I'll say that if the rest of Rise of the TMNT was at this quality of storytelling, animation, and characters then I might actually have Rise of the TMNT somewhere in my top 3, which is why the movie got the spot instead.
Released: 2022
Episodes: Movie
I'm not going to go too into this movie as I've got a whole review dedicated to that, but I'll say that if the rest of Rise of the TMNT was at this quality of storytelling, animation, and characters then I might actually have Rise of the TMNT somewhere in my top 3, which is why the movie got the spot instead.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Released: 2003 - 2006
Episodes: 116
Favorite Episode: Season 1, Episode 10: "The Shredder Strikes, Part 1": April 12, 2003
The first big reboot of the franchise really had a lot riding on it. Not only was this the series that had to bring the brand back from the brink after Next Mutation almost ruined the brand, but it had to do so with a huge fanbase wanting more than ever before, and also bring in a new generation of fans at the same time. To say that it was delivered is an understatement. With a darker tone to the series it brought some things from the Mirage comics and other media at the time, as well as the trademark humor and action that previously made the show a success.
While the first 4 seasons were shown on TV in syndication, the 5th was an exclusive DVD release in most areas. All the seasons had an overarching storyline to them, with the actions of one episode moving into later episodes or even seasons. A 6th season was written but never produced as the network wanted to go in a different direction. The 6th and 7th seasons, known as Fast Forward and Back to the Sewer respectively, did try and bring some of these stories into the new series but ultimately got screwed over by network interference.
A lot of people will argue that the 2003 series is the hallmark of TMNT lore since it used more comics lore and other things to create a more adult series than anything beforehand, however, it is a very well-done series but ultimately would get replaced with the very next reboot.
Why did you choose that episode?
This was the first time that the Turtles went on the offensive and attacked the Foot Clan directly. There was an internal struggle inside the Foot Clan at the time, with the foot Mystic Ninjas taking control for a moment, and Shredder having to fight off forced from within and external. All this leads to ultimate confrontation between Leonardo and Shredder, where we get to see Shredder beheaded and defeated for the first time outside of the original Mirage comic series and the live-action movies. To see this in an animated TMNT show was something we never thought we would see, making this a highlight moment in not only the series but TMNT history.
Released: 2003 - 2006
Episodes: 116
Favorite Episode: Season 1, Episode 10: "The Shredder Strikes, Part 1": April 12, 2003
The first big reboot of the franchise really had a lot riding on it. Not only was this the series that had to bring the brand back from the brink after Next Mutation almost ruined the brand, but it had to do so with a huge fanbase wanting more than ever before, and also bring in a new generation of fans at the same time. To say that it was delivered is an understatement. With a darker tone to the series it brought some things from the Mirage comics and other media at the time, as well as the trademark humor and action that previously made the show a success.
While the first 4 seasons were shown on TV in syndication, the 5th was an exclusive DVD release in most areas. All the seasons had an overarching storyline to them, with the actions of one episode moving into later episodes or even seasons. A 6th season was written but never produced as the network wanted to go in a different direction. The 6th and 7th seasons, known as Fast Forward and Back to the Sewer respectively, did try and bring some of these stories into the new series but ultimately got screwed over by network interference.
A lot of people will argue that the 2003 series is the hallmark of TMNT lore since it used more comics lore and other things to create a more adult series than anything beforehand, however, it is a very well-done series but ultimately would get replaced with the very next reboot.
Why did you choose that episode?
This was the first time that the Turtles went on the offensive and attacked the Foot Clan directly. There was an internal struggle inside the Foot Clan at the time, with the foot Mystic Ninjas taking control for a moment, and Shredder having to fight off forced from within and external. All this leads to ultimate confrontation between Leonardo and Shredder, where we get to see Shredder beheaded and defeated for the first time outside of the original Mirage comic series and the live-action movies. To see this in an animated TMNT show was something we never thought we would see, making this a highlight moment in not only the series but TMNT history.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Released: 2012 - 2017
Episodes: 124
Favorite Episode: Season 4, Episode 25: "Requiem": February 19, 2017
Taking lore, ideas, stories, and more from just about every single piece of TMNT media that came before it, the 2012 series is a true love letter to the whole TMNT franchise. Starting with basic fighting against Shredder and other mutants storylines, through to City at War from the Mirage and IDW comics to characters and stories from Archie Adventures series, a relationship between Karai and Splinter, Utroms, the Fugatoid, a crossover episode with the 1987 cartoon series, and even some original ideas in the final season; this version of TMNT is the ultimate watch for any and all Turtle fans.
The show isn't without its faults though before anyone starts having a go at me about it. I know the Donatello obsession with April is annoying, and some of the later episodes are very bad, but no TMNT series is perfect.
Why did you choose that episode?
Super Shredder, Mutanimals, homages to the 1990s movie, and the death of Splinter... This episode is a rollercoaster of emotions and story as things heat up for the final episode of the season. Super Shredder is "stable" as he can be through mutagen injections, though his mind has been altered to leave all emotions but aggression out of his thinking. He attacks the home of Karai and the Mutanimals but is driven back by the Turtles joining the battle. Shredder leads the Turtles to a final fight on the rooftops, where Splinter joins them only to be stabbed through the chest and killed. This leads to April using her mutant powers against Shredder alongside the Turtles, making them think that he is defeated after Casey crushes Shredder in a trash truck (a full callback to the 1990 live-action movie Death of Shredder)... But Shredder survives for one more fight at least.
Released: 2012 - 2017
Episodes: 124
Favorite Episode: Season 4, Episode 25: "Requiem": February 19, 2017
Taking lore, ideas, stories, and more from just about every single piece of TMNT media that came before it, the 2012 series is a true love letter to the whole TMNT franchise. Starting with basic fighting against Shredder and other mutants storylines, through to City at War from the Mirage and IDW comics to characters and stories from Archie Adventures series, a relationship between Karai and Splinter, Utroms, the Fugatoid, a crossover episode with the 1987 cartoon series, and even some original ideas in the final season; this version of TMNT is the ultimate watch for any and all Turtle fans.
The show isn't without its faults though before anyone starts having a go at me about it. I know the Donatello obsession with April is annoying, and some of the later episodes are very bad, but no TMNT series is perfect.
Why did you choose that episode?
Super Shredder, Mutanimals, homages to the 1990s movie, and the death of Splinter... This episode is a rollercoaster of emotions and story as things heat up for the final episode of the season. Super Shredder is "stable" as he can be through mutagen injections, though his mind has been altered to leave all emotions but aggression out of his thinking. He attacks the home of Karai and the Mutanimals but is driven back by the Turtles joining the battle. Shredder leads the Turtles to a final fight on the rooftops, where Splinter joins them only to be stabbed through the chest and killed. This leads to April using her mutant powers against Shredder alongside the Turtles, making them think that he is defeated after Casey crushes Shredder in a trash truck (a full callback to the 1990 live-action movie Death of Shredder)... But Shredder survives for one more fight at least.
