"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" Classic Series Talkback (Spoilers)
- Thread starter leticias
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I remember I used to follow the series religiously as a kid. I think I gave up on the series a little after the technodrome went to the bottom of the ocean. I hated the way they seemed to introduce more toys than I could keep up with collecting and then never introduced the toy characters in the show. Even as a kid I always thought there was more they could do with the series. For instance, we barely see any of dimension X. I'd really like to see them explore it more. I also got really sick of them using Bebop and Rocksteady so often. They had so many other villains in the show, why did they always have to resort to Bebop and Rocksteady? Is there any reason they never used Karai in the 80s series? I think she would have been a good addition to the villain roster.
I've yet to see an episode that included Scumbug so I wouldn't know.
I'm finally getting to see some of the later CBS episodes thanks to the DVDs. There's a few episodes with a heck of a lot of mutants in them but they rarely explained their origins in those.
But reading all those TMNT character origins I have one thing to say... stay the shell away from Shredder and friends unless you want to end up as a mutant freak of some kind.
I'm finally getting to see some of the later CBS episodes thanks to the DVDs. There's a few episodes with a heck of a lot of mutants in them but they rarely explained their origins in those.
But reading all those TMNT character origins I have one thing to say... stay the shell away from Shredder and friends unless you want to end up as a mutant freak of some kind.
Ah yes, a favorite from my childhood. I don't care what anyone says, this show is a classic and without it there wouldn't be any Ninja Turtle related there are today.
The show was fun to watch, though I find the episodes that don't have Shredder & Krang were kinda blah. Like "Michaelangelo Toys Around" or "Dirk Savage: Mutant Hunter", but atleast the latter has Tokka & Rahzar making their only appearance.
The show was fun to watch, though I find the episodes that don't have Shredder & Krang were kinda blah. Like "Michaelangelo Toys Around" or "Dirk Savage: Mutant Hunter", but atleast the latter has Tokka & Rahzar making their only appearance.
I think it might have been the schedule. By the time Paulsen left, the show was only getting 8 episode seasons, and the show's budget most likely had to be trimmed somewhere as the series was probably more expensive. Those new designs couldn't have been cheap, plus they were using clips from the live action movie in the opening, so they probably had to pony up for that, as well.
Looking at Paulsen's IMDB resume, that man was EXTREMELY busy in the mid 90's when he left TMNT. He was voicing Yakko, Pinky, The Mask, Mighty Max, Hadji, one of the Biker Mice From Mars, and tons of smaller roles inbetween.
Looking at Paulsen's IMDB resume, that man was EXTREMELY busy in the mid 90's when he left TMNT. He was voicing Yakko, Pinky, The Mask, Mighty Max, Hadji, one of the Biker Mice From Mars, and tons of smaller roles inbetween.
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Ugh, that, and "Mutagen Monster", are the worst episodes out of the ones I've seen.
"COWabunga!"
"COWabunga!"
justmyopinion
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Yeah, I had a similar case with watching Sky Turtles a lot as a kid. :sweat:
Sterling J
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Multi quote time!
Whoever did April Fools, also did Turtle Terminator, and what I like to refer too as the 'cheap' episodes, since the animation doesn't mesh with the rest of the season. Although out of all of them, I think April Fools looks the best. Certain animation styles you can sometimes just pick up right out of a hat.
As David Wise said in our yet to be published interview he did not come up with Dregg. In fact, he wasn't even the guy setup to write those episodes...but instead had to replace the guy who was hired for them. If you think they are bad now, they where apparently worse earlier.
The new Mutation angle was the only interesting thing about that season, and I wish Splinter had mutated as well, only in my theory, back to a human..
>>
But yeah, the series was awesome during the first two seasons. Season three went from okay to...completely unwatchable until the three-part finale. Season 4 kept going from watchable to complete crap way too often. I'm still getting through season 5, and it seems a WHOLE lot better that it had been going.>>>
I didn't like Season 2 when I was younger as it was a bit slow moving in pace. But now I love it. Season 3 episodes would have been so much better if the aniamtion was up to par with the rest of the season. It's amazing how much good animation can improve a story.
Season 4 - The Shredder and Krangless episodes where almost all painfull to get through. I still can't watch Funny they Shrunk Michelangelo all in one sitting. Leonardo vrs Tempestra is still my all time favorite. 1991 improved a tad with the non S and K eps, but some like Mike the Sacred Turtle are also tough to get through. I think 1990 and 1992 are the strongest of the series. 1993 had many fan favorites, but something about them just came off as stale. Maybe it's because I hate Townsend Colemans Shredder replacement voice, I don't know. I just find it super grating and wish that Jim Cummings had done it instead.
>>>
They had so many other villains in the show, why did they always have to resort to Bebop and Rocksteady? Is there any reason they never used Karai in the 80s series? I think she would have been a good addition to the villain roster.>>
B and R where gone from 1996 S and K episodes. Krangs Android and the Technodrome where seen without Shredder, krang, Bebop and Rocksteady in the final show. They waited that long to try and shake it up a bit. I mean, in Thundercats, they had an episode with Mumm-Ra's pyramid, yet all you saw of Mumm-Ra was his casket glowing and a laugh. I wish they had shaken up the plot a bit like that in Turtles just for something different.
Rob answers the question on why he left here http://www.shreddersdojo.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=473
We also have a similair one for James Avery, who reveals that he tried out for Shredder on the new show..
http://www.shreddersdojo.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=469
>>>Back to the animation, anyone ever notice that there's bouts of really cartoony segments in certain episodes, like Cowabunga Shred head? It almost looks like another frame rate.>>>
YES! I call it 'quick' animatoin. For instance, Super Bebop and Mighty Rocksteady. 'But, these ARE the disks for the Super Mutants'. A scene where Donatello says that line during the end of the show in the turtle van while examining some disks. His arm and head move extremely fast. There is also one later where the turtles run on to the roof and smash the mezmerizer... This type of animation is only done in the 'cheap' episodes...
Whoever did April Fools, also did Turtle Terminator, and what I like to refer too as the 'cheap' episodes, since the animation doesn't mesh with the rest of the season. Although out of all of them, I think April Fools looks the best. Certain animation styles you can sometimes just pick up right out of a hat.
As David Wise said in our yet to be published interview he did not come up with Dregg. In fact, he wasn't even the guy setup to write those episodes...but instead had to replace the guy who was hired for them. If you think they are bad now, they where apparently worse earlier.
The new Mutation angle was the only interesting thing about that season, and I wish Splinter had mutated as well, only in my theory, back to a human..
>>
But yeah, the series was awesome during the first two seasons. Season three went from okay to...completely unwatchable until the three-part finale. Season 4 kept going from watchable to complete crap way too often. I'm still getting through season 5, and it seems a WHOLE lot better that it had been going.>>>
I didn't like Season 2 when I was younger as it was a bit slow moving in pace. But now I love it. Season 3 episodes would have been so much better if the aniamtion was up to par with the rest of the season. It's amazing how much good animation can improve a story.
Season 4 - The Shredder and Krangless episodes where almost all painfull to get through. I still can't watch Funny they Shrunk Michelangelo all in one sitting. Leonardo vrs Tempestra is still my all time favorite. 1991 improved a tad with the non S and K eps, but some like Mike the Sacred Turtle are also tough to get through. I think 1990 and 1992 are the strongest of the series. 1993 had many fan favorites, but something about them just came off as stale. Maybe it's because I hate Townsend Colemans Shredder replacement voice, I don't know. I just find it super grating and wish that Jim Cummings had done it instead.
>>>
They had so many other villains in the show, why did they always have to resort to Bebop and Rocksteady? Is there any reason they never used Karai in the 80s series? I think she would have been a good addition to the villain roster.>>
B and R where gone from 1996 S and K episodes. Krangs Android and the Technodrome where seen without Shredder, krang, Bebop and Rocksteady in the final show. They waited that long to try and shake it up a bit. I mean, in Thundercats, they had an episode with Mumm-Ra's pyramid, yet all you saw of Mumm-Ra was his casket glowing and a laugh. I wish they had shaken up the plot a bit like that in Turtles just for something different.
Rob answers the question on why he left here http://www.shreddersdojo.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=473
We also have a similair one for James Avery, who reveals that he tried out for Shredder on the new show..
http://www.shreddersdojo.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=469
>>>Back to the animation, anyone ever notice that there's bouts of really cartoony segments in certain episodes, like Cowabunga Shred head? It almost looks like another frame rate.>>>
YES! I call it 'quick' animatoin. For instance, Super Bebop and Mighty Rocksteady. 'But, these ARE the disks for the Super Mutants'. A scene where Donatello says that line during the end of the show in the turtle van while examining some disks. His arm and head move extremely fast. There is also one later where the turtles run on to the roof and smash the mezmerizer... This type of animation is only done in the 'cheap' episodes...
Does anyone remember Jagwuar and Dredmon from the TMNT comics? I believe they were apart of a group called The Mighty Mutagens or something to that effect. The group also consisted of Leatherhead, Ray Fillet, Wingnut , Screwloose and Mondo Gecko. Anyway I kinda expected those two to appear on the show just like the rest but it never happened.
BTW, I don't recall Ray Fillet making an appearence either. If he did I don't remember.
BTW, I don't recall Ray Fillet making an appearence either. If he did I don't remember.
Its so funny because that stuff looks like it belongs in a completely different show. Another example would be in "Cowabunga Shredhead" right after Splinter finishes curing Mikey of his pizza craving. The animation used here (Donatello: "How about a pizza with the works?") is so cartoony, but really doesn't fit the tone of the show. Funny enough it looks a lot like the style of the Archie Comics version whenever it was drawn by Ken Mitchroney.
writerinthealley
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Scumbug DID make an appearance in the episode "Night Of The Rogues",but his origin wasnt explained and the turtles acted as if they had already met him.
here and now
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Which one was 'Night of the Rogues'? Was that the one where the Turtles thought the humans were against them, only be saved by a team up of them (Casey, Zack, April, etc)?
aussygirl87
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For a graphic example, here's some screenshots from the aforementioned scene of "Cowabunga Shredhead". This scene always struck as weird (even when I first saw it as a kid) because of the unusual design and movements.
Here's where the change is first seen, although it's not too noticeable:
The designs are almost back to normal during Mike and Don's close-up, but you still see some differences when watching it in motion.
Now here is where it gets really weird. When seen in motion, there are lots of "rubbery" movements and unusual mouth positions.
And then, it stays frozen during the pan to Shredder, that's probably the weirdest part.
Here's where the change is first seen, although it's not too noticeable:
The designs are almost back to normal during Mike and Don's close-up, but you still see some differences when watching it in motion.
Now here is where it gets really weird. When seen in motion, there are lots of "rubbery" movements and unusual mouth positions.
And then, it stays frozen during the pan to Shredder, that's probably the weirdest part.