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View Poll Results: Best TMNT Show/Adaptation
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) 16 22.86%
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) 42 60.00%
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012) 19 27.14%
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (201 6 8.57%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 70. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 12-20-2018, 06:41 PM   #1
M.A.C.O.
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Best TMNT Show/Adaptation

TMNT joins the ranks of other IPs, with it's constant reboots and reimaginings. Marvel, DC, Scooby-Doo, Voltron, Thundercats, She-Ra, Transformers, etc.

Several shows have come and left their mark on the brand. Which do you feel is/are the best?

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Old 12-20-2018, 06:58 PM   #2
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That's a tough question. I love 1987 and 2003 about equally for their own reasons, with 2012 a really close second, almost tied with the other two. (Hoping 2018 improves, but not holding my breath.) Though show quality is tied with 2003 and 2012. Will try to decide which to choose for poll and vote later.
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Old 12-21-2018, 12:11 AM   #3
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I voted my favourite which is 2012 but I'll mention 2k3 here too as I watched that recently and found it an enjoyable show.
They all offer something different though. Edit: Also remembering that we have the others shows thanks to the OT, so as far as leaving it's mark that was a pretty big one.

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Old 12-21-2018, 01:14 AM   #4
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I believe that 1987 is the best because of its:

1. Colourful characters
2. Voice acting performances
3. Comedy
4. Lore
5. Character Designs and great animation at times.
6. Very well-done background music as well as an amazing theme song.
7. Many of the flaws like substitute voice actors and animation errors which made the show all the more entertaining to watch.

My second vote goes to 2012, which I love for many of the same reasons, as well as due to how it feels like a love letter to the 1987 cartoon at times while still being its own universe. I love 2003 as well, but not as much as the other two.

I can't say exactly for Rise of the Tmnt. I like what its going for so far, but I feel like I would have to watch the complete show before giving a definitive ranking.
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Old 12-21-2018, 03:55 AM   #5
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2012 as the best adaptation. 2003 May be closest in following the Comics in story, but I don't feel 2k3 does a good job translating the stories and only the Kirby episode is good.

2012 does mostly its own thing while keeping the spirit.
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Old 12-21-2018, 08:58 AM   #6
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2003 is my favourite. I never read the comics, so all of the series was new to me. It has good characterization and story arcs, getting the right balance between being lighthearted and serious. Furthermore, I don’t have any interest in reading the comics (I’m not a big comic book fan), so it’s the closest I’ll get to experiencing what they’re like without having to read them.

I like 1987 but not as much as ‘03. Couldn’t get into 2012 and haven’t seen enough of Rise to able to judge it yet.
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Old 12-21-2018, 03:31 PM   #7
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I would have to say the 2003 series was the most faithful to the comics and is the best adaptation. Back to the Sewers, Fast Forward and Ninja Tribunal excluded. I quite like it all though. Even though Season 4-7 started to go off the rails. Honestly, I think they should've stopped with season 5. Where the TMNT got elemental (Avatar The Last Airbender) powers and transforming into dragons was way over the top. Demon Shredder from the Feudal era was cool though.

Shameful thing about the 2003 series is most people don't know it exists. People i've talked to about the 2018 and 2012 series, told me they never knew there was a 2003 series. They remember the 1987 series, but the 4Kids series went unnoticed.

I'd say the 1987 series did help define the TMNT going forward. The color coded headbands, personalities and traits of the turtles come from the 87 show.
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Old 12-21-2018, 03:37 PM   #8
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2012 is the only one I can watch and not cringe at. Beyond some parts of 2K3.
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Old 12-21-2018, 03:41 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M.A.C.O. View Post
Shameful thing about the 2003 series is most people don't know it exists. People i've talked to about the 2018 and 2012 series, told me they never knew there was a 2003 series. They remember the 1987 series, but the 4Kids series went unnoticed.
Very unfortunate. I very much want a DVD (blu-ray?) complete set of that series like '87 has (and requested it as a Christmas gift). I'd buy (or gift suggestion) a 2003 complete set in a heartbeat.
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Old 12-21-2018, 03:56 PM   #10
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I'd say the 1987 series did help define the TMNT going forward. The color coded headbands, personalities and traits of the turtles come from the 87 show.
Agreed. Also, the 2003 series would probably have never have made if it wasn’t for ‘87.

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Very unfortunate. I very much want a DVD (blu-ray?) complete set of that series like '87 has (and requested it as a Christmas gift). I'd buy (or gift suggestion) a 2003 complete set in a heartbeat.
I would love a complete set of ‘03. Probably the best Christmas present I could get.
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Old 12-21-2018, 05:37 PM   #11
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Oof. This is tough. I often take the piss out of the original cartoon, but I can't deny it's what caught my attention originally, and it's how most people in general see the TMNT in their head.

The 2K3 show is much more aligned with my personal tastes, but I didn't see the last couple seasons so I can't comment fully.

It would have to be between those two, because 2012 and Rise take too many liberties with the characters and situations for me to call either one the "best" of anything.

I guess I can say 2003 because I cringe less at the awful "jokes" than I do with the original series.
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Old 12-21-2018, 06:02 PM   #12
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I like some bits of 2012, and also like a bit of the music for 1987. Otherwise, 2003 for me.
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Old 12-21-2018, 06:08 PM   #13
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Odd that you just picked the shows.

Anyway, if we're just going to judge them as adaptations (rather than general quality or personal preference), then the 4Kids cartoon would win by default. Regardless how you felt they captured the stories, there are still roughly 60 episodes that were clearly based on something out of comics. The Nick show has like 20 (a generous estimate) and the Fred Wolf show has about... 7, I think and that includes such extremely loosely adapted episode the first Casey jones episodes, it would have been 3 if I didn't feel charitable. And Rise has no connection as far as I can tell.

Keep in mind, none the shows are ideal, they're toy advertisement first and entertainment second (in the case of the Fred Wolf cartoon it feels like entertainment somehow the third or fourth priority).

With that in mind, based on my personal opinion, I'd also have to say the 4Kids show is the best. It has a functional overarching storyline, works with it's budget in the second most reasonable way and seeing the Mirage stories animated is fun (I don't really care if they're toned down or made more lighthearted, it's expected for a kids' show). the Nick show can be fun but it's extremely awkward, Rise is probably the best looking but not really what I want and the Fred Wolf cartoon can join Super Friends on the compost pile of boring comic book cartoons.

Here are the rankings for brevity:
  1. 4Kids
  2. Nick
  3. Rise
  4. [placeholder for the next show]
  5. Fred Wolf
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Old 12-21-2018, 06:49 PM   #14
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Odd that you just picked the shows.
I thought about adding the movies (and the Next Mutation), but the I decided the shows give more exposure of TMNT material.


Just for fun though, how do the movies and NM stack up for you all?

TMNT (1990)
TMNT II Secret of the Ooze (1991)
TMNT III (1993)
The Next Mutation [1998]
TMNT (2007)
TMNT (2014)
TMNT Out of the Shadows (2016)


I’d be surprised if anything but the 1990 movie tops the list.
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Old 12-22-2018, 12:18 AM   #15
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I don't find it odd to just have a poll for the shows, the same could be done with just the movies or comics if people wanted to get an idea of preference from members in those areas.

Edit: Agreed with the comment above, 1990 would likely lead

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Old 12-22-2018, 08:28 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M.A.C.O. View Post
I thought about adding the movies (and the Next Mutation), but the I decided the shows give more exposure of TMNT material.


Just for fun though, how do the movies and NM stack up for you all?

TMNT (1990)
TMNT II Secret of the Ooze (1991)
TMNT III (1993)
The Next Mutation [1998]
TMNT (2007)
TMNT (2014)
TMNT Out of the Shadows (2016)


I’d be surprised if anything but the 1990 movie tops the list.
I haven’t watched Out of the Shadows and don’t remember much of Next Mutation, but not counting those, I’ll put them in the following order:

1. 1990
2. 2007
3. Tmnt 3
4. 2014
5. Secret of the Ooze
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Old 12-22-2018, 02:54 PM   #17
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I think the films (including Turtles Forever) should have their own thread, so we can vote for them separetely.
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Old 12-23-2018, 04:25 AM   #18
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I'd go with the 2012 series. I can definitely understand the 2003 series being so loved, though.

The 2012 series just spoke to me. I really liked the whole package.
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Old 12-23-2018, 12:30 PM   #19
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2012 no question. That is the show that got me back in to turtles after I had taken a bit of hiatus. Come Nick release 2012 on blu ray already.
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Old 12-23-2018, 01:53 PM   #20
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The full 1987 and 2012 series are available on iTunes. SD for the 1987 series and SD+ HD for the 2012 series. For the 2003 series, iTunes only has the first three seasons and Turtles Forever in SD but nothing else. It's odd, because Nickelodeon is listed as the owner of the 2003 but seasons 4-7 aren't available.

What gives?
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