Official Ep Discussion # 18 "Cockroach Terminator"

[Zulithe]

^ that's horrible! I couldn't stand eating it regularly. cost is a huge factor in any diet though. you have my sympathy! :p

when i do eat it i usually buy this kind:


it comes with a small packet of dried veggies (VERY small) and some spicy seasoning. Anyway, I recommend adding diced fresh veggies during the last minute or so of the cooking process. it really helps to mix it up. carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, cabbage, onions, whatever. use frozen if you want. and obviously, meat is a great addition too if you have any lying around. perfect use of leftover chicken/turkey that's for sure!

actually, if I wanted to save some money for a while on my meals, one idea would be to buy one of those pre-cooked chickens you find at the grocery store deli (like $6 or 8 usually), and use the meat/skin from it in noodles for a week. good way to spread it out.

too many people who eat ramen never bother to get creative with it!

[BabyTurtles]

mmm ramen is awesome!! I kinda feel like eating some now....

[tlg80]

Me and my nephew like it. I had never thought to add veggies to it. Sounds good.
The Raph episodes do seem weaker compared to the others. He was my second favorite turtle growing up. I do like him. Just wish the plot was stronger or a little different. I still like turtle temper. This one... Was just ok. It did have its moments.
Something tells me we will have to wait again for another episode.

[Shredded]

Originally Posted by Zulithe

I'd rate it similarly to 'turtle temper' -- though maybe slightly better.

I don't have anything against raph-centric episodes (growing up he was always my favorite turtle), but so far they aren't ranking very well for me. I'm interested in rewatching it another time or two, but I don't predict it being a staple amongst my frequently watched episodes. I will say that the last few minutes where Raph decides to overcome his phobia was pretty awesome.

Note to nick: when using raph as a centerpiece for an episode, can we please have him doing more than trying to overcome some weakness? First it was his temper/anger (in 'turtle temper') and here it was a fear of cocroaches. All the other brothers seem to have more developed personalities than this.

Anyway. 8 more episodes in season 1 which is quite a lot. I absolutely love these 26 episode seasons!

Well... that honestly seem to be the structure when-ever they do an episode that centres around only one turtles.

They set up an inner difficulty, and the episode becomes about over-coming that inner difficulty.

Donatello learns not to overanalyze things to much, and not "think" in battle, Leo learns how to be a leader and not just do as they do in space-heroes, Raph learns to control his temper ect ect. It's just how these show writers write, it kind of follows the same formular as My little pony FiM actually in that regard.
The only exception to this rule seems to be Mikey for some reason, which is kind of a shame as he now is the turtle I would the most want to see over-come some inner conflict.

And then we have the big ensemble episodes which has started coming now, which are structred differently, because well, they are ensemble episodes and that's nice.

The formular was much more obvious and present in the begining of the show, as that seemed how it worked every single episode, now the show has begun growing, so it's not always like that any-more. "TCRI" was their first episode without any actual moral or lesson in it, but just an action piece to move the plot forward and go where the plot demanded them to go.


So well, the thing I am saying is that it's the nature of how this show is written, and it's not only Raph

[Zulithe]

It's true, it's not only Raph that they write this way. But I do think that when they use raph as the centerpiece it tends to feel less nuanced in how it pans out. I don't know if I feel that way because of the writing or the voice acting or what.

[BabyTurtles]

I kinda hope we get a Mikey-centred episode with him dealing with a flaw he has...

I find it funny that the turtle that has the most problems (not paying attention, slacking off, wanting to have fun all the time) hasn't had an episode about them XDDDD

:3 it will come though~(trusting in Bradford was kinda a flaw??...?? was it?)

then again Mikey-centered episode are pretty awesome still~ XD

back too Raph XD his screams were funny!

also the way Raph stared at Leo...made me sad...he's like "i need a pep talk bro....." and Leo just stares and says nothing

[Bossa Nova]

Hmm, I'm still unsure how I felt about this episode. I liked it cause it was Raph centered, and I liked seeing him overcome a weakness even he was fully aware of. The brotherly interactions are always fun and Donnie and Mikey got in some pretty awesome fighting moves as well.

But still something feels off about it and I don't really know why. Were there new writers for this episode? Overall the entire episode just maybe felt a little...slow? Or perhaps like there was a few too many pauses or 'down time'? I'm not really sure. I like the overall concept, the whole roach mutant, Raph getting over his fear out of the need to protect his brothers, the Kraang revealing more of their dastardly plotting, but the whole execution felt kinda forced for some weird reason.

[Zulithe]

Hmmm it's past 2am and the ep is still not on iTunes :T They are late.

[Shredded]

Originally Posted by BabyTurtles

I kinda hope we get a Mikey-centred episode with him dealing with a flaw he has...

I find it funny that the turtle that has the most problems (not paying attention, slacking off, wanting to have fun all the time) hasn't had an episode about them XDDDD

:3 it will come though~(trusting in Bradford was kinda a flaw??...?? was it?)

then again Mikey-centered episode are pretty awesome still~ XD

back too Raph XD his screams were funny!

also the way Raph stared at Leo...made me sad...he's like "i need a pep talk bro....." and Leo just stares and says nothing

you know.. Theres one thing in that sentence i have to disagree with. I dont think that this mikey is a slacker. I mean sure, in previous incarnations he was a slacker. But here i have yet to see him just laying around on his stomach. In fact it's when his brothers tries to relax themselves that he stirs things up. If he got his way, things would happen all the time! He doesn't like boring X)

He is very onfocused though, and relies on his brothers to always bail him out, so he doesnt have to take things to seriously. Which is a problem. He has a serious case of ADD. So it is very difficult for him to focus, concentrate or be deciplined. And yeah, we definately need and episode dealing with this! I say we put mikey in a situation where he needs to be calm and patient to figure it out. That oughta proof interesting.

Also i want an episode where donnie gets a case of cabin fewer. I can just imagine him being trapped some-where and then over-thinks it so much that he sends himself into a panick attack. Mikey on the other hand would be cool in that situation XD

[BubblyShell22]

I really liked this episode a lot. Yeah, it may have been filler, but I really liked how Raph overcame his fear and how he had to do it on his own. That was awesome. Too bad Mikey didn't get to name Chong. I thought for sure based on the ep name that he would call it The Cockroach Terminator, but he didn't. I loved the look Raph gave Leo, and the look Leo gave Raph in the Shellraiser. It was like Leo really couldn't think of anything to say, but I was hoping he would have at least put his hand on Raph's shoulder in a comforting gesture. Too bad they didn't get that diamond thing. And I wasn't the only one who sort of noticed that the drill looked like the Technodrome. That was what I yelled when I saw it. Overall, a pretty decent episode. Too bad we have to wait again for the next one though.

Fave quotes:

Mikey: Yeah, boy, Ramen!

Kraang: Kraang is on the diet known as gluten free. Kraang has lost thirteen Kraang units.

Mikey: Watch this. This is my favorite part. Hey, Donnie, can you make me a T-shirt?
Raph: Here's my favorite part. *throws Mikey*

Leo: Halt, Kraang.
Kraang: The halting of the Kraang is not something that the ones known as the Turtles will be doing to Kraang.
Leo: Oh, yes, Kraang, the halting of the Kraang is exactly what the ones known as--Just halt!
Don: Which do we save first? The English language, or the world?

Don: Raph, don't smash him! You'll kill him!
Raph: That's the idea!

Leo: You don't have to do this to prove you're not afraid.
Raph: It's because I'm afraid that I have to do this.

And that's it. See you in two weeks, guys.

[tlg80]

I love Leo talking in Kraang. I still can't figure out what Raph is saying. When he hears a sound. Before he freaks out and realizes its underneath the shell raiser. I don't know if I mentioned it, but I loved Raph's ride.
Kraang has been sassy of late. First saying "In Kraang's face!" Then the gluten free diet.
Oh yeah, the part where Leo cuts the roach's saw off was all kinds of gross!

[gobo]

What the hell was that white blob it transformed into?? I'm surprised that they never tried to give him any name other than Spy Roach #1. Missed opportunity. Oh well. No name is better than an obvious drug reference.

[CyberCubed]

I'm secretly hoping they dropped the Chong name so they can call him Scumbug in his next appearance.

[snake]

Originally Posted by Donatello19

Why are all of the posts above discussing the episode before it aired? Is my computer just showing the wrong time that you guys made those posts?

As for the episode, it was one of the worst ones yet, just as bad as turtle temper. Funny how the Raphael episodes have bee the worst so far (IMO). I was very surprised we didn't see Splinter or April at all, and the episode just felt, kind of rushed. It did not move the story along at all, and the episode just wasn't funny. I really didn't like the story all that much either. The spy roach (what happened to Chong?) was disgusting and not really interesting. I suppose it was cool to see a mutant that was part tech, but that's about it. All in all, this was not worth the wait. One thing I did notice though is a technodrome cameo of sorts. The Kraang's drill looked like a modern technodrome, it even had an eye on it.

To be honest, I think turtle temper is a lot better then this!

Originally Posted by gobo

What the hell was that white blob it transformed into?? I'm surprised that they never tried to give him any name other than Spy Roach #1. Missed opportunity. Oh well. No name is better than an obvious drug reference.

Nope, Chong was a reference to the guy who helped with the show, Ciro said it

[plasticturtle]

I was half expecting Raph to end up apologizing to the roach and it backing off. But, nope, he just splatted it. What measure is a non cute?

This is probably my least favorite episode. Not to say I didn't enjoy it. I did. I just enjoyed all the other episodes more.

[TheJ-manTurtleMan]

It's amusing to see how divided people are on this episode
Aslo, does anyone else miss Space Heroes?!

[Guitar_Raph]

Was Raph driving a go-cart or a tri-wheeled motorcycle?

[BMo]

Originally Posted by Guitar_Raph

Was Raph driving a go-cart or a tri-wheeled motorcycle?

He was driving the Ninja Stealth Bike.



It's a toy that was released with the launch of the line. Most places still have it up for sale, K-Mart for 17.99 even. I can't wait to see someone repaint one to look show accurate.

[Luigiperps]

Hey guys, do you think the lego "stealth shell" is based on the ninja stealth ball.

[CyberCubed]

I think people aren't used to the idea of fillers following heavy plot centric episodes so this episode is taking a lot of heat for that.

People wanted to see April confused about why the Kraang were after her, the Turtles at least mentioning Leatherhead, and so forth. But we just got the Turtles trying to spy on them.

This episode was OK, but coming directly after the previous one doesn't so it any favors.