Thoughts on the European Vacation episodes [Archive]

CyberCubed

10-13-2011, 03:32 PM

I've recently been watching through the DVDs again and I've been going through these episodes specifically. What are your thoughts on this 13-ep arc?

Its a shame that Raph has an alternate voice in all these episodes, but otherwise this season is strictly average fair. The episodes are about the same as most Season 4 episodes of that era, some of course being worse than others.

I totally forgot that we see Atlantis in this season, which is amusing because in Season 7 we see Atlantis again with Merdude. In this season some cult was trying to make Atlantis rise with April being the queen...I guess they were a sect of the Atlanteans we see in Season 7.

What I like best is Michaelangelo twirls his nunchucks around in almost every episode! It actually amuses me how much we see his chucks in this season....

rufus

10-13-2011, 03:42 PM

Thought they were decent at best. Would have loved it better had raph had his original voice and shredder and company to not have been in them at all. By the way were these episodes taken from VHS Tapes? They look rough.

ABrown

10-13-2011, 05:00 PM

I actually just completed those episodes not too long ago myself. I found them almost unbearable. I think they were among the show's worst episodes. I can't really blame the voices as my reason for not liking them. In season eight, Shredder had a different voice. Also in season ten, Raphael had a different voice. And those are two of my favorite seasons. I just found the episodes to be very boring. They felt almost forced, like everyone involved didn't even want to do the episodes.

CyberCubed

10-13-2011, 05:38 PM

Some of the eps were pretty dull, but some did stand out as being pretty fun.

It is the weakest overall "season" of the series though. As I said, its similar to some of the worst eps of Season 4, which is where these eps fit in anyway.

gobo

10-13-2011, 05:49 PM

Shell no. The weakest was syndication Season 4. If you wanted to say "2nd weakest, I'd buy that. There were only one or two eps that were really terrible.

I always found it hilarious that Mike uses his 'chucks in most of these eps, when it was Europe that got 'em banned in the first place. :P

Jester

10-13-2011, 05:56 PM

No Rob Paulsen, and thus crap.

Kidding, I actually liked them more than I expected too. I didn't remember them and mainly heard how bad they were here, so I was primed to hate them. Ain't that just how it works, you are primed to loathe something, only to watch it and find it ain't as bad as everyone says.

pannoni1

10-13-2011, 06:15 PM

I also find way too many April captures, plus they're animated in Europe instead of Asia, causing some animation to be off. But there are still some good episodes that I enjoy. I don't understand why so many people hate the episode "Artless", when there are some clever references about who the TMNT were named after; plus it's cool seeing the adventures take place outside of NYC. I'd like to see perhaps a Florida/California mini-vacation in the new series for instance. Despite some scientific quirks, the Orient Express episode is a fast-paced episode wit several crucial moments. Only the last two/three episodes I really find as filler rewatching this a couple times.

gobo

10-13-2011, 06:24 PM

they're animated in France
There's a Dublin in France? O_o

Stingray69

10-13-2011, 07:31 PM

I liked the episodes just wish they would of used differnt villains. Not shredder and krang it would of bieng cool if shredder and krang stayed back in NYC and caused some terror for the turtles to come back to.

CyberCubed

10-13-2011, 08:13 PM

I always wondered why Shredder started attacking the world in Europe just when the Turtles started traveling there.

Redeemer

10-13-2011, 08:25 PM

I dont remember these eps really, but wasn't the third tmnt game "Manhatten project" based off these eps...???

LeoNerdo

10-13-2011, 08:40 PM

The European 'season' on the whole is rather forgettable. I had never seen any of them prior to the dvd releases. There are a few episodes I enjoyed, but I thought the majority of them were bland.

CyberCubed

10-13-2011, 09:29 PM

LOL, the "Ring of fire" ep has an alternate voice for Raphael, Donatello, Shredder AND Bebop.

4 alternate voices in the same episode. I don't think there was ever another episode where 4 of the main characters had alternate voices.

Jester

10-13-2011, 09:32 PM

Powder

10-13-2011, 09:39 PM

I don't think any of 'em are all that great, but as far as being OK goes, they're half & half.

CyberCubed

10-13-2011, 09:39 PM

Jester

10-13-2011, 09:49 PM

To be honest I don't mind the alternate Shredder in a lot of these episodes and the Season 7 eps.

He's not as good as James Avery, but he still pulls off the Shredder voice fairly well. Even the humor when he's arguing with Krang.
Yeah, I still dislike the alternate Donnie. And because of one line:
"Those chemicals are mixing together to make mute-uh-gin!"

gobo

10-13-2011, 10:13 PM

wasn't the third tmnt game "Manhatten project" based off these eps...???
No. What gave you that idea?

Original TMNT Cartoon Fan

10-14-2011, 01:00 PM

They should also visit modern Japan.

CyberCubed

10-15-2011, 11:39 AM

One of the best parts of this season is when they use the rust weapon to turn metal into rusted material, and they shoot it at Shredder.

He stands there frozen with his armor all red yelling, "Oil! I need oil!"

Hilarious.

Original TMNT Cartoon Fan

10-15-2011, 12:52 PM

I loved the "Turtles on the Orient Express" episode.

themaxonline

10-16-2011, 09:07 PM

I loved the "Turtles on the Orient Express" episode.

These episodes were pretty good. They were fun. Not the best written ones but still great to watch.

CyberCubed

10-23-2011, 11:05 PM

Does anyone know why these eps were made in the first place? I know these eps have special credits to this "Bruno" person.

Was this arc made because Turtles was becoming popular overseas?

pannoni1

10-24-2011, 07:22 AM

Does anyone know why these eps were made in the first place? I know these eps have special credits to this "Bruno" person.

Was this arc made because Turtles was becoming popular overseas?

Partly that and partly the plot. First, in the Season 4 premiere, "Plan 6 From Outer Space", the turtles mention about wanting to go to Europe. They even use a slide projector (remember those that we probably last saw sometime in the '90s?) to view different locations, then at the end of that episode from a pizza company win a trip to Europe. There are even a couple moments in Season 3 mentioning the turtles wanting a vacation as well. It's a bit unfortunate that there was no "time to head home" at the end of the arc. And with European animation here, simply the production reflects the growing popularity of TMNT at the time. I also find it odd on the special credits that only some of the French production staff is listed, and no English credits (music/sound, voice talent) are listed. If you've ever watched the French dub of a TMNT episode, you'll notice that some of the names on that version are found on those special credits.

cryan

10-24-2011, 11:16 AM

The only vacation episode I did like was "A Real Snowjob".Mainly because April calls Krang out.The scene where she's being carried off by Bebop and Rocksteady she says something in the order of"I knew krang was behind this".Raphs voice during that run of episodes was annoying.Funny that Rob Pauslen wasn't used for these episodes.

Dirty Blond

10-24-2011, 05:59 PM

I think it would have been funny if some slapdash European passerby pointed and said "look, it's the Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles!"

pannoni1

10-24-2011, 06:34 PM

I think it would have been funny if some slapdash European passerby pointed and said "look, it's the Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles!"

Or since Mike still had his chucks at this time, during one of the UK episodes someone said "I thought nunchucks are banned in England!" :D

ssjup81

10-25-2011, 09:32 PM

oldmanwinters

10-25-2011, 09:36 PM

As a kid, I personally didn't like the European Vacation eps, but my problem is that I don't recall why I didn't like them. Maybe Raph's voice was the reason, I dunno.

Watching some of them now, I personally was getting bothered and annoyed over the literal damsel in distress role April seemed to be limited to. I personally never found her as having a DiD role, but those eps seemed to turn her into one and it irked me beyond belief.

I think you make a good point. Just about every stereotype of the Old Toon is present in heavy doses over the course of those episodes. It makes me think that Peter Laird sat down to watch these eps one day and decided to never again bother with watching any more shows produced by Fred Wolf.

ilovebeingaturtle

10-26-2011, 08:22 AM

huh i thought i was the only one who didn't really care for season 7.

i mean one of the most stupid things about it was how every freaking time shredder wanted to "rule the world" the turtles would so happen to be in that same country at the same time. it just did make since!

yea i know, gotta stop the bad guy, but come on make it a little bit more believable! but then again kids don't pick up on that, so i guess the plot line didn't really matter.

CyberCubed

10-26-2011, 11:26 AM

The Euro episodes aren't Season 7, they take place during Season 4.

The regular Season 7 eps are some of the best of the series.

ABrown

10-26-2011, 12:21 PM

The Euro episodes aren't Season 7, they take place during Season 4. The regular Season 7 eps are some of the best of the series.

Which makes it really ridiculous the way that the dvds were released. Both of the releases weren't the ideal way to release the episodes. They should've done 2 -2 disk sets. The first set would've been a two disk set featuring the European episodes. The second set would've been the actual season seven episodes. I realize that's kind of what they did with the initial release, but it was more expense than a couple of two disk sets would've been. Cause each of the four disks was what? $10 each? Whereas Each of the two disk sets probably would've been like $15 each.

gobo

10-26-2011, 02:53 PM

Technically, the Euro Cruise eps were premiered in '92, alongside Season 6. Molly Bode just took it upon herself to list it as "Year 7" on NinjaTurtles.com, and it snowballed from there.

Spitfire

10-26-2011, 04:00 PM

I skip them. They're actually unwatchable to me. The plots in some of them are even dumber then in the normal series. It was stupid enough Shredder and Krang only ever tried to be evil in and around New York as had they moved one state over it would have taken the turtles so long to get there they could have been done. Then they move their evil to Europe, right as the turtles are there. After the first encounter they should have headed back to New York and conquered it so by the time the turtles got back they were too late.

There was always a plethora of mad scientists or gangsters they could use instead of Shredder and Krang, why they didn't use them here was beyond me. Hell do a Baxter episode here, he needs the Eiffel Tower as some kind of conduit for opening a portal. Bring in a goofy version of Jack the Ripper or have aliens attack. Anything would have oddly made more sense and would have been more entertaining to watch. Also the subs suck.

gobo

10-26-2011, 04:19 PM

Also the subs suck.
I thought you meant "subtitles" for a few seconds there. :embarass:

Spitfire

10-26-2011, 05:19 PM

I thought you meant "subtitles" for a few seconds there. :embarass:

Actually I meant sandwiches :P

gobo

10-26-2011, 05:31 PM

Actually I meant sandwiches :P
I figured that out. :sweatdro: Seriously, I did.

pannoni1

10-26-2011, 06:21 PM

I also noticed that in the episode "A Real Snow Job", April mentions that it's the middle of winter (even though summer skiing is possible in some of the highest mountains of the Alps). Given a typical vacation in Europe would last between 2 weeks (most likely given 13 episodes) to a month, that definitely throws the time plot off here, given that it's Bastille Day (July) in Tower of Power!

CyberCubed

10-26-2011, 08:07 PM

Does nobody like the Viking episode? I thought that was the best one.

ssjup81

10-26-2011, 08:14 PM

Does nobody like the Viking episode? I thought that was the best one.I'd have to see it again. In all honesty, I didn't really watch those eps when revisiting the series months back because of my recalling how much I disliked them as a kid. What happened in that one?

gobo

10-26-2011, 09:34 PM

"RING OF FIRE" has always been my 2nd-to-least favorite of those 13 eps.

CyberCubed

10-26-2011, 09:42 PM

"RING OF FIRE" has always been my 2nd-to-least favorite of those 13 eps.

The fact that 4 characters had alternate voices in that ep, (Raph, Don, Shredder and Bebop), probably contributes to that, right?

gobo

10-26-2011, 11:40 PM

The fact that 4 characters had alternate voices in that ep, (Raph, Don, Shredder and Bebop), probably contributes to that, right?
No .

Filespit

10-27-2011, 07:46 AM

I've got no problems with the european season, I've got fond memories of some of these episodes from watching them as a kid, like "Artless", "The Lost Queen of Atlantis" and "A Real Snow Job". I guess they appeal to me as I'm a european myself. There is one episode, or actually a reference in one episode, that I find extra funny!

I don't want to sound biased, but I suppose the show was animated by Americans, and Americans seem to think Sweden and Norway are the same thing. Well, we're not, so I find the episode "Northern Lights Out" extra funny. The turtles visit Norway and meets professor Sven Svensson (You bet'cha!), which I tell you is a very, very typical Swedish name, but the guy is Norwegian. It's so wrong but still hilarious!

marcelangelo

10-27-2011, 09:15 AM

I must say I just watched one of these episodes at lunch;)...I didn't really remembered those from back when the show was on for being that special season where they visit europe...but I do remember seeing them in the old days, too...that said I quite like them;)it is funny to have the turtles travel all these familiar places(I am from europe, too) and there are some quite funny scenes in the season;)....I think if you are from germany the synchronisation here is especially nice, since the main characters didn't get new voices all of a sudden and -they synchronised with a little thinking towards the countrys language..so in the winter episode here they are in austria and irma's skiing teacher rudi has an austrian dialect and does say some funny dialect jokes;)like zwetschgenbobscharl;) for instance...hahahaha...I found that to be very entertaining;)

gobo

10-27-2011, 10:23 AM

Americans seem to think Sweden and Norway are the same thing.
I never did. I deserve a cookie for that. :)

Jephael

10-27-2011, 11:17 AM

There were a couple good episodes here and there in that season. I loved the Orient Express episode, as well as the one set in Ireland. I mean come on, how funny is it watching Bebop and Rocksteady talk like little kids!

Spitfire

10-28-2011, 09:28 PM

There were a couple good episodes here and there in that season. I loved the Orient Express episode
I ran into a guy in a grocery store a few years back who saw my TMNT sweater and told me he wrote a few episodes of the series. He claimed that was one of them.

Actually it was this guy right here
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1130314/

Never bothered looking him up till now. Hilarious he was buying a pack of beers at my local Safeway.

gobo

10-28-2011, 09:49 PM

Did he hang his head in shame when listing "Artless" as one of 'em? :P

Spitfire

10-28-2011, 10:02 PM

Did he hang his head in shame when listing "Artless" as one of 'em? :P

He didn't know the episode names actually cause I asked him. The only reason I knew to look up Orient Express was because he mentioned an episode with Orient in the title as being one of them. He was a cool dude. I honestly thought he was full of it at the time.

lethrhd

10-31-2011, 01:56 PM

--i just posted a thread about this, before i saw this one, apologies-----

im currently running through the old cartoon, watching all the eps (just got a big screen and this was the 1st thing I thought to do with it, well, after the bears game) and i just made it through these vacation episodes. Im watching the toon in chronological order so I watched the vaca eps right after the 3rd season dvd (is this correct, i assume it is because mike gets the cruise tickets at the tail end of the se3 finale) and i was dreading it but i gotta say having just finished them; they arent as bad as i remember, i actually liked 'em.
The color of the turtles is that annoying faded green for some reason and they replaced raphs va with that nasaly guy, and don...ugh.. I cant stand april coincidentally following them all around europe, which i thought was unnecessary but aside from all that..
I think it was a great idea getting the turtles out of the lair and opening up the world a bit. Also if you rewatch the season i think youll notice the interactions between shredder and krang are at their "old married couple" best. And i should note, I usually hate substitute vas but jim cummings' shredder rocked.
runaway train ep was epic. So whats the general consensus relating this season to se4? better/worse? I only ask because 4's the second most ragged on season

lethrhd

10-31-2011, 01:57 PM

"Actually it was this guy right here
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1130314/"

dude he wrote beware the lotus, thats a favorite of mine :)

gobo

10-31-2011, 02:28 PM

is this correct, i assume it is because mike gets the cruise tickets at the tail end of the se3 finale
That ("Plan Six From Outer Space") was actually the first syndicated ep of Season 4. But, yes. Chronologically, "Tower Of Power" happens immediately after "Plan Six".

ToTheNines

10-31-2011, 03:08 PM

im currently running through the old cartoon, watching all the eps (just got a big screen and this was the 1st thing I thought to do with it, well, after the bears game)

Shout out to a fellow Bears fan.

CyberCubed

10-31-2011, 05:35 PM

Season 10 better come out next year so people can do a proper marathon of the show.

lethrhd

10-31-2011, 05:54 PM

I'm hoping with that final release we'll see a complete series package soon after.

rufus

10-31-2011, 05:56 PM

I'm sure it will. Can't wait to see if Lionsgate's tries to mimic the nick turtles artwork for its release.:lol:D

Prowler

10-31-2011, 09:03 PM

The orient Express one was pretty good and it's one of my all time favourite episodes.

Ring of Fire was a terrible episode, bulls on Lisbon streets, really?! What the hell? Was their intention originally to make an episode set in Pamplona, Spain and they decided to go with Lisbon, Portugal in the last minute or something? That episode is pretty much 100% BS, next time do some research, please.

Herald7

10-31-2011, 10:19 PM

That episode is pretty much 100% BS, next time do some research, please.

The show is about mutant turtles, I don't think accuracy was high on their priority list. ;)

Prowler

11-02-2011, 10:52 PM

The show is about mutant turtles, I don't think accuracy was high on their priority list. ;)
lol good point. But still, I think they did a bit of research in every European vacation episode except Ring of Fire.

Herald7

11-02-2011, 11:18 PM

lol good point. But still, I think they did a bit of research in every European vacation episode except Ring of Fire.

Hmm, yes that is a bit odd.

CyberCubed

11-06-2011, 01:03 AM

I liked the fact that the Rock Soldiers are in the Atlantis episode and we see a brief fight with them.

Original TMNT Cartoon Fan

01-28-2012, 07:54 AM