Why were the writers afraid to change status quo with the villains in the Technodrome

[CyberCubed]

As everyone knows, the Technodrome basically always just consisted of Shredder, Krang, Bebop, Rocksteady, the Foot Soldiers and the ocassional visit of General Traag and the Rock Soldiers.

Why was it for 8 seasons the writers refused to change status quo by adding in any other notable villains to actually work for Shredder?

For example Baxter could have stayed to work for Shredder again in the Technodrome, given that Shredder tricked him into helping him again in his return appearance in Season 3. And what about Leatherhead? In his debut episode Shredder works with him to stop the Turtles and Punk Frogs, but then just forgets about him in the swamp.

There's also the case of Groundchuck and Dirtbag betraying him, and any of the new robot inventions like Metalhead, Chrome Dome or the robot versions of Bebop and Rocksteady went "boom" in the same episodes they were introduced.

Shredder constantly talked about wanting an, "army of mutants" to fight the Turtles with, yet whenever he tried to do this (with the frogs, Groundchuck/Dirtbag, etc.) it backfired immediately and they just stopped trying. I always wondered what it would be like if they added extra villains to the Technodrome.

[oldmanwinters]

When the network orders a whole bunch of episodes with scripts that will be penned by a variety of writers, it just makes it a lot simpler not to worry about strict continuity between episodes. You leave the status quo in tact so that the writers won't have to worry about what each other are doing and can churn out a large number of scripts in a timely fashion.

[CyberCubed]

When the network orders a whole bunch of episodes with scripts that will be penned by a variety of writers, it just makes it a lot simpler not to worry about strict continuity between episodes. You leave the status quo in tact so that the writers won't have to worry about what each other are doing and can churn out a large number of scripts in a timely fashion.

That is true, yet when new characters did debut like Rat King, Leatherhead, and Baxter's return...they all knew about these changes and wrote accordingly.

Baxter was always in the right place whenever they had to bring him back, Leatherhead had to meet The Rat King in that Season 3 episode, Lotus Blossom and Casey Jones all had their intro episodes.

Hell having just watched most of Season 3 lately, that season introduced almost all the major new characters of the show. Season 4 basically gave us Slash and some other lower-tier mutants, and we didn't get Groundchuck/Dirtbag till Season 5.

[Weirdo-Warrior]

I guess I've already written this in other threads, but I repeat myself with pleasure: I'd have loved so much to see Shredder's mutant henchmen change and increase in number and variety with the proceeding of the cartoon seasons. In the Transformers and G.I. Joe, or even Masters of the Universe, we were introduced to new villains in the new seasons, so it's really a pity that it wasn't the same with TMNT, especially considering the cool toys that were in stores meanwhile.

Indeed Baxter could have stayed in the Technodrome as mad inventor, instead of demented loose cannon. I'd have loved to see Groundchuck and Dirtbag take the place of Bebop and Rocksteady, same goes for Tokka and Rahzar, I'd have loved to see Chrome Dome, Leatherhead, Antrax and Scumbug much more around, as well as Scale Tail, Wyrm, Pizzaface and Scratch definitely on screen, no matter if working for Shredder or not. That would have improved the show a lot.

Oh, and Triceratons should have come back as villains for intriguing space adventures (what about Triceratons as villains for Red Sky, instead of the rather unattractive Dregg?).

[Icebot]

And let's not forget Alpha 1: That Foot Soldier who overthrew Shredder and Krang and took over the Technodrome. I remember Shredder simply "fired" Bebop and Rocksteady for screwing up too many times and he wanted someone who can do a better job so he used the brain enhancer on that Foot Soldier. I think if Alpha 1 was more obedient and cooperative in that episode, Shredder wouldn't have rehired Bebop and Rocksteady at the end of the episode.

[LeoNerdo]

I would chalk at least part of it up to not messing with what is working for them. The show was insanely popular at the time. Granted I would have ate up anything they threw at me on this show, but still.

[CyberCubed]

I would chalk at least part of it up to not messing with what is working for them. The show was insanely popular at the time. Granted I would have ate up anything they threw at me on this show, but still.

Agreed. It took them all the way till Season 8 and try to risk changing the series.

[Coola Yagami]

and that was only because the ratings were dropping. If they were still high, we would have had even more of the same.

One thing I noticed was.... why have 2 mutants to face 4 Turtles? Having and keeping Groundchuck and Dirtbag would have evened the score.... although I do imagine the episode would have probably been about the Turtles trying to get rid of them so they can return to status qou and just deal with Bebop and Rocksteady.... But if would have been cool if they stayed.

[CyberCubed]

Perhaps they didn't want to change the chemistry of the villains.

They often said Shredder/Krang were supposed to be like an old married couple with Bebop and Rocksteady as the children. Adding in more regular characters would have changed this.

I guess General Traag was more like an uncle or brother-in-law though. :D

[pannoni1]

Since this was a show for children, they don't care about continuity as much, and Fred Wolf just didn't want to alter with a winning formula. That's why a non-Shredder episode worked on CBS since that it aired in an hour block, there would usually be one Shredder episode airing each Saturday morning. Also, since this was more of a comedic series, many sitcoms take a bit hit once an important character leaves a series, and removing Shredder/Krang really took its toll in the Red Sky era, which basically tuned out the casuals who just came for Shredder/Krang and the Technodrome. That's why a more serious series like B:TAS or 4kids TMNT worked since it used a progressive rotation and development of villains.