What is your least favorite TMNT animated series? [Archive]

Refractive Reflections

02-12-2013, 11:24 PM

gobo

02-12-2013, 11:37 PM

It's a tie. I love 2K3.

zkarlette

02-12-2013, 11:54 PM

I really like all of them and for very different reasons, so I really can't say.

BubblyShell22

02-13-2013, 08:11 AM

None of the above as all of them are good in their own way. I'd say Fast Forward and Back to the Sewers were the worst for me, but that's it.

Shark_Blade

02-13-2013, 08:33 AM

The 2003 series, I know it was darker but what was completely unnecessary were the mean-spirited jabs at the OT in the early episodes, creating a "too cool for school" tone against the OT. The 2003 series was already doing well without those jabs and didn't need to keep reinforcing "its coolness" through that.

I know there are some who will vehemently disagree with me that there were any "mean-spirited jabs", but when the 2003 series kept it up in the first season of episodes and then again in Turtles Forever, and well, when somebody keeps belaboring the point over and over again it was certainly implying something spiteful.

Agree.

Little things I realized e.g. when Mike screamed "Cowabunga!", he got pounded and shouted by Raph, "No more Cowabunga".

And we don't need to talk about Turtles Forever. It treated the OT like dirt.

CyberCubed

02-13-2013, 08:35 AM

The 2003 series, I know it was darker but what was completely unnecessary were the mean-spirited jabs at the OT in the early episodes, creating a "too cool for school" tone against the OT. The 2003 series was already doing well without those jabs and didn't need to keep reinforcing "its coolness" through that.

I know there are some who will vehemently disagree with me that there were any "mean-spirited jabs", but when the 2003 series kept it up in the first season of episodes and then again in Turtles Forever, and well, when somebody keeps belaboring the point over and over again it was certainly implying something spiteful.

They weren't mean spirited jabs. I have no clue why you think the 4kids writers had a vendetta against the OT. PL's own opinions aside the 4kids writers were not out to insult your childhood.

They even put in several references to it like April as a news reporter in Season 2 and Gen dressing up like Rocksteady.

The 4kids cartoon WAS a more serious take than the OT or Nick, but that's because they were trying to make it like the Bruce Timm or Greg Weisman superhero cartoons in terms of tone.

ToTheNines

02-13-2013, 08:48 AM

The 2003 series, I know it was darker but what was completely unnecessary were the mean-spirited jabs at the OT in the early episodes, creating a "too cool for school" tone against the OT. The 2003 series was already doing well without those jabs and didn't need to keep reinforcing "its coolness" through that.

I know there are some who will vehemently disagree with me that there were any "mean-spirited jabs", but when the 2003 series kept it up in the first season of episodes and then again in Turtles Forever, and well, when somebody keeps belaboring the point over and over again it was certainly implying something spiteful.

I'll give you Turtles Forever, but I'm currently watching through season 1 of the 4kids show and you're way off base with that claim.

It did have an aversion to Fred Wolf characters, but only because this is the show Peter Laird would have liked to have seen outta the 87 series, but he didn't have that much creative input there.

TurtleTitan97

02-13-2013, 09:10 AM

For me, it's the OT. While there were episodes that I really liked, the show was too goofy, in my opinion.

RaphAndDonnie

02-13-2013, 09:17 AM

Out of the three here I have to say the 2k3 series. I mean, it's ok, but I don't like it as much as OT or the Nick toon.

Refractive Reflections

02-13-2013, 10:05 AM

They weren't mean spirited jabs. I have no clue why you think the 4kids writers had a vendetta against the OT. PL's own opinions aside the 4kids writers were not out to insult your childhood.

They even put in several references to it like April as a news reporter in Season 2 and Gen dressing up like Rocksteady.

The 4kids cartoon WAS a more serious take than the OT or Nick, but that's because they were trying to make it like the Bruce Timm or Greg Weisman superhero cartoons in terms of tone.

I wouldn't use the strong word "vendetta" for the 4Kids writers, for my opinion, but more like a strong distaste...as if the OT was "beneath them" and infantile.

For me at least, comparing the OT references with 2003 vs. 2012 there's an apparent difference in tone. At least with 2012, the OT references are casual but in 2003 if there's an OT reference it has a slight snide tone to it, as if its insinuating "Oh...that other embarrassing series of the TMNT..."

Jephael

02-13-2013, 10:24 AM

I don't really care much for the 4Kids series as much anymore, though mainly because it's kind of a sad reminder of a lot of the crap I was going through in real life at the time it aired.

plastroncafe

02-13-2013, 10:29 AM

Sorry OT, you just don't stand the test of time.

Jephael

02-13-2013, 10:31 AM

Sorry OT, you just don't stand the test of time.

Maybe not in your opinion, but I still love watching it!

Jester

02-13-2013, 10:41 AM

I'mma probably have to say 4Kids myself. As I've said before I can watch more Fred Wolf episodes than 4Kids when I marathon...and the Nick series is a nice blend.

CyberCubed

02-13-2013, 10:52 AM

The fillers of the 4kids were nothing special, but when the 4kids series was good...it was really good.

Gyt Kaliba

02-13-2013, 11:41 AM

Nigh impossible for me to choose really, but...I guess I'll have to go with the 2003 version, if I were forced to choose something. It's the one I've seen the least of, so I have less personal attachment to it. I really want to see all of it eventually though, I think it'd appeal to me a lot more then.

The OT definitely has more issues than I remembered it having, even just going off of the one DVD I've got so far (just the first 5 episodes), but it's still hard for me to really decry it as being any 'weaker' or anything. And I'm absolutely loving the Nick series so far. The CG has grown on me enough to enjoy the show so far, the humor and action are both great, the voice acting possibly surpasses any show thus far - it's an all around win for me.

MrPliggins

02-13-2013, 12:12 PM

I missed the word "least" and voted for my favorite. Ooops. Anyway, if I could re-vote, I'd say '87. Good for its time and I loved it as a kid, but rewatching it today, I can only get through an episode or two before I want to change it.

CyberCubed

02-13-2013, 12:30 PM

Jester

02-13-2013, 12:43 PM

Again...and he doesn't.

Some think the Fred Wolf series has aged like fine wine...others milk. Some can more easily marathon the FW series, other the 4Kids series is more to their liking.

The question has been asked and answered, sir.

ZariusTwo

02-13-2013, 02:20 PM

Sorry Nick, but you just won't stand the test of time.

Fixed for ya.

4Kids is definatly forgotten about by most of the outside world now along with the 2007 movie. Even NM is better remembered, and that's based on it's infamous reputation alone. I wouldnt say it's my least favourite, as it has five steller seasons, but it definatly isnt top priority viewing at this stage in the game either.

OT still holds up, and it will always be the one the brunt of those interested in pop culture will remember anyway, whether you like it or not.

I missed the word "least" and voted for my favorite. Ooops. Anyway, if I could re-vote, I'd say '87. Good for its time and I loved it as a kid, but rewatching it today, I can only get through an episode or two before I want to change it.

Meh, I know a lot of people who were like you once with certain shows from their childhoods. They all grew out of that phase and went back to enjoying them.

CyberCubed

02-13-2013, 02:21 PM

I agree. I really like the Nick cartoon but its way too early to know if it'll remain good.

ZariusTwo

02-13-2013, 02:28 PM

I agree. I really like the Nick cartoon but its way too early to know if it'll remain good.

In my opinion, it's starting to turn sour already. I loved it at the start, but now it's just gotten gimmicky, repetitive and tiresome, at least the 4Kids show felt like something went on every week. The fanbase for it also get in real knots when you criticise it, almost to hysterically pathetic levels.

I hope things pick up soon, I wouldnt want this to be the first succesful TMNT show I've come to intensly dislike, that's never happened with me, but for now...there really isnt anything that makes it unique and different, it's taking a lot of it's cues from shows that came before, not just TMNT series, but shows like Teen Titans. Nothing in it is it's own identity.

CyberCubed

02-13-2013, 02:36 PM

I do dislike the mutant of the week formula but there's enough other stuff going on in the episodes to make up for it. They do have to stop the Mike naming gag soon though.

Oculus Orbus

02-13-2013, 02:46 PM

FW for me. I enjoyed it as a kid, but I think I was a lot more into the comics and the toys.

JoshDA7X

02-13-2013, 02:49 PM

I understand what your saying its just for me when I was a kid the fred wolf series was the greatest thing ever. I honestly thought it was amazing. I still enjoy it but it just doesn't stand the test of time for me personally with the way I thought of it as a kid. But nothing could, It meant to much to me as a kid and nothing is going to feel quite like that as an adult.

I could'nt agree more with this. Although the new series is kinda taking me back to being a kid haha! I was at college and Uni when the 4kids show was on so never really watched it religiously but I still enjoy it today.

plastroncafe

02-13-2013, 02:57 PM

Fixed for ya.
OT still holds up, and it will always be the one the brunt of those interested in pop culture will remember anyway, whether you like it or not.

No, you really didn't fix that at all.
Nostalgia factor will only get one so far, and that distance is measured by the number of people who remember something fondly, and for the OT that number is dwindling.

Don't get me wrong, I have tons of fond memories of watching the OT, I just can't watch it now. Sure the voice acting is top notch, but the animation is terrible by today's standards, and then there are the stories...

Those are best left to memory.

Much like the movie "Spaceballs" the OT is better left fondly remembered than rewatched.

CyberCubed

02-13-2013, 02:59 PM

No, you really didn't fix that at all.
Nostalgia factor will only get one so far, and that distance is measured by the number of people who remember something fondly, and for the OT that number is dwindling.

Don't get me wrong, I have tons of fond memories of watching the OT, I just can't watch it now. Sure the voice acting is top notch, but the animation is terrible by today's standards, and then there are the stories...

Those are best left to memory.

Much like the movie "Spaceballs" the OT is better left fondly remembered than rewatched.

Why do you keep using the nostalgia excuse? Most people completely forgot the episodes of the OT until they watched the DVDs and enjoyed them. Faded childhood memories is not the reason people enjoy the show.

It is very well written as a self aware comedy series. I'm willing to bet all the people who say, "I can't watch it now" probably haven't watched a single episode of it in years so they can't accurately judge it.

gobo

02-13-2013, 03:02 PM

"Who is your favorite child?"
This comment weirds me out. :tcouch:

plastroncafe

02-13-2013, 03:07 PM

I'm willing to bet all the people who say, "I can't watch it now" probably haven't watched a single episode of it in years so they can't accurately judge it.

Really? Willing to bet? What, exactly, are you willing to bet?
Because this could get interesting.

CyberCubed

02-13-2013, 03:25 PM

Really? Willing to bet? What, exactly, are you willing to bet?
Because this could get interesting.

I'm just curious when the last time was you actually sat through the series? And I don't mean one random episode in a blue moon, I mean actually sat down to watch through it?

plastroncafe

02-13-2013, 03:33 PM

I'm just curious when the last time was you actually sat through the series? And I don't mean one random episode in a blue moon, I mean actually sat down to watch through it?

You're not just curious, you said you were willing to bet, and I'm calling that bluff. What are you willing to bet?

I don't deny that the OT will probably be the best remembered version of the franchise, I just don't believe it's the best incarnation of the characters. Popular does not automatically equal good.

Remember the question was what is "YOUR" least favorite TMNT cartoon, not what is THE least favorite TMNT cartoon. Huge difference between the two.

CyberCubed

02-13-2013, 03:37 PM

You're not just curious, you said you were willing to bet, and I'm calling that bluff. What are you willing to bet?

I don't deny that the OT will probably be the best remembered version of the franchise, I just don't believe it's the best incarnation of the characters. Popular does not automatically equal good.

Remember the question was what is "YOUR" least favorite TMNT cartoon, not what is THE least favorite TMNT cartoon. Huge difference between the two.

But you're confusing my point with Zarius. I don't care what show is the most remembered by the general public. You said the show holds up only because of nostalgia and I was calling you out on it. Most of us didn't even remember the episodes until we watched them on DVD as adults.

I also find it telling you didn't answer my question of when the last time you watched through it was. If you can't even remember what most of the show was actually like, don't say it only holds up because of people's childhood memories.

plastroncafe

02-13-2013, 03:42 PM

But you're confusing my point with Zarius. I don't care what show is the most remembered by the general public. You said the show holds up only because of nostalgia and I was calling you out on it. Most of us didn't even remember the episodes until we watched them on DVD as adults.

I also find it telling you didn't answer my question of when the last time you watched through it was. If you can't even remember what most of the show was actually like, don't say it only holds up because of people's memories.o

First of all, my comment was just that: Mine.
The "for me" is implied. Most of you probably don't remember the episodes, but I do. I was in my teens when the show hit its main stride. I have very vivid memories of programming my vcr to make sure I caught episodes on Saturday mornings I was unlucky enough to have to work.

Secondly, I'm not answering your question until you answer mine. Tell me what you're going to give me should I win your bet, and then we'll talk how long it's been since I've done a full OT canon rewatch.

shuriken

02-13-2013, 03:44 PM

I can't vote on it. I'm kinda leaning towards Fred Wolfe, but only because there were so many episodes. Seasons 1,2,5, and 8 were fantastic, but even those had some duds. The self aware humor and the ridiculousness was a part of the fun. Aside from some very bad episodes in the 197 episode run and some dated animation it's still enjoyable.
Nick hasn't had a dud yet and is wholly entertaining. It's got great animation, a nice voice cast and overall it's a good toon.
2K3 had some terrible episodes, but also had some great ones. It was kind of snotty with its jabs to the OT but overall it set itself apart by trying to be more like Mirage and a bit heavier than the previous series did. It took itself too seriously at times to the point of becoming unintentionally humorous. The show is a bit dated but not much. we'll see in the next 10 years. I will say it is def the least popular of the TMNT series in general.

Jester

02-13-2013, 04:43 PM

Don't mind Cubed, Plastron. He doesn't understand people have opinions that vary from his.

shreddinghead

02-13-2013, 04:47 PM

FF series or BTS.

Coola Yagami

02-13-2013, 06:01 PM

2K3 sadly. It has become the middle child. The OT is great as a classic and I'm having fun introducing my girl to the series, and of course the new show is just awesome. The 2k3 just kinda loses out IMO. For some reason it feels dated and 'tried too hard to be cool'. The 80's show gets a free pass because it's the 80's and you expect it to be dated by now and it never tried to be anything other than what it is.

Donatello19

02-13-2013, 06:14 PM

FF series or BTS.

That would count as the 4kids 2003 series.

Jephael

02-13-2013, 06:35 PM

Some think the Fred Wolf series has aged like fine wine...others milk.

:tlol: Love that analogy!!!

FearlessLeader

02-13-2013, 06:59 PM

Some of it might also just have to do with which universe of the Turtles is your favorite. I love the Mirage comics and so my favorite TV series is 2K3. In fact I just rewatched some this past weekend because of the anniversary of when it first aired and it blew me away again just how much better I feel it is then either of the other shows.

I like all 3 for different reasons so I can't really pick a least favorite, I think they do all have merits and faults.

Cure

02-13-2013, 07:12 PM

The 4Kids version for me. I've seen every episode, but a lot of it was done begrudgingly so.

Teddy

02-13-2013, 07:12 PM

I grew up watching the OT and loved it back then, but now that I'm grown up I do like the two more recent series better. The OT is just too silly to watch, sometimes painfully so.

pannoni1

02-13-2013, 07:50 PM

If it weren't for the fact that the OT was a major part of my childhood and still see it as a gateway to my past, I probably would have voted for that. But I never was aware of the 4kids during its run except for a vogue watching. It just seemed to abrupt from the OT/movies for me to enjoy it. The executive meddling during the final three seasons of 4kids doesn't help, plus there is always the Mirage comics to enjoy the story as it was originally told. 4kids unfortunately had erratic pacing at times, especially in Season 2 with all those multiparters. At least it had Turtles Forever. At least the OT created lots of original material that was never touched in the comics and feels much more independent than any other universe. Nick TMNT has feels independent enough while providing enough Easter Eggs and slapstick to give it a spiritual successor designation to the OT.

rpd123

02-13-2013, 08:24 PM

I have to go with the 1987 Fred Wolf. It's not bad by any means but I think the other two are better. The recent series is a little weird for me because of the CGI but I still like it. The 2003 one is my favorite. It had a more serious tone but was still humorous. It was great.

And in regards to comments at the beginning of the thread, I don't think that the allusions to the original series were meant in mean spirit, just in fun. That's why I liked Turtles Forever so much. They poked fun at each other. It wasn't just the OT getting ragged on, the 2K3 Turtles were insulted by the Mirage Turtles. It was a cool and funny way of acknowledging how the Turtles have changed over the years, which I liked.

Pterobat

02-13-2013, 08:27 PM

Eh...probably 2012. And I've seen all of these series recently, so it's not nostalgia talking.

There's nothing particularly wrong with the 2012 show, but it just hasn't clicked with me. I tune in every week, though.

OT vs. 2003:

There's the old line that the best parodies are made by people who love the source material, and brother, Turtles Forever proves it. I don't get a mean-spirited vibe from it at all, especially since the OT characters are capable of helping out.

Being honest about the faults of something doesn't mean you hate it or are trying to cut it down. Sometimes...you just got to say it.

CyberCubed

02-13-2013, 09:35 PM

The OT was silly, but it was the GOOD kind of silly. The show made fun of itself. The flaws that it did have (like the animation mistakes) oddly added to its charm.

And I will say the best episodes of the OT are probably more entertaining than the best episodes of the other series, except for the really top tier 4kids episodes. Although I will agree that the worst episodes of the OT were worse than the worst episodes of the other series.

The OT isn't still liked because of nostalgia, its still liked because it was an entertaining cartoon. Its amazing how a show that was episodic and followed a repetitive structure could still be so entertaining at the same time.

If only they used some of the recurring characters a little better and the censors didn't come down on Mike's chucks and some of the fight scenes in the middle seasons, it would have been fantastic.

Longview01

02-14-2013, 02:19 AM

Prob the newest series, hasn't had enough time to grow on me yet.

Ask this question again in 3 years time and my answer will prob be different.

MrPliggins

02-14-2013, 09:56 AM

Meh, I know a lot of people who were like you once with certain shows from their childhoods. They all grew out of that phase and went back to enjoying them.

I can still enjoy it just fine. I think it has more to do with burnout from watching it so much in the old days. Still a good show, though.

zodiac brave

02-14-2013, 12:45 PM

its a toss up between the OT and 4Kids for me.

granted, i watched the bulk of the OT when it originally aired and i only own seasons 1, 2 and 3 on dvd, but I have watched them regularly over the years and im currently watching season 10 for the first time since it originally aired. a lot of it is hard to pay attention to. for me, it truly does come down to nostalgia, because for the most part the writing is HORRIBLE. "fun, self-aware" humor is easy to write, especially when its supposed to be funny, simply because "Its Supposed To Be Funny". some of the eps and arcs are truly good, though and if i had a small child this is what i would introduce them to first. as a matter of fact, i just told one of my best friends about the turtle van set and he immediately went out and bought it and is now introducing it to his young sons. thats awesome.

4Kids is something that came out when i was shifting focus from geek stuff to growing up and moving out, so i only caught some of the first 2 season as they aired and am currently watching the rest of it. i'm on season 5 and im loving it, but the attempt to make it more relatable to older kids and its conscious decision to go in a "darker" direction was a risk that sometimes comes off as forced. a lot of these eps and arcs are really good, also, but another thing that weakens it in my opinion, is the weird characterizations of raph and mike. just TOO MUCH sometimes.

in the end, i suppose if i could only take 2 of the series with me to a deserted island, the one i'd leave behind would be 4kids. while its awesome, and i can appreciate the technical artistry that went into every facet of it, nostalgia wins and i'd rather have the OT and nick series.

snake

02-14-2013, 12:47 PM

I know I might get a lot of hate for this but 4kids, I never liked the feel of the show, sure the darker settings and comic adaptions were cool, some episodes were amazing ( most of season one) and some bad ( garbageman) and some I found boring ( notes from the underground)

CyberCubed

02-14-2013, 01:50 PM

4kids series had the best overall storylines and action. Nick's humor and action is good but the stories thus far are fairly simple.

snake

02-14-2013, 01:53 PM

4kids series had the best overall storylines and action. Nick's humor and action is good but the stories thus far are fairly simple.

Personally I like nicks way of storytelling better,

rpd123

02-14-2013, 02:58 PM

4kids series had the best overall storylines and action. Nick's humor and action is good but the stories thus far are fairly simple.

Yeah, the Nick stories are very formulaic which is not something that I typically like. But what I've noticed is that a lot of tv shows are like that in their first season.

CyberCubed

02-14-2013, 03:11 PM

Indeed. I don't mind the simple plots because the characterization, humor and action is top notch. However I hope when Season 2 comes along they do more continuing storylines and deeper plots. It was the 4kids series greatest strength compared to the other two.

rpd123

02-14-2013, 03:24 PM

Agreed. I typically don't like the formulaic stuff (it almost killed Smallville for me) but it works pretty well in this one. The 4kids series did do a great job of creating deeper stories that spanned more than an episode and hopefully in season 2 Nick will move toward that.

Pterobat

02-16-2013, 01:12 AM

Okay, let's play the rest of this game:

I prefer the 4Kids series to the OT, because, yes, my thing is for darker, more serious stuff. I also think there is a sense of quality that goes beyond whether a series is an action or a comedy, and the 4Kids series has more of that "stuff".

It is not a perfect show by any means, but I do prefer it, and think when it was great, it was damn great.

The OT, on the other hand, I accept what it's trying to be and do, and sometimes it does achieve those heights of sublime ridiculousness, or is lovable. But it's also formulaic and repetitive, and often it fails at what it tries to be. There are a lot of episodes I like watching, but many others that I don't.

Saying so doesn't mean I dislike the OT. It's false to say that calling attention to the flaws in something means you hate it.

Candy Kappa

02-16-2013, 01:28 AM

tricky.

For me the Nick show at the moment is the best show, but we're also just in season 1.

The OT, I had a lot of hate for when I was younger, since all the episodes I saw was some of the lamer ones, like the musketeer episode and episodes that just didn't put the turtles in good light. But watching the whole series on an older age, there is a lot of good episodes.

The 4KIDS are okay, I've enjoyed the whole series, but the humor they try at is most often terrible, and consists of how annoying Mikey is.

I think 4Kids might be the lesser series, since. if I ever feel like watching something animated TMNT, it might be the FW season 1. And, as much fun it was the first time seeing Mirage stories adapted to 4KIDs, that good feeling quickly wears off seeing how those stories isn't really that good of an adaptation.

Except for The King episode, at least i remember it to be pretty good

Tuxedo Moroboshi

02-16-2013, 07:53 AM

Even though I grew up with it, I honestly can't stand most episodes of the '87 toon, so this was an easy choice for me. Out of all the animated series, the 2k3 toon is my favorite (except for FF and BttS which I hated). The Nick toon is sorta okay-ish. I know everyone's been going nuts over it, but there's too many things about it that bug me for me to really like it, but it's still leagues above the '87 toon.

Okay, let's play the rest of this game:

I prefer the 4Kids series to the OT, because, yes, my thing is for darker, more serious stuff. I also think there is a sense of quality that goes beyond whether a series is an action or a comedy, and the 4Kids series has more of that "stuff".

It is not a perfect show by any means, but I do prefer it, and think when it was great, it was damn great.

The OT, on the other hand, I accept what it's trying to be and do, and sometimes it does achieve those heights of sublime ridiculousness, or is lovable. But it's also formulaic and repetitive, and often it fails at what it tries to be. There are a lot of episodes I like watching, but many others that I don't.

Saying so doesn't mean I dislike the OT. It's false to say that calling attention to the flaws in something means you hate it.

I think your feelings pretty much mostly sum up mine. While I find it hard to sit through most episodes of the '87 toon, I wouldn't say that I hate the '87 toon... but then again, maybe that's probably solely due to nostalgia, I dunno.

Icebot

02-16-2013, 09:09 AM

My least favorite is the 2012 show. I wish they didn't make it CGI and that it was animated like the 1987 and the 2003 ones were.

CyberCubed

02-16-2013, 09:19 AM

chrisdude

02-16-2013, 09:20 AM

The 2003 cartoon is the only one I didn't fall in love with. I started watching it from the beginning, but I didn't make it but a few episodes. I tried again with Fast Forward, but I just didn't get into it. Wasn't fun.

I've tried digging up old Mighty Morphin Power Rangers or Pokemon eps that used to love, and they're painful to endure. But I've collected and watched through all of the OT's seasons, and the show is still fun for me to watch.

The Nick cartoon? I can't come up with one serious complaint. My only minor complaint was mutating Bradford and Xever, leaving the turtles with no recurring human martial arts enemies. Then they brought Karai, and FishFace actually turned out to not suck. I literally can't even nitpick this show.

MikeandRaph87

02-16-2013, 09:26 AM

The '87 cartoon is what I grew up with and defined Ninaj Turtles as a franchise. The '03 cartoon was decent because of its great continuity and layered story even if I feel it dropped the ball by not giuving us a human Shredder or Rat King and not incorporating the classic characters that made it great beyond the b&w comic. The 2012 voice cast I am having a hard time liking to be honest and the crush on April is not funny its just a poor side plot IMHO. Its still early so it could catch up with the '03 cartoon. Time will tell.

NinjaMan

02-16-2013, 10:09 AM

2003. It was a good show, but I didn't feel it like the 87 show and the Nick version.

snake

02-16-2013, 10:24 AM

My least favorite is the 2012 show. I wish they didn't make it CGI and that it was animated like the 1987 and the 2003 ones were.

Give it a chance, the cgi is really good looking, personally I love it

Spitfire

02-16-2013, 12:29 PM

Wow pretty close poll. I find it hilarious that better series is losing but this isn't a poll of quality it's personal taste. Some people prefer burping jokes and random anime moments that have no context to well written stories and story arcs.

I voted the Nick toon, no surprise. I might watch more but I don't see my opinion changing. Unless everything I hated about what I did watch magically disappears the show would have to change a lot to appease me. The OT gets a free ride on nostalgia but for it's time it was a trend setter and a lot of other series saw fit to rip it's formula off. In it's defense the show tried to have story arcs in rare occasions and at the time let us not forget most cartoons did not have story arcs of any kind. Not even the loved 90's Batman series had story arcs. Two parters sure but never an over arching storyline.

2K3 is a good series. One of the better to come out of the last decade. The last few seasons were questionable but 1-4 are solid with good writing and story arcs. The major criticisms of the show for most are Mikey being annoying and Fast Forward/BTTS being to silly and kids like. The irony is staggering.

AT-Man

02-16-2013, 02:38 PM

If I'm gonna vote someday, I will vote for the OT. And it makes me sick, so I'm not gonna do it. Damn you OP, why would you do this to us?!

Tuxedo Moroboshi

02-16-2013, 03:05 PM

Which episodes are those then?

You want me to list them? Most means most, dude. I'm not gonna spend my entire afternoon typing out the titles for the majority of episodes to a TV show that consists of nearly 200 episodes. :roll:

But, ya, just in general, I found the goofier aspects of the '87 toon to be pretty groan worthy. Occasionally I'll laugh at a joke (usually one Raphael makes), but honestly the show just turned out to be very different from how I remembered it as a kid. What I remembered as a kid were the TMNT kicking butt and eating pizza. Certainly, the latter was correct, but the former isn't anything near how I remembered it as a child, and there's all this added camp that I swear I must have been too young to take notice of.

So, ya, humor I usually didn't find funny (and it was geared more toward humor than action, despite what my childhood memories tell me), fictional science that doesn't even try to make sense within the context of its own rules, villains that are usually only slightly more dangerous than Jessie and James from Pokemon, and a lack of direction for the greater storyline. These are some of the biggest issues I have with it. Ya know, it's actually kinda funny that so many people hate the ending to the first NES game. I actually thought it was awesome to see them turn Splinter back into Hamato Yoshi. I mean, that was their goal in season 1 (Leonardo even says so himself), so to me it seems like a happy ending for that universe... but there was never any progress toward that goal. In fact, it was forgotten all about rather quickly.

Ironically, I think I like the Red Sky episodes even less. But only because it seemed like they were trying TOO hard to be edgy within a universe that was established as being anything but. What they were trying to do with Red Sky probably would have worked out a lot better as a completely new series, as opposed to a continuation of the 1987 toon. I will admit, though, that Shredder blowing up Channel 6 was pretty badass (uncharacteristically so).

Again, though, I don't hate the 1987 cartoon. It introduced me to the TMNT (or was it the action figures? I honestly can't remember, I was waaaay too young), it has a very catchy theme song (still my favorite theme song among all of them), and I like some of the characters that came about from it. I just don't really enjoy watching the series again all that much as an adult, and find 2k3 to be more along the lines of what became my distorted childhood memories (though... I think said childhood memories were probably mostly influenced by the live-action movies, which I remember more vividly due to how often I'd see them). Is 2k3 perfection? Not by a long shot. There's plenty of things about it that irk me, but overall, I find it to be the most well-written, most action-packed, and often most emotionally-driven of all the animated incarnations so far.

I can't apologize for holding an unpopular opinion, but I will say that these are my honest feelings regarding these shows. Though I'm avoiding voicing my opinions about the Nick toon, since that's so popular and well liked that I'll probably get lynched if I open my mouth about it publicly (though I do think it's at least okay, and still better than the 1987 toon, for my tastes regarding TMNT).

CyberCubed

02-16-2013, 03:08 PM

If I'm gonna vote someday, I will vote for the OT. And it makes me sick, so I'm not gonna do it. Damn you OP, why would you do this to us?!

Agreed that's what I did not vote on the poll. I really like all 3 series and all 3 also have their own flaws.

I guess I like Nick slightly less than the others but its still way too early given only 16 episodes aired. For all we know the rest of the series could be excellent or it could fall to pieces. It is too early.

rpd123

02-16-2013, 03:11 PM

2K3 is a good series. One of the better to come out of the last decade. The last few seasons were questionable but 1-4 are solid with good writing and story arcs. The major criticisms of the show for most are Mikey being annoying and Fast Forward/BTTS being to silly and kids like. The irony is staggering.

Agreed. I like 2K3 the best. I can't give the OT a free pass personally, because I didn't grow up with it. I saw reruns as a kid from time to time, but it was at the same time 2K3 was new. So I have the nostalgia and good story arcs making 2K3 my favorite, and I just couldn't get into the OT as much. The new one is alright so far, but time will tell if it can surpass 2K3 (I don't think it will).

Keroscene

02-16-2013, 03:13 PM

The question is "what is your least favorite" rather than "which is the least good" and favorites don't have to be logical, which is why I think 2003 is not doing so well in this poll. Logically, I know that 2k3 was better than 1987, on an art level, a plotting level and all the rest of it. But 1987 is always going to have a certain nostalgic appeal for me, and whilst the Nick cartoon is good enough to outweigh that, the 2k3 toon isn't.

CyberCubed

02-16-2013, 03:15 PM

It's not even the nostalgia for me. When I was watching it on DVD it felt like the first time seeing many of those episodes again. I actually think the style of writing during the very best old toon episodes was what I like about the franchise.

Pterobat

02-16-2013, 05:10 PM

I'm not finished going through the OT in full (after a cherry-picking run), but I guess the problem for me is that while I get it on that ironic level, I slowly realize that you've seen everything of the characters that they are capable of doing and being, and there are still dozens of episodes to go. You have to pick the standouts and realize you don't miss much.

That being said, I *do* like episodes. I like anything with Baxter (because he's used so little and keeps changing, he never becomes stagnant), anything Splinter-centric (though Splinter suffers from the same problems as the rest of the major characters), something with a cool monster or idea, or something that manages to find that state where it's so stupid it's hilarious, like "Plan Six from Outer Space". I genuinely enjoy these episodes.

It's not nostalgia driving this affection, because I've only watched these recently, and if it were nostalgia, I'd enjoy everything equally.

The Red Sky seasons were the opposite of "trying too hard" for me: they were doing the bare minimum to try to "upgrade" the series, and once you look past the new surface, the Hip New Sidekick and the Cool New Villain, you see something that's little darker than the most level-headed episodes of the OT. They're just struggling to keep a dying series relevant, and it's a little pathetic to watch.

CyberCubed

02-16-2013, 06:52 PM

I'm not finished going through the OT in full (after a cherry-picking run), but I guess the problem for me is that while I get it on that ironic level, I slowly realize that you've seen everything of the characters that they are capable of doing and being, and there are still dozens of episodes to go. You have to pick the standouts and realize you don't miss much.

Well...that is true. When you stop to think about it, you realize nobody in the original toon goes through any character development over the entire 10 year span of the show.

The Turtles, Splinter, April, Shredder/Krang and most of the other characters remain exactly the same from their debut appearances till the end. Sure, their personalities are slightly modified in time and they bring up things they did in older episodes, but it is true there's no real character growth.

That being said, for this type of series, it really didn't matter. Shredder/Krang were never going to learn from their mistakes, Bebop/Rocksteady would remain loveable idiots, and the Turtles would always return to status quo at the end of the episode.

And for some reason it doesn't matter. The 4kids series tried to give the Turtles character development but it wound up taking them in odd directions, like Leonardo being angry, Mikey becoming a showoff, and Raph almost becoming a parody of his own anger.

miru

02-16-2013, 07:09 PM

2003 series. The first 5 seasons were pretty good, but not that good. I didn;t like the character designs and most of the new characters. In particular the Diggers. They looked more Ben 10 than TMNT, although I did like Quarry's bug-mouth and overall un-feminine look. Most of the mutants seen were just generic monsters, unlike in other incarnations.

Then along came Fast Forward, one of the worst things to happen to TMNT. Back tot he Sweres was just as bad, but at least had a great theme song.

Then there were the toys. Back in the day )before my time), the TMNT toys were full of vibrant details and they made just about everybody (and even made up some characters). But this toyline was the opposite. The toys looked very boring (with a few exceptions like Minnetonka Mutant, Nanotech Monster, Hun, and Karai), and skipped several important characters. Guys like Two-Ton, Angel, Darius Dun, the Acolytes, and Raptarr were okay, because they weren't very important (though Raptarr would have been cool). But the lack of Renet, who is a Mirage character, is mystifyng. Even more glaring is the absence of Cyber Shredder. Some Casey and April variations would have been fun too.

The worst part? The video games.

Pterobat

02-16-2013, 07:41 PM

The Turtles, Splinter, April, Shredder/Krang and most of the other characters remain exactly the same from their debut appearances till the end. Sure, their personalities are slightly modified in time and they bring up things they did in older episodes, but it is true there's no real character growth.

That being said, for this type of series, it really didn't matter. Shredder/Krang were never going to learn from their mistakes, Bebop/Rocksteady would remain loveable idiots, and the Turtles would always return to status quo at the end of the episode.

And for some reason it doesn't matter.

To some, yes. To me, it does matter, because it's part of the reason why I can get tired of the old cartoon and don't consider all episodes equal. Even if you find characters entertaining, eventually if you keep seeing them doing the same things over and over again, you get tired of it.

The 4kids series tried to give the Turtles character development but it wound up taking them in odd directions, like Leonardo being angry, Mikey becoming a showoff, and Raph almost becoming a parody of his own anger.

I didn't find it odd: these changes were based on the experiences they had. And you gotta give them something for trying.

bwwd

02-16-2013, 07:49 PM

Im sure one year from now most people would vote current nickelodeon tmnt as the worst one, ive seen first episode, its for kids, just random ninja 4 guys kids show...
I dont know what to think about original tmnt cartoon from 80s-90s, ive seen it as a kid, but i also liked other cartoons and was excited to see snorks or ALF cartoon, when youre kid you dont really have any taste, you keep watching what tv gives you, there were some ok episodes of original tmnt but overall its just very average, i liked 2k turtles better because they were more dramatic, we will never get more serious and dramatic tmnt now, i dont know why people complain, tmnt was dramatic, its ninjas, assassins, first mirage comic book is about personal vengeance of splinter, when i read it now its just so egoistic but back then it was just backstory from that tv show ive seen as a kid.
Maybe 2k show was tooooooo long thats why some episodes that were never meant to be were created.Anyway, least fav is current one, then 80s one and best is 2k, especially first seasons.I dont mind jabs at old tmnt at all, i liked them actually.
I feel so old now... i still remember when 2k tmnt premiered!!! It was like yesterday and now its like 10 years ago, its even bigger gap than from 90s TMNT to 2k TMNT.Im wondering how show will look like 10 years from now on, or 20 years... or not, cause its depressing how time is passing by.

CyberCubed

02-16-2013, 08:14 PM

To some, yes. To me, it does matter, because it's part of the reason why I can get tired of the old cartoon and don't consider all episodes equal. Even if you find characters entertaining, eventually if you keep seeing them doing the same things over and over again, you get tired of it.

If this was any other series I'd agree with you, but if you think of the OT just being one long season rather than several short ones, maybe that will make a difference. The Turtles can't stray too far from their character tropes anyway. I don't know, I guess the original TMNT toon feels so different than all the other cartoons I've watched that I don't mind that we have a show that is, "this way."

For me, even though you knew the Turtles would stop whatever scheme Shredder/Krang had for an episode and return everything to status quo, there was still so much variety in the plots that it didn't matter. One episode has a giant ice creature, the next has the Turtles traveling through space, the next has Japanese warlords in NYC, the next has the Turtles chasing after little aliens that duplicate themselves, the next has Donatello creating a time stopping device, etc.

Back in 2004 when the OT DVDs first started coming out I didn't think I would enjoy the show anymore as I was a teen back then. However I started watching the show in order from beginning to end and couldn't believe how much fun I was having. Its a show where you KNOW its very repetitive and some parts of it are written poorly....but it oddly adds to its charm. If that makes any sense. Its so bad its good.

Icebot

02-16-2013, 08:17 PM

Give it a chance, the cgi is really good looking, personally I love it

I don't necessarily hate it. I'm just a little disappointed that they switched to CGI. I used to watch Jimmy Neutron so I know what CGI is like. I'll probably get used to it sometime.

rpd123

02-16-2013, 08:54 PM

I didn't like the CGI at first, but it's growing on me. It makes action sequences look more fluid in my opinion. I don't like Donnie's gap tooth though.

DonatelloNinja82

02-17-2013, 07:06 AM

I cannot choose...I love them all!

ZariusTwo

02-17-2013, 07:12 AM

Its so bad its good.

Definatly wouldnt say that. To me, it's so good it's great. And proof you don't need things like "ongoing character development" or anything to hold your attention if it's capable of entertaining you on other levels. In a a day and age where "character development" usually leads to angstier, confictive and predictable storytelling, it's a refreshing change of pace. Too many animated shows, whilst great, tend to punch one in the gut rather than leave you with a smile on your face.

The Red Sky seasons were the opposite of "trying too hard" for me: they were doing the bare minimum to try to "upgrade" the series, and once you look past the new surface, the Hip New Sidekick and the Cool New Villain, you see something that's little darker than the most level-headed episodes of the OT. They're just struggling to keep a dying series relevant, and it's a little pathetic to watch.

Hardly "pathetic", as the red sky seasons are very interesting and a good insight in trying to adapt to the changing nature of animated television whilst trying not to compromise the style the old series was accustomed to all that much...it's sort of stuck somewhere between.

CyberCubed

02-17-2013, 07:35 AM

Hardly "pathetic", as the red sky seasons are very interesting and a good insight in trying to adapt to the changing nature of animated television whilst trying not to compromise the style the old series was accustomed to all that much...it's sort of stuck somewhere between.

Agreed, I only wish Season 8 could have been a full 26 episode season. We should have seen more of Shredder/Krang working at the Hall of Science, and they probably would have also brought Baxter and Leatherhead back one more time if they had more episodes.

Season 8 almost felt like the start of a new series, its just a shame it was so short that it never lived up to its full potential.

Jephael

02-17-2013, 10:30 AM

Agreed, I only wish Season 8 could have been a full 26 episode season. We should have seen more of Shredder/Krang working at the Hall of Science, and they probably would have also brought Baxter and Leatherhead back one more time if they had more episodes.

Season 8 almost felt like the start of a new series, its just a shame it was so short that it never lived up to its full potential.

As much as I prefer seasons 4-7 of the original cartoon, I do think the red sky era had potential. There's so much they could've done with the show up to that point.

Boy Wonder

02-17-2013, 02:04 PM

Original TMNT Cartoon Fan

02-17-2013, 03:20 PM

As much as I prefer seasons 4-7 of the original cartoon, I do think the red sky era had potential. There's so much they could've done with the show up to that point.

I actually like the solo-adventures during season 5-6 and those with Leatherhead and the Rat King, and a lot of no Shredder-episodes now. Didn't do that as a kid, but then in late 2003-early 2004 when I started re-watch season 3's "Enter: the Rat King" and really thought "I like this".

CyberCubed

02-17-2013, 03:40 PM

Original Toon

The first 3 or so seasons were good, but after that it just tanked. Everything fell downhill and it was brutal to watch.

The Nick toon is still new, but I really like the direction it is taking.

2K3 is like my definitive Turtles. Love it. (minus Fast Forward)

The old toon didn't "tank" after Season 3. Season 4 was the start of the mad scientist episodes but there were plenty of good episodes there. Season 5 was hit or miss and Season 6 was better than that. Once you get to Season 7 and above the series returns to action.

In fact I think the OT was actually the most consistent of all the cartoons. It had good episodes on all the seasons and a few bad ones, but there was never much of a noticeable difference. You could take a Season 5 episode and place it in Season 3 and nobody would know the difference besides the location of the Technodrome being elsewhere.

Luigiperps

02-17-2013, 03:57 PM

The old toon didn't "tank" after Season 3. Season 4 was the start of the mad scientist episodes but there were plenty of good episodes there. Season 5 was hit or miss and Season 6 was better than that. Once you get to Season 7 and above the series returns to action.

In fact I think the OT was actually the most consistent of all the cartoons. It had good episodes on all the seasons and a few bad ones, but there was never much of a noticeable difference. You could take a Season 5 episode and place it in Season 3 and nobody would know the difference besides the location of the Technodrome being elsewhere.

Cough>red sky>Cough

ZariusTwo

02-17-2013, 04:16 PM

Original Toon

The first 3 or so seasons were good, but after that it just tanked. Everything fell downhill and it was brutal to watch

"Brutal to watch" is the Nick TMNT. The original 'toon lasted ten years, so clearly nobody else thought stuff past the third was "brutal"

Cough>red sky>Cough

Red Sky was'nt terrible either, just different. People associate "change" with "suck" for some reason.

ToTheNines

02-17-2013, 04:24 PM

Red Sky was'nt terrible either, just different. People associate "change" with "suck" for some reason.

Yes it was. I'm a huge fan of the OT but Red Sky literally puts me to sleep every time I watch it.

Luigiperps

02-17-2013, 05:15 PM

Cough>red sky>Cough

[QUOTE=Red Sky was'nt terrible either, just different. People associate "change" with "suck" for some reason.[/QUOTE]

I didn't say it was terrible, I said it was inconsistent with the rest of the series

Jester

02-17-2013, 05:26 PM

I didn't say it was terrible, I said it was inconsistent with the rest of the series
But you wouldn't be wrong if you said it was....at least season nine and the episodes of 10 that didn't have Shredder and Krang or the Past Turtles.

CyberCubed

02-17-2013, 06:32 PM

Yes it was. I'm a huge fan of the OT but Red Sky literally puts me to sleep every time I watch it.

I think Seasons 8 and 10 are great. Season 9 really depends on if you like Dregg , Carter, and the mutations.

Pterobat

02-17-2013, 07:05 PM

Maybe some do have a knee-jerk response of change equalling bad all by itself, but that's no reason not to be critical of change.

Like I said above, the problem with the Red Sky isn't that it's a change: it's that it's a change that's a rushed and superficial attempt to make the series relevant, and not to actually improve it at all.

Jester

02-17-2013, 07:10 PM

MikeandRaph87

02-17-2013, 07:13 PM

That and it seems like an attempt to make the Turtles more dark and "EXTREME!" (the super-mutations mostly) and it just seemed to fly in the face of the previous tone of the series. If you wanna do a better TMNT series, make more episodes like season 7. Those were deeper stories, with out making such extreme changes.

Exactly. That is why I love that season more than any other. Season 8 was also fantastic even if 8 episodes and a red sky. Its the forced relevence of super mutations,Dregg, and Carter. It would have been fine to drop Irma and Vernon and show Shredder and co. just half the time. Season 8 did it right. Season 9, I blame CBS suits for messing with my childhood:trazz:.

Jephael

02-17-2013, 07:13 PM

If you wanna do a better classic TMNT series, make more episodes like season 7. Those were deeper stories, with out making such extreme changes.

THIS!!! I loved season 7. My only gripe at the time was for some odd reason they started making the dimensional portal glow green instead of blue.

CyberCubed

02-17-2013, 10:29 PM

In terms of the OT, Seasons 1, 3 and 7 are probably the best overall.

Seasons 2, 6 and 8 are also very good. Seasons 4 and 5 have some really good episodes, but when they had bad episodes they tended to be really bad.

Season 9 was OK depending on if you liked the changes during that season.

The Euro Vacation arc is the only segment of the series I found to be poor, but it still had a few good ones like "A real Snow job" and "The Orient express."

ryukenden

02-25-2013, 11:28 AM

So hard to choose. I grew up with the OT and still have fond memories of it and I still enjoy watching some of it. I still think the era of the OT had the best toyline. The 2K3 series was perhaps the most definitive interpretation of characteristics. I am currently enjoying the Nick series though to be honest, the cartoony effects do give me painful reminders of Next Mutation. So I have no choice but to mark the Nick series just for that. But I still have faith it will improve.

I am going to have to agree that both the OT and the 2K3 toons fell flat on their faces in their final seasons. Shredder and Krang should have been kept until the end during the Red Sky seasons. I have nothing to say about Fast Forward and Back to the Sewers. I pray the Nick series doesn't follow this trend.

Loudo

02-25-2013, 05:03 PM

I voted the '87 series, but I was very undecided. I don't particularly love the Nick show either.

The 2k3 series is really the only animated series I like. It's my favorite part of the franchise, though I like all the different comics and most of the movies as well.
But the Fred Wolf and Nick series aren't really my cup of tea.

The reason I voted the '87 series is because I watched all the episodes of the Nick series in their entirety. Even though I don't love the series, at least it keeps me interested enough to watch it.
With the '87 series, on the other hand, I often get bored before the end of the episodes and I don't finish watching them.