Did you like the episodic approach of the original toon?

[CyberCubed]

After Seasons 1 and 2, the show basically shifted to an episodic approach for the rest of the series, at least until the last seasons. While there was still the overall story of the Technodrome being repowered and the villain recurring characters, you could watch most of the show out of order and it doesn't make too much of a difference.

I know these episodes were rerun to death on TV, so as a kid it was just enjoyable to watch a random episode without thinking what happened in the last episode or what happened in the next.

Batman: TAS follows a similar episodic approach, there are no real story arcs in that series at all besides the recurring villains remaining in continuity.

[pannoni1]

It was silly though going from around Bastille Day to the middle of winter in just one episode in the European Vacation, but I like the freedom of episodic series that lets you customize your continuity based on drawing conclusions, and that even occurs to a degree on the Nick series. It also makes it more accessible for the casual viewer to watch in cased they missed some episodes, but the problem is that the episodic approach can result in tired formulatic plots with all of the "steal energy source, kidnap or alter someone, search for a couple clues, fight the enemy, trap them or let them retreat, end the episode with a pizza", though there was still something different about each episode. Episodic approaches also make more unexpected encounters occur since there is no buildup from previous episodes except for the Technodrome's movement. To put it, episodic shows are fast food, whereas continuity is fine dinning; the former tastes good but isn't the healthiest, and while the later takes some use to getting to, can grow into your favorite and make you never look back on the fast food.

[Godzilla]

Episodic episodes were A OK, and, especially at that time, very much the usual approach taken anyways. Having a decent enough storyline that adheres to continuity is fun, even at a young age, but there's definately something to be said for also being able to view, essentially, filler episodes that are there just for pure enjoyment.

[ryukenden]

Standalone episodes were quite standard for 80s and 90s cartoons unless it was a two-parter. They were fun to watch and quite a breather until the Technodrome rises up and changes locations.

[CyberCubed]

Its funny how the episodes never had a, "To be Continued" on screen until Season 10.

Even the episodes that WERE multi-parters, like Eye of Sarnath, The Big Season 3 trilogy, the eps with Howie in them, etc. don't have "To be continued."

I found it funny how the Season 3 finale trilogy, the first two eps have "standard" endings as if it wasn't part of a set.

[Gwydion]

It was actually a bit weird to me when I rewatched the show when I was older because I never realized that some of the seasons did have an order to them - I didn't remember that from when I was a kid. Now, I do tend to prefer a less episodic approach, but I think that format works out really well for some shows and the OT is one of those. Nowadays it's pretty easy to catch up if you missed an episode, but back then it was a bit more difficult (I still remember when the X-Men cartoon came out I caught the first episode but missed the second - luckily my sis did not so she could tell me that Morph died before I watched the third).

It was nice knowing not having to worry about missing something if I couldn't watch a particular episode. It does have it's downsides - less of a larger overall story and, usually, less character development - but I think it worked out well with the kind of stories the OT was telling.

That said, I like the approach the Nick version is taking. They do all string together and some definitely should be watched before others, but it still takes it's time on "side stories", for lack of a better term.

[Pterobat]

I like it--my only problem is when it screws up the little continuity it does have, which can be a pain.

[CyberCubed]

I like it--my only problem is when it screws up the little continuity it does have, which can be a pain.

I'm actually surprised the continuity with the Technodrome's location is actually kept in tact if you watch the eps in proper order. Like knowing the Euro Vacation eps take place in Season 4 and not during 7, and so forth.

I do like it when episodes reference other ones though, there is a lot of continuity with the recurring characters, even minor ones like Rex-1 or the Polarisoids or even April's Aunt Agatha.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

It was silly though going from around Bastille Day to the middle of winter in just one episode in the European Vacation, but I like the freedom of episodic series that lets you customize your continuity based on drawing conclusions, and that even occurs to a degree on the Nick series. It also makes it more accessible for the casual viewer to watch in cased they missed some episodes, but the problem is that the episodic approach can result in tired formulatic plots with all of the "steal energy source, kidnap or alter someone, search for a couple clues, fight the enemy, trap them or let them retreat, end the episode with a pizza", though there was still something different about each episode. Episodic approaches also make more unexpected encounters occur since there is no buildup from previous episodes except for the Technodrome's movement. To put it, episodic shows are fast food, whereas continuity is fine dinning; the former tastes good but isn't the healthiest, and while the later takes some use to getting to, can grow into your favorite and make you never look back on the fast food.

There are always snow in the Alps of Austria. Maybe it's mid-late August in "Real Snow Job"?

[Icebot]

The thing I liked the most about this show was seeing the Technodrome in different locations going from Dimension X to the Earth's Core back to Dimension X to the Arctic to the bottom of the ocean. I remember in Blast From The Past, Shredder said ever since we got the Technodrome out of Dimension X, we've been stuck in the earth's core.

I liked the continuity better.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

The thing I liked the most about this show was seeing the Technodrome in different locations going from Dimension X to the Earth's Core back to Dimension X to the Arctic to the bottom of the ocean. I remember in Blast From The Past, Shredder said ever since we got the Technodrome out of Dimension X, we've been stuck in the earth's core.

I liked the continuity better.

That's cool, and what helps people identify the seasons.

[Refractive Reflections]

I find it somewhat hilarious that significant proportions of people criticize the episodic nature of the OT without heavily considering the technological limitations and a child's limitations of being able to keep up with the cartoon for the late 80s and early 90s.

Unlike today with the easy accessibility of the internet of being able to watch any episode, the only way you could have watched it is either by television or video rental. Furthermore, the internet was primitive and barely being used in the early 90s (remember that wonderfully slow dial-up connection, that took hours just to view a 10 minute video?). Which makes it even more difficult to follow the OT's chronological order. I mean just look at this forum, it was established in 1999. 3 Years AFTER the OT ended, so even having a community to discuss it (in the late 80s and early 90s) would require numerous visits to comic conventions and phone calls. And which adult has the time and money just to settle the OT episode order of a cartoon? Furthermore, a cartoon that was designed to appeal to children.

Secondly, even if a child wanted to keep track of the order. They would subjected to the demands of their parents in doing other activities, and restricting "renting" or "buying" video cassettes of watching the OT Turtles that we now take for granted being adults and with the access of the internet.

It makes sense therefore for the OT series to have an episodic approach when you consider the technological restrictions and a child's limitations for the time. So yes from a storytelling perspective it may disappointing to some, but there was a substantial practical reason for it.

[Shark_Blade]

^I was about to say something similar to that. :D

There was no internet back then. No wikipedia or anything you can rely on. Heck I was fortunate enough to own the first episode of the tmnt on tape, most of my friends don't really know how they came to be or how they originate. That's why it's safe to do episodic approach, so that casual viewers can drop in and watch without too much complex story.

Nowadays, information is at the tip of your hand. Just google. Hence, we need more rich story to keep people entertained.

[Refractive Reflections]

^I was about to say something similar to that. :D

There was no internet back then. No wikipedia or anything you can rely on. Heck I was fortunate enough to own the first episode of the tmnt on tape, most of my friends don't really know how they came to be or how they originate. That's why it's safe to do episodic approach, so that casual viewers can drop in and watch without too much complex story.

Nowadays, information is at the tip of your hand. Just google. Hence, we need more rich story to keep people entertained.

I know exactly the notion you mean Shark Blade! :) :D

It surprises me still how forgetful some people are in how "things were" in the past from a technological and cultural perspective, and unfairly apply today's convenience/ease onto past events. I mean we're dealing with the OT, it's 25 YEARS OLD people!

(That's why I respect the OT's phenomenal success much more than 2K3 or 2012, because the OT was the 1st series to "prove" the TMNT had appeal to a mainstream audience all without the support of the internet to give it a buzz. The production company could only depend on a child's word of mouth for its success. That's why the 5-part 1st season was shown during Christmas time because they knew kids would be home to view & follow it, rather than being busy at school.)

I'll give an example of how different things were that we NOW take for granted:
For finding a hotel for a business trip in an unfamiliar city, our parents used to have to go to a travel agency/yellow pages to call all around and hope that the hotel was decent at the other end of the line, get a driving map, and have the receptionist make a long distance phone call to give step-by-step instructions on how to get there. Then when you get there, you have to wait for an additional 15-20 minutes for the receptionist to call your bank/credit card company to approve a check/credit card. The whole process would take hours!

Today, we just search through google, have a map (variety of visual options), look at the ratings/pictures of the hotel, and in a couple minutes can instantly book it and purchase a few nights, and print out map directions with a confirmation number. And this is all within 5 minutes!

Convenience does make some people forgetful and in the process, make them unfairly gripe about things in the past they SHOULD have a clue about.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

It makes sense therefore for the OT series to have an episodic approach when you consider the technological restrictions and a child's limitations for the time. So yes from a storytelling perspective it may disappointing to some, but there was a substantial practical reason for it.

I agree. Also remember that the 1987 show mostly aimed to kids (but my aunt loved it). Even if the 2003 and 2012 ones also could appeal to kids, there's no doubt the later ones also have aimed at older people, who grew up with the 1987 show, had re-discovered TMNT and the Mirage/Image roots.

[ABrown]

Even the episodes that WERE multi-parters, like Eye of Sarnath, The Big Season 3 trilogy, the eps with Howie in them, etc. don't have "To be continued."

I found it funny how the Season 3 finale trilogy, the first two eps have "standard" endings as if it wasn't part of a set.

That's because even though there is a continuity between the episodes, they are seperate episodes. None of the above mentioned episodes ended with a cliffhanger, thus there was no "to be continued". A "TBC" is usually only used when a cliffhanger is involved, like the season 10 episodes.