Watching the Next Mutation for the first time

[Danetello]

I know you'll all think this is crazy, but today I decided to watch the first episode of the Next Mutation on Netflix. It's the only series I've never seen any part of, and so I was just curious more than anything. Anyway, I know this has all been gone over a thousand or more times, but I'd never seen it, so to me this was new. I just thought I'd share my thoughts.
I already knew from the bad reputation it gets here, plus my own limited knowledge of it (seeing screen caps namely, here on the forum), that it was going to be dire - but boy did I underestimate!

Everything about it was atrocious. I hated the look and design of the characters - Splinter especially was terrible. The camera work was abysmal, the theme music awful... The list goes on. By the end of the episode I had no desire to continue at all, which was a first for me in any TMNT TV or movie series. I'd even watch TMNT III over this (which by all accounts, I never thought was as bad as everyone claims anyway!).

Will I watch episode 2? Maybe in about another year from now when I have nothing else left to watch, but not before.

[Powder]

Oh goodie, another bashing thread. Just what we needed.

[Danetello]

Well I was just giving my thoughts. You don't need to be rude.

[IndigoErth]

I watched it for the first time last year. Which I think was probably far better than going into it with high hopes years ago when it was new. Knowing to fully expect it to be cringe worthy just gave it it's own form of entertainment value.

[Danetello]

I watched it for the first time last year. Which I think was probably far better than going into it with high hopes years ago when it was new. Knowing to fully expect it to be cringe worthy just gave it it's own form of entertainment value.

I can definitely see that, and is a fair point. If there are any particular episodes anyone can recommend just so I can get a better flavour for the series, I'm more than prepared to watch them. I just didn't like anything I saw today, is all. I'm kinda on this quest to watch everything-ever TMNT, and so I feel compelled to watch NM at some point. LOL.

[ssjup81]

I watched it for the first time last year. Which I think was probably far better than going into it with high hopes years ago when it was new. Knowing to fully expect it to be cringe worthy just gave it it's own form of entertainment value.I watched it when it originally aired. I didn't find it cringeworthy at the time. I really need to rewatch this again someday. I really don't recall much, hence it obviously wasn't memorable.

[Danetello]

One thing that just came to my mind that I thought was funny was the sewer skateboard thing. Reminded me of the FW OT.

[IndigoErth]

"Turtles Night Out" is a personal favorite. :P Note, not in a "best of" serious way however, I just find it amusing.

Looked it up to make sure I had the title correct.... is Robbie Rist the caller in the beginning?? Or is it just a similar voice.

[CylonsKlingonsDaleksOhMy]

I know you'll all think this is crazy, but today I decided to watch the first episode of the Next Mutation on Netflix.

I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. :tlol:

[CyberCubed]

Episodes 1 and 2 were actually the best the show had to offer.

[Autbot_Benz]

I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. :tlol:

agreed This is why you don't let Saban touch turtles

[IndigoErth]

agreed This is why you don't let Saban touch turtles
Tried to go too much for the Power Rangers style, and just doesn't work for them. :ohwell:

I never saw Power Rangers, it was a little after my time and the cheesy aspect did not appeal to me, so I'd really only ever seen the commercials, but just going by that alone it was painfully obvious to me that Next Mutation had to be by the same people. Wasn't surprised when I looked that up and found it true.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

"Turtles Night Out" is a personal favorite. :P Note, not in a "best of" serious way however, I just find it amusing.

Looked it up to make sure I had the title correct.... is Robbie Rist the caller in the beginning?? Or is it just a similar voice.


Isn't that the one where Mikey had the pirate radio show and set up the rave for charity? If so, I'd recommend that one as one of the few decent ones. Also the one that introduced Silver.


agreed This is why you don't let Saban touch turtles


That came out SOOO wrong, man, LOL!!!

[IndigoErth]

Isn't that the one where Mikey had the pirate radio show and set up the rave for charity? If so, I'd recommend that one as one of the few decent ones. Also the one that introduced Silver.
Yes, yes it is. :tcool: Some decent one liners in there, too.

That came out SOOO wrong, man, LOL!!!
Didn't even read it that way at all, now I can't unread it... go sit in the corner. lol :trazz:

[sdp]

TNM is a product of its time so of course it doesn't hold up when viewed without context, this isn't the 90s and you aren't a kid.

First of all if you really want to watch TNM you need to give it a chance more than the first episode, the show has plenty of stinkers but also some great episodes. Off the top of my head I liked the Good Dragon episode and the one where Shredder makes his comeback..The gangster Gorilla was a great character, when Bonesteel acted serious which while didn't happen often also gave us a great villain. Even the Baxter Stockman ripoff had some great moments.

Also if you're watching on Netflix you're not watching the original soundtrack so if you don't like the themes then that's not a fair point against it, I don't know how the new soundtrack sounds since i've never heard it but I doubt it's as good even if the original wasn't amazing.

[jenna]

Yes, it is cringeworthy. But....

When I first watched it I was bracing myself for something nothing short of horrendous, due to its reputation.

As a result, I actually found myself being pleasantly surprised by little things - some of the one-liners for example ("But the rat had a stick" is one of my all-time favourite tmnt quotes). Yeah, after the first episode it becomes completely ridiculous and Venus is... Just... almost unmentionable. But there's something oddly fun about it.

My advice for optimum TNM enjoyment, crack open a bottle of quality booze and watch it with a fellow tmnt fan. Don't look for quality in it, enjoy it for what it is and you may just find yourself having fun.

Incidentally, the same strategy can be employed for the OT, SOTO and film 3. :D

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Nah, those don't require alcohol to enjoy- unless you like drinking games, LOL!

[MC]

Hey Danatello, to answer your question, you probably won't like much of Next Mutation if you didn't like the first episode, it really goes downhill, and there are some god awful episodes I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy... but if you are interested in watching a couple more for curiousity, I recommend you watch the episode where Shredder returns, probably the best episode in my opinion. It had some really interesting concepts - a homeless Shredder after a mental breakdown, Splinter trying to reconcile with his old enemy, and wondering if carrying on Yoshi's vendetta was a good idea... etc. It had some good concept, let down by AWFUL execution - terrible script, cringeworthy fight scenes, and horrible acting from Patrick Pon as the Shredder. But yeah, if you took the basic concept of that episode, and gave it to some decent writers and actors, you could have had a really good episode.

[turtlefanforever]

Typical bash thread. But everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Seems you didn't go into this show with an open mind. Were you actively looking for things to hate?

If you do decide to give it another shot which one should the episodes to watch are

1. The Unchain my heart episodes(1-4)
2. The Good Dragon
3. Turtles' Night Out

i wrote more in depth about them here:
http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/showthread.php?t=51244

Also anything with Silver in it, is a good time. He's one of my favorite villains from any of the series.

[Mew]

I actually like this series. I don't get the hate. Venus was not a bad change; people were used to four Ninja Turtles, and I like the idea of a fifth Turtle, and a female one at that. I like her character, and I think many people think it's not "right" to have a fifth Turtle, but then why do you not hate Slash? I also like the different designs of the Turtles. With the bandanas, elbow and knee pads, ect. I like the Dragon Lord character, since it was an awesome change to Shredder being the main villain. Also the villains, like Silver, are really fun to watch and laugh at. The Shredder design at the beginning is actually pretty cool! I wish more characters, like Casey Jones, April, Krang, ect., were in it but it is still a great series. I also like the Turtle costumes. They don't look over realistic, but not strait-out cartoonish. I also like the sould effects during the fights, since it feels kinda like the Three Stooges, Looney Toons, ect. I even like the team up with the Power Rangers in Space, and I thought the plot of them going evil and hijacking the Rangers' ship was very creative! I think this series is awesome and I'm glad I can watch it on Netflix!

[LeotheLateBloomer]

Tried to go too much for the Power Rangers style, and just doesn't work for them. :ohwell:

I never saw Power Rangers, it was a little after my time and the cheesy aspect did not appeal to me, so I'd really only ever seen the commercials, but just going by that alone it was painfully obvious to me that Next Mutation had to be by the same people. Wasn't surprised when I looked that up and found it true.

This sums it!

TNM is fan-fiction.net told in live-action. I was not fond of the characterizations of the turtles. While Leo and Raph still have their differences, hear it feels like Leo just outright hates Raph as a brother. The first episode showed how less he cared for him and did nothing but belittled and insulted him. And fans thought Leo in the 2007 film was a jerk?

[MsMarvelDuckie]

This sums it!

TNM is fan-fiction.net told in live-action. I was not fond of the characterizations of the turtles. While Leo and Raph still have their differences, hear it feels like Leo just outright hates Raph as a brother. The first episode showed how less he cared for him and did nothing but belittled and insulted him. And fans thought Leo in the 2007 film was a jerk?


Please don't lump us fan-fic writers in with that gawds-awful show. Some of us are actually GOOD writers who know how to treat the characters properly.

[Huzzah]

When it comes to Next Mutation, I look for some silver lining. There are some good ideas buried deep within it. It just needs someone to embrace the ideas. Then again, I subscribe to the notion that there are no bad characters, just bad writers. I'd love IDW to embrace some of the concepts, like the Dragons and spin it into something coherent. Hell, given the right chance even Venus could be a worthwhile character.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Oh, definitely. I loved the idea of Mikey's radio station and that rave he set up, Silver was a neat villain, and even Bonesteel could work if done right. I've seen a few fics with Venus that were far better than what was produced. And one of my favorite things from TNM was Splinter and his friend in the park. I've always thought he should get more focus, and that was a good way to do it.

[sdp]

TNM had tons of great ideas that should be re-used like Splinters blind friend and yeah even Mikey's pirate radio wasn't such a bad idea. What people forget about TNM is that it had an awesome rogues gallery, it probably created more great original villains than most incarnations. The problem was they were often written very silly in some episodes and that's what people think the whole show was but most villains in TNM had a time to shine.

Bonesteel the bounty hunter is such an awesome and logical idea I'm surprised we've never seen it again. Sadly he was written like an idiot most of the time, except in the Vammi episodes where instead of an idiot he's more of a mentally unstable person and it fit him very well. Dr. Quease when he wasn't acting like a bufoon was also interesting enough to co-exist along Baxter, I mean most of the things he did were for "science" and he was amoral, didn't care if it helped the good guys or bad guys as long as science was being done. Silver was great as a campy gorilla mobster works great in a TMNT universe. The Dragonlord and his rank of dragon is an interesting concept but only used to its full potential in very few episodes it's another thing that could work.

So yeah, i'd love to see TNM characters in other TMNT media, they deserve a second chance. TNM was a product of its time and decent for what it was, instead of pretending it didn't exist we must take the good elements and flesh them out. I'll take any of the characters above over some of the trash the Nick has come up with like Spyderbites. If Nick is breathing new life to Lord Dregg and Armaggon, two characters who never got a chance to shine why not spread the love to other obscure TMNT characters.

[IndigoErth]

TNM is fan-fiction.net told in live-action.
Please don't lump us fan-fic writers in with that gawds-awful show. Some of us are actually GOOD writers who know how to treat the characters properly.
:lol: Well, just bad ones only I guess. :) But now I'll be looking at it that way next time I watch an episode.


That really kinda makes me wish it became 'a thing' to turn really badly written fan fic shorts (or portions of longer ones) into animation (or at least a recorded reading); intact with no grammar or typo corrections, pronounced as is, broken English is a plus. With the right voice talent and right amount of melodrama... *tears of laughter* Sounds a little like the old "How is Babby Formed?" video in my head. lol

[MsMarvelDuckie]

You know, THAT could almost be fun to see! I can think of a couple of contenders, too.

[LeotheLateBloomer]

Please don't lump us fan-fic writers in with that gawds-awful show. Some of us are actually GOOD writers who know how to treat the characters properly.

I'm sure you're a GOOD writer, dude. ;) I'm referring to the people who wrote this gawds-awful show. It looks like it's written by a TMNT fan jealous of Power Rangers during the height of their popularity. Heck, even the crossover episode feels like it.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Well, if you ever want to find out- my siggy link goes to the page with all my tales! Including a couple NSFW.

[LeotheLateBloomer]

I'll do so. Thanks!:)

[Powder]

Please don't lump us fan-fic writers in with that gawds-awful show. Some of us are actually GOOD writers who know how to treat the characters properly.

Well, if you ever want to find out- my siggy link goes to the page with all my tales! Including a couple NSFW.

http://i61.tinypic.com/2j3ntxk.jpg

[Wesley]

I liked watching the series when I was 12 and thought it was a decent show back then. A few people at school actually preferred it over the OT, as it was live action. However, I rewatched the first few episodes nearly a year ago and it was awful. It wasn't as good as I remembered it. My memories of the show from when I was younger were that it was slightly serious.

[Guitar_Raph]

as if everybody knows me by now, I thought it was cool! Liked the sashes, muscles, silly slapstick & all.

The only other silver lining; Raph drives a motorcycle for the first time.

However, I was completely fooled to think that they would play as a band again, when it was only a promo for Fox Kids. Least I got to see Mikey play the drums & organ (The Good Dragon).

That's the Mikey that inspired me to make him a musician in my fanfics.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

http://i61.tinypic.com/2j3ntxk.jpg


Perhaps, but I feel like I've earned it. Been writing since I was a wee nipper, and have several fic awards under the belt. Not that it matters, but- and I like your works, too, Powder. You're quite the talented artist, even if we don't always see eye to eye.

[aliena]

Even bad TMNT is good TMNT when there isn't anything else. It was all I had when it first aired and I actually enjoyed it. There are things I like and dislike in it.

I loved Dragonlord and Wick I just wish they had a better reason to chase the turtles other than to eat them.

I really liked Silver and all his episodes are my favorites. "Could that hurt any more?"

I liked the idea of Venus, just not her personally.

I didn't like how the turtles didn't feel like a family. Leo is far too harsh with Raph, way too harsh. I believe he hated him, which is not the case in reality. At one point he states that he "Almost liked him, but then he got over it."

I loved Raph and I loved him on his bike. Of course, there isn't a Raph I don't love.

This Donnie is the one who made me a fan of Donatello. I never really noticed him until TNM. Plus, he cops a feel on Venus about three times. Sneaky bugger.

[Bombshell]

I watched it when it first aired and since it was the newest thing TMNT had to offer (and I was rather starved), it seemed alright. I don't remember watching a whole lot of it.

Until today, when my daughter heard of a "girl turtle" on the playground and so I had to pull it up on Netflix for her curiosity's sake. I think she watched about 4 episodes and was completely done with it...and she's 6 years old. She watches shows over and over and over and over again. Not this show though. 4 did it and she was done with it all.

I have to think that if Venus was treated with an ounce of respect instead of the boys acting as though she were a piece of meat, maybe her image would have been slightly better than what it is today. Personally I was kind of appalled by their interactions with her :ohwell:

[pennydreadful]

My Next Mutation dvds are currently boxed up with the rest of my packing and I'm missing being able to come home from work and throw it on in the background to help me decompress; I spin it a lot more often than I had realized!

[ProactiveMan]

"Bada boom!" *bonk*. I have to watch it through again, it's been too long. I honestly haven't seen it since my VCR broke, which was quite a long time ago.