Old show review
 

Earilier this week I picked up a old school TMNT video, the episodes were A Thing About Rats and Hot Rodding Teenagers From Dimension X (Only they were shown in the wrong order). I've said it before and will say again, I only saw Leonardo Is Missing, Adventures of Rhino-Man and Adventures in Turtle Sitting as a child, and only because I was playing at my friend's house. I was too young to remember, just images of the 5-year old turtles chasing an ice cream van down the street, Krang telling Shredder to steal a diamond, the turtles switching the diamond with a counterfit making shredder steal the fake and Bebop turning into Leonardo (Or was it Rocksteady?). Now that I've watched these two episodes I can give a propper review. You already know my opinion on the voice acting, so I won't bring that up.

A THING ABOUT RATS: This show was kinda cool, I like the fights with the mousers. I like the part where the turtles trash April's house, but what the sam in hell did they do to Baxter Stockman?

HOT RODDING TEENAGERS FROM DIMENSION X: I'll be fair, the car chases and explosions were spectactular, and the fights at the Technodrome started off cool, but the Dimension X teenagers were just too weird. And Mikey putting the "slip" on the rock soldiers was just childish. Though what I can't get over, is April flipping the turtle wagon onto two wheels to skid over a tank shell--- James Bond did the same thing with his tanker two years on in Licence to Kill...

In short verdict, the jokes are funny, the stunts are cool, but the violence just isn't sinister enough. Not to bash the old cartoon, it's just that it's up against 2003. I'll check out the other episodes and send you a review. For now, three and a half stars.

Cheers

Jarrah White.

I would disagree on the rather lame three stars you gave "A Thing about Rats", that was a classic.

But keep reviewing and we'll see your true verdict.

If you think that the first season isn't violent enough, you might not like what you will see in the later seasons.

reviews
 

Yeah, the cartoon was never really overtly violent...more of just a fun action packed show. The humor is the thing that still work with me even today. Plus, I just love the old cartoon for its memories...

As for Thing About Rats...I dunno, I did not care for the way they animated that one, esp. the Turtles. The part in April's apartment was funny..."One capful huh?" :lol:

As for Hot Rodding Teenagers, yeah a rather unexciting ending but its still a cool episode...great humor. The car chase was neat, I still get excited as I watch April avoid the missile...although when Raphael jumps out and sprays lasers at the tank I'm kinda like "Uh...okay" They edited this out of the "The Epic Begins" so I didn't get to see this scene until I saw the original tape.

Re: reviews
 

Yeah, yeah, the explosion rocked! "Whoa" I cried. Then I quickly realised LTK had ripped off that part.

what is it with you and "d00d omgwtf, taht wuz r1pp3d off"

I give it a 4 star. I like it. But new cartoon is a lot better.

Re: Old show review
 

Dude, you have got to get out more! :o You've been missing all the fun!

"Yeah, come on! Like, you gotta open yourself up to new experiences, okay?" - Michaelangelo, from "New York's Shiniest"

Re: Old show review
 

Yeah, fun, fun, fun for everyone!!!

What a whimpy review...just wait until you see what I have in mind once this school year's over and I get XP on my computer ;)

Yeah, you can't judge the old show on violence, it's strength was in humor, and action... and a hella cool theme song! :D

Isn't that the one with the Cur-Lee monover? I saw the video clip.

Okay, earilier I rented 7 old school Ninja Turtle shows (And an animated version of RoboCop). I haven't had the time to review them all, but my review on the other three Season 1 episodes are a followed.

And Krang, no I'm not bashing the old show.

Turtle Tracks: I don't really have a problem with Splinter's origen story being slightly altered, but why is the mutagen purple (Or is it just my colour-blindness?). The Ninja Pizza shop/Ninja Dry Cleaners/Ninja Dentist, etc was a kinda stupid, but the robot ninjas were cool. I like how for once Mikey says "Cowabunga" with some emotion this time. The building flooding up was cool, but something just doesn't sit right with me; we see the building flooding as though you were filling a plastic jug, wouldn't the water pressure pushing against the sky-scraper windows have caused them to shatter?

Enter The Shredder: Those robots (Especaily the one with the stomping device and the one with the 'goldfinger' laser) and Indina Jones/Star Wars style stunts are it's highpoints, and the section of the Technodrome where Splinter is hung kinda reminds me of the Volcano lair in You Only Live Twice. What spoils this episode only slight is bad editing Example, at one point the TMNT are in the room with the closing walls, the next they are in some hallway with carved walls. Sadly the fight with Bebop and Rocksteady could have been better and the laser sounds were pathectic.

The Shredder Is Splintered: Okay, this one makes up for the bad laser noises in the second episode, but the fighting is a little pointless at times, I mean how can sewer water wash away a heavily armed and armoured tank? Though I like the fight with Splinter and Shredder, knowing Splinter started off as Hamato Yosi in this series the fight scene reminds me of the light saber deul between Obi Wan Kanobi and Darth Vader. I also like the holograms. One downer comes from when Shredder threatened the turtles with the retro-mutagen gun, the TMNT sound like they are reading their lines----for a Soap! And how did the turtles get out of the Technodrome so fast? But what I really liked was the part where the giant Krang fights the turtle blimp, it's like merging Godzilla and A View To A Kill (Two of my favorite movies) into one. On that note, Donny did remind me of Desmond Llewelyn when he worked on the blimp, the cleaner bothering him is like how Bond bothers Q alot.

Sorry if my review is a little unfair, as said before the old toon is up against 2003, my conclusion remains at three and a half stars. Well that's season one wrapped up, I'll check back with you when I watch the other videos.

reviews
 

I'm glad you're finally getting to see these classic cartoons Jarrah... :D
I wanted to just comment on your reviews, they're great anyhow and its nice to see the old cartoons being rediscovered even today...


Yeah, I think it is a glowing purple...kinda cool IMO


I thought that neighborhood was cool! Ninjas running a whole neighborhood, oh boy the Foot really had influence there.

DON: "Ninja Dentist...ouch!" :lol:

But as for the robot ninjas (Foot Soldiers) something bothers me...what happened to the real flesh and blood Foot members? I guess Shredder prefers robots for his minions but ...


Probably...yeah, now that I think of it, the destruction of the building was kinda unrealistic....there woulda been alot more debris flying everywhere in my opinion but in their defense I've never seen a building flood to capacity then explode... :goofygri:


I need to rewatch that again, I think you're right. That episode was editied even worse on "The Epic Begins" :dead:


But it was funny! :lol: :lol:

Bebop & Rocksteady: "RAR!"

Mikey: "Jump for it!"

CONK!


Yes, I love the figts between Shredder and his old master Yoshi aka Splinter....the Vader/Obiwan comparison is right on. A good master vs. a student gone bad.

I too like the first encounter between Mutated Bebop and Rocksteady.

That show was pretty good! I have an episode on tape that I bught for $2.99.

Do you have the Scrambler episode? I guarantee you that was better than Robocop 3

That Robocop cartoon was pretty damn good, very underated.

THREE STARS FOR SEASON ONE? Even I would'nt give some of the greatest episodes of the orginal series such a low rating, even AGAINST the new version.

I would have to give the old TMNT show a 9 out of a 10. I really never liked season 10. But liked all of the rest.

Whoa! I see a seasoned old toon fan must step in here. (not that some already haven't)

The first five episodes of the old show are the best of the bunch and even stacked up to cartoons today (including the new TMNT) they are fantastic works of fiction. Yes the dont' follow the comics well at all, but they created their own universe and one that many enjoyed and still do.

The first five episodes have the best mix of action and comedy and by far the best lines!

From the first line "Chill out homeboy" (delievered by Donatello) to the last and everything inbetween this mini-series was classic! From funny and witty to exciting and driven.

"How do you work this high tech ghetto blaster?" - Raphael

"We turtles don't know the meaning of the word defeat!" - Leonardo
"That's right, we never bothered to look it up in the dictionary" - Mikey

"Eat lead turkeys!" - Raphael

"Clang did you say clang?" - Raphael
"They're robots" - Donatello
"Robots?!? Let's ROCK!" - Mikey

"Nice work Donatello, but the roof needs be at least 3 inches higher" - Leo
"Why?" - Don
"So I can practice while were driving" - Leo

"Couldn't we have maybe taken the elevator?" - Mike
"It wouldn't have fit in the elevator" - Don
"Shut up and PUSH!" - Raphael

"Nah, humans don't know a thing when it comes to turtles" - Mikey
"A hem!" - April
"Uh, present company exempted" - Mikey

"I'll never talk!" - Baxter
"You'd better, or I'm gonna have to get... sarcastic" - Raph

"They don't pay me enough to take this kind of abbuse" - Raphael

"Lady scram!" - Donatello
"Mr. Baxter are you feeling alright, you look at little green" - Cleaning Lady

"We're crashing!!!!" - Mikey
"Pull the stick up, Michaelangelo" - Leonardo

"Sorry boys we've gotta build a parking lot where you're playing" - Raphael

"Do those things have any weapons on them?" - Leonardo
"Of course their require by law" - Dask

"Here's look'n at you kid" - Raphael

And so many more that I can't remember.

The action was not that emphasized but it was still more prodominant in these 5 episodes than most of the series (up until the final seasons), and these 5 episdoes had the best voice acting, delivery, writting, and character development. Leonardo still sounded heroic, Mike was more than free to swing his nun-chucks around, there was some great continuaty, and the villians weren't whimps yet.

I'm not judging this from nostalgia though. I've acquired the tapes with the first six episodes (and some other random episodes) and I watch them again every now and then. I can usually quote the episdoes when I watch them (and the first movie which I probably seen too many times - no that's impossible!).

The new show is good today and without a doubt better than the old one as far as sensibility, action, and drama factor but the first 5 episodes of the original should be hailed as a work of art and remember for as long as the TMNT exsited. To many that was the begining and always will be, and even though I got into the old comics as well (much later on) it was the begining for me. So it will always have a special place in my heart, be one of my all time farvotie cartoons and be an inspiration for me.

the first season is one of the best seasons (out of 10?). They are the most rememorable ones out of 193 episodes.

I'd say the first season is the best season of the cold cartoon by far. Like Ninja Tiptup said, it's good compared to the cartoons of today, even the new TMNT.

HERE HERE! Well Said, Ninja Tiptup


I just watched the original 8 episodes, and the first few are a bit rushed, but as you watch the whole mini-series, I believe 5 eps, you really flesh out a great story.

The story that, ahem, LAUNCHED the TMNT empire into super-stardom.

So uhh, some folks should appreciate that, without that TOON, we wouldn't have the toon and perhaps the comics, of today.

*Gets off soapbox*

eps
 

I love the first five episodes...they are better than alot of the eps that come after them.

Time for an update,


RETURN OF THE SHREDDER: Okay, the store robbery at the begining could have done better, but I like the "grift-wrapped for the police" joke, and Mikey riding the shopping trolly kinda reminds me of Jackass. One thing that was annoying though is the girlfriend of April's boss, one thing I can't stand is dumb blonds. Shredder has some pretty cool moves in this episode, like chopping the treebranches. And Baxter makes up for his last appearance in A Thing About Rats, what the new toon Baxter has over the old Baxter is the fact that's he's a psyhcopath, Baxter going deranged after spending his time in the mental hospital really helps. His new rat-catcher was cool, but the battering ram was stupid. Back to the subject of Shredder, watching him call for his foot solders brought back some childhood memories; my mum used to call for her 'guards' when we wouldn't clean our rooms :lol:
I've always liked the idea of the turtles being framed for a crime they didn't commit, but the "Crooked Ninja Turtle Gang" was just ridiculous, I mean who would fall for such pathectic costumes that don't even deserve to be called disgises? Nonetheless, the Channel 6 propoganda sure did it's work, "Mutant terrorists" :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Oh, and Baxter's roommate was funny.

Case of The Killer Pizzas: Alfado and the washing machine gag were funny "I've always been great against house-hold appliences" :lol: But the fight between Shredder and the turtles would only appeal to viewers under 10 years of age, though the heads ducking into the shells rocked. Slipping the monster eggs in the pizzas were kinda lame, but the gigantic creatures themselves were great (I like the bit were Raph kicks the freek in the groin area). This show was good in it's own merits, but in the end fails to match up to Notes From The Underground. Though Baxter and Shredder got a few kicks in this one,
Baxter: Yeah! You will be sorry!
Shredder: Oh shut up.

Enter the Fly: :roll: The World Trade Centre this, The World Trade centre that, it's all I ever hear about these days, my eyes just rolled when the twin towers came on in this episode. First off, let's start with the obvious; I've been hearing alot about Baxter Stockman getting turned into a fly in the old series, now that I've seen it here's my comment. Watching Baxter mutate was amazing, definatly not something for the eyes of children under 8 years. And his escape was pretty cool but he just got alittle stupid when he met Shredder again, I kinda prefere Cyborg Baxter. The Knucklehead robot was pretty cool, but just too short0lived. In the end, all those laser attacks and it's storyline are this episodes strongpoints.

4 stars.

Err... most Turtle fans STILL like the fight between Shredder and the Turtles in "Attack of the Killer Pizzas"

Dude, I loved "Attack of the Killer Pizzas". It was so messed up.

Enter: The Rat King was also one of my favs. :evilgrin: Gotta love a man who controls rats with a flute!

I play the flute. :P

both of those episdoes where good. But my fave episdoe was the turtles awesome easter, both episdoes.

I've just seen another 4 episodes,

NEW YORK'S SHINIEST: Someone's been watching RoboCop... Rex 1 was kinda cool and he had some good lines, "Hold your touge"-April "What ever you say"-REX "I'll make a new door" I like Shredder's plan to create his own robots was cool, the robots themselves were cool, but the fighting was really lame, as was REX preforming scenes from those video tapes. And the Marry-Go-Round was just stupid. I didn't like the part where April's apeartment was being robbed, I meam c'mon you'd think she'd stand up for herself and the villians wouldn't leave without a fight. And the turtles getting April's stuff back was pointless, though the turtles lifting that van was cool, shame they didn't throw it... On the plus side, I liked it when the turtles went climbing up the side of the Channel 6 building. One thing I couldn't help noticing was tips the turtles made during the show "There's ways to settle things without violence" "When will people realise their destroying their own water supply?" I'll let it slide, but in short conclusion this show lacks in violence, shame really robot battles would've been cool.

RETURN OF THE TECHNODROME: I liked those motorised Skate-boards the turtles have. And the interior sets of the Power Plant were effective. That stunt that the turtles did jumping from the glider to the turtle blimp before the glider went over the waterfall kinda reminded me of that bit in Moonraker. I also laughed when Don vibrated after hitting a Rock solders with his Bo Staff. :lol: But the Technodrome's giant laser failing on Krang was pitiful, though I like it when Leo deflected a laser with his swords, causing it to bounce off the Technodrome then slice through a tree dropping it on Shredder and his goons. Another part I liked was when Krang testing his Earthquake machine then appearing on the telly threatening the world. The episode got better towards the end, the battle aboard the Technodrome, it was like something out of Star Wars. On that note, I got another reminder of the fight with Vader and Obi Wan when Shredder and Yoshi aka Splinter confront each other, and it was spectatular to witness the bridge Shredder and Splinter were on slit in two from the laser. This is where I'll show my Donny side; The Technodrome sinking to the Earth's core, a nice idea but it was kinda quick. The Earth core is estimated tp have a diameter of 6,786 kilometres-- that's as big as Mars, to get to the Earth's core you'd have to decend though over ten thousand mile of the Earth's mantle, that could take take years! Nice ending to Season two though. Though I couldn't help noticing Donatello with a pink mask (!) Is it just my colour blindness, or did Donny discover something new about himself?

APRIL'S FOOL: I laughed when the turtles were drawn to April in her dress. Also I think that subterrenium module Shredder used was cool, I got a kick out of the tree falling on Bebop and Rocksteady when they opened the hatch. Though The idea of the turtles hanging off the copter landing gear was spoiled by Raph quoting "Remember kids: We're professionals, don't try this at home" I hate that, makes you feel the characters are in a cartoon and not in an actual event, and anyway, how many kids do you know with access to a real chopper? Exactly. The basic storyline of this episode was okay, just one small glitch that doesn't sit right: I seem to recall back in Enter: The Fly Krang stated to Baxter that he was also a scientist, if that's the case wouldn't he have known that the Lydiam 90 was too unstable and sencitive to withstand the intence heat of the Earth's core? Such a strange blunder deserves an explaination. Nice to see the turtle's without their masks though.

COWABUNGA SHREDHEAD: Okay, violence may not be this show's strongepoint but it has comedy all the way. I like how Bebop and RockSteady had to clean the base only to have Shredder wreak it with the drilling module, and I cracked up laughing seeing Shredder thinking he was Mikey. However I thought the pizza machine and for that matter seeing Leo and Raph put through the machine for that matter was too babyish for my taste, and the human facemask Mikey wore looked a little goofy. The hologram plot was cool though. But what's wrong with Krang's voice? He sounds like a nume-touged junkie on helium!

The original cartoon is not the new one, but its still great. It's a classic, and I dont just like it cause of nostagia, but its a good show. I give it 6 out of 5 stars....for every episode I have seen.

And which ones have you seen?

Okay, here's my latest update.

LEATHERHEAD: TERROR OF THE SWAMP: (sigh) Not to be racist, but one thing I can't stand is the American acent, I'd have thought listening to George Bush's speeches was torture enough. I liked Leatherhead, but those Punk Frogs were just too weird. And what's wrong with Shredder's voice? While on the subject of Shredder, Baby Shredder was a classic example of a bad idea. And I don't like the concept of the 'fountain of youth'. One thing I'm sick of is women being potrayed as dickheads;
Christ I could understand if she was 48, but 28? Nice to see April in a bikini though. And that scene with the quicksand just wasn't sinister enough. On the whole, I thought Leatherhead and his traps were cool, can't wait to see him in 2003.

THE GREAT BOLDINI: The same problem from April's Fool,
As said before takes away the feeling of the characters being in an actual event. I thought Mikey's magic show was a high point :lol: As for the basic story and characters, the concept of the emerald getting stolen and the turtles framed for it was cool, but that Irish cop was just an annoying moron, so annoying he's not funny. And weather in the musiem? WTF, the alarms were cool though. Okay, I can see what everybody likes the Rat King (He'd be pretty good in Season 3), but Zack was just annoying and really, really stupid, even for a five year old. Haven't a clue how anyone can prefere him over Venus. Don Terelli and Boldini were okay in their own merits, but where was The Shredder?

Zack >>>> Venus

Shredder wasn't in every episode, it added a little variety to the show, instead of the always stopping Shredders nefarious plan, celebrate with pizza, make joke, fade out stuff.

You want to know unfunny? Watch the episode "Shredder's mom". Although original, the concept is quite boring. I found that episode to be just as bad today as I did when it first came out.

UPDATE
 

Earlier this afternoon the video I won on ebay arrived from England. And it arrived just in time for my birthday tomorrow :tparty: :tparty: :tparty: It features two old toon episodes, The Big Blow-Out and The Big Brake In. What next? The Big Rip-Off? :lol: Oh, wait, that is a real episode title! The tape also features certain other cartoons, The Super Mario Bros Super Show, James Bond Jr (The reason I ordered the tape, be sure to check my TV TOME website for update on the episode "The Chameleon"), The Adventures of T Rex, Captain N: The Game Master, Transformers, and GI Joe. Most of these cartoons I've never even heard of.

Of course as this tape came from the UK, the TMNT I got is Hero Turtles, not Ninja Turtles. So I assume it's been edited for the British audiences. I'll be watching The Big Brake In later, for now though enjoy my review of The Big Blow Out,


I must say I am impressed. I've never seen the technodrome with all those features, hidden missiles, giant legs, forcefeilds, enough to start a small war. And who would object to watching the technodrome crush everything in it's path? However, some aspects of this episode was kinda lame, like that gigantic power cord. On the whole I do like the idea of the turtles riding a running missile, makes them seem suicidal. Needless to say however, I just rolled my eyes at the sound of Michelangelo refering to the bad guys as 'unpatriotic'. Anyways, again I am reminded of the fight with Obi Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader by the Splinter/Shredder fight scene. This is one of the best I've seen so far, what with Shredder falling from that platform, very Star Warsish. I do find the idea of a missile launching the Technodrome up into Dimension X pretty cool, but the people who wrote this episode definately didn't know rocket science. The missile that the turtles used to send the TDrome flying into space was obviously a SCUD. A SCUD isn't exactly an Apollo Saturn V booster rocket, a SCUD is a short range bomb. There's no possible way a missile of that design could reach the dimensional porthole deep in space, let alone reach the clouds. Shredder was a little whiny on this episode, but Splinter did have some good lines "No, I saw it on the 5 O-Clock news" "His own evil will be his very undoing"

Once again, the old show has given us a brillent ending to a season, 4 Stars.

I consider the old toon and the new toon completely different genres. Its like comparing Archie and Image almost.

I also noticed how during the Intro sequence of Hero Turtles new footage ws placed with the footage of Mikey with his chuks. Just a question, is that a Shredder Turtle I saw during that intro?

Here's my review on The Big Brake In: I thought the design of the Minimiser was cool, but the idea of using it to shrink military bases was stupid; military bases are built into the ground, they made it look like they were built on a flat board. It was pretty cool seeing the turtles use grappling hooks to gain access to the Technodrome and I liked those vehicles the turtles used. I liked the bit where Raphael was strapped to the convayer belt and moving towards the buzsaws, good Goldfinger homage. I do have no objection to watching vehicles flip, but the length of time it took for the Technodrome to reach April's overturned News van was pathectic and made April seem too dependent on someone trying to save her. Surely within the time taken for the TDrome to reach the car she would have escaped alot earlier. And as I've said before, no lines that make it clear the characters know they are in a television show :x :evil: Being positive, I thought Krang's new arms were awesome and all those space-age locations on the Technodrome rocked. The Technodrome did kinda look cute shrunk. As for the turtles riding the missile, suicide bomber turtles-- gotta love it!

Overall these two episodes of Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles are not actually bad. But to be honest I kinda prefere the James Bond Jr episode that was also featured on the tape. That reminds me, click here for my updated site.

I've just seen Sky Turtles and here's what I've got to say about it.

At first I thought the idea of using a anti-gravity machine to take over the world was ridiculous, but later it became cool. I like the idea of gravity crushing everything flat, and buildings getting ripped from their foundations was alright, but I would have liked it better had the buildings fell from the sky and smashed, total choas :evilgrin: rather than gently landing back in their original positions. Also, I like the trick Mikey did tricking to Foot soldiers into melting each other with their lasers. And I thought it was funny seeing Bebop and Rocksteady fall on top of Shredder.