Top 5 All Around Best Episodes
 

OK, so this hasn't been done in a while.

List your top 5 episodes in term of animation, story, humor, etc. And a small explanation why.

1. Night Of The Rouges, Season 7, 1993: First of all this one has great animation, the action scenes are very fluid, everything runs very smooth. It was great to see all these villains together. Classics like Rat King and Leatherhead as well as the random return of Tempestra or the one-shot appearance of Scumbug. Casey also appears in this one.
2. Turtles On Trial, Season 3, 1989: I believe the animation in this one was done by Toei and it shows as one of the better looking episodes of the season. This one goes to show that a TMNT episode could have good action scenes like the one featured in this episode at the museum. The mockery of Morton Downy Jr. and "Trash TV" is spot on. This one ends on a pretty down note for a kids toon as the Turtles lose in more way's then one, Shredder gets away and their still public enemy #1.
3. Cowabunga Shreddhead, Season 3, 1989: This is one of the most absurd episodes created, but one of the best. The animation is wacky like Ken Mitchroney's work in the Archie Adventures, but it fits the episode perfectly. This one's very quotable too.
4. Shredder Triumphant, Season 7, 1993: In my opinion the best "Season Finale" episode. This was a season 7 episode so the animation is again very well done and consistent. The idea of having Shredder win, for a little while at least was great. Shredder actually took on all four Turtles too, that hardly happened especially not like this.
5. Plan 9 From Outer Space, Season 4, 1990: Another comedy episode, but there's nothing wrong with that, the series had loads of em, but this one's handled right. Bebop and Rocksteady as TV executives, nothing else really needs to be said. "Kung-Fu Kitty Cartoons"

1. Usagi Yojimbo - The action!
2. The Big Blowout - So epic!
3. Night of the Rouges - The Characters!
4. Turtle Tracks - The beginning
5. The Maltese Hamster.... I dunno, I've just always loved this one :lol:

I'm gonna be one of those guys nobody likes and just says "The First Season." I like it best because:

- I think it has the best drawing and animation styles
- I like that Bebop and Rocksteady are a challenge
- The episodes can be stand-alone, but they all link together into one story
- Had there never been more episodes, that season could've stood alone on it's own as a mini-series with a cult following
- I like the humor in the first season best
- I like Leonardo's early voice more than his later voice

There are some other reasons, too, but I don't wanna make the list too long and fanboyish. I love the series overall. I just think that the first season is the best there is of the show.

In no particular order


-"The Maltease Hamster" (Any Untouchables/Bogart parody fest where motivated, fresh characters get the drop on the Turtles gets a plus...not to mention "Men's Underwear" is one of the series best on-the-nose visual gags)

-"Green With Jealousy": This is one of the few episodes that actually do something interesting with Rocksteady's character, with Bebop strictly in a sidekick/helpless onlooker role at the train-wreck unfolding with April. Also features one of the better grand-scale schemes from Shredder and Krang that leads to both solid comedy and some excellent action set peices. Irma demonstrates why she's the most underrated female character in the series if not the most relatable here too.

-"The Big Rip-Off/The Big Break-In/The Big Blow-Out": For most of us, this ought to have been the finale of the series, because it's hard to argue that they managed to top the scale of this finale. The last "real" finale until season seven's "Shredder Triumphant" sees Shredder and Krang unleash The Technodrome "for real" and almost suceed if not for a combination of a missle and Tragg's stupidity. Wise even teased Shredder's death half-way through the finale when he was catapulted off of a platform by oil.

-"Shredded and Splintered": "Tonight I dine on Turtle Soup" has arguably become one of the best known lines in animation.

Honourable Mentions: The remainder of season one and all of season two. "Beneath These Streets", "Turtles on Trial", "Sky Turtles", "Usagi Come Home", "Plan 6 From Outer Space", "Tower of Power", "The Dimension X Story", "Donatello's Degree", "Leonardo is Missing", "Donatello's Duplicate", "Leonardo Cuts Loose", "The Ice Creature Cometh" "Pirate Radio", "My Brother The Bad Guy", "Night of the Dark Turtle", "Night of the Rouges" , "Combat Land", "Shredder Triumphant", and quite a few more.

the first five pilot episodes is a given, they where flawless. It's hard to mention just five because there are so many I like but

Beware the Lotus Blossom Introduces another ninja who Leonardo identifies with and tries to reach out to, and develops feelings for, but poses a danger to because she is a worthy adversary and actually finds the turtles lair, leaving a dangeruos enemy to betray their location to Krang. This also shows Krang openly replacing Shredder with another ninja leaving room for lots of trechery and double crossing. But what made this episode really good was the bitter sweet ending with Lotus Blossom's emotional musing that maybe she and Leoanrdo might be on the same side, but now it was not possiable.

Shredderville a dark world where the turtles don't exsist and Shredder rules in a taliban-esch regime. And it's a pretty effed up world to, full of intolerance and violents where every one, including the turtles closest human allies, revile them for being mutants. Not only that but you see April and Irma reduced to nothing more but haram girls which is probably the friendliest cartoon way of showing sex slavery.

Turtles on Trial a modern day witch hunt in cartoon form. This episode shows how propaganda can be used to bury innocent people with alot hatred and intolerance, and how cut throat and uncaring the media can be if they exploit circumstances and create a scapegoat. It even has a not so happy clean and cut ending where the turtles don't get the chance to vindicate them selves.

Night of the Dark Turtle Donatello has always had a deep rooted intolerance for humanity and dark side which has manifested subltly through out the series, and this episode it completely comes to the forfront and he starts acting in a much more brutal and cut throat way and even tries to kill Shredder in cold blood. :o The fear Shredder displays when he realizes that Donatello is serious and intends to kill him is very convincing. This episode really shows what the turtles are capable of of the didn't hold on to their honorable values and stopped caring what the world thought of them.

Get Shredder! this episode is the turning point of the old toon where it leaves wise cracks and amusingly pathatic attempts to cause trouble behind, and the gloves come off. When Shreddrer finally decides to stop playing games and blows up the Channel six building. This is by far the most shocking thing in the whole series and it has a big impact on every one on the show, putting April at odds with her boss and her position as a reporter in jeapordy, imbittering Burns against the turtles even more, and making the turtles go after Shredder with a seriousness and intent that hasn't been shown since the first season season. What makes this even more memeorable is the digust and hatred the turtles show toward Shredder for he has done.

and these are just a few. Honorable mentions to just about every every season finale this series has had, the turtleoids episodes, My Brother the bad guy, the Old Switcheroo, Enter the Ratking, Enter the Fly, White Belt, Black heart, Legend of Koji, Donatello's Duplicate, Leatherhead Meets the RatKing, Splinter Vanishes, The Foot Soldiers are Revolting, What's Michaelangelo Good For?, The Sword of Yurikawa, and more.

Very good, these go in my "Honorable Mentions".

Since I like most of the first three seasons, I'll list five favorites from season 3 and on.

- Son of Return of the Fly II - This is my favorite of the CBS Fly episodes. "Landlord of the Flies" was kind of boring and completely out of continuity, and "Revenge of the Fly" was good, but kind of a cliche plot.

- Splinter Vanishes- Interesting to see the Turtles split up, and Leatherhead in his final appearance of the series (at least where he served any kind of purpose).

- Legend of Koji- I liked the plot and time travel..it was cool to see the formation of the Foot Clan.

- White Belt, Black Heart- I haven't seen this in probably 10 years, but I remember liking it alot.

- Get Shredder- The start of the "Red Sky" episodes was actually quite promising. It only goes downhill from here.

Aside from the pilot (because lets face it, it's awesome) I'd have to pick:

Legend of Koji: Good story, involves time travel...I'm there.

Night of the Rogues: TMNT v. EVERY VILLAIN EVAR!!

Night of the Dark Turtle: Donatello becoming a bad-a vigilante. Awesome!

Cowabunga Shredhead or The Old Switcheroo: Similarish stories, and I couldn't pick one over the other.

Super Bebop and Mighty Rocksteady(I swear that's what it's called...:P): Rutabaga...rutabaga...rutabaga...

Legend Of Koji was pretty good, another season 7 episode, coincidence?

It's what the third movie should have been.

5. Turtle Tracks: the introduction of the turtles brings back the memories.
4. Shreddered and Splintered: the introduction of the turtle blimp made me want to have it for Christmas when i was a child.

3. A Thing about Rats: The Turtle Van inspired me to build a Ninja Turtles wagon float for an elementary mardi gras parade.

2. Return of the Shredder: The scene with Leonardo and Michaelangelo shopping in the grocery store makes me laugh.

1. The Incredible Shrinking Turtles: Giantess April looming next to the turtles' fallen jar is a great perspective and Raphael's line: "This is no time for small talk."

Hard to choose:ohwell: Some of my favs got to be

#The Triology of season 10

#Turtle Tracks

#Usagi Yojimbo

#Shredder triumph

#Rock Around the Block

I second Turtle Tracks... the explosive beginning of the series, the destruction of that building, and best of all, Ninja Pizza.

Shredded and Splintered, yeah! That one's definitely not debatable. After all, that is where Splinter and Shredder have their epic battle while the turtles fight that Giant Krang Android body.

And how can you not love Cowabunga Shredhead? Sure, it's the old body switch cliche, but they took it, turned it on its ear, and made it a million times better than anyone else could have. Plus, James Avery's surfer dude impersonation is just a riot.

I'd like to add, Corporate Raiders from Dimension X. The best Casey episode in the old series. And seeing him wear a suit and tie with his hockey mask? Now that's a laugh and a half. And of course, Raph's comment on the ending, "It may not be a realistic ending, but it's a happy one."

And of course, The Dark Turtle... just because it's like... how do I explain this.. a catty slap fight at Warner Bros. for Batman TAS getting on the turtle's turf.

I should mention the Shreeka episode, only because it had a person from Krang's past that he used to work with. This whole episode reinforced the whole Krang and Shredder as a married couple angle. Shreeka basically came across as the imbittered ex-wife who showed up after years of Krang being married to Shredder, pissed off at him for "abandoning" her and making off with her "ring", and wanting it back. :lol:

Shreeka pretty much came off as a female Shredder in her personlity, arrogance, and disregard for Bebop and Rocksteady, right down to her simmilarity to Shredder's name. "Shreeka", "Shredder" :lol: looks like Krang goes for the same type over and over again in relationships! Krang even had Shredder try it on (which looks suspiously like an engagment ring), and Shredder got all teary eyed for a moment, wanting to keep it.

the end of the episode where Shreeka gives back Rocksteady and Bebop is just a parody of divorce court where one spouse gets saddled up with the unwanted kids, while the other goes off saticfied knowing they stuck it to their ex. Priceless!

This is going to be hard, as my opinions change constantly. I'm also going to exclude the first five episodes from my list, since they're in a league of their own (and, in my opinion, still the height of all TMNT animation). In no particular order:

Night of the Rogues - The obligatory supervillain mash-up. I loved this episode as a kid, and it really highlights the great rogues gallery that the old toon brought us with all its zany mutants.

Turtles on Trial - I know I'm echoing earlier opinions, but the episode was witty, strangely dark in its ending, action-packed, and the animation was beautiful.

Invasion of the Krangezoids - So. Awesome.

Planet of the Turtleoids Parts 1 and 2 - Epic plot, toy appearences up the wazoo (Groundchuck, Dirtbag, Mini Scouter, Chromedrome), some lines funny enough to actually make me laugh out loud, and good action. This needs to come to DVD ASAP.

Leonardo Lightens Up - Bite me. This episode is hilarious. If you have to watch one funny episode of the show, this is it. Three words: Splinter skateboard contest.

Horable mentions: "Night of the Dark Turtle", "Muckman Messes Up", "Snakes Alive!", "Mutagen Man", "Enter the Rat King", "What's Michelangelo Good For?". These episodes still rock my socks.

My list comes from the episodes I've seen and can remember which is the first 6 seasons.

1. Turtle Tracks - the whole thing just rocks

2. Usagi Yojimbo - duh, samurai rabbits

3. Leatherhead, Terror of the Swamp - The frogs are awesome and Leatherhead's voice cracks me up, by gumbo.

4. The Maltese Hamster - Love the trench coats and Bogart impression the whole episode

5. Slash - The Evil Turtle From Dimension X - Pretty much anything with guest villains is awesome. And Fenton Q. Hackenbush sounds like a name Groucho Marx used in a movie.

I like the episode where Every one tries to be leader while Leo is away. That was cool.

I also like the one where April turns into a feline woman. :)

I loved this one when I was younger, I don't really know why, maybe because it was like a Leo solo episode, as he was my favorite then. I remember faking sick so I could stay home from school and watch it, this is when USA Network was showing them at like 6:30 am or something. The animations got it's good and bad spots, the end battle being the best use.

Hmmm, this thread could be a useful "Episode Discussion" thread, or is there an older one on here already? Anybody else think so? Sage Ninja?, Zarius?, anyone?

# Episode "Take Me to Your Leader" hehe... it's a good ep, to quote shredder!

:shredder: : "Well, i always wanted to be a writer. Being a Ruthless conquerer was a second choice."

# Episode "Cat Woman from Channel Six" i don't think that ep was so great, but worth watching.

No mention of "Bye, Bye, Fly?" I like Baxter Stockman getting (at least temporary) revenge on Shredder. :)