Original series listed on IGN's top 25 comic book shows list
 

At #24: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (the original series):

http://tv.ign.com/articles/121/1214608p1.html

For the record B:TAS was #1....and no, the 4kids TMNT series was not listed at all.

Just goes to show you that the 4kids series completely fell under the radar despite how good it was.

As big a TMNT fan as I am, I'm not sure I'd put either series in a "Top 25 Comic Book Shows" list. The first one didn't have many comics to build on when it was created and quickly branched off into its own brand of humor and adventure. The 4Kids show was mostly solid, broke a lot of taboos, and was very enjoyable overall... but it also had its fair share of bad writing and lame moments.

There are just too many really good Comic Book-based TV shows (animated or live-action) that far outshine both TMNT cartoons in that regard.

Bad list anyways. Brave and the Bold and Superman: TAS ranked lower than X-Men... HA!

I'm fine with that. X-Men was a show that had its problems and stumbles, but (together with Batman: TAS on the Fox Kids lineup) it really established the legitimacy of the superhero cartoon show in the 90s. From an animation and overall story pacing perspective though, Superman: TAS is a higher quality show. X-Men just has a unique charm that kept the viewer on the edge of his seat, making sure he always tuned back in every week.

As good as it is, Superman: TAS was never as big a hit as most or made enough of a cultural impact as the 90s Marvel toons or Batman:TAS did.

Please tell me you're joking. Spider-Man: TAS is terrible by today's standards.

s. U. P. E. R. M. A. N.

;)

Always nice to see the boys acknowledged, but honestly the whole thing is borderline insulting. That this would be there rather than 2k3, I mean.
All it's doing is piling on more crap to the stigma that the turtles are nothing but goofballs. Folks may now assume Mirage was like the OT...

I don't how I got Spider-Man from that. I must have it on the brain too much...must be all that criticising I do of the product.

Most people who watched the original series don't view the Turtles as "goofballs", hence why many take exception to their portrayal in Turtles Forever (even when it's an exaggeratedly accurate portrayal)

of course the original would be mentioned instead of the 2k3 version. Even if the 2k3 version is more like the comics, it didn't cause the pop culture blow out the 80s version did. The 2k3 versions writing and music can be so bad at times, it comes off as goofy as the original in my opinion.

All cartoons come off as goofy from time to time. Just look at the top two shows on that list. Batman had corny episodes like "I've Got Batman in My Basement" and totally cheesy melodramatic one's like "I am the Night". And Spectacular Spider-man had the overuse of the word "bro" and and other dopey lines constantly spoken by the students.

While ever show does have "stinker" episodes, the 2k3 Turtles toon fell victim to the common problems of bad writing (somewhat salvaged by Peter Laird's input) and terribly cheesy fake-cussing and "shell" puns all in the name of "edginess" and to remind the viewer that "Hey, we're not like that OTHER cartoon you remember!" It wasn't just an episode here and there, but an ongoing problem that marred an other-wise quality and exciting series. That doesn't make it bad, it just means it doesn't deserve a spot on a list of the Top 25 Comic Based shows on All Time.

Totally agree with this. I also felt the 2k3 version was trying so hard to be liked, the show's presentation felt forced more so than the easy going original. There are a variety of reasons the newer version didn't get very popular, and I'd say it wasn't just a bad time slot or bad timing in general. It was missing something...plus that theme music really sucked :tlol:

Cool, though I'll have to say 2K3 was a very good show, it's actually better then the old toon :P. BUT the old toon just has something going for it you can't deny if you grew up with it, I guess that something is nostalgia.

I often wonder how today's kids would view it.

I don't think nostaglia factors into it at all. The original is simply miles better than the modern show based on how original and funny it is.

And just when people were starting to get behind it's message, it abandoned it's principles and said "Hey, look, NOW we're as wacky and as goofy as the original" with the last few seasons, and it didnt help it's cause at all.

I think the 2k3 is better in a sense of action, truth to the source material, and in depth story telling. But if this list was based on cultural impact I think that the original toon definitely wins out in that department. Turtles apparel and gear busted out of the original show, heck most of the clothing items nowadays featuring the turtles still feature the original toon designs much more often than the 2k3 series. Turtle-Mania was generated in the 80's and 90's by us as kids, and the impact of that is still felt today. So yeah 2k3 was a more true and better written TMNT series, but it kind of flies in under the radar. As far as cultural impact and seasons on the air the original toon definitely takes the cake over the 2k3 series.