How would kids today feel about the 1987 cartoon?
 

If they were to air the 1987 cartoon on Nickelodeon today (or the future), how would most kids today feel about it? How would your kids react to it? It is a great show, but I'm curious as to how the jokes and gags would hold up today.

I can see some kids asking this question...
Kid: Huh? Why does this Raphael sound like the new Donatello? :o

I think they'd roll their eyes and say "Whatever." It does not hold up well.

Seemed appropriate.

I'm not sure.

Cartoons are certainly much better these days, back then it was near damn universal for cartoons to have choppy animation full of errors and writing so formulaic and nonsensical anyone older than ten would find it unbearable. Not to mention the fact that two (much less awkward) TMNT cartoons came in the past decade, there isn't much reason for little kids to watch some old low budget show.

On the other hand, I have heard of people who are showing it to their kids who had a positive response to it (admittedly, that's anecdotal). And while little kids do in fact have shows like Steven Universe, this has not stopped rather terrible shows like Ultimate Spider-Man to get somewhat successful. While it's not as common as it was back then, lazy and rushed shows are still being made and can still stick around for more than a single season.

So there's no telling what the consensus would be. I don't think they would hate it or anything, but I think it wouldn't be as big of a success. If it was made today and was basically the same show but with less animation errors, it would probably not get more than three seasons. It would probably get to episode 52, worst case scenario it would get to episode 13, best case 78, but certainly not the 194 episodes it ended up getting back then.

If you're talking about kids growing up with the Nick show, they'll certainly be surprised how different everything is. They'll wonder why April is an adult instead of a kid, why there is only "one" Krang instead of a bunch of them, why Bebop/Rocksteady are stupid, why Shredder is more comedic and silly, etc.

It would be like how those of us who grew up with the original cartoon in the 80's were surprised by how different the comics were, or the 4kids series, when we got older and started discovering the other series

Good point, well said.

Some of the jokes would definitely be dated, others would be considered way over the line today (of course, a lot of the jokes today would never be allowed in a kids' show back then either). For example, I remember at the end of one episode (if anyone know which one this is, then remind me), where Shredder and Krang's plan to enslave everyone inevitably failed, and Bebop and Rocksteady said something like "At least we don't gotta be slaves anymore!", to which Krang responded "Really? Think again!". Rocksteady looked at the camera and said "Aww...where's that Abe Lincoln guy when you need him?". Something like that would never fly today.

Also, the video that plastroncafe posted is scripted, in case anyone never heard of that series before. I don't think too many actual kids today would like it much at all unless they're already TMNT fans, and even a lot of them probably wouldn't.

Trey seems to like the Nick series better, but he recognizes the 90's guys.

Probably wouldn't like it as much compared to 2k3/2k12.

I also wonder if they'll notice the lack of action or fight scenes. The 2k3 and Nick series have real fight scenes that get really brutal at times, the original cartoon has nothing like that. Fights tended to be brief and over with in less than a minute.

My niece was an odd case. She stumbled into the 2K3 series all on her own about halfway through it, then went to YouTube and started watching all the 80s episodes. She appreciated both and was old enough to "get" why they were different, but she seemed to think the 80s show was a little "corny". I thought it was neat that she went out on her own, did the research, and looked up a show that existed back before I was even her age. Pretty good show of initiative for a, 11-year-old.

That happens more than people think, by the way. It's easy to forget, kids aren't totally oblivious to things that came before, they don't exist in a bubble, especially now with the internet it's easier than ever to get into older stuff in pop culture. Some kids legit don't give a sh*t, and they only like "the new hotness", but a really good number of kids will like a thing and go backwards from there to earlier stuff. You can't force 'em to like stuff, they get into it when they're ready if they care enough. I remember back in 1990, me and a bunch of my friends saw the Dick Tracy movie, loved it, and all of a sudden a bunch of 8-year-olds were going to bookstores buying TPBs of black & white comic strips from the 1930s. That's an extreme case, but it happens. If kids really like something, they're more than capable of going back and "discovering" earlier versions of it, and genuinely enjoying it, and they'll even do the work themselves. Not all of 'em, but enough. And they can usually grasp why things are "different".

It's like going from Super-Friends to Batman: TAS. Literally only about 4 years apart, same generation mostly, but about as different as you can get and still be covering the same subject matter. Kids at the time just took it as evolution and enjoyed both for what they were; we didn't need it explained to us why one show was drawn differently or had more fight scenes. We just "got it".

Based on being used to the Nick show and maybe 2k3 they might think it's not serious enough but would probably still enjoy it for the fun of it.

Having it be the first version they watch they'd probably still enjoy it. The OT is not as ridiculous and mindless as a lot of people here make out to be. Certainly not compared to some of today's cartoons.

The OT was/is a solid action cartoon. I'd compare it more to Ben 10 Omniverse. Not grim or dark but serious enough with plenty of characters and action scenes. So unfair the OT is labeled as cheesy nonsense.

I'll be honest many would say it looks terrible and can't imagine why anyone would watch it.

Because they have quality animation now like Gravity Falls, superior in terms of color, graphic, sound, story telling and is current with the time.

A certain few will definitely appreciate old toons though.

That I kinda remember, but I also remember in The Curse of the Evil Eye, Leonardo, chops a the glue holding Mikey to a wall and say, "Don't worry Michelangelo, I'll set you free!" to which Raphael replies, "Wow, you're a regular Abe Lincoln!"

If many kids born in the 80s and the 90s liked watching Wacky Races, Tom & Jerry, etc. on TV; why wouldn't some enjoy the FW toon?

But that reference wouldn't fly over their head, considering Abe Lincoln is a big name in American history.

My niece is 6 and she loves the Fred Wolf show.

I only have the one DVD with the five original episodes (and 4 with Lord Dregg) but she watches it over and over.
I've got the first two live action films and the Nick series one but when I give her a choice of which one she wants to watch she always goes for the 80's toon...kinda surprised me to be honest, mainly because she's already seen the episodes heaps of times before.

My 3 year old loves the OT turtles. He also loves the spotty turtles (90's movie) as he calls them.

My 5 year old brother likes the old cartoon more than the new.

I think Leo656 (and his niece) are right on it.
I'm not a kid, and I do prefer the 80's hand drawn artwork - the current CGI turtles look oddly 'furry' and blocky - but in terms of storylines, plots, characterizations, dialog (the 'acting', if you will), ideas, originality, etc. etc. etc., the new series is, imho, far superior to the 80's/90's one, which was basically just Shredder comes up with a crazy plan which the turtles defeat quite easily, Krang whines in the background, rinse, repeat. And most of the jokes might have been funny to the troops Bob Hope and Jimmy Durante were entertaining in the Pacific in 1944, but should have been sent to a rest home after that.

My nephew's a real chip off the old block. He enjoys anything TMNT. Doesn't matter which incarnation it is, he'll love the hell out of it!!!