What would a more adult aimed show look like?
 

Its a common complaint that the Nicktoons show is aimed at kids. That said, the style of the Nicktoons show seems to be generally very popular - certainly for myself its my favourite presentation and design of the assorted characters. That seems to be a common impression from others on the board - looks great, but sometimes frustratingly little substance to the plotlines.


What if Nickelodeon did commission a revamp of the show that was aimed at an older demographic? This isn't to say an 18/R rated version - we're not talking Half shell heroes on the Iron throne. Just aiming a little higher than normal - lets say equivalent to anime such as Full Metal Alchemist for instance - so roughly the late teens, early twenties as prime demographic.

I'm not asking if this is likely to happen. Its not (toy sales alone would demand it). That isn't the issue, what I'm curious about is if the show were made with this more adult mindset what would it look like as far as the stories and characters in the show?

If you were in charge of making such an incarnation, what would you want to see in it?

Would you get April / Casey as roughly the same age as the turtles again? What villains would you use besides Shredder? What classic plotlines would be used and what would work as a new plot line? Would you include an April/Donatello esque relationship arc? or any romantic arc? How dark would you make it? Could you keep the same levels of 'silly' humour?

Have at it guys, I'm intrigued to know what you might think :)

DUDE.

We ARE now talking Half Shell Heroes on the Iron Throne. SOMEBODY needs to make this happen. :tlol:

"Game of Shredders"... with various people warring for the mantle of the Shredder and rule of the Foot Clan after the suspicious passing of Oroku Saki.

Hamato Raphael
Oroku Pimiko
Karai
The Foot's Elite Guard
Cheng, the Foot Mystic
Ch'rell

MAKE. IT. HAPPEN!!! :tlol:

A more adult version would probably go back to the revenge cycle.

"Splinter is coming."

Actually that does sound fun.... but we digress ;) A topic for another thread perhaps?

Ideally, a TMNT show with a similar tone and level of violence like Netflix's Daredevil is what I'd want. It would make sense considering TMNT did start off originally as a parody of Frank Miller's work on Daredevil.

Agreed.

But I believe the thread is specifically hypothesizing about an animated show, not just a show in general.

Man... a TMNT show done in the style of Daredevil or even the Flash... that'd be so good.

You would have the 2007 TMNT movie.

Ummm... you sure about that?

I'd just like something that would reflect the comics more. I wouldn't want anything darker or more "adult" than that.

Okay, that made me smile.
Good job.

I dunno about the details, but I'd love to at least see them caught up in age with that of their franchise. Slightly worn out and slightly aged - just like their older fans lol - but still badass 30-something Turtles. :P I'd still die if they did some HBO/AMC/whatever style live action show with them... Though that would cost a fortune. *sad hopeless face*

Even something similar to what's produced for Adult Swim would be pretty awesome. Older audience=more mature cartoons. Of course, sometimes they nail it other times...not so much.

I don't think their lives would be much different if they were 30-something turtles. They'd still be in the sewers, probably still fighting crime topside, or it might go in a direction like the '07 movie...but them being older wouldn't make a big difference. In regards to maturity, the Nick show seems to capture their development very well. All of the turtles, for the most part, have matured noticeably and they are still teenagers. I wouldn't mind seeing older turtles either though the creators would have to step up their game and give us some new stuff we haven't seen yet in other shows and movies.

"More mature?"

Firstly, it would show blood and scratches/slashes/whatever, none of this 'implied' stuff. And it would have people actually having that happen to them onscreen!

Secondly, it would be more integrated and less plot amnesia-y then how it now is.

Third, it would have 3-4 episodes at least for the character building story arcs, stuff like Spirit Quest and the Dark Raph episodes would look into what makes that character tick right now. No more of this 'barely explored and wrapped up in a single episode' stuff.

Fourth, it wouldn't homage the 80's as much as this current Nick show does now. I know some want 80's stuff like crossovers and whatnot, but this show needs to stand on it's own and make it's own story. Otherwise, what is really being added to the whole?

Fifth, people will die onscreen. Either some will die after having been savaged by a vicious mutant or destroyed by Kraang, or being cut down in battle. Shredder will kill people, his mutants will kill people, the Turtles will kill mutants/people, Kraang will kill anyone. It's just going to happen eventually.

Sixth, no 'goofy' mutants. I don't like Pizzaface, very few on here do, so that is one that definitely won't ever show up.

That's what I think it would look like if it was a bit more 'grown-up.'

Would the turtles kill? Hmmm... Splinter always practiced compassion towards the enemy and I imagine the turtles would want to express this too. I don't like the idea of the turtles killing, personally. I don't think that's a good route to go down. Maybe Raph for a while but I think killing would mess him up more.

What about the presentation of April, Karai and Casey?

Do you think it works having them roughly the same age as the Turtles or does it work better with them older? Say what you may of Apritello, etc but I've actually enjoyed the change in dynamics that particularly a younger April has brought into the Nick show. It opens a lot of possibilities I think, and a lot of avenues not explored presently in the current Nicktoon. Things like the romantic angle is obvious, (alongside questions of prejudice, social acceptance, etc, etc, etc) - but it also opens up areas like April's chances of going to college, Casey growing into vigilantism (and potentially alcoholism), Karai dealing with her position within the Foot clan and her envy of the other people her age living a normal life. Plus there is more opportunity for parents to make themselves an important part - Kirby could be a lot more interesting and in depth as a counterpoint to Splinter for April.

I also think particularly if death was not going to be avoided in the show (including by the Turtles themselves) that adult April would react differently to a younger teenage April. I think it would be more interesting to see how the younger April reacted.

On the other note - if you were planning a series like this, would you adapt the ideas that the Nicktoon has presented? Would the Kraang stay largely like the Nicktoon version? Would they be crueler? Would Stockman and his mousers be more vicious and less jokey? Would the Kraang as presented even work?

Characters like Bishop and the EPF certainly would translate over well because they deal with more adult themes of prejudice and political manipulation. Old Hob would be in a similar line i think (and potentially Hun with more brutal depictions of gang warfare or intimidation). By comparison, are the Kraang too comical?



To make a more adult themed turtles show, would you have to present older versions of the characters or could you keep them as teenagers (even late teens)?
For myself, I think it wouldn't take much nudging to bring the target demographic up from the Nickshow. Actually on screen deaths are certainly one way, but even just being more aware of surrounding issues of what they are showing would push the boundaries on the existing show. Stuff like Pulverizer's family, the consequences of the Kraang invasions, lasting injuries or psychological trauma on Karai, Leo and Raph... the list goes on.

It would certainly be a distinct way of adding more depth to his character. Heck I think they could and should do that in the current incarnation!


Good grief yes. 100% agreed. I think showing consistent, developing characters arcs is the most important part of any show aiming for an older demographic. Even if the arc itself isn't delving into much 'dark' territory. Babylon 5 was a good show for skimming dark subjects without going too deep (well... not too often anyway), whilst still offering good character arcs. And Daredevil and Arrow seem similar in that regard. I haven't seen Flash yet so couldn't comment :( (soon, soon)

"...To a decision."
That scene in the movie, tho...

Ditto! I agree with this. Heck, doesn't even need to be in live action (even though that would be cool) but an animated/CG toon in the maturity of Daredevil would be awesome.

Depends. In the comics, they did kill, so they're not exactly some noble knights of the city. But, Daredevil so far has done well where he tries his best not to kill someone, even though he could have done so easily.

But still, seeing Leo decapitate someone, or Raph going completely berserk, stuff like this in a more mature show, they would have no reason holding back.

I would say having the IDW comic adapted into a televised story or as a straight up Japanese anime since anime isn't afraid of adult and gory situations in their cartoon. Heck the original FMA anime implied Rose was kidnapped and gang raped by Military Police.

Take out the part about the Turtles being reincarnations of a Japanese family as that would be confusing and not the most popular of origin stories. But maybe you can have it be that Hamato Yoshi and his wife Tang Shen are part of the Foot Clan. Hamato is leader and he has four sons: Tenchi, Ryo, Shion, and Omi who are all being trained as ninja. Each of his sons were gifted a baby turtle for their birthday and Hamato Yoshi keeps a pet rat he names Splinter.

Oroku Saki is opportunistic member of the Foot Clan, frames Hamato Yoshi for a crime he didn't commit. Yoshi and his family journey to New York to escape their persecutors. Oroku Saki follows and murders Hamato Yoshi, and his four sons before taking Tang Shen as his own. In the on onslaught the turtles and Splinter escape or are tossed out like garbage and land in a puddle of ooze. Lost and confused they all end up wandering alone through out the city. All of them have no memory of who they are as people, all they know is a vague memory of that there were others like them and the name of the boy who was their owner. So they use the name of their own as way of creating an identity for themselves for the time being. Such as Shion being Donatello, Omi being Mikey ect. And even when they reunite with each other and Splinter they still at times use the Japanese names. But they take on the names of "Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo" as names they can use to fit in with the world around them.