Underrated Fred Wolf series' episodes
 

As we know, the FW series had about 193-194 episodes. A lot of them are still fondly remembered after all these years, but not all of them.

I can immediately think of The Maltese Hamster . This was the first mobster TMNT episode. All the Turtles and Splinter are captured except for Donatello. This is the first time the Turtles face villains that aren't Shredder, Krang and co. in the series. Yes, this episode predates Enter: The Rat King. It's the 4th episode of the 3rd season. So it's not like it's an episode that only came out at a time the TMNT popularity was waning.

This episode was a pretty great parody of old detective/crime movies/tv shows. Donatello really shines in this episode He's like a turtle version of Humphrey Bogart, and a wall even falls on him. In no other mobster episode did I see the mobsters as a credible threat against the Turtles. This one is by far the best mobster episode from the OT, imo. I dunno why no one seems to remember this episode.

Another episode that I think deserves more love is Pizza by the Shred. I dunno why, but I really enjoy this episode. Rat King getting a pizza that wasn't for him and then Shredder and the Turtles invade his lair and ruin his dinner. Also Mike has to get a job and drives the Neutrino car, which makes its first appearance in a while.

Also:

Shredder. Who are you? And what are you doing in the Turtle's lair?!
Rat King: Do I look like a turtle to you?

Come on now, this exchange was gold. :lol:

I'm sure there's more episodes that deserve more love, but these are the two I can think of from the top of my head.

I have lost count of how many times I watched "Pizza By the Shred". Loved everything about that episode.

Also thought that some of the European Vacation episodes are underrated. Loved the first two in Paris, and thought the rest have a fair number of pros despite their cons.

The problem is I am not sure what is considered beloved and therefore which can be underrated. I mean I obsess over the awesomeness that is Night of The Rogues and Get Shredder!,but are they beloved classics or are they underrated great? Pizza By The Shredder was among those I saw heavily thanks to VHS releases in the dark era between Next Mutation's run and the slow release on DVD( or YouTube 2007 uploads whatever came first pending on release order). I enjoy it for The Shredder/ Rat King interaction. Nice to see Mike get some focus yet the absurdity of setting up a fake pizzeria to lure the Turtles to find their lair? I can't decide if I love it or its a bit of a silly stretch.

I also thought Red Sky is very underrated in that so many people want nothing to do with those episodes, declaring that they're not a part of the 80s show.

It’s hard to know which eps are underrated alright. I agree with the ones already mentioned in this thread.

I also think “Shreeka’s Revenge” is quite underrated. Shreeka was a good villain with an interesting backstory, even though she only appeared in that episode. It was fun seeing her interactions with Bebop and Rocksteady.

I think Red Sky episodes are more under-watched than underrated. Get Shredder and Turtle trek are both considered good episodes by most people here afaik. Same for Night of the Rogues.

"Burne's Blues"
"Shredder's Mom"
"Tempestra's Revenge"
"Bebop and Rocksteady Conquer the Universe"
"Leonardo, Renaissance Turtle"
"Phantom of the Sewers"
"The Big Cufflink Caper"
"Michelangelo Meets Bugman"

The Maltese Hamster is cool. When Shredder teams up with the Tony Vivaldi
and the gangsters, it also gives a kind of in-universe explaination of how so many gangsters have access to rayguns. Bebop probably didn't teleport back all of them to the Technodrome, just those who were inside the car at the moment. Then those weapons went into circulation in the underworld.

Most of the eps mentioned so far aren't underrated eps, they've always been well liked and popular eps.

If you want an underrated ep watch the Rondo ep of Season 4 where the black and white movie monsters come to life.

I love the episode of Mister Ogg, I mean you have a Mr. Mxzy in the TMNT universe who talks like Pee-Wee Herman, what more could you ask for. :lol:

Sure its a rip off of Mxyzptlk but whatever, it's always cool to see weird stuff in an otherwise "grounded" series.

I don't want this to become a favorite episodes thread like with my referencing Night of The Rogues and Get Shredder!. I think they are designated classics,but which are and which are in the eye of the beholder?

I suppose Splinter Vanishes is overlooked as The Rat King warred with Leatherhead in Letherhead Meets The Rat King which I believe is much more referenced and well-received while teaming up in this episode.

The Dimension X Story, if I am not mistaken was the first CBS aired episode, is great from the turtles it focused on, the solid mix of fun and action.


Napoleon: Colossus of The Swamp was a fun and action packed episode which incorporated The Punk Frogs and Big Louie. Shredder's show of not knowing biological science was the near fatal flaw.

Big Louie
 

Big Louie was also great. I like the fact he had rival gangsters (Beaver and Wally Cleaver)

He is a character I feel I am alone in wanting to see more of. Its just the potential that was there in a more serious environment would really allow the character to flesh out his Godfather-like approach.

Yes,The Big Cufflink Caper was the perfect blend on serious and silly that is showcased throughout the entire run of the 1987 cartoon. I felt a legit threat yet peppered with The Cleavers of Leave It To Beaver as a nuisance to the Godfather and looking for a cuff-link albeit a specialized one that can benefit the villains situation.

They could probably have done more serious crimes than just "let's go stealing every cufflink in New York City"?

Agreed. I enjoyed all the episodes that he was in. I would’ve liked if he was used again in other tmnt versions. It was interesting to see the criminal underworld.

Some kind of mob should be around when the turtles went to Italy.

And then the cartoon would get accused of xenophobic stereotypes :lol:

The Archieverse had Japanese mafia, the Yen Brothers who fixed sumo wrestling matches.

http://miragelicensing.com/comics/archie/32/32.htm

I'm in on the Shreeka's Revenge episode. It would have been great if she was a recurring character in some respect too.

Her history with Krang was pretty darn interesting since she was his "last Shredder"...and I even joke that she's his ex :lol:

I would have loved a plot that had Shreeka team up with Beserko to get revenge on Krang. I even wrote a fan fiction script. Definite possibilities!