Season 7 thoughts?
 

So I'm half way through season 7 of the 87 TMNT (I can see the red sky era looming) just watched White Belt, Black Heart! Really enjoyed that episode. In fact I have found season 7 far more enjoyable then I did the last three seasons preceding it. Don't get me wrong, they are all pretty enjoyable, but I felt after season 3 things started to feel a little lazy with both writing and animation.

But season 7 I really have loved. Episodes that stick out are the Star Child, Convicts from Dimension X, The Legend of Koji (really like that one, Shredder is so bad ass) and of course White Belt, Black Heart. Still at least 8 more EPs to go, so without giving to many spoilers away, would be curious to know what your favourite Eps in season 7 are? And how you felt this particular series held up to its predecessors

I think season 7 is one of the top 3 seasons of the Original Cartoon, alongside season 1 and season 3.

For one, almost every recurring character from the past makes it back in this season, so many of the episodes don't feel pointless in the long-run.

Even those episodes that don't tie into past ones ("Night of the Dark Turtle" and "The Starchild" for example), have plenty of redeeming qualities.

There is plenty of action too, and its great to see violence return after being censored so heavily.

The animation style is pretty good and most importantly, the turtles have a consistent look to them since season 6 (I couldn't stand how in earlier seasons, the turtles look well-proportioned in some episodes and then look like looney tunes in some other episodes).

Its an overall fantastic season, and its great to see the show's original style go off on such a high note before things get all changed up in the Red Sky seasons.

Agreed. It feels like there is a purpose to the series again. So how much did the censorship effect the previous seasons? and why was it relaxed at this time heading into red sky era?

This season took all the best qualities from the past seasons.
Its colorful and fun as seasons 3-6, but at the same time it have more of a serious tone and better stories like seasons 1-2.

My favorites are: Night of the Dark Turtle, Night of the Rogues, Legend of Koji, Invasion of Krangozoids (its kind of weaker that others, but I loved to learn more about the Krang).

Oh wow! Not got to Krangozoids yet but love Krang so anything with him in makes me excited

Night of the Dark Turtle is one of the few episodes I don't merely find boring or lazy, it actually kind of pisses me off.

The Triceratons conquering planets to gain leverage over the Federation or obtain new technology and their weakness being oxygen were perfectly fine, it's easy to see why the other two cartoons did that. And what did this show do? Conquering planets for not being controlled by reptiles and getting tricked with animatronics. What drooling jackass sees something that is perfectly fine and replaces it with the dumbest possible crap ever?

Night of the Rogues
 

Just watched Night of the Rogues:o So good! 10/10. They really have upped their game at this point in the series haven't they? Do you think this was to try to compete with other cartoon adventures shows at this point like the X-Men, Spiderman, Batman The Animated Series?

Season 7 (and even 6 for that matter) did great at gradually upping the ante before all the Red Sky changes. More action and drama helped the show. Unfortunately, as i said before, "Shredder Triumphant" was the final new episode I watched for a few years; but it sure went out well as a possible series finale.

Another awesome episode that wasn't mentioned is "Dirk Savage Mutant Hunter". Not only is it one of the few episodes not to feature Shredder and co., but does it in a way that doesn't feel forced like a lot of the other one shot villain episodes. Plus, the frogs finally face someone other than Shredder.

I guess that by 1993, the declining interest for TMNT allowed producers to return the action again. By that time, the Archie comics had also gone very dark.

In 1989 and 1990, the extreme popularity of the TMNT caused far more outcries from parents. complaining over TMNT being too violent

Agreed. One of my favourite seasons and a fitting conclusion for the blue sky era. I thought White Belt, Black Heart, Attack of the Neutrinos, Revenge of the Fly, Atlantis Awakes and Shredder Triumphant were very good eps too.

I wish they used the same tone for the seasons 8-10, but alas they went with the edgy Red Sky crap.

The tone for Season 8 is pretty much the same despite the art style change which I thought worked well.

Good but overrated

The Punk Frogs faced Leatherhead back in Season 3.

Yes!! That one counts as well in a way even if Shredder got involved. Same with The Maltese Hamster. Thanks!!

I would say no more so than seasons five and six. It was the eighth season that I think they really tried to make things a little more serious to complete with the 90's action cartoons.

I find seasons 5-7 to still be very enjoyable. It was only the third and fourth seasons, when they tried to $hit out as many episodes as they possibly could each year, that you can really see the quality of the episodes dropped.

Season 7 was awesome and I shame the art style and guest characters weren't kept for the next three seasons.

I think season 7 is my favorite one of all.