How did the original cartoon manage to last as long as it did?

[CyberCubed]

The original TMNT cartoon went on for 10 seasons and made 193 episodes.

That is basically unbelieveable for a cartoon produced in America without having any spinoffs and every season being part of the same show.

I know how popular TMNT was in the late 80's and early 90's, but to this day I still find it incredible that it really lasted an entire decade and made almost 200 eps.

What I find even more surprising is the new 2k3 show will have about 150+ eps by the time Season 7 ends, and if it goes on for a few more years it could reach the original shows episode count.

Are we Turtle fans lucky that both cartoons managed to go on for so long instead of being cancelled after like 50 or 60 eps?

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Interesting thread. But when you watch http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...1987)_episodes, you see that most episodes are from the TMNT "peak years" 1989-1993 (You can count the Vacation in Europe episodes as both 1992 and 1993, since they aired in Europe already in late 1992 and the USA in 1993).

[Coola Yagami]

Yeah... the CBS eps and the Red Sky eps could kinda/sorta count as spin-offs since they both changed the format of the show slightly.

The CBS eps featured new music, the characters were drawn more defined (turtles were now darker green and Splinter was all dark brown), they had an hour with one ep being about the Shredder and another ep focusing on one turtle against some mad scientist or whatever, and Mikey started using the grappling hook. And of course all the newer characters like Mondo Gecko, Slash and etc were featured.

Red Sky changed the art style again and everything was darker, April got a new look and we have Carter, Lord Dregg and all that jazz (crap).

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

The original TMNT cartoon went on for 10 seasons and made 193 episodes.

That is basically unbelieveable for a cartoon produced in America without having any spinoffs and every season being part of the same show.

I know how popular TMNT was in the late 80's and early 90's, but to this day I still find it incredible that it really lasted an entire decade and made almost 200 eps.

What I find even more surprising is the new 2k3 show will have about 150+ eps by the time Season 7 ends, and if it goes on for a few more years it could reach the original shows episode count.

Are we Turtle fans lucky that both cartoons managed to go on for so long instead of being cancelled after like 50 or 60 eps?

Yes. The 2002 He-Man cartoon was cancelled already in January 2004 (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/He-Man_...2002_TV_series)). But I want to know when they decided that the 1996 season would end the 1987 TMNT cartoon. It at least hand a real ending.

[Scandia]

Because it was GOOD!

Had they shown all 10 seasons where I lived at the times at hours where I had no conflicts, I would have been glued to the TV set watching them and jumping up and down.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Red here http://www.ninjaturtles.com/html/faq.htm on "Why did you cancel the original TMNT television series?". It looks CBS cancelled it because they didn't see it as enought education for the Saturday morning, why not move the series to another television channel. I can't understand why Saturday, a school-free day (at least here in Sweden, I suppose it's the same in the USA), needs so much education.

[Aelia]

Popularity is one major contributor to why the OT lasted so long. However, I think that another major contributor is the amount of dedication that the fans have put forward over the years.

[Jelly Bean]

There is something kind of adictive about the 80's cartoon. I can't put my finger on it but there is something about it that makes you watch one episode after another, and then watch them again.

I'm pretty new to the 80's series so I wasn't part of the whole first wave of obsessive fans during the turtle craze, (I can thank my parents for that ). SO I'm kind of watching them new now. ANd so far I'm really getting pulled into it and the characters. Even the bad guys are likable.

[Warhorse]

I think it may have a combination of good writing, animation, dialougue, even for a kids cartoon. There were personalities that were cliched, but so various, that everyone would connect with at least one, if not more personality types. Also, TMNT are not superheroes, but regular joes like us. But unlike Batman, who is also a regular joe, the TMNT are also humurous to a considerable degree which makes them very likable.

I think the same kind of formula, various cliched personalities, good writing, dialougue, combined with regular everyday joes planted in a humorous atmosphere could be the reason why the Simpsons have been on the air for so long as well.

[NameGoesHere1066]

I think you hit the nail on the head! I think that's exactly why i enjoy the OT. That and the fact that it's portrayal is so diffrent from the gritty comics it orginated from.

I'm pretty new to the 80's series so I wasn't part of the whole first wave of obsessive fans during the turtle craze, (I can thank my parents for that ). SO I'm kind of watching them new now. ANd so far I'm really getting pulled into it and the characters. Even the bad guys are likable.

wait...you never watched the old ninja turtles till just recently? Man where you deprived!

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Maybe also because the toys sell well?

[ToTheNines]

It made so much money in it's prime that they could've funded it's production forever just on that.

The main thing that helped it was the fact that Batman TAS revolutionized cartoons in 92, we were getting season 7 in 93 regardless (to coincide with the 3rd movie), but Batman allowed the show to be more action oriented and just plain better overall in season 7 and onwards (better then seasons 4-6 at the very least).

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

I hate those stupid mutations in the last two seasons, and the red sky three seasons. Why always have a red sky?

[Cipher]

Originally Posted by ToTheNines

The main thing that helped it was the fact that Batman TAS revolutionized cartoons in 92, we were getting season 7 in 93 regardless (to coincide with the 3rd movie), but Batman allowed the show to be more action oriented and just plain better overall in season 7 and onwards (better then seasons 4-6 at the very least).

The "Red Sky" seasons were something of a direct reaction to Batman: TAS, but I can't say they came as an improvement to Turtles.

In addition to everything mentioned, the toy line was also a huge part of the show's continued success.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by Cipher

The "Red Sky" seasons were something of a direct reaction to Batman: TAS, but I can't say they came as an improvement to Turtles.

In addition to everything mentioned, the toy line was also a huge part of the show's continued success.

Could everybody in the USA who had television see the 1987 cartoon? (I don't know anything how television works in the USA). In Sweden it (and most US cartoons) was on television channels requiring cable television or satellite dish (I went to grandmother every Friday to watch TV before we got satellite dish in February 1992), since the Swedish state-operated mostly showed boring Swedish shows, much because it was Swedish (Personally I watch shows after what I like, not country of origin, but what I have heard Swedish television in the 1950's and 1960's had more US shows like "Flintstones" and some western show).

[Lil G]

Originally Posted by Warhorse

I think it may have a combination of good writing, animation, dialougue, even for a kids cartoon. There were personalities that were cliched, but so various, that everyone would connect with at least one, if not more personality types. Also, TMNT are not superheroes, but regular joes like us. But unlike Batman, who is also a regular joe, the TMNT are also humurous to a considerable degree which makes them very likable.

I think the same kind of formula, various cliched personalities, good writing, dialougue, combined with regular everyday joes planted in a humorous atmosphere could be the reason why the Simpsons have been on the air for so long as well.

true dat() i totally agree with you but i also think it was the characters. i mean, the turtles are all totally different, but they blend it with each other as one (as master splinter would say). theya re all different with different traits. for example, teen titans had 5 different characters with all different traits, but they always seem to get along with each other and push through it. now tmnt has 4 different characters with each different traits and they will fight sometimes and they will get through hard times, no matter their personal needs. so i also think it had to do with the chemistry of the turtles.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by Cipher

The "Red Sky" seasons were something of a direct reaction to Batman: TAS, but I can't say they came as an improvement to Turtles.

In addition to everything mentioned, the toy line was also a huge part of the show's continued success.

Imagine the toys declined in sales, but the show was still popular to watch. Do you think it would have been taken off air?

[ToTheNines]

Originally Posted by Cipher

The "Red Sky" seasons were something of a direct reaction to Batman: TAS, but I can't say they came as an improvement to Turtles.

I can understand not liking Red Sky, but no one can deny season 7's greatness.

[Cipher]

Originally Posted by ToTheNines

I can understand not liking Red Sky, but no one can deny season 7's greatness.

I love season 7, possibly my favorite. It hit the right balance.

That said, I also like seasons 8-10, but for almost purely nostalgic reasons. They haven't held up very well, but I remember seeing them airing as a kid and thinking they were really dark.

[shuriken]

I actually liked the red sky seasons. Although I ddidn't really like Carter or the wierd mutations. I particularly enjoyed Dregg.