Why did the TMNT kick the butt of Shredder so often in the 1987 cartoon?

[Archon_Turtle]

Originally Posted by Slap-Happy

I wish the Shredder would've won in some episodes. Makes the plot a bit more interesting.

Shredder had many many temporary victories. In fact his plans usually succeeded to an extent. The Turtles had to undo what he did more often then they actually prevented him from doing something.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Can someone compare this to He-Man? I know Skeletor is his arch-enemy, but I have a feeling fe foght Hordak more than the TMNT fought the Rat King.

[plasticturtle]

Actually He-Man rarely fought Hordak. Hordak was a villain on She-Ra's show so He-Man only fought Hordak on the occasions he guest starred on She-Ra.
By the time the Hordak and the evil Horde figures were released the He-Man series had been cancelled so they could start work on the She-Ra series. So they made the Horde She-Ra's villains. I don't think any of them ever actually appeared on the MOTU show proper.

[Type 97 Chi-ha]

Originally Posted by oldmanwinters

I suppose you could consider "Michelangelo's Birthday" and "The Big Rip Off" to be victories for the Shredder. They are the only real candidates I can think of.

Or "Shredderville", although it was a world where the TMNT didn't exist in the first place.

[Foot Soldier Clang]

Another reason could be that Shredder was never truly successful could be he was never fully focused on defeating the turtles. Shredder, because of Krang, seemed more concerned in getting the Technodrome back up and running.

[cammy85]

Also, in comparison to He-man: Shredder and his crew were in nearly every syndicated episode while Skeletor and/or members of his crew appeared in most epsiodes with more one or two-shot villains once in awhile, becoming more common as the season went on. Same with She-ra. TMNT, like She-ra only had four episodes where the main villains weren't involved at all (in She-ra's case, none of the Horde at all). That's what the OP is going for.

[Redeemer]

The good guys always win!!!!!!!!!!!Thats why!!!!!!!!!!!!!!everyone knows the badguys never win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Herald7]

Originally Posted by Foot Soldier Clang

Shredder was probably skilled enough to take on the turtles on his own, but he relied too much his Foot Soldiers, Bebop & Rocksteady, and whatever silly plan he came up with.

I agree, Shredder's weakness is his lust for power, which includes not having to do anything himself, lol.

[ryukenden]

Action cartoons back in the 80s required villains to be incompetent and their henchmen to be blithering idiots and to be owned by the good guys in every episode. Even child characters such as Zack humiliated the villains. Shredder suffered from this as well as every other iconic 80s villains such as Megatron and Skeletor.

Shredder did own the Turtles without breaking a sweat in The Incredible Shrinking Turtles, it's too bad he couldn't have done that more often.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Enter the Fly was also near a Shredder win. The smell from the plant could have killed April.

[Icebot]

In the 3rd episode, it was Krang who helped Michaelangelo stop Shredder's mousers, without his help, the other 3 probably would have been finished.

[Type 97 Chi-ha]

Originally Posted by ryukenden

Action cartoons back in the 80s required villains to be incompetent and their henchmen to be blithering idiots and to be owned by the good guys in every episode. Even child characters such as Zack humiliated the villains. Shredder suffered from this as well as every other iconic 80s villains such as Megatron and Skeletor.

Shredder did own the Turtles without breaking a sweat in The Incredible Shrinking Turtles, it's too bad he couldn't have done that more often.

Zack also managed to track the Turtles directly to their lair, and when Splinter discovers this he mocks his students for being so careless that a mere child was able to do it.

Also in "Michelangelo's Birthday", Rocksteady and Bebop manage to steal tricycles from two little tots, but it was quite a struggle for them before they succeeded.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by Icebot

In the 3rd episode, it was Krang who helped Michaelangelo stop Shredder's mousers, without his help, the other 3 probably would have been finished.

Season 1 is a continuation, like the Big Trilogy so it is not over until episode 5.

[gobo]

Originally Posted by J 1982

Season 1 is a continuation, like the Big Trilogy so it is not over until episode 5.

Spider bites can be fatal.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by ryukenden

Action cartoons back in the 80s required villains to be incompetent and their henchmen to be blithering idiots and to be owned by the good guys in every episode. Even child characters such as Zack humiliated the villains. Shredder suffered from this as well as every other iconic 80s villains such as Megatron and Skeletor.

Shredder did own the Turtles without breaking a sweat in The Incredible Shrinking Turtles, it's too bad he couldn't have done that more often.

Cool action like that becomes less in later seasons.

[ZariusTwo]

Is it your mission in life to be Captain "Tell Us S*it We Already Know About?"

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by robodog

Actually He-Man rarely fought Hordak. Hordak was a villain on She-Ra's show so He-Man only fought Hordak on the occasions he guest starred on She-Ra.
By the time the Hordak and the evil Horde figures were released the He-Man series had been cancelled so they could start work on the She-Ra series. So they made the Horde She-Ra's villains. I don't think any of them ever actually appeared on the MOTU show proper.

And still, Hordak is so famous as a He-Man villain. The She-Ra show is far as famous as He-Man (of course, it's a spin-off). Are there more comics where He-Man fights Hordak.

[pannoni1]

I always thought Krang helped Michelangelo in that third episode because he needed to prove his skills in order to earn his Android body. But they kicked his butt so often that it became a joke, similar to how April kept getting captured in Season 4. It's similar to the sitcoms of the era: introduce a problem and have everything resolved in 22 minutes, so there was hardly enough time for Shredder to use all of his weapons to his greatest potential before his plans were foiled.

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by pannoni1

But they kicked his butt so often that it became a joke, similar to how April kept getting captured in Season 4. It's similar to the sitcoms of the era: introduce a problem and have everything resolved in 22 minutes.

Now that you mention it, April did get kidnapped at a ridiculously routine rate in those episodes, didn't she? Even moreso than normal!

[ZariusTwo]

Originally Posted by Swedenfan 1982

And still, Hordak is so famous as a He-Man villain. The She-Ra show is far as famous as He-Man (of course, it's a spin-off). Are there more comics where He-Man fights Hordak.

She-Ra is NOT as famous as He-Man, her show has a niche fanbase at best that's lucky enough to have the backing of the MOTU fanbase, and people will always consider Hordak to be a second stringer in favour of Skeletor.

He-Man's comics history isnt exactly a rich one either. I doubt he fought Hordak as many times as you claim.