Should I go back and re-watch the original series or...

[Avatar Yuffie]

Originally Posted by Herald7

Well I mean maybe we're not being fair. After all the turtles' lives are anything but the typical teenage experience, lol. They had to grow up and take on a lot of responsibility pretty quickly.

And they're mutant ninja turtles who live in the sewers with only themselves to grow up with. It's safe to give suspension of disbelief why they can't give an accurate depiction of a teenage human mind.

Still doesn't excuse the 2k3 Turtles can't give a vibe they're supposed to be adolescents.... TBF they tried to fix that in Fast Forward...

Exactly the Channel 6 group added such a sense of realism to the show as far as grown ups in the real world and all the politics of a work environment.

And it's nice to see April has a life outside the TMNT. This is why I think she has an advantage over her 2k3 counterpart (I swear 4Kids doesn't know what to do with her other than being Casey's girlfriend).

[Leo656]

Yeah I liked OT April way better than 2k3 April, in the newer show she lacked direction.

[CyberCubed]

Well being a reporter she was able to go exactly where the main plot of an episode would take place to cover it. And her getting captured, etc. would lead to her still playing a big role in the ep.

[Avatar Yuffie]

That, and as I said before she's the "go to human" for the Turtles. One of them is sick? She babysits. They need a helicopter? She drives them one. Their Turtle Van got busted? She gives them a ride.

It's the little things like that... it gave a sense she was also a family unit. Sure, 2K3 April is an Action Girl and no longer a damsel in distress, but... it bugs me she'd disappear for many MANY episodes/arcs it felt like she's a special guest star than a regular cast member.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by Herald7

Exactly the Channel 6 group added such a sense of realism to the show as far as grown ups in the real world and all the politics of a work environment.

I agree, a busy news station really is New York City. It gives a perfect balance contrasting to the fantastic science fiction concepts of mutated turtles, Dimension X or whatever. This makes TMNT so great, som stories are "Down to Earth", other "Up to Dimension X", others something between.

I also like how it gives more recognizeable places with recognizeable background music. He-Man has:
*Castle Grayskull
*Eternia Royal Palace
*Snake Mountain
*Fright Zone

So just having too such places in TMNT is too less.

[ZariusTwo]

Please explain your unsettling He-Man obsession to the class.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by Herald7

It was pretty creepy how April and Irma end up as harem girls, but certainly in many dictatorships it's the women who suffer the most.

And I loved how even Shredder doesn't enjoy being the ruler. It makes total sense for his character. He just wanted power, which he felt meant getting other people to do the paper work for him, lol.

I would also add "Take Me to Your Leader" to serious episodes, it tackles leadership, tackling leadership and responsibility. Leonardo leaves, noone wants to take responsibility, and the entire world is in great danger. It's not until Leonardo has to trust himself again they can face off Shredder together.

[pannoni1]

I would definitely give the 4kids a second chance the judge which series you prefer; that way you can have an extra sense of plot that is much appreciated, especially if you know the OT by heart, or vice-versa. If you feel "fuzzy" about any of the shows and feel that curious urge, then it's a good time to watch. I am especially going to rewatch both of these once a release date for the Nick series is released, so that I can have another sense of comparison when that show begins; it can make effective discussion when we see "Nick vs. OT" type threads come up.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by ZariusTwo

Please explain your unsettling He-Man obsession to the class.

He-Man and TMNT is just two successful 1980's cartoons.

[Herald7]

Originally Posted by Swedenfan 1982

I would also add "Take Me to Your Leader" to serious episodes, it tackles leadership, tackling leadership and responsibility. Leonardo leaves, noone wants to take responsibility, and the entire world is in great danger. It's not until Leonardo has to trust himself again they can face off Shredder together.

Oh yeah I love that, a real character driven episode. And they really seem like brothers here. How they're pushing Raphael to be the leader, though they're clearly not taking him seriously, lol. And it was pretty insightful how he realized it's easier to make wise cracks than decisions. I still think that's why he's always so sarcastic, because he thinks he's not good at anything else.

Leonardo's whining could have gotten really annoying, but I actually felt sorry for him after awhile, lol. And of course Michelangelo is just adorable ("Hey, like, that's why I'm the leader!")

Not to mention this episode has one of the best Donatello lines ever: "...And then I looked up and saw the fireworks." Lol

[ABrown]

Originally Posted by ZariusTwo

Please explain your unsettling He-Man obsession to the class.

Originally Posted by Swedenfan 1982

He-Man and TMNT is just two successful 1980's cartoons.

What's interesting is that He-Man and TMNT are two cartoons that had (what I consider) much better cartoons in the 2000's compared to the ones that aired on television when I was a kid. The difference is that at least the original TMNT cartoon holds up a lot better 25 years later than the original He-Man cartoon does.

[ZariusTwo]

The 80s He-Man's not exactly horrid, it just suffers from Filmation's appauling animation.

Though to be honest I always thought the 90s He-Man series (the one where he's in space), s infinitly superior both in writing and animation, but despite having a 65 episode run, the show didnt make a big enough impact with the mainstream and is below-niche

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by Herald7

Oh yeah I love that, a real character driven episode. And they really seem like brothers here. How they're pushing Raphael to be the leader, though they're clearly not taking him seriously, lol. And it was pretty insightful how he realized it's easier to make wise cracks than decisions. I still think that's why he's always so sarcastic, because he thinks he's not good at anything else.

Leonardo's whining could have gotten really annoying, but I actually felt sorry for him after awhile, lol. And of course Michelangelo is just adorable ("Hey, like, that's why I'm the leader!")

Not to mention this episode has one of the best Donatello lines ever: "...And then I looked up and saw the fireworks." Lol

Yeah, it's more like the 2003 show in one way. I also like how April and Irma try to contact the Turtles from a snow-covered and frozen Channel 6 building with ice in the radiators, where the staff just sit in winter clothes, but due to Irma's fail, they can't. Probably the only episode whee April and Irma are shown, without getting any contact with the Turtles. They just have to sit there, freezing and waiting for the day to be saved.

[Herald7]

Originally Posted by Swedenfan 1982

I also like how April and Irma try to contact the Turtles from a snow-covered and frozen Channel 6 building with ice in the radiators, where the staff just sit in winter clothes, but due to Irma's fail, they can't. Probably the only episode whee April and Irma are shown, without getting any contact with the Turtles. They just have to sit there, freezing and waiting for the day to be saved.

Yeah I laughed when I realized they were just going to leave them hanging like that, lol. But I guess it made sense, it really was a turtle-centric story. Awesome!

[Chipzard]

Originally Posted by TonySiegel

don't worry about all of that dude you do what you do

Sigh yeah I know, I just watch some short funny videos on youtube instead Sometime, I'll watch some certain favorite scenes from some movies too

[Leo656]

I loved the rotoscoping style animation as used in the 80s He-Man and other Filmation shows, the problem is that Filmation only had about three movement animations for each character, budget-wise. But rotoscoped characters move much more smoothly and lifelike than in almost any other animation style. If they had more stock footage to use it would'a been better, but eh, whattya gonna do?

Writing-wise, though, 2k3 He-Man clearly wins. I thought both the newer He-Man and TMNT shows had better plots than the originals (generally speaking of course, the original He-Man and TMNT both had tons of gems), and still feel bad that neither got quite the attention I feel they deserved, not sure if too much time had passed since the originals or what.

I remember talking with friends my own age about TMNT back in 2003 and they'd all be like, "That was awesome, they should bring that back," and when I told them there was a new show out presently they'd always respond they weren't getting up before noon on a Saturday no matter how much they liked a cartoon when they were 8. People are stupid sometimes.

[Avatar Yuffie]

To be fair, 2k3 Turtles had a lot of competition... Avatar the Last Airbender, Teen Titans, Justice League and Ben10. Very good cartoons.

[Herald7]

Originally Posted by Leo656

I remember talking with friends my own age about TMNT back in 2003 and they'd all be like, "That was awesome, they should bring that back," and when I told them there was a new show out presently they'd always respond they weren't getting up before noon on a Saturday no matter how much they liked a cartoon when they were 8. People are stupid sometimes.

Lol, well I have to admit I had the same reaction initially. It's a lot easier to get up early on Saturdays when you're a little kid. But when you're older, yeah, some people just aren't morning people, lol. But hey, that's why you record things!

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by Herald7

Oh absolutely, using fear of difference as a way of winning over and deluding the population. A pretty sinister concept for a cartoon to tackle!

I also like a 2003 episode called "Same As It Never Was" that also takes elements from "Shredderville" and "Elementary, Mye Dear Turtle". Same As It Never Was may be darker, but Shredderville deeper.

[Herald7]

Originally Posted by Swedenfan 1982

I also like a 2003 episode called "Same As It Never Was" that also takes elements from "Shredderville" and "Elementary, Mye Dear Turtle". Same As It Never Was may be darker, but Shredderville deeper.

OK I did check out "Same As it Never Was." Well first off it's just hard for me to get past the 2k3 turtles, they're bland, I just don't like them, lol. I mean every now and then I liked them, but then the dialogue would ruin it. And those "what the shell" lines, and people say the OT was cheesy? I mean the Smurfs' joke was funnier than that!

Now as far as the storyline:

"Where the shell have you been all these years? You've been gone for 30 years, Donatello." Um, didn't I see this in that Flight of the Navigator movie?

"Beware what you do, the Shredder is watching." Ooo, subtle! I mean I know the show's for little kids, but really! I never take that as an excuse.

"Rebel leader," .....Yeah it's just impossible for any other franchise to use that phrase ever again, lol.

"This whole attack was to get you into position to do THIS!" I feel like that dialogue could have been tightened up a bit.

But on the positive side, yes the storyline is intriguing. Rather flattering to Donatello that the team would fall apart that badly without him. And I did like the moment when Don interrupted Leo and Raph's fight.

But on the whole I agree with Swedenfan, darker but not particularly deeper. I thought "Shredderville's" plot was a bit more thought provoking as far as issues of leader politics and fear mongering.