What is it about Turtle Tot Episodes that you either love/hate

[Ulisa]

Just a little trend that I noticed is that people either HATE with a passion the episodes where the turtles are made younger or they completely eat them up. I've noticed this with the 2k3 episodes as well though those were flashback episodes as opposed to the regression plot point.

Now, as for me personally, I love them even if I can admit the plot is usually silly/contrived and does not have a lot of thought into it usually. Most cartoons in the 80s seem to have a youth/aging mechanism (the ones most prominent in my mind being the Cave of Time and Geyser of Youth from TCats) so it seemed to be a popular plot point back then. So is there anything about these episodes that you love or if you hate them, what is it specifically that you dislike?

And actually, along that vein, can you think of ways that would have made them better or tolerable?

As for myself, like I said, I love them though I certainly recognize their faults and I can see why some people would despise them. I love to see the turtles take on different roles with one another and seeing them react differently to one another yet still keep SOME aspect of their older personality is intriguing to me. I have to say, I prefer the episode where Donatello, Raphael and Leonardo are made younger as my favorite, because I always have viewed Michelangelo as the youngest so seeing him be put into elder brother role was interesting to me. I always felt the writers could do more with these plots than they did though.

[ToTheNines]

I haven't watched the OT "baby" episodes in forever since I skip them whenever I get to them, but I just remember them being stupid, unremarkable episodes.

The 4kids series did well with Tales of Leo and even The Lesson, when the turtles were like 6 years old or so. The other ones where they were actually babies ended up being equally stupid and unremarkable.

[CyberCubed]

I usually like Turtle tot stories, the ones in the Archie comics were my favorites. I liked the two in the OT and the first 4kids tot episode. The Mirage ones don't make them look younger.

There are Turtle tot toys for Nick coming out so I assume and upcoming episode will show their younger years as well.

[Powder]

I like the episodes, I just hate what fan-artists do with those interpretations of the turtles.

[CyberCubed]

I loved both OT versions, especially the second one because it has Krang lure all the old-toon gangsters to an island like Big Louie, Pinky, and Mad Dogg Mcmutt.

The first one I'm fond of because of Captain Coolick, and interesting Dimension X slave trader....he was weird one-off villain.

[909 Turtle Fan]

I don't remember the OT episode, but I enjoyed the 2k3 one. I'm sure the Nick one will be cool.

[Machias Banshee]

I enjoy the younger turtle episodes... part of it is seeing how Splinter dealt with raising four boys with basically nothing. I remember the OT episodes, and wishing that Splinter had actually been involved the story. I love the Family aspect So much...

Tales of Leo and The Lesson from the 2K3 were very good... til you got the bucktooth kids from the later episodes.

We're supposed to be getting some young turtle eps at some point in the Nick show - after seeing the action figures for them, I'm excited to see what they'll look like 'in the flesh'...

[Jephael]

Originally Posted by Machias Banshee

I remember the OT episodes, and wishing that Splinter had actually been involved the story.

Maybe if they had done an episode where all 4 Turtles got age-reversed instead of just two or three of them, Splinter could've been responsible for keeping them safe.

[BubblyShell22]

I loved the Turtle Tots episodes from the 4Kids show, and I sympathized with the buck-toothed Turtles because I was like that for a long time, even as I got older. Had to get braces to fix it. So, if we're getting Turtle Tots episodes for the Nick show, I can't wait to see them.

[ryukenden]

The Turtle Tot episodes in the 2K3 show were nice to watch. I even got the Turtle Tot figures from that line. The flashbacks of Splinter raising and training them were indeed nice. In the OT episodes when the Turtles are age reversed, it is simply for comedic value. They do retain their memories and yet they behave like kids. I'm not sure why they de-aged Leo the second time when it should have just been Don and Raph. Give Leo and Mike a turn at Turtle-sitting! Must be the CBS seasons tendency to have three out of four Turtles to be in peril or in a situation leaving the remaining Turtle to save the day.

[Pterobat]

I make a division between "age-regressed Turtles episodes from the OT" and "Flashbacks to when the Turtles were actual children". The former are mediocre cartoon episodes that are forgettable, and the latter are important for character-building.

The biggest problem I have with the first type is that they're a "what might have been". I still think of OT Splinter as fatherly, but have to admit, having the Turtles start out their sapient life as small children that he had to take care of probably gets the "fatherly" theme across to the audience better. Plus, it's super-cute when in the right hands.

The OT skips over that and has them become "teenagers" right when they mutate (don't ask me how that works...), so there's a lost opportunity there. The Archie comics retconned this scenario so that Splinter still had to raise the young Turtles, and was better for it.

So, looking at the age-regression episodes of the OT, I feel a sense of disappointment that we got that, instead of the for-real young Turtles to showcase their familial bond.

[CyberCubed]

Slash immediately mutated into his teenage form immediately.

[pannoni1]

There was once a "babyfication" trend in cartoons (Flinstones Kids, A Pup Named Scooby-Doo) designed to appeal to younger children (2-7 year olds), so it was natural to have some Turtle stories. It can be a lesson to show what NOT to do to act too immature, but it also has a cuteness that exploits the preteen mind of the characters opening up fanfiction and character development. Flashback episodes or episodes that take place before they are teenagers are good episodes to watch before the main story arc. However, in a brand called TEENAGE Mutant Ninja Turtles, having baby/young kid children is best left as a consequence of a bad decision or for a few laughs.

[CyberCubed]

The age regression in the OT amused me, especially when they call April, "Aunt-y April."

Funnily enough, in the same episode they call Michaelangelo their, "big brother." One of the rare times the Turtles refer to each other as brothers in the old show.

[Coola Yagami]

I just liked the banter between Captain Cruelic and Shredder. That made the episode for me. I liked when April called him a bunch of typical villain insults and Shredder is like 'I remember when you used to say those things about me'.

[CyberCubed]

There was great humor in both those episodes. Not even sure where the irrational hatred comes from. Its not like the turtles were annoying as kids either, I found them quite fun.

[Jester]

I think most of the irational hatred of Turtle Tots springs from some of the more lack luster outings in 4Kids series.

Much like Turtle Titan, they went back to the Turtle Tot well WAY to many times.

[CyberCubed]

Originally Posted by Jester

I think most of the irational hatred of Turtle Tots springs from some of the more lack luster outings in 4Kids series.

Much like Turtle Titan, they went back to the Turtle Tot well WAY to many times.

As far as I can remember there were only 4 Turtle Tot episodes:

- Tales of Leo (Season 1)
- The Turtle Tots teaching Casey how to fight (Season 4)
- Turtle toys in the flashback when Splinter first meets the Tribunal (Season 5)
- Turtle tots in Serling toy filler episode (Season 7)

[Jester]

And 3 of the 4 of those were too many.

[CyberCubed]

Originally Posted by Jester

And 3 of the 4 of those were too many.

I could have done without the Season 5 and 7 ones, but the first two were alright.