Was David Wise the only OT writer who tried to build a canon universe?

*CyberCubed* · 08-08-2013, 08:48 PM

As we all know David Wise was the head writer of the original toon, and wrote the shows most important episodes and arcs. He wrote all of Season 1, most of Season 2, and a lot of important episodes from Seasons 3-6. He was also with the show till the very end having done all of Seasons 7, 8 and 9 and then ghost-wrote Season 10 with Jeffery Scott.

I notice that aside from Michael Reeves and a few gems from Jack Mendelson the other writers were very episodic. I assume they were forced to be, because they had to write self contained episodes that could fit in almost anywhere aside from the location of the Technodrome.

David Wise seemed to write many episodes dealing with the history of the Foot Clan or Krang and the Rock Soldiers which I really appreciated. A lot of his stories seem to contain heavy OT canon facts that other writers tended to gloss over. I sometime wonder what it would be like if David Wise had complete control over the series.

Danetello · 08-10-2013, 09:59 AM

I agree, and have wondered this too... Glad I'm not the only one!

*Original TMNT Cartoon Fan* · 08-10-2013, 10:10 AM

Maybe more super-cool episodes, but not so much variation (unless he had been told to create more characters like Big Louie).

*Prowler* · 08-10-2013, 03:33 PM

I doubt. Just because he was the head writer of the FW series, it doesn't mean that the other writers were free to not follow the story. That would've been anarchy.

That being said, David Wise wrote the best episodes, in my opinion.

ctt4lfecw · 08-10-2013, 04:02 PM

David Wise is the man.

*Original TMNT Cartoon Fan* · 08-10-2013, 04:35 PM

But I can't imagine how he could write "Mister Ogg Goes to Town".

*Prowler* · 08-10-2013, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Original TMNT Cartoon Fan

But I can't imagine how he could write "Mister Ogg Goes to Town".

Rob Paulsen is awesome and yet he voiced annoying characters such as Mr. Ogg and Zach. Nobody is perfect.

Aaronardo · 08-10-2013, 07:35 PM

After the first half of Season 4, he started writing pretty good episodes, and let's not forget Season 1 and the first half of Season 2. Season 3 and Season 4 episodes he wrote were pretty cheesy...

*CyberCubed* · 08-10-2013, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThatCollectorGuy

\ Season 3 and Season 4 episodes he wrote were pretty cheesy...

Really? Aside from the Ogg episode and a few others he seemed to have written the best of those seasons. Michael Reeves was also a great one.

*Original TMNT Cartoon Fan* · 08-11-2013, 03:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prowler

Rob Paulsen is awesome and yet he voiced annoying characters such as Mr. Ogg and Zach. Nobody is perfect.

I don't care who voices a character I don't like.

*pannoni1* · 08-11-2013, 08:25 AM

The first half of Season 2, which was quite canonical consisted of a variety of writers. Fred Wolf/Walt Kubiac/Bill Wolf assured that there would be a good storyline to follow to show that this show would provide the audience coming back for the next episode. The same is true for "The Big" trilogy, with Michael Reaves writing "The Big Rip Off" with David Wise continuing along with the other two episodes. Jeffrey Scott continued the canonical trend for the final season, taking inspiration from David Wise. Granted that Seasons 3-6 had many more episodes that it had to be divided among different writers meaning that they were independent of one another, but at least we have characters that appear in different seasons, often by the same writer that provides some canocity (Punk Frogs, Casey Jones, REX-1, Polarisoids, Mondo Gecko, the Turtleoids).

ryukenden · 08-12-2013, 09:18 AM

Maybe Turtles Forever could have been a lot better had they brought David Wise into the writing staff. I hear David was quite bitter about all the executive meddling during the Red Sky seasons.

Aaronardo · 08-12-2013, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Really? Aside from the Ogg episode and a few others he seemed to have written the best of those seasons. Michael Reeves was also a great one.

Michael Reeves was basically the holy grail of Season 3/4. Dave did do the last three episodes of Season 3 which were awesome. Other than that, they weren't that good xD

*Original TMNT Cartoon Fan* · 08-12-2013, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prowler

I doubt. Just because he was the head writer of the FW series, it doesn't mean that the other writers were free to not follow the story. That would've been anarchy.

That being said, David Wise wrote the best episodes, in my opinion.

How do they all knew the canon? Where they told, or were everyone required to have seen all episodes produced so far before writing an episode. It would be great to read somewhere how the show was written (step by step), or maybe some other cartoon (and with cartoon, I mean cartoons like TMNT, He-Man, Transformers and whatever, not Tomy & Jerry, Wile E. Coyote & the Roadrunner and whatever with absolutely no continuty).

*Prowler* · 08-12-2013, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Original TMNT Cartoon Fan

How do they all knew the canon? Where they told, or were everyone required to have seen all episodes produced so far before writing an episode. It would be great to read somewhere how the show was written (step by step), or maybe some other cartoon (and with cartoon, I mean cartoons like TMNT, He-Man, Transformers and whatever, not Tomy & Jerry, Wile E. Coyote & the Roadrunner and whatever with absolutely no continuty).

Considering the cartoon was episodic, I doubt they'd have to sit through every episode produced until date before writing a script for an episode.

It's not hard to explain someone what the OT is about, anyway.

08-08-2013, 08:48 PM	#1
CyberCubed Overlord Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 43,831	Was David Wise the only OT writer who tried to build a canon universe? As we all know David Wise was the head writer of the original toon, and wrote the shows most important episodes and arcs. He wrote all of Season 1, most of Season 2, and a lot of important episodes from Seasons 3-6. He was also with the show till the very end having done all of Seasons 7, 8 and 9 and then ghost-wrote Season 10 with Jeffery Scott. I notice that aside from Michael Reeves and a few gems from Jack Mendelson the other writers were very episodic. I assume they were forced to be, because they had to write self contained episodes that could fit in almost anywhere aside from the location of the Technodrome. David Wise seemed to write many episodes dealing with the history of the Foot Clan or Krang and the Rock Soldiers which I really appreciated. A lot of his stories seem to contain heavy OT canon facts that other writers tended to gloss over. I sometime wonder what it would be like if David Wise had complete control over the series.

08-10-2013, 09:59 AM	#2
Danetello Stone Warrior Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Florida Posts: 571	I agree, and have wondered this too... Glad I'm not the only one! __________________ Dan. Check out all of my TMNT reviews here!

08-10-2013, 07:35 PM	#8
Aaronardo Mad Scientist Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: :noitacoL Posts: 1,043	After the first half of Season 4, he started writing pretty good episodes, and let's not forget Season 1 and the first half of Season 2. Season 3 and Season 4 episodes he wrote were pretty cheesy... __________________ "Shredder, you gotta listen to reason!" - Leonardo "Oh Turtles! Oh Turtles! Chew your gum properly." "If I miss this week's Kirby, heads are gonna roll." - Raphael "The Biosites have almost finished healing my flesh." - Shredder "Because we're takin' the heart and you're goin' to jail!" - Donatello

08-11-2013, 08:25 AM	#11
pannoni1 Foot Elite Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: USA Posts: 3,447	The first half of Season 2, which was quite canonical consisted of a variety of writers. Fred Wolf/Walt Kubiac/Bill Wolf assured that there would be a good storyline to follow to show that this show would provide the audience coming back for the next episode. The same is true for "The Big" trilogy, with Michael Reaves writing "The Big Rip Off" with David Wise continuing along with the other two episodes. Jeffrey Scott continued the canonical trend for the final season, taking inspiration from David Wise. Granted that Seasons 3-6 had many more episodes that it had to be divided among different writers meaning that they were independent of one another, but at least we have characters that appear in different seasons, often by the same writer that provides some canocity (Punk Frogs, Casey Jones, REX-1, Polarisoids, Mondo Gecko, the Turtleoids). __________________ http://forums.thetechnodrome.com/sho...d.php?t=37065- MY WANT LIST TMNT FAN CLUB LINK: http://sot.ag/gCjK/ 30 years of Turtle Power!

08-10-2013, 10:10 AM	#3
Original TMNT Cartoon Fan Overlord Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sweden Posts: 10,480	Maybe more super-cool episodes, but not so much variation (unless he had been told to create more characters like Big Louie).

08-10-2013, 03:33 PM	#4
Prowler Emperor Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,998	I doubt. Just because he was the head writer of the FW series, it doesn't mean that the other writers were free to not follow the story. That would've been anarchy. That being said, David Wise wrote the best episodes, in my opinion.

08-10-2013, 04:02 PM	#5
ctt4lfecw Stone Warrior Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Neutrino Posts: 817	David Wise is the man.

08-10-2013, 04:35 PM	#6
Original TMNT Cartoon Fan Overlord Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sweden Posts: 10,480	But I can't imagine how he could write "Mister Ogg Goes to Town".

08-12-2013, 09:18 AM	#12
ryukenden Hench Mutant Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 383	Maybe Turtles Forever could have been a lot better had they brought David Wise into the writing staff. I hear David was quite bitter about all the executive meddling during the Red Sky seasons.