Why do long-time fans still have mixed reactions to Nick's TMNT?

[pingclang]

Isn't this sort of the thing with TMNT? I mean, every version is different, usually by a good stretch, so a different April is kind of a good thing. All the Aprils up to the Nick series were very similar, just different jobs and changes in personality, but now we have new younger April. Do I like it? No, she IS the mother figure in the Turtles lives, but it's something new. I do agree that it seems to be more of a writing thing, but it continues the Turtles tradition carried on with each new take: Change.

[BubblyShell22]

I like teen April myself, and I can understand her being mad at them after just getting her dad back and losing him all over again. Not to mention that the Turtles rescued her dad and are now responsible for him getting mutated. The way Mikey talked about it would set me off, too, so I'm glad April got mad at them and that she's not forgiving them. I hope she stays mad at them for longer because forgiveness is overrated in our society, and it makes more sense for her to be mad at them. I admit, I was leery about the teen April change, but I've warmed up to it now.

[Leonardo_]

Originally Posted by Jester

True...but most past Aprils were more a mother figure, in parallel to Splinter's masculine influence. That's what she'd bring to it. It's all a matter of preference and some prefer things how they were.

A mother figure? Maybe I have missed something?...To me she only was a whiney woman, that wasnt able to look out for herself (especially in the OT) and in almost every episode the turtles had to rescue her. Additionally she was often groaning how immature the turtles were. Then she had nothing different in mind than her stories.....Sorry..I dont want to see that anymore. If thats what fans want...no thanks. Her role was senseless...in the OT at least. In the 2003 toon she was weird as well.

A teen April is better in my eyes. Its something different..something new. Why not giving it a chance?!

[bwrosas]

Hello fellow ninja turtles fans,

Yes I am fairly new to this message board, but I came here not just as a fellow fan, but as someone that wants to give their own personal opinion on the TMNT franchise.

Now it just so happens, that ever since the new Nickelodeon incarnation of the ninja turtles debuted back last year, in my own opinion , I feel that there are some fans of the franchise that have embraced the new series, but yet find some flaws with it. And one of the major flaws/changes they find wrong with it or feel needs improvement is the idea to take the three (so far) main human characters and change/redesign them as teenagers. That in my opinion is one of the major flaws/changes that some fans at this message board and outside of it feel was unnecessary.

And you know what's funny, within this same time frame, you have another franchise which has a huge fanbase as well, and as of October of last year and throughout the majority of this year, it was revealed and shown that five of the main characters of the comic book adaptation for this franchise were getting redesigns, to make it seem like they came from the very video games that this comic book is based upon.

Now the reason I bring that up, is because just like the people/fans who don't agree with the deaging of April, Casey, and Karai. Fans of this franchise don't agree with the redesigns. And the reason being is because it betrays what the characters originally look like, and from a story standpoint, happens because the main hero of the comic book and overall franchise was interrupted by the main villain while trying to restore his world back to normal.

You may ask, "what does that have to do with April being a teenager?" Nothing really, except that just like with those characters getting redesigns after 20 years of having the same/similar designs, there are fans here within this franchise that find April, Casey, and Karai being turned into teenagers as being un-necessary.

True, some will argue that it was done so that April could grow up with the turtles, and learn just like they do, as well as have fun and make mistakes like any ordinary teenager would do.

Now that I can understand, from a realistic standpoint I can understand that. Except for what happened recently in this second season. Now I don't watch the new series as much as I should, the best way I'm informed about anything going on within this new series continuity, is either through the Internet in places like this or through my soon to be 10-year-old nephew, that's how I keep tabs as best as I can on what's going on in the series.

And, for a longtime fan like myself and I'm sure I'm not alone in this, I have no problem with some of the ideas and twists the they put into the series. I have no problem with the new original ideas for the backgrounds of certain characters, I have no problem with the twists they put on established characters and established backgrounds, I have no problem with them adding in new characters to help freshen the show and the franchise up. But for longtime fans like myself, I guess you could say it's more of a personal preference, that when I watch a ninja turtle series, that I am used to seeing the turtles interact with a semi-to fully adult April, Casey and Karai, more so then seeing them interact with the same characters as teenagers. Again, for a longtime fan like myself and possibly others out there, it's just a personal preference that's all.

And you see, I'm sure no one would have a problem with these characters being portrayed as teenagers, only if the personalities were a mixture of the previous incarnations personalities. The closest so far to that in this show, from what I have seen and heard, is Karai. The others not so much. I mean, if you're going to have April being upset with the turtles after losing her dad again, yeah I can understand that. But after being a fan for 25 out of the 30 years of this franchise, the April we know and have seen, would indeed be upset, but more understanding that the turtles, her friends if you will didn't mean for her father to become a mutated bat. That April would understand that. And not only understand, but with her friends help, be more determined to get her father back and restore him to normal.

However in this version, you have April so ticked off at her friends, that she shuts them off completely from her. Now, I have read what some of you have said. And yes her being portrayed as a teenager, shows how much harder this is for her to handle and that instead of thinking things out rationally, she goes the other way and lets her emotions get the best of her and override her rational thinking, to the point that instead of sitting down and talking it over with her friends, she blames them and then shuts them off from her life completely, or at least until maybe the midseason finale, if not sooner.

But think of it this way, put yourself in the shoes of a longtime fan, and you see April react the way she did here in the second season, for a majority of longtime fans like myself, in my own opinion that is, when we hear or see April react this way, we look at each other, we look at the show, and we all agree that this is not the April we know. That if this was a true to character April, even as a teenager, yes she would be upset, but not to the point where she completely shuns her friends from her.

Now as far as Casey goes, like many have said before, it's still too early to judge how they are going to portray his character throughout the series. Only clues and hints that we have gotten so far, even with his debut episode, is he's a player for the high school hockey team, his class performance, grade wise is bad, and that he's bound to become a mutant hater, for the short time being in the future. Those are the only clues we have on teenage Casey.

And speaking of which, as I mentioned in my original post, it seems we may be getting a love/relationship rivalry triangle between Donatello and Casey Jones with April stuck in the middle. Yeah if that wasn't hinted on in Casey's debut episode, I don't know what was.

And you see, that's another thing to, for any longtime fan, you know April and Casey end up together as a couple. Yet, never once was there ever a love triangle involving the two and somebody else. But yet that's what we will probably be getting with the new series. So as I mentioned in my original post, it seems Donatello versus Casey Jones is going to replace Raphael versus Casey Jones in this incarnation of the franchise.

And believe it or not, that's another gripe some fans have with the new series, that you're going to create a love/relationship rivalry triangle between these three. Which is something that previous incarnations never did. But I guess as the old saying goes, "there's a first time for everything."

Overall, as I said before the new series is good in its own special way. Yet as I and several others have pointed out, it does have its flaws and some of the changes that were made, just fill unnecessary or could have been done in a way that doesn't completely betray who the character is or who they may be. As well as doesn't mess with status quo romances by turning them into love/relationship rivalry triangle's.

Again, the series is good, it wouldn't be good if it didn't already have a third season planned. So those are just my opinions and perhaps they are shared by other fans in the community, but these are just my own opinions and thoughts on some of the changes in the show and the franchise that I along possibly with others feel all flawed and unnecessary. That is all.

[Tazi]

Originally Posted by Jester

3. Yes...they're building for a Donnie/Casey rivalry. Just another change is all.

That's actually not that much of a change; they were never best pals in Mirage. If I'd want to simplify it I'd say it's because they're polar opposites, Casey is a jock, and Don is a nerd. The peak of this conflict were present in the Shades of Grey story arc, where drunk Casey attacked Don.

Spoiler:

Even if this new show doesn't gets it's ideas from this story, I think it was a nice idea.

[Klunk1234]

I don't have a problem with April as a teen, it makes more sense to be around by 15 year old teens like the turtles.

I know she has a grudge against the boys for what happened to her father, but she can't avoid them for life. After all, the boys did so much for her like offering their house, so she can be safe.

In real life, there are people that turn their back after you have done so much for that person. In fact, many people hurt the ones that only give them love.

April will be reunited with the turtles and she will realized that she found real friends like no other.

[Bossa Nova]

If the writers were struggling with Don's character and all they could come up with to make him more 'interesting' was to give him some girl to crush on, then maybe they shouldn't be writing for this show.

[Electric]

Originally Posted by Bossa Nova

If the writers were struggling with Don's character and all they could come up with to make him more 'interesting' was to give him some girl to crush on, then maybe they shouldn't be writing for this show.

They didn't say they were struggling, they just said out of the turtles, he needed it most to have someone to try and impress. If anything, Donnie has been the most interesting turtle so far. He's taken on so much responsibility that he's not sure if he can solve all of it, making him try harder.

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by ElectricN

They didn't say they were struggling, they just said out of the turtles, he needed it most to have someone to try and impress. If anything, Donnie has been the most interesting turtle so far. He's taken on so much responsibility that he's not sure if he can solve all of it, making him try harder.

I do like how he's actually working on it. I mean, he at least did rescue April's dad, and also is seen working on retromutagen. Not like the OT where he's like 'I'll help Usagi go home' and it's never seen or mentioned again.

[IMJ]

Originally Posted by Toby Barrett

It's just Brian Walmer. He posts his crappy videos in pretty much any fandom message board he can. Best to just ignore him.

This whole thing was very strange. Some semi.... slow... 30-something weirdo posting talking heads without any production motif after he explains that he has to make his videos in secret because his mom might catch him.

That was very weird basement dweller stuff right there, man.

[Slime State Alumni]

LOL four pages in. Oh god my sides.

[BabyTurtles]

Originally Posted by ElectricN

They didn't say they were struggling, they just said out of the turtles, he needed it most to have someone to try and impress. If anything, Donnie has been the most interesting turtle so far. He's taken on so much responsibility that he's not sure if he can solve all of it, making him try harder.

then why does does he need someone to impress...to me he didn't really need to crush on April...Donnie is already interesting in Nick's version

I like the episodes without April that are about Donnie. He's already cool.

his crush on April is just becoming a parasite to April's character.


and to tell you the truth......I can't even feel that bad that April left the turtles...cause she was barely friends with them anyway, except Donnie. There's only been about 3 episodes where she actually talked to any of them about something other than the plot. (and Donnie's crush)

they needed to flesh out April more before making her go all angry IMO.

that being said I love the idea of teen April....but not the way they are executing it.

[Karai Samurai]

Originally Posted by BabyTurtles

then why does does he need someone to impress...to me he didn't really need to crush on April...Donnie is already interesting in Nick's version

I like the episodes without April that are about Donnie. He's already cool.

his crush on April is just becoming a parasite to April's character.

But isn't his crush on April part of the reason why he's such an interesting character? Sometimes the crush thing goes too far (Monkey Brains...) but the sense of responsibility he's developed to April and her father is what makes Donnie so likeable. Plus the crush stuff emphasizes the teenage part in TMNT.

I agree that April needs more development, but it seems like Ciro is wary of that because he's afraid of her getting "too powerful." That sucks.

[LeotheLateBloomer]

I do indeed like this show and some prefer it over the previous cartoons for whatever reason. While some see the new changes that they've made as interesting, on the other hand, you have to look at it from a hardcore TMNT fan's perspective.

Without being a biased fanboy of one incarnation, here's some of my problems with the show.

The number one problem I have with it is that, while this show is trying to be something of it's own, I think there are times when it tries to be a bit fan-pandering. While I stated that I like the changes that they've made to some of the characters to the show, I can't help but feel that Ciro and the folks are just adding characters from the property for the sake of getting praise from the fans. Kirby did not need to be Wingnut because it served no purpose with how the mutant is. He could have been a totally new character like "Man Bat". Why exactly is Timothy called the Mutagen Man in this show. Mutagen Man was never even a popular character to begin with. And Pizza Face,.....uh, why are we bringing this never-heard-of character back again. I'm pleased that Ciro has respect for the old cartoon, I don't like the idea of him bringing back characters for the sake of fan-service. If you're going to do that, reinvent them to make them more interesting or relatable to the plot. It just goes into the whole identity issue this show suffers from.

April being a teenager is actually a unique idea. It helps her become more active with the turtles. And I'm actually like the strained relationship between her the turtles because it shows a bit of belief in the story and that they now have to find a way to fix this mess. Now I can see why some people are used to a more adult April and I am one of them but I think it's a unique idea and concept. With that said though, the only problem I have with her is that she doesn't seem to do a whole lot for the turtles despite being leagues ahead of the OT April. Certain episodes just seem to build her up as a character but the way she is used in the show, she seems to be just there. She really hasn't done anything unique to help the turtles or even the story for the matter. I think there is a lot more they can do with this character but that's up to them figure out how they can make it work.

Again, this is just my opinion.

[BabyTurtles]

Originally Posted by Karai Samurai

But isn't his crush on April part of the reason why he's such an interesting character? Sometimes the crush thing goes too far (Monkey Brains...) but the sense of responsibility he's developed to April and her father is what makes Donnie so likeable. Plus the crush stuff emphasizes the teenage part in TMNT.

I agree that April needs more development, but it seems like Ciro is wary of that because he's afraid of her getting "too powerful." That sucks.

his connection to April does make him more interesting....but that's just it...

April should have a connection with all the turtles to form some interesting bond with them too.

I don't think it's fair to just give April's plot to mostly Donnie.

it only seems like Donnie is sad that she is gone...which makes it seem April wasn't that good of friends with the other turtles....cause they are like "whatever....April's gone for now"

it just doesn't seem right.

I'd be fine with Donnie's crush if they didn't make everything April related about Donnie too.

[DONATELLO DUZMACHINES]

I tried to watch the videos on the first page, but the guy lost me when opened with the whole thing about his mom taking a shower. Im a long time fan, I love the old stuff but I also love the new stuff, with any re interpretation of any source material there is going to be change and as a long time comic book reader Ive come to accept that and move on. Change is good, I like young April and toothless Casey and this feels like the first time that the turtles actually act like teenagers. To me its just a great time to be a turtle fan old and new.

[demonsweat]

Originally Posted by IMJ

This whole thing was very strange. Some semi.... slow... 30-something weirdo posting talking heads without any production motif after he explains that he has to make his videos in secret because his mom might catch him.

That was very weird basement dweller stuff right there, man.

Originally Posted by DONATELLO DUZMACHINES

I tried to watch the videos on the first page, but the guy lost me when opened with the whole thing about his mom taking a shower.

[Avatar Yuffie]

I like how Black Nerd commented his annoyance of two guys crushing on April. It was funny.

Doug Walker is right though, unless it's a comedy, love triangles just drag the narrative down. So hopefully that show won't make the mistake Legend of Korra did.

I don't really have an issue with teen April. Since the OT, she doesn't need to be loyal to the original depiction of the character.

[Bossa Nova]

Originally Posted by Karai Samurai

But isn't his crush on April part of the reason why he's such an interesting character? Sometimes the crush thing goes too far (Monkey Brains...) but the sense of responsibility he's developed to April and her father is what makes Donnie so likeable. Plus the crush stuff emphasizes the teenage part in TMNT.

I agree that April needs more development, but it seems like Ciro is wary of that because he's afraid of her getting "too powerful." That sucks.

I guess it depends on your interpretation of interesting. I've always found Don interesting in past versions. His crush on April doesn't make him more interesting to me, instead I'm finding more and more that my favorite turtle comes off as embarrassing, overly awkward, and downright creepy stalkerish, and I'm not really sure I like him all that much when April's around. Don's responsibility for April's dad could have still been a strong driving element for his growth and character seeing as he's the only one with the scientific know-how to do even begin working on something like, and his whole 'I'm doing it cause I love her' factor would never even have to come into play. Instead, Don would be developing into someone who takes responsibility for his actions, not just another fanboy trying to get some girl to like him.

[Coola Yagami]

Now don't get me wrong, I like the current April, but why is everyone acting all like 'she HAS to be younger' to work in this series? She was always an adult everywhere else and it worked out. I like the new direction they went with her, but let's not act like she had to be younger to 'work' on the show. I just kinda hate that thanks to her, Karai had to be de-aged as well to be some sort of rival to her. We're lucky Chris and Xever weren't random punk kids.