Do you like the way Donnie acts around April this series?

[BabyTurtles]

Originally Posted by snake

This thread is intense

I know right XD

if only Donnie's crush was more like Aang's crush >:U cute and more subtle.

[ssjup81]

Originally Posted by BabyTurtles

I know right XD

if only Donnie's crush was more like Aang's crush >:U cute and more subtle.

I think it's a cute crush and I'm neither for not against it. I'm not a real fan, but I find it cute how goofy and awkward Donnie acts.

A disturbing thought, but I wonder if Splinter's ever talked about romantic relationship stuff with them.

[BabyTurtles]

Originally Posted by ssjup81

I think it's a cute crush and I'm neither for not against it. I'm not a real fan, but I find it cute how goofy and awkward Donnie acts.

A disturbing thought, but I wonder if Splinter's ever talked about romantic relationship stuff with them.

who knows...the only time I can think of was when he tried teaching Donnie about not pushing April to like him.

maybe he talked about his relationship with Tang shen with them?

[latmat]

This thread is really quite funny and interesting. Personally I think the writers are riding the line nicely. I think a lot of it is just for humours sake. I laughed pretty hard at the chart episode. It's more about Donny's awkwardness then obsession.

Whenever someone puts themselves out there they would like a positive outcome, we all do subtle things to improve our chances in any situation. This is social intelligence; how behave socially to have positive outcomes. Donny was simply trying to improve his own chances due to a perceived deficiency in his own social abilities around his romantic interest, April. Then of course that episode has a theme around overthinking and how its best to be flexible. Donny using this approach with April, the same he uses for fighting as well. It's what makes him a talented scientist. The whole episode is a life lesson for Donny, a little less thinking/planning a little more being in the moment.

As for the subtly issue I feel like its not this crazy thing but a lot of the anime inspired emotional styling of the show heightens it I feel. The crazy emotion graphics around there face. It's hard to show an internal emotional state in cartoon, thus this short cut is effective if not an exaggeration.

I don't know. I haven't found anything too desperate going on, nothing that bothers me. We all watch this stuff through the lens of our own experiences I guess. I'm indifferent, saying that, I'd rather have the relationship be defined as purely friendship in the future with casey as Aprils romance. That way it would be less prevalent in the show as Casey and April aren't the feature characters.

Also I feel like April having a romance with Donny could only lead one place... Devastating heartbreak. It might be a bit too intense for a 22 minute action cartoon made mostly for kids. I feel like the whole concept of that happening has way too many implications and is best avoided. Implications which make me sad just thinking about them.

Being a mutant turtle would be very lonely, when I imagine the life of the turtles I feel their is a lot of longing, a lot of sadness. This is also what makes their family bond so amazing so strong, they are all they have in their world. I think for the show that the area of romance gets at this isolation and longing that must be present. I like the idea of exploring this facet of what it means to be a turtle but its too much, too dramatic, too real, too emotionally complex for this version of TMNT.

They gotta keep it fun. That was a lot of rambling... lol

[Konchadunga]

Originally Posted by Netkeeper

Okay, wow. If you don't see the implications of what you said, I feel sorry for you. I hope somebody with OCD never sees this post.


Being preoccupied with thoughts of your crush a lot [the definition of obsessing] is fine. Most people do it. Most people have done it. I've done it! But when you overstep boundaries in acting on that obsession is when we have a problem. This isn't hard to understand.


Really. You mentioned Twilight in one sentence, then said "no way this is the first step to sexual predation" in the next, with a straight face. Do you even know what thoughts create the idea that it's OK to do that to people? Because let me tell you, most people that commit sexual assault don't think they were in the wrong. They were raised into thinking it was right by seeing these boundary-stepping behaviours in their media. It's especially inappropriate in children's media.


You're underreacting. I overreact on purpose so people can't turn a blind eye to Donatello's inappropriate behaviour. Stop excusing it. What he does isn't ****ing okay.


I'm pretty sure you never watched 2k3 if you think that's the case.

http://38.media.tumblr.com/79250d527...xswdo4_400.gif http://i.imgur.com/vAbDCOE.gif
WOW
SO FLAWLESS
MUCH CRAFT

Donatello was a worker bee to a fault, falling asleep in the middle of the job. He didn't always think about side-effects, just reaching his end goal. And oh yeah, he sort of lost during the first round of the Battle Nexus. He is also not as socially awkward. If anything, in that incarnation, Leo might have been the socially awkward one. I like this, because it mixes things up a bit and it doesn't put the nerd in a stereotypical position. The nerd is friendly, and he makes more friends than the other turtles do! He is usually quick to get attached, as seen with Kirby, Jhanna, and Angel, which can be seen as a fault.

Either way, these are much better flaws than "obsesses over one person to a creepy degree" because it's WAY more relatable and isn't horrendously disturbing to watch. Also, it's more varied. There's a lot more to 2k3 Don than 2k12 Don. 2k3 Don would probably be appalled at this alternate version of himself, because 2k3 Don respected women for their minds, not their bodies. Which is what everyone should be doing, and what I would want kids looking up to.

I've gone over Leonardo's flaws before, and they're way more obvious. He is too hard on himself, expects perfection, and expects to always be in charge. He can get wrapped up in his own problems to the point where he forgets that he doesn't have to do this alone. He places all the responsibilities of his brothers on his own shoulders, and it bites at him. And his judgement is NOT always the best. Do I seriously need to keep bringing up the fact that he almost sided with the Shredder? OR the several-episode-long arc of self-pity and eventual self-discovery? Leonardo grows into being a more well-rounded fighter, but he has to work damn hard to get there.


I'm not trying to convert anyone. I'm criticising this show for my own reasons. If you know I call myself the TMNT 2k12 Hate Machine [capitalise that! it's a title! ] then you should also know that I'm writing a long-term project about the turtles. I criticise so I can improve MYSELF as a writer, and I mention flaws [in the writing, not the characters!] repeatedly so I know not to make those mistakes myself. It's in my best interest to stay here. Going on some sort of internet tirade to "convince people to my side" would be a waste of time, because people on the internet don't listen. I mean, look at me. I call myself a Hate Machine. I don't take it seriously. Why are you?

1) You do not have any statistics on hand that things like Twilight lead to sexual assault. I think it sucks, mind you, but the fact that much of the female populace disagrees proves that yours isn't the only opinion. Accept it.
2) You do not need to SUBJECT US to your tirades to help you be a better writer; use a damned journal. And if you really aren't trying to convert us, then why the shell are you just repeating the same argument over and over to people who obviously don't agree? How about you stop "preparing" to write the fanfic with your incessant bitching, and just go write the damn thing instead?
3) I may be crossing the line here, but if you bring up doge, then you're damned as a writer anyway so far as I'm concerned.

It is blatantly obvious that your argument has nothing to stand on but slippery slope logic, and you blame the media excessively for people doing what is in many of our natures to do. We psychoanalize the ones we love; get used to it. A chart may be creepy to you, but it is, in fact, a hyperbolic representation of the actual dilemmas men go through about how to approach a girl in a way that isn't scary to them. And as others have said, Don has matured since that point.

I really want to know, how would you have done it "better"? Is there any way at all they could have had Donatello crush on April that doesn't offend you?

[BabyTurtles]

Originally Posted by Konchadunga

I really want to know, how would you have done it "better"? Is there any way at all they could have had Donatello crush on April that doesn't offend you?

I don't know about Netkeeper....but

if they gave April a little more voice in the whole love triangle thing and made Donnie not so focused on April, then I'd probably be cool with it.

also let April interact with the other turtles a lot more please! XD When she's only shown with Donnie...it makes it seem like the writers only think the romance is important...not April herself.

[Konchadunga]

That is a much more respectable position than just "Obsession is bad; m'kay?"

[Netkeeper]

Originally Posted by Konchadunga

1) You do not have any statistics on hand that things like Twilight lead to sexual assault. I think it sucks, mind you, but the fact that much of the female populace disagrees proves that yours isn't the only opinion. Accept it.

I can't explain why some people like Twilight. I really cannot. But it doesn't change the fact that behaviours like those lead to sexual assault, because that's what goes through their heads. Like, if you use your brain, you can easily come to the same conclusion.

Originally Posted by Konchadunga

2) You do not need to SUBJECT US to your tirades to help you be a better writer; use a damned journal. And if you really aren't trying to convert us, then why the shell are you just repeating the same argument over and over to people who obviously don't agree? How about you stop "preparing" to write the fanfic with your incessant bitching, and just go write the damn thing instead?
3) I may be crossing the line here, but if you bring up doge, then you're damned as a writer anyway so far as I'm concerned.

I can't believe how serious every word of that drivel is. Talking with myself and debating with myself isn't going to make me a better writer! Shoving myself into conversation with people who are unlikely to share my views is! Opposition helps refine your views, and you can learn a lot from hearing an outside perspective. I've learned a LOT during the time I've been posting here. I love it!

Originally Posted by Konchadunga

How about you stop "preparing" to write the fanfic with your incessant bitching, and just go write the damn thing instead?

Unfortunately, little do you know my little project already contains approximately 18296 words.

Originally Posted by Konchadunga

A chart may be creepy to you, but it is, in fact, a hyperbolic representation of the actual dilemmas men go through about how to approach a girl in a way that isn't scary to them.

No, it really is not. I don't make charts trying to turn "no's" into "yeses". Do you know how to approach anyone you find attractive? You talk to them like they are any other human being on this Earth. Wow. So difficult. And if you have feelings for that person, you tell them "I think I have romantic feelings for you". Again, this isn't difficult. All you have to do is be up front and honest, which appears to be a concept a lot of people have trouble understanding.

Originally Posted by Konchadunga

I really want to know, how would you have done it "better"? Is there any way at all they could have had Donatello crush on April that doesn't offend you?

I absolutely would have done it better if I wanted to write something like that, but the fact stands that I have no interest in writing a Donatello/April crush, and I have no interest in writing Donatello with a puppy crush at all. I tried it once. It was stupid.

But to humour you, I'd set things up in a way where April is well established before any romantic feelings start showing. It's important to display what each half of a potential couple is like independently, and as friends, before any crushes enter the picture. This mistake was made in episode number one of TMNT 2012: Donatello is already lovestruck and nobody even knows what her name is. That is god awful writing.

Donatello is an intellectual character. Writing him with a crush isn't difficult, but it isn't going to be incredibly obvious, either. His hints need to be subtle, and they need to be given an intellectual, not a physical, basis. Showing April being interested in mathematics or computers, or a teenage girl with an ambition to make good grades, would be a good step in the direction of having him develop a crush that makes sense. He would show admiration for mind, not body. A strong, self-assured girl that has a good wit would be a nice fit for 2k12 Donatello, but I'm also of the opinion that fellow geniuses fit him nicely as well [like 2k3 April].

This is the type of thing that would develop slowly for him, assuming that Donatello is even the first one to start feeling anything to begin with. April's feelings are equally as important, but in order to write the development well, adjustments to her character would also be necessary. She'd have to be given a lot more spotlight. This teen April would have worked wonderfully in centre-stage, main protagonist territory, imo, but it doesn't necessarily have to go that far for it to be relevant to show what April is like and what her life outside the turtles revolves around, because it sure as hell don't revolve around the turtles and it shouldn't. When April is aged down so she is the same age as the turtles, we're missing an opportunity to give her the relateable role, the "average kid that is probably watching the show right now" role.

If it were me, I'd have spent season one displaying the characters independently and working as teams, showing their platonic dynamics with each other, then come season two if any crush was going to develop it'd happen then. And it would be slow and out of focus. Even as the crush grows, it would not be the main focus of either character involved, and it would not be the driving force behind every single interaction the two characters had, because at that point there would be more to them than "one is crushing on the other lmao", there would be an already-existent platonic dynamic that continues to grow.

[BubblyShell22]

I think a lot of you are looking into this too deeply. As latmat said, the chart was more about the possibilities Don had about spending time with April and the scenarios in which it could happen. He even talked about the things he'd do if said scenario were to occur including helping her to study for a test and do her homework. Not stalking behavior to me. If he was REALLY obsessed to that point, he'd be peeking into her room at night or finding ways to get her to kiss him. None of that has happened, so I don't see it as being creepy at all.

And April isn't voicing anything because it probably doesn't bother her or she's too confused to know what to say. If it was bothering her, I'm sure she'd say something, and she kind of has in some episodes anyway. She probably finds the whole thing sweet, and she seems to be rejecting Casey more by bringing Irma along because she just doesn't like him in that way as of yet.

And for the record, NK, I am a woman who likes Twilight because the story is interesting, especially the spin Meyer puts on vampires and werewolves in her world. Yeah, Edward is definitely creepy at times, but Bella calls him out on said creepiness and is even upset when she learns he's been watching her sleep. So, there you go.

[victory_angel]

Originally Posted by BabyTurtles

I don't know about Netkeeper....but

if they gave April a little more voice in the whole love triangle thing and made Donnie not so focused on April, then I'd probably be cool with it.

also let April interact with the other turtles a lot more please! XD When she's only shown with Donnie...it makes it seem like the writers only think the romance is important...not April herself.

I don't know about other peoples views. But the way I'm seeing things is that the triangle between Donnie/April/Casey is being set up as a mirror to the triangle that happened between Hamato Yoshi/Teng Shen/Oroku Saki.

As it was mentioned Splinter and Shredder were best friends but their love for the same woman put a wedge between them. Teng Shen chose Splinter as her husband, but Oroku Saki for whatever reason could not accept it so he chose to let his jealousy consume him and he lashed out at his former friend and accused him of taking Teng Shen away from him. In their dispute over her, they lost sight of Teng Shen as a person and saw her more as a possession.

It was like Teng Shen had no voice or opinion over what was going on. She was just a prize to be won.

With Splinter's lesson about about teaching Donnie to like 'Falling Down' yes the main lesson was to remind Donnie he couldn't force April to accept him, and that it was her choice if she wanted to be with him. But I firmly believe underlying that lesson, Splinter was derailing Donatello from inadvertently stumbling down the same mistakes that Splinter and Shredder have made in the past.

And as the triangle continues, it is likely we will see echos of Splinter's dispute with the Shredder in the ways Donnie and Casey react to each other.

At this point it's easy to assume that Donnie is playing the roll of Hamato Yoshi and Casey is Shredder. And things seem to be playing out with a what if scenario of "What if Teng Shen had loved Oroku Saki more?"

One fan fic I have written goes by the title of "Learn to Let her Go" In the fic, Donnie approaches Splinter and asks what he would have done if Teng Shen had chosen the Shredder as her husband? And Splinter simply answers that he would have done the honorable thing and accepted her choice.

And people on FF.net have responded by telling me they hope a story in a similar vain is told in the Nick Version.

There has been some moments where it has seemed Donnie knows he's more or less lost any chance of having anything beyond friendship with April.

In Target: April O'Neil-When he sees April talking to Casey at the ice rink, the look on his face just screams that he knows he's lost her.

In "Of Rat's and Men" April grieves for Casey when he gets dragged off into the sewers.

In Wormquake: When Casey is devoured by that Krathatrogon April also clings to Donnie in grief.

In both these scenario's Donnie does feel bad about what had happened to Casey. Because rival or not, he knows Casey Jones is someone important in April's life. And he would have to be a real bastard to take any pleasure in his rivals demise.

Wrath of Tiger Claw, the first thing April does when she sees Casey is she runs to him in concern. Donnie doesn't say or do anything regarding this. And so it will be safe to assume that whatever the situation is with the Music Box. It was more then likely final moment where Donnie is letting April know what is in his heart regarding her, but her reaction to it he interprets as she didn't return his feelings. So his talk with her was his way of saying "I have accepted you like Casey. I'm just a mutant so I don't matter."

And April kissing him was her way of saying "I haven't decided yet," with the "My Mutant" response being her way of saying "You may be a mutant, but your a mutant that matters to me."

It regards to the D/A/C triangle. Both Donnie and Casey can fit in the roles of Splinter and Shredder.

If Donnie is in the role of Splinter and Casey is in the role of Shredder. Then things could possibly be a what if the out come was different, what if Splinter was the jilted suitor?

Or a "What is likely to happen situation" it could be the direct mirror where Casey becomes the jerk because he couldn't accept that April has chosen someone else.

If Casey however is the role of Splinter, and Donnie in the role of Shredder, then it could be a this is what could have happened scenario.

Which would be a where Donnie obsessiveness over April makes him the jerk but when things come to a head we realizes the person he's really hurting is April and it's only then he backs off.

And then there is the "what should have happened?" Where April does voice where she stands on the situation and that she is not a prize to be won. At this time both Donnie and Casey matter to her and if one of them is gone it's like part of her dies with them.

I know I could make a reference to Twilight and Bella's choice between Edward and Jacob.

After all with Edward she would have immortality, but she would be essentially for all intents dead. While with Jacob it is mentioned that she would live longer then a normal mortal person and she would be able to have a relatively normal life and have children and such.

With April however, her thoughts are not on what she could gain in the relationship with either boy, but rather who has her trust the most. Which makes Casey and Donnie be more comparable to Gale and Peeta from Hunger Games.

I mean with Katniss, Gale represents the world she knows. She and Gale were the children of coal minors, they lost their fathers in mining accidents and Gale would become a coal minor when they grew up. So aside from having a desire to risk their freedom by seeing if they could truly escape and learn to escape the tyranny of the Capital. They feel they have a duty to help provide for their families and the people of their district which is why they never leave.

Then she encounters Peeta. Peeta is a boy she sort of knows, but not well as he comes from a different life style then she does. She has no reason to trust him because they would be forced to kill each other in the arena if the other Tributes don't do that already. And when Peeta tells the Capital and the rest of the districts that he is love with her, she assumes that is just so they could get more sympathy. It's only later that she learns that his feelings are genuine and he upset that she assumed he made that up. However he later apologizes and says he was wrong to expect that she would know his feelings were real.


Casey is comparable to Gale because even though April doesn't know him as well as she knows Donnie. He is a representation of everything she knows to be normal in her life. And in previous incarnations it is pretty much a given that April and Casey would end up together.

Donnie however is like Peeta because is from a life style that April isn't quite as familiar with. But the more she does get to know him and his brothers, the more she is able to trust and understand them as people.

[victory_angel]

Originally Posted by Netkeeper

This mistake was made in episode number one of TMNT 2012: Donatello is already lovestruck and nobody even knows what her name is. That is god awful writing.

Look at Les Misérables one of the relationships starts with the two lovers bumping into each other and neither one knows who the other is. And that story is considered to be one of the greatest novels of the 19th century.

Donatello is an intellectual character. Writing him with a crush isn't difficult, but it isn't going to be incredibly obvious, either. His hints need to be subtle, and they need to be given an intellectual, not a physical, basis. Showing April being interested in mathematics or computers, or a teenage girl with an ambition to make good grades, would be a good step in the direction of having him develop a crush that makes sense.

Would you have prefer to have Raph be the one who had the Crush on April? Because when Ciro was originally pitching his vision for TMNT he wanted to have Raph and April together as they would bond over their love of Art. And in that version April was going to be the central focus character not the title characters.

[JTH]

Originally Posted by victory_angel

Look at Les Misérables one of the relationships starts with the two lovers bumping into each other and neither one knows who the other is. And that story is considered to be one of the greatest novels of the 19th century.

Let's go ahead and throw in Cinderella, Aladdin, and Phantom of the Opera while we're at it.

Two of which are Disney movies and the other this show seems to be following closely in terms of essence of story, and all are wonderful written stories that followed that notice of falling in love with someone before even knowing who they were.

I really wish people would do their homework before they hit "post".

[BabyTurtles]

Originally Posted by victory_angel

Spoiler:

I don't know about other peoples views. But the way I'm seeing things is that the triangle between Donnie/April/Casey is being set up as a mirror to the triangle that happened between Hamato Yoshi/Teng Shen/Oroku Saki.

As it was mentioned Splinter and Shredder were best friends but their love for the same woman put a wedge between them. Teng Shen chose Splinter as her husband, but Oroku Saki for whatever reason could not accept it so he chose to let his jealousy consume him and he lashed out at his former friend and accused him of taking Teng Shen away from him. In their dispute over her, they lost sight of Teng Shen as a person and saw her more as a possession.

It was like Teng Shen had no voice or opinion over what was going on. She was just a prize to be won.

With Splinter's lesson about about teaching Donnie to like 'Falling Down' yes the main lesson was to remind Donnie he couldn't force April to accept him, and that it was her choice if she wanted to be with him. But I firmly believe underlying that lesson, Splinter was derailing Donatello from inadvertently stumbling down the same mistakes that Splinter and Shredder have made in the past.

And as the triangle continues, it is likely we will see echos of Splinter's dispute with the Shredder in the ways Donnie and Casey react to each other.

At this point it's easy to assume that Donnie is playing the roll of Hamato Yoshi and Casey is Shredder. And things seem to be playing out with a what if scenario of "What if Teng Shen had loved Oroku Saki more?"

One fan fic I have written goes by the title of "Learn to Let her Go" In the fic, Donnie approaches Splinter and asks what he would have done if Teng Shen had chosen the Shredder as her husband? And Splinter simply answers that he would have done the honorable thing and accepted her choice.

And people on FF.net have responded by telling me they hope a story in a similar vain is told in the Nick Version.

There has been some moments where it has seemed Donnie knows he's more or less lost any chance of having anything beyond friendship with April.

In Target: April O'Neil-When he sees April talking to Casey at the ice rink, the look on his face just screams that he knows he's lost her.

In "Of Rat's and Men" April grieves for Casey when he gets dragged off into the sewers.

In Wormquake: When Casey is devoured by that Krathatrogon April also clings to Donnie in grief.

In both these scenario's Donnie does feel bad about what had happened to Casey. Because rival or not, he knows Casey Jones is someone important in April's life. And he would have to be a real bastard to take any pleasure in his rivals demise.

Wrath of Tiger Claw, the first thing April does when she sees Casey is she runs to him in concern. Donnie doesn't say or do anything regarding this. And so it will be safe to assume that whatever the situation is with the Music Box. It was more then likely final moment where Donnie is letting April know what is in his heart regarding her, but her reaction to it he interprets as she didn't return his feelings. So his talk with her was his way of saying "I have accepted you like Casey. I'm just a mutant so I don't matter."

And April kissing him was her way of saying "I haven't decided yet," with the "My Mutant" response being her way of saying "You may be a mutant, but your a mutant that matters to me."

It regards to the D/A/C triangle. Both Donnie and Casey can fit in the roles of Splinter and Shredder.

If Donnie is in the role of Splinter and Casey is in the role of Shredder. Then things could possibly be a what if the out come was different, what if Splinter was the jilted suitor?

Or a "What is likely to happen situation" it could be the direct mirror where Casey becomes the jerk because he couldn't accept that April has chosen someone else.

If Casey however is the role of Splinter, and Donnie in the role of Shredder, then it could be a this is what could have happened scenario.

Which would be a where Donnie obsessiveness over April makes him the jerk but when things come to a head we realizes the person he's really hurting is April and it's only then he backs off.

And then there is the "what should have happened?" Where April does voice where she stands on the situation and that she is not a prize to be won. At this time both Donnie and Casey matter to her and if one of them is gone it's like part of her dies with them.

I know I could make a reference to Twilight and Bella's choice between Edward and Jacob.

After all with Edward she would have immortality, but she would be essentially for all intents dead. While with Jacob it is mentioned that she would live longer then a normal mortal person and she would be able to have a relatively normal life and have children and such.

With April however, her thoughts are not on what she could gain in the relationship with either boy, but rather who has her trust the most. Which makes Casey and Donnie be more comparable to Gale and Peeta from Hunger Games.

I mean with Katniss, Gale represents the world she knows. She and Gale were the children of coal minors, they lost their fathers in mining accidents and Gale would become a coal minor when they grew up. So aside from having a desire to risk their freedom by seeing if they could truly escape and learn to escape the tyranny of the Capital. They feel they have a duty to help provide for their families and the people of their district which is why they never leave.

Then she encounters Peeta. Peeta is a boy she sort of knows, but not well as he comes from a different life style then she does. She has no reason to trust him because they would be forced to kill each other in the arena if the other Tributes don't do that already. And when Peeta tells the Capital and the rest of the districts that he is love with her, she assumes that is just so they could get more sympathy. It's only later that she learns that his feelings are genuine and he upset that she assumed he made that up. However he later apologizes and says he was wrong to expect that she would know his feelings were real.


Casey is comparable to Gale because even though April doesn't know him as well as she knows Donnie. He is a representation of everything she knows to be normal in her life. And in previous incarnations it is pretty much a given that April and Casey would end up together.

Donnie however is like Peeta because is from a life style that April isn't quite as familiar with. But the more she does get to know him and his brothers, the more she is able to trust and understand them as people.

that's cool...but if they could just tone down that subplot a notch or three that'd be nice.

[kolaida]

Originally Posted by BubblyShell22

I think a lot of you are looking into this too deeply. As latmat said, the chart was more about the possibilities Don had about spending time with April and the scenarios in which it could happen. He even talked about the things he'd do if said scenario were to occur including helping her to study for a test and do her homework. Not stalking behavior to me. If he was REALLY obsessed to that point, he'd be peeking into her room at night or finding ways to get her to kiss him. None of that has happened, so I don't see it as being creepy at all.

And April isn't voicing anything because it probably doesn't bother her or she's too confused to know what to say. If it was bothering her, I'm sure she'd say something, and she kind of has in some episodes anyway. She probably finds the whole thing sweet, and she seems to be rejecting Casey more by bringing Irma along because she just doesn't like him in that way as of yet.

And for the record, NK, I am a woman who likes Twilight because the story is interesting, especially the spin Meyer puts on vampires and werewolves in her world. Yeah, Edward is definitely creepy at times, but Bella calls him out on said creepiness and is even upset when she learns he's been watching her sleep. So, there you go.

Yeah, I think it's being looked being looked into a little too deeply. It was off putting at first but I feel it's toned down a lot. Donnie has grown a lot and the chart episode was awhile ago (and it's just part of how he thinks- if I recall right I think his brothers said something about it or rolled their eyes or something). Also, I think this has more to do with social awkwardness than with OCD. Most people with OCD tend to have other anxiety disorders.

I think April might not know what to say because if she hurts Donnie too badly, she might lose her friendship with all the turtles and Splinter. Not too mention allies that can help her. And she seems to enjoy Donnie's company, she just might not be into it that way and it would be a bigger obstacle than what some girls would face because it's basically saying, "yeah, I don't like you that way because you're a turtle." And April probably doesn't want to say that. And who knows, maybe by the end she'll be into it but she seems to be digging Casey. I'm glad it wasn't Raph and I'm also glad April wasn't the character the story centered on.

And for what's it worth I'm not much of a Twilight fan (more True Blood books here) but I can see why some like it. Edward is creepy as all get out sometimes-- he is a vampire-- but Bella usually does say something when she thinks it's too far. More tolerant than me, but I'm just one girl and other girls dig guys being that into them.

[Powder]

This wouldn't even be an issue if not for Tumblr & fedora culture.

[DarthEmpress]

It'd be nice to know how April feels about Don and Casey, but that's obviously asking too much.

[Coola Yagami]

Just let them do what they want. It's already scripted and drawn out and whatever we say won't make them scrap everything and rewrite. Let's just watch and see what they have in store.

[BabyTurtles]

Originally Posted by DarthEmpress

It'd be nice to know how April feels about Don and Casey, but that's obviously asking too much.

that's really the main thing I want at this point.

[Netkeeper]

Originally Posted by victory_angel

Look at Les Misérables one of the relationships starts with the two lovers bumping into each other and neither one knows who the other is. And that story is considered to be one of the greatest novels of the 19th century.

Would you have prefer to have Raph be the one who had the Crush on April? Because when Ciro was originally pitching his vision for TMNT he wanted to have Raph and April together as they would bond over their love of Art. And in that version April was going to be the central focus character not the title characters.

So this post and your long post above it reference media I'm not entirely familiar with. Luckily I was talking with people that did [and by people I mean my brother], so I decided to do a recording of all of us discussing it. You can call it a comprehensive response or a jumbled mess, doesn't matter to me. You don't even have to listen to it. I wouldn't take it seriously.

Apologies for bad mixing. Didn't bother to test before recording.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Originally Posted by victory_angel

Look at Les Misérables one of the relationships starts with the two lovers bumping into each other and neither one knows who the other is. And that story is considered to be one of the greatest novels of the 19th century.

Thank you! I could name probably half a dozen other novels in that vein as well, and I wouldn't consider any of them "crappy writing." There's nothing wrong with a "love at first sight" scenario- it's one of the oldest romantic ideas in the world. What makes it a good or bad story is how it's written, and how the characters behave and grow through the course of the story. Donnie has grown beyond the "first sight" stage, and is now very possibly fully in love. (Personally, I'd consider it still borderline infatuation, but he has shown some signs of it being deeper than that.)

Originally Posted by jth

Let's go ahead and throw in Cinderella, Aladdin, and Phantom of the Opera while we're at it.

Two of which are Disney movies and the other this show seems to be following closely in terms of essence of story, and all are wonderful written stories that followed that notice of falling in love with someone before even knowing who they were.

I really wish people would do their homework before they hit "post".

Agreed. Technically, Cinderella and Aladdin were fairy tales long before they were Disney movies, but the idea is the same. Heck, I'd go so far as to include pretty much ANY fairy tale or legend in with these. They almost always have two people fall in love without even knowing each other.

As for Phantom, this version of TMNT has some very striking similarities to that situation, with Donnie in the place of Erik, of course. Which I suppose would make Casey Raoul. Except in this case, the "Phantom" isn't a homicidal recluse who is bent on killing anyone who pisses him off or torturing innocent victims by whatever bizarre means he can come up with. (Seriously- read the actual book sometime. The play's got NOTHING on the original story!! And my fave version of the story movie-wise is the Robert Englund film. It was dark and disturbing, much like the book itself.) Donnie as "Phantom" is simply a lonely, awkward boy who has feelings for the first girl he ever encounters, but is afraid to open up due to his insecurity regarding the fact that he is a mutant.