Does anyone here still enjoy the 80s series?

[Wesley]

Originally Posted by Blossombrooks

Heck yeah I still enjoy it, like Hero said it's nice to be able to watch unedited episodes. I wish the dvds were easier to get hold of for the later seasons in the UK though. Is it my favourite version of TMNT? Nope that changed but that doesn't mean it isn't still enjoyable, I was laughing my head off at 50ft Irma the other day.

I agree that it's nice to watch unedited episodes alright. Some scenes make more sense now and it's like seeing extras. The entire series was aired in Ireland, but most of it was edited. I still enjoy it but not as much as I did when I was younger.

[nellyp]

Originally Posted by ABrown

Is there a reason that the show hasn't aired on television (in the United States) in so many years? Countless other actions cartoons from around the same time have reaired: G.I. Joe, Transformers, Thundercats, Batman The Animated Series. It just seems like a given to me that someone would've aired the series at some point this century.

In Canada it aired on tv until recently on Teletoon Retro until that channel was sadly discontinued.

As for the thread topic, I do watch and enjoy episodes of the OT still. I own all the seasons individual releases on DVD but rather than take it off the shelf each time, we just Stream them as it is more convenient. I watch it with my 2 boys and we usually get the episodes with the appearances of other mutants like mutagen man, Muckman, mondo gecko, leatherhead, etc. They think it is cool to see the episodes based on the vintage toys I have been getting on eBay. They really liked the episode "Muckman messes up" so when I got the Muckman toy they were really excited.

[pferreira]

Originally Posted by Sumac

I do.
Despite the fact that in this day and age, all wannabe cool edgy kids, accompanied by "purists" (LOL) love to **** on this series as something sacrilegious and VERY bad, I consider OT being quite a good 80s cartoon. It's fun, it's extremely lighthearted and doesn't worry about consistency. It's something that you can watch and laugh (and sometimes cringe, but in a fun way).

It's just pure fun, which explains why some people intent on putting this series down, because nobody want fun today. Everyone (or at least some vocal people) nowadays want DARK GRIM CONTINUITY WITH SERIOUS THEMES AND PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDIES AND NO FUN ALLOWED BECAUSE FUN AND LIGHTHEARTEDNESS IS DUMB AND FOR KIDS AND IDIOTS WITH **** TASTE. Things are slowly going away from it, but there are still plenty of this water.

This kids and purists should understand when and why this series was made and see it for what it is: a cartoonish (action) comedy. It seems some people expect this series (any TMNT series, really) to be DARKGRIMDARKNESSACTIONBLOODKILLMURDERNINJAACTION, which this show was never supposed to be in the first place.
Their complaints are like ******** on a comedy show for not being a gory horror movie. Senseless, like most of the complaints nowadays.

I little over the top but I agree mostly with what you said. What you've got to understand is that fortunately or unfortunately kids today or kids who watched the FW show and are now all grown up expect something more serious. The world of today is much different to the 80s. Everything and everyone has matured, become more cynical to some extent. A fun, episodic action adventure show with a lot of comedy really doesn't cut it today for kids. They want a dark, serious show with quick comedy and anime. They want serialised television where every episode leads onto the next. It's just the television and film landscape we live in at the moment.

The Fred Wolf cartoon is therefore seen as dated and useless, frowned upon by grown-up fans who expect the Ninja Turtles to be gritty and violent. Adults who have fond memories of watching it when they were younger refuse to or can't be bothered. In twenty years time when the television landscape changes again maybe episodic cartoon storytelling like the Fred Wolf Turtles will be considered worthy. But at the moment it's easy to put down.

I personally aren't bowled over by dark and gritty unless it has a purpose to exist in the first place. Instead of making a case of which is better the best way to look at it is what contributes what to Turtles. Each animated TV incarnation of the Turtles does something different for better or worse. Is the Fred Wolf better than the 4Kids and Nick show? No because they both do stuff better than the 80s cartoon. Are those two better than the FW show? No again because the Fred Wolf cartoon does stuff more successfully the other two don't do. It takes a thoughtful person to see each as valid rather than using the old "it's dated badly" or the rose tinted glasses response.

[neatoman]

Originally Posted by pferreira

I little over the top but I agree mostly with what you said. What you've got to understand is that fortunately or unfortunately kids today or kids who watched the FW show and are now all grown up expect something more serious. The world of today is much different to the 80s. Everything and everyone has matured, become more cynical to some extent. A fun, episodic action adventure show with a lot of comedy really doesn't cut it today for kids. They want a dark, serious show with quick comedy and anime. They want serialised television where every episode leads onto the next. It's just the television and film landscape we live in at the moment.

The Fred Wolf cartoon is therefore seen as dated and useless, frowned upon by grown-up fans who expect the Ninja Turtles to be gritty and violent. Adults who have fond memories of watching it when they were younger refuse to or can't be bothered. In twenty years time when the television landscape changes again maybe episodic cartoon storytelling like the Fred Wolf Turtles will be considered worthy. But at the moment it's easy to put down.

I personally aren't bowled over by dark and gritty unless it has a purpose to exist in the first place. Instead of making a case of which is better the best way to look at it is what contributes what to Turtles. Each animated TV incarnation of the Turtles does something different for better or worse. Is the Fred Wolf better than the 4Kids and Nick show? No because they both do stuff better than the 80s cartoon. Are those two better than the FW show? No again because the Fred Wolf cartoon does stuff more successfully the other two don't do. It takes a thoughtful person to see each as valid rather than using the old "it's dated badly" or the rose tinted glasses response.

Again, no, that's probably not the reason. The reason a lot of people find it unappealing probably isn't so much the tone but rather the quality. If a show has no quality control and rush scripts, it's probably not going to be very good in the first place and it's going to look really bad the older it gets, which is exactly what has happened here.

[Wesley]

Originally Posted by pferreira

I little over the top but I agree mostly with what you said. What you've got to understand is that fortunately or unfortunately kids today or kids who watched the FW show and are now all grown up expect something more serious. The world of today is much different to the 80s. Everything and everyone has matured, become more cynical to some extent. A fun, episodic action adventure show with a lot of comedy really doesn't cut it today for kids. They want a dark, serious show with quick comedy and anime. They want serialised television where every episode leads onto the next. It's just the television and film landscape we live in at the moment.

The Fred Wolf cartoon is therefore seen as dated and useless, frowned upon by grown-up fans who expect the Ninja Turtles to be gritty and violent. Adults who have fond memories of watching it when they were younger refuse to or can't be bothered. In twenty years time when the television landscape changes again maybe episodic cartoon storytelling like the Fred Wolf Turtles will be considered worthy. But at the moment it's easy to put down.

I personally aren't bowled over by dark and gritty unless it has a purpose to exist in the first place. Instead of making a case of which is better the best way to look at it is what contributes what to Turtles. Each animated TV incarnation of the Turtles does something different for better or worse. Is the Fred Wolf better than the 4Kids and Nick show? No because they both do stuff better than the 80s cartoon. Are those two better than the FW show? No again because the Fred Wolf cartoon does stuff more successfully the other two don't do. It takes a thoughtful person to see each as valid rather than using the old "it's dated badly" or the rose tinted glasses response.

No, I don't think that's the case. I don't mind that the OT was mostly a comedy with some action in it. The main problem I have with the show is that it's hit and miss and repetitive at times. It was a product of its time, as other cartoons that were aired at around the same time such as Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog had the same problem. I think the 4Kids cartoon was much better, as it had a good mix of action, drama and comedy, though I liked the OT's characters more.

[plastroncafe]

So what I'm gleaning from this is that I'm not smart enough to know what I do and don't like.

Good talk.

[CyberCubed]

I want this thread locked so badly.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by neatoman

Again, no, that's probably not the reason. The reason a lot of people find it unappealing probably isn't so much the tone but rather the quality. If a show has no quality control and rush scripts, it's probably not going to be very good in the first place and it's going to look really bad the older it gets, which is exactly what has happened here.

By season 3-4 (the most critizised ones) TMNT peaked in popularity. That was 1989-1990 and everyone asked for more. MWS had no other choose than produce as many episodes as fast as possible.

[neatoman]

Originally Posted by Original TMNT Cartoon Fan

By season 3-4 (the most critizised ones) TMNT peaked in popularity. That was 1989-1990 and everyone asked for more. MWS had no other choose than produce as many episodes as fast as possible.

Season 3 was probably always going to be 47 episodes no matter what, 5+13+47=65, the minimum episodes needed for a cartoon to reach syndication standards. A lot of cartoons did this, made sure they reached that golden 65 episode mark by season 2 or 3, some even did it season 1.

Just a few examples include: Transformers G1, He-man, GI Joe, Jem, Original My Little Pony, Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Biker Mice from Mars, GoBots, Lilo & Stitch, Transformers Prime, MLP FIM, Aladdin, Batman TAS and I could go on.

But you're right on season 4, I guess. They produced 52 episodes which were chopped into three parts and aired different way, I can't really wrap my head around why they would that, other than the benefit of having a bunch of episodes on hold...

[CyberCubed]

Season 4 came out in 1990, the same year the first movie hit theaters. TMNT was still at the height of its popularity at the time so they made as many episodes as they could at the time.

Also keep in mind TMNT aired in reruns weekdays at like 2 times a day and in the mornings, so they needed a lot of episodes to cycle through.

TMNT was the "Pokemon" of its day. A lot of people who were too young in the late 80's or early 90's obviously would not know this. If you were around for the Pokemon craze that's what TMNT was.

[Utrommaniac]

I just barely remember the Pokémon boom, but I did realize that for myself. It would even make sense of Pokémon actually forced Turtlemania to phase out over time.

It makes that Ninja Squirtles joke a little funnier...

Come to think of it, there's so many "things" out at once that there isn't really a true "modern" turtlemania. Even Frozen has its big time competitors. Instead of a single thing all at once, it's several scattered everywhere.

[Ceres]

I can be honest i guess. I really only love the old cartoon for Krang, Shredder and their crownies. And the 4th wall breaking. Else i am indifferent to the cartoon itself. I hated the Neutrinos in the old cartoon and Mr.Ogg.

Else it was okay for an 80`s cartoon. Different times, different toons i guess *shrug*

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Tomorrow I shall be starting my marathon of the all 193 episodes of the OT. About two years ago, I watched the OT up until the end of season 4 and thoroughly enjoyed it despite formerly thinking that everything goes bad past season 1 and remaining a season 1 only OT fan up until when i gave the other seasons a chance.

By beginning on the 23rd April, I will be watching 1 episode a day in the order suggested by Mark at: http://tmntentity.blogspot.co.nz/201...tles-1987.html

At this rate, I should be able to finish the series on the 2nd November, exactly 20 years after the show ended in 1996.

[slingtheory]

While I've come to enjoy the other versions more I still enjoy the ot and I suppose I always will on some level because of what it meant to me growing up. I dont hate it for not being "grim dark" or straight up adaption of the source material because honestly its was a kids show from the 80s it was never going to be that. For what they set out to do worked.The problem as I see it is that maybe it worked too well. it embedded itself into pop culture so deep that almost 30 years later it's still the face of the franchise and thanks to that there's like an illagetimacy that the brand can't shake. I think that's where the resentment comes from. If you're a purist of mirage or someone like me whose moved on to other takes its frustrating to see the wacky side continously being the filter everything tmnt is run through. I believe that's why you get so many people lining up to point out its flaws and there's a lot to point out . But hey that's what happens when you're cranking things out to meet demand

[CyberCubed]

Look at this thread on neogaf with casuals talking about the original toon and its later seasons:

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1211677

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Look at this thread on neogaf with casuals talking about the original toon and its later seasons:

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1211677

That was actually a better read than I had initially expected.

They mention the Nick series but I didn't notice any of the mentioning the 4Kids series or claiming to be a fan of it. A sad that show has the tendency to be forgotten.

[CyberCubed]

People there are wondering who Dregg was but if they watch the Nick cartoon they should realize he's in that show too. They're also posted pics of the Turtles mutations as if they always looked like that in the final seasons instead of just brief scenes they mutated in.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

People there are wondering who Dregg was but if they watch the Nick cartoon they should realize he's in that show too. They're also posted pics of the Turtles mutations as if they always looked like that in the final seasons instead of just brief scenes they mutated in.

Still, I saw people there admitting that the show had its flaws and that the mid-seasons had less action and a more lighthearted tone. They even rmemeber Mike's nunchuks getting replaced by a grappling hook.

I loled @ the guy saying he dropped the show after the Neutrinos were introduced... so he gave up at the 4th episode?

[ranger_scout]

Of course. I am still watching episodes on I-tunes.

[THGhost]

While I admit that it is silly, I still enjoy it for what it is. There are a lot of really great episodes that still hold up today, and you just can't beat that theme tune.