What even is the status quo of this show?

[neatoman]

So we're ten episodes in (technically 5,5 but who really counts it like that) and I'm still not sure what the world of the show is like or it's character relations are. Like, it still drops ideas on us with little to no introduction and the "everyone already knows about TMNT" excuse really doesn't apply here. I'm not going to dwell on the fact that countless mutants popped up right after the mosquito outbreak and have varying levels of interaction with soceity, because that's pretty much the most obvious factor. Instead, let's think about everything else.

I will be pointing to events from previous versions, just to make it clear why the familiartiy excuse doesn't work.

First off, how and when did the Turtles meet April, and how old is she? We don't see April meet the Turtles, the only thing we know is that they "known each other for years". Since human girls and mutant turtles don't tend to hang out very often, it seems like it might be a good idea to establish how they met. So based on previous versions, what could it be? Did Shredder send out henchmen to silence her? No, because nobody knew about the Foot Clan and she's obviously not a journalist. Did Utroms try to kidnap her? No, because they might not even be a factor here given what we know about the mutagen. Did Baxter Stockman try to kill her? Maybe but I don't think April has a coding degree here.
That last one brings up something else, how old is she? She looks like she's 13 but seemingly lives alone and has been around the turtles for "years". Seems like something that needs to be a little more clear.

Then we have Splinter. Appearently, he started out as a human. The only reason I know that is because it's in his bio, the show itself has offered zero evidence to that. Hell, even the bio strangely enough leaves out the name Hamato Yoshi, so we don't even know his real name for sure. I would not be shocked if we got an episode where a bad guy needs Hamato Yoshi for whatever reason, kidnaps Splinter who is then revealed to just be Yoshi's pet rat and therefore useless. Really seems like the kind of thing this show would do to be honest. As for what we do know, there's very little. All we know is that he's lazy, needs to be kept in check by his sons and can't even remember their names. That last one brings up another reason we can't rely on familiarity with the brand, who named the turtles? If Splinter did, why does he keep forgetting? They might be going with the lab animal origin, in which April named them, but I doubt they're doing that.

The origin is another thing you'd think they would have established clearly by now but just isn't. When the Turtles run into the Foot Clan, they have no idea who they are, which makes me question if there even is a connection between them. The mutation of the Turtles is also left up in the air. It's vaguely impled that Baron Draxum created them, but they don't know who he is, nor do they recognise the hidden city. Then there's the elephant in the room about us only having seen humans mutate so far, which could lead a newcomer to assume the Turtles started out as humans. And why would that be incorrect? Very little has conformed to previous versions, for all we know that could be the case.

I don't, by any means, expect this show to have much of a story or fleshed out characters. It clearly isn't aiming for sophistication or drama. But there are still certain things that need to be established, even in a show like this. Sure the show still has 93 episodes left (if not more) to clarify what's going on, but the ideal point to establish the status quo is already past. To me, you really should establish how a rat came to adopt and train mutant turtles, before you have him run around with wacky randomness flu.

[Leo656]

You're not 5. You're not supposed to even be watching this show, let alone asking questions about it.

Every question anyone has about the show can and has been answered already, numerous times: "You're not supposed to care, old person of questionable maturity. It's not for you, it's for people too young to know better. Learn to love it or go take a leap."

It is what it is. I had questions, too... but the first episode really told me all I'd ever need to know.

[IndigoErth]

And seems like the next three we're getting are still just random stuff.

Mystic whatevermcfritters my butt. Maybe that and the whole Draxum thing and his possibly having created them will matter sometime.... next spring?

[Candy Kappa]

Just watch the episodes, it's not hard to piece "status quo" together. sheesh dude.

[Dejablue]

While I don't like Rise very much, I can't fully agree with this post.

Nothing is inherently wrong with starting a show with a relationship (in this case April's friendship with the turtles) in medias res. In fact in some cases it's a cool thing to do and get to the point of showing off the dynamics of the relationship. The show has only just started. And since it was written for, like, 8 year olds, theres no real reason to establish how they met yet. They have all the time in the world to do that. April isn't really an important character from what we have seen so how they met doesn't even matter. Just anticipate the eventual "flashback to how we met episode."

I do partially agree with Neato's complaints about Splinter tho. Is his behavior at all warranted or does he act like a stupid crazy old man for dah lulz. I actually never saw any info that stated Splinter was human first in this incarnation, which could be a very important clue as to why he acts the way he does. If he used to be human, then really Rise Splinter is the most realistic portrayal of a what would happen if a human got turned into a rat possibly against his will. Splinter might not give a crap because his life was literally flushed down the toilet. But this is just me making of theories. And an inconsistent theory at that, since all of the other human turned mutants are just scooting along as if nothing happened.

If April is old enough to live alone its hard to tell from her design. She does look just as young as 2012 April if not younger.
I would argue it isn't fair to waste people's time if April is an important character, and I'd like it if we got into more of the whole mystic weapons thing. I'm just saying, if people bitched about Steven Bombs then Rise dragging it's narrative feet should also not be tolerated.

[miru]

Basically:

https://youtu.be/Go5wle3_G5k

There’s a plot of them trying to learn weapons they stole from the mysterious Baron Draxum, who wants to capture them with the aid of his hired hands, but they have a tendency to ignore hat and go on unrelated adventures and ordeals alike.

[neatoman]

I just feel like there are some things that warrant explaination after 10 episodes, it just seems odd to me that they're content with random episode plots so quickly. I know this isn't the kind of show that wants to focus on it's plot, that it really just wants to do whatever. And that's more or less fine, lot's of children's entertainment is like that.

The heart of my criticism is just that might seem confusing, especially to newcomers, the people you try to appeal to with a reboot. TMNT isn't exactly a straightforward concept, it needs proper introduction.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Leo656

You're not 5. You're not supposed to even be watching this show, let alone asking questions about

The prize. You have won it, sir.

[Coola Yagami]

The turtles are good guys, they fight bad guys. April is their friend, Splinter is old and lazy. There, status quo.

Any other questions and you're too old for this show. Move along.

[IndigoErth]

Originally Posted by neatoman

it just seems odd to me that they're content with random episode plots so quickly

Yeah, I mean if they wanted to just do random nonsense, then for better or worse just sell it as random nonsense... not as some supposedly big, flashy "new and never been done!"™ idea about all this mystic whatever and then turn around and go, "Naw, you now what. I think we'll just write an adventure about them hunting for the tv remote!"

[miru]

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

Yeah, I mean if they wanted to just do random nonsense, then for better or worse just sell it as random nonsense... not as some supposedly big, flashy "new and never been done!"™ idea about all this mystic whatever and then turn around and go, "Naw, you now what. I think we'll just write an adventure about them hunting for the tv remote!"

I imagine the next show will be just that... flat-out random nonsense, ala the McWeeny comics.

[Leo656]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

The prize. You have won it, sir.

Awesome. I hope it comes with cake.

[IndigoErth]

Originally Posted by miru

I imagine the next show will be just that... flat-out random nonsense, ala the McWeeny comics.

And beyond that... A hybrid of Mikey and the Hypnotoad.

[Autbot_Benz]

Like I have said before many times this show was created for the children of this generation the ones who have the attention span of fleas and can only pay attention to 11 minutes of programming before they lose interest.

[miru]

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

And beyond that... A hybrid of Mikey and the Hypnotoad.

Yeah, like Pumpkins in Pants from Arthur.

Let’s see how long that lasts...

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Autbot_Benz

Like I have said before many times this show was created for the children of this generation the ones who have the attention span of fleas and can only pay attention to 11 minutes of programming before they lose interest.

The adults trying to make this show about them are going to perpetually be very, very sad pandas.

[Autbot_Benz]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

The adults trying to make this show about them are going to perpetually be very, very sad pandas.

true they can go cry on their tumblr accounts for all I care

[CyberCubed]

Twitter and tumblr is where a lot of the older fandom is, they love the 2012 cartoon of course, but opinion on Rise is very mixed there. Even on the official TMNT Nick twitter, people respond to most pics/gifs of Rise with mixed opinions, saying how they want the 2012 cartoon back, or the 2k3 series released on new DVD boxsets, etc.

[sdp]

You know they're old fans when they're asking for something to be put on DVD, why not ask VHS at that point?

[ABrown]

I can't figure out what the shell is going on in this series. From what I've seen, I'm staring to feel like the 2012 series is the masterpiece that tekering thinks it is. Actually, in all seriousness, last year at this time was the Savanti Romero/Dracula/Frankenstein episodes. This show is actually making me long for those days.