The Donatello Thread

[NoName999]

Originally Posted by Donatello19

None of you would complain if the genders were reversed...

And clearly you know our personal opinions and ticks, right?

[Donatello19]

Ok maybe YOU guys would care, but what I'm trying to say is that the general public would think it's funny if a girl was stalking the man, but creepy the other way around.

[Netkeeper]

Originally Posted by Donatello19

None of you would complain if the genders were reversed...

There is a time and a place for that sort of argument. This is not one of them.

Stalker behaviour and creeping on people is not okay regardless of the genders of either party involved. That also ties in to why this crush, regardless of its "innocent" nature or portrayal on a children's program, is still problematic. It teaches the children watching that it's OK to be like this. We learn terrible behaviours as children.

[bone]

Originally Posted by Donatello19

None of you would complain if the genders were reversed...

I don't really agree with that; while it probably wouldn't be viewed as being quite as creepy, there's no way everyone would be fine with the following and unsolicited picture taking!

[electric_sheep]

It's not just that it's creepy it's that it's his whole charachters, this Donnie has only two settings, Yelling and slobering all over April same as Mikey who has only
Beast Boy and slobering all over Pizza...

[ssjup81]

Originally Posted by Netkeeper

There is a time and a place for that sort of argument. This is not one of them.

Stalker behaviour and creeping on people is not okay regardless of the genders of either party involved. That also ties in to why this crush, regardless of its "innocent" nature or portrayal on a children's program, is still problematic. It teaches the children watching that it's OK to be like this. We learn terrible behaviours as children.

The innocence of his crush is what I find cute, but I can't fully agree with what you're saying here about how the show is making it ok. The reactions of the other three who have openly said that it's creepy (or thinking it) speaks volumes. Like when Mutagen Man was going after April and Donny pointed out how, given the time, she'd probably be in the park. I think Leo was the one to ask how he would even know that and Donny bashfully and slightly embarrassingly told them that he followed her. The reactions from the other three was like, "Dude, that's creepy."

That aside, I didn't know that he had any photos of April without her knowing. I only recall that photo of him pushing her on the swing. He keeps that out in the open, and April hangs in his lab. Seems she would've seen it and complained if it had been taken without her knowledge.

That aside, I wonder if this crush is going to come back and bite him in the shell.

Oh, yeah I've grown used to his outbursts. They're more humorous to me now.

[ssjup81]

Originally Posted by Rooish

Well, if you count the Palladium RPG player stats or the Playmates toys stats? But I'm pretty sure the former was unofficial, not confirmed by the Mirage creators, and pretty weird to boot. And in Playmates Don was shortest by like a foot.

I think I may have been thinking about the toys. My mistake.

[ssjup81]

Originally Posted by Netkeeper

Spying with a robot? Taking pictures of her without permission? Taking it upon himself to follow her when she didn't want to see him?

Wait...when did he spy on her with a robot?

[Donatello19]

Originally Posted by ssjup81

Wait...when did he spy on her with a robot?

He didn't...well, he kinda did. He was controlling Metalhead so April ad the robot were on a mission, and at one point they're waiting on a rooftop so Don zooms the camera in on April's face. So he kinda spied on her, but that's not the whole reason why he used Metalhead.

[Netkeeper]

Originally Posted by ssjup81

That aside, I didn't know that he had any photos of April without her knowing. I only recall that photo of him pushing her on the swing. He keeps that out in the open, and April hangs in his lab. Seems she would've seen it and complained if it had been taken without her knowledge.

Also, it doesn't matter if she "complained" or not, it's still creepy. Stop excusing his actions. They are not acceptable.

Originally Posted by Donatello19

He didn't...well, he kinda did. He was controlling Metalhead so April ad the robot were on a mission, and at one point they're waiting on a rooftop so Don zooms the camera in on April's face. So he kinda spied on her, but that's not the whole reason why he used Metalhead.

He spied on her.

[Donatello19]

Originally Posted by Netkeeper

He spied on her.

I know, but you made it sound like that was the entire reason he created Metalhead and used him that particular night. It wasn't.

[ssjup81]

Originally Posted by Netkeeper

http://i.imgur.com/RVgFeJk.png

Also, it doesn't matter if she "complained" or not, it's still creepy. Stop excusing his actions. They are not acceptable.

Actually, it would matter, then Donny would maybe get that it isn't ok to do that kind of thing.

He spied on her.

Sorry, I disagree. If he'd made and used Metalhead for that exact reason, I'd agree. For that scene, I felt that even if Donny had been physically there, it would've pretty much been the same. Taking glances and shyly and quickly turning away because he's alone with a girl he likes.

[Electric]

Donnie's actions are a little weird, but I think he's toned it down a little now, and I don't think it defines him or April as a character.

[Netkeeper]

Originally Posted by ssjup81

Sorry, I disagree. If he'd made and used Metalhead for that exact reason, I'd agree. For that scene, I felt that even if Donny had been physically there, it would've pretty much been the same. Taking glances and shyly and quickly turning away because he's alone with a girl he likes.

Originally Posted by Donatello19

I know

Even the Donatellostan admits it -- he spied on her.

It doesn't matter what his intent was, it doesn't matter what he made Metalhead for nor what he wanted to use it for. The fact of the matter is he spied on her and that isn't acceptable behaviour and I will never condone it.

[ssjup81]

Originally Posted by ElectricN

Donnie's actions are a little weird, but I think he's toned it down a little now, and I don't think it defines him or April as a character.

I feel he's toned down on the creepy stalkerish thing too and I guess it's because April's friends with them again.

[Donatello19]

Originally Posted by Netkeeper

It doesn't matter what his intent was, it doesn't matter what he made Metalhead for nor what he wanted to use it for. The fact of the matter is he spied on her and that isn't acceptable behaviour and I will never condone it.

I think you're taking this a little too seriously...it's played for laughs and a lot of people probably think it's funny, including myself.

[Netkeeper]

Originally Posted by Donatello19

I think you're taking this a little too seriously...it's played for laughs and a lot of people probably think it's funny, including myself.

It's not funny. I'm not taking it too seriously. I'm remembering that the target audience is young children and that showing a character who is supposed to be a role model doing disgusting things is going to teach these children that doing these disgusting things is okay.

This is WHY stalkers happen. They think it's okay because of the media they consume interpreting it as funny or acceptable.

"Maybe I should just follow April-chan to make sure she is okay even though she said she didn't want to see me. (´･ω･`) "

[ssjup81]

I find some of his antics actually funny, like when he's around April and makes a fool of himself or embarrasses himself. What I don't like is when he does anything I find to be actually stalkerish, like how he knew where she'd be that one time when they were going to protect her from Mutagen Man (yeah, it was helpful info, but if he'd said something like, "She told me about it" as opposed to "I followed her" that would've sat better with me) or that other ep when they were patrolling and he stopped the others and said something about them all visiting April and knowing the distance exactly from the spot they were at. I found that a bit creepy. Ironically, for both of these instances, the other three found it "creepy".

I'm glad they toned down on that, though as the show has gone on by the looks of it. I've watched up to ep 18 of season 2 and the crush isn't bothering me as much anymore and I guess it's because he's not acting like a stalker all that much anymore. I find his competing with Casey kind of funny.

Thinking about it, I think they're portraying Donny's crush in this way to show how socially inept he is when it comes to this type of thing and how awkward first crushes can be. He and his brothers have been underground and didn't have any interaction with people until meeting April. Would they truly know what's fully acceptable or not?

That aside, does anyone know if there's an inside joke in the series since they have Donny with the crush in the first place. Even in the Manhattan Project episode, Donny was attracted to OT April.

[Netkeeper]

Originally Posted by ssjup81

I find some of his antics actually funny, like when he's around April and makes a fool of himself or embarrasses himself.

This would be cool with me, no problems at all, if that was all the crush was.

Originally Posted by ssjup81

yeah, it was helpful info, but if he'd said something like, "She told me about it" as opposed to "I followed her" that would've sat better with me

It wouldn't have with me, because then he'd be lying.

Originally Posted by ssjup81

Thinking about it, I think they're portraying Donny's crush in this way to show how socially inept he is when it comes to this type of thing and how awkward first crushes can be. He and his brothers have been underground and didn't have any interaction with people until meeting April. Would they truly know what's fully acceptable or not?

This would be just fine if the show itself had addressed this and went out of their way to mention that it wasn't acceptable to act this way. I think it could have made for an interesting take on Donatello's character if they had just done the simple job of PORTRAYING it as a bad thing. They did not.

[rickwj324]

Originally Posted by Netkeeper

It's not funny. I'm not taking it too seriously. I'm remembering that the target audience is young children and that showing a character who is supposed to be a role model doing disgusting things is going to teach these children that doing these disgusting things is okay.

This is WHY stalkers happen. They think it's okay because of the media they consume interpreting it as funny or acceptable.

"Maybe I should just follow April-chan to make sure she is okay even though she said she didn't want to see me. (´･ω･`) "

Or maybe stop watching the show??!!

I think people are way over-thinking and over-analyzing this. Yes, that's MY opinion and everyone else is entitled to theirs. But if something in a Nickelodeon kid's show is bothering you this badly, then perhaps the best thing would be to change the dial.

And no...I'm not making light of "stalking" and if you read a few pages back I have experienced a stalker first hand. I've had to go through the legal system, I've had a restraining order, I've moved, changed phone numbers, etc. So just because I'm a male don't think that I'm insensitive to the issue. And by the way...I've dealt with it for well over 20 years and I'm always wondering when she's going to pop back up.

Rick