OT ep: Landlord of the Flies

[CyberCubed]

I'm surprised this ep never had a review thread yet, it was Baxter Stockman's episode from Season 5.

This episode had a concept I'm surprised wasn't thought of earlier, where Baxter Stockman could actually control and command flies to do his bidding. This episode was really enjoyable with lots of great lines:

Baxter: Fire at will!
Rocksteady: Um, which one is "Will?" I know there's a Leonardo, and a Michaelangelo..."

*The Turtles rip off convertible roofs off of cars:

Raphael: Why exactly are we doing this?
Rocktseady: I heard about ripping off cars but not car tops!

Baxter: Its a good thing flies brains are so tiny, how else could I convince them to fly into a megawott generator?"


I also loved how the final act of this episode took place in a baseball stadium, something we never see in any other episode.

[Pterobat]

I'm probably going to re-open the "Enter the Fly" episode thread to give any thoughts on Baxterfly that I've got, so I'll be brief here.

This is my least favourite out of the handful of episodes with Baxter in them. I know the OT didn't have much continuity, 'specially in the later seasons, but Baxter showing up without his computer and having the ability to control flies...for some reason, is just head-tiltingly out of order.

That, and it reminds me how gross real flies are, with the clouds of them everywhere. Baxter's a fun character, but I am not a bug person at all.

The way he orders around his flies and makes jokes is pretty funny, though.

I'm glad the "Landlord of the Flies" title that he gave himself wasn't played up. Personally, I think it's funnier that among all the other mutants with toy-friendly names, there's this guy in the middle who's just "Baxter Stockman".

The thing about this episode is that Baxter seems to revel in being a fly for most of it, but he can turn on a dime and still be angry at Shredder for doing it, and can be bribed by the possiblity of turning human. Not sure if it's the writers being lazy, or that Baxter is screwy enough that he can turn on a dime.

He's dumb enough to come out from behind that curtain during his interview, that's for sure. What a blonde!

There's not much to say about the other characters in this episode:

The way Splinter points out the Turtles' own garbage in the TV room strikes me as very dad-like. I know the old chestnut that Splinter wasn't a fatherly character in the OT, but I can't not see it.

Huh? Bebop and Rocksteady want to become human? They didn't want to be human in "Plan Six from Outer Space". I'm only noting it because it seems like an odd thing to throw in, continuity mess or not.

Well, one time April takes initiative and doesn't get kidnapped--I wish she did this more often. April doesn't have to be a fighter to be useful, but it seems like her taking action often leads to her getting into trouble instead. Bleh.

I remember the end of this episode taught me that "Dudette" was the female version of "Dude". Words to know.

The animation in this episode is pretty bad. Lots of colouring mistakes, off-model scenes, and repeated movements, and Baxter's wings sometimes look like they're made of old paper.

[CyberCubed]

Yes I noticed Baxter's computer friend was missing in this episode. Perhaps when Baxter got back to Earth his computer was mistakenly left behind and they didn't reunite till next time.

Don did send Baxter back into dimensional limbo at the end of the episode so they made sure to keep continuity with his next appearance.

Baxter still wanted to be human in this episode and I liked how he still wanted revenge on Shredder and Krang.

[Shark_Blade]

I thought the title had something to do with a classic movie: Lord of the Flies. >.>

[Pterobat]

It's just a pun...though it could easily have been called "Lord of the Files", since that would make more sense.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by Shark_Blade

I thought the title had something to do with a classic movie: Lord of the Flies. >.>

It was originally a book.

[Pterobat]

Originally Posted by Original TMNT Cartoon Fan

It was originally a book.

Yep.

Many think the "lord of the flies" of the novel is a reference to the Biblical figure of Beelzebub, a demon who is often referred to as the "lord of the flies", and is represented by the fly-covered pig's head on the stake.

(I took the novel in high school--waddaya want?)

[cammy85]

I was finally able to rewatch this thanks to the DVDs and remembered why I never liked it. The continuity errors were bad, especially since by now Baxter would never believe Shredder about being returned to normal. "Plan Six" was from a different universe since by the time it aired, the Technodrome was in the Arctic.

"Revenge of the Fly" never even acknowledges this episode because Raphael mentions Baxter was trapped in a dimensional limbo by Krang. That happened at the end of "Son".

[CyberCubed]

David Wise wrote the other two Baxter eps. Regardless of the continuity errors the episode itself was great and funny.

[tmntpower1988]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Baxter: Fire at will!
Rocksteady: Um, which one is "Will?" I know there's a Leonardo, and a Michaelangelo..."

Haha I love that line Rocksteady is a legend.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by cammy85

Technodrome was in the Arctic.

The Technodrome was in Dimension X, on the Volcanic Asteroid during all of season 4.

[cammy85]

Originally Posted by Original TMNT Cartoon Fan

The Technodrome was in Dimension X, on the Volcanic Asteroid during all of season 4.

Take two!! When Plan Six aired in syndication, the Technodrome had already escaped Dimension X on the Saturday airings.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by cammy85

Take two!! When Plan Six aired in syndication, the Technodrome had already escaped Dimension X on the Saturday airings.

Here are the original airdates of season 4, all 1990

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ries)_episodes

It didn't escape Dimension X until the upcoming year/season, 1991. If you talk of re-runs, or when it first aired in another country than the USA, is irrelevant.

[ssjup81]

Originally Posted by Pterobat

Well, one time April takes initiative and doesn't get kidnapped--I wish she did this more often. April doesn't have to be a fighter to be useful, but it seems like her taking action often leads to her getting into trouble instead. Bleh.

to be honest, I prefer this type of set up than a Princess Peach one. At least April got in trouble because of her being obsessed with her job. Peach just sits there to be caught. Bottom line, at least she wasn't a damsel in distress.


.

[Pterobat]

Originally Posted by ssjup81

to be honest, I prefer this type of set up than a Princess Peach one. At least April got in trouble because of her being obsessed with her job. Peach just sits there to be caught. Bottom line, at least she wasn't a damsel in distress.


.

Nope, April totally was a damsel in distress. It doesn't matter how the woman got in peril, just that she did and needs to be rescued--that's what makes a DiD.

April's initiative and curiosity being what gets her in trouble much of the time makes it worse, because it suggests that if she never tried to get anything for herself, she wouldn't be kidnapped. Not all of her moments of peril in the OT are like this, but enough are that it sticks out.

On topic:

I never minded, at least, that Baxter keeps letting the Shredder bribe him with the promise of becoming human. Baxter isn't the brightest bulb in the box, and it seems in-character that he never remembers the Shredder doesn't keep his promises.

[Icebot]

I like the line where Baxter tells his flies "Crush them, smash them, any way you want!" or something like that. I think I remember a song that kinda had similar lyrics. "Take me, shake me any way you want".

[cammy85]

Originally Posted by Icebot

I like the line where Baxter tells his flies "Crush them, smash them, any way you want!" or something like that. I think I remember a song that kinda had similar lyrics. "Take me, shake me any way you want".

"Bend Me, Shape Me" by the Outsiders.

[pannoni1]

It's funny how when April pulls on Vernon's tie her grasp is strong enough to drag him. However, IMO this was the weakest of the Baxter episodes that is basically some silly bug invasion as a result of a garbage strike, and that an organ's music is what causes Baxter to be defeated.

[cammy85]

Writers clash. Michaelangelo Meets Bugman Again handled this WAAAAAY better!!

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Originally Posted by Icebot

I like the line where Baxter tells his flies "Crush them, smash them, any way you want!" or something like that. I think I remember a song that kinda had similar lyrics. "Take me, shake me any way you want".

You mean when the flies work together and carry a streetlight? That rhyme echoed in my head for more than 10 years I suppose!