The lack of normal human characters in the show, how do you feel?

[CyberCubed]

I've noticed a lot of people seem to be annoyed by the fact that every human eventually becomes a mutant, and how there are only very few normal human characters in the series anymore.

With the knowledge that Baxter will also eventually turn into a fly, that means only Casey, Karai, Shredder, Kurtzman, and the 3 Purple Dragons as the only normal humans left.

Is this something the show should concern itself with? Should human characters actually stay human?

[TigerClaw]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

I've noticed a lot of people seem to be annoyed by the fact that every human eventually becomes a mutant, and how there are only very few normal human characters in the series anymore.

With the knowledge that Baxter will also eventually turn into a fly, that means only Casey, Karai, Shredder, Kurtzman, and the 3 Purple Dragons as the only normal humans left.

Is this something the show should concern itself with? Should human characters actually stay human?

You forgot Irma, The other normal human on the show, even though she appeared briefly in 1 episode this season, She will most likely show up in others.

[RaphAndDonnie]

I'm only ever annoyed when the humans have designs that I don't care for when they're mutated (like Rahzar's new look, which is decent to me but not as good as the Dogpound design) As long as the characters actually have character and aren't random mutants of the week *coughSpiderBytescough* and I like their design then I don't mind.

[Donatello19]

Shredder
Karai
April
Casey
Irma
Murakami
Kurtzman
Purple Dragons (3 of them!)

That's enough for me...humans aren't the focus of the show anyway, and I'm sure we'll get more soon anyway.

[Overlordofnobodies]

I dont really care at all. I have never thought much about humans in the tmnt world. To me there really is only four humans(Casey, April, Shredder and Karai) in the show.Maybe five if you count Hun but he is new. After that I dont really need any more.

It's sort of like Transformers. I there for the changing robots. Not the humans.

[CyberCubed]

I find this rather odd, since the TMNT franchise is usually filled with humans and only a few mutants. The Nick show and Archie are the only ones with more mutants than humans.

[BabyTurtles]

add one more human ally/villain and I'm good ^_^

[BubblyShell22]

I'm not worried about it as the show is mainly focused on the Turtles and the humans are only secondary for the most part.

[Eiko]

doesn't really bother me that much the only prob I had was Kirby changing would have been much better if he stayed human.

[plastroncafe]

I'm more curious about the follow-through consequences of this many mutants, than I am in the ratio of mutants to humans.

[CyberCubed]

The lack of humans really bothers me. Especially since everyone we meet becomes a mutant.

[TigerClaw]

The Turtles have yet to find all the missing canisters, So like it or not, There will be mutants out there. Next weeks episode even hints at mutant fungus.

[Bossa Nova]

I think it's absurd. I've never been a fan of excess mutants and while handful of them running around can be interesting and fun, having them outnumber humans just feels obnoxious and over the top. I'd be totally fine (and I think the storyline would be to) if Dogpound, Fishface, Kirby and (eventually) Baxter all remained human. I'd also have been much happier without the boring, pointless mutants like Justin, Pigeon Pete, Snakeweed, Spider-whatever, and cockroach that only showed up to so painfully obviously sell toys.

Like I said though, I do think SOME mutants have potential like Leatherhead and Newtralizer, but the writers really need to realize that mutation does not equal automatic character development. For some characters it worked, like Mutagen Man. A majority of the others though? Not so much.

Basically it boils down to the fact that I watch this show for mutant TURTLES, not mutant everything else.

[Gabriel GP]

To be honest, I think we get to a point where the mutants are the humans, since there is less humans than aliens and mutants in NY by now.

But seriously now, I wouldn't mind if more interesting humans shows up, instead of always receive a random mutant.

[Powder]

Originally Posted by plastroncafe

I'm more curious about the follow-through consequences of this many mutants, than I am in the ratio of mutants to humans.

This. Humans are boring anyway.

[Shark_Blade]

It's called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. What do you expect? Of course they're gonna be around mutants more. The humans we have now is more than enough.

As if like Harry Potter is a wizard but he's supposed to be mingling with normal humans more? Meh boring.

[CyberCubed]

Originally Posted by Shark_Blade

It's called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. What do you expect? Of course they're gonna be around mutants more.

Yet the majority of TMNT universes are not overloaded with mutants. Other than Nick, the Archie comics are really the only other series with tons of mutants.

Fred Wolf had a good balance, and 4kids had very few actual mutants (that weren't self-contained to arcs), and IDW has like...4 mutants?

[Refractive Reflections]

After hearing Krutzman's explanation of how the Kraang have been around throughout human history (Kurtzman seems to be basically a middle-aged male version of OT April in playing the role of the investigative character), I won't be surprised if we see more random mutants appear in the show from other parts of the world (i.e. TigerClaw) similarly with the Archie TMNT universe. I was noting how the inserted Kraang images were near the depictions of "monstrous" animals that were depicted throughout the fables of human history (i.e. dragon-looking sea creatures), so that's where my speculation is coming from.

As plastroncafe stated, my interest also seems to be shifting more toward the consequences of having so many mutants, but as Bossa Nova pointed out, it's getting ridiculous how there are so many mutants running about (especially in New York City) and still humanity is oblivious to it all. In addition, and most importantly (similar to what Bossa Nova was expressing), is that the mutations themselves are typically supposed to provide a new perspective for the character and create some form of character development, but the mutations have been so excessive that they are now (or already) encroaching upon the storywriting, and why we have the deprecative term "Mutant of the Week".

Though I don't necessarily blame the production staff for these excessive mutants, because I feel they are pressured to fulfill an action figure quota, as the Nickelodeon Sales Report seems to imply somewhat:

Johnson highlighted that the line of figures offers a breadth of characters. More than 65 Turtles action figures will be launched by the end of 2015, with all first being introduced in the TV show, something other franchises don't always do, he said.

Yet even though we may get superfluous, and possibly "cooler" mutants, it's causing the unique factor (and the perspective that comes from that) for the Turtles to diminish rapidly; plus, it will be at the expense of transforming the mutagen itself from something special and rare, to bland and common.

[Overlordofnobodies]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Yet the majority of TMNT universes are not overloaded with mutants. Other than Nick, the Archie comics are really the only other series with tons of mutants.

Fred Wolf had a good balance, and 4kids had very few actual mutants (that weren't self-contained to arcs), and IDW has like...4 mutants?

Didnt 4kid have a lot more aliens, robot and other thing like that though? Shredder was not even human in that if I remember right.

As for IDW. They have 11 mutants as far as I now. With 4 alien races as well.

[TheMasterTurtle]

I have mixed feelings. Forgive me for being adolescent but one thing growing up I always looked forward to in the OT was new mutants appearing. I still get excited when I see them in the Nick incarnation. A huge element that is missing for me and it's related to humans would be the News Channel 6 interaction. Yes we have april and irma now but its just different. I quite liked Burne and Vernon as reoccurring as well as all of the introduction of other random humans (Don Turtelli, Pinky McFingers, etc).