TMNT Season 3 Best Episode Tournament: The Fourfold Trap vs. A Foot Too Big

[JTH]

ROUND 1

Last time, after three years in the making...NO STINKING TIE ON A 16 vs. 17!

The 16 seed Clash of the Mutanimals knocks out the Season 3 Premiere Within the Woods. Marking the second straight year a season premiere was ousted in the first round.

We are now back with Match #2 of this year's TMNT Best Episode Tournament. This is going to be the 9 vs. 24. So this is literally the "Best of the Rest" vs. the "Bottom of the Barrell". What will come of it? To quote Mr. T, "PAIN!"

Round 1 Polls will last 3 days and will be private polls, but of course you can still discuss who you voted for and your reasoning why.

To check out the complete up to date bracket, the link is here:
http://www.bracketmaker.com/tmenu.cf...Best%20Episode

With all that said, it's time to take a gander at the "Tale of the Turtle Tape"!

Official Seed: #9
Where JTH seeded this episode: #6
Total Points Received: 51
Official IGN Review: 8.4/10
Current TV.com Rating: 9.3/10
Highest Rating Episode Received: #5 (Aaronardo)

Official Seed: #24
Where JTH seeded this episode: #20
Total Points Received: 1...
Official IGN Review: 7/10
Current TV.com Rating: 8.7/10
Highest Rating Episode Received: #12 (Tarris Vaal)

Winner Faces: #8 The Pig & The Rhino: Earth in Round 2

JTH's Prediction:

Spoiler:

Okay, I don't distain A Foot Too Big like many on here do. I felt it did serve a purpose to the viewer that showed us they made clear of the issues people believed there were, meaning they had intent in the story rather than just poor writing. With that out the way...yeah, it stands no chance against a very solid Fourfold Trap episode. My only issue with this episode was that like other episodes, (Including "A Foot Too Big" for that matter) Leo came off like a complete a** in the beginning, other than that, very good. The result is inevitiable. It's not a matter of who will win, but does anyone have the courage to vote for the underdog. Out of respect for all episodes, I'll say someone will and give Foot Too Big the sympathy vote in the prediction, but I don't know who. Even Tarris has Fourfold higher on their list so it won't come from him/her if so, but yeah, Landslide win for Fourfold,

#9 The Fourfold Trap - 21
#24 A Foot Too Big - 1

Which episodes wins in your mind *COUGHS*!, vote away. Remember...please...HAVE FUN!!!

[Vicky82]

Easiest one yet, it's definitely The Fourfold Trap.

[cookie jar]

The Fourfold Trap FTW!

[The Happy One]

Hmm...hard one again...

Just playin! Definitely Four Fold Trap!

Sorry, Foot Too Big. Maybe if it ended different as them just as friends (or awesome science nerd friends!!) Then I would've been satisfied. Love Apriltello, but...gee, I...they just fit better in this show as best friends.

So, yeah, Four Fold Trap, you're our winner
.

[victory_angel]

I liked both stories since the main part of A Foot to Big was to give Donnie a clear idea that his pursuit of April was not helping his relationship with her. It was making her feel uncomfortable.

And at the end when he tells her that he's not going to pursue her any more because he now understands that she doesn't see him as anything more then a friend, because he's just a mutant.

I feel she appreciated that he was apologizing to her for making her feel uncomfortable with his actions. April then kisses him on the lips and says "You're my mutant." as a way of saying, don't give up on the possibility of them being together just yet.

Meaning that she is still deciding between her suitors and deciding on what she wants in her life before she comes to that decision.

However I choose Fourfold Trap since that was the stronger story of the two.

[GoldMutant]

Honestly, though A Foot Too Big is one of my least favorite episodes from this season, I honestly didn't hate it. Sure, Finger was a weak antagonist and the ending was a massive slap in the face, but overall it did have lots of potential. Ultimately, it's my main issue with these Northampton episodes, the failed opportunities for the conflicts we know and building up characterization. While probably my second least favorite episode of the Northampton arc, it could have been better, especially because the Capriltello relationship needs a conclusion.

Even though I am not crazy for Fourfold Trap as much as others, it's ultimately the better episode for my vote. It had quite many flaws to it, but it did feel like a satisfying conclusion to Karai this season; that is, if the road to the end wasn't jumbled. The flashbacks I honestly feel could have been like Spectacular Spider-Man with the episode Subtext. That episode starts in the climax immediately with Molten Man, but we go back to his creation and the fight the episode has set up.

Though both are heavily flawed to me and don't rank as my favorites at all this season, Fourfold Trap wins the vote for me this round.

[Tarris Vaal]

And No JTH - Even I didn't vote for Foot too big

As has been said, this was an important episode - in a very specific sense. And it should at least get some credit for trying to tackle an arc that is (still) in desperate need of some honest conclusion or significant progress.

Unfortunately, it suffers in almost every other regard except humour - and even there I rate Fourfold as consistently better.

Foot should get a pat on the back for trying, but I cant give it any more than that.

[Luckyday]

Fourtrap trap is what I wish most tmnt episodes were like, just simply them reacting what's around them on an emotional level. To me it was a drop of water for a gaping fish.

Lame metaphors aside, If this episode wasn't a conclusion to whole Karai being mind control arc, I wouldn't care about this episode at all. Still kind of annoying that it was basically back to square one with Karai but I was just so happy that they were able to hold a story arc together and not just ignore it for six episodes or forget it all together. Now if only they put that level with the character development in the show then wow what a difference it would make.

Ah "A Foot Too Big". If there was one sentence to sum up my thoughts it's this:
Never have it felt more clear how a female character could only act this way because it was directed by a guy that thinks women are just mythical creatures that are made of magic and can never be truly understood with mood swings as wide as the Grand Canyon of F$%& and you.

And the thing that makes it so infuriating that in the original storyboarding there was a interesting subtle subtext in character study for Donatello. When April kiss him in the original storyboard, it had the same exact dialogue but the way he said the final line with a serious facial expression can convey that while he may still love her but deep down, he still doesn't believe in it anymore or take her words seriously because it wasn't a clear answer to which would've a huge character development for Donnie and dammit it could been ****ing interesting! However the jackass that was in charge of this episode thought it be hilarious to change something was subtle and serious into a stupid "women, am I right?" subtext by changing donatello's serious facial expression into a comical one. Maybe it was due to time restraint because the original storyboard was a beat longer then the final cut and it still didn't make April's vague response any better with leading him on some more but you can argue that it destroy any sense of change or progression and that really piss me off.

[JTH]

Note: No poll today. Will be up tomorrow.

Will try to keep it uniform. Do Round 1 (Early Match) Tuesday-Friday and the next (Late Match) Friday-Monday

That and Monday is tight for me, so see everyone tomorrow with Attack of the Mega Shredder! vs. Eyes of the Chimera.

[SophieDem]

Isn't it obvious? Duh.

Ok, just kidding. I think A Foot Too Big was somewhat cute. Except the ending... I didn't like that.

[ssjup81]

I thought a Foot Too Big was hilarious for the Finger. Still wish Roddy Piper had voiced him though over Jesse, but it was still great. I liked all the WWF nods and throwbacks. Total nostalgia.