What should the Classic FW 87 88 OT be called?

[sdp]

Online for the most part it was called the OT for "old toon" or "original toon" and the new show 2003 was called the NT for "new toon" but it was also often called 2k3. Of course eventually NT stopped being used since it wasn't new and it was just called 2k3.

People no longer use OT though, it seems very rare and mostly only older issues. I see some people calling it FW for fred wolf, others use 87 or 88, which is a mess some people count the miniseries but others use 88 including the movie Turtles Forever. Can we reach on a consensus of what the classic cartoon should be called?
Most other shows/movies go by their year date so perhaps that but should it be 88 or 87?

[Coola Yagami]

Yeah. Just call it TMNT 88 or TMNT 80's. After all, we call the other 2 TMNT 2K3 and TMNT 2012. Rise is dif cause they had a whole new name for the show.

So I'll agree with TMNT 88.

[mikey0]

It depends on which version of Fred Wolf TMNT you are discussing. The miniseries was the best out of all of them, but most people are thinking of the syndicated series (ran from ‘88 to ‘89) when they bring up the original toon. The ‘88 series ends with The Big Blow Out. It does not extend to Turtles Forever. Turtles Forever is a standalone movie. The 1990 to 1996 CBS episodes are not part of the ‘88 series either. I’m not sure where people got the idea to combine the miniseries with the syndicated series, CBS SATAM series, and Turtles Forever from. I think they’re looking at how the main characters, locations, and synopsis is the same.

I’m voting for ‘88 because those are the stories most people are familiar with. Every ‘89 basic assortment action figure was introduced in the ‘88 syndicated series. Don’t get me wrong, the miniseries was the greatest children’s programming to come out of the late 1980s. The miniseries cannot be glued to the ‘88 series or 1990 series. The miniseries is a 5 parter and that’s it. Lion’s Gate was incorrect in saying it was season 1 of “the whole Fred Wolf original cartoon”. So, it’s ‘88 for me.

Originally Posted by Coola Yagami

Yeah. Just call it TMNT 88 or TMNT 80's. After all, we call the other 2 TMNT 2K3 and TMNT 2012. Rise is dif cause they had a whole new name for the show.

So I'll agree with TMNT 88.

TMNT 80s? You are aware that there was a 1990 CBS SATAM series with a completely different opening and closing along with the Red Sky seasons, right? The ‘90 to ‘96 episodes were not part of the ‘88 syndicated series. The 1990 to 1993 CBS seasons have Turtle Tips at the end of them. Not to mention, Michelangelo is using a grappling hook instead of his chucks. Many Generation XYers, like my cousin, list the CBS series as when everything TMNT was jumping the shark.

It can be divided like this:

Miniseries = Generation XY culture
‘88 Syndicated Series = Generation XY culture
1990 CBS Saturday Morning = Generation Y culture

[PizzaPower1985]

Originally Posted by mikey0

It depends on which version of Fred Wolf TMNT you are discussing. The miniseries was the best out of all of them, but most people are thinking of the syndicated series (ran from ‘88 to ‘89) when they bring up the original toon. The ‘88 series ends with The Big Blow Out. It does not extend to Turtles Forever. Turtles Forever is a standalone movie. The 1990 to 1996 CBS episodes are not part of the ‘88 series either. I’m not sure where people got the idea to combine the miniseries with the syndicated series, CBS SATAM series, and Turtles Forever from. I think they’re looking at how the main characters, locations, and synopsis is the same.

I’m voting for ‘88 because those are the stories most people are familiar with. Every ‘89 basic assortment action figure was introduced in the ‘88 syndicated series. Don’t get me wrong, the miniseries was the greatest children’s programming to come out of the late 1980s. The miniseries cannot be glued to the ‘88 series or 1990 series. The miniseries is a 5 parter and that’s it. Lion’s Gate was incorrect in saying it was season 1 of “the whole Fred Wolf original cartoon”. So, it’s ‘88 for me.



TMNT 80s? You are aware that there was a 1990 CBS SATAM series with a completely different opening and closing along with the Red Sky seasons, right? The ‘90 to ‘96 episodes were not part of the ‘88 syndicated series. The 1990 to 1993 CBS seasons have Turtle Tips at the end of them. Not to mention, Michelangelo is using a grappling hook instead of his chucks. Many Generation XYers, like my cousin, list the CBS series as when everything TMNT was jumping the shark.

It can be divided like this:

Miniseries = Generation XY culture
‘88 Syndicated Series = Generation XY culture
1990 CBS Saturday Morning = Generation Y culture

All of that IS technically true, BUT since each season of the original 80's cartoon is lumped in with and part of the same show that aired in 1987, however peripherally, whether spin-off or not, I always refer to the 10 season show 1987 to 1997 and TMNT87, or the 87 Toon!

[MikeandRaph87]

I call it TMNT (1987) outside and within this forum. Sometimes people offline refer to it as the original cartoon, but I never heard anyone refer to it as the Fred Wolf cartoon outside of this website. Its the best there was, the best there is, and the best there will be.

Its the one that has staying power in the minds of people for better or worse.

[CyberCubed]

LOL @ these replies.

People, it's basically just called "the original TMNT cartoon" to most of the general public or casuals. I've never seen anyone call it "the '87 series" seriously where is that coming from?

[neatoman]

FW or Fred Wolf. There are a number of reasons to do so:

• It is the only TMNT cartoon produced by Fred Wolf and the only one that ever will be. Assuming you know the production company, there isn't anything else it can be confused for.
• Calling it 1987 might seem straight forward but adding up starting years to anything simply called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles gets confusing in the long run. Here an extreme example list; TMNT'84, TMNT'87, TMNT'89, TMNT'90, TMNT'91, TMNT'93, TMNT'01, TMNT'03, TMNT'07, TMNT'11, TMNT'12, TMNT'13, TMNT'14. This may be a little hyperbolic but it will actually get confusing in the long run.
• OT is a misleading initalism. Sure, I'm told it mean "old toon" but it could just as easily mean "Original Turtles". Since it is an adaptation, it isn't original by default and I refuse to use a shorthand that could be interpreted as such.
• Also, let's say old toon could not be misread. The 4Kids show is almost 20 years old, that's pretty old if you ask me.

[mikey0]

Originally Posted by PizzaPower1985

All of that IS technically true, BUT since each season of the original 80's cartoon is lumped in with and part of the same show that aired in 1987, however peripherally, whether spin-off or not, I always refer to the 10 season show 1987 to 1997 and TMNT87, or the 87 Toon!

The miniseries should not be lumped in together with the very late 80s regular show and 90s CBS toon. The miniseries was meant to sell the Reagan era figures (wave 1) and nothing else. The regular syndicated show sells the rest of the 80s toys from 1989. Lastly, the CBS show was supposed to be a mix of 30 minute toy commercials for everything sold from 1990 to 1995 and an average animated television series, but it was a Saturday morning show (meaning it could not be completely like the weekday series).

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

LOL @ these replies.

People, it's basically just called "the original TMNT cartoon" to most of the general public or casuals. I've never seen anyone call it "the '87 series" seriously where is that coming from?

Lion’s Gate made the miniseries into “the first season” for their DVD collection in the 2000s.

[Zachatello00]

I simply refer to it as "The classic TMNT cartoon", or the "classic toon" with people who know what I'm talking about.

[Leo656]

In real life I've only ever heard people call it "The old show" or "the first show" or "The one from the 80s." Nobody remembers the year it came out and nobody knows what "Fred Wolf" is.

Quite literally, it's most often called "The old one, you know, the one from the '80s" but that is rather unwieldy. In rarer cases a person will tack "You know, before they got stupid with it" onto the end of that for further clarification. But yeah, that's how most people refer to it.

-------------------
Unrelated, but you'd think after 20 f*cking years on this forum people would remember not to put 8 and ) next to each other. Duh.

[Cyndaquilfan123]

I almost always call it the OT or 1987.

[mikey0]

Most fans look at “the start date for the whole series”, but I know both the regular series and CBS SATAM series were promoted quite often in the very late 80s and very early 90s. Those animated TV programs are separate entities from the miniseries.

There were cards featuring scenes from the miniseries, but all of merchandise for the Fred Wolf turtles came out during the time of the syndicated series and CBS SATAM series (1989 to 1991). The only non-Playmates Toys items released during the miniseries school year (1987 to 1988 ) was the Roseart Pizza Power Game and puzzles.

The syndicated series from 1988 was the most popular out of the miniseries, regular weekday show, and CBS SATAM series, so I voted for 1988.

[Wesley]

“The 80s/90s TMNT cartoon.” I call it the 90s TMNT cartoon outside this forum, though, as the people I know who watched it back in the day grew up in the 90s like me.

[mikey0]

I think some shell-heads group the ‘87 miniseries, ‘88 regular weekday series, and 1990 CBS series together because the USA Cartoon Express aired them all back to back.

The miniseries is darker than the regular weekday series and CBS toon. The turtles still punch and sometimes take out their weapons (including nunchucks) in the regular syndicated series. The CBS cartoon is brighter than both the miniseries and weekday series because it was a Saturday morning show. None of the shows are the same despite the main characters, location, and lingo used on the programs.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

I think 87 works best because its consistent with how all the other cartoons without a special title are commonly referred to as.

Tmnt 1987, 2003 and 2012.

[srmff]

I generally refer to it as the '87 series. In real life, I'd refer to it as the 80s series.

[mikey0]

Originally Posted by FredWolfLeonardo

I think 87 works best because its consistent with how all the other cartoons without a special title are commonly referred to as.

Tmnt 1987, 2003 and 2012.

Originally Posted by srmff

I generally refer to it as the '87 series. In real life, I'd refer to it as the 80s series.

It’s not the same.

Would you group Rise Of The TMNT with the 2012 series since they were both on Nickelodeon?

Back to the Sewer and Fast Forward were not part of the 2003 series.

There isn’t a 1987 series. 1987 was the year of the miniseries.

The ‘88 series was even listed on the back of the Classic Collection figures.

It’s as follows:

1987 - Miniseries
1988 - Weekday syndicated series
1990 - CBS Saturday morning series

[FredWolfLeonardo]

The 1987 series might have been divided into different syndications or whatever, but it was still the same continuity from the 1st to the 193rd episode.

And Fast Forward and Back to the Sewers are absolutely canon to the 2003 series, tonally jarring as they may be.

[mikey0]

Originally Posted by FredWolfLeonardo

The 1987 series might have been divided into different syndications or whatever, but it was still the same continuity from the 1st to the 193rd episode.

And Fast Forward and Back to the Sewers are absolutely canon to the 2003 series, tonally jarring as they may be.

No one in the late 80s and 90s referred to the miniseries, weekday series, and CBS SATAM cartoon as the ‘87 series. Even F.H.E. released the 5 part miniseries before the regular weekday series episodes and Lion’s Gate referred to the miniseries as “the Turtles’ greatest adventures”. A user on the website BoneTheFish said everything went downhill after the 5 part miniseries. You must admit that the tone of the miniseries was different from both the ‘88 series and ‘90 series.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Originally Posted by mikey0

You must admit that the tone of the miniseries was different from both the ‘88 series and ‘90 series.

The tone was different I admit, but it wasn't all bad after season 1.

Seasons 2 onwards fleshed out the character's personalities more (especially the villains), the comedy got better and we still got some decent action here and there.

And for those people who really like season's 1 more action oriented style, season 7 comes quite close to emulating that.