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While TMNT began as a comic, the 1987 TMNT TV series that would re-brand these dark comic vigilantes into a group of friendly and lighthearted heroes, and bring them into the mainstream. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise would include several new TV series, including the current one which debuted in 2012 (currently in its second season).

The TMNT 2012 TV series features a group of turtles that are a bit more serious than their 1987 counterparts, but still far more friendly than their 1984 rendition. Just like their predecessors, they continue to fight crime in New York City, and provide entertainment for TMNT fans of all ages!

Make sure to keep visit (or subscribe to our RSS feed) to stay informed on the TMNT TV series. As always, your comments are welcome as we appreciate hearing the insights of fellow TMNT fans!

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TMNT – Random Thoughts w/ Bryan VanGelder

by Dan Spitaliere
written by Dan Spitaliere

With no new episode for TMNT this week, we here at teenagemutantninjaturtles.com wanted to introduce a new column. So, it is my pleasure to introduce you to my good friend, Bryan VanGelder, and our first installment of TMNT – Random Thoughts. In this new recurrent column, Bryan and I will discuss the curiosities of the TMNT world, the likes of which pull for your attention when you’re taking a shower, riding the bus, or just plain spacing out. Since this is the first installment, we wanted to have a lot of fun, and so today’s random thought:

WHAT MUSIC DO THE TURTLES’ LISTEN TO?

Music has been an important element of the Turtles’ franchise. Whether it be the original theme song, the hip hop, pop, and punk soundtracks to the movies, or The Coming Out of Their Shells Tour, the Turtles and their creators have never shied away from making a musical statement. The Turtles are teenagers after all, and music is a huge facet of any teenagers life. It is with this mentality that Bryan and I discussed: what exactly would be on each Turtles’ Spotify playlist? Here we go:

DONATELLODonnie_ch_pu2

For Donnie’s playlist, we wanted to highlight not just his interest in tech and computers, but also his personality. We picture him as being the kind who matches his music to the task at hand, but also his environment, getting lost in the experience. More than tech, Donatello is defined by his curiosity, and this is reflected in his music choices with a mix of new and old, rock and hip hop, and a few awfully familiar guilty pleasures. From Bryan:

Donnie is the pensive listener in the group.  Ever in the moment, his times in the lab soundtracked by the likes of Thomas Dolby, Gorillaz and other computer rock; inter-spliced with chiptunes like Anamanaguchi and Zen Albatross, then peppering in some electro-dance from both sides of the spectrum – the lighter featuring Justice, the darker including the more industrialized Depeche Mode or NIN.  The ‘machine-maker’ also has a soft spot for the retro and psychedelic, turning to the likes of Pink Floyd for moments of Zen… and maybe even a few familiar guilty pleasures here and there.

LEONARDOLeo_ch_pu2Leo’s playlist was possibly the most difficult to create. He is more worldly than his brothers, but he can often come off a little straight-laced and straight forward. Leonardo is more in tune with his feelings, and more willing to express them, and some of his more varied picks can come from this discovery. From Bryan:

Leo, while on the surface appearing bland and average in taste, has a surprisingly deep running playlist.  Yes he has soft spots for some of the major cliches, but he is also worldly, enjoying the likes of Yoshida Brothers (Leo was always more in touch with his cultural heritage than his brothers.)  Our leader in blue is also sensitive, and not afraid to tap into his more emotional side with Dear Hunter, Paramore, Postal Service and even Katy Perry … even if a few of those might be influenced by a certain serpent he may or may not be trying to woo.  Leo is still strong though, keeping The Gaslight Anthem and Against Me in heavy rotation, and isn’t afraid to let his geek flag fly either.

RAPHAELRaph_ch_pu1

In contrast to Leo, Raph’s playlist might have been the easiest. He’s the most “New York” of his brothers and likes to step out every now and then and sneak into a venue with Casey. Now that he’s currently cruisin’ around space, his music helps him remember home and focus in on what he’s fighting for. Unsurprisingly, his music is filled with raw emotion, whether it be the anger he’s always wrestling with, or day dreaming about a certain Salamandrian. He also has a deep appreciation for Partners in Kryme, since they consider him the leader. From Bryan:

Raphael being the ball of emotion that he is has a rather predictable listenership.  Heavily in touch with his East Coast values and ever seeking new channels for his anger, Raph jams pretty hardcore on the likes of Public Enemy, Bad Brains and Minor Threat, only venturing out as far as Rollins Band or Avenged Sevenfold for something more contemporary.  But did you know Raph was a champion of unwinding?  Yielding a surprisingly deep knowlege of jazz and trip hop, Raph can be found at his most ‘zen’ while spinning some albums by Eclectic Collective, Red City Radio and Jon Batiste.  His guilty pleasures include Partners in Kryme, ‘Mona Lisa’ by Bayside and The Lord of the Rings soundtrack… but we have no idea why.

MICHELANGELOMikey_ch_pu3

Mikey’s playlist is pretty wild. It’s all fun, and enthusiastically diverse. Unsurprisingly, there’s not really any downtime for him. He is on and ready to party at a moment’s notice. Mikey might not call himself the heart of the group, but he embodies it regardless, making it his mission to keep his brothers down to Earth, even lightyears up in space. Sometimes you need to unwind, forget the stress, and have fun, and when that time comes, Mikey is there to help. From Bryan:

Mr. Party Dude is just that: a party dude – Michelangelo’s T-Phone is filled with Aquabats, Andrew W.K., Blink 182, The Black Eyed Peas… the list goes on. And that is just to get him through his day-to-day.  He’s undoubtedly the most ‘in-touch’ with modern music out of his brothers, which is why Drake is presently so heavily repeated, but he’s not without respect for his roots either favoring the likes of The Pixies, Technotronic, Weird Al and Baltimora.  In retrospect, Mikey’s tastes are actually refreshingly diverse.

 

There you have it! What do you think? Did we miss any obvious choices? Did a particular track surprise you? Did you catch all our references? Have a new favorite song? Let us know in the comments and give us your Random Thoughts! We might highlight it next time!

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BlogTV Series

TMNT – The Future of the Television Series

by TurtlesAdmin
written by TurtlesAdmin

As was announced months ago, the current iteration of the TMNT television series has already been renewed for a fifth season.  That means it will likely be on air until at least the middle of 2017, if not all the way through September (judging from when the season finales have occurred the past three years).  So there’s still a lot of time to be spent with these characters and the world that has been created.  But as season four prepares its return and the story takes another step forward to that ultimate undoing of everything season three built in its finale, what could the show possibly do in later seasons?  What would a season six or season seven look like, and, more importantly, should the show be allowed to continue that long?

 

It’s been no secret that episode reviews here have gotten progressively harsher with each new installment.  The stories have become stale, the characters aren’t actually growing and changing, and no plot point seems to be allowed to stick and just exist as it was first introduced.  With season four and the voyage into space, it would appear that the show is trying to regenerate some of the initial interest, while still bringing in characters and plot ideas that have existed in the TMNT universe for decades.  There’s nothing wrong with that move – if it works.

 

The problem is that once the space adventures are over, what’s next?  Season five seems primed to finally figure out the Karai situation, but it could also see the return of Renet and adventures through time.  Both could be plausible stories, and maybe both will be done to extend the life of the show.  There could, potentially, even be another invasion storyline, only this time with the threat coming from Lord Dregg (depending heavily on how his character is left at the end of the current season).  If that were the case, then the show very much could go on for several more seasons and allow the brand to ride its wave as high as it possibly can before taking a break.

 

But, the more important question is this: Should the show continue past season five?  While no one will say that the 1987 series was the pinnacle of TV writing at any point in its run, the later seasons got to be pretty bad even by the standards of the show (due in large part to waning interest and network problems).  Likewise, the 2003 series tried some gimmicks in seasons six and seven to refresh interest in the show, going so far as to skip season five entirely (airing it two years after the end of season four, and four months after season six had finished its run).  If history is any indicator, then season five is about the time when this type of show loses its mojo and starts searching for whatever boosts it can find.  The 2012 series has been so solid for most of its run that it would be a shame to see it jump the shark, when it should just be allowed to end properly and with the dignity it deserves (whenever that will be).  Of course, that’s the biggest issue with American television as a whole, so it’s certainly not limited to the turtles.

 

All good shows must come to an end at some point, and the current turtle TV show will be no different.  Of course, when it ends and how that happens are still up in the air, but most certainly it will come.  It would be reasonable to suspect that the show will keep going as long as there are feature films in development (to maintain the multimedia blitz).  With any luck, though, the show will have its fun, do what it needs to do, and then go out with a bang, letting fans remember it as the amazing animated show it has been, and guaranteeing it a spot at the top of many media lists about the franchise.

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“Half-Shell Heroes” DVD to Hit Store Shelves Soon

by Zach Gasior
written by Zach Gasior

For those who watched the “Half-Shell Heroes: Blast to the Past” special back in November, and enjoyed the new adventure that broke from the style of the current animated series, then some good news has hit the Internet. Starting March 15th, 2016, fans will be able to pick up their own copy of the 2D adventure on DVD.

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Dealing with a malfunctioning experiment that sent the turtles back in time on a prehistoric adventure with ninja dino friends, “Half-Shell Heroes” was meant to introduce more fans to the brand new toy line being developed for a little bit younger demographic. However, using the same voice cast and the same personalities for all the characters in the special made the hour-long adventure feel like just another episode in the current series (and one that was arguably more fun and enjoyable than 85% of season three). The full review can be found here.
TMNT2012_HalfShellHeroesBlastToThePast

 

The special will be released on a single disc, and will retail for around $15. Overall, “Half-Shell Heroes” was a fun ride for the turtles to take, and hopefully will not be the last time this particular art style and presentation of the heroes is on the small screen. With so much energy behind the franchise, and specials, movies, and TV episodes still expected to breathe life into the TMNT universe for at least a few more years, fans can only hope that this isn’t the last time the smaller versions of the heroes have their adventures.

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New TMNT DVD Set Hits Stores

by Zach Gasior
written by Zach Gasior

Continuing on with the release of the latest TMNT incarnation on DVD, the series adds Revenge to its list – and to collectors’ shelves. The set keeps the story going with the final 12 episodes of season three, and presents both final moments of Karai’s story, as well as some fun standalone adventures and the amazing, impactful finale that saw Earth blown to bits and sucked through a black hole.

 

The back half of season three saw many fan-favorite characters, like the Mighty Mutaniamals, as well as some familiar individuals return to the TMNT universe. Nowhere was this more prominent than in “Meet Mondo Gecko,” where the lovable lizard joined the newest incarnation while being voiced by TMNT alum (and perhaps the greatest Michelangelo of all time) Robbie Rist. Even if the third season wasn’t received with all the fanfare of the first two, the later episodes in season three were fun, and tried to get things back to the same level of cohesion that was seen early on in the show.

TMNT2012_Revenge

Like all the DVD sets released for the newest series, Revenge includes a high production value and plenty of episodes on its two discs. However, it still suffers from the same problems that have plagued the show as a whole since its inception: The releases are very limited, and the sets are so disjointed that buying every one to complete the collection almost doesn’t seem worth the cost. As mentioned prior, some DVD season sets do exist, but in order to get season two, fans have to buy season one all over again. Likewise, with a show that looks as beautiful on the small screen as this version of the turtles, it’s a little surprising that there has been no Blu-Ray release of any episodes.

 

While it’s nothing new that season three wasn’t met with the happiest of attitudes here, this DVD set is certainly worth picking up for any collector. It provides the fun of the series while still trying to put together a cohesive plot (even if the writers did essentially say, “You know what, forget it, let’s destroy everything” at the end of the season). However, it is still a shame that there is no season set, because fans that don’t appreciate buying two discs at a time are still waiting to get their hands on this show. Hopefully, someday that will happen, but in the meantime enjoy Revenge.

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TMNT – “Half-Shell Heroes” Review

by Zach Gasior
written by Zach Gasior

“Somehow we time-warped 100,000,000 years into the past.” – Donatello

 

In a new, special iteration of the latest TMNT universe, miniature versions of the heroes in green find themselves chasing down Shredder’s goons to stop a robbery. Arriving at the history museum, the turtles manage to keep a rare crystal from space out of the enemies’ hands. Getting it safely back to the lair, Donatello installs it as a power source in his new transforming turtle bot. Eager to test the contraption, the boys head back out, but when the crystal powers up, it opens a time warp that shoots the turtles, Bebop, and Rocksteady back into the past.

 

Exploring the new old world, the turtles find themselves both befriending and running scared from the dinosaurs that roam the world. Eventually, Raphael is carried off by a pterosaur, while the others are on the run from a tyrannosaurus. Fed up with his air travel, Raph takes matters into his own hands and crashes his ride – only to break its wing and feel sorry enough to fix the flying lizard up. The others track Raph down, but now two tyrannosaurs want a tasty turtle snack. Fortunately, the new turtle bot is ready for action, and with their giant robot, the boys scare away their attackers. But the battle also destroys their fuel cell, trapping them in the past.

splash-tmnthalfshellheroes-790x494

Just as all hope seems lost, the turtles stumble upon a Triceraton mining facility, where the aliens happen to be harvesting time crystals using dinosaur slaves. Stealth doesn’t prove to last for long, and the turtles are forced to fight their way out. They manage to escape, but are chased down by robo-raptors. As all hope seems lost, the dinosaur friends the turtles made come to their rescue. Meanwhile, Bebop and Rocksteady were captured by the Triceratons, and have to mount their own escape, which goes about as well as could have been expected, with the mutants remaining prisoners.

 

As the turtles ride into battle with their dinosaur allies, Donnie finds himself lacking a companion, but thanks to Michelangelo, he soon partners with the tyrannosaurus that first attacked them. Back on track, the turtles suit up prehistoric style and head off into battle. However, the Triceratons are prepared with a robo-spinosaurus that is seemingly impenetrable to all attacks. Working together, the turtles and their dinosaurs manage to take down the robot, with Raph using the Triceratons’ own drill machine to break it to pieces. They even manage to free Bebop and Rocksteady and reprogram the robo-raptors, sending the Triceratons packing once and for all.

 

With all the supplies they need, Donnie manages to fix the turtle bot and the time travelers leap forward. However, they arrive in a future where Shredder has won the war and rules the entire city. So, of course the boys need to explore – just for a little while.

tmnt-halfshell-heroes-pre-release-video-16x9-v2-4

While not in the same continuity as the current TV show (or maybe it is, perhaps in the future, after season four), this was a very well done and fun distraction from the main story. For decades now, prehistoric TMNT action figures have existed, but like many of the iterations in figure form, nothing was ever done with them. So of course it was great to see a fun little special revolving specifically around that idea. That being said, it has to be thought of as a fun one-off special meant for a very specific demographic.

The Half-Shell Heroes toy line is suppose to be TMNT toys for kids younger than the target demographic. That’s why the turtles look younger and act a little more childish. It also means that certain elements cannot be given too much deep thought, or else they don’t really make a whole lot of sense. For instance, why did the turtles need to make new weapons? Yes, they were going for a “prehistoric” look with rocks and bones and whatnot, but metal weapons would have been much more effective than stone swords or sai. Of course, that’s really the only complaint about the special, because otherwise it was a fantastic little adventure.

 

Overall, the Half-Shell Heroes lived up to their TMNT big brothers, and provided some really good action. Things may not have always made the most sense, but they were still fun and engaging. (Of course, Mikey was still his hilarious self, and great with naming, as was evidenced by his stegosaurus friend Maurice.) If Nickelodeon wanted to do one of these specials yearly moving forward, then that would be a pretty great way to add something new but familiar to the current TMNT run.

 

Rating: 9/10

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