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Trans-Dimensional Turtles

No, this isn't a shot from the original animated series -- this is the original Bebop & Rocksteady in a modern TMNT crossover! Image Source: Paramount Home Video, Nickelodeon.

Upcoming Bebop & Rocksteady Episodes Will Include 80’s TMNT Crossover

by Justin W August 28, 2017

written by Justin W

When Playmates revealed the TMNT toy lines they had planned for 2017, I was curious about what it all meant. At the time, they unofficially announced that each set would be based around one of the “tales” that would be told during the final season of Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This was big news, because we still didn’t know exactly what to expect from the upcoming season. Two of the action figures they revealed were Bebop & Rocksteady wearing gear from the original animated series, but they wouldn’t tell us anything else about this design.

Thankfully, we can now safely assume what they were going for with the retro motif. Various screencaps have been surfacing online over the past few days, revealing significant details about the upcoming tale featuring Bebop & Rocksteady. These pictures confirm without a doubt that the episodes in question will serve as yet another crossover into the alternate dimension of the original animated series. Not only will we get to see the original turtles once again, but the original Shredder, Krang, Bebop & Rocksteady will all be making their own appearances as well.

Unfortunately, there is one thing we can confirm for certain: Shredder will not be voiced by his original actor. Sadly, James Avery passed away in 2013 and took his iconic voice with him. Although there will never be another voice quite like his, I’m certain that Kevin Michael Richardson will do an excellent job with the role. Kevin currently voices the 2012 Shredder, and he has now been tasked with taking on the role of 80’s Shredder. If Rob Paulsen can do two voices in one show, I’m sure Richardson is also capable of that feat.

The 80’s TMNT are back once again in another crossover event! Image Source: Paramount Home Video, Nickelodeon.

Cam Clarke, Barry Gordon, Townsend Coleman and Rob Paulsen will once again reprise their roles as the 80’s TMNT. Pat Fraley was also brought in to reprise his role as Krang, so you can rest assured that most of the characters will sound almost exactly the same as they did three decades ago. Although Trans-Dimensional Turtles was definitely awesome, it’s nice to see that they’re giving fans yet another crossover in 2017 – the 30th anniversary of the original animated series.

Wanted: Bebop & Rocksteady will hit the air on September 17th, 2017, roughly a week after being released on DVD. That’s right – you can actually see this “tale” of the TMNT ahead of time by purchasing the DVD when it comes out on September 12th! This release includes episodes 15, 16, 17 and 10 from the fifth season. It might seem like an odd pairing, but the tenth episode was actually Lone Rat and Cubs, which was its own individual tale. Episodes 15-17 will serve as an epic three-part crossover featuring the retro turtles and villains alongside their modern counterparts.

Although I am disappointed that Nickelodeon has chosen to break with tradition by releasing these episodes out of order, it’s clear that this release offers some serious value. Not only do you get an episode written by Kevin Eastman, but you also get a three episode crossover event with significant 80’s TMNT heroes and villains. The Wanted: Bebop & Rocksteady DVD also includes the Ice Cream Kitty music video, something a lot of fans have been hoping to see for quite some time.

Even in another dimension, Shredder and Krang still plot the destruction of our favorite heroes in a half shell. Image Source: Paramount Home Video, Nickelodeon.

Say what you will about Nickelodeon’s decisions regarding this release, but at least they’re giving you several reasons to pick it up. No matter what you decide to do, it looks like these episodes are going to be a lot of fun. By now, it should be clear that creators Ciro Nieli and Brandon Auman decided to go out with a bang. Finishing up this season with a three-part crossover is the perfect way to show some love and appreciation to the fans, and I can’t wait to see how it turns out!

UPDATE: There have been contradictory reports about when these episodes will air. As of now, we can assume one of two things:

1. Nickelodeon will release these episodes a week earlier than originally scheduled (September 10th instead of September 17th) in order to make room for the monster episodes that will most likely hit the air during October.
2. Nickelodeon will push these episodes to the end of the season, airing them sometime after October.

Whatever they decide to do with the schedule, we’ll do our best to keep you informed.

Will you be picking up the Wanted: Bebop & Rocksteady DVD upon release, or are you going to watch these crossover episodes as they air on Nickelodeon? Are you happy to see the show crossing over with the 80’s TMNT once again? Share your thoughts and plans either in the comments below or on facebook/twitter.

August 28, 2017 17 comments

The episode Trans-Dimensional Turtles was nominated for an Annie Award. Image Source: Nickelodeon.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Nominated for an Annie Award

by Justin W December 7, 2016

written by Justin W

While Nickelodeon may be considering the eventual cancellation of their hit series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the cartoon continues to earn accolades left and right. In a decision that probably won’t surprise too many fans, an episode from Nick’s TMNT was nominated for a 2016 Annie Award.

The episode in question is Trans-Dimensional Turtles, which finds our modern heroes in a half shell teaming up with their counterparts from the 80’s to stop Kraang. This crossover episode was very well received, because they brought back a lot of the original voice actors to reprise their roles. The animation was also quite excellent, serving as a fantastic reminder of the beloved Turtles Forever.

Considering how well the crossover turned out, it’s not too difficult to understand why they chose to nominate this specific episode. After all, they combined everyone’s nostalgia for the original animated series with the excellent storytelling of the modern Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon. Shellheads both young and old found something to love about Trans-Dimensional Turtles.

Trans-Dimensional Turtles saw the 80’s animated heroes in a half shell joining forces with Nick’s TMNT. Image Source: Nickelodeon.

Unfortunately, the Ninja Turtles have some pretty stiff competition for this Annie Award; both Adventure Time and the new Netflix series Voltron have also been nominated. The award in question will be for “Best Animated Television/Broadcast Production For Children.” I don’t know about you, but I think the turtles might actually have a good shot at winning!

In addition to this award, the android game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Legends was also nominated for “Outstanding Achievement of Character Animation in a Video Game.” Sadly, this game isn’t likely to win the Annie, because it’s facing much more impressive competition from nominees such as Titanfall 2, Uncharted 4 and Witcher 3.

Something tells me that an android game isn’t going to take home any accolades when it’s up against some of the most popular titles of the year. That being said, it’s definitely interesting to see that this title was even nominated in the first place. Given that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan was also released in 2016, it’s odd that they would choose to nominate the android game instead.

Of all the TMNT games to receive recognition this year, it’s actually very surprising that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Legends has been nominated for an Annie Award. Image Source: Ludia.

Personally, I am hopeful that Trans-Dimensional Turtles will take home the Annie. Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles deserves far more praise than it has been given, and this episode in particular was definitely worthy of an award. The Annie Award is presented for accomplishments in animation, and that episode was definitely an impressive accomplishment!

Are you excited to see Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles receive an Annie Award nomination? Are you hopeful that Trans-Dimensional Turtles will win the award? Share your thoughts and opinions either in the comments below or on facebook/twitter.

December 7, 2016 2 comments

Reviews TV/Cartoon Series

TMNT – “Trans-Dimensional Turtles” Review

by Dan Spitaliere March 27, 2016

written by Dan Spitaliere

Let’s get this out of the way first: The story beats of this episode match very closely to Turtles Forever. That’s not a bad thing. In fact, “Trans-Dimensional Turtles” acts as a great tribute to that special, especially with the return of all four Turtles and Krangs voice actors. I think the writers of the episode did a great job updating the concept to this TMNT iteration. There were some genuinely funny moments, and the Splinter visit was a tear inducing reunion for the Turtles. This scene was really important, since no other animated series has dealt with the death of Splinter. It firmly establishes the heart this series has, and was an impactful moment for us longtime Turtle fans.

One of the biggest draws for this episode though was the art. While it was cool seeing the new turtles in the old cartoon style, the best part was seeing the old Turtles in CGI. The art direction was spot on. The other big draw was, of course, the original voice actors. Getting Cam Clarke, Townsend Coleman, Barry Gordon, Rob Paulsen, and Pat Fraley back together was a real treat, and seeing the personalities of each turtle play off each other was a lot of fun. We got a quick joke off Old Raph and Donnie “sounding weird,” Old Leo screaming “Turtle Power!” constantly, Old Donnie’s deus ex machina inventions, and of course both Mikey’s getting along perfectly and immediately.

It was great to see how carefree the old Turtles are, how ridiculous their fight scenes seem now, and finally getting to see them use their weapons at the end of the episode! I loved how they dialed up Old Raph’s sarcasm, and I love how they tied the current continuity to the old one. Turns out Krang is a Kraang ( a sentence I never thought I’d write), and he was banished to the 2D dimension by Kraang Subprime!

And how could I write a review without mentioning the brief trip to the Turtle Prime Dimension? The motion comic idea was really interesting, and I liked how the OG Turtles didn’t speak. It’s a bold move to trust your humor to deliver exclusively visually, but it’s a gamble I’m glad the writer’s took.

“Trans-Dimensional Turtles” was a fun side quest in the Turtles mission to find the black hole generator pieces. It continued the sci-fi trademarks that are the cornerstone to this season, but it brought the Turtles back to New York City (3 of them!), and an emotional core that helped remind the audience the stakes at hand. It would have been fun to see 80s Casey Jones pop up, and with more time more could have been mined from the theme. All in all though, Trans-Dimensional Turtles” succeeds as a fast paced nostalgic romp through Turtle generations!

What did you think of the episode? Were you happy to see the original voice cast return? If you’re new to the Turtles, what did you think of the history of the franchise? What’s your favorite catchphrase? Cowabunga? Booyakasha? Give me a Break? Turtle Power? Let us know in the comments!

March 27, 2016 63 comments

Screencap of a scene from the episode Trans-Dimensional Turtles, in which the original TMNT voice actors make a triumphant return

News TV/Cartoon News

Behind the Scenes 1980’s TMNT Voice Actors Reunion

by Justin W March 17, 2016

written by Justin W

Remember when we mentioned that Andre of Black Nerd Comedy hinted at his involvement with the new TMNT crossover episode? Well, apparently he was given the opportunity to meet with the TMNT voice actors from the original animated series as they performed their beloved roles once more. It’s been a while since we’ve seen this group come together for an event like this, so this behind-the-scenes experience was definitely one for the ages. The look on Andre’s face says it all, as he laughs and jokes with the men who provided the voices for some of his favorite characters. Don’t deny it, you’d probably react the exact same way that he did!

In the video, we get to see TMNT voice actors Cam Clarke, Pat Fraley, Townsend Coleman, Barry Gordon and Rob Paulsen team up to perform their roles in the upcoming crossover episode entitled “Trans-Dimensional Turtles.” As they speak with Andre, they end up cracking more than a few jokes and talking about their experiences in the industry over the past 30-40 years. Needless to say, this is a truly special moment, and it’s absolutely wonderful to see and hear all of these memorable voices come together for one amazing event. Of course, this isn’t the first time they’ve reprised their roles, and it might not be the last time, but we can only hope they’ll be back again sometime soon.

One particularly humorous moment takes place when Barry Gordon openly complains that Donatello doesn’t get a catchphrase like the other turtles. If ever there was a missed opportunity for Andre to belt out one of his classic “Smooth Donatello” expressions, this was it. Regardless, it was an absolute blast to see all of these awesome TMNT voice actors join up for something that promises to be – as Townsend’s Mikey would put it – totally bodacious!

What was your favorite moment from this video? Are you going to be watching the crossover episode Trans-Dimensional Turtles when it airs on March 27th? Share your thoughts in the comments or via facebook/twitter.

March 17, 2016 3 comments

Are you excited to see Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles receive an Annie Award nomination? Are you hopeful that Trans-Dimensional Turtles will win the award? Share your thoughts and opinions either in the comments below or on facebook/twitter.

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