Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Tales of the TMNT is a breath of fresh air in Nickelodeon's recent animation. It not only is 2D animated, it is visually pleasant, well animated cartoon. The combination of well animated motion with a neutral palette that is neither too garish (unlike the movie it follows) not too dark almost makes it feel like an 80's Disney movie.

Unlike the movie (and several recent TMNT works, for better or for worse) it has several quiet moments, and the less loud soundtrack gives it almost chill vibes at times, which is truly welcome for a cartoon aimed at kids. It feels a lot less overstimulating than some of its contemporaries.

Overall a solid recommendation.

I love the TMNT franchise as a whole so much, however I really wish they tried a bit harder with this series. The story was interesting enough to keep me watching for both of the stories in the season (Bishop and the East River Three), but there is one big problem I had. THEY SEPARATE THE BROTHERS EVERY TIME!!!! I understand that this was the main story they were going for, especially with the Bishop plot, but it made the show so much less interesting because I came here for the turtles and not them hanging out with these randos...! They tried to show the brothers getting along with the other mutants when they could've just found a way to include the other mutants without separating them again. I just couldn't force myself to care about the others. The conflict they introduced with The River Three was very interesting, and I wish they just added more to those guys instead of including the mutants from the movie.

If I were to change anything, I'd say I'd rather the story have followed the boys actually going to high school and then the conflict growing from there so we get to see some of how their life is after the movie- not just getting straight into the action and chases. I think that's one thing that disappointed the most is that we lose some of the continuity and the series doesn't just pick up after the movie. The whole season just felt like a completely new movie instead of a series continuation.

As always, the action was great and the style of the show is just incredible! Especially the action they did with Goldfin and the boys on the yacht. Despite my grievances, I will definitely tune in if they choose to make another season.

Saw some reviews complaining in here about the animation and how lazy it looks... Now, this baffles me has it seems it was done frame by frame, one of the hardest, most nightmare inducing forms of animation ever created...I'm not sure if it is, but I cannot begin to fathom how much trouble it went into creating this.

Some reviews also complained that the characters are stiff and nothing seems to move beyond the main characters and I want to let those know that crunch culture was invented to appease people like you. People that are never happy, that cannot do better but certain know how to complain most of the time.

Akin to modern slavery, animators are forced to work ungodly amounts of hours to make that character in the background move, just so mr so and so would approve of it. Ridiculous.

Perfect animation that reminds of the days of old and I love the idea that hand drawn animation is making a return.

So it's not as gen alphay as mutant mayhem when in that movie they say slangs like: Sus, & rizz. But in show April says Drake. Which probably isn't referencing to what I think it is. If you know, you know. Also you can tell it's low budge because they were to lazy to find someone that sounds like Jackie chan, so they either got splinter to speak vermin, or Raphael doing a Batman voiceover. And the first half of the show is the plot shown in the trailers with the robots and everything, but the second half is something completely different. But overall it was okay. Mutant mayhem is way better.:)

After watching the first three episodes of the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, I can't help but feel disappointed, especially when comparing it to the beloved 1987 original. The new animation style feels like a complete miss, lacking the charm and distinctiveness that made the original show so iconic. The turtles in this series come across more as parodies of themselves, with an overemphasis on stereotypes that detracts from their original personalities.

One of the most glaring issues is the drastic change in the core characters. April O'Neil is now the complete opposite of her original portrayal, losing much of what made her an integral part of the team. Splinter, who used to be the wise mentor imparting life lessons and guiding the turtles through their challenges, has been reduced to focusing on his personal relationships, which dilutes his role as the turtles' teacher and protector.

Michelangelo and Donatello, in particular, have suffered from this reboot. Michelangelo, once the fun-loving but capable party dude, now looks downright goofy, losing much of his original charm. Donatello, who was once the cool, tech-savvy member of the team, is now portrayed as a weak nerd, complete with glasses-a tired stereotype that undermines his character. Just because he's knowledgeable about technology doesn't mean he should be reduced to this cliché. In the original, Donatello was a well-rounded character who was smart, resourceful, and still undeniably cool.

Moreover, the turtles in this new series are generally portrayed as scared all the time, which is a stark contrast to the original show where they were brave, fearless, and always ready to fight. It's strange to see a character like April having to teach them not to be scared-something that would have been unthinkable in the original series.

The original series had real missions with a serious focus, executed in a smart and engaging way. In contrast, this new iteration feels more like a parody, where the stakes seem lower, and the focus on meaningful storytelling is lost. Leonardo, once the confident and decisive leader, is now portrayed as fearful and lacking in self-assurance, which is a stark departure from his original character.

Even the theme song, which in the original was an iconic, catchy tune that perfectly captured the spirit of the show, is a complete miss in this new version. The new theme fails to evoke the same excitement and nostalgia, further distancing this series from what made the original so memorable.

And not to mention, the complete miss of the original classic villains is another major disappointment. The villains in the original series, like Shredder, Krang, Bebop, and Rocksteady, were not only menacing but also integral to the storyline. Their absence or drastic reimagining in the new series leaves a void that further weakens the connection to the original.

The only redeeming quality I've found so far is that they managed to capture the atmosphere of New York quite well. However, this alone isn't enough to save the show. Instead of reinventing the wheel and altering the essence of what made the original series great, why not create a new season with fresh ideas while staying true to the original characters? This approach would honor the legacy of the original show and provide something genuinely new for both old and new fans.

In its current form, it feels like the creators were more interested in quickly gaining attention rather than crafting a show with substance. The original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles had a balance of action, humor, and heart that resonated with viewers of all ages. Sadly, this new series falls short of those standards and ends up being a real miss.