MovieChat Forums > Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) Discussion > Just Rented Season 4 From My Library...

Just Rented Season 4 From My Library...

posted 11 years ago by ItsEddieHaskellBeyotch
5 replies | jump to latest

Some things I noticed:

Clearly this is one of the seasons when the franchise was white hot at the time, any logic the series had thusfar within its own universe is totally thrown out the window. Episodes alternate from the turtles either walking around outside the sewer in disguise or just plain walking around in the open plain as day as themselves with no disguise.

One of the episodes is the episode prior to the group traveling to Europe...but the next episode, they're still in New York and none of the episodes in the set are the European tour episodes.

Shredder, Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady going back and forth from Dimension X to New York got old fast.

Any episode that features one of the turtles for a majority of the episode, the other turtles are just back at the lair doing absolutely nothing or watching TV til the star of the episode turtle calls for reinforcements.

April seems to be the only consistantly drawn character in every episode, whereas the animation quality goes from decent to terrible with the turtles character design.

Many can say the series jumped the shark when the tone changed somewhere in season seven or eight with the redesign of the characters and the red skies. I think it jumped alittle when Michelangelo had to trade in his nunchucks for the grappling hook and rope, I believe this happens somewhere here in season 4.

All in all a great look back to a simpler time in animated entertainment. The flaws are all apart of the shows charm and I wouldnt trade that for anything.

'When there's no more room in Hollywood, remakes shall walk the Earth.'

[–] bartallenii 11 years ago

For some reason, the European Tour episodes were held back for three years. They made their U.S. debut on the USA Network's Cartoon Express when the show left syndication and went to cable.

[–] dracula_27 11 years ago

I am watching season 4 now & have to say it's such a disappointing series compared to the first 3. No real consistancy between episodes and some are just well I guess for the very young. The comedy in previous seasons was better and I just found this season is no good for anyone but a young child unlike past seasons

[–] bartallenii 11 years ago

That's because starting with Season 4, the show was now on a network and was prone to massive executive meddling. There were stricter guidelines for Saturday Morning cartoons as opposed to syndicated shows.

"Without management, there is only chaos."
"Can we try the chaos thing?"

[–] dracula_27 11 years ago

Tell you what Bartallenii, working very closely in management now days:

"Without management, there is only chaos."
"Can we try the chaos thing?"

Totally agree!!

Its such a shame, I am sure they could have made some more meaningful story lines and consistent episodes but I guess we are watching it at +30 y.o's now, I loved it back when I was 8-14 y.o

[–] donutpower 10 years ago

i revisited Season 4 this year and yes it is quite different. this i think was when the series was moved to the CBS network when the new intro shows up.

i didnt like that Michelangelo got stuck with the grappling hook. i know from an international perspective, it would be suitable to not have his nunchucks, but i didnt like it.

there were quite a few episodes that didnt have Shredder and Krang. those were alright and refreshing, so i can't say i got tired of the usual plots of trying to escape Dimension X.

i noticed too that when the other 3 turtles were taking the backseat, that they really didnt have a proper way of being out of the action. still, i do enjoy seeing one turtle dealing with things in their own way with their specific personality.

the animation flubs didnt distract me too much. those seemed very common at the time when cartoons were rushed into production.

i personally always preferred the look & tone of Season One. so in comparison to that, all the seasons seem a little dumbed down for youngsters.