by Mike Hilty, Contributing Writer
Welcome to Cross-Platform Partners! In honor of a new movie release, I have selected a TV show to watch to pair with the movie. Think of it as a way to get hyped for the ne
w movie, a preview of things to come, a means to tide you over if the movie won’t be released where you live for a little while, or a change of pace if you’ve run out of related movies or sequels.
For August, I picked Nickelodeon’s 2012 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to pair with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.
I’ve been a fan of the heroes in a half shell since I started watching the original animated show in 1990. Several VHS tapes were worn out due to my love for the Ninja Turtles. I owned a lot of toys, and I even read some of the comics. The movies were necessary viewing for me, even if they weren’t the best. Even when I grew older, I still watched the new cartoon from 2003, which felt darker and more mature than the fun early ’90s cartoon. When the new live action Ninja Turtles movies that were shepherded by Michael Bay came out, I watched both on opening night. There hasn’t been a TMNT movie or show that I haven’t enjoyed, but the 2012 Nickelodeon series is the only Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles property I have yet to watch.
Nickelodeon and Paramount put a lot on the line to make TMNT more accessible to a younger audience. Although I prefer some of the darker storylines about genetic experimentation, what it means to be family, and the plights of saving New York despite how the city ultimately views them as creatures instead of saviors, I also greatly enjoy a fun and zany Turtles show. This version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has a good mix of both, but tends to stay more closely aligned with the old school show from my childhood.
The big difference between the Nickelodeon version and all the other TV shows is the origin of the Turtles. Nickelodeon’s version has them being transformed by alien substances, rather than ooze. It’s a significant departure from their origin was first conceived, which had a lot of insightful things to say about how we take care of the environment, and how chemical waste is toxic to wildlife. By making their origin alien, the property feels more sci-fi than ever before.
This is the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show that is in 3D, as opposed to traditional 2D animation. It’s an understandable change, considering how much computer graphics have evolved over the last 30 or so years. In any case, I love this animation style. It’s colorful and highly detailed, and it allows the personalities of all four Turtles to pop.
Out of all the Ninja Turtles shows, this one’s voice cast might be the best in terms of the talent involved. Taking the four Turtles, for instance, Leonardo was originally voiced by Jason Biggs. He left after a few seasons, and was replaced by Seth Green, a seasoned cartoon voice actor. Both Biggs and Green play Leonardo with the poise that the audience would expect of the de facto leader of the group. Leonardo, though, is also looking to prove that is worthy of his role, and Green in particular showcases this in later seasons the best.
Greg Sipes is Michelangelo, and is outstanding, portraying him as the happy-go-lucky party animal. Sipes also brings some much-needed depth to the character, who struggles with no one taking him seriously, and figuring out his true place within the group. Along with Green, Sipes is a seasoned voice actor. He gives his absolute best, and we see a completely different type of Michelangelo that I’ve never seen in any Turtles property.
Sean Astin lends his voice to Raphael. Astin is the weakest of the Turtles in terms of voicing, but this isn’t to say he’s bad. Raphael is one of the more complicated characters of the series, attempting to play it cool, and struggling with his anger and insecurity about not being in charge. Constantly clashing with Leonardo, Raphael lives up to his hot-head status, and Astin struggles a little bit here. I don’t feel his anger, and it sometimes comes off as whiny. At the end of the day, Astin is still great in the role, despite the limitations.
Perhaps the most inspired choice is Rob Paulsen as Donatello. Paulsen is a legend in voice acting, but also a legacy cast member of the original cartoon. If Paulsen wasn’t part of the cast, this version of the series would still be great, but bringing him in lends instant credibility to the new series. It pays homage to the past show, while forging a new path forward. As a character, Donatello never had a lot of depth. He’s the smart one in the group. This is the first time where I’ve seen the burden of that responsibility take a toll on him. Donnie overthinks everything, and is borderline anxious that he’s going to make a decision that will undermine his intelligence. Paulsen balances this burden well with the comedic chops and quick wit that Donatello is known for.
If you are a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan, this series is outstanding from a storyline perspective. It has all the old classics, like Shredder (Kevin Michael Richardson) and Kraang (Nolan North). These are legacy villains that are bound to show up. Their stories are largely in line with what past shows and movies have done. Kraang’s big change is that his ooze is what causes the Ninja Turtles to mutate. Nickelodeon goes deep into the bench of the Turtle’s rogues gallery, and has storylines for some of the lesser-known Turtles villains.
Even the allies of the Turtles are in tow, including Casey Jones (Josh Peck) and April O’Neil (Mae Whitman). Although Casey is largely unchanged from his origins, there are some key differences in April’s character. She is much more self-sufficient and capable as a news journalist. Occasionally being the damsel in distress, April does ask Splinter (Hoon Lee) to train her to fight. This is a welcome difference for April, and signals a new era in the longtime companion of the Turtles. Gone are the days when April is constantly getting in trouble and the Turtles have to go save her. She can now hold her own.
As a lifelong fan of the Ninja Turtles, I’m ecstatic to say this show is fantastic. I’m not going to love it as much as I love the original, but this is as close as it’s going to get. Nickelodeon did the show justice by investing in beautiful animation, talented performers, and rich storylines. I watched a lot of these episodes with my eldest daughter, who loved it. I’m sure that was one of Nickelodeon’s intended purposes, introducing the Turtles to a new generation of fans, while updating some of the issues the older cartoon had.
I’m so excited for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. I was in from the first trailer. The animation style really captured me from the jump. It feels like a kid’s sketchbook is coming to life. I also greatly appreciate that the series is leaning heavily into how these Turtles are still teenagers at heart. Most of the shows, including Nickelodeon’s, still portray them as young adults in a way. Mutant Mayhem looks to capitalize on the teenage aspect of this group. Seth Rogen’s involvement is encouraging, as he has been involved with some of the best Hollywood has had to offer recently.
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