Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Part 1 - TMNT Classic Cartoon Review

RetroBlasting's mega feature on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles begins here with the history of the comic and original cartoon in Part 1: Perfect Shell Game!
#RetroBlasting #TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles

[@bjlogwood1181]

Bebop and Rocksteady are the best bad guy names ever , hands down

[@happiaxxident]

i was one of the lucky people to be introduced to the turtles via the OG black and white comics. i was enamoured and drew the turtles in my art class sketch book. my teacher didn't know what the eff i was drawing and gave me a near failing grade.

[@grantkelly8696]

Happi Axxident than it seems your art teacher was/is a bitch I mean why discard a kids creativity because you don't know what exactly it is.

[@SciFiFan2012]

I had a few of the Mirage era comics, and drew them constantly. The first time I saw the animated Turtles I was like WTF! Why do they have colors on their bandanas and initials on their belts? Why is Mikey screaming Cowabunga?!

[@tmntlorefan7518]

@@SciFiFan2012 but in the mirage comics they say cowabunga too... even Mikey's first word after mutating in the comics was cowabunga... so... WAHT U TALKIN ABOUT

[@teddybeer6206]

​@@tmntlorefan7518 what? In the comics, the first word uttered when the Turtles mutated was "Splinter".

[@fredgordonherbert6394]

@@SciFiFan2012 i can tell this guy has a small dick

[@geeked-outturtlesfan4288]

Being born in the 80's I loved the Turtles. I loved the cartoon series. I wouldn't say it all went down after season 2. Episodes that introduce Leatherhead, The Rat king ex... Were good but I agree there was more goofier episodes. The introduction of their odd Mutations in season 8 I believe geared it towards the movie seriousness.

[@TVfanfanatic]

I was one of the people who 1st learned about TMNT from the early comics and the RPG back in '86 or '87. When the toys and cartoon came out, I was really disappointed they turned the TMNT franchise into a kids show. I never bought any of the TMNT toys, but for some reason, I loved the 4 player arcade game!

[@sonicmario64]

I can understand what you mean, but you have to understand that if it wasn't for the original cartoon series, the TMNT franchise probably wouldn't have been as popular if it hadn't appealed to kids growing up in the 1980s and 1990s, but at least the 1990 live-action movie and the 2003 cartoon series were more faithful to the original source (even if the latter had a few minor changes done to it).

[@rictusmetallicus]

Apart from having no TIE-Fighters in it, it's a very interesting and informative video. The Turtles live action movie is one of my craziest cinematic experiences. Me and a friend saw it at a small cinema in a small village somewhere in northern germany in 1991. The cinema featured plush couches with small tables and two waitresses taking orders for crispies and coke and bringing it to your table. That was pretty cool.

[@coreyb1295]

Actually Shredder gets his ass kicked quite a lot. I believe every turtle single handedly defeats Shredder through the course of the show. He rarely stands a chance and often shows he's afraid of the turtles. The 2012 series accurately shows how's powerful a ninja master should be.

[@teddybeer6206]

The 2003 Shredder also destroyed them quite often.

[@Dethark75]

That TMNT arcade game was killer. Played the heck out of it.

[@robbiewalker2831]

17:09 - 17:52: In other words, despite Laird's mutual feelings towards the Fred Wolf cartoon, he would later have an understanding why it was popular, as proven by the awesome TMNT crossover: Turtles Forever.

[@impossiblepie]

That Turtle game was AWESOME!!!!

[@seasickvision]

Well back then, you had parents complaining about the violence on TMNT. So, they made it more goofy. The same thing happen to the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers...

[@almightytallestred]

Really great videos, especially this one. Fun fact: here in Germany they were also the "Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles". Now I know I got Margaret Thatcher to thank for that :D

[@Chalor.]

What's funny is that I've always had zero interest in Kung Fu and Japanese culture..but I sure was (still am) super duper into TMNT when the show aired back in '87.

[@Sharksleep]

I remember going to craft shows as a kid and finding Ninja Turtles memorabilia. My parents even bought me a hand painted Raphael clock. Good stuff.

[@wl7291]

I, born in 1991, was in love with TMNT based on that show. Perfectly described at minute 14.

[@pferreira1983]

Love the 80s Turtles. Still the best TV version of them. My favourite cartoon next to The Real Ghostbusters.

[@pferreira1983]

@Shawn Payne Yeah that was producer Fred Wolf worried about UK views on his weapons and as the show was partly animated in Dublin he was probably worried about the hate he'd get in the industry.

[@mitchbray6637]

This show was a blast! I love the episode where Shredder takes over Octopus Inc and Night of The Rogues and also, Turtles At The Earth's Core. But the miniseries is my oveall fave.

[@AJSSPACEPLACE]

I always assumed the turtles collected the change people dropped on the street

[@teddybeer6206]

Baxter Stockman is a tragic character no matter the incarnation of TMNT

[@brianholcomb665]

Dude!!!! Best episode ever. I just turned 40 this year and was there at the beginning of "turtle mania". The original wave of toys were the last toys I revived for Christmas before I was to "old to play with toys" . Again I was right in the middle of all this and can vividly remember this era. You and Malinda have again just knocked it out of the park!!! You guys are buy far my favorite channel on KZbin!!!!!

[@retroblasting]

Thanks so much Brian! And thanks for being a subscriber!

[@GarouLady]

man I so miss the 80's and 90's of cartoons. Thundarr the barbarian, Pirates of Darkwater (which I wish someone would put on DVD), TMNTs. oh to be young again. Thanks for the video that was a great walk down memory lane.

[@retroblasting]

You're welcome Garou!

[@toymasterfultoymasterful7499]

I had no idea the cartoon kept going till 1996???...wow!!! i stopped watching around after the Secret of the Ooze came out.

[@tylongkicks8821]

Yeah I grew out of Turtles around Summer of 91. I was more into my video games got a Genesis that fall. 1992 I got into Batman and X-Men due to the cartoon series.

[@bjlogwood1181]

I first saw the turtles in a weird block of cartoons that would rotate week to week , I remember being pissed that the turtles were on instead of the Inhumanoids!

[@ZZtheDark]

Man,I recall April sure was hot. Hehe.

[@dex7721]

Muhd Wahid , Yes she was.

[@ZZtheDark]

@@dex7721 Aw yeah!!

[@toni4299]

d(^-^)b

[@richpher44]

@Dumb Robot she's like what 14-15 !!!

[@SPENCERH30]

@@richpher44 uh, in the newer cartoons maybe, but back then she was probably around 30 lmao

[@impossiblepie]

the five part mini series was the best, after that it was corny and cheesy or course it was for kids!

[@Chalor.]

I remember getting the VHS tapes of the first episodes from Pizza Hut. I flipped my shit with excitement. *Shit..was it Burger King? It seems like it was both now. Talk about the matrix messing with me.

[@YamiAnubisX]

It's amazing how times have changed with what's considered children shows now since we got the really dark and very gruesome 2012 TMNT series by Nickelodeon but they have always been that way with there stuff. TMNT 1987 series was at its best in season 1, 3, and I would honestly bring up the Red Sky arc cause in those episodes, the TMNT did kill off certain villains of there's.

[@TheRavenArchon]

@@YamiAnubisX I agree about the best seasons of classic TMNT. I've been rewatching it for nostalgia and found second season to be a real let down, even going into it remembering that classic TMNT was kinda cheesy. I was surprised, however, by third season, which has better animation, better fights, and better stories. It's still a kids show from the 80s, but, honestly, third season impresses and I actually like it more than the first season miniseries. Maltese Hamster was an episode I still remembered vividly from my childhood. I love Donny's narration in it, and the film noir vibes, even if they've been made kid friendly. I remember being super disappointed by fourth through seventh season as a kid and by the time of the Red Sky arcs I had grown out of it and never watched any of them. I think I'll likely skip the middle seasons after third and just check out the red sky series. See what I missed. It helps that they were only like 8 episodes to a season.

[@YamiAnubisX]

@@TheRavenArchon Tony Jay did do Lord Dregg, the main villain of the last 3 seasons, so there's that.

[@chesspunk489]

I dont understand the haters who say it went bad after season 1, 2, or 3. Seasons 4 - 7 were full of great episodes except for the European vacation ones.

[@standepain]

13:39 April must have hit the bong a few times.

[@JaalKiriam]

I'm with you! I never thought Michelangelo was nearly as much fun as Raphael!

[@maxbrandt6]

Boy, was it painfully obvious when the animated show became aimed at younger and younger audiences to the point it became unwatchable to anyone with an IQ above a sea slug but no matter what, TMNT will always mutate again for a new bunch of fans.

[@brycevo]

The original episodes are awesome

[@GarrettCRW]

Actually, the He-Man VHS/Beta releases were the first cartoon videos priced to sell, at $29.95 a tape-and Filmation and RCA/Columbia made out like bandits. The problem is that the earliest tapes could only have two episodes (unless packaged as a movie) because the original VHS and Beta standards (but mostly Beta) only allowed for an hour of playback, so there just wasn't a way for 100ish episode series to be released on home video (Star Trek was the only exception). As for TMNT, the show got dumber for a lot of reasons, but the outcry against violence in the show, followed up by the catastrophic decision to leave syndication for CBS, who ordered things toned down even more (they were as much at fault for Michelangelo losing his nunchucks as anything related to the UK and Irish airings of the show) that were the biggest problems. And then there's the issue with other writers. Jack Mendelsohn was the initial story editor instead of David Wise, which is why fantastically stupid things like hiring Francis Moss AT ALL happened (and worse, letting him be an assistant story editor). And the less said about the "red sky" episodes, the better (although, rather ironically, it was the push towards all-educational content on Saturday mornings that did TMNT in as much as those seasons).

[@retroblasting]

GarrettCRW That's fascinating intel, Garrett!

[@KasumiKenshirou]

FYI, the final few "alien overlord" seasons were written by Scientologist Jeffrey Scott. So the TMNT were basically fighting Lord Xenu. He also put Scientology stuff into Muppet Babies and other cartoons. www.reocities.com/TimesSquare/Realm/4173/scott.html

[@pferreira1983]

GarrettCRW Actually Francis Moss wrote some great episodes, I even bought some copies of his scripts off him. Jeffrey Scott was only involved with the last season. The consensus is that he had real trouble writing for the show.

[@GarrettCRW]

Moss is responsible for Zach, the so-called fifth turtle. That instantly drops him down to the spot of worst writer for the show.

[@pferreira1983]

But he also wrote Shredderville and Splinter Vanishes, two classic episodes. I put any blame for the goofiness on Jack Mendelsohn as he was in charge of the story editing from Season 2. Moss was only around as story editor for Season 4 and the show had already got goofy by that point.

[@brzilla1235]

You guys should do a video on the original 1964 G I Joes/Action Man toys. PS I love your videos. They are by far the best quality toy review/retrospectives on KZbin.

[@retroblasting]

***** Thanks so much, Brett!

[@frankdavf4599]

I used to finish the konami videogame with one coin(three lifes) playing with Donatello and doíng more than a thousand points. That game is one of the best, sure a blast of fun and action!

[@frankdavf4599]

wonderful video Retroblasting team, you make me went back in time!

[@SteveNigglechunks]

RetroBlasting continues to be my favorite KZbin channel! Thanks for all you do! PS - don't forget about Megacon in April. Even if you come as normal guests and not presenters, it would be awesome to meet you both!

[@retroblasting]

Eric Wessells Thanks Eric!

[@donnie1238]

I still watch this a lot and I’m like 17 years old.

[@KendrickHarrisKenfinity]

"Turtle Power" when we reconnect with our city saving and pizza devouring ninja brothers. Stay safe everyone!

[@MidnightsEdgeAfterDark]

This is one of the earliest of your videos I remember seeing, great stuff years later!

[@1980Triumph]

Even though the TV show is wildly silly, I still prefer that origin story, Yoshi being Splinter, Shredder meets Krang, than the comic story.

[@retroblasting]

Interesting! I agree the idea of rat who knows martial arts is weird.

[@1980Triumph]

***** Yes, that always bothered me, the was the weakest part of the original movie with the rat mimicking moves in the cage or the recent movie where Splinter happens upon a book. The toon story makes more sense. Keep up the good work with the videos, can't wait for part 2.

[@pferreira1983]

1980Triumph It's ok, the recent movie had some much weirder logic generally than the Fred Wolf cartoon.

[@1980Triumph]

P Ferreira For sure, mastering martial arts from a book...silly.

[@pferreira1983]

1980Triumph Yeah!

[@AndyKnode]

Lot of great memories were brought up in this video. Now I need to go find my huge box full of ninja turtle action figures.

[@jojst1]

The last cartoon of my childhood I got into. But my younger brothers actually bought the toys. I started playing NES by that point. Great vid guys... awesome you put Starriors at the beginning

[@retroblasting]

Thanks!

[@aavenzor]

I remember watching the original miniseries when I was in 1st grade. After the last episode of that miniseries all I wanted was more Turtles. The only problem was that in San Antonio Turtles came out on KABB at the same time that Ducktales came out on KRRT. Great video as always!

[@retroblasting]

aavenzor Thanks!

[@akufromthefuture7159]

I inherited my black and white comic from my father (he was born in 1975, and 1992 for me), so we both got to see this show on tv regularly at times. The comics he left me was part of the original line of reprints for the first few comics. Not from the original run.. but from the VERY first reprint lineup... so to me, it's special.

[@rorylumley4727]

I like the turtles individual colored masks it gives them their own identity and makes it easy to tell them apart.

[@SciFiFan2012]

Rory Lumley you could still tell in B&W by their weapons.

[@NESADDICT]

I wish I had not sold my collection in 2010. I was ahead of the game and started collecting in 2006 and now here I am 14 years later starting over

[@jasontachin]

RW:the full size Donetello standing next to your tv,is what I used to have as a toy before.😁

[@spacecarpenter1265]

Hilarious Dateline segment man loved it.

[@retroblasting]

+Spacecarpenter thanks!

[@SHOGUNS85]

Your comic segments are truly the best.

[@rorylumley4727]

I want to know who saw the ultra violent tmnt comic book and said this would make a great kids show and toyline.

[@whitestar618]

there is a pizza place in my town that has a working tnmt pinball machine...it's turtletageous!

[@Chaosic]

Great video,I grew up with the 87 cartoon and got a couple of the vhs tapes,and the original trilogy for the films back in the 90s.

[@simonletch9315]

I can believe that Playmates didn't want to go beyond the minseries. As the glut of toy-promoting cartoons had caused a depression in toy sales and TV ratings by '86. By the time the miniseries aired at the end of '87, all of the Sunbow/Marvel shows had finished or were about to finish as Hasbro had decided against funding any more cartoons. .

[@MostlyAwesome]

So my older brother who was a pretty avid comic book collector back then had an original black-and-white volume one TMNT and I was only like nine years old and did not know what it was and colored in a few of the turtles with some crayons, yeah I know, I'm going straight to hell

[@Tsadi9Mem9Khet9]

Sentience doesn't determine whether or not the killing of a given thing should be regarded as wrong. Whether or not a sentient being has a conscience does.

[@vorpalskies]

Oh man, these videos are always such a treat to watch. Thank you so much for the blast from the past, always well written and tons of fun. TMNT always did tickle my nostalgic fancy. Michael and Melinda, you guys always do amazing work!

[@retroblasting]

Troy Much appreciated, Troy! Thanks for taking the time to watch it, and thanks for being a subscriber!

[@Chalor.]

" ..nor location specific" Nah uh. They're in New York. Didn't matter if the cartoon said it or not; it was certainly NY to me and everyone I knew..then the movie sealed the deal.

[@ImRobertFinnerty]

I remember being very excited for the 4 player arcade cabinet game ( still play it on an emulator). I was 13 or so when younger cousins got into it ( being 3 or 4 years old), so I remember the toys and the thought that the April O'Neal figure was going to be rare. The obvious tie in was TMNT and Pizza Hut, but when the music and tours came around I said " Okay, I'm out."

[@tyrantpictures]

Thanks for the update - I've been following the Baxter Stockman case for sometime. I wonder if the wheels of justice will ever turn on this tragic story...

[@retroblasting]

tyrantpictures HAHA! We as well!

[@kootunesscrewy]

I say. After Season 4, the show had already declined in quality. But the animation was still pretty good.

[@mariogarv]

14:55 to 14:59 that was some damn good quality animation there, from which episode was this scene? it seems they got some extra budget for that one!

[@teddybeer6206]

"Hot Rodding Teenagers From Dimension X" a Season 1 episode. The whole season was animated like this.

[@Meihuar2006]

I really enjoy your research. Some of it is nostalgia, but much is learning the trends and production "drama" behind these toys. I caught the start of the turtles, and bought the first four action figures, but was already entering my teens and didn't really "play" anymore. The comic book speculator market was a side-story to this. I remember the turtles comic, a bi-monthly on paper, had a maddeningly irregular schedule as Laird and Eastman drifted toward commercializing the turtle instead of focusing on the comics (and who can blame them? the turtles were an accidental gag from their perspective). The turtles did have some fun team-ups. Cerebus the Aardvark teamed up with the turtles in issue #7 or 8.

[@Meihuar2006]

Also, your mention of the VHS tapes and how difficult they were to obtain was something I'd forgotten. "Video Rental Store" culture in general was a feature of the 80s and 90s that is gone now.

[@retroblasting]

Thanks so much, Tim!

[@SciFiFan2012]

Tim Hammack my favorite characters to team up with the turtles were the Power Rangers and Venus DeMilo, lol. I still love the Usagi Yojimbo Ronin rabbit.

[@cameliasusea1090]

I love tmnt and all this franchise (classic ones). Games, cartoons, movies,merchandise but especially action figs. I dont know why but it s like magic to me. If i see a related merchandise i have to buy it..I buy everything i find at decent prices and I m very happy that playmates and neca brought my childhood again through their figures

[@lunacy05]

Awesome vid on the TMNT, guys! Been waiting for you guys to do this for a long while!

[@retroblasting]

lunacy05 Glad you enjoying it after the wait! :)

[@madmonkey823]

You guys are the best. As soon as I see that you've uploaded a new video, I drop whatever in doing to watch. Keep it up!

[@retroblasting]

MAD MONKEY Will do!

[@Jshaw71]

Great episode I enjoyed both the toy focused episode, and this, cartoon focused one, I never understood the issue with Mikeys nunchucku's, I swear Leo is packing swords, that can damage and destroy the robotic foot soldiers, among others, not to mention Raphs Sias whichever equally as dangerous as Leo's swords, why was everyone so worried about Mikey's nunchucks?

[@cammy85]

They at least changed it so that they only used their weapons against the robots, aliens or Shredder and Co. That would change throughout the series; especially towards the end. Michaelangelo's Nunchuks could do serious damage to robots, especially in Enter The Shredder. So that could be a reason why they mainly stuck to Shredder as a villain until Saturday mornings came along.

[@LiamTheGreat]

I guess because there was a brief scare about kids getting their hands on martial arts weapons, director of the BBFC (like a British MPAA) James Ferman had a real problem with nun-chucks in all media. Even as late at the PS1 game, Soul Edge/Blade, and for years the Enter The Dragon cover looked like Bruce Lee was holding a massive French loaf. Can't wait for part 2

[@retroblasting]

LiamTheGreat HAHAHA! Great trivia!

[@makishepard]

***** can you try to do C.O.P.S? I mean the cartoon.

[@DCMarvelMultiverse]

I remember they were producing new syndicated episodes, which were sillier, while making CBS episodes, which were more action oriented.

[@gonzaloNMF]

I'm having some weird problems with my old TMNT figures. They are starting to get sticky out of a sudden. Does anybody know why and could give me some advice? Thanks

[@fireflowerfilms2010]

My dad was a 80s kid but he was 10 when tmnt came out however my uncle who was into turtles gave me his Leonardo wacky action rapheal donatello wackey action michealangelo wacky action shredder splinter and bebop and rocksteady

[@brett8481]

I remember seeing promo art at the local comic stores for the original comic after 1984, but I was reading X-Men and other Marvel titles at that time, and not independent comics. The cartoon appeared, but I was a junior in high school and not interested in new series at that time (and GI Joe, Transformers and Jem were wrapping up at that time too with Hasbro putting a stop to Sunbow productions). But my college roommate my sophomore year was big into the original comic TMNT and introduced me to it (and Robotech anime). I read his copies of the entire original comic series, so TMNT to me is the gritty comic characters and events, not the saccharine TV series. I didn't even know about the initial cartoon series being better than later seasons. I went to see the 1989 movie with him, and we were pleasantly surprised at how close to the comic it was.

[@retroblasting]

Yeah, the movie was a shock that it was decent!

[@kentallard8852]

It wasn't the ninja craze, it was Frank Millers run on Dare Devil they were satirising. The Foot is based on The Hand, Splinter is based on Stick, etc

[@Level-ts7xl]

you know, as a boomer i would absolutely love to see an R-rated, slightly tweaked version of the first 5 episodes as a movie

[@JacobLucasSorenson]

Krangs laugh is awesome lol

[@Lukai312]

Best episode yet! Can't wait to see the next part!

Oh, nice new outro. Enjoyed the video as always!

[@retroblasting]

Hjälte Björkdahl Thanks so much, Hjalte!

[@chiefgilray]

Raphael became human later on and made "friends" under the name "chandler bing"... Sounds EXACTLY like him along with the humour... Think candy

[@INTOTHEFOLD]

Hahaha that Dateline bit was hilarious!

[@picchikaru8428]

Thank you so much for this. its nice to get an objective background on the 1987 series and its origins.

[@TheStubbzy]

That Dateline segment was hilarious.

[@BoStErO1905]

Man I remember the ninja craze! Remember the three ninjas movie series?

[@erichvonmanstein6876]

BWAHHHHHHH HA HA HA HA HA HA!! yes , yes i do! Those 3 white kids and the asian sensei! Good times

[@Drawkcabi]

Thank you for another wonderful video and nostalgia trip! TMNT always marks a dividing point in my childhood. Up until then I was always into the toys of the cartoons I watched. Transfomers, Gobots, G.I.Joe, MOTU, Thundercats, etc. I guess I started phasing out with Real Ghostbusters and Captain Power, but still I had a few toys from those series. With TMNT I had none - except for the 4 Star Trek Turtles I had to get, but I never opened or played with them. With Turtles I was into the cartoon, but not the toys. Also, I only really got into the cartoon because my nephews loved it. They would come over for the weekend and we'd rent the original mini-series to watch. Getting into the series by way of them, I stuck with it for a while even when I was on my own. I'd watch it after school every day up to a point, I guess season 3. I remember the mutant frogs, catwoman April and a few other storylines mentioned. When the live-action TMNT movie came out I remember standing in line on a Saturday for an hour or two - with my nephews - and we all saw it together and loved it. I had 3 nephews that frequently visited at the time, so that made 4 of us, the perfect group for the arcade game. I remember one day changing a $20 into tokens and we went at it, and we beat the game...so satisfying!!! Never played it in the arcade again, but I did get the NES game based on it, I only rented the other previous NES game once or twice. After season 3, I think I started fading out of even watching the cartoon though. I still watched afternoon cartoons, loved Batman TAS, X-Men, and Spider-man but I got away from TMNT long before 1996.

[@retroblasting]

Great memories!!!

[@Halcyon4799]

Love your videos on toys of the past, I grew up on most of the things you cover and always enjoy the trips down memory lane when I watch the videos especially when you do one one the more obscure lines like the Ghostbusters, wheeled warriors,

[@retroblasting]

Appreciate that, Robert! More are on the way!

[@ComedianBobFarrell]

I love your humor. The Dateline thing is hysterical.

[@kilroywashere513]

I found out about these characters from that five part miniseries you mentioned, and I didn’t know they are based on a comic book years later, exactly it was back when that first live action movie was out at the the time, and I had read t(at it was based on a comic book💁🏻‍♂.

[@johnbest1978]

I love your videos. This one had me rolling in laughter with the Baxter Stockman wanted for killing Krang's soldiers..... just great stuff thank you for OP

[@ryangunwitch-black]

17:24cI had that poster on my wall! Right next to Appetite era Guns n' Roses and Batman.

[@TheYottaTube]

I remember when The Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles replaced M.A.S.K. on TV, and I wasn't so happy with that at the time. But I do played the NES Nintendo Game, and have the Shredder action figure.

[@pferreira1983]

Well TMNT was more fun.

[@josephbrowning2968]

Great video folks. I remember watching the earl episodes very fondly as well as grimacing at newer episodes years later.

[@retroblasting]

Thanks! Boy I grimaced too!

[@batangbatugan]

I was going into high school when TMNT became big, well till I started college.I was already kinda old enough to not get interested much in the show as the tone were for more younger viewers. But I loved the toy commercials and back then I always knew that the cartoon clips they used in their toy commercials were different from the actual show, higher in both quality and action. Turns out they were clips from the pilot mini-series which I don't think was released here.

[@retroblasting]

Wilson Tortosa Yeah, it's a shame that mini-series quality didn't carry over to the main series.

[@batangbatugan]

***** Indeed, but I thank you for reminding me of some of the better and darker episodes like Baxter Stockman's escape from Dimension X. (Love the Dateline parody) Although my high school interests were piqued when I saw the episode where April got turned into a werecat. ;D

[@YamiAnubisX]

Peter Laired maybe angry but Kevin Eastman isn't cause that money is paying his bills and Kevin is still making comics, like the art for Platinums TMNT game was actually from his comic book series at the time, which is still going on, I believe but Peter should be more thankful to that cartoon cause it's paying his bills.

[@TheSkullReviews]

Great video, pretty much how it went down for me, first the cartoon, then the toys, then the comics and games, great memory's:)

[@retroblasting]

Agreed!

[@Mastabas2112]

Great video! Can't wait for part 2. I'm curious to see if you mention the TMNT and other starngeness RPG by palladium games. I actually discovered the turtles via this game purchased at a local hobbie shop, which lead to buing the graphic novel versions from First comics. There were also a line of pewter miniatures ala d&d miniatures you could paint. I remember my friend Nathan, who strangely remind me of you Mike, caller me up one early 1987 morning and told me to turn on the TV, becausr the first cartoon was airing. I thought to myself, what is this? This was the beginning of my cynicism.

[@retroblasting]

Hahaha! Great story Timothy!

[@Mister80Retro]

Awesome to learn all that history. I remember when first hearing "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and laughing at how ridiculous that sounded. Then I saw the corny commercials for the toys... then there was the cartoon, and yeah I was hooked. I agree the episodes did get a little too childish and absurd in the later years... like how many mutants and aliens can appear in this show! It made the "mutant" situation of the turtles kinda irrelevant. And glad to see the arcade game referenced at the end! STILL love to play that game!

[@retroblasting]

I still play it once every few months! Haha!

[@maarifawalcott5145]

Yes. Yes to everything you said. This takes me back.

[@calvinr.johnsonjr.9076]

I recall Ghostbusters theme song thundercats, and a few more

[@groenfan851]

Ahoyhoy There, Fellow KZbinrino! I'm getting some Semi Vintage, Demi Damaged, 2003 TMNT figures from EBay. See , the Leonardo Fold Out Baby Turtle I'm getting has no arms, I found one of my other Leonardo Figure's arms in the field outside my house. I figured I'd save this Leo that I found listed on Ebay and give him at least one arm.

[@quasim4487]

9:39 so does this mean Donnie is the reason we spend money on different vehicles and gadgets the turtles have for our figures? Damn.

[@derrickhollis7104]

Awesome M&M. Great job as always.

[@darthtomjp]

first time in the channel; watches the intro; subscribe straight away

[@DCMarvelMultiverse]

Huh. Someone pointed out April's buxom figure to me along with Lady Jaye's. Now, I have to ask. Which is more popular?

[@MarkDemeo]

i loved the first movie but at the time wondered why it was so different from the cartoon,it was later when i realized it more closely followed the plot of the comic books. this was another great feature video,can't wait for part 2.

[@retroblasting]

Thanks Mark!!

[@groenfan851]

Ahoyhoy There, Fellow KZbinrino! I didn't know the Rob Paulsen was one of the Turtles.

[@1980Triumph]

Yup, a three episode cartoon VHS would have cost you 25.00 and up to 50.00, the prices were quite insane.

[@retroblasting]

I remember a used copy of Dick Tracy being $85 at Blockbuster in the summer of 91. no joke.

[@1980Triumph]

***** LOL, that is even higher than I have ever seen. It was a crazy time for prices.

[@Gnorz]

Great episode, more of those documentations please!!

[@retroblasting]

Gnorz Have no fear, Gnorz! More are on the way!