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What is the best Ninja Turtles cartoon?

Best TMNT show?

  • 1987

    Votes: 250 51.5%

  • 2003

    Votes: 131 27.0%

  • 2012

    Votes: 104 21.4%
  • Total voters
    485
Uzumaki Goku

Uzumaki Goku

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 27, 2017
19,330
We have three contenders, the show from the 80s, the one from 2003 and the one from 2012 that aired on Nickelodeon.

I grew up with the 80s show, it's how I became a Turtle fan, but I admit the show has... aged. Not all that well. Peter Laird considers it a disappointment. The first few episodes were action packed, but then became more comedy focused and Shredder might be the most incompetent 80s cartoon villain ever. (and that's saying something)

Shredder: Citizens of Earth! I am now your ruler!
Vernon: *reduced to a child through the wave's effect, he comes up sobbing* I want my milk and cookies!
Shredder: You want WHAT?!
Vernon: You heard me. I get awful cranky if I don't have my cookies! *kicks him in the shin*
Shredder: OW!

....says it all.

The 2003 show by 4Kids (of all people) was much edgier and darker taking more inspiration from TMNT's comic book, I loved this show for the first few seasons then it got weird with them going to the future and back to the sewers weird thing. Yeah... should've ended with Season 5.

The 2012 show.... has a lot of really good moments and I go back and forth on whether or not I prefer this or the 2003 show.

But let's leave it to a poll. What do you guys think.

Also, I'm not including Rise of the TMNT because... I haven't seen it and it's still running so, jury's still out.
 

Deleted member 18407

User requested account closure
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Oct 27, 2017
3,607
I grew up with the 80s one but I gotta concede that the 2003 series is the better show. I never could get into the 2012 one.
 
SamAlbro

SamAlbro

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,366
I grew up on 87, but I had to go with 2012. Hit that perfect tonal mix between the fun and series sides that only the 1990 movie was able to hit before it.
 
Sanjuro

Sanjuro

Member
Oct 25, 2017
31,168
Massachusetts
2003 is closest to the comics.

2012 is best at embracing everything the franchise has ever offered.

1987 is simply the most popular.

They are all a bit different, so it's hard to pick a single variant.
 
Khanimus

Khanimus

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
40,253
Greater Vancouver
Never watched the 2003 one beyond rare glimpses when changing the channel.

The 2012 one, while I only watched it for acouple seasons, had some actual characterization and flair to it. Most popular toy cartoons from the 80's have aged fucking poorly. I like the intro of the 80's one, and that's maybe about it.
 
Genesius

Genesius

Member
Nov 2, 2018
15,606
As a lifelong fan that grew up with the original comics, the 2012 series. It is sublime.
 
OP
OP
Uzumaki Goku

Uzumaki Goku

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 27, 2017
19,330
Khanimus said:
Never watched the 2003 one beyond rare glimpses when changing the channel.

The 2012 one, while I only watched it for acouple seasons, had some actual characterization and flair to it. Most popular toy cartoons from the 80's have aged fucking poorly. I like the intro of the 80's one, and that's maybe about it.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

But honestly... a lot of 80s cartoon like He-Man, Transformers, G.I. Joe. They had lore built into it and I think that's why they remain popular to this day.
 
Lord Vatek

Lord Vatek

Avenger
Jan 18, 2018
21,525
2003, easily. I never got the appeal of the 80s one and 2012 was good but it fell apart halfway through.
 
Fat4all

Fat4all

Woke up, got a money tag, swears a lot
Member
Oct 25, 2017
93,120
here
i havent watched a lot of it, but of the bit ive seen the latest one is p good
 
Weiss

Weiss

User requested ban
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Oct 25, 2017
64,265
2003, mostly because it's the one I watched when I was a kid.

IDW comics and the 1990 movie are where it's at though.
 
jett

jett

Community Resettler
Member
Oct 25, 2017
44,666
The Nick 2012 show is definitely the best TMNT has ever been.
 
blueredandgold

blueredandgold

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,670
You know how people can't agree on whether or not 'New' Simpsons is any good?

I have similar questions as I simply don't profess to having watch every season of each iteration.

Was it true that 87 became almost comic like in its tone? A new antagonist (Dregg) and the like?

Likewise, the 03 series - it was great for what I saw (early stuff).

If nothing else the 2012 version gets points for the celebratory nature (good show on its own, you can see they are leaning on callbacks a bit though). The cynic in me even gives Paulson returning a pass. That's a great story for animation and voice acting in general.

Like DC, happy to see different interpretations of these characters. Nobody is wrong in this discussion.
 
Host Samurai

Host Samurai

Member
Oct 27, 2017
12,185
2012 is a love letter to all things TMNT, so that's my favorite. Loved the 2003 TMNT, but hated how Shredder was an Utrom.
 
Khanimus

Khanimus

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
40,253
Greater Vancouver
Uzumaki Goku said:
But honestly... a lot of 80s cartoon like He-Man, Transformers, G.I. Joe. They had lore built into it and I think that's why they remain popular to this day.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Lore is not the same as telling a good story. How many of these lore concepts came from Marvel comics writers who were saddled with "the toy tie-ins", as opposed to the show getting to actually do things with the characters? Not to dismiss those writers, because often they are tied under so many restrictions, it's beyond them.

That first Turtles show did a lot for evolving the identity of that brand, but if you're asking me which I'd eather watch now, it's the 2012 which had so much craft behind its visual and scripted storytelling
 
Jester37

Jester37

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,523
2012 has my favorite iteration of Master Splinter, so that one.

But all of them are great for their own reasons.
 
Gwenpoolshark

Gwenpoolshark

Member
Jan 5, 2018
4,109
The Pool
2003 not getting enough love out here.

They built longterm story arcs great on that show and the animation for action sequences was snazzy as fuck.
 
SkyMasterson

SkyMasterson

Member
Oct 28, 2017
2,001
Sanjuro said:
2003 is closest to the comics.

2012 is best at embracing everything the franchise has ever offered.

1987 is simply the most popular.

They are all a bit different, so it's hard to pick a single variant.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Yea, it's kind of amazing how great all three are.

I really wish '03 and '12 had blu ray releases.
 
vypek

vypek

Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,576
Lol I love how the latest one isn't even in the poll. I'm having a hard time choosing but I think I'll vote for 2012. All of the poll options are good though
 
Mathieran

Mathieran

Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,869
Never saw the 2003 one.

The 80s one holds great levels of nostalgia for me, but I'm gonna day 2012 is the best. It's a good blend of fun and serious. In the last season they change the theme song and it's fucking awesome.
 

Deleted member 3542

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Oct 25, 2017
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2012 was fantastic. It dipped towards the end with too many mutants but honestly it's highs are super-high.
 
LSauchelli

LSauchelli

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,036
2003. Especially if you don't count Fast Forward and Back to the Sewers.

The lost season is actually fantastic. If you can, watch the whole thing and then TMNT Forever.
 

Deleted member 32563

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Nov 11, 2017
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The Animated CG one is my favorite then the older series from the 90's. I stomach the new stuff cause my nephew's love it .
 
Polioliolio

Polioliolio

Member
Nov 6, 2017
5,399
The original pilot series, for sure, the rest, not so great, but I loved it as a kid.

As for designs, guess which ones age the best? 1987. The rest are either too edgy, over designed, abstract. You see classic turtle merchandise everywhere.
 
HStallion

HStallion

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
62,262
tumblr_mha7tdFCR81r6gt8vo7_250.gif


Street Sharks of course. Superior anime theme, better junk food of choice, and even their puns were better. JAWESOME!
 
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