I remember watching this as often as I could when I was younger. When I was 11-12 years old I would get up early enough in the morning to watch it before I left for school... but I was interested in the show from as far back as I can remember. I collected the action figures(not dolls, no; boys play with action figures... girls play with dolls) from a young age, as well as comics, and I even own two VHS tapes with two episodes each(unfortunately, these were dubbed, as most filmed entertainment geared towards kids are, in Denmark). I write this review right after having watched all four episodes in immediate succession for the first time in more years than I can say for sure. Possibly as much as a full decade. All the fun of them came right back to me even as I thought of them. Sure, the show had its flaws... there are glaring continuity errors aplenty, the dialog(packed with more or less lucky one-liners) and plot lines are often somewhat daft... but when you look at the plus side(as well as keep in mind that this is still a children's show), it's just no contest. The pacing is excellent. Having just watched an hour and a half of it, straight, I can say that I wasn't bored at all, in spite of remembering most of what would happen. The action is exciting, intense and downright cool. And the theme music(which I found myself humming in anticipation before the tape was in the VCR)... I doubt there is or will be anyone, whether kid or adult(who is at least a little in touch with their inner child), especially male, who don't like it. The plots are often simplistic, but as far as I remember, never (too) obvious and usually entertaining as well as gripping. It mostly manages to dodge the Batman-esquire/James Bond-ian cliché of having Donatello produce some gadget from his belt to solve their problems. The humor is silly and somewhat childish, but it fits its audience quite well(and I can't claim that I didn't laugh several times throughout watching the four episodes). The whole level of writing basically does, really. The fights are well-choreographed and fairly frequent. All in all, a pretty solid show, that provides many hours of check-your-brains-at-the-door entertainment. I recommend it to any fan of the four green humanoid heroes, and anyone aspiring to become such a fan. Turtle Power! 8/10
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
(1987–1996)
A piece of my childhood that I can still enjoy... and that's a rarity
2 August 2006