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Last time on this thread, we talked about a Nicktoon that was as exciting and unique as you’d expect a cartoon called “Robot and Monster” to be. This time, we’ll be discussing a show that’s plenty more exciting and thankfully, it’s a series I’m actually familiar with. #38. “Rise of the Turtles (Part 1)” – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles [September 28, 2012] I guess I should start with my entire history with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles……..I don’t have much, actually. I mean, I definitely remember watching the 2003 cartoon and have caught a few episodes from the 1987 cartoon and remember liking both but it’s not really a franchise that really stuck through my childhood the same way SpongeBob or Pokémon has. That being said, there hasn’t been a TMNT cartoon that I haven’t really distrusted and I’d be very surprised if I end up hating this one. Well, let’s find out. Let’s grab a slice of pizza and see if our heroes in a half-shell bode well in the 2010s! The episode starts off with all the turtles and Master Splinter celebrating 15 years since their mutations happened. Leonardo suggests celebrating 15 years by heading up to the surface but Master Splinter says they lack the wisdom and maturity to go up there (I’m getting Korra flashbacks now). After a few begging and pleading, Splinter lets them go up there for the night. The Turtles go up to New York City and explore what there is to do around there. After Raphael scares off a pizza delivery boy, they come across a box of pizza and they get introduced to their signature food. After they do a lot of exploring, they head back to the sewers but before that, Donatello sees and falls in love with a girl named April O’Neill. Seeing she and her father are both taken away by a group of men in suits, the Turtles fight them off. Michelangelo defeats one of them but the man turns out to be a cyborg with a brain that attacks him. He tries to tell the rest of them but just about as he’s about to show them, it disappears. Back in the sewers, Master Splinter scolds the four for not using their powers responsibly and tells them they have to wait another year to return to the surface. After Donatello tells him about what happened with April and her father, he changes his mind and tells them to save her as a team, with Leonardo being their leader. Back in NYC, the Turtles find the logo to the van that kidnapped the O’Neills and find the kidnapper. He escapes in the van but Leonardo uses a shuriken to pop one of his tires. They approach the van when they notice a familiar thermos pop out of it. Could it be the one containing their mother? I dunno, I’m asking you guys. This was the end of the first part and I don’t really feel like watching the second part. Well, if I had any doubts about this series, they’re long gone now! While I wouldn’t go out of my way to watch every episode, it has a lot of the qualities I liked about the other two. Most of my enjoyment really comes from the banter all the characters have with each other. Michelangelo definitely has a lot of my favorite moments in the episode, some of which are the part where he gets his mind blown by the sign to a fortune teller shop, him thinking they’re gonna steal a van, and the part where he plays a guessing game while all the Turtles are waiting for the guy to show up. There’s plenty of cool action in the show to balance it out, much like Teen Titans does. So yeah, if you’re a Ninja Turtles fan, I’d probably recommend it. VERDICT: 8/10 (This is definitely—a pretty decent adaption to a franchise!) RANKINGS: Welp, we're getting pretty close to ending off the 2010s and the first half of our list. Let's consult the will of the wheel and see whether or not our trek into the 2010s continues!