Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Series, 2003, The 2003 series, Set in New York, and later the future
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is #6 of 16 in release order and #6 of 16 in chronological order in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
The story
When four pet turtles were bathed in alien ooze, they began to mutate and became the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Raised in New York City sewers by their foster father and wise sensei, Master Splinter, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael wage war against crime. Led by Master Splinter, the four turtles learn the ancient martial art of Ninjitsu, mastering skills of stealth, weapons, and fighting. They stop evildoers in all forms, whether barbaric gangs, lowlife crooks, deranged cyborgs, or even the crime syndicate The Foot, led by their archrival, The Shredder.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles recap
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) takes the brothers into a darker war with the Shredder, here revealed as Ch'rell, an alien Utrom in disguise. Developed by Lloyd Goldfine and co-produced by 4Kids Entertainment and Mirage Studios, it aired on Fox's FoxBox block from February 2003 and moved to The CW for its last season, ending in February 2009 after seven seasons and 155 episodes. Leonardo (Michael Sinterniklaas), Raphael (Greg Abbey), Donatello (Sam Riegel) and Michelangelo (Wayne Grayson) live under New York with Splinter (Darren Dunstan), once Hamato Yoshi's pet rat. Season 1 introduces April O'Neil (Veronica Taylor), Casey Jones (Marc Thompson) and the Shredder. Season 2 sends the brothers into space, brings in the Shredder's adopted daughter Karai and ends at the Battle Nexus tournament. Season 3 adds Agent John Bishop and a final battle that ends with Ch'rell exiled, and season 4 deals with Leonardo's trauma and Bishop's staged alien invasion. In season 5, Ninja Tribunal, the brothers train to defeat the original demon Shredder. Fast Forward (season 6) moves them to 2105 with a new comic look, and Back to the Sewer (season 7) brings them home to face a Cyber Shredder. The 2009 TV film Turtles Forever serves as its true finale.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ending explained
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) ends its broadcast run with "Wedding Bells and Bytes" (February 28, 2009), in which the brothers rebuild Splinter from his scattered data in time for April and Casey's wedding at April's farm. A bug hidden in Splinter's data lets the Cyber Shredder track them and the Foot crash the ceremony, and allies from other worlds, dimensions and eras arrive to help the Turtles take him on as April and Casey marry. The TV film Turtles Forever (2009) acts as the real series finale, pairing these Turtles with the 1987 cartoon versions. Unlike the 1987 show, this version keeps close to the Mirage comics, adapting arcs such as the Utroms and the Triceratons.
Where to watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is streaming on Paramount+ in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 7.9/10
Where it fits
- Release order: after Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation, before TMNT.
- Chronological order: after Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation, before TMNT.
What to watch before Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
In release order, the essentials before Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) are Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991), and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993).
Cast
- Michael Sinterniklaas as Leonardo (voice)
- Wayne Grayson as Michelangelo (voice)
- Sam Riegel as Donatello (voice)
- Gregory Abbey as Raphael (voice)
- Darren Dunstan as Master Splinter (voice)
- Marc Thompson as Serling (voice)
- Veronica Taylor as April O'Neil (voice)
- Scott Rayow as Shredder (voice)
- Clay Adams as Cody Jones (voice)
- Greg Carey as Hun (voice)
- Karen Neil as Karai (voice)
- Eric Stuart as Purple Dragon Member (voice)
Created by Lloyd Goldfine.