I like this series, but I like the 2003 series better. Maybe it's just me, but the '03 series was darker,
"See? He can be a real sweetheart once you get to know him"-Fluttershy
This one is a but lighter in tone and more episodic. The 03 show is a bit darker and much more serialized. It's also closer to the comics and ignores the 80s/90s cartoon completely. Peter Laird was involved in that show and hated that cartoon. Kevin Eastman is involved in this one and at least liked it.
I like both. I think this one has the best teen brother dynamic. It shows in the dialog and humor. The cartoony visual humor is great in this. A lot like the 03 Teen Titans.
We’re trying to pretend as if these comic books don’t exist. - David Goyer on the DCEU
If you're a fan of the 80s cartoon, you'll prefer the current show. If you're a fan of the comics, watch the '03 series. If you like both, then I recommend you sample Turtles Forever (2009) and Trans-Dimensional Turtles (S4E10, 2016) to gauge which one you might like better.
shareThere's certain aspects I love of each show, even the 80's cartoon.
I really like the 2012 version. Idk I feel a connection with it, so I guess this version sums up "my" turtles era.
What I liked about the 03 version, is the fact it's more serious. There's less goofing off and more plot. But, it's not my favorite or go-to version. What I loved most is probably Raph and Michelangelo's personalities and voice actors.
I find that when it comes to the major storyline battles, the 03 was amazing, especially that first season (1-3 are very good). The TMNT franchise was dying at that point, with only the 80s cartoon and the Next Mutation being in people's heads. It revitalized it and saved it.
When it comes to consistency between episode, this one may be better.
I would recommend both, but it's become tougher and tougher to say which one is better. I thought the 03 outclassed this one by a long shot, but this series, due to its consistency, has been very entertaining to watch and they are much closer.
I grew up with the 80s series and the 90s films. I like the '03 series better than the 80s one. The storylines and action are so good, and the humor is up there too. It's more serious, but still not too serious.
I cannot stand the newer series. Just something about the new way of doing cartoon humor that I don't like.
If it wasn't for the travesty that was Fast Forward and Turtles Forever, I just may put '03 up to par with this series.
Though I may be biased since I discovered the Turtles thru the '87 cartoon, and love how the new series pays homage to it, as well as the comics. '03 focuses more on the comic with very, VERY little to do with the '87 show, and I've never really explored the comics too much.
This series may be my personal favorite. The 03 one was great but took itself way to serious at times. I didn't like their later seasons very much either.
shareI liked that it took itself seriously, and that show was my first exposure to TMNT, I grew up watching that show religiously on saturday mornings and have many fond memories associated with it, so it's my favorite incarnation.
This one is still pretty good though, for me the weakest part was the first half of season 3, which had far too many filler monster-of-the-week episodes that didn't do anything to actually advance the main storyline, season 4 of the 2003 series also had some filler episodes(and was also set on Casey's farm interestingly enough), but not nearly as many as this show did, and the turtles got back into action there pretty quickly and the storytelling felt more organic . Whereas in this show, it seems like the Turtles just suddenly decided to go back to New York(which they could've done a lot sooner, considering they weren't severely injured or presumed dead like they were in the 2003 series) because the writers realized they had spent half the season on the farm spinning their wheels without really going anywhere(which reminded me of The Walking Dead and LOST, and not in a good way) and scrambled to get the main storyline moving again.
Im 27 and watched the 03 series every Saturday up until about the mid way point of Fast Forward. I can see how you could think that about the farm episodes of season 3 but I still really enjoyed it. Im not a huge fan of Monster of the week episodes either but I think I got thru it so easily because I watched them all in batches. Also I got to see Napoleon Bonafrog played by Jon Heder, Big Foot, and Speed Demon.
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