I didn’t catch this episode when it first aired. To be honest with you, I didn’t catch the first few seasons. It’s ok though: I have an excuse. I was 2 when ninja turtles came out. I did get the video at some point though, and almost certainly saw it in re-runs a few times, so this isn’t my first experience with the episode. 

The episode starts with a news report from April O’Neil reporting on a series of robberies targeting technology companies. Apparently, the thefts are by a group of ninjas, because only ninjas use Japanese ropes. After the report, April wants to hang around and stake out a possible ninja target, but her colleagues just want to get the hell out of there. The argument doesn’t last too long though, because they are quickly interrupted by a gang of street thugs. Everyone but April skidaddles, and the thugs warn her that the boss-man wants that she should stick to reportin’ fashion shows. The thugs move into attack, but April is able to flee and slips down a storm drain into the sewer. The thugs go after her, which is a mistake because we all know who lives in the sewer.

Sure enough, just as April is cornered, four shadowy, vaguely turtle-shaped figures come to her rescue. The shadowy figures beat the snot out of the thugs, and after April thanks them they step into the light. April faints.

Back at turtle HQ, April gets the origin story. Long story short, Hamato Yoshi was living in Japan training the Foot Clan, but one of his students, Oroku Saki, got him kicked out and took over. Hamato Yoshi moved to New York to live in the sewer and hang out with rats. But then one day, an idiot kid dropped four turtles down a storm drain. Yoshi decided to take care of the turtles. Meanwhile in Japan, Oroku Saki has turned the Foot into an evil clan of Coke-machine kicking ninjas. But then one day, back in New York, some glowing goo found its way into the sewer and made the turtles get big and at the same time made Hamato Yoshi get a lot harrier. Hamato Yoshi, now called Splinter, trained the Turtles as ninjas.

After a short conversation, the turtles decide to help April investigate the technology thefts. Their investigation leads them to a ninja pizzeria, but whu-oh. After getting their Pizzas they realize that April has wondered off. Turns out she found the Foot headquarters. The problem is she gets nabbed. It’s ok though. The turtles are hot on her trail. They find her on a roof surrounded by dozens of Foot soldiers. Luckily for the turtles, the Foot turn out to be robots, which means they can kill as many as they want without having to deal with the network censors. The Turtles save April and follow the Foot to an adjacent building. The foot escape to the technodrome and flood the building in an attempt to kill the turtles. The turtles flee to the roof and get to safety via a rope just before the building collapses.

Back in the sewer, the turtles show Splinter one of the Foot soldier’s outfits, and Splinter instantly recognizes it. The turtles vow to find the Shredder, and finish the episode off with a joke about pizza.

This episode is a good start to a great show. Most of the key elements of the show, particularly with the villains, haven’t been introduced yet, but the tone of the show is set perfectly. Even after watching the episode three times in one day to write this review, it didn’t get old. Hopefully the later episodes will hold up as well.

This episode gets an A+, but only because there are no letters higher than that.

--Jeff

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