Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem was a surprise hit. It was well-received by both fans and critics, and was a financial success for Nickelodeon and Paramount. That version of the Turtles continued their adventures in Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a TV series on Paramount+. Does this animated series keep the momentum going, or does it stop this new franchise in its tracks? Let’s dive back into the mayhem to find out.

The Good

One of the strongest points of Mutant Mayhem was that it covered important themes, like the significance of helping others regardless of our differences and doing the right thing even if others aren’t aware we’re doing it. Tales touches on those while also expanding with new messages. It’s heavily about encouraging kindness. The show teaches its audience about accepting one’s differences as their strengths, as well as the importance of knowing when to grow. We see what it truly means to be human. The Turtles attempting to talk it out with foes before jumping into battle is quite powerful. It’s all cleverly written and incorporated well without talking down to its audience.

 The animation in the series is 2D this time around instead of 3D like it was in the movie. That being said, the aesthetic is still present. Because of this, the animation is really unique and overall looks awesome. The hand-sketched style makes it truly look like a comic book. The movement of all the characters is fluid and fun. The colors of the characters are vibrant while the New York City sewers look as grungy as one would assume. Everything looks fantastic and adds to the fun feel of the show.

It goes without saying that a cartoon about young mutant ninjas needs to have great action, and this show delivers. The battles are fast-paced and well-choreographed. Whether the Turtles are taking on other mutants, street gangs, or killer robots, the fight sequences are incredibly exciting. The story is partly told through the action sequences, giving them weight. It all makes the series an exhilarating experience.

The show’s dialogue is a perfect blend of witty and realistic. The characters all feel real, and their conversations are organic. The Turtles talk like real teens. They also are genuinely funny. Sarcasm, jokes, references, and bickering all lead to big laughs while also feeling true to how the characters talk.

The take on April O’Neil is unique to every version of TMNT, and the one used for Mutant Mayhem and Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a welcome one. She’s handled quite well. It makes sense for April to be the same age as the Turtles instead of being an adult hanging around a bunch of kids all the time. She was a teen in the 2012 series and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but here, she’s still a reporter. She writes about the Turtles’ adventures for her school paper and actively wants to work in journalism when she grows up. This version is the best of both worlds. They clearly put a great amount of thought into this version.

The show has a unique formula to it, one that feels like it may not work at first but surprisingly does. The season is made up of two 6-episode arcs, both of which contain their own start-to-finish stories. Both of which are tremendously entertaining, and even addicting, to binge. It’s impossible to stop watching.

In addition to the season being separated into two different arcs, the Turtles are separated for much of the time as well. For both arcs, each Turtle is on their own or paired with a member of the Mutanimals and stars in their own separate episodes. I was pretty wary of this at first, but it ended up working shockingly well. This way, they all felt like the protagonist, all got enough screen time, and all got to receive great character development. When they came back together for the final battles, it felt special and satisfying. It felt along the lines of seeing the Avengers come together. It was a risky way to tell a TMNT story, and it paid off.

The Bad

While I do like how the formula of two 6-episode arcs played out in this first season, assuming there will be more seasons, I hope they keep the Turtles together a little more often, or at least pair them off. One of the best elements of Mutant Mayhem was seeing the four brothers interacting with each other. It’s still a lot of fun to see their banter in this series. Having less of that may not continue to be a wise move. If anything, following the same formula for a third arc will make things feel far too repetitive.

This version of Splinter for Mutant Mayhem and Tales hasn’t been my favorite, but he was still hilarious in the movie, in which he was played by Jackie Chan. He also played a large role in the heart of the film. Here, though, he’s handled especially weirdly. Instead of getting a soundalike to fill in for Jackie Chan, they have him speaking a language known as “Vermin,” which is essentially just annoying squeaks and clicks. They write it off as him trying to communicate better with Scumbug, but it stands out as an obvious excuse to not have Chan. They should have just cast a soundalike. As a result of this, Splinter also takes a massive backseat, and we barely see him interact with his sons. There is one episode in which Raphael does a voice for him, but it still feels off.

For other characters that didn’t have their voice actors return, the characters were completely absent. As a result of this, there were a few missing members of the Mutanimals. They don’t mention where they are either. They’re just weirdly absent. The likes of Leatherhead, Ray Fillet, Scumbug, Genghis Frog, and Wingnut are still hanging out with the Turtles, but the lack of Bebop, Rocksteady, and Mondo Gecko is very noticeable. They could have at least given some sort of throwaway excuse as to why they aren’t in the sewers or helping save the day.

Conclusion

There are a lot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV series out there now, and Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a welcome addition to that library. It expands what was set up by Mutant Mayhem nicely while working well-enough as a standalone project. It’s exciting, funny, action-packed, and has some fantastic storytelling. There are a couple of elements that come across as awkward, but they don’t take away from how much fun it is as a show.

I’m loving this new take on the Turtles and am all in on this universe they’re building.

Rating: 9/10

Read Next: ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ Review