The Complete List of the TMNT Top 10 Episodes

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The Top 10 Countdown has ended, these are the top 10 and what I thought:

Top 10 Episode Countdown (Started 09/12/09 - Ended 11/14/09)

10. Tales of Leo (Season 1)
As much as I like this episode, it tends to get boring after a while so even though I'm glad it got into the top 10, I'm also glad it wasn't in the higher ranks.

9. SuperQuest (Back to the Sewers)
For those that have talked to me about TMNT, you'll know how much I hate everything after Season 5, so I was ticked off that a BttS episode made it in.

8. Future Shellshock (Fast Forward)
*Sigh* Here we go again, I hate FF and BttS very much so I was again mad about this.

7. Same as it Never Was (Season 3)
*deep breath* SAME AS IT NEVER WAS should NOT be #7, it SHOULD be #1 or at least in the top 3. There, now that I got that out... I say it should be higher because it's the darkest TMNT episode, the characters for once aren't safe, it gives a look at the characters personalities from the future, and has elements of the 3rd volume of the Ninja Turtle comics. (and in some cases parts that are hinted at being the official future of the characters from the comics - as seen in some issues of Tales of the TMNT). I also figured that it would be higher ranked considering all the fanfiction, fanart, AMVs, and fan comics that are based heavily on this one, infamous episode. as seen here: (fan opening) www.youtube.com/watch?v=StuDYj… (fanart) browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&sec… (fan comic) demon-alukard.deviantart.com/a…

I personally love it because of serious Mikey. He rules when he's serious... Though I love goofy Mike too.

But I guss it's because most of the older fans that watched the series (like myself) quit watching after FF started and didn't know about the countdown. I myself didn't know about it until Mirage posted the link on their website.

6. Attack of the Mousers(Season 1)
This wasn't a bad episode, but I could think of better ones for this spot.

5. Wedding Bells and Bytes (Back to the Sewers)
While it is a BttS episode I can understand why it would be in the top 10 (series finale, April and Casey finally get married) but I DO NOT understand why it's in the top 5, or HOW it could beat SaiNW.

4. Enter the Dragons Pt 1 (Season 5)
I really have nothing to say on this one, I liked this episode and I'm ok with it getting ranked here. (though there are better episodes for the 4th spot)

3. Meet Casey Jones (Season 1)
Now this is what I'm talking about! FINALLY an episode that I feel deserves to be placed where it is (Still I can think of better ones, but at least this is a great episode that should be #3 if nothing else)

2. Things Change (Season 1)
An understandable episode to have in the top 10, though I don't feel it was #2 material.

1. Enter the Dragons Pt 2 (Season 5)
I'll admit that I liked season 5 and see Enter the Dragons as the series finale of the 2k3 series but I was hoping for something else, if not Grudge Match (my #1 fav) then at least something from the comics like The Shredder Strikes Back Pt 1 or 2 (as that was my favorite oneshot issue, Leonardo #1, and favorite follow up issue). If any of you haven't read them, this is your last chance before Mirage removes them (I think next week is when Nick takes over the website):

Leonardo #1: ninjaturtles.com/comics/mirage…
Issue #10: ninjaturtles.com/comics/mirage…

It's kind of sad that, for the 25th anniversary of the comics, only 2 of the 10 were comic adaptations. Meet Casey Jones (An almost perfect adaptation of Raphael #1) and Attack of the Mousers (Pretty close adaptation of Issue #2 with a mix of some Issue #1) though some episodes had elements of the comics like Things Change.

If you're wondering why I'm not angry about the #1 episode, well, it could be worse... A LOT worse (FF and BttS anyone?)

Now here is MY top 10 episode list that I feel it should have been (the only ranking I’m sure of is the top 3, the rest can really be in any order):
10. Rouge in the House Pt 1 and Pt 2(Season 2)
These two episodes I liked mostly because they somewhat focused on the “relationship” between Leo and Karai. Karai’s character is very interesting, especially her struggles with choosing family or honor. These episodes brought this conflict officially to the surface as well as Leo’s trust in her while his brothers (namely Raphael) think he’s crazy to trust Saki’s daughter.

9. Meet Casey Jones(Season 1)
The intro of Casey Jones into the series, a great episode and a pretty good adaptation to Raphael #1, give or take a few changes.

8. Attack of the Mousers (Season 1)
The episode in which April meets the turtles, very entertaining And not at all a bad adaptation to issue #2.

7. The Shredder Strikes Part 1 (Season 1)
What I loved about this episode was that it showed how far from perfect Leo is, and how manipulative Saki can be. The thought of Leo joining the Shredder’s side, even if it was out of naivety, is a very interesting idea. It makes you wonder what might have happened had Leo and Raph not gotten into that fight over that sword Saki gave him.

6.  Bad Day(Season 4)
What can I say, I love episodes that show negative reactions from the public finding out about the turtles existence. This was an amazing episode that should have been in the official top 10, even if it was #10.

5. The Shredder Strikes Back Parts 1 and 2(Season 1)
I just can’t decide which part belongs at this spot. Part one is a VERY close, near perfect adaptation to Leonardo #1 but I could say the same about part 2 with issue #10. That aside, these two episodes could easily flow together and you wouldn’t know where one episode ended and the other began. Plus both episodes had key parts to them.

4. City at War Pt 3 (Season 2)
Really I'd say the whole arc as one, but part 3 was my favorite episode of the arc. This arc followed the City at War arc from the comics pretty well considering that City at War was the darkest arc in the comics.

3. Same as it Never Was (SaiNW)(Season 3)
See #7 in official list

2. Lone Raph and Cub (Season 1)
I LOVE this episode. I think it's a really cute episode that shows that Raphie-boy can be fit to lead if he controls his anger and thinks before acting.

1. Grudge Match (Season 4)
Some may not agree with me on this one but this is without question my #1 favorite. This episode showed what I believe to be Mikey’s true potential. A lot of episodes poke fun at him and make you think he’s useless, and possibly even a burden to the team. This gets to the point you can’t help but feel sorry for the guy (at least for me).  Don’t get me wrong, I love goofy Mike but you see that side of him so often that you just want to see something else from him for a change. Well this episode did just that.

I love how it started off with Mikey goofing off and skipping out on training, but then Mikey’s laziness backfires on him. When Mike realizes the gravity of the situation while he’s fighting Kluh, after he threatens Mikey’s family (not long after he almost lost them no less), something just snaps in Mike and he loses that goofy, playfulness in his fighting style and let’s himself finally bring all that anger to the surface (something that I felt was long overdue for him. Especially when you look at how he reacted to Leo almost getting killed in the comics, but that was non-existent in the adaptation). Season 4 seemed to have a lot of “anger” issues going on (a.k.a angsty Leo) and I couldn’t help but think: Raph + anger= a sloppy fighter and Leo + anger=  an unbalanced fighter, but Mikey + anger= a focused, more skilled fighter.

All in all I loved this episode mainly because Mikey proved that he deserved to be Battle Nexus Champion and showed EXACTLY what he can do when he actually focuses (that fight was AWESOME! I must have replayed that fight 10 times). Plus he learned humility; I haven't heard him brag since this episode. And another thing, did anyone else see a similarity between Mikey vs Kluh and Splinter vs Draco? I'm actually writing a fanfic oneshot about that from Splinter's point of view.

Other episodes that I think were top 10 material

Season 1

- The Unconvincing Turtle Titan
- Return to New York Pts 1-3

Season 2
- Turtles in Space Pts 1-5
- The Ultimate Ninja
- The Big Brawl Pts 1-4

Season 3
- Space Invaders Pts 1-3
- Worlds Collide Pts 1-3 (intro of Bishop)
- Hunted
- The Christmas Aliens (very close adaptation of Michaelangelo #1 - yes that's the spelling of the issue)
- The Darkness Within
- Mission of Gravity
- Hun on the Run
- Reality Check (great Mikey episode)
- The Real World Pts 1 and 2 (any Usagi Yojimbo fan would love these episodes)
- Bishop's Gambit
- Exodus Pts 1 and 2

Season 4
- Samurai Tourist
- The Ancient One
- Scion of the Shredder
- Prodigal Son
- Outbreak
- Good Genes Pts 1 and 2


anyways, more videos for Turtles forever:
1st trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v=64K4nNctCHk
new trailer: www.youtube.com/watch?v= (enter these into the search) DnPwXRok7oE
movie clip: www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK0KsU…