Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Cast & Key People
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Our Review
Cast & Key People
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Our Review
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) is a comedy and action series from CBS. It has built a run of 191 episodes at roughly 25 minutes each. It premiered on December 14, 1987. Viewers rate it 7.9 out of 10. It is currently ended. It runs 10 seasons.
What Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Is About
Distinctly different from the grim, violent, and dark MIRAGE comics from which the Turtles originated, this version of the franchise has remained the longest running, and most memorable, version of all. Four turtles fall into the sewers and are befriended by Hamato Yoshi a Japanese man sent to New York who was forced to live in the sewers. One day he sees a strange green glow which transforms the four turtles into human-like creatures. Hamato (now Master Splinter) changes into a giant rat from the green glow and teaches the turtles the skills of the ninja as they team up with Channel 6 news reporter April O’Neil to battle against Yoshi’s arch enemy Shredder and Krang, an alien warlord from Dimension X.
What to Expect When You Watch
Episodes run about 25 minutes, which keeps the pace tight, the full run covers 191 episodes, spread across 10 seasons and it leans into its comedy/action roots while leaving room for the quieter character beats.
Performance-wise the series leans on Cam Clarke, Gregg Berger and Barry Gordon to carry the emotional weight, with the rest of the ensemble filling out the world around them.
Cast and Creative Team
Cam Clarke, Gregg Berger, Barry Gordon, Michael Gough, Thom Pinto and Hal Rayle lead the cast.
Key roles include Cam Clarke as Leonardo; Gregg Berger as Donatello; Barry Gordon as Donatello; Michael Gough as Raphael; Thom Pinto as Raphael.
Why It Stands Out
Fans of comedy, action and science-fiction have a clear reason to give this one a shot. It sits comfortably alongside CBS’s other originals, a 7.9/10 audience score puts it in steady company and it commits to its premise instead of hedging between tones.
Released in 1987 and carried by CBS with the series still ended, it lands hardest with comedy and action viewers.
Where to Stream
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comes from CBS. Check your preferred platform for current availability, since regional rights move around.
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On the whole Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is the kind of series that rewards a patient watch, with Cam Clarke and Gregg Berger doing the heaviest lifting, a tone that stays true to its comedy/action roots, It has held up since 1987 and so if the premise sounds like your lane, the execution holds up.
The Bottom Line
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a safe bet for anyone already inside the comedy and action lane, at 191 episodes it is an easy run to work through, the audience score holds around 7.9/10 and so there is little risk in starting it tonight.
Verdict: 7.9/10. Watch it if you want comedy/action you can settle into.
