Pilot Season Cartoon Edition – Episode 15: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles “Turtle Tracks”

On this episode of Pilot Season Cartoon Edition, hosts Kinte, Renee, Jen, John, and Allen break down the pilot episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987), “Turtle Tracks,” which originally aired on December 14, 1987. In this opening episode, viewers are introduced to Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael, four pizza-loving turtles trained in ninjutsu by their wise rat sensei, Splinter. Living beneath the streets of New York City, the turtles step into action when crime reporter April O’Neil crosses paths with the mysterious Foot Clan. As danger rises, the episode sets the stage for the turtles’ battle against evil and begins the legendary rivalry with Shredder. With action, humor, and unforgettable characters, “Turtle Tracks” launches one of the most iconic cartoon franchises of the 1980s. Podcast airdate: 6/10/26 John 8.6 Allen 9 Jen 9 Kinte 9.5 Renee 9 Olaf 9 Total: 36.5 Watch episode here https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8k0wwq #TMNT #PilotSeasonCartoonEdition #TurtleTracks Brief history Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) was produced by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson and Fred Wolf Films and premiered in 1987 as an animated adaptation of the comic-book characters created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. The cartoon softened the darker tone of the original comics and turned the Turtles into a more family-friendly action-comedy series, helping make them one of the biggest cartoon franchises of the late 1980s and early 1990s. With its mix of martial arts, humor, mutant villains, and pizza-loving heroes, the show became a huge pop-culture hit and helped launch toys, movies, and more. Short cast list: • Cam Clarke — Leonardo • Townsend Coleman — Michelangelo • Barry Gordon — Donatello • Rob Paulsen — Raphael • Peter Renaday — Splinter • James Avery — Shredder • Renae Jacobs — April O’Neil