Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Search For Splinter
Studio: Nickelodeon
Release Date: June 9, 2015
Retail: $9.98
ASIN: B00V4RH6F0
Running Time: 65 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

While it might seem like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has been on television constantly since 1987, there was actually a hiatus between 1998 and 2003. The second animation series was produced by by 4Kids Entertainment and Mirage Studios. The series debuted in February 2003. It dropped all the slapstick of the original series and focused on story-arcs, which offered a darker plot, similar in style to the comic book series.

While the series was popular with fans of all ages as well as critics, it went downhill when it was retitled "Fast Forward," when the character designs were altered and the turtles were sent to the future. The series tried to bounce back by bringing the turtles back to the past in Back to the Sewer, but it was too little, too late as the series was canceled; though the turtles would return in the TV-Movie Turtles Forever.

Nickelodeon purchased the franchise in 2009 and launched a computer-animated series in 2012, which is currently in it's third season. During it's run, the 2003 series mostly received single-disc DVD releases, featuring only three episodes. A Season 4 two-disc DVD set was later released, though the first half the season was missing. Seasons 1 & 2 were eventually released in two volumes (2-discs) sets each. Fast Forward was released in a similar format as well as Ninja Tribunal (the fifth season).

On June 9, 2015, Nickelodeon will finally be releasing the 2003 series to DVD, but with three episodes per disc. The DVD titles will be The Search For Splinter and NYC Showdown (I'll have a separate review for it posted soon). The Search For Splinter features the very first episode "Things Change" and the two-part season one finale, "The Search for Splinter Parts 1 & 2."

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Retreat!
Voice Cast: Seth Green, Sean Astin, Greg Cipes, Rob Paulsen, Mae Whitman, Josh Peck
Studio: Nickelodeon
Release Date: March 10, 2015
Retail: $14.98
ASIN: B00NGL7IUA
Running Time: 157 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Arriving on DVD from Nickelodeon this coming Tuesday is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Retreat!, featuring the first seven episodes from the third season. Special features includes 7 Shorts: "The Mutation of a Scene."

Since its debut in 2012, TMNT has been a ratings hit for Nickelodeon, bringing in young and old fans to new incarnation. The series replaces with the traditional 2D animation with computer animation, but still has the humor that made the 1987 series so popular

Season Two ended with the four Turtles (Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, Raphael), April O'Neil and Casey Jones fleeing New York City after it was taken over by the Kraangs and Shredder. They take refuge at April's family's farmhouse. With Master Splinter left behind, the turtles feel lost, especially with Leonardo struggling to heal his wounds from the fallout. The turtles must regain their strength, so they can one day return to the city and stop their enemies once in for all.

The series' writers must have a love for old horror movies, as the first episode of the season, Within The Woods, the turtles must battle a strange plant creature wearing overalls and a feed sack (and later Casey's hockey mask). It's obvious that the producers were paying homage to the Friday the 13th films. The fifth episode, titled In Dreams, mixes elements of A Nightmare Elm Street & The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, where April & Casey must somehow figure out how to wake up the turtles, whom are all trapped in a nightmare world. Horror icons Robert England, John Kassir and Bill Mosely guest-voice in the episode.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Complete First Season
Voice Cast: Jason Biggs, Rob Paulsen, Sean Astin, Greg Cipes, Mae Whitman, Hoon Lee
Studio: Nickelodeon
Release Date: October 7, 2014
Retail: $35.98
ASIN: B00LN87984
Running Time: 625 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Available to this on DVD from Nickelodeon is the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Complete First Season, featuring all 26 episodes on a 4-disc set. Special Features include 6 "Making Of" Animatics, Theme Song: Karaoke Music Video, Animated Comic Books: Tales From The Turtle Lair Part 1-6, and The Mutation of a Scene (New Girl in Town, The Pulverizer, TCRI, Cockroach Terminator, Baxter's Gambit). Included in the set is a 16-page sample of the upcoming coffee book Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Visual History by Andrew Farago.

Nobody ever imagined the kind of phenomenon that would occur when the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book was printed in 1984 by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Now 30 years after their debut, the series is still going strong with new issues being released by IDW Publishing, this summer's blockbuster film is headed for Blu-ray in the middle of December and Nickelodeon is currently airing the third season of the third animated series on Friday nights.

The Nickelodeon series borrows the best bits from the original 1987 series and the 2003 reboot, which finds Leo, Donnie, Ralph and Mikey battling an alien race known as the Kraang, Shredder and his Foot Clan and dozens of deadly mutants. Along with their master Splinter and their human friend April O'Neil, the Turtles must protect New York City at all costs.

Episodes on the 4-disc set are:

Summer is definitely here, but if the hot weather is too much for you to handle, then you should stay inside and watch some great toons with your family. Nickelodeon Home Entertainment is releasing two DVD collections featuring some of the most popular Nickelodeon characters from their hit series, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Sanjay and Craig.

Heroes In Action (ASIN: B00J5G1NA6; Retail: $9.98) features five action-packed adventures. First up, SpongeBob's best friend, Patrick, becomes a superhero in Patrick-Man! and battles the Dirty Bubble, but wrecks havoc on Bikini Bottom! SpongeBob must come to rescue in Gary's New Toy when Gary becomes obsessed with a new red ball.

After Michelangelo was caught skateboarding in the lair, the Turtles get grounded in I Think His Name Is Baxter Stockman, but they sneak out to encounter Baxter Stockman in a mechanical battle armor. The Turtles must out-think the scientist, if they plan on saving the city from total destruction.

After Sanjay and his snake pal, Craig, grow huge muscles, they join the police force, Muscle C.O.P.S. In Cold Hard Cash, Craig and Sanjay teamup to locate a frozen treasure that is worth $100 before Baby Richard Dickson gets his hands on it.