Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation

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This article is about the Ninja Turtles game. For the Space Quest game, see Space Quest V: The Next Mutation.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation (TMNT:TNM) was a short -lived live-action television series produced by Saban, which ran on the Fox Kids network from 1999-2000. The series was based loosely from Mirage Studios' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

The series introduced many new elements to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles saga, including new central antagonists, an army of humanoid dragons known as "The Rank" led by the vicious Dragonlord.

The series was touted (in some of the promotional material) as a continuation of the first cartoon series, but by the period of time it aired it turned apparent that this was not the case. Instead, the series apparently followed the continuity of the live-action films. The turtles lived in the same abandoned train station featured in the second and third films, and Splinter's ear is slashed as it was in the original film. However, most fans tend to regard the films and the series as 2 separate entities, citing differing styles, The Shredder being alive and the absence of April O'Neil and Casey Jones.

Most of the Turtles' core fanbase were unimpressed with the series, criticizing the show's slapstick fighting, camp humour and poor costuming and sets. The series is not considered to be part of the larger TMNT canon.

1 Venus de Milo
2 Cancellation
3 Trivia
4 External links

[edit] Venus de Milo

The show's most famous contribution to the Turtles mythos was a fifth mutant turtle, a female named Venus de Milo who was skilled in the mystical arts of the shinobi. Venus was portrayed by Nicole Parker and voiced by Lalainia Lindbergh. The inclusion of Venus proved controversial among fans and many considered the existence of the character to be distasteful.

At the time it was said that Fox created the Venus character and forced Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird to include her in the series. While both were opposed to the idea of a female Turtle, they complied with Fox’s demand. However, it has also been rumoured that Venus was initially created by Kevin Eastman (who didn't want this fact to be meant for public knowledge, as it violated a longstanding unofficial right which mandated "no female Turtles"). Whether this is true or not, Eastman seems to have a somewhat positive opinion of the character. Peter Laird, however, openly admits his disdain for her and has removed her profile from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles official website.

[edit] Cancellation

The show was cancelled in the summer of 2000. Fans of the series have theorized that this was because Saban and Fox were unwilling to pay further licensing fees to Mirage Studios. Shortly after the live-action series was cancelled, there were plans for an animated version of the series, but this never materialized.

[edit] Trivia

The bounty hunter Bonesteel was portrayed by well-known anime and cartoon voice actor Scott McNeil. This was the first time his face was revealed in a live-action show.