Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series) (season 4)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Season 4
Country of origin  United States
No. of episodes 39
Broadcast
Original channel Syndication
CBS
Original run September 8, 1990 – December 8, 1990

The fourth season of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is split into two sub-sections that aired concurrently: thirteen episodes which aired daily in syndication, and twenty-six episodes that premiered in hour-long double-bills on Saturday Mornings on CBS, which would serve as its home for the remainder of the whole series. A brief "Turtle Tips" segment aired between the two episodes which served as PSA about the environment or other issues. There were a total of 20 "Turtle Tips" segments produced and aired. The syndication episodes featured the original title sequence, while the CBS episodes deubted a new title sequence, and also did away with the show's title cards.

During this season, the Technodrome is back in Dimension X, having been launched through a portal at the conclusion of season three. The season premiere, "Plan 6 from Outer Space", aired in syndication, and detailed how the villains' battle fortress crash-landed on an asteroid; in the later episode, "The Dimension X Story" a volcano on the asteroid erupted, immobilizing the Technodrome by surrounding it with molten lava. "The Dimension X Story" was evidently intended to be the first episode of the CBS run, as many other episodes which aired before it from both the syndication and CBS episodes refer to the Technodrome being trapped in lava, but wound up airing very late in the season.

Note that the Vacation in Europe episodes take place between the first two episodes of this season.

Episodes

Syndication episodes

No. in
series
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date TV
broadcast
661"Plan Six from Outer Space"Bill WolfDavid WiseSeptember 10, 1990S04E01

With the Technodrome in serious need for new equipment, Bebop and Rocksteady are sent to Earth, disguised in human form, to capture the Channel 6 building and return it to Dimension X. To keep the Turtles distracted, Rocksteady & Bebop also deploy a robot duplicate of Master Splinter, but it malfunctions and starts going gonzo.


Villain: Shredder

Note: This episode takes place in season 7 THE SIDE SEASON.

Title Reference: Plan 6 from Outer Space
672"Turtles of the Jungle"Bill WolfMisty TaggartSeptember 11, 1990S04E02

A professor's new ray-gun causes plants to go wild and his pet ape Jocko to become a giant rampaging monkey. By using the same ray-gun, Donatello is increased to Jocko's size so he can fight the giant ape and save April from him.

Villain: Shredder
683"Michelangelo Toys Around"Bill WolfTed Pedersen and Francis MossSeptember 12, 1990S04E03

While trying to see the new toys at the Toy Fair, Michelangelo stumbles upon a plot to take over a noted toy company.


Note: Master Splinter is not in this episode.

Note: Shredder, Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady are not in this episode.

Villain: Wilbur Weasell
694"Peking Turtle"Bill WolfAntonio Ortiz and Carmela OrtizSeptember 13, 1990S04E04

The Turtles must battle a reanimated Terracotta Army after The Shredder steals an energy device shaped like a giant pearl, which is held and guarded by a Jade Dragon.

Villain: Shredder
705"Shredder's Mom"Bill WolfTed Pedersen and Francis MossSeptember 14, 1990S04E05

Krang frees Miyoko Saki, Shredder's mother from the retirement community. Shredder threatens the world's governments to surrender to Krang or he will gradually raise the world's heat, which causes New York to be in the middle of a massive heat wave. The Turtles get help from Colonel Yogurt, an air force officer to thwart Shredder, who is starting to get annoyed with his mother's success.

Villain: Shredder
716"Four Turtles and a Baby"Bill WolfMisty TaggartSeptember 17, 1990S04E06

When General Tragg and his troops attack the Neutrino capital, the Neutrino leaders, Zenter and Gizzla, send their infant daughter Tribble through a portal to Earth, asking the Turtles to look after her, but Tribble causes big trouble for our heroes.

Villain: Shredder

Title Reference: Three Men and a Baby

Note: Master Splinter is not in this episode.
727"Turtlemaniac"Bill WolfRowby GorenSeptember 18, 1990S04E07

An eccentric billionaire, Monroe Q. Flem, who is also a collector, wishes to collect every piece of TMNT memorabilia that he can get his evil hands on, including April O'Neil and the Turtles themselves. Title Reference: Lisztomania

Note: Shredder, Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady are not in this episode.

Villain: Monroe Q. Flem
738"Rondo in New York"Bill WolfFrancis Moss and Ted PedersenSeptember 19, 1990S04E08

A big-time Hollywood action movie star arrives in New York to promote his newest movie. Unfortunately, reality hits hard for Michelangelo as he discovers that his movie idol is not all he's cracked up to be. Meanwhile, Shredder and Krang steal a substance that can bring inanimate objects to life.

Villain: Shredder
749"Planet of the Turtles"Bill WolfGeorge SheaSeptember 20, 1990S04E09

The Turtles must save the Earth from a massive energy drain and its Apocalyptic result by traveling to another dimension where turtles are the dominant species.

Villain: Shredder

Note: Bebop and Rocksteady are not in this episode.

Title Reference: Planet of the Apes
7510"Name That Toon"Bill WolfMisty TaggartSeptember 21, 1990S04E10

A Technodrome computer disguised as an electronic keyboard ends up on Earth, and in the most unlikely of hands.

Villain: Shredder

Note: First appearance of Howie.

Title Reference: Name That Tune
7611"Menace Maestro, Please"Bill WolfMartin PaskoSeptember 24, 1990S04E11

The Turtles meet Irma's boyfriend Howie, who has bought an old opera with the intent of making it into a nightclub. The Turtles must contend with the "Phantom of the Floxy", as does Shredder, who is planning to get the Technodrome back to Earth.

Villain: Shredder

Note: Final appearance of Howie.

Note: Master Splinter is not in this episode.
7712"Super Hero for a Day"Bill WolfFrancis Moss and Ted PedersenSeptember 25, 1990S04E12

Gadget Man comes out of retirement after 50 years, but is tricked by Shredder into fighting against the Turtles.

Villain: Shredder

Title Reference: King for a Day
7813"Back to the Egg"Bill WolfDennis MarksSeptember 26, 1990S04E13

Krang hires a multi-dimensional ring-master who intends on making the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles part of his circus by using an anti-aging serum. Leonardo and Michelangelo are turned into 5 Year olds.

Villain: Shredder

Title Reference: Back to the Egg

Note: Master Splinter and Bebop and Rocksteady are not in this episode.

Note: Final episode to be aired in Syndication.

CBS episodes

No. in
series
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date TV
broadcast
7914/1"Son of Return of the Fly II"Bill WolfDavid WiseSeptember 15, 1990S04E14

Vengeful Baxter Stockman and an A.I. computer return to Earth from a dimensional limbo and capture the Turtles while luring Shredder into their trap as well.

Villains: Shredder and Baxter Stockman

Note: The intro has been changed with new animation.


Note: This is the first episode while The live action film was being made.
8015/2"Raphael Knocks 'em Dead"Bill WolfJack MendelsohnSeptember 15, 1990S04E15

Raphael must contend with a mobster named Pinky McFingers when he is kidnapped from a local comedy club. (This is Professor Barney Stockman's only episode - related to Baxter Stockman.)

Note: Master Splinter is not in this episode.

Note: Shredder. Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady are not in this episode.

Villain: Pinky McFingers

Note: First Appearance of Pinky McFingers.
8116/3"Bebop and Rocksteady Conquer the Universe"Bill WolfDavid WiseSeptember 22, 1990S04E16

On their latest trip to Earth, Bebop and Rocksteady steal a machine that makes everyone scared of everything. Title Reference: Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe

Villain: Shredder
8217/4"Raphael Meets His Match"Bill WolfCharles M. Howell IVSeptember 22, 1990S04E17

Raphael wins a place at the owner of a fast food chain's party. When the yacht is taken hostage by Hi-Tech pirates he and the mysterious lizard-woman Mona Lisa work together to stop them.

Note: Shredder, Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady are not in this episode.

Villain: Captain Filch
8318/5"Slash – The Evil Turtle from Dimension X"Bill WolfDavid WiseSeptember 29, 1990S04E18

Bebop and Rocksteady use Krang's new Mutagen on Bebop's pet turtle Slash so he can do their housework for them. Slash runs away and is conned by an irritated entrepreneur into framing the TMNT.

Villain: Shredder

Note: First Appearance of Slash.

Note: First Appearance of Donald J. Lofty.
8419/6"Leonardo Lightens Up"Bill WolfDan DiStefanoSeptember 29, 1990S04E19

Frustrated with his bossy nature, Raphael and Michelangelo accidentally shoot Leonardo with the personality modifying ray, turning him into a fun loving 'dude' who neglects his responisbilities. Donatello Raphael and Michelangelo must stop Maestro G. Cleff from destroying the city.

Note: Shredder, Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady are not in this episode.

Villain: G. Cleff
8520/7"Were-Rats from Channel 6"Bill WolfDavid WiseOctober 13, 1990S04E20

After many failed attempts from his rodent subjects to find food, the Rat King learns of an abandoned canister of mutagen lost in the sewers and claims it for himself. Then, he kidnaps Irma and Vernon and uses the mutagen to transform them into his mutant slaves, for the sole purpose of raiding food warehouses. It is later discovered that the mutations are unstable and can only be active if the Rat King plays his hypnotic flute.

Villains: Shredder and The Rat King
8621/8"Funny, They Shrunk Michelangelo"Bill WolfMichael EdensOctober 13, 1990S04E21

When Michelangelo decides to put one of Donatello's inventions on max power for his own entertainment, he ends in a—quite literally—little problem. April and Vernon get caught in the shrinking ray while getting footage of a military ship and join Michelangelo on his wild adventure.

Title Reference: Honey, I Shrunk the Kids

Note: Shredder, Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady are not in this episode.

Villain: Talbot Breech
8722/9"The Big Zipp Attack"Bill WolfDavid WiseOctober 20, 1990S04E22

An alien called a "Zipp" is sent to Earth, but this little alien soon becomes a big problem.

Villain: Shredder

Note: Second Appearance of Donald J. Lofty.
8823/10"Donatello Makes Time"Bill WolfDennis MarksOctober 20, 1990S04E23

Donatello invents a machine that can freeze time, which a deranged professor steals as part of a plan to conquer the world.

Note: Shredder, Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady are not in this episode.

Villain: Lloyd Cycloid
8924/11"Farewell Lotus Blossom"Bill WolfDavid WiseOctober 27, 1990S04E24

Ninja Lotus Blossom's nightmares draw her to a strange artifact in the Turtles' possession. The artifact contains an angry spirit, whose wife's soul is within Lotus.

Villain: Shredder

Note: Final Appearance of Lotus.
9025/12"Rebel Without a Fin"Bill WolfMichael ReavesOctober 27, 1990S04E25

Dr. Polidorius, a mad scientist plotting to mutate all humanity into aquatic-beings, creates Ray (not the similarly-named Mighty Mutanimals character), who possesses several abilities of different marine species. Ray kidnaps April O'Neil, and Polidorius mutates her into a fish-woman to be Ray's mate.

Note: Final Appearance of Donald J. Lofty.

Title Reference: Rebel Without a Cause

Note: Shredder, Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady are not in this episode.

Villain: Dr. Polidorius
9126/13"Rhino-Man"Bill WolfDavid WiseNovember 3, 1990S04E26

Bebop and Rocksteady dress up as superheroes as part of a plot to steal a diamond that will power up a laser Krang has created. Meanwhile, the Turtles must deal with a wave of hypnotic slaves under the command of J. Gordon HungerDunger.

Villains: Shredder and J. Gordon HungerDunger
9227/14"Michelangelo Meets Bugman"Bill WolfDennis MarksNovember 3, 1990S04E27

Michelangelo meets his favourite comic book hero after he saves a weakened Brick Bradley in the sewers, and then he and Bugman take on the evil Electrozapper together.

Note: First Appearance of Bugman.

Note: Shredder, Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady are not in this episode.

Villain: Electrozapper
9328/15"Poor Little Rich Turtle"Bill WolfDavid WiseNovember 10, 1990S04E28

The Turtles must baby-sit and protect a young rich girl named Buffy Shellhammer from Shredder and Krang, as she knows of a formula for a super fuel needed for the Technodrome.

Villain: Shredder

Title Reference: The Poor Little Rich Girl
9429/16"What's Michelangelo Good For?"Bill WolfTed Pedersen and Francis MossNovember 10, 1990S04E29

Michelangelo must rescue the other Turtles when they are captured by an evil scientist.

Note: Shredder, Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady are not in this episode.

Villain: Dr. Lesseau
9530/17"The Dimension X Story"Bill WolfDavid WiseSeptember 8, 1990S04E30

Shredder has a plan to destroy the Turtles, but with the Technodrome's portal out of commission, he is unable to challenge them on Earth, so he uses the Dimensional Teleporter to bring his enemies to Dimension X.

Note: This is the final episode in which Michelangelo uses nunchaku as his main weapon rather than a grappling hook

Villain: Shredder
9631/18"Donatello's Degree"Bill WolfJack MendelsohnSeptember 8, 1990S04E31

Donatello earns his degree from Sopho University, but discovers that he has been mistaken for a girl, so he asks Irma to masquerade as him. Meanwhile, the real Donatello discovers a plot by Professor Philo Sopho to destroy the Earth.

Note: First Appearance of Professor Sopho.

Note: Shredder, Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady are not in this episode.

Villain: Professor Philo Sopho
9732/19"The Big Cufflink Caper!"Bill WolfDavid WiseSeptember 14, 1990 (primetime)[1]
November 17, 1990
S04E32

The Turtles switch sides and discover that the Shredder is the main man behind a ring of cufflink thefts that has suddenly hit New York. Title Reference: The Big Caper

Villain: Shredder

Note: First Appearance of Big Louie.
9833/20"Leonardo Versus Tempestra"Bill WolfMisty TaggartNovember 17, 1990S04E33

When a power surge causes an arcade machine to release Tempestra, It's up to Leonardo to stop her digital wrath before she becomes dangerously powerful.

Note: First Appearance of Tempestra.

Note: Shredder, Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady are not in this episode.

Villain: Tempestra
9934/21"Splinter Vanishes"Bill WolfFrancis Moss and Ted PedersenNovember 24, 1990S04E34

Splinter has suddenly disappeared, and a note left behind from him forces the Turtles to go their separate ways, but one by one, they are captured by Leatherhead and the Rat King.

Mote: Shredder, Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady are not in this episode.

Villains: Leatherhead and the Rat King
10035/22"Raphael Drives 'em Wild"Bill WolfMisty TaggartNovember 24, 1990S04E35

A machine called the Transmogrifier causes Raphael and a cab driver to swap bodies, and it is later discovered that a defect in that same small device could do some very big damage to the city if activated.

Note: Shredder, Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady are not in this episode.

Villain: Mr. Big

Note: Master Splinter is not in this episode.
10136/23"Beyond the Donatello Nebula"Bill WolfDennis O'FlahertyDecember 1, 1990S04E36

While trying to contact the Turtle Nebula, Donatello meets an intelligent lizard alien named Algernon ("Algae" for short), who must help him and the other Turtles rescue April from a greedy man named Hostile Hiram Grelch.

Note: Shredder, Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady are not in this episode.

Villain: Hostile Hiram Grelch
10237/24"Big Bug Blunder"Bill WolfMichael ReevesDecember 1, 1990S04E37

A failed mutagen experiment results in an invasion of giant insects and arachnids in New York City.

Villain: Shredder

Note: Final Appearance of Metalhead.
10338/25"The Foot Soldiers Are Revolting"Bill WolfMichael ReavesDecember 8, 1990S04E38

A Foot Soldier named Alpha-1 has his intelligence increased, but it results in a Foot Soldier rebellion against Shredder and Krang and the duo's exile from the Technodrome.

Villain: Alpha-1
10439/26"Unidentified Flying Leonardo"Bill WolfSean RocheDecember 8, 1990S04E39

While helping April investigate a report of giant monsters attacking a superstitious farming village, Leonardo is mistaken for an alien from another planet. The lone Turtle must avoid being hunted down into extinction while also trying to rescue April from a mad scientist.

Note: Shredder, Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady are not in this episode. Villain: Dr. Davens

Note: This is the last episode while the Live Action Movie was being made.
  1. TV Guide, September 8–14, 1990

External links