A very good episode of TMNT: Back to the Sewers this week. Titled Virtual Reality Check, the boys are scouring cyberspace for Splinter databits when, back in the real world, their cyberportal starts to seriously malfunction. They hastily exit back to reality . . . or do they? It turns out it was all a set-up by the virtual Shredder, who wants to learn the secrets of a cyberportal by watching Donatelo rebuild one. The writers play fair with the audience, giving numerous clues as to what's really going on. Donatelo is called Donald, Michalangelo Micky, Casey cries 'gungala' as a battle cry, and in a Matrix-y moment a building seems to receed from Mikey mid-jump. Overall it was a well-executed take on an old idea, and one that logically follows given how much time they've been spending in the virutal world. Casey Jones' apparent death was a scene that would be hard to show normally, and April's apparent indifference to his fate was an emotionally telling moment.The one off moment was when Donatello is reunited with his brothers and informed of the plot. He seems blasé about the whole thing, muttering that he'd ALMOST finished the portal, but not quite so it's ok. I'd have expected him to be extremely concerned that he'd built, say, 90% of a cyberportal for Shredder.
The real upshot is, Shredder is no longer just a virtual threat. I'm looking forward to seeing their first real-world confrontation with a Shredder since Tempus Fugit.
2 comments:
Ooo, I don't think this is showing yet in the UK, thanks for the write up! How does it compare to the 2003 series so far?
Well, it effectively is season 7 of the 2003 series. They've been adding season titles since S5 (or S6, there's the whole weirdness of S6 airing before S5). I'd say overall this season is shaping up a little better than S6, Fast Forward, but not as good as S1-5. It feels disconnected with what's gone before, lots of inconsistencies. Stockman is working with Hun with no mention of Bishop, Hun is disloyal to Shredder, Karai is nowhere to be seen while the Foot Clan is being rebuilt . . .
Still, I'll reserve judgment until I see the whole thing. I do wish we'd get more Stockman and some Karai & Bishop, they're my favorite villains.
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