Enter the Shredder Review

It is now time to review Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Episode 2 Enter the Shredder. In this episode, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles meet their arch nemesis the Shredder face to face for the first time. Also Krang, along with Bebop and Rocksteady(in their well known mutant forms, show up for the very first time). Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Episode 2 Enter the Shredder aired for the first time on December 15th 1987.


Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Episode 2 Enter the Shredder

This episode is a solid continuation to the ground work set up in the first part. A lot of this episode has to do with the search for the Technodrome, which leads the Turtles to meet the Shredder for the first time.
We also are introduced to the Shredder’s partner in crime, Krang. The seeds for the dynamic between Krang and Shredder are well established in this episode, but it does not really get fine tuned until much later, as Shredder and Krang tend to bicker like an old married couple for most of the series.

Lots of introductions in this episode as well. Bebop and Rocksteady were in this episode, as part of the gang who tried to silence April O’Neil. Funnily enough their gang in this particular episode is not one that is shown in later episodes when their old gang shows up. Of course, I’m under the theory that their old gang might be before the days where they were working with the Shredder. The Shredder gets the idea from Krang to mutate his own men into animals, this case being a rhinoceros(in the case of Rocksteady) and a warthog in the case of Bebop.

Naturally animals will need to be stolen from the city zoo and we get the first glimpse of Roadkill Rodneys. Those who played the various Ninja Turtle video games over the years remember these guys. Sadly this is their own appearance in the cartoon and they never go any action figures. Such a missed opportunity, but such is life sometimes.

Master Splinter is captured by the Roadkill Rodneys, thus used as bait for Shredder and into the Technodrome we go, with some fun fight scenes. Shredder is all like, “join me Turtles, I am your father”. Raphael mocks him looking like a kitchen utensil and tells him to go suck a lemon. This leads to Bebop and Rocksteady trying to take on the Turtles. The keyword is trying, as they fail, and the Turtles save Splinter.

And yes, for those who have been living under a rock, the Shredder is voiced for a good portion of this series by James Avery, who of course who also played Uncle Phil on the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.
It is not over yet, as Bebop and Rocksteady go out from the streets, and try to blast the Turtles. They are a bit more competent in these early episodes as well and rather dangerous, but not too smart still. They are locked right into the cage where their animal halves from.

Rocksteady calling April O’Neil “a bimbo” was kind of surprising for a cartoon in the 1980s and most certainly something that would never happen in the later seasons.

This episode ended with the Roadkill Rodneys liberating Rocksteady and Bebop for a performance evaluation from the Shredder. And sadly, that’s the last time we see the Rodneys, outside of the video games. So sad.

Another awesome episode, giving this episode a 9/10. You can watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Episode 2 Enter the Shredder on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Volume 1 DVD.