The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a popular superhero team of anthropomorphic reptiles who began in a series of comics in 1984 and gained greater fame with an animated series which ran from 1987 to 1996. In 1990, the Jim Henson Creature Shop supplied animatronic versions of the characters for a theatrical film adaptation and its sequel. The third film and an animatronic television series, The Next Mutation, were produced entirely without the involvement of Henson.

Muppet Mentions

• The opening narration of "Attack of the Mousers", an episode from the 2003 animated series, begins: "A very wise frog once said, 'It's not easy bein' green.' But believe me, he didn't know the half of it."

References

• Michaelangelo appeared with Baby Kermit, Baby Piggy, and Baby Gonzo and other characters in Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue.

• The 1991 Muppet Babies episode "Sing a Song of Superheroes" featured Baby Kermit, Baby Fozzie, Baby Animal, Baby Bean, and Baby Rowlf as the Ninja Turtles.

• Herry Monster's room is decorated with a "Ninja Monsters" poster in the 1992 book, Too Little!

• On Dinosaurs, a poster depicting the Teenage Mutant Ninja Cavemen appeared as a recurring background element in Robbie's bedroom.

• In the first episode of Muppets Tonight, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Truffles" can be seen on the KMUP schedule.

• In the 2011 film The Muppets, Rico Rodriguez asked Kermit the Frog if he's one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Kermit jokingly says he is.

Muppet Babies as pseudo-Turtles and others

Ninja Monsters

Teenage Mutant Ninja Cavemen

Connections

• Townsend Coleman played Michelangelo in the 1987 series.
• Rob Paulsen played Raphael in the 1987 series.
• Greg Berg played Donnatello in several episodes of the 1989 season when his regular voice actor (Barry Gordon) was unavailable.
• Laurence Fishburne provided opening narraration in the 2007 movie TMNT.
• Patrick Stewart provided a voice in TMNT.