BRIEF STORYLINE: In Dimension X, Krang monitors April on his viewscreen, as she has a TV report on the opening of an exhibit of seldom-seen statues of ancient Chinese warriors as well as the world's largest pearl. Krang believes with his technology, he could bring statues to life and use the pearl that would make a force field to pull the Technodrome from Dimension X to Earth.
Krang instructs Shredder, Bebop and Rocksteady to go to the museum. They bring one warrior to life, and Bebop and Rocksteady guide it to the sewers to take apart the turtles. Shredder in the meantime, brings more warriors to life and follow the lead of the first warrior. Krang influences Shredder to kidnap April and Vernon, to develop a trap for the turtles when they get to the museum, hoping the army of statues will do their job.
Can the turtles stop the ancient Chinese warriors who are skilled in an art fighting developed and mastered hundreds of years ago? Can they prove the statues are just a CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK?
TMNT REVIEW HQ COMMENTS: Unusual. An episode that is high on humour, but low on quality. "Peking Turtles" also sounds like something you would order at a very expensive Chinese restuarant. The beginning is very clippy and clunky. However, a nice touch of playing the "Harlem Globetrotter's" theme song as the turtles show off their skills in Basketball.
The first scene showing Shredder and Krang brainstorming for a plan has mostly bad editing. Nice comical line from Shredder, after Krang explains what the material of these Chinese warriors are made from, which in reply is "I'm sure Geologists everywhere are thrilled". Once again the editing is a mess when Shredder activates life into the first Chinese Warrior.
Back with the turtles now.Splinter thinks Basketball isn't his thing, but when given the ball his basketballing skills are immaculate. Such modesty from Splinter. Not a well done scene i'm afraid. A lot of scrappy editing going on in this episode. Another funny moment produced by Shredder and Krang again, Shredder falls for Krang actually thinking that old tinhead might be getting more successful on these missions(a lie), but on the other hand, "i might begin to like broccoli!"
The confrontation between the turtles and the lone Chinese Warrior is one of the better scenes. And it's quite funny that Bebop hides away and dubs in a voice for the warrior making the turtles for a moment miffed and even...scared, so good rib by Bebop. The turtles haven't been scared of the mutants since they were an unknown danger, when they first met in the 1987 season.
So many funny moments to pick out. When Bebop is on the communicator to Shredder, in a midst of a fight with the turtles, gets a bin thrown on his head disturbing the conversation. Shredder is on really good humourous form here. When he starts to march out with his Chinese Warrior army to get those turtles, he sings in a marching tune with the words "you left you're wife and 48 kids...". Rare surreal humour there. Remember how often April gets captured and has to be saved by the turtles in this cartoon? It happens again, but this time Shredder makes us aware of this by stating he's done this "about 30 times, but who's counting?"
The action really isn't up to much. The best action part is near the end, when the turtles use the pearl as a bowling ball, and make a "strike" on the Chinese Warrior army. There's a lack of action here. But there should be, with all these warriors from ancient times that have learned hand-to-hand combat like the turtles. Plus they may have the same kind of rules and morals.
The quality does get better near the end, but the damage is done, and the editing does spoil the episode. Something else to note, April and Vernon are especially hostile and insulting to each other than normal, but there's not many times they are forced to work together. Also they may have to pay damages to Burne for the TV Van getting wrecked due to the warriors. Those scenes range from bad to quite good. The ending to this episode is decent, as for a moment the turtles are fearing the re-emergence of a Chinese Warrior, seeing a big shadow of it, but it's only a small toy souvenir from April. Interestingly,(or not) this type of ending is very similar to the "Mean Machines" (see review Season 2 1988) episode ending.
"PEKING TURTLE" GETS A: 2/5 RATING.
