BRIEF STORYLINE: Krang and Shredder give an ultimatum to the world leaders to surrender Earth to them for conquest. Predictably, the world leaders stand against them. So Shredder sets up a gigantic orbiting mirror in Dimension X that sizzles the Earth in uncomfortable, sweltering heat. Like a global warming effect. This cause the ice caps to start decomposing and evaporate's the Earth's water supplies.
Shredder has a mother, amazingly. She's called Miyoko, and hears about her son's latest plan on TV at her geriatric retirement home for villains. She decides to eavesdrop in on Shredder and Krang.
The turtles, along with General Yogure go in a space shuttle to Dimension X to attempt to stop Shredder and Krang's awful plan.
Miyoko may be old, but she has Shredder's brainstorming and his evil touch, but treats Shredder like a baby. She sets up several obstacles in the Technodrome for the turtles. Can the turtles and General Yogure defeat this new threat? Does Mum always know best? Will the Earth become a raging ball of heat like the sun?
TMNT REVIEW HQ COMMENTS: Unimpressive, improvement is desired. The beginning of the episode is not that well edited, when the turtles are in the lair having their usual casual talk, before they get mixed up in another heroic affair. The old man April interviews in her TV news report about the increasing levels of heat, is witty at one point, telling April straight that her "beach-front house" is also included in the timeplan that it too will sizzle to nothing.
Although the heat is created by a mirror fixed to a satellite, this storyline illustrates a problem that is serious and true to real life: Global warming. This predicament is given much more importance these days now and is more in the news than back in 1990.
Anyway, back something EVEN more serious(joke). The review of this episode! One amusing thing we see is Shredder and Krang gaining and pushing for them to be seen on TV when they are making a threat to the world. The first time we enter the residential home for villains is good too. What, April's not wearing her yellow jumpsuit? She's wearing something different? Yes thats right, this is the first time we see April not wearing her world-renowned yellow pyjamas..er jumpsuit. She is wearing a light purple vest and socks, along with light grey shorts due to the heat.
When Shredder is reunited with his mother Miyoko, to his embarressment, is one of the better moments. The voice for Shredder's mother is unattractive and her slang of some words gives her a rough or tough kind of attitude. The launch of the rocket with the turtles and General Yogure inside to travel to Dimension X, should be one of the most spectacular action moments but its disappointing. The way the turtles are introduced to General Yogure makes you feel how the turtles could just trust this guy, his opening line is short and seems a bit cold. Maybe could've put some humour in his sequence. General Yogure's not that bad in the episode as time goes on. The journey to Dimension X is one of the best scenes of the episode which also features them having to go through the heat ray that is causing Earth to become a roasting oven.
Krang's first impression of Miyoko is funny, with his first utter being "Shredder, who is this woman?". He begins to like Miyoko's rough 'n ready mentality, who wants to destroy Earth as well. He also seems to take pleasure in Shredder getting sheepish with his mother around. These are the more memorable scenes. Miyoko also has a comical way of summing up Shredder's "friends", as "1 brain and 2 no-brains".
The turtles climbing up the Technodrome is not well devised in terms of editing, as it is muddled. Some better action though, when the turtles strike-off with the Foot soldiers and Bebop and Rocksteady. The turtles stuck in the compacter scene is another one where the editing lets it down. The action is little in the final scenes, but are not bad. One reason there's not so much action is because the turtles get General Yogure to charm Miyoko off her feet. However the way Shredder gets rid of Miyoko is quite cool. The ending doesn't have much impact, as Splinter refers to his gift to Donatello that was an abacus being a saving grace, that played only a minor part in the episode. Just a poor excuse for an ending.
"SHREDDER'S MOM" GETS A: 2/5 RATING.
