BRIEF STORYLINE: After the technodrome has been flung forceably to Dimension X, Shredder pleads with Krang to have another shot at the turtles who caused them the chance of taking over Earth and finishing off his nemesis Splinter for good. Krang allows him to travel to Earth, but he will not help Shredder in any help or form.
At that time, Splinter senses the presence of Shredder but the turtles are adamant that he is gone forever, stuck in Dimension X. Meanwhile Burne Thompson wants April to do an report on how the turtles are a menace to society. April's attempts at explaining the turtles are really modern day heroes to Burne falls on deaf ears.
The first thing Shredder does when back on Earth, is he takes over the "Slash for cash" dojo and forms the Crooked Ninja Turtles Gang. His plan is to dress the gang up as turtles, commit crimes, and people will think the turtles are nothing but a bunch of hoodlums and should be put in jail. Burne at the Channel 6 building is going to present videotape footage of the Crooked Ninja Turtles Gang to show that the turtles are up to no good. April contact the turtles and shows them the video footage. Leonardo recognises one member's style of fighting as Shredder's and that means Shredder is back in town.
Baxter Stockman is brought back to the fray, sucking up to Shredder again, who released him from an insane asylum. Shredder tells Baxter to build the ultimate rat-catching device.
The turtles have returned to their lair and find that Splinter is missing and somebody has disturbed their territory. They follow a trail which leads them to a deserted building in South Bronx.
Will the turtles prove their true good-natured values to the people, get rid of the Crooked Ninja Turtles Gang and save Splinter from Shredder's clutches?
TMNT REVIEW HQ COMMENT'S: A decent episode to start off the 88 season. Scenes such as the turtles fighting and beating the crooks at the supermarket are some of the better spots in this episode. The female cashier makes for some amusing dialogue. The ending is particularly strong involving Shredder’s fist-shaped battering ram and Baxter’s ultimate rat catcher fight with the turtles. And also the turtles whining about who April is winking at on TV and it’s actually Splinter who smiles satisfyingly, complimenting his old age. The fight with the “Crooked Ninja Turtle Gang” is quite well done, but one dodgy edit when they capture their leader. Also, it’s good how they show you how close the police caught the turtles at the end, when a cop car just passes the sewer lid that gets the turtles access to their home.
Krang is in a huff with Shredder since Season 87, and this goes on for most of the season as he refuses to use his own technology to help him. This does bring about some funny moments. Krang mocks Shredder as he pleads with him to send him back to Earth to finish off the turtles. When Shredder comes back to Earth, he ends up being threatened by 2 thugs, and shouts out for Bebop, Rocksteady and Foot Soldiers like he means it, and nobody comes, making hin look like he’s insane to the thugs. It’s also funny seeing Baxter has now ended up in a mental institute, in a padded room to a guy who believes he’s Napoleon. This means that nobody believes his story of the turtles from last season.
This is the first time we see Burne’s girlfriend Tiffany who you probably either like or hate. She in a few other episodes. The dilemma they have going on is that Tiffany hates turtles, Burne doesn’t like them but sort of sides with the turtles after agreeing they aren’t the real crooks. The whole thing isn’t particularly memorable but her screaming when the turtles inspect security cameras at Channel 6 surprises you. Also, this is the first episode where Vernon starts acting wimpy and cowardly and basically a big jerk to April. There’s not a lot of very good moments in this episode but it’s respectable.
"RETURN OF THE SHREDDER" GETS A: 3/5 RATING.
