Ep 1. Turtle Tracks (1)

It's time for some radical, pizza-loving fun as we dive into the premiere episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987)! Titled "Turtle Tracks (1)," this episode fully introduces us to the four titular turtles – Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello – as they use their ninja skills to protect the city from crime.

The episode opens with an introduction to the turtles' sensei, Splinter. For those who don't know, Splinter is a wise, humanoid rat who has taught the turtles everything they know about martial arts. We learn that the turtles were mutated from regular pet turtles, along with their friend April O'Neil, who works as a news reporter in New York City.

Soon, we're introduced to the turtles themselves, who are out on a nighttime prowl. We get a sense of each of their personalities – Leonardo is the leader, Raphael is the tough guy, Michelangelo is the party dude, and Donatello is the brains. Their mission this evening is to stop a group of criminals from carrying out a robbery, and they're successful thanks to their slick moves and trusty weapons.

The next day, April is working on a news story about the rise of crime in the city. She meets the turtles for the first time when they creep into her news van looking for pizza. April is understandably shocked to see four giant turtles wielding weapons, but soon warms up to them when she realizes they're on the side of good.

April's boss, Burne Thompson, comes in and berates her for not having a solid lead on the city's crime problem. April tells him about the turtles and how they helped thwart the recent robbery, but Burne is skeptical. Meanwhile, Burne's cameraman, Vernon Fenwick, is more interested in getting a story than in questioning its validity.

The turtles end up back at their sewer hideout, which is furnished with all kinds of awesome gadgets and pizza boxes. They hear a news report about a scientist named Baxter Stockman who has invented a machine that can control the city's traffic lights. The turtles are suspicious of this, knowing that it could be used for nefarious purposes, and decide to investigate.

At the same time, April is headed to Baxter's lab to interview him for her news story. While there, she witnesses Baxter's assistant, April's former high school classmate Irma Langinstein, inserting a microchip into the traffic light machine. Irma is working for the villainous Shredder and his gang of Foot Soldiers, who plan to use the machine to cause chaos in the city.

After April leaves, the turtles sneak into Baxter's lab and confront him. Baxter is a meek, timid man who is clearly being forced to work for the bad guys. The turtles help him see that what he's doing is wrong, and together, they come up with a plan to stop the Foot Clan.

Meanwhile, Irma is starting to have second thoughts about working for Shredder. She sneaks into Baxter's lab and tells April about Shredder's plan. The two women are caught by the Foot Clan, but the turtles come to the rescue just in time. A showdown ensues, and the turtles use all their ninja skills and gadgets to defeat the Foot Soldiers and destroy the traffic light machine.

In the end, April has the scoop she needs for her news story, but Burne still doesn't believe her. The turtles sneak into the news headquarters to watch her broadcast, but Burne kicks them out before they can even say hello. Luckily, they still have each other, along with their trusty pizza and bad jokes, and that's all they need.

"Turtle Tracks (1)" is a fun, action-packed introduction to the world of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. We get to see the turtles in all their glory, and we meet some of the key players in their universe, from Splinter to April to their many enemies. With plenty of humor, heart, and ninja moves, this episode sets the tone for the rest of the series, which promises to be a totally tubular ride.