FortuneCookie posted... Since being acquired by Viacom, the strategy seems to be to throw everything against the wall and see what sticks.
The 2012 series was dark with splashes of levity. The Michael Bay movies were Michael Bay movies. The 2016 series gave them a Ren & Stimpy look. The video game revivals channel the 1987 series with varying degrees of censorship. The IDW comics are bloody mature. And now we're back to the look of the 2016 series, but with body designs straight out of Sonic Boom.
Some people complain about Batman being too moody. Some people complain about Marvel movies being quip-heavy, but that's exactly why they succeed. Success is built upon meeting expectations. You can't meet expectations if people don't know what to expect. If people don't know what to expect, they just stop caring. If TMNT is meant to be dark, let it be dark. If TMNT is meant to be light, let it be light. But pick a side of the road and stay there.
I actually really enjoyed the 2012 series. Need to rewatch that at some point. It's up there with the early 2000s series for me