TMNT: Fast Forward Talkback: Episode 1.18: "Milk Run" (Spoilers)

[Ian]

Episode 1.18: Milk Run
Original Air Date: April 14, 2007

Previously, on Fast Forward: The turtles are shocked to find out that Agent Bishop is still alive and well in 2105, and is now President Bishop, to boot. Even more unlikely, the President sends them on a mission: find notorious mercenary Torbin Zixx, stop him from carrying out his mission, and bring him to justice. Althought they manage to stop him from blowing up the Moonport, Zixx escapes, but not without newfound respect for the turtles.

This week, on Fast Forward: Zixx breaks into O'Neil Tech (they of the supposedly best security in the world--ha!) and goads the turtles into following him to the Moonport! What could the mercenary want? Can the turtles help at all? Will they want to? Will there be any actual milk in the episode?

 

[Anarky]

"It's Ninja Time!" returned

so-so ep, don't care for Zixx much

I suppose the "bad" Triceratons have pupils, the civilian Earth-friendly Triceratons do not

 

[creativerealms]

Ninja time was only used once this episode and it was not that annoying.

Anyway I loved this episode, good fight scenes. Zixx is probably my favorite Fast Forward original character and the story was not that bad ether.

It was nice to have different enemies for this episode.

Really I did not find anything bad with this episode. Nothing at all. Except that I expected Bishop to be part of it.

 

[Anarky]

hmmm, i think I smell a Mystery Science Theater 3000 reference, "Space Mutiny" : Ballerathons?

lots of good Raph moments: "When in doubt, BREAK STUFF!!!"

nevermind, the priestesses in that ep were called Ballerians.

 

[CyberCubed]

One thing I like about FF is they know not to overuse their characters.

This was only Torbin Zixx's second episode in the entire series, and since there was such a long gap between his first appearance, he felt like a fresh character. I'm glad with the pacing of the villains, such as with the Dark Turtles and the Inuwashi Gunjin as well. The writers know not to overuse them and have them only appear once in a while, which overall keeps the show fresh.

I'm also enjoying how many episodes they're making between Shokon'obo's ship/time portal being destroyed and these other episodes. It reminds me of how whenever the Turtles defeated Shredder that we didn't see him for a while and then he came back badder than ever. The gap as we wait for Shokonobo to "regroup" should be worth it as well.

As for the episode, I liked it. Good plot, some good fight scenes, and a semi-plot twist, (I actually changed my mind like three times during the episode to figure out if Torbin Zixx was being sincere or if he was really up to something, I'm glad the writers kept us on our toes), shame that "It's Ninja Time" returned but having only Mikey say it isn't that bad.

Torbin Zixx is certainly a good character and the fact that he tricked the Turtles several times in the episode, while also being believeable was fitting, although I will say him running into a Triceratron was stupid.

One thing that I'm wondering about...will the Turtles delivering bombs to that alien race lead to anything? Will we see those aliens again and will it be on the Turtles conscience if it escalates into something?

I also loved when the Triceratron said "You made an enemy for life! For life!" and Leo responds with, "Get in line." before ejecting him in the escape pod.

 

[bigddan11]

I thought Zixx had actually been a good guy until I found out the containers were weapons. I guess it's good to know some Triceratons are still at war, but the Turtles may have just made enemies with the Triceratons once more, and all those medical supplies were wasted. It looks like next week Cody and his grandfather go head-to-head. It's done so slowly, but Fast Forward has been getting better.

I still hate the "It's Ninja Time" reference though.

 

[CyberCubed]

It looks like next week Cody and his grandfather go head-to-head.

Darius is Cody's uncle, not his grandfather.

I don't think we ever found out what happened to Cody's parents. Cody's parents would be April/Casey's grandchildren, right? As far as I know, Cody is the great grandson of April/Casey, so there's another generation in there.

 

[creativerealms]

Darius hinted at Cody's father being dead in his first appearance. If this was Turtles 2k3 I would say Darius killed them. However since Fast Forward is toned down I beleave they are just locked up somewhere.

 

[Freedom Fighter]

"When in doubt, break stuff!"

Though not an entirely great episode, Zixx alone can carry it decently just because of his character. We know his reputation from his first appearance, but he's like a chameleon. He doesn't physically change sides per se at every waking moment, but he'll make you think he does. And that's why in a pretty standard dull FF episode, the ending revelation saved it. After all of that trouble... Zixx was smuggling weapons, and the Turtles helped! This has got to be set-up for something later on this season.

I'm glad they didn't overdo it on the 'hologram' joke, too... Raph at the beginning, and then bringing it back to make fun of the Triceraton rebel leader near the end. Just the right amount of funny.

"Milk Run": 3/5.

 

[Shredder565]

Anyone who saw the classic show catch the 'Bolarathon' reference? The one Planet where the Technodrome was stuck in it's final season?

Also my favorite Bebop line... 'You little creep..' .

edit - Also, anyone notice at the end that Zixx did NOT have a red line around him in hologram form, until AFTER Raph punched him?
Maybe that red line is just for our benefit. It would make Raph seem less stupid.

 

[Ian]

This has got to be set-up for something later on this season.

More likely Season 2 (7); with only eight episodes left in the season, I'm guessing we'll be focusing more on more established villains. Plus, it's not like the turtles leave Earth much, so whatever's going on with the Triceraton Republic will most likely not affect the guys.

Random thoughts:

After Bishop to Knight showed that Zixx wasn't the amoral bastard Bishop portrayed him as, I'm glad to see that he's still not above some theft, manipulation, or murder (I really doubt those Triceratons Raph threw into space will last long). It also shows an interesting facet to his personality: how is it that he's squeamish about directly murdering hundreds, but fine with indirectly contributing to the deaths of who knows how many? I suppose

The unwelcome return of "It's ninja time" was tempered by the complete abscence of one Cody Jones. While I rather like the little twerp, I'm super-glad that the writers aren't being forced to include him in every episode.

So the Triceratons have been at war with...Balaraphon, for centuries? That would mean they've been fighting them while also fighting the Federation. Not that something like that isn't unheard of (I can think of one immediate real-world example), but its interesting nevertheless. In any case, I am intrigued, and hope this is eventually followed up upon--it's the sort of storyline I initially thought they'd tackle with Fast Forward, and it's nice to see it introduced here.

Interesting pacing this episode. We begin straight in the middle of the action, and it all goes nicely from there--a stark contrast to most Fast Forward episodes, where the action sometimes seems to be more of an afterthought.

For what seems to be a one-shot villain (Fast Forward's first, if so) I found Zucco (did anybody get Batman flashbacks?) and his gang quite interesting, and I wouldn't mind seeing them again, especially given their history with Zixx.

Music watch: The music that played when Zixx and the turtles arrived at the Moonport was really cool, and something a bit different from the show's usual fare. Good to hear more variety.

 

[Boss Zukko]

From The Boss!

For what seems to be a one-shot villain (Fast Forward's first, if so) I found Zucco (did anybody get Batman flashbacks?) and his gang quite interesting, and I wouldn't mind seeing them again, especially given their history with Zixx.

It's nice to see that I got a fan! I'm far from a one-shot villain, Ian. The turtles have not seen the last of me. I got a score to settle!
-Boss Zukko

 

[YoshiAngemon]

Well, it's not like you'd expect to hear "COWABUNGA" coming from Michelangelo in this series. It would only result in Raphael groaning in disgust, when hearing it, and saying "No more Cowabunga!"

 

[Simpler Simon]

It's nice to see that I got a fan! I'm far from a one-shot villain, Ian. The turtles have not seen the last of me. I got a score to settle!

Really now, you don't say...

A pretty good episode of FF with better-than-usual writing, which came through in some of the one-liners and the overall direction of the story. What I just noticed recently about all the FF episodes is that the pacing has been spot on - we haven't gotten any abrupt endings or cramped third acts like we did in the earlier 2k3 episodes.

I'm starting to like Zixx a little better, though his voice still isn't doing it for me. It's a case where the visual and the audio don't seem to match up, and I'm constantly aware that it's a performer doing his voice, whereas with almost everyone else they become the character.

Again this week, we get the return of some good fight cheoregraphy. I liked the bit where Leo let's the two Triceratons punch each other out - it could've been a lame bit, but it became an actual scene instead of just a gag. The less the Turtles rely on those energy waves that come out of their weapons, the better.

The ending didn't quite work for me - it seems to force a gag onto what is essentially a "we'll get you next time, Zixx" ending. Minor quibble, though.

One thing I like about FF is they know not to overuse their characters.

Agreed, though I wouldn't mind Bishop appearing more. His last appearance didn't really do much for me.

 

[CyberCubed]

With the season having only...8 episodes left I'm sure Bishop will be more involved in some of the final eps.

I very much liked the idea of the Turtles working for Bishop and I hope they do that again with the Turtles' faces on those big screens as Bishop gives them orders. Its a nice contrast toward how the Turtles interacted with bishop in the past and could be done really well.

Bishop's only been in 1 ep of FF so far and that ep was more about Torbin Zixx anyway so its understandable that they haven't done much with him yet. I just hope we get to see more of him before the season ends.

 

[Ian]

The less the Turtles rely on those energy waves that come out of their weapons, the better.

Agreed. Still, while I don't particularly like that aspect of the 2105 weapons, this is something that makes quite a bit more once I saw the Lost Season. Season 5 spoilers ahead:

Spoiler

To me, it just seems natural that the turtles would try to replicate the extra abilities of their Ninja Tribunal weapons once they gained the ability to do so.

In any case, while I prefer their original, no-frills weapons, I think the future weapons are an improvement over their Season 5 ones. Some stuff, like the nunchucks' extending cable, the sais' homing abilities, and the katanas' ability to fold in on themselves are quite clever. Like you, it's the energy waves that I don't like, not because they don't make sense (they do), but because it cuts down on the close-contact fighting (which I'm sure is the reason they exist in the first place).

 

[creativerealms]

With the season having only...8 episodes left I'm sure Bishop will be more involved in some of the final eps.

I very much liked the idea of the Turtles working for Bishop and I hope they do that again with the Turtles' faces on those big screens as Bishop gives them orders. Its a nice contrast toward how the Turtles interacted with bishop in the past and could be done really well.

Bishop's only been in 1 ep of FF so far and that ep was more about Torbin Zixx anyway so its understandable that they haven't done much with him yet. I just hope we get to see more of him before the season ends.

An up coming episode is called "Head of State" I believe. Which undoubibly is a Bishop episode going by the name alone.

 

[Simpler Simon]

There was a leaked list of episode titles awhile back, and while I don't recall 'Commander and Chief' as one of the titles, we did have 'Head of State,' which is most definitely Bisop-related:

Enter the Jammerhead - aired
Milk Run - aired
*SECRETS!* (now known to be Fall of Darius)
Turtle X-Tinction
Race for Glory
Head of State
DNA Is Thicker Than Water
The Cosmic Completist
The Day of Awakening
*SECRETS!*

 

[creativerealms]

My mistake I meant Head of State. That's the obvious "Bishop episode" I was thinking of