Warning: Full spoilers from the episode to follow.
Just one week after the Season 2 finale, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles returned with an all-new season, as the gang arrived in Upstate New York after their defeat against the Kraang. At the start of the premiere, we got our first look at April's family cabin -- a pretty drastic change of scenery compared to the usual NYC cityscape. But after 50-plus episodes in sewers and alleyways, I think the rural shake-up was a good way of ushering in this new, slightly darker era for the Turtles.
April's opening voiceover was also a nice touch, offering a little more insight into what the Turtles have been up to since the Kraang invasion. Between the cabin, Donnie's new lab and the surrounding forest, it seems like the these new sets are here to stay, at least for several more episodes. Luckily, they look great. (They're also reminiscent of April's farmhouse in the comics and the original live-action movie, which is cool.)
Obviously the biggest and most notable change for Season 3 was Seth Green's debut as Leonardo, replacing Jason Biggs. I couldn't help but chuckle at the show's oh-so meta nod to the voice change, citing Leo's failed confrontation with Shredder as the cause of his "vocal chord damage." While it took a little getting used to in the premiere, I think Green's take on the character is actually really solid. He's got that raspier, lower timbre, which I think is appropriate for this more world-worn Leo. Plus, the voice switch couldn't have come at a better time.
As for this week's storyline, "Within the Woods" struck a good balance of getting Leo back on his feet and introducing a new mutant: The Creep! Here, TMNT dove head-first into another horror flick homage, this time paying tribute to old cabin-in-the-woods B movies -- plus a little Friday the 13th, with the Creep putting on Casey's hockey mask at one point. He was pretty darn strong too, not only managing to tie up the whole gang, but also transforming Raphael into a puppy-like plant monster. ("You turned my brother into a plant!")
Creepiness aside, the real highlight of this premiere was Leo's road to recovery, as he went from completely drained to back in action. There were several great moments to come from this storyline, including Leo strapping on his headband again and squaring off with the Creep: "Give me back my family, freak." (Chills!) There was also a sweet parallel between Raph and Leo this week, as each of them took turns waiting by each other's bedside.
Of course, I would be remiss not to mention Mikey's new favorite show: Crognar the Barbarian! Yep, first it was Star Trek, then it was Voltron, and now -- in keeping with the retro nostalgia -- TMNT is doing a full-on Thundarr riff, complete with jerk-face protagonist. ("We the Slug People bring you tidings of peace--" "ATTACK!")
So far, I'm really enjoying the direction Season 3 is taking, with the Turtles regrouping and planning their next move to overthrow Shredder and the Kraang. I'll be interested to see how long it takes before they return to NYC, but for now I'm content with them hanging back a little while longer, if only to check out what else is out there in the bush. Next week's episode "A Foot too Big" would seem to indicate the appearance of a certain hairy cryptid...