The beginning of Teen Titans was what I like to call "horribly endearing". I guess what I mean is that it has tons of problems and really makes you wonder what the team was thinking starting it off like this, but it's because of these problems that leads you to appreciate how much the show improves. Instead of the usual cartoon format (in my experience of course) of having a strong start and then it falling off as it goes on, TT starts off with weak villains, character backgrounds, and stakes, and improves all of these aspects as the story goes on that make you come to love and grow with the characters as they do. TT certainly isn't as perfect and flawless as we remembered, but it has so much character and unique concepts that shine through every now and again that often aren't portrayed in "average" cartoons. And I think that's the main thing about TT that I love and still appreciate to this day: it's a flawed but important show that has just as many good features as it's bad ones. I had fun watching this one from you, of course I love almost all your videos so I wasn't too surprised lol. I'm looking forward to the next part of this for sure.
That's a wonderful way of putting it! I'm just starting season 2, and it's already improved a ton, so I see what you mean. I always prefer the gradual improvement to the usual falling-off that cartoons have, so I'm happy to see that. I also agree about it not being perfect or flawless, but still being cool and interesting. And I'm happy you enjoyed the video ^_^ Thanks, bud
I remember the conflict between Robin and Slade so intense when I was younger- I remember it being so impactful and deep. It was one of the best cartoons because it had a deeper plot line instead of just for entertainment like spongebob for example
I recently rewatched the whole series and i have to say it was even better than when i watched it as a kid, back then a lot of the more mature themes just flew over my head, but i still knew what was going on kind of and i think the character development and their individual arcs that gave us new informations about them made me feel invested in the characters. For me at least it was not just kid nostalgia, it is a legit amazing piece of work
agreed man tenfold. I actually decided to rewatch the series back in Dec. of 2015 and it was even better/left a mark on me than I remember when I grew up watching it. and as you said, b/c as an adult I can fully get + appreciate the adult themes and what the show was trying to do, how well it did it. I too realized it wasn't just my kid nostalgia either, it's legit very good and held up well. before revisiting it, TT hadn't really crossed my mind for like a full 9yrs since the original broadcast syndication.
I’m going to have to disagree with the “Sum of His Parts” criticism. It shows that Cyborg doesn’t like that he has limitations now that he isn’t completely human and decides to ignore his robotic side. In “Only Human” (season 2) he does a complete 180 and decides that he can ONLY do what the machine part of him can do. In season 3 when his arc is completely explored, it shows that he wishes he were human again. When Brother Blood offers him his humanity back, that’s when his arc comes to a full circle. I also believe that the “Divide & Conquer” episode makes much more sense in the season three context (how Cyborg is older and wants to be team leader and move up in the world) - like why it’s in season 1 (outside of the whole Slade storyline) is beyond me.
I think "Only human" was a better exploration of Cyborg's persona and if this was switched for the "Sum of his parts", it would've been better. I also think that the episode "Deception" has a lot of better paced development for Cyborg than "Sum of his parts"
The show does get off to a bit of a slow start, but I think it starts to find its identity about halfway into season 1. After that it becomes a really interesting and compelling series. I especially love the places they take the Slade/Robin dynamic later on. It gets really dark at times.
You're right that it definitely starts to find its identity about halfway through this season. By the end, my feelings about it were overall quite positive despite these initial negative impressions. I'm looking forward to where that Robin/Slade thing goes in future seasons especially.
It's pretty great once you get there. I won't ruin it for you though. It's fine, the first few episodes of Teen Titans aren't great and the first one in particular is a terrible pilot episode. I'm not sure what the story is there, but I'm glad they got themselves pulled together because the series turned into a real gem. You won't get there for awhile, but Raven's character is explored in interesting ways in some of the later seasons as well. Her and Robin are probably the two best characters in the series to be honest. At least for me :)
Your video has a problem. Cartoon network shifted around the early episodes so it made more sense. It started with the episode "Final Exam", which introduced Slade, HIVE and other recurring villains. The order you watched it in was the production order, which is how it will be sorted now.
Cartoon network didn't purposely re-order the episodes, it was a mistake on their part. Also no it doesn't make sense to have Final Exam first if you pay close attention to the contents of the episodes. In Final Exam, more of Slade is shown than in Divide and Conquer. In Divide and Conquer, they each have a little intro moment and have no idea who Slade is. If the aired order had been correct, it would have been used on the DVDs and acknowledged by the creators, but neither of those happened.
You know Teen Titans were like the first cartoons with the anime-influenced artstyle & aesthetics, and this was before Avatar: The Last Airbender. Man I hope, just like with Samurai Jack, they bring the original series back and give it a complete story & finale.
I don't think it needs it. Things Change was the perfect finale because of the message it was giving. I'd prefer if it doesn't get a new season because the last one was one of the best endings I've ever seen to a series.
Yeah, it was definitely one of the earliest ones I can think of that was so obviously inspired by anime. I also hope that they bring the series back. While I don't mind shows with more bubbly art styles like the new Teen Titans, that seems to have become the baseline, and I'd love for there to be more diversity in terms of style and presentation in children's media. And oh man I gotta watch Samurai Jack. I've heard such great things about it.
That sometimes in life things won’t always work the way you want it to and to survive you need to let go of the past and move on for your sake and for the sake of others. It uses their relationship to end the show symbolically because they weren’t going to make another season. This is why there shouldn’t be a season 6 for this message.
Even as a kid, I didn’t need an into for them. The first episode I watched was Transformation, and that was all I needed to see to know that they were all close and cared about each other. The next episode I randomly saw was How Long is Forever, and I learned how important friendship is. Maybe I’m simple-minded, but I still like it.
Rewatch the slade fight in his lair and think of the gears. The gears are symbolizing planning, and eventually the gears stop. The titans never figure out slades end game, just that hes always up to something, and multiple plans and actions are always in motion. All of them don't seem related but if one fails it can stop the whole machine.
I always saw it as a terminator 2 reference where arnold saves the day coming out as the gear turns at the end. Also I say this because the original deathstroke comics were called death stroke the terminator. But what you said works.
Btw the clocks in Slade's lair are symbolic of his master plan fitting together and working flawlessly. But I think revealing anything about his character in any obvious way would only serve to downplay that frightening feeling of his manipulation and the helplessness of trying to stop him. I say this in a way that sounds exaggerated, there wasn't a massive dread when he was around of course, but it's still the concept that I think is very well done.
The thing is, this show's purpose wasn't to introduce everyone in episode one. Just like Cowboy Bebop it tries to have most of the episodes be stand alone. Obviously it won't start too deep, but slowly flesh out the characters. You're supposed to be left confused on episode one and continue onwards wondering that this is a team of super heroes yet they don't get along. You get little info on the characters, but character development on these new opposing personalities of Robin and Cyborg. If you didn't know the Titans wouldn't you too be wondering why the oldest, Cyborg, isn't in charge? The message wasn't great and it isn't the best episode overall but it's fine to be the opening episode. Once you see the second episode focus on Starfire you start to understand, hey these episodes are on their own with the adventures of this team, but it seems to be very character focused. They don't world build at all, because that's not the focus at all. They don't want you to care for the city their protecting but rather understand why they care to be the ones protecting it. It's just a typical boring city that villains want to take over. Later on in the show you learn they are in a world of superheroes, pretty much the dc universe, and all the heroes are protecting their city. That's it to the world building. You can tell the writers never cared about that, this show is about the team, the Teen Titans. Also I understand that you wish Slade got more of an introduction for the overall arc, and I do too. In all there are only like 4 episodes that contribute to the main plot of the season. However Slade is still introduced in subtle ways leaving the viewers to wonder, who is he and what is he doing. He was in the third episode in the beginning and the end even if it was a little. He was also in the fourth even if you don't realize it's the same guy or what his intentions even are. Lastly episode 4's message was more of the idea of "it's just a prank bro" can go too far. You're constantly having fun, reaching for more and more of this type of fun that eventually you go too far. This shines in Beast Boy, and how these guys are similar to him in personality, and if Beast Boy goes too far he could possibly get to this point as well. Raven might not have cared as much as Starfire did emotionally from this prank because they are very different. Starfire takes things too seriously and can't understand when people aren't being nice or apologizing. You can already tell that from the small development Starfire has already gotten. It's a nice episode because you can see Beast Boy understands better than them and wouldn't be influenced by Slade to do these things. I really liked that in the end Starfire helped teach Beast Boy to show them what the right path is. Again, I agree the first few episodes of Teen Titans were in no means good, but I feel you may be judging too critically and ignoring what the show is truly trying to do.
No that wasn't my point at all. Again I want you to take a look at these types of shows pacing like Cowboy Bebop where they're all supposed to be stand alone with one main plot that gets brought up in some episodes. The pacing isn't great I agree and I prefer it to be more cohesive, but a lot of shows (cartoons in general) follow this stand alone format. I agree some episodes did have eh writing, but I thought many had their moments and that is what I appreciate from this show.
It depends The basic story telling in any children focused media is: -Introduction of the characters, a simple overall background, what do they do, who they are and what is their purpose - Introduction to the antagonists, villains, problems they face in the story - Introduction to the world, what happens around them, why do they live there, are they safe?, etc Once you get these narrowed down, you start the show introducing everything more and more depending on the story length, etc The writing is messy right from the start and there is really not an excuse out there of why is it like that. Up to 2003 we had shows like "Xiaolin Showdown", "Kim Possible" and even non action shows like "The fairly oddparents" and "The grim adventures of Billy and Mandy" followed this storytelling rules at best. Don't get me wrong, I consider myself a die hard fan of the Teen Titans, but I know damn right that the writing was messy af and tbh, it had a lot of filler villain/episodes. Some of them were good, but not all.
I mean you are right Teen Titans didn't do a great job with it, but they still did it. They gave a small intro of each of the characters and somewhat how they fight, showed they're the Teen Titans and they fight crime. They also introduce the blah villains. Although the development may be enough it isn't good and we could use more. However because of this you are left with the huge mystery of how the Titans came together, how did this all start. When it was all finally revealed in the episode Go it was amazing. One of my favorite episodes. If you really preferred Go to be the starting episode of the show that's fine but I think it lowers Go's value of an episode. You wouldn't understand Beast Boy's doom patrol and being fascinated with working as Robin's sidekick. You wouldn't understand why Raven believes good isn't right for her because of the darkness inside of her. And finally you wouldn't understand why Cyborg hated revealing his robot parts. However if Go was done in a more subtle way to give you hints into their characters and had Go as the first episode of the show it would've worked well. Clearly it's a decision the writers took and I say it paid off. Perhaps having it in the beginning would've gave them a lot better foundation. Who's to know? Honestly it isn't too big of a flaw to have me complaining.
My reaction: "Honestly, having gone back and watched the whole thing very recently... nnnnnot quite, to be honest. Especially since Young Justice exists." But hey, I won't stop you if you disagree.
I have seen so much anime that its the closest thing to it yes even more so than avatar...its still enjoyable but obviously not original like some believe once you seen enough anime teen titans as a whole loses its luster at least on the action portions and comedy sides...the drama and character interactions and character personalities are still distinct and amazing ..its different for dc at the time but that's why I like it cause its just taking anime tropes and paying homage at the same time..it has timeless messages morals stories and some twists I was shocked by..
Don't underplay the "a joke isn't always a joke." Literally last week, this came up at my job. (I'm 27 and my boss is in her 40's) I jokingly said she was lying about cleaning something often when I KNEW she didn't(she wasn't looking and thought I was referring to something else) and she got super pissed at being called a liar, her life's full of shit, etc. Granted, the episode's situation was _quite_ a bit more extreme, but this is a very important lesson. This lesson also easily leads into another one about being careful with your words/actions, that not everyone was raised the same as you and can have very different outlooks on the world. I want to say more about this, but I really have no idea how to articulate it, so I'm just gonna end it here.
Why tho I get that she was probably the deepest character and had the best finale but other then that’s I don’t see why people are so overly obsessed with raven
I didn’t think season 1 was bad. I just rewatched it a couple days ago and it’s a lot of fun. Good action, charming characters, and villains that make sense for the beginning of the show.
Overall, as a whole package, I agree that season 1 isn't bad. My second part of this is going to be a lot more positive; from episode 6 onward it's a pretty solid season and a lot of fun, in my opinion.
Lowart I think once the first season reveals Slades true plan that's when the show starts to get better, the first half of season 1 didn't really give us an idea of what Slades true plan really was. Once you get up to Masks and apprentice story arcs everything starts to come full circle and you start to understand that the season 1 arc was always building to the relationship between Slade and Robin and Taking him as his apprentice.
I'm sorry, but so much of what makes teen titans so great, went right over your head. They didn't have fans yet because they were trying to make a name for themselves. Robin just left Batman. Starfire just made it on Earth, and the way the rest of the group acts shows that THEY dont get each other yet. The other villains are there to show a more cohesive team and inspire them to get their act together. The worst opinion was the cyborg episode. Cyborg's robotic parts are portrayed as a disability that Cy must learn to accept and live with. He doesn't want to be a burden to the group, but he cant live normally like they can. He will never be fully human. The Villain tries to convince him that if he just let go of what makes him human and fully become his disability than he'd be better off. It's a Grade A tale about identity when you have a disability.
@@deivisony It is when you have to plug yourself into the wall like a phone every couple of hours lest your battery run out and you "shut down" against your will. Cyborg's parts are literally a mobile life support system that keep him alive, and, at the start of the series, he *hates* this fact. He wishes he was fully human again. He wishes he was *normal*. His cybernetic half is the weaker half in his mind. To quote him from "Only Human" "Cyborg: When I was an athlete, when I was human, I loved pushing my limits. Getting stronger, faster, better, just by trying harder than I ever had before. My coaches would always tell me to give a hundred and ten percent. And I always did. Robin: You still can. Cyborg: My muscles are mechanical now. Limits are built in. No matter how hard I try, a hundred percent is all I've got. " Which is where Fixit comes in. He saw things in the complete opposite manner where he hated his organic body and wished to be like a machine. Even going so far as to hide himself underground. He then tries to "fix" Cyborg by offering to replace what he sees as the weaker side. Cyborg's humanity. This episode isn't about Cyborg specifically. It's about the contrast on how the two of them think and view their world.
@@Done25. Nah man for me it's a nice tradeoff. He could upgrade his parts without taking the human ones away and humans have limits too with his robots parts he can overcome these humans limits or simply remove some battery consuming parts... Well I think I'm digging to much on the plot and... MAN THAT'S MEGAMAN BLASTER DID YOU HEAR ME?
Deivison Carvalho It actually was the case from the creation of the character that Cyborg’s greatest desire is to one day be Victor Stone, teen football jock. He loved athletics and being stronger then human cuts him off from not just being a football star but everything that it means to be human (in his assessment). In the first DC RPG they had motivations for being a hero as a thing. Superman was the face for doing the right thing. Batman was vengeance. And Cyborg was the face for “unwanted power”.
The ONLY problem with this video is that you made a deadly assumption: Adults are better versions of children. While in fact, we're not, we're just different. Why is this a problem? Because you start re-watching the series with the wrong mentality. You forget what it's like to be a kid (short attention span, mind full of wonders and all that) and assumed everything you enjoy now, you'd also had enjoyed as a kid, and no, that's not it at all. There are a looooong list of things I enjoy nowadays that I know for sure I wouldn't look at for longer than half a second as a kid. Kids are not lesser, incomplete version of their adult-self, they are simply different. We all change as we grow up, and most of us don't realize it, we think we're still the same, but we're really, really not. So a cartoon that kid enjoy might not be what adult enjoy, and vice versa. That doesn't make the thing itself any worse, it just make it different. And since this show's target audiences were children, NOT adults (well, maybe it's for adults as well, but certainly not the primary target), it was FINE, and AS GREAT AS WE REMEMBERED IT TO BE. Then you need to take THIS into account: Kids don't need long introduction, they don't need episodes after episodes showing them the characters' background. They can jump right into the action and enjoy it JUST AS MUCH. In fact, what do you think attract a kid's attention and make them decide to stay with a show? THE ACTIONS! Why do you think Tom and Jerry, a show with literally no introduction whatsoever, needs absolutely no beginning, middle or end plot throughout, is so popular with children of all generation?! Back to the show at hand, IF we did get characters' background episodes first, A LOT of us, as kids, would have dropped the show and never watched another episode because "it seemed boring". While starting IMMEDIATELY with the actions and conflicts drew in and captured young minds. After they're already hooked, they're more likely to stay and watch the other episodes that would seem boring to them if they had seen it first. And as adults, we've done our fair share of research before start watching it, so we don't need the introduction, either. So again, the show did fine.
To add to this, themes such as fighting with your friends might seem like stupid nonsense to us adults because we have bigger problems. But to kids, fighting with your friends is devastating. Pranks? I'm an adult, I cant remember the last time I even pulled a prank. As a kid tho, I was hurt by several and the message spoke to me then. Robin's desperate attempt to take the world on his shoulders to protect his friends and himself spoke to me as a kid. He's a child. If an adult says "Do this or I'm going to kill/hurt your friends" you're going to do the thing. Even the Starfire Blackfire episode was great. The themes are made to harmonize with kids and they do so with great expertise.
I was trying to figure out why it didn't bother me that the characters weren't introduced "properly" in the first episode but I couldn't explain it. I think you got it right. Cartoons don't have to be like anime, where there's a clear beginning (introducing characters, setting etc.) in the first episode. Sometimes when you watch a cartoon as a kid you don't automatically turn on the TV and the first episode is airing anyway.
Totally agree with you. I love more in actions and morals that being brought from this show when I was a kid, and yeah, it is totally for kids, especially for teens. What I mean is the actions that these shows resembles a lot on how the kids or teens have to face, the conflicts between friends and siblings, as a team, and all. And yes, this show didn't show any intro of the characters, cause it's for kids. No matter what episode is shown, they can just simply enjoy the actions. As I grown up, I rewatched the episodes, and it's understandable that every episodes and seasons brings back to their origins and their true enemies from their own side, which elaborates more about them after their meet from the "Origin" episode. For instance, Starfire's conflict with her sister, Blackfire, and about her background and home planet, Tamaranian, Robin and Slade, which lead him to work alone as before, Cyborg and Brotherhood, Raven and her own father, Trigon, and lastly, the separation of Beastboy and his old team, Doom Patrol, defeating their big enemy, Brain. Actually, each season tells everything about their stories. Season 1, about Robin. Season 2, Terra. Season 3, Cyborg. Season 4, Raven. And season 5, Beast Boy. They only not focus on Starfire if you notice. Actions speaks everything. I'm now 20 and still enjoy it with my own perspective.
the idea behinde the Cyborg episode you brought up was simply a crisis of humanity. While your proposed ideas for how the episode COULD have been are solid ideas and could've worked just as well. The idea was suppose dot be that cyborg is unhappy with being a machine now. For all the cool gadgets he has, there's drawbacks. He doesn't *feel* human anymore. Then here comes this asshole who decides to take away what little humanity he has left? by striping away what he felt was "unnecessary?" It was supposed to be cyborg's worst nightmare come to life. However it doesn't just paint cyborg's parts a bad thing either. the fact that he's used these abilities to be a super hero is already proof enough that they've done some good for himself and others. But also the kid you mentioned not just contextualizes the world and how it views the titans. But that at the end of the day people don't see cyborg much different. the parts about himself that he laments are special, and him being a kid with a fake hand contextualizes that. it was to show cyborg that being part machine wasn't so bad. he could cope with it as long as HE knew he was still in essence. human. and that others saw him that way too. but it was also a character arc for the villain of the episode, to help him realize that the things he felt were unnecessary, were the most necessary parts of being alive. Which he realizes in the end, and moves on. while i woudl argue the other cyborg episodes tackle these ideas better, and in various angles. I'd still argue this episode does a good job with it.
SideQuest wow this is an amazing comment! I was gonna say that having cyborg want to be rid of his human parts was going against Cyborgs whole character is about but your comment is way more thought out and is described way better than I could do. Well done man! 👍
Cool stuff! Although I still don't think all of the episode ties together thematically, you've certainly provided me with a perspective that has helped me appreciate it more, so thanks for taking the time to leave this here :)
Damn don't know how you miss the fact cyborg doesn't like his robotic side that much yet went in deep with raven analysis, I guess the raven love is still strong as it was back then
Its funny ..the creator of Teen Titans didn't want Slade to be called Deathstroke cos it was to menacing for the kids...but the name Slade ended up be way more terrifying than the name Deathstroke ...plus his voice..instant shivers
@ I need no etc etc : Okay, well when you address the fact that half the characters are called Beast Boy and Cyborg and Starfire you'll have a point. I let Raven get a pass, but even in 03 that was pretty try hard.
+Baldr's Dreams We were talking of Slade ma' dude. Specifically why calling him Slde is more intimidating than calling him deathstroke. So it woupd appear we agree.
Personally, I loved every part of the series, watching the characters grow. Of I had to pick an episode, it's the episode where Beast Boy's old team gets captured and he goes to rescue them. The episode showed that despite his childish demeanor, when shit got real, he dropped the attitude and got serious, he knew the stakes, and we didnt see him make a single corny joke until the bad guys were defeated, as if the weight was gone and he could relax again. It showed that he really did care a lot about his teammates and that he was loyal to his friends, even the team that had cast him aside, he was loyal and was willing to do whatever it takes. But if I'm completely honest, the finally special was the greatest. The Titans going to Japan and Robin getting together with StarFire finally settled that sexual tension everyone had seen since season 1. Just fantastic.
I can already tell this is one of those pieces of analysis that's going to circle a good point but uses either bad arguments or arguments in bad faith to try justify various nitpicks. Here's some notes from standout beats; - "We don't know these characters" Plenty of stories start In Medias Res. Since the nature of the show is very episodic, a formula that works for broadcast television much better than it does for internet streaming and DVD boxset binging, the idea is that you flick the channel to Cartoon Network and you wouldn't need the context, or very much context, from the last few episodes. Starting in medias res is usually the best way to go, it skips over lengthy introductions and gets right to the action. The narrative arc from there is worth criticizing, and since the editing, pacing, characterization and dialogue isn't as strong as people might remember, I'd agree a more in depth autopsy is worth enduring. - "Teen Titans definitely doesn't put it's best foot forward" Can't argue there but cartoon pilots can be notoriously bad. I mean, The Simpsons also has an awful pilot episode but the point usually isn't to wow, it's a promise of potential to come. Like an orchestra tuning up, if you can see the instruments are there to make good music, the moments before are worth sitting through. However, I don't want to be misunderstood; bad pilot episodes aren't something general audiences want and shows have to do better. Our time is limited and in this day and age, we can't do a five episode run of anything. However, in 2003, this kind of thing was more acceptable. Doesn't make it better, but the historical context is worth pointing out. - "External factors" Contentious. Backseat writing like this often doesn't do any good and I'd advise avoiding trying to suggest fixes that you have no practical way of knowing would work, unless you have another example to contrast it against. Your best friend here is a comparison to the much more competently written show, Young Justice. External sources of conflict aren't necessarily the best way to get to know a group of people better, just well realised conflict is needed. The first episode's conflict is muddy because it can't decide if it's about questioning Robin's ability as a leader or calling the group's teamwork into question. Starfire's conflict with her sister is a more personal story and reveals things about her character, even if it doesn't forward the over-arching narrative, and those kinds of conflicts work in character driven stories since the overarching narrative isn't as important as the relationship between the Titans. If anything, these micro-conflicts are good ways of warming the audience up to the characters while containing the entirety of the story to the short episode run times. -"These guys are causing destruction, beast boy played a prank" The overall message is clear, "Be empathetic." The through-link is that neither party considered the feelings of other people or the unintended consequences for their actions and thus their self-centered behaviour was detrimental to the people around them. This didn't need higher stakes, I personally think the weather villains were goofy and more plot device than antagonist but the stakes were definitely not the problem here. -"The places characters are should tell us something about them" No. I can agree with your argument for more spatial coherency within shots, even if I don't think it was within budget or scope for the animation team at the time but ideally your world should support interesting scenarios for your characters. A vague abandoned warehouse can just be a vague abandoned warehouse as long as what's happening inside is interesting. This is some of the worst heights of bad faith criticism. -"Wouldn't it make sense for Cyborg to wish he could get rid of his human parts" Knowledge from the future; No. Cyborg's internal conflict is really easily apparent, he has a disability and heavily relies on prosthetics to function to the degree of normal people, although those prosthetics allow him to accomplish superhuman feats. Put Cyborg in a wheelchair and make the story about cutting off his lower half and the story still works out fine, what's left of his human body might not be super optimal but it represents his humanity and he wouldn't feel complete without it. While I'd agree it's not the most elegant version of the story, it's clear and doesn't have any egregious problems in writing. -"Becomes the ultimate edgelord" No big comment here, just found this the worst kind of a lazy joke. Other notes, you waffle a lot your script, you leave a lot of arguments unsubstantiated or the accompanying visual doesn't in any way substantiate your point, and you keep circling a good point without getting there or giving it a solid argument. I just spent 16 minutes wishing I was watching this being done by a Dan Olsen or Lindsay Ellis or KingK, and one day you might be at that level; But this is a project that might be outside your punching weight. Hopefully you'll develop in future, but until then; I remember coming back to the show and thinking the most egregious errors were in the editing. Somehow you've managed to make a video where your problems directly mimic the problems of the very thing you're delivering criticism on. And that's an accomplishment.
Yeah, you're right about that. They aired the third ep first and first ep third, but the episodes were put back in their proper order for the DVD release.
I think it's a slightly stronger first episode, but still not a very good one. At the least, it shows the titans teaming up and focuses more on an external conflict than an internal one within the group, so that part is good.
Lowart yeah, I agree. I think a first episode should, at the very least, introduce all or most of the show's main cast. Keep up the great work, I really enjoy your analysis.
Honestly I think the reason you're so harsh on it is because it's not what you wanted it to be. The pilot was obviously made to give you a better idea of what the show would be like, not to introduce you formally to its setting and characters. The episode where cyborg is nearly converted into a robot is a really solid one, and while it may not be thematically symmetrical, it's a good look into cyborgs fears of being a machine, and his internal conflict with what he inevitably is. You being upset that it subverted your expectations and did something different is... I'm just surprised, it's really one of the episodes that I think really speaks to cyborg's willpower and humanity.
Even as a kid loving TT I was aware of bad writing in the first episode and all the things you just mentioned about it. :c But animation was still unique, darker and more dynamic than anything I've seen before so I enjoyed more. Surprisingly, this show was the first piece of media to ever inspire my atheistic philosophy of life later. It blew my mind that Raven knew about the end of the world and how it can't be avoided and yet decided to be a hero and a good person overall till the end. No other show at the time presented me with such strong, truly compassionate character and I really appreciate it.
Sounds more like you're an Existentialist, friend! I remember rewatching TT back when I was in my mid twenties, and I echo other people's opinion that it is great but flawed. I find the chibi anime parts quite annoying, if kinda charming at the same time.
+EmberFlower "Surprisingly, this show was the first piece of media to ever inspire my atheistic philosophy of life later. It blew my mind that Raven knew about the end of the world and how it can't be avoided and yet decided to be a hero and a good person overall till the end." So if I understand correctly, Raven's decisions in the Trigon plotline influenced you to develop an atheistic philosophy? Could you elaborate or clarify this, if you don't mind?
She also did in the original comics, actually she originally formed the teen titans to help avoid that future. Raven has always been a truly great character [along with the rest].
Everyone thinks that Raven is this morose, cynical, dark person whereas in fact she's about the most optimistic, courageous person in the whole DC universe, if not any media ever. She genuinely has every reason to believe that the world will literally descend into hell and it will happen because of her. Yet she tries to do good every day and hope for a positive future. On the day this is due to happen, what does she do? She tries to give her friends a good time so that they can enjoy their last day. She is an inspiration.
I’ve been watching for the last days, as far as quality, action, story, character development it all holds up. Even the vocabulary is superb for a kids show.
In the beginning of its run, Teen Titans wasn't popular. While Justice League & Unlimited made its run, many wondered why the "Americanime" art style, and not the "Bruce Timm" look?A lot of people may not remember this, but I sure did.
Cintss7 well the art direction was handled by Glenn Murakami who also worked on Bruce Timm DC animated works. He also designed a lot of the monsters in superman the animated series. So in a way, it all came together.
Yes! Even as a kid when Kids WB announced the show I thought it look silly and that they exagerated certain emotions to make it anime-ish. But time made me like this show and I guess it growed on me.
I loved teen titans, they did do a meeting episode later of the origin of the group. In hindsight, that episode should've been the pilot. I personally feel the argument against the background can been explained as the creators didnt want the background to be distracting, so your focus is on the characters and their personalities.
Dracomut i disagree with that....i just finished watching the whole series and the movie....the comedy is great, same with the plot and action, and enemies....this show can be mistaken for something that came out a couple years ago even tho it started in like 2003...the only thing that shows how old it is...is the animation, which isn't even bad
You never watched the actual episode 1 called "Go"? It's the very first episode when Starfire crashes on Earth and the team comes together to drive off her captors. I guess it's technically Episode 0 but it's still the true first episode.
it had good pacing, it quickly established the characters and who they were. It even had beast boy in his old costume from the comics before he went out on his own. Even had an episode with his old team in The show where he rescues them but still has to make the decision whether to rejoin them or stay with the titans. This show had everything from lessons on diversity that weren't too preachy and in your face, to commentary on people's consumption of televised media, even references to other shows from the 80's like classic mlp and other things in comic book culture...it was a diverse and funny show about a rag-tag group of misfits who find friendship by reaching out to others, despite their initial ideological differences (in the case of raven and starfire or raven and beastboy), all while developing their mental aptitude and overcoming personal hurdles of their powers and some even find love despite coming from two opposite worlds, in the canon case of Starfire and Robin from the original Teen Titans series, where quite a lot of the characters in the cast were voiced by women who were, and still are, established voice actresses with clout. This is essentially a wet dream for social activists but it was also all handled so well it has a cult following. IF i was to ask you how to show the motherly side of a tough character, few people who have seen the original series would hesitate to mention the episode "Hide and Seek" where raven has to protect three super-powered though still mostly defenseless toddlers from a supervillain. I'm not sure why the producers of Teen Titans saw the need to remake this much funnier and more ideologically diverse show into DC's version of "whose line is it anyway?" and strip away all genius writing, actual diversity and substance of storyline and tongue-in-cheek levity from the original piece, in favor of a dumbed-down anime style version of the show which frequently sexualizes raven's legs and body, has starfire being a ditzy bimbo, has beastboy being a typical, brainless comic book nerd without any of the endearing awkwardness of that one scene in Original Teen Titans ( )where he turns himself into a dog to get cute girls to pay attention to him but then because he's green and recently fell into some pizza, they shun him for smelling gross. It's not that beast boy himself is particularly relatable as a green boy at any time in the series, but his awkwardness with the opposite sex and even at times with his teammates, regardless of gender, Is something most people have been through in life and certainly at an early age. Also the original Titans series did something no other animated show has done: through the character and trials of beast boy, it gave us the one vegan/vegetarian who actually has a reason to be so preachy about it and the one comic book geeky sort of male character who actually has a real reason to be awkward due to his alien appearance (it's worth noting that while beast boy is human his DNA changes a great deal to accommodate different forms which basically makes him a mutant but his green skin makes him stand out much more than starfire who is actually an alien), which was clever writing.
Great Power nigga paragraphs Donald Trump is going to be contacting you as a consultant when he gets around to building his wall, this one is so massive.
@@CyanMedic so writing a long opinion about a cart9on somehow means that you like trump?... I thought everybody had ideas and knew how to express them in writing. I guess I better become a republican then :pppp
@@CyanMedic also you basically admitted that trumps staff are articulate in handling the edits of his written communication. So I don't see the joke there. Most presidential cabinets have capable ghost writers and various staff who make sure the president doesnt screw up what he says or writes down on sensitive matters. I have Latin friends and I am not a white boi but I still respect the standing president even though i voted for hillary.
Solid video, but I do have an issue with your dissection of ep 5 "The Sum of His Parts." The conflict is actually excellent in my opinion; Cyborg wants to be human, to act human, to not have the limitations of a robot. However, in refusing to recognize the amalgam that he is, he ends up in peril. The antagonist is the opposite of Cyborg, but with Cyborg's same reasoning: "Humanity and the human aspect of you is weak, and to replace it would improve you." Or to put it simply, Cyborg blames the tech aspect of him for his inadequacies, while the antagonist blames them on his humanity. Cyborg in the end chooses to maintain his humanity, but comes away acknowledging, or at least being more acutely aware of, the integral role his machine side plays in his life, a lesson giving Cyborg the wisdom to deal with his problems instead of reject their existence. It also ties in nicely with the episode where Atlas, a better robot, easily crushes Cyborg because Atlas is fully robotic and so 'more powerful.' The lesson Cyborg learns from ep 5 actually helps create another weakness while giving him strength; he refuses to try and beat Atlas because he thinks that, as only part robot, he physically cannot compete with Atlas, completely ignoring his adaptable human side. The Sum of His Parts is a fantastic episode, and as with most of Cyborg's episodes, teaches that no one aspect of what makes you you can be ignored; you are the way you are, and pretending otherwise doesn't change reality.
So, originally when I started watching this video I was expecting a perspective that contained some ...feeling? Personality? To be frank I counldn't finish due to the overtly negative narrative, especially considering the blandness of the narrator.
M0NKEYsig same. dude missed a lot of key points and I was completely taken away when he stated there was a lack of establishing shots. It’s dc comics not Spielberg bro
Well... to be honest... the maker of the video didnt do any research into the show before starting it. If he did he would have know that divide and conquer was not the first episode...
The Raven episode was my favourite too! In fact, I still remember most of it to this day! Thanks for reminding me of the show, it encouraged me to rewatch it. :D
I really liked the Cyborg Fix-it episode. I feel like it established that he hated his robotic side and that he was hoping to improve it to at least feel more human, but fix it wanted to go overboard, which is what freaked cyborg out.
I think I kinda understood his point, where the main conflict of the episode is Cyborg not liking his robot parts, but then Fixit wants to make him completely robot, which doesnt really add anything to the conflict. Cyborg already hates being half robot, why would the episode just re-explain that problem?
They had that funny zany tone, focuced on relationship with darker undertones since the beginning. The villains are not that important because the series main focus is even in the trigon arcmostly in relationships. And it makes a really good cartoon, because of that. I will not lie, i love the series because of raven. Especially her mirrow episode and trigon arc, but every character has a compeling arc, even starfire in several episodes.
Great video! Haven’t seen this show since I was a kid, but it’s weird to hear that’s what the very first episode was. I remember the episode about Raven’s Psyche was awesome, but now I appreciate it more. Haha. Keep up the great work Lowart!
Yeah, I was really surprised that that's the first episode on the DVDs. (In some places, the first and third eps are switched around.) Thanks, my man! You the best
I agree that Teen Titans didn't start off with a great pilot episode and like you, I didn't start to really enjoy it until we got the more character-driven episodes, like Sisters and Nevermore and Switched, where we dive more into the characters and get to know them by discovering their relationships. I mean, considering that Final Exam shortly follows Divide and Conquer, how am I supposed to feel upset when Cyborg leaves when I just met him, or the fact that in Final Exam, Robin "dies" when this is just the first couple of episodes and I hardly know him in this universe and what he means to the team? It takes away any emotional weight or punch and when both characters return in their respective episodes, it's more like, "Knew they'd be back, it's only the FIRST or SECOND episode" rather than, "OMG, WHAT JUST HAPPENED?" But still, I love both episodes mostly because they are bits that I find funny. And like you said, the show gets better as you go along, so it's not really a downer for me (:
Timberwolf410 actually that wasn’t the pilot episode. That was S1 E1. Pilots are usually episode 0 in a series. Now do you have to watch it to get who the character are faster? Yes, was it good? What pilot is better than actual episodes. is it hard to find? Yes
Writing teams don't just appear out of nowhere with PHds in writing great stories. In fact, there are very few J.D. Salingers in the world. Becoming a good writer is a journey that often takes many years, and most professionals start with varying degrees of skill. If you read Fahrenheit 451, you should realize that the concept is great, but the writing skill is terrible. Judging the first season of any new writing team has an element of unfairness about it. While you are right that the first season is lackluster, their last two seasons are far better. The writing team learned a lot, improved a lot, and just as they got good, it was over. And I never agreed with the complaints that ended the series. The new TTs, while written for a much younger audience, made fun of people, ethnic groups, and lifestyles far more blatantly than the original TTs. Why not shut them down as well? The truth is, the show was cut down in its prime - just as the writers matured into good story tellers. Cancelling the show when they did was a grave disservice to the fans and the industry alike.
I thought I was the only one that felt like the first season wasn't that great lol, and I kinda feel the same way about Avatar The Last Airbender. Both of those shows started off a little rocky but you still wanted to see where the story goes because the world was interesting and they had some good episodes here and there. The writers learned from some of their mistakes and they did their best to improve the shows. It also makes sense for the first season of a show to be mediocre at times because the writers are still trying to figure out what works.
Yeah, season one of Avatar is the worst one in that show, too. With cartoons, especially those made with a younger demographic in mind, I tend to give them more leniency and time to develop than other shows because, for whatever reason, I find that they take a bit more time to find their footing, as you said is the case here.
Season one of cartoons are also usually not as good because the creators can't dive right into the main plot because networks want to have filler-like episodes to air so people can be drawn in without being spoiled. I'm pretty sure that was the case with ATLA. Nickelodeon wanted light filler-like episodes to air that would simply introduce characters and reveal personality, which is fair, so they'd have episodes to randomly schedule throughout the day that people could watch without being spoiled. Season 1 of shows like Teen Titans, ATLA, etc. can be tricky to write. Especially cause, like you said, it takes the writers a little longer to find their footing.
I was at first confused because the first episode to air was the technically the third episode. The first season was designed more for younger audiences. Good video.
Yeah, I'm going to talk about that airing VS DVD difference more in the next part, since people seemed a bit thrown off by that (and I don't blame them). It definitely seem that it was designed for younger people, which makes sense. Thanks, bud! I'm happy you enjoyed it :)
My favorite and most chilling episode was Haunted. Just hearing Robin asking or rather begging Slade to stop only for Slade to persist was chilling...dark..and I loved it.
Fun fact: The first and third episodes on the DVD are switched. "Final Exam" was the first episode aired. "Divide and Conquer" was the third episode. So you still watched the show out of order.
"Thomas and the Magic Railroad" Oh god. I definitely didn't see that in theaters, but that cover looks very familiar. For whatever reason, I was big into trains as a little kid, and at some point that interest just disappeared. I don't know where it went, I don't know how I got it in the first place. It was just there...and then it wasn't. As for Teen Titans...this is another one of those "this was my childhood" shows that I just missed out on. I'd be interested in checking it out eventually, but, like Yu-Gi-Oh, I wonder if I ever will.
Good ol' Thomas. What a guy. I was also a huge train boy. There was no stopping my obsession. But, yeah, then it just . . . went away. Who even knows when? If you ever check it out, I'd love to hear your opinions on it! I also haven't seen Yu-Gi-Oh... It's one of those ones that looks like such a time commitment that it frightens me.
+Lowart If you're going to watch Yu-Gi-Oh! and haven't started yet I recommend checking out the Japanese only 1998 series yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Yu-Gi-Oh!_(Toei_anime) before the other one. It's a completely different universe from the other show, but it's much better because it focuses more on character relationships and personal bonds than it does on a card game.
I remember reading somewhere that Divide and Conquer was the third episode made. The first two being Final Exam and Sisters respectively. But I read that back when I was a kid and didn't know how to use a computer well so I haven't been able find that website I was on. Maybe having Cyborg leave the team in the third episode would make a bigger impact.
Teen Titans the episode "Haunted" 1) When our vision is distorted by hatred We often miss simple pleasures in life and it's a shame 2) If you let the anger and revenge consume you you will feel unable to contemplate the magnificent views in front of you
To everyone who sees this just remember: This series is one of the reasons Young Justice exists and is every way better than its predecessor, however, we just want it back to tie up some loose ends.
TBH I didn't find S5's "cliffhanger" that upsetting. I always felt like Terra wasn't as important of a character as the writers were trying to make her into and I never felt that much emotional attachment to her. So at least in my mind, as long as Brain and his goons were KO'd, the show didn't have any loose end to tie. But hey, that's just my two cents.
Jon-John Pinckney Wait that’s what you were actually saying? Holy shit usually I respect others opinions but for once I’m gonna say your wrong on this one buddy
I am almost 100% sure episode 3 was the first one that aired here in the states on KidsWB, I woke up early in the morning for the first episode of Teen Titans, the one where they fight the three hive members, just an intersting note if you weren't aware.
Yeah, oddly enough, episode 3 was the first one aired and episode 1 was aired third, but in the DVD release they re-ordered them, so I went with those. It is really odd though and a good thing to bring to the table, so you're memory is correct and thanks for bringing that up ^_^ I will be sure to mention the order int the next episode of the series. Thanks for watching and commenting, bud
Well I’m almost 30, watched again and yes, it’s still as good as we remember. Even as adult I can appreciate how good the relationship of the characters was, the wonderful way in which they mix humor and drama and the deep it and focus all protagonist were given. Even the final chapter still manages to makes feel sad. If you are watching such an old show as this you don’t expect so much a great animation or some of the modern liberties that were added over the years. And still it was wonderful. I still miss them and if the ever do a show about them I will watch it.
Dude, you don't need to call it "Teen Titans 2003", or "OG Teen Titans", just call it Teen Titans. And yes, It is still amazing; I watched all of the first season a few weeks ago and loved it
True Star Wars Fan Exactly, but I'm all in for a sixth and final season of TTA for the sake of giving the series a proper ending. Would be a good idea to finally have it connected to the DC Universe, as well as giving Donna Troy (Wonder Girl) the recognition she deserves.
The series already had a proper ending with Things Change. The message being to let go of the past and move on with the future. It uses those two's relationship to signify the end of the show and that we can't always have things end the way we want and we need to move on so we don't hurt anyone and can survive. It's deeply symbolic and is why the show shouldn't be renewed for another season.
+Fandom Tribal Ignorance at its finest. You couldn't understand the depth Things Change had so you labeled it as bad and labeled those who do see it for what it is as autistic. Also Autism does not mean stupid nor is it something that causes bad taste so you can kindly either stop using it to mean something it doesn't or can get off the internet entirely.
I was a bit startled about the chronology because the way it was on the sites I watched it and IMDB Final Exam is actually the first episode. It doesn't made Divide and Conquer any better and most of your critic still stands but I just wanted to point out that the chronology of episodes can be different depending on where you look. I personally found the Teen Titans to be an endearing watch (I watched it last winter), and most episodes had something I liked about them. it was also one of the first times I saw a cartoon have a somewhat continous plot soooo that was nice. And it made me much more open to watch more cartoons.
That differing chronology is going to be something I go into next time and I'll explain why I started with Divide and Conquer. Basically, on the DVDs, its the first episode, so I chose to go with that because of some stuff in those episodes. Thanks for pointing it out though :) It's definitely endearing! I just finished writing the script on the remaining episodes of season 1 and, by the end, it had me feeling so nostalgic for it despite the problems I went through here. I agree that even having some sort of continuous plot is cool to see. Actually, I think it was the first time I saw that in a cartoon, too. It's also awesome that it made you more open to watch more cartoons! It's always awesome to hear when a show can do that for someone ^_^ Thanks for watching and for taking the time to leave a comment. I enjoyed reading what you had to say :)
I really appreciate the tone you've gone for when talking about this series. From the title, a part of me was expecting a more cynical and overly-critical retrospective, but after watching it, I'm relieved by not only the more laid-back, matter-of-fact tone you took, but the optimism by the end in regards the good stuff that made this show so awesome. I look forward to Part 2! :D
I've actually always been glad there wasn't much exposition at the start of the series. It always kinda told me a message that meeting people, especially potential friends isn't about their backstory, it's about them in the present. Their bearing, how they act, interact, and process in different situations. Then it's about how they adapt over time. Their past is best left to be filled in naturally over time.
Please stop doing the generic "here's a picture of me in my DeviantArt artstyle doing a reactionary thing like throwing my arm out so you can see how I feel dispite me doing the same thing with a thing called tone of voice" stick. It breaks the pace and distracting.
Personifying the channel creator through art is a legitimate form of self expression. This is because it is only a disruption of content flow for a person who does not like the specific image shown. I like the art but think it can go places. A valid complaint would be the high positive emotionality of the art compared to the neutral emotionality and monotone vocals.
As much as I have dear nostalgia towards Teen Titans, I'm so happy to see more people admit and criticise the show's faults.. It wasn't as amazing as many make it sound like, but it is fun for what it is. I do however wonder how the CN show compares to the comics.. And it is nice knowing the show still holds a fanbase and although TT GO doesn't quite hold the standard to the original, it has helped introduce the cast to a new audience and raised interest.
OK nice. I'm excited for season 2. The second half of season 1 is already a big improvement, so I'm looking forward to talking about that, and I'm happy to know that it does improve.
One thing I want to make mention of before you watch though is that while Season 2 is great, it unfortunately suffers from budget constraints. While I love the character, her arc didn't get the amount of time it was meant to because of not having enough money to have a 6th main character for the whole season. That's why in between these great episodes there are more one off episodes. I'm saying this because I want you to know that the writers realized that this was a problem but they had no way of fixing it and just did the best with what they had. If you realize it wasn't a case of bad writing, but more a case of (Didn't have enough money for 6 main characters and several villains) then I think you could be more forgiving. I'll admit I'm biased in favor towards Season 2 and this character but that's because despite the constraints I think they still made something worth praising. Basically, it has much higher highs than Season 1, but also has some episodes that are of season 1's quality.
Thanks for bringing that up! Especially since I sometimes tend to use the phrase "the writers chose to," that's good of you to bring up. I'll be really careful about using that when I'm discussing those sections and I'll be sure to keep that in mind. I'm looking forward to seeing how our opinions align as I go through this more ^_^
Well, the series did fix some characters like Terra. Who in the comics, is rather obnoxious, paranoid and even downright sadistic The worst part, she engages in a sexual relationship with Slade, a man who's WAAAAAY older than her. The clone created shortly after her death in The Judas Contract was a different person, unaware what her original self had done.
With season 6 being teased I’m definitely going to go through the series again seeing you start a series is a good way to get me excited to critique it overall and see how it stacks up with my nostalgia. Can’t wait for you to continue the fma series as well when we hit the juicy Dante/Father debates haha. Static shock and Batman Beyond are ones I would love to see an analysis video as well if you ever got around to them.
Thanks for the suggestions! I'll make note of them. I recall Batman Beyond but don't recall Static Shock; either way, I'm sure I'll find some enjoyment them :) Yeah, the prospect of season 6 definitely got me excited and motivated me to make this. It'l be awesome to go through this together with all of you ^_^
The Raven episode tried to show how she does her best to separate and control her emotions because of they go out of control the demonic origin of her power can begin to bleed through. She doesn't want to be closed off but feels that she had to be for everyone's safety. She also really resents the origin of her power and is afraid that if anyone knew the truth about her they would be afraid and no longer like her.
You're off two episodes. You have the second and third reversed in order as well; these being the Blackfire episode and the Cyborg Robin fallout episode. The first episode was actually the introduction of the HIVE, as well as Slade. You may wanna consider looking back over these in the correct order ^^'
HikaruBaskerville No you’re supposed to go by intended order. TV station sometimes put things out of order. The DVD order is the intended order, not airing order. It’s insane to say you’re “supposed” to go by airing order. That’s not how it works. Everyone that watched the show on DVD is going to go by DVD order not your arbitrary one time airing order. The creators have more say on DVD order than airing order. Not sure why you think their say doesn’t matter.
"Is Teen Titans 2003 As Great As We Remember?" Yes. I can name off more episodes that personally had more heart in them than most shows, and it was very consistent, and got better over time. By the time season 5 rolled around, the staff had it perfected
I'm already seeing that improvement over time with the second half of season one. By the end, I was pretty pumped to rewatch the other parts I've already seen and to see all the episodes I've missed. Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a comment :)
i say this with contention to your video mainly because i just rewatched the show a few weeks ago and it only cemented my love for the series...your perfectly right to question nostalgia of an old series..there are many series we go back to and cant really see why we liked it when we were younger....i just feel differently about the premise :P the TT series holds up as much as the old DCAU proper....so many life lessons taught about friendship, love, hate, racism, and even sexism in this series that i did not actually even notice when first casually watching on cartoon network all those years ago, but i saw for the first time. it opened my eyes to how much i wanted the series back, which is why the season 6 announcement is pretty crazy for me
Personally, I think that you took this criticism of Titan Titans Season 1 WAY too seriously~ Your criticism harshly dumps all over Season 1 for some of the most minute details; like complaining about solid color filler backgrounds during action scenes. Why are you even watching the background when the action and relevant scenarios are taking place in the foreground??? It is as if you are just looking for something to complain about. In my opinion, I don't think you came into this review of Titans Teens with the right state of mind. You should try to loosen up your mindset a bit more first before watching and reviewing the Teen Titans series. Maybe then you will actually enjoy it more so than just complain about it.
To be fair, most of the first season deserved to be trashed. I recently tried rewatching the show because I used to love it and after a few episodes all I could think was "I was such a moron for enjoying this show as a kid". I'm just glad to hear that the first few episodes weren't a represintation of the rest of the series.
When i initially saw Slade toying with Robin, i was convinced that he's Bruce trying to help Robin improve. But then he went full blown villain and i was like "maybe not".
Gotta be honest raven was always my biggest crush. Damn she made me swoon as a kid. Part of me liked starfire as well bc she’s sweet. But ravens personality always attracted me most
@@nickclark18 didnt realize that reminiscing about a cartoon character you had a crush on when you were a child meant that they are virgins today, anyway back then I LOVED black fire I definetly liked her a lot
Before I even watch the video, I’m just gonna say yes, to me, it’s even better than when I saw it as a kid. I only ever really payed attention to the fighting but I just finished rewatching it (literally half an hour ago), and I could actually pay attention to and follow the story of the show. I could pay attention to the characters and it was way more amazing than I remember, so I hope they do bring it back Edit: yeah they show you how they all met in season 4 and I cried Edit#2: someone told me it was season 5. It only said episode numbers when I watched it
That's great that you enjoyed it more upon rewatching. I just finished writing part 2 of this and, if it keeps up its overall improvements, I think I'll be in the same boat as you by the end of it.
There is however one thing about this show that I know was intentional but I don't feel very good about. Each season has some severe mood whiplash between the current story arcs. You'll have some really great dark episodes, then one random lighthearted unimportant one, and then continue the character arc previously shown. Generally speaking if the show opens up with the Japanese opening you're getting a silly episode (The lyrics are even ridiculous in the Japanese version if you look them up).
Yeah, that jump from serious to light-hearted is pretty jarring and makes the show feel a lot more childish. I'll have to look up the lyrics for the Japanese one haha I assumed they'd be a translation of the english one, so that's good that you pointed it out.
i dont really think that's a problem. your going to have light hearted episodes and dark episodes from any series that can balance two different settings together. TT managed to have that good balance without feeling jilted for 99% of the audience. having a dark series all the way through or a comedic series all the way through is bland, like its either titans judas contract or teen titans go?
While I don't think it'd be good for all the shows to be dark or comedic, I think they could have done a better job of transitioning between them. That being said, tone shifts are one of those things that everyone feels different about; what might be a jarring tone shift for me could feel like a breath of fresh air to you, so I totally respect that.
It's not the fact there are lighthearted episodes, it's the fact that there are lighthearted episodes (That are unconnected the current story arc) placed in between the darkest and most important episodes of said story arc. It's really jarring when you go from an episode like "Betrayal" (One of the most heartbreaking episodes in the show) to the Larry episode, and then to "Aftershock" which continues Betrayal's storyline. It would have been far better to have an episode showing the characters dealing with the conflicts of Betrayal in a slow paced episode to lead into the events of Aftershock rather than having an inter dimensional mini me character pop up for goofiness. Each season does something like this and it's jarring each time it happens. They should have kept the lighthearted episodes at the beginning of the seasons and had them get gradually more dark the longer the story arc goes on.
This idea that people think a series is "perfect" because of nostalgia and then grow out of it and realize its flaws is weird to me. When I look at something through nostalgia googles, I remember what a series meant to me, not that it was somehow flawless or better than the shows other people watch. I mean, there were shows I really didn't like, but it was usually other people telling me my preferences were bad, not the other way around. It just made sense that every show has pros and cons even if you like it.
The beginning of Teen Titans was what I like to call "horribly endearing". I guess what I mean is that it has tons of problems and really makes you wonder what the team was thinking starting it off like this, but it's because of these problems that leads you to appreciate how much the show improves. Instead of the usual cartoon format (in my experience of course) of having a strong start and then it falling off as it goes on, TT starts off with weak villains, character backgrounds, and stakes, and improves all of these aspects as the story goes on that make you come to love and grow with the characters as they do.
TT certainly isn't as perfect and flawless as we remembered, but it has so much character and unique concepts that shine through every now and again that often aren't portrayed in "average" cartoons. And I think that's the main thing about TT that I love and still appreciate to this day: it's a flawed but important show that has just as many good features as it's bad ones.
I had fun watching this one from you, of course I love almost all your videos so I wasn't too surprised lol. I'm looking forward to the next part of this for sure.
That's a wonderful way of putting it! I'm just starting season 2, and it's already improved a ton, so I see what you mean. I always prefer the gradual improvement to the usual falling-off that cartoons have, so I'm happy to see that.
I also agree about it not being perfect or flawless, but still being cool and interesting.
And I'm happy you enjoyed the video ^_^ Thanks, bud
I've seen alot analysis type youtuber like you but unlike them I genially feel you mean what you say and you seem like a good person
Basically saying,keep it up
You messed up something. Episode 3 was the first episode broadcast. The dvd company messed up when making it.
Lowart the first episode of Teen titans was their first fight against the High Five. The cinderblock episode was a couple episodes later
Raven was my sexual awakening
I assumed she was everyone's sexual awakening :o
Starfire
Starfire was mine.
Raven was mine
Jesus Christ.
I remember the conflict between Robin and Slade so intense when I was younger- I remember it being so impactful and deep. It was one of the best cartoons because it had a deeper plot line instead of just for entertainment like spongebob for example
but now they made it like other cartoons with TTG lol
I want to make all episodes of my animated series, anime and cartoons with a deeper plot.
Some of the stories were a bit clunky. What really made me fall in love with this show was the characters and their development with each other.
Yeah, the characters are definitely improving as it goes, as are their dynamics. It's got me pretty excited to rewatch season 2 and write about it.
I recently rewatched the whole series and i have to say it was even better than when i watched it as a kid, back then a lot of the more mature themes just flew over my head, but i still knew what was going on kind of and i think the character development and their individual arcs that gave us new informations about them made me feel invested in the characters. For me at least it was not just kid nostalgia, it is a legit amazing piece of work
agreed man tenfold. I actually decided to rewatch the series back in Dec. of 2015 and it was even better/left a mark on me than I remember when I grew up watching it. and as you said, b/c as an adult I can fully get + appreciate the adult themes and what the show was trying to do, how well it did it. I too realized it wasn't just my kid nostalgia either, it's legit very good and held up well. before revisiting it, TT hadn't really crossed my mind for like a full 9yrs since the original broadcast syndication.
@im really fly
Haha. Seriously. These guys must be getting the high end, expensive nostalgia goggles.
As dd I. I just finished the series, and it is way better then i remember. I can actuallt appreciate everything
im really fly alright. Let’s hear your counter argument. Or were you just going to say something baseless?
i just finished re watching the series n i still think it's the best.
Short Answer: Yes.
Long Answer: Yeah.
Carlos Rodriguez
Definitely
teen titans is the best in my opinion. it will always b better than teen titans go
Yes
Definitely
Absolutely
@@doctortuxito7532 i feel like thats a Gravity Falls reference
@@ilvz i have just seen 4 episodes of it and its already better than every episode i have ever seen from ttg
I respect your opinion but to me the blurry, action line backgrounds always felt closer to a comic book action scenes rather than a anime one.
"No no, he's got a point."
@@aliminator1310 I understood that reference.
@@christinagarrett7696 I understood that reference
@@micahowenaby7252 I understood that referenc
@@lqu I understood that refren
I’m going to have to disagree with the “Sum of His Parts” criticism. It shows that Cyborg doesn’t like that he has limitations now that he isn’t completely human and decides to ignore his robotic side. In “Only Human” (season 2) he does a complete 180 and decides that he can ONLY do what the machine part of him can do. In season 3 when his arc is completely explored, it shows that he wishes he were human again. When Brother Blood offers him his humanity back, that’s when his arc comes to a full circle.
I also believe that the “Divide & Conquer” episode makes much more sense in the season three context (how Cyborg is older and wants to be team leader and move up in the world) - like why it’s in season 1 (outside of the whole Slade storyline) is beyond me.
I think "Only human" was a better exploration of Cyborg's persona and if this was switched for the "Sum of his parts", it would've been better.
I also think that the episode "Deception" has a lot of better paced development for Cyborg than "Sum of his parts"
The show does get off to a bit of a slow start, but I think it starts to find its identity about halfway into season 1. After that it becomes a really interesting and compelling series. I especially love the places they take the Slade/Robin dynamic later on. It gets really dark at times.
You're right that it definitely starts to find its identity about halfway through this season. By the end, my feelings about it were overall quite positive despite these initial negative impressions. I'm looking forward to where that Robin/Slade thing goes in future seasons especially.
It's pretty great once you get there. I won't ruin it for you though.
It's fine, the first few episodes of Teen Titans aren't great and the first one in particular is a terrible pilot episode. I'm not sure what the story is there, but I'm glad they got themselves pulled together because the series turned into a real gem.
You won't get there for awhile, but Raven's character is explored in interesting ways in some of the later seasons as well. Her and Robin are probably the two best characters in the series to be honest. At least for me :)
Definitely. Once it found its footing the show would only get better and better.
Lowart The episode Haunted from the third season is fantastic.
My favorite episode was when Cyborg and BeastBoy went into Ravens room, found a mirror that sent them into Ravens mind.
Anyone remember that episode
Yep, Nevermore was a really good episode.
Legit talked about in this video
Yep
Yes!!! That one's great
That one was great, I remember the episode with all the heroes against all the villains.
Your video has a problem. Cartoon network shifted around the early episodes so it made more sense. It started with the episode "Final Exam", which introduced Slade, HIVE and other recurring villains. The order you watched it in was the production order, which is how it will be sorted now.
final exam sisters than divide and conquer....that's the correct order...which makes it all make more sense
@@razkable Thank you! That makes it so much better!
Cartoon network didn't purposely re-order the episodes, it was a mistake on their part. Also no it doesn't make sense to have Final Exam first if you pay close attention to the contents of the episodes. In Final Exam, more of Slade is shown than in Divide and Conquer. In Divide and Conquer, they each have a little intro moment and have no idea who Slade is. If the aired order had been correct, it would have been used on the DVDs and acknowledged by the creators, but neither of those happened.
Joel Blugh exactly what i was thinking. i just binged the series and thought “wait they do start off without internal conflict, this isn’t an issue”
it's always shifting episodes that causes problems with these kinds of shows which is a shame
You know Teen Titans were like the first cartoons with the anime-influenced artstyle & aesthetics, and this was before Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Man I hope, just like with Samurai Jack, they bring the original series back and give it a complete story & finale.
I don't think it needs it. Things Change was the perfect finale because of the message it was giving. I'd prefer if it doesn't get a new season because the last one was one of the best endings I've ever seen to a series.
Yeah, it was definitely one of the earliest ones I can think of that was so obviously inspired by anime. I also hope that they bring the series back. While I don't mind shows with more bubbly art styles like the new Teen Titans, that seems to have become the baseline, and I'd love for there to be more diversity in terms of style and presentation in children's media.
And oh man I gotta watch Samurai Jack. I've heard such great things about it.
TheZeldaExperienceWithin really? What was the message Things Change was trying to give?
That sometimes in life things won’t always work the way you want it to and to survive you need to let go of the past and move on for your sake and for the sake of others. It uses their relationship to end the show symbolically because they weren’t going to make another season. This is why there shouldn’t be a season 6 for this message.
TheZeldaExperienceWithin but they just teased a season six
Even as a kid, I didn’t need an into for them. The first episode I watched was Transformation, and that was all I needed to see to know that they were all close and cared about each other. The next episode I randomly saw was How Long is Forever, and I learned how important friendship is. Maybe I’m simple-minded, but I still like it.
Rewatch the slade fight in his lair and think of the gears. The gears are symbolizing planning, and eventually the gears stop.
The titans never figure out slades end game, just that hes always up to something, and multiple plans and actions are always in motion. All of them don't seem related but if one fails it can stop the whole machine.
Good idea.
I always saw it as a terminator 2 reference where arnold saves the day coming out as the gear turns at the end. Also I say this because the original deathstroke comics were called death stroke the terminator. But what you said works.
Btw the clocks in Slade's lair are symbolic of his master plan fitting together and working flawlessly. But I think revealing anything about his character in any obvious way would only serve to downplay that frightening feeling of his manipulation and the helplessness of trying to stop him. I say this in a way that sounds exaggerated, there wasn't a massive dread when he was around of course, but it's still the concept that I think is very well done.
Did you paraphrase that from Nux?
The thing is, this show's purpose wasn't to introduce everyone in episode one. Just like Cowboy Bebop it tries to have most of the episodes be stand alone. Obviously it won't start too deep, but slowly flesh out the characters. You're supposed to be left confused on episode one and continue onwards wondering that this is a team of super heroes yet they don't get along. You get little info on the characters, but character development on these new opposing personalities of Robin and Cyborg. If you didn't know the Titans wouldn't you too be wondering why the oldest, Cyborg, isn't in charge? The message wasn't great and it isn't the best episode overall but it's fine to be the opening episode. Once you see the second episode focus on Starfire you start to understand, hey these episodes are on their own with the adventures of this team, but it seems to be very character focused.
They don't world build at all, because that's not the focus at all. They don't want you to care for the city their protecting but rather understand why they care to be the ones protecting it. It's just a typical boring city that villains want to take over. Later on in the show you learn they are in a world of superheroes, pretty much the dc universe, and all the heroes are protecting their city. That's it to the world building. You can tell the writers never cared about that, this show is about the team, the Teen Titans.
Also I understand that you wish Slade got more of an introduction for the overall arc, and I do too. In all there are only like 4 episodes that contribute to the main plot of the season. However Slade is still introduced in subtle ways leaving the viewers to wonder, who is he and what is he doing. He was in the third episode in the beginning and the end even if it was a little. He was also in the fourth even if you don't realize it's the same guy or what his intentions even are.
Lastly episode 4's message was more of the idea of "it's just a prank bro" can go too far. You're constantly having fun, reaching for more and more of this type of fun that eventually you go too far. This shines in Beast Boy, and how these guys are similar to him in personality, and if Beast Boy goes too far he could possibly get to this point as well. Raven might not have cared as much as Starfire did emotionally from this prank because they are very different. Starfire takes things too seriously and can't understand when people aren't being nice or apologizing. You can already tell that from the small development Starfire has already gotten. It's a nice episode because you can see Beast Boy understands better than them and wouldn't be influenced by Slade to do these things. I really liked that in the end Starfire helped teach Beast Boy to show them what the right path is.
Again, I agree the first few episodes of Teen Titans were in no means good, but I feel you may be judging too critically and ignoring what the show is truly trying to do.
Nikita P if what the show is truly trying to do is kind of murked by bad pacing/eh writing then there’s nothing wrong with looking at it critically
No that wasn't my point at all. Again I want you to take a look at these types of shows pacing like Cowboy Bebop where they're all supposed to be stand alone with one main plot that gets brought up in some episodes. The pacing isn't great I agree and I prefer it to be more cohesive, but a lot of shows (cartoons in general) follow this stand alone format. I agree some episodes did have eh writing, but I thought many had their moments and that is what I appreciate from this show.
It depends
The basic story telling in any children focused media is:
-Introduction of the characters, a simple overall background, what do they do, who they are and what is their purpose
- Introduction to the antagonists, villains, problems they face in the story
- Introduction to the world, what happens around them, why do they live there, are they safe?, etc
Once you get these narrowed down, you start the show introducing everything more and more depending on the story length, etc
The writing is messy right from the start and there is really not an excuse out there of why is it like that.
Up to 2003 we had shows like "Xiaolin Showdown", "Kim Possible" and even non action shows like "The fairly oddparents" and "The grim adventures of Billy and Mandy" followed this storytelling rules at best.
Don't get me wrong, I consider myself a die hard fan of the Teen Titans, but I know damn right that the writing was messy af and tbh, it had a lot of filler villain/episodes. Some of them were good, but not all.
I mean you are right Teen Titans didn't do a great job with it, but they still did it. They gave a small intro of each of the characters and somewhat how they fight, showed they're the Teen Titans and they fight crime. They also introduce the blah villains. Although the development may be enough it isn't good and we could use more. However because of this you are left with the huge mystery of how the Titans came together, how did this all start. When it was all finally revealed in the episode Go it was amazing. One of my favorite episodes. If you really preferred Go to be the starting episode of the show that's fine but I think it lowers Go's value of an episode. You wouldn't understand Beast Boy's doom patrol and being fascinated with working as Robin's sidekick. You wouldn't understand why Raven believes good isn't right for her because of the darkness inside of her. And finally you wouldn't understand why Cyborg hated revealing his robot parts. However if Go was done in a more subtle way to give you hints into their characters and had Go as the first episode of the show it would've worked well. Clearly it's a decision the writers took and I say it paid off. Perhaps having it in the beginning would've gave them a lot better foundation. Who's to know? Honestly it isn't too big of a flaw to have me complaining.
Love this comment.
Saw the title
My reaction: yes it is as good as we thought it was.
Bridie Love my exact reaction also
My reaction: "Honestly, having gone back and watched the whole thing very recently... nnnnnot quite, to be honest. Especially since Young Justice exists."
But hey, I won't stop you if you disagree.
I dont see how young justice makes Teen Titans worse. In fact, while I like young Justice its romances are terrible narrative elements.
👎
I have seen so much anime that its the closest thing to it yes even more so than avatar...its still enjoyable but obviously not original like some believe once you seen enough anime teen titans as a whole loses its luster at least on the action portions and comedy sides...the drama and character interactions and character personalities are still distinct and amazing ..its different for dc at the time but that's why I like it cause its just taking anime tropes and paying homage at the same time..it has timeless messages morals stories and some twists I was shocked by..
Cyborg always reminded me of those big apple monitors that came in different colors with their transparent housings that schools would always use.
"The Apprentice part 1" and "Haunted" are probably the two darkest episodes of anything that have ever aired on carton network.
Don't underplay the "a joke isn't always a joke." Literally last week, this came up at my job. (I'm 27 and my boss is in her 40's) I jokingly said she was lying about cleaning something often when I KNEW she didn't(she wasn't looking and thought I was referring to something else) and she got super pissed at being called a liar, her life's full of shit, etc. Granted, the episode's situation was _quite_ a bit more extreme, but this is a very important lesson. This lesson also easily leads into another one about being careful with your words/actions, that not everyone was raised the same as you and can have very different outlooks on the world.
I want to say more about this, but I really have no idea how to articulate it, so I'm just gonna end it here.
I’ve heard multiple times that they had the air dates wrong during the beginning of the series, which is why that was the first episode
The third and the first episode were switched
Yeah, the third episode aired as the pilot for the series.
Now that makes perfect sense.
Thanks for clarifying I was honestly confused why he was talking about the first ep
but showing the third.
@@DrTimes99 yeah Looking at that 3rd episode it made Robin Look GREAT as the main Character. The 1st one was just a random episode
Raven was definitely the highlight of this show for me.
Agreed
Her major villain arc was my fave too.
Kell Harris Robin x Starfire
Kell Harris same
Why tho I get that she was probably the deepest character and had the best finale but other then that’s I don’t see why people are so overly obsessed with raven
I didn’t think season 1 was bad. I just rewatched it a couple days ago and it’s a lot of fun. Good action, charming characters, and villains that make sense for the beginning of the show.
Overall, as a whole package, I agree that season 1 isn't bad. My second part of this is going to be a lot more positive; from episode 6 onward it's a pretty solid season and a lot of fun, in my opinion.
Lowart I liked your video though. I agree from an objective standpoint the show did start out a little weak
Master Monkey where’d you watched it????? I wanna rewatch the whole series
Lowart I think once the first season reveals Slades true plan that's when the show starts to get better, the first half of season 1 didn't really give us an idea of what Slades true plan really was.
Once you get up to Masks and apprentice story arcs everything starts to come full circle and you start to understand that the season 1 arc was always building to the relationship between Slade and Robin and Taking him as his apprentice.
Sasuke Hiro
The Cartoon Network app has the entire series if you sign in your cable
I'm sorry, but so much of what makes teen titans so great, went right over your head. They didn't have fans yet because they were trying to make a name for themselves. Robin just left Batman. Starfire just made it on Earth, and the way the rest of the group acts shows that THEY dont get each other yet. The other villains are there to show a more cohesive team and inspire them to get their act together. The worst opinion was the cyborg episode. Cyborg's robotic parts are portrayed as a disability that Cy must learn to accept and live with. He doesn't want to be a burden to the group, but he cant live normally like they can. He will never be fully human. The Villain tries to convince him that if he just let go of what makes him human and fully become his disability than he'd be better off. It's a Grade A tale about identity when you have a disability.
I don't think having the ABILITY to fire lasers beams like megaman is a DISability.
@@deivisony It is when you have to plug yourself into the wall like a phone every couple of hours lest your battery run out and you "shut down" against your will. Cyborg's parts are literally a mobile life support system that keep him alive, and, at the start of the series, he *hates* this fact. He wishes he was fully human again. He wishes he was *normal*. His cybernetic half is the weaker half in his mind. To quote him from "Only Human"
"Cyborg: When I was an athlete, when I was human, I loved pushing my limits. Getting stronger, faster, better, just by trying harder than I ever had before. My coaches would always tell me to give a hundred and ten percent. And I always did.
Robin: You still can.
Cyborg: My muscles are mechanical now. Limits are built in. No matter how hard I try, a hundred percent is all I've got. "
Which is where Fixit comes in. He saw things in the complete opposite manner where he hated his organic body and wished to be like a machine. Even going so far as to hide himself underground. He then tries to "fix" Cyborg by offering to replace what he sees as the weaker side. Cyborg's humanity. This episode isn't about Cyborg specifically. It's about the contrast on how the two of them think and view their world.
@@Done25. Nah man for me it's a nice tradeoff. He could upgrade his parts without taking the human ones away and humans have limits too with his robots parts he can overcome these humans limits or simply remove some battery consuming parts... Well I think I'm digging to much on the plot and... MAN THAT'S MEGAMAN BLASTER DID YOU HEAR ME?
Deivison Carvalho It actually was the case from the creation of the character that Cyborg’s greatest desire is to one day be Victor Stone, teen football jock. He loved athletics and being stronger then human cuts him off from not just being a football star but everything that it means to be human (in his assessment). In the first DC RPG they had motivations for being a hero as a thing. Superman was the face for doing the right thing. Batman was vengeance. And Cyborg was the face for “unwanted power”.
The ONLY problem with this video is that you made a deadly assumption: Adults are better versions of children. While in fact, we're not, we're just different. Why is this a problem? Because you start re-watching the series with the wrong mentality. You forget what it's like to be a kid (short attention span, mind full of wonders and all that) and assumed everything you enjoy now, you'd also had enjoyed as a kid, and no, that's not it at all. There are a looooong list of things I enjoy nowadays that I know for sure I wouldn't look at for longer than half a second as a kid. Kids are not lesser, incomplete version of their adult-self, they are simply different. We all change as we grow up, and most of us don't realize it, we think we're still the same, but we're really, really not. So a cartoon that kid enjoy might not be what adult enjoy, and vice versa. That doesn't make the thing itself any worse, it just make it different. And since this show's target audiences were children, NOT adults (well, maybe it's for adults as well, but certainly not the primary target), it was FINE, and AS GREAT AS WE REMEMBERED IT TO BE.
Then you need to take THIS into account: Kids don't need long introduction, they don't need episodes after episodes showing them the characters' background. They can jump right into the action and enjoy it JUST AS MUCH. In fact, what do you think attract a kid's attention and make them decide to stay with a show? THE ACTIONS! Why do you think Tom and Jerry, a show with literally no introduction whatsoever, needs absolutely no beginning, middle or end plot throughout, is so popular with children of all generation?! Back to the show at hand, IF we did get characters' background episodes first, A LOT of us, as kids, would have dropped the show and never watched another episode because "it seemed boring". While starting IMMEDIATELY with the actions and conflicts drew in and captured young minds. After they're already hooked, they're more likely to stay and watch the other episodes that would seem boring to them if they had seen it first. And as adults, we've done our fair share of research before start watching it, so we don't need the introduction, either. So again, the show did fine.
To add to this, themes such as fighting with your friends might seem like stupid nonsense to us adults because we have bigger problems. But to kids, fighting with your friends is devastating. Pranks? I'm an adult, I cant remember the last time I even pulled a prank. As a kid tho, I was hurt by several and the message spoke to me then. Robin's desperate attempt to take the world on his shoulders to protect his friends and himself spoke to me as a kid. He's a child. If an adult says "Do this or I'm going to kill/hurt your friends" you're going to do the thing. Even the Starfire Blackfire episode was great. The themes are made to harmonize with kids and they do so with great expertise.
excellent comment. You took the words right out of my mouth.
This is the same kind of retoric used to defend TTG funnily enough
I was trying to figure out why it didn't bother me that the characters weren't introduced "properly" in the first episode but I couldn't explain it. I think you got it right.
Cartoons don't have to be like anime, where there's a clear beginning (introducing characters, setting etc.) in the first episode. Sometimes when you watch a cartoon as a kid you don't automatically turn on the TV and the first episode is airing anyway.
Totally agree with you. I love more in actions and morals that being brought from this show when I was a kid, and yeah, it is totally for kids, especially for teens. What I mean is the actions that these shows resembles a lot on how the kids or teens have to face, the conflicts between friends and siblings, as a team, and all. And yes, this show didn't show any intro of the characters, cause it's for kids. No matter what episode is shown, they can just simply enjoy the actions. As I grown up, I rewatched the episodes, and it's understandable that every episodes and seasons brings back to their origins and their true enemies from their own side, which elaborates more about them after their meet from the "Origin" episode. For instance, Starfire's conflict with her sister, Blackfire, and about her background and home planet, Tamaranian, Robin and Slade, which lead him to work alone as before, Cyborg and Brotherhood, Raven and her own father, Trigon, and lastly, the separation of Beastboy and his old team, Doom Patrol, defeating their big enemy, Brain. Actually, each season tells everything about their stories. Season 1, about Robin. Season 2, Terra. Season 3, Cyborg. Season 4, Raven. And season 5, Beast Boy. They only not focus on Starfire if you notice. Actions speaks everything. I'm now 20 and still enjoy it with my own perspective.
Raven episodes are always great imo. Nevermore, Switched, Fear Itself, Spellbound, Hide and Seek, Bunny Raven, and her Season 4 arc are all excellent.
I liked the raven episode with all the different moods
It wasn't perfect, but it's still so much better than teen titans go
So is literally everything else
The saddest thing is that ttg now has it's own theatrical movie 😲
Compared to the shitshow that is ttg, this IS perfection
David Anonymous I’m not going to lie the movie is actually pretty good...it’s feels like a ph rated animated deadpool
@@malarkeyhere
You mean the live action series?
the idea behinde the Cyborg episode you brought up was simply a crisis of humanity. While your proposed ideas for how the episode COULD have been are solid ideas and could've worked just as well. The idea was suppose dot be that cyborg is unhappy with being a machine now. For all the cool gadgets he has, there's drawbacks. He doesn't *feel* human anymore. Then here comes this asshole who decides to take away what little humanity he has left? by striping away what he felt was "unnecessary?" It was supposed to be cyborg's worst nightmare come to life. However it doesn't just paint cyborg's parts a bad thing either. the fact that he's used these abilities to be a super hero is already proof enough that they've done some good for himself and others. But also the kid you mentioned not just contextualizes the world and how it views the titans. But that at the end of the day people don't see cyborg much different. the parts about himself that he laments are special, and him being a kid with a fake hand contextualizes that. it was to show cyborg that being part machine wasn't so bad. he could cope with it as long as HE knew he was still in essence. human. and that others saw him that way too.
but it was also a character arc for the villain of the episode, to help him realize that the things he felt were unnecessary, were the most necessary parts of being alive. Which he realizes in the end, and moves on.
while i woudl argue the other cyborg episodes tackle these ideas better, and in various angles. I'd still argue this episode does a good job with it.
SideQuest wow this is an amazing comment! I was gonna say that having cyborg want to be rid of his human parts was going against Cyborgs whole character is about but your comment is way more thought out and is described way better than I could do. Well done man! 👍
Cool stuff! Although I still don't think all of the episode ties together thematically, you've certainly provided me with a perspective that has helped me appreciate it more, so thanks for taking the time to leave this here :)
Gizmo was my sexual awakening
Right? He can calibrate my lug nuts any day :3
Baldr's Dreams you know what........i like you
Why dont you have a seat over there
*FBI OPEN UP*
Psh Garfield is HAWT
Damn don't know how you miss the fact cyborg doesn't like his robotic side that much yet went in deep with raven analysis, I guess the raven love is still strong as it was back then
Its funny ..the creator of Teen Titans didn't want Slade to be called Deathstroke cos it was to menacing for the kids...but the name Slade ended up be way more terrifying than the name Deathstroke ...plus his voice..instant shivers
Deathstroke is corny comic bullshit. Slade is a name. Its grounded.
It's Ron Perlman man, chills indeed
@ I need no etc etc : Okay, well when you address the fact that half the characters are called Beast Boy and Cyborg and Starfire you'll have a point. I let Raven get a pass, but even in 03 that was pretty try hard.
But Brother Blood is ok.
+Baldr's Dreams We were talking of Slade ma' dude. Specifically why calling him Slde is more intimidating than calling him deathstroke.
So it woupd appear we agree.
Personally, I loved every part of the series, watching the characters grow. Of I had to pick an episode, it's the episode where Beast Boy's old team gets captured and he goes to rescue them. The episode showed that despite his childish demeanor, when shit got real, he dropped the attitude and got serious, he knew the stakes, and we didnt see him make a single corny joke until the bad guys were defeated, as if the weight was gone and he could relax again. It showed that he really did care a lot about his teammates and that he was loyal to his friends, even the team that had cast him aside, he was loyal and was willing to do whatever it takes. But if I'm completely honest, the finally special was the greatest. The Titans going to Japan and Robin getting together with StarFire finally settled that sexual tension everyone had seen since season 1. Just fantastic.
I can already tell this is one of those pieces of analysis that's going to circle a good point but uses either bad arguments or arguments in bad faith to try justify various nitpicks. Here's some notes from standout beats;
- "We don't know these characters"
Plenty of stories start In Medias Res. Since the nature of the show is very episodic, a formula that works for broadcast television much better than it does for internet streaming and DVD boxset binging, the idea is that you flick the channel to Cartoon Network and you wouldn't need the context, or very much context, from the last few episodes. Starting in medias res is usually the best way to go, it skips over lengthy introductions and gets right to the action. The narrative arc from there is worth criticizing, and since the editing, pacing, characterization and dialogue isn't as strong as people might remember, I'd agree a more in depth autopsy is worth enduring.
- "Teen Titans definitely doesn't put it's best foot forward"
Can't argue there but cartoon pilots can be notoriously bad. I mean, The Simpsons also has an awful pilot episode but the point usually isn't to wow, it's a promise of potential to come. Like an orchestra tuning up, if you can see the instruments are there to make good music, the moments before are worth sitting through. However, I don't want to be misunderstood; bad pilot episodes aren't something general audiences want and shows have to do better. Our time is limited and in this day and age, we can't do a five episode run of anything. However, in 2003, this kind of thing was more acceptable. Doesn't make it better, but the historical context is worth pointing out.
- "External factors"
Contentious. Backseat writing like this often doesn't do any good and I'd advise avoiding trying to suggest fixes that you have no practical way of knowing would work, unless you have another example to contrast it against. Your best friend here is a comparison to the much more competently written show, Young Justice. External sources of conflict aren't necessarily the best way to get to know a group of people better, just well realised conflict is needed. The first episode's conflict is muddy because it can't decide if it's about questioning Robin's ability as a leader or calling the group's teamwork into question. Starfire's conflict with her sister is a more personal story and reveals things about her character, even if it doesn't forward the over-arching narrative, and those kinds of conflicts work in character driven stories since the overarching narrative isn't as important as the relationship between the Titans. If anything, these micro-conflicts are good ways of warming the audience up to the characters while containing the entirety of the story to the short episode run times.
-"These guys are causing destruction, beast boy played a prank"
The overall message is clear, "Be empathetic." The through-link is that neither party considered the feelings of other people or the unintended consequences for their actions and thus their self-centered behaviour was detrimental to the people around them. This didn't need higher stakes, I personally think the weather villains were goofy and more plot device than antagonist but the stakes were definitely not the problem here.
-"The places characters are should tell us something about them"
No. I can agree with your argument for more spatial coherency within shots, even if I don't think it was within budget or scope for the animation team at the time but ideally your world should support interesting scenarios for your characters. A vague abandoned warehouse can just be a vague abandoned warehouse as long as what's happening inside is interesting. This is some of the worst heights of bad faith criticism.
-"Wouldn't it make sense for Cyborg to wish he could get rid of his human parts"
Knowledge from the future; No. Cyborg's internal conflict is really easily apparent, he has a disability and heavily relies on prosthetics to function to the degree of normal people, although those prosthetics allow him to accomplish superhuman feats. Put Cyborg in a wheelchair and make the story about cutting off his lower half and the story still works out fine, what's left of his human body might not be super optimal but it represents his humanity and he wouldn't feel complete without it. While I'd agree it's not the most elegant version of the story, it's clear and doesn't have any egregious problems in writing.
-"Becomes the ultimate edgelord"
No big comment here, just found this the worst kind of a lazy joke.
Other notes, you waffle a lot your script, you leave a lot of arguments unsubstantiated or the accompanying visual doesn't in any way substantiate your point, and you keep circling a good point without getting there or giving it a solid argument. I just spent 16 minutes wishing I was watching this being done by a Dan Olsen or Lindsay Ellis or KingK, and one day you might be at that level; But this is a project that might be outside your punching weight.
Hopefully you'll develop in future, but until then; I remember coming back to the show and thinking the most egregious errors were in the editing. Somehow you've managed to make a video where your problems directly mimic the problems of the very thing you're delivering criticism on. And that's an accomplishment.
😳
I don't know if he read this comment but I only found these videos recently and it seems he's improved quite a lot
lmao, calm down fanboy.
I’ve watched the series hundreds of times. It still stands up.
I thought I heard somewhere that CN aired the first season's episodes out of order
Yeah, you're right about that. They aired the third ep first and first ep third, but the episodes were put back in their proper order for the DVD release.
Lowart I see. Do you think the third episode is a stronger first episode?
I think it's a slightly stronger first episode, but still not a very good one. At the least, it shows the titans teaming up and focuses more on an external conflict than an internal one within the group, so that part is good.
Lowart yeah, I agree. I think a first episode should, at the very least, introduce all or most of the show's main cast. Keep up the great work, I really enjoy your analysis.
Thanks! I'm happy you enjoyed it :)
Beast boy was my sexual awakening
I assumed he was everyone's sexual awakening :o
Mimi Tachikawa from Digimon for me as a kid.
Gar is one handsome boy.
same
Oh lord..
Cyborgs right arm was my sexual awakening
The megaman one?
fr his arm was the real mvp at times
Honestly I think the reason you're so harsh on it is because it's not what you wanted it to be. The pilot was obviously made to give you a better idea of what the show would be like, not to introduce you formally to its setting and characters. The episode where cyborg is nearly converted into a robot is a really solid one, and while it may not be thematically symmetrical, it's a good look into cyborgs fears of being a machine, and his internal conflict with what he inevitably is. You being upset that it subverted your expectations and did something different is... I'm just surprised, it's really one of the episodes that I think really speaks to cyborg's willpower and humanity.
Even as a kid loving TT I was aware of bad writing in the first episode and all the things you just mentioned about it. :c But animation was still unique, darker and more dynamic than anything I've seen before so I enjoyed more. Surprisingly, this show was the first piece of media to ever inspire my atheistic philosophy of life later. It blew my mind that Raven knew about the end of the world and how it can't be avoided and yet decided to be a hero and a good person overall till the end. No other show at the time presented me with such strong, truly compassionate character and I really appreciate it.
That's awesome! Raven is such a great character and I love the places the show goes with her.
Thanks for sharing your experience, bud :)
Sounds more like you're an Existentialist, friend!
I remember rewatching TT back when I was in my mid twenties, and I echo other people's opinion that it is great but flawed. I find the chibi anime parts quite annoying, if kinda charming at the same time.
+EmberFlower
"Surprisingly, this show was the first piece of media to ever inspire my atheistic philosophy of life later. It blew my mind that Raven knew about the end of the world and how it can't be avoided and yet decided to be a hero and a good person overall till the end."
So if I understand correctly, Raven's decisions in the Trigon plotline influenced you to develop an atheistic philosophy? Could you elaborate or clarify this, if you don't mind?
She also did in the original comics, actually she originally formed the teen titans to help avoid that future. Raven has always been a truly great character [along with the rest].
Everyone thinks that Raven is this morose, cynical, dark person whereas in fact she's about the most optimistic, courageous person in the whole DC universe, if not any media ever. She genuinely has every reason to believe that the world will literally descend into hell and it will happen because of her. Yet she tries to do good every day and hope for a positive future. On the day this is due to happen, what does she do? She tries to give her friends a good time so that they can enjoy their last day. She is an inspiration.
I’ve been watching for the last days, as far as quality, action, story, character development it all holds up. Even the vocabulary is superb for a kids show.
Shinobu Sensui It can be for people of all ages. Teen Titans Go is way more Childish.
In the beginning of its run, Teen Titans wasn't popular. While Justice League & Unlimited made its run, many wondered why the "Americanime" art style, and not the "Bruce Timm" look?A lot of people may not remember this, but I sure did.
Lowell Lucas Jr. As a kid, I thought the Bruce Tim style was boring. Now as an adult, I think you have to inovate. So I think it was a better decition
Cintss7 well the art direction was handled by Glenn Murakami who also worked on Bruce Timm DC animated works. He also designed a lot of the monsters in superman the animated series. So in a way, it all came together.
Yes! Even as a kid when Kids WB announced the show I thought it look silly and that they exagerated certain emotions to make it anime-ish. But time made me like this show and I guess it growed on me.
It was a slow burner for sure, I remember too
Omg I just remembered that. Thank you cause it kinda hard to remember that far
I loved teen titans, they did do a meeting episode later of the origin of the group. In hindsight, that episode should've been the pilot. I personally feel the argument against the background can been explained as the creators didnt want the background to be distracting, so your focus is on the characters and their personalities.
Guess who my favorite character is!
Dragón de San-zhi how did you know??
Terra
Sir Annaig wait actually this makes more sense than what I was thinking XD
@@beast_boy97 😅😂😂
raven?..terra?..robin?..cyborg?...starfire?...blackfire?..slade?..cant be yourself...
Short answer: Yes.
Long answer: Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees.
Reads title
Answer: yes it is
End of question
neo wrong, it is not as good as we remember it, it's better than we remember
you two, i like you
Nathan Hamman Agreed I took this show for granted as a child and it's so much better now.
No, it really isn't. It's a great show to be sure, but it hasn't aged gracefully and has a lot of dud episodes.
Dracomut i disagree with that....i just finished watching the whole series and the movie....the comedy is great, same with the plot and action, and enemies....this show can be mistaken for something that came out a couple years ago even tho it started in like 2003...the only thing that shows how old it is...is the animation, which isn't even bad
You never watched the actual episode 1 called "Go"? It's the very first episode when Starfire crashes on Earth and the team comes together to drive off her captors. I guess it's technically Episode 0 but it's still the true first episode.
Joshua Manriguez "Go!" is in Season Five, lol. They flashbacked to show the origin.
it had good pacing, it quickly established the characters and who they were. It even had beast boy in his old costume from the comics before he went out on his own. Even had an episode with his old team in The show where he rescues them but still has to make the decision whether to rejoin them or stay with the titans. This show had everything from lessons on diversity that weren't too preachy and in your face, to commentary on people's consumption of televised media, even references to other shows from the 80's like classic mlp and other things in comic book culture...it was a diverse and funny show about a rag-tag group of misfits who find friendship by reaching out to others, despite their initial ideological differences (in the case of raven and starfire or raven and beastboy), all while developing their mental aptitude and overcoming personal hurdles of their powers and some even find love despite coming from two opposite worlds, in the canon case of Starfire and Robin from the original Teen Titans series, where quite a lot of the characters in the cast were voiced by women who were, and still are, established voice actresses with clout. This is essentially a wet dream for social activists but it was also all handled so well it has a cult following. IF i was to ask you how to show the motherly side of a tough character, few people who have seen the original series would hesitate to mention the episode "Hide and Seek" where raven has to protect three super-powered though still mostly defenseless toddlers from a supervillain. I'm not sure why the producers of Teen Titans saw the need to remake this much funnier and more ideologically diverse show into DC's version of "whose line is it anyway?" and strip away all genius writing, actual diversity and substance of storyline and tongue-in-cheek levity from the original piece, in favor of a dumbed-down anime style version of the show which frequently sexualizes raven's legs and body, has starfire being a ditzy bimbo, has beastboy being a typical, brainless comic book nerd without any of the endearing awkwardness of that one scene in Original Teen Titans ( )where he turns himself into a dog to get cute girls to pay attention to him but then because he's green and recently fell into some pizza, they shun him for smelling gross. It's not that beast boy himself is particularly relatable as a green boy at any time in the series, but his awkwardness with the opposite sex and even at times with his teammates, regardless of gender, Is something most people have been through in life and certainly at an early age. Also the original Titans series did something no other animated show has done: through the character and trials of beast boy, it gave us the one vegan/vegetarian who actually has a reason to be so preachy about it and the one comic book geeky sort of male character who actually has a real reason to be awkward due to his alien appearance (it's worth noting that while beast boy is human his DNA changes a great deal to accommodate different forms which basically makes him a mutant but his green skin makes him stand out much more than starfire who is actually an alien), which was clever writing.
Great Power
nigga
paragraphs
Donald Trump is going to be contacting you as a consultant when he gets around to building his wall, this one is so massive.
@@CyanMedic so writing a long opinion about a cart9on somehow means that you like trump?... I thought everybody had ideas and knew how to express them in writing. I guess I better become a republican then :pppp
@@CyanMedic also you basically admitted that trumps staff are articulate in handling the edits of his written communication. So I don't see the joke there. Most presidential cabinets have capable ghost writers and various staff who make sure the president doesnt screw up what he says or writes down on sensitive matters. I have Latin friends and I am not a white boi but I still respect the standing president even though i voted for hillary.
Solid video, but I do have an issue with your dissection of ep 5 "The Sum of His Parts." The conflict is actually excellent in my opinion; Cyborg wants to be human, to act human, to not have the limitations of a robot. However, in refusing to recognize the amalgam that he is, he ends up in peril. The antagonist is the opposite of Cyborg, but with Cyborg's same reasoning: "Humanity and the human aspect of you is weak, and to replace it would improve you." Or to put it simply, Cyborg blames the tech aspect of him for his inadequacies, while the antagonist blames them on his humanity. Cyborg in the end chooses to maintain his humanity, but comes away acknowledging, or at least being more acutely aware of, the integral role his machine side plays in his life, a lesson giving Cyborg the wisdom to deal with his problems instead of reject their existence. It also ties in nicely with the episode where Atlas, a better robot, easily crushes Cyborg because Atlas is fully robotic and so 'more powerful.' The lesson Cyborg learns from ep 5 actually helps create another weakness while giving him strength; he refuses to try and beat Atlas because he thinks that, as only part robot, he physically cannot compete with Atlas, completely ignoring his adaptable human side. The Sum of His Parts is a fantastic episode, and as with most of Cyborg's episodes, teaches that no one aspect of what makes you you can be ignored; you are the way you are, and pretending otherwise doesn't change reality.
So, originally when I started watching this video I was expecting a perspective that contained some ...feeling? Personality? To be frank I counldn't finish due to the overtly negative narrative, especially considering the blandness of the narrator.
M0NKEYsig same. dude missed a lot of key points and I was completely taken away when he stated there was a lack of establishing shots. It’s dc comics not Spielberg bro
@@lawrencelord9777 Not same. You aren't at all on the same page as the original commenter.
The He couldn’t finish the video and neither could I???????? What are you on about?
Well... to be honest... the maker of the video didnt do any research into the show before starting it. If he did he would have know that divide and conquer was not the first episode...
Took the words out of my mouth. I’m 5 minutes in and this is exactly how I feel. Cheers compadre 🍻
subbed, E2 pls
Woah, It's my boy TierZoo!
seeing you in comments is like seeing my biology prof at the grocery store
WOOO MY BOY TIER
Good shit on The Official Podcast homie
I think you have good taste, then find you in more places like this still. I don't know how much more awesome you can get
Cyborg was my favourite character. The episode of him vs Atlas was the best - acknowledging your limits and then pushing past them.
aspebb I just watched that episode today and it was awesome.
Plus Ultra.
The Raven episode was my favourite too! In fact, I still remember most of it to this day! Thanks for reminding me of the show, it encouraged me to rewatch it. :D
Nice! Raven is quite the character ^_^ And no problem! Thank you for watching and for your kind comment :)
Lowart You’re welcome! Looking forward to part 2 :)
I really liked the Cyborg Fix-it episode. I feel like it established that he hated his robotic side and that he was hoping to improve it to at least feel more human, but fix it wanted to go overboard, which is what freaked cyborg out.
I think I kinda understood his point, where the main conflict of the episode is Cyborg not liking his robot parts, but then Fixit wants to make him completely robot, which doesnt really add anything to the conflict. Cyborg already hates being half robot, why would the episode just re-explain that problem?
Honestly, that Raven episode was one of my favorite episodes of the show as a whole.
They had that funny zany tone, focuced on relationship with darker undertones since the beginning. The villains are not that important because the series main focus is even in the trigon arcmostly in relationships. And it makes a really good cartoon, because of that. I will not lie, i love the series because of raven. Especially her mirrow episode and trigon arc, but every character has a compeling arc, even starfire in several episodes.
Great video! Haven’t seen this show since I was a kid, but it’s weird to hear that’s what the very first episode was. I remember the episode about Raven’s Psyche was awesome, but now I appreciate it more. Haha. Keep up the great work Lowart!
Yeah, I was really surprised that that's the first episode on the DVDs. (In some places, the first and third eps are switched around.)
Thanks, my man! You the best
The Anime Dude
Raven x Beast Boy needs to happen.
Beast Boy and Raven don’t work as a couple and they were always meant to be like brother and sister instead.
Nothing in the show implies they would get together and the Go comics even have Raven in a relatively nship with the goth boy from episode 2.
Plus beast boy and Terra are way cuter.
I agree that Teen Titans didn't start off with a great pilot episode and like you, I didn't start to really enjoy it until we got the more character-driven episodes, like Sisters and Nevermore and Switched, where we dive more into the characters and get to know them by discovering their relationships. I mean, considering that Final Exam shortly follows Divide and Conquer, how am I supposed to feel upset when Cyborg leaves when I just met him, or the fact that in Final Exam, Robin "dies" when this is just the first couple of episodes and I hardly know him in this universe and what he means to the team? It takes away any emotional weight or punch and when both characters return in their respective episodes, it's more like, "Knew they'd be back, it's only the FIRST or SECOND episode" rather than, "OMG, WHAT JUST HAPPENED?" But still, I love both episodes mostly because they are bits that I find funny. And like you said, the show gets better as you go along, so it's not really a downer for me (:
Timberwolf410 actually that wasn’t the pilot episode. That was S1 E1. Pilots are usually episode 0 in a series. Now do you have to watch it to get who the character are faster? Yes, was it good? What pilot is better than actual episodes. is it hard to find? Yes
Writing teams don't just appear out of nowhere with PHds in writing great stories. In fact, there are very few J.D. Salingers in the world. Becoming a good writer is a journey that often takes many years, and most professionals start with varying degrees of skill. If you read Fahrenheit 451, you should realize that the concept is great, but the writing skill is terrible. Judging the first season of any new writing team has an element of unfairness about it. While you are right that the first season is lackluster, their last two seasons are far better. The writing team learned a lot, improved a lot, and just as they got good, it was over. And I never agreed with the complaints that ended the series. The new TTs, while written for a much younger audience, made fun of people, ethnic groups, and lifestyles far more blatantly than the original TTs. Why not shut them down as well?
The truth is, the show was cut down in its prime - just as the writers matured into good story tellers. Cancelling the show when they did was a grave disservice to the fans and the industry alike.
Slade's voice was my sexual awakening.
also "the apprentice" episodes were truly *chef's kiss* STILL GOOD.
I feel that the second half of Season 1 is when it started taking off.
TheMasterQuests
Definitely.
I thought I was the only one that felt like the first season wasn't that great lol, and I kinda feel the same way about Avatar The Last Airbender. Both of those shows started off a little rocky but you still wanted to see where the story goes because the world was interesting and they had some good episodes here and there. The writers learned from some of their mistakes and they did their best to improve the shows. It also makes sense for the first season of a show to be mediocre at times because the writers are still trying to figure out what works.
Yeah, season one of Avatar is the worst one in that show, too. With cartoons, especially those made with a younger demographic in mind, I tend to give them more leniency and time to develop than other shows because, for whatever reason, I find that they take a bit more time to find their footing, as you said is the case here.
LOL look at boruto. 😂😊😊
Season one of cartoons are also usually not as good because the creators can't dive right into the main plot because networks want to have filler-like episodes to air so people can be drawn in without being spoiled. I'm pretty sure that was the case with ATLA. Nickelodeon wanted light filler-like episodes to air that would simply introduce characters and reveal personality, which is fair, so they'd have episodes to randomly schedule throughout the day that people could watch without being spoiled. Season 1 of shows like Teen Titans, ATLA, etc. can be tricky to write. Especially cause, like you said, it takes the writers a little longer to find their footing.
Steven Universe is also one of them
shut the fuck up both of you avatar season one is great and if youre serious calling it the worst you have no idea what youre talking about
I was at first confused because the first episode to air was the technically the third episode. The first season was designed more for younger audiences. Good video.
Yeah, I'm going to talk about that airing VS DVD difference more in the next part, since people seemed a bit thrown off by that (and I don't blame them). It definitely seem that it was designed for younger people, which makes sense.
Thanks, bud! I'm happy you enjoyed it :)
My favorite and most chilling episode was Haunted. Just hearing Robin asking or rather begging Slade to stop only for Slade to persist was chilling...dark..and I loved it.
Starfire was my sexual awakening!
Fun fact: The first and third episodes on the DVD are switched. "Final Exam" was the first episode aired. "Divide and Conquer" was the third episode. So you still watched the show out of order.
"Thomas and the Magic Railroad"
Oh god. I definitely didn't see that in theaters, but that cover looks very familiar. For whatever reason, I was big into trains as a little kid, and at some point that interest just disappeared. I don't know where it went, I don't know how I got it in the first place. It was just there...and then it wasn't.
As for Teen Titans...this is another one of those "this was my childhood" shows that I just missed out on. I'd be interested in checking it out eventually, but, like Yu-Gi-Oh, I wonder if I ever will.
Oh hey look, it’s Mathwiz!
Good ol' Thomas. What a guy. I was also a huge train boy. There was no stopping my obsession. But, yeah, then it just . . . went away. Who even knows when?
If you ever check it out, I'd love to hear your opinions on it! I also haven't seen Yu-Gi-Oh... It's one of those ones that looks like such a time commitment that it frightens me.
+Lowart If you're going to watch Yu-Gi-Oh! and haven't started yet I recommend checking out the Japanese only 1998 series yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Yu-Gi-Oh!_(Toei_anime) before the other one. It's a completely different universe from the other show, but it's much better because it focuses more on character relationships and personal bonds than it does on a card game.
ruclips.net/video/pqr0RGo99RY/видео.html Here's the opening to the show.
That's cool! Thanks for the suggestion, bud
No it's not..
It's way better than we remember.
Nah
(facepalms)
I remember reading somewhere that Divide and Conquer was the third episode made. The first two being Final Exam and Sisters respectively. But I read that back when I was a kid and didn't know how to use a computer well so I haven't been able find that website I was on. Maybe having Cyborg leave the team in the third episode would make a bigger impact.
Teen Titans the episode "Haunted"
1) When our vision is distorted by hatred
We often miss simple pleasures in life and it's a shame
2) If you let the anger and revenge consume you you will feel unable to contemplate the magnificent views in front of you
To everyone who sees this just remember: This series is one of the reasons Young Justice exists and is every way better than its predecessor, however, we just want it back to tie up some loose ends.
TBH I didn't find S5's "cliffhanger" that upsetting. I always felt like Terra wasn't as important of a character as the writers were trying to make her into and I never felt that much emotional attachment to her. So at least in my mind, as long as Brain and his goons were KO'd, the show didn't have any loose end to tie.
But hey, that's just my two cents.
Jon-John Pinckney
Are you saying young justice is better than teen titans? Sorry buddy, you are wrong.
Let's debate this, you start off.
Jon-John Pinckney
Wait that’s what you were actually saying? Holy shit usually I respect others opinions but for once I’m gonna say your wrong on this one buddy
tanner lawley Okay but that's not an argument.
I am almost 100% sure episode 3 was the first one that aired here in the states on KidsWB, I woke up early in the morning for the first episode of Teen Titans, the one where they fight the three hive members, just an intersting note if you weren't aware.
Yeah, oddly enough, episode 3 was the first one aired and episode 1 was aired third, but in the DVD release they re-ordered them, so I went with those. It is really odd though and a good thing to bring to the table, so you're memory is correct and thanks for bringing that up ^_^ I will be sure to mention the order int the next episode of the series.
Thanks for watching and commenting, bud
The first episode you're talking about is actually the third episode, btw. "Divide and Conquer"
Well I’m almost 30, watched again and yes, it’s still as good as we remember.
Even as adult I can appreciate how good the relationship of the characters was, the wonderful way in which they mix humor and drama and the deep it and focus all protagonist were given.
Even the final chapter still manages to makes feel sad.
If you are watching such an old show as this you don’t expect so much a great animation or some of the modern liberties that were added over the years. And still it was wonderful. I still miss them and if the ever do a show about them I will watch it.
Dude, you don't need to call it "Teen Titans 2003", or "OG Teen Titans", just call it Teen Titans. And yes, It is still amazing; I watched all of the first season a few weeks ago and loved it
Jack Schnead It's better to call it Teen Titans Animated or Teen Titans The Animated Series.
George Vasquez No.
True Star Wars Fan Exactly, but I'm all in for a sixth and final season of TTA for the sake of giving the series a proper ending.
Would be a good idea to finally have it connected to the DC Universe, as well as giving Donna Troy (Wonder Girl) the recognition she deserves.
The series already had a proper ending with Things Change. The message being to let go of the past and move on with the future. It uses those two's relationship to signify the end of the show and that we can't always have things end the way we want and we need to move on so we don't hurt anyone and can survive. It's deeply symbolic and is why the show shouldn't be renewed for another season.
+Fandom Tribal Ignorance at its finest. You couldn't understand the depth Things Change had so you labeled it as bad and labeled those who do see it for what it is as autistic.
Also Autism does not mean stupid nor is it something that causes bad taste so you can kindly either stop using it to mean something it doesn't or can get off the internet entirely.
I was a bit startled about the chronology because the way it was on the sites I watched it and IMDB Final Exam is actually the first episode. It doesn't made Divide and Conquer any better and most of your critic still stands but I just wanted to point out that the chronology of episodes can be different depending on where you look.
I personally found the Teen Titans to be an endearing watch (I watched it last winter), and most episodes had something I liked about them. it was also one of the first times I saw a cartoon have a somewhat continous plot soooo that was nice. And it made me much more open to watch more cartoons.
That differing chronology is going to be something I go into next time and I'll explain why I started with Divide and Conquer. Basically, on the DVDs, its the first episode, so I chose to go with that because of some stuff in those episodes. Thanks for pointing it out though :)
It's definitely endearing! I just finished writing the script on the remaining episodes of season 1 and, by the end, it had me feeling so nostalgic for it despite the problems I went through here.
I agree that even having some sort of continuous plot is cool to see. Actually, I think it was the first time I saw that in a cartoon, too.
It's also awesome that it made you more open to watch more cartoons! It's always awesome to hear when a show can do that for someone ^_^
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to leave a comment. I enjoyed reading what you had to say :)
I really appreciate the tone you've gone for when talking about this series.
From the title, a part of me was expecting a more cynical and overly-critical retrospective, but after watching it, I'm relieved by not only the more laid-back, matter-of-fact tone you took, but the optimism by the end in regards the good stuff that made this show so awesome.
I look forward to Part 2! :D
Thanks, bud! I'm happy that you enjoyed it and I really appreciate that you took the time to leave such a kind comment :)
I've actually always been glad there wasn't much exposition at the start of the series. It always kinda told me a message that meeting people, especially potential friends isn't about their backstory, it's about them in the present. Their bearing, how they act, interact, and process in different situations. Then it's about how they adapt over time. Their past is best left to be filled in naturally over time.
If you were into cartoons, this was the GANGSTA.
This should be an interesting analysis on the childhood hit.
I also watched the entire series again and found out that in the last season, the episode " GO!" is better to watch as the first episode XD
It was as _good_ as we remember, at the very least.
And by we I mean me. The entire state of Minnesota.
short answer : *yes.*
thorn-covered boy
Exactly.
Please stop doing the generic "here's a picture of me in my DeviantArt artstyle doing a reactionary thing like throwing my arm out so you can see how I feel dispite me doing the same thing with a thing called tone of voice" stick. It breaks the pace and distracting.
CZ PC yes!
"DeviantArt artstyle"
Personifying the channel creator through art is a legitimate form of self expression. This is because it is only a disruption of content flow for a person who does not like the specific image shown.
I like the art but think it can go places. A valid complaint would be the high positive emotionality of the art compared to the neutral emotionality and monotone vocals.
I hate that shit
CZ PC same I usually close the video after I see that. Especially if its some kind of anthropomorphic animal and not a person
As much as I have dear nostalgia towards Teen Titans, I'm so happy to see more people admit and criticise the show's faults.. It wasn't as amazing as many make it sound like, but it is fun for what it is. I do however wonder how the CN show compares to the comics.. And it is nice knowing the show still holds a fanbase and although TT GO doesn't quite hold the standard to the original, it has helped introduce the cast to a new audience and raised interest.
Yes, it is. Season 2 in particular is amazing because of the amount of depth the character Terra has.
OK nice. I'm excited for season 2. The second half of season 1 is already a big improvement, so I'm looking forward to talking about that, and I'm happy to know that it does improve.
One thing I want to make mention of before you watch though is that while Season 2 is great, it unfortunately suffers from budget constraints. While I love the character, her arc didn't get the amount of time it was meant to because of not having enough money to have a 6th main character for the whole season. That's why in between these great episodes there are more one off episodes.
I'm saying this because I want you to know that the writers realized that this was a problem but they had no way of fixing it and just did the best with what they had. If you realize it wasn't a case of bad writing, but more a case of (Didn't have enough money for 6 main characters and several villains) then I think you could be more forgiving.
I'll admit I'm biased in favor towards Season 2 and this character but that's because despite the constraints I think they still made something worth praising.
Basically, it has much higher highs than Season 1, but also has some episodes that are of season 1's quality.
Thanks for bringing that up! Especially since I sometimes tend to use the phrase "the writers chose to," that's good of you to bring up. I'll be really careful about using that when I'm discussing those sections and I'll be sure to keep that in mind. I'm looking forward to seeing how our opinions align as I go through this more ^_^
A lot more faithful but a lot worse. Animated Series Terra is unquestionably the best version of the character.
Well, the series did fix some characters like Terra. Who in the comics, is rather obnoxious, paranoid and even downright sadistic The worst part, she engages in a sexual relationship with Slade, a man who's WAAAAAY older than her.
The clone created shortly after her death in The Judas Contract was a different person, unaware what her original self had done.
With season 6 being teased I’m definitely going to go through the series again seeing you start a series is a good way to get me excited to critique it overall and see how it stacks up with my nostalgia. Can’t wait for you to continue the fma series as well when we hit the juicy Dante/Father debates haha. Static shock and Batman Beyond are ones I would love to see an analysis video as well if you ever got around to them.
Thanks for the suggestions! I'll make note of them. I recall Batman Beyond but don't recall Static Shock; either way, I'm sure I'll find some enjoyment them :)
Yeah, the prospect of season 6 definitely got me excited and motivated me to make this. It'l be awesome to go through this together with all of you ^_^
Honestly yes it was, it's first season was pretty uneven though.
The Raven episode tried to show how she does her best to separate and control her emotions because of they go out of control the demonic origin of her power can begin to bleed through. She doesn't want to be closed off but feels that she had to be for everyone's safety. She also really resents the origin of her power and is afraid that if anyone knew the truth about her they would be afraid and no longer like her.
The themes of Robin going through mental insanity due to being so fixated on stopping Deathstroke was something I missed the first time I seen it.
You're off two episodes. You have the second and third reversed in order as well; these being the Blackfire episode and the Cyborg Robin fallout episode. The first episode was actually the introduction of the HIVE, as well as Slade. You may wanna consider looking back over these in the correct order ^^'
No. He's going by production/DVD order. The order you're going by is the one that is out of order.
No, I'm going by order by which they aired on TV. Not production. Which is the order you're supposed to go by
HikaruBaskerville No you’re supposed to go by intended order. TV station sometimes put things out of order. The DVD order is the intended order, not airing order. It’s insane to say you’re “supposed” to go by airing order. That’s not how it works.
Everyone that watched the show on DVD is going to go by DVD order not your arbitrary one time airing order. The creators have more say on DVD order than airing order. Not sure why you think their say doesn’t matter.
"Is Teen Titans 2003 As Great As We Remember?" Yes. I can name off more episodes that personally had more heart in them than most shows, and it was very consistent, and got better over time. By the time season 5 rolled around, the staff had it perfected
I'm already seeing that improvement over time with the second half of season one. By the end, I was pretty pumped to rewatch the other parts I've already seen and to see all the episodes I've missed.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a comment :)
i say this with contention to your video mainly because i just rewatched the show a few weeks ago and it only cemented my love for the series...your perfectly right to question nostalgia of an old series..there are many series we go back to and cant really see why we liked it when we were younger....i just feel differently about the premise :P
the TT series holds up as much as the old DCAU proper....so many life lessons taught about friendship, love, hate, racism, and even sexism in this series that i did not actually even notice when first casually watching on cartoon network all those years ago, but i saw for the first time. it opened my eyes to how much i wanted the series back, which is why the season 6 announcement is pretty crazy for me
Personally, I think that you took this criticism of Titan Titans Season 1 WAY too seriously~
Your criticism harshly dumps all over Season 1 for some of the most minute details; like complaining about solid color filler backgrounds during action scenes.
Why are you even watching the background when the action and relevant scenarios are taking place in the foreground???
It is as if you are just looking for something to complain about.
In my opinion, I don't think you came into this review of Titans Teens with the right state of mind.
You should try to loosen up your mindset a bit more first before watching and reviewing the Teen Titans series.
Maybe then you will actually enjoy it more so than just complain about it.
Agreed sounds more like let’s trash TT as opposed to is it AS GOOD AS REMEMBERED. 80% of the video is trashing episode one/ season 1
💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯
To be fair, most of the first season deserved to be trashed. I recently tried rewatching the show because I used to love it and after a few episodes all I could think was "I was such a moron for enjoying this show as a kid". I'm just glad to hear that the first few episodes weren't a represintation of the rest of the series.
"Stop not liking what I like"
It's a two-sided criticism. He points out the good as well as the bad.
Dude it's a kids cartoon not a 5 star highly rated TV show my God
It's a TEENS cartoon. Compared to GO it is a 9-star show. GO was an insult.
When i initially saw Slade toying with Robin, i was convinced that he's Bruce trying to help Robin improve. But then he went full blown villain and i was like "maybe not".
Sick, I loved TT as a teen. Looking forward to the rest, good on you for not rushing it, the more I get of this the better.
Gotta be honest raven was always my biggest crush. Damn she made me swoon as a kid. Part of me liked starfire as well bc she’s sweet. But ravens personality always attracted me most
Angelo James Mordini I liked her dry scarscastic sense of humor.
yall sum straight up nerds man virgins too
@@nickclark18 didnt realize that reminiscing about a cartoon character you had a crush on when you were a child meant that they are virgins today, anyway back then I LOVED black fire I definetly liked her a lot
Great Dragon wait till u get to high school, then u can talk buddy
Before I even watch the video, I’m just gonna say yes, to me, it’s even better than when I saw it as a kid. I only ever really payed attention to the fighting but I just finished rewatching it (literally half an hour ago), and I could actually pay attention to and follow the story of the show. I could pay attention to the characters and it was way more amazing than I remember, so I hope they do bring it back
Edit: yeah they show you how they all met in season 4 and I cried
Edit#2: someone told me it was season 5. It only said episode numbers when I watched it
That's great that you enjoyed it more upon rewatching. I just finished writing part 2 of this and, if it keeps up its overall improvements, I think I'll be in the same boat as you by the end of it.
Lowart I hope so. Then we can all geek out over Teen Titans season 6 (possibly) coming out
Johnny Reece Season 5.
True Star Wars Fan I got confused bc it only says how many episodes there are, like 70s, and not what season.
Johnny Reece There were 65 episodes (66 if you include the "lost episode" that's on the Trouble in Tokyo dvd).
Yes, yes it is. Teen Titans is AMAZING.
I don’t want this video to ruin my memories of teen titans so. Left a like and left.
There is however one thing about this show that I know was intentional but I don't feel very good about. Each season has some severe mood whiplash between the current story arcs. You'll have some really great dark episodes, then one random lighthearted unimportant one, and then continue the character arc previously shown. Generally speaking if the show opens up with the Japanese opening you're getting a silly episode (The lyrics are even ridiculous in the Japanese version if you look them up).
Yeah, that jump from serious to light-hearted is pretty jarring and makes the show feel a lot more childish. I'll have to look up the lyrics for the Japanese one haha I assumed they'd be a translation of the english one, so that's good that you pointed it out.
i dont really think that's a problem. your going to have light hearted episodes and dark episodes from any series that can balance two different settings together. TT managed to have that good balance without feeling jilted for 99% of the audience. having a dark series all the way through or a comedic series all the way through is bland, like its either titans judas contract or teen titans go?
While I don't think it'd be good for all the shows to be dark or comedic, I think they could have done a better job of transitioning between them. That being said, tone shifts are one of those things that everyone feels different about; what might be a jarring tone shift for me could feel like a breath of fresh air to you, so I totally respect that.
It's not the fact there are lighthearted episodes, it's the fact that there are lighthearted episodes (That are unconnected the current story arc) placed in between the darkest and most important episodes of said story arc. It's really jarring when you go from an episode like "Betrayal" (One of the most heartbreaking episodes in the show) to the Larry episode, and then to "Aftershock" which continues Betrayal's storyline. It would have been far better to have an episode showing the characters dealing with the conflicts of Betrayal in a slow paced episode to lead into the events of Aftershock rather than having an inter dimensional mini me character pop up for goofiness.
Each season does something like this and it's jarring each time it happens. They should have kept the lighthearted episodes at the beginning of the seasons and had them get gradually more dark the longer the story arc goes on.
Maybe it was intentional to give the audience breathing room before jumping into the next serious episode.
This idea that people think a series is "perfect" because of nostalgia and then grow out of it and realize its flaws is weird to me. When I look at something through nostalgia googles, I remember what a series meant to me, not that it was somehow flawless or better than the shows other people watch. I mean, there were shows I really didn't like, but it was usually other people telling me my preferences were bad, not the other way around. It just made sense that every show has pros and cons even if you like it.
I saw the Tigger Movie 16 times and Osmosis Jones 7 times in theaters as a kid... I know the struggle
King RemDogg But... The Tigger Movie is good
King RemDogg dude don't fuck with osmosis Jones #alltimeClassic
Osmosis Jones is pretty good though. And there was a cartoon spinoff.
No shit lol I think everyone knows that
I wasn't saying it was bad