History Trivia / TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003

** The scrapped second season of ''Series/TMNTTheNextMutation'' had concept art for a government agent in a black coat and glasses. It's possible this character was eventually reworked into Bishop.

* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: For a long time, the series was available only in inconvenient, out-of-print bits (season 3 and the first half of season 4), available in incomplete forms (''WesternAnimation/TurtlesForever''), or not available at all (''Back to the Sewer''). Paramount and Nickelodeon started releasing [=DVD=]s -- but they only collected random episodes and arcs before being discontinued. Over on Website/{{Youtube}}, iTunes and Amazon Video, only seasons 1-3 are available for purchase. Thankfully, the whole series is now available to stream on Creator/ParamountPlus.[[labelnote:*]]And Amazon Prime Video should you have a Paramount+ membership[[/labelnote]]

* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** The different rejected pitches for season 7 of the 2003 'toon, from ''Fast Forward'' season 2 to "Superworld". Concept art for these rejected series are were released on the now defunct 4Kids' ''TMNT'' blog. There's also "Nightmares Recycled", a season 5 episode that was planned but scrapped due to objections from standards and practices.
** And apparently, had there been another ''Back to the Sewers'' season, they would have started a "Shredder Wars Arc", where it would answer [[spoiler:how the Utrom, Demon, and Cyber Shredders got into their fight in the first place]]; this plan seemed to have been discarded in favor of ''WesternAnimation/TurtlesForever''.
** The "Nightmare Recycled" episode would have revealed that The Garbageman and Hun were born as conjoined twins, separated at birth by a seedy, back-alley surgeon; the baby that would later become Garbageman was thrown in the trash, whereas Hun was kept and raised. FOX, however, wouldn't allow this to air, and scrapped the episode before it could be completed. Peter Laird was also not fond of the episode even besides the Hun and Garbageman plot, finding the writing and characterization weak.
** Had a new season of ''Fast Forward'' emerged, there would have been a Triceraton Shredder called the "[[http://tmnt.wikia.com/wiki/TriShreddatron TriShreddertron]]". Concept art was eventually shown, and Peter Laird confirmed that he would have been [[HijackedByGanon Ch'rell taking over the body of a Triceraton soldier]]. Other concepts were Darius Dun creating "[=TechTurtles=]", which he would have sent after the Dark Turtles for [[YouHaveFailedMe failing him one too many times]], forcing them to [[EnemyMine team up with the heroes]]. Future counterparts of Leatherhead and Usagi (his space counterpart to be exact) also were planned to join the recurring cast.
** The latter episodes of the sixth season that were scrapped culminated in a finale called “Homeward Bound”, which presumably would’ve been more of a proper SeasonFinale as the Turtles and Splinter went home, as opposed to the Season 7 opener in which Cody and Donnie rather quickly fix the Time Portal.
** The three different pitches for the seventh season that were proposed before "Back to the Sewer" began production.
*** 4Kids first pitched a season called "Superworld" which involved the Turtles playing some kind of card game.
*** After that pitch was rejected, 4Kids suggested "TMNT: Overload", which would have had the Turtles return to their own time after the events of Fast Forward, but have their younger selves come with them due to a glitch in the time travel process. Mirage approved of this development, but Playmates did not.
*** In lieu of "Overload", Playmates proposed a pitch for a ContinuityReboot called "Ultimate TMNT", which was planned to combine the 2003 universe with the continuity of the live-action films and feature characters from the [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987 1987 cartoon]] and the [[ComicBook/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesAdventures Archie comic series]]. Eventually, "Ultimate TMNT" was rejected and "TMNT: Overload" was revised into what became "Back to the Sewer"
** Peter Laird's blog shows off emails between him and other writers, with him critiquing or suggesting tweaks to the scripts.
*** On [[http://peterlairdstmntblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/blast-from-past-297-more-notes-from.html his blog]], Peter Laird suggested that "[[RecapEpisode Reflections]]" be about April writing into her journal, which would have eventually gotten lost and into the hands of a passerby, who would be interested in turning it into a comic book. This subplot was abandoned and the episode plays out like a more conventional clip show episode with the characters sitting around retelling the events of several episodes.
*** The underground genetics lab from "Notes from the Underground" was suggested as a hideout for the Shredder, but Laird said that would put him too close to the Turtles and they didn't want to rehash too many of Season 1's locations.
*** Nano almost stayed with the Turtles, but Laird wasn't comfortable with the idea so he suggested to wrap up Nano's story with "The Return of Nano" (at least until he was brought back for Season 5).
*** Season 4 was originally supposed to have an episode where all of the super-villains teamed up to take on the Justice Force.
*** The Shredder originally planned to destroy the Earth with a bomb as he left in “Exodus”, but it was scrapped for it being too out-of-character for him and everyone else around him, since the Earth’s resources were too valuable for even a warmongering tyrant to throw away so recklessly.
*** A crossover with Mike Dooney's ''Gizmo'' was proposed, similar to the one with ''Planet Racers'', but never got off the ground.
*** One of Peter Laird's notes indicates that one of the ideas he had was to have Hun take up the Shredder identity, and maybe have him go at it with Karai, who he'd also conceptualized using the title in Season 4.
** Sam Riegel and Wayne Grayson were originally cast as Michelangelo and Donatello respectively, but swapped roles after the first recording session.
** The series was pitched in 2001 and was considered to be aired on either Creator/CartoonNetwork or the WB Network with a much less realistic art style (the Turtles looked much closer to the original art style of the comics, in particular), but WB scrapped it. A [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXSRMZbfMfg CGI pilot]] was also shopped around.

* ExecutiveMeddling: As mentioned on the introduction, the 5th season got skipped in favor of the Fast Forward season (presumably due to how dark season four got and 4Kids and Playmates fearing how this will affect toy sales). This caused the 4th season to end in a cliffhanger for some time.

** "Mayhem From Mutant Island" is notably the only episode missing from Paramount Plus.

** The different rejected pitches for season 7 of the 2003 'toon, from ''Fast Forward'' season 2 to "Superworld". Concept art for these rejected series are now being released on [[http://www.4kids.tv/show/tmnt-back-to-the-sewer/blog/special-feature-same-as-it-never-was-part-1 4Kids' ''TMNT'' blog]]. There's also "Nightmares Recycled", a season 5 episode that was planned but scrapped due to objections from standards and practices.

** The "Nightmare Recycled" episode would have revealed that The Garbageman and Hun were born as conjoined twins, separated at birth by a seedy, back-alley surgeon; the baby that would later become Garbageman was thrown in the trash, whereas Hun was kept and raised. FOX, however, wouldn't allow this to air, and scrapped the episode before it could be completed.
** Had a new season of ''Fast Forward'' emerged, there would have been a Triceraton Shredder called the "[[http://tmnt.wikia.com/wiki/TriShreddatron TriShreddertron]]". Concept art was eventually shown, and Peter Laird confirmed that he would have been [[HijackedByGanon Ch'rell taking over the body of a Triceraton soldier]]. Other concepts were Darius Dun creating "[=TechTurtles=]", which he would have sent after the Dark Turtles for [[YouHaveFailedMe failing him one too many times]], forcing them to [[EnemyMine team up with the heroes]].

*** On [[http://peterlairdstmntblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/blast-from-past-297-more-notes-from.html his blog]], Peter Laird suggested that "[[RecapEpisode Reflections]]" be about April writing into her journal, which would have eventually gotten lost and into the hands of a passerby, who would be interested in turning it into a comic book.

* WordOfGod: At the TMNT 25th anniversary panel Q&A, a fan in attendance asked how they came up with the villain Master Khan from Back to the Sewers, possibly in an attempt to get an offical word on the fan theory that he was named after 4Kids head Al Khan. One of the concept artist for the show that was on the panel answered that Creator/{{Capcom}}'s character designs were a major influence for the visual designs for many of the show's villains.

* TalkingToHimself:
** In "Reality Check", Wayne Grayson voices both Mikey and Blobboid since the latter is Mikey’s alternate universe counterpart.
** In the French dub, Splinter and Casey are both voiced by Thierry Janssen.

* EarlyBirdRelease: "The Christmas Aliens" was released on the DVD "Michelangelo’s Christmas Rescue" 2 months before it aired.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: The different rejected pitches for season 7 of the 2003 'toon, from ''Fast Forward'' season 2 to "Superworld". Concept art for these rejected series are now being released on [[http://www.4kids.tv/show/tmnt-back-to-the-sewer/blog/special-feature-same-as-it-never-was-part-1 4Kids' ''TMNT'' blog]]. There's also "Nightmares Recycled", a season 5 episode that was planned but scrapped due to objections from standards and practices.

* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: For a long time, the series was available only in inconvenient, out-of-print bits (season 3 and the first half of season 4), available in incomplete forms (''WesternAnimation/TurtlesForever''), or not available at all (''Back to the Sewer''). Paramount and Nickelodeon started releasing [=DVD=]s -- but they only collected random episodes and arcs before being discontinued. Thankfully, the whole series is now available to buy on Website/{{Youtube}}, iTunes and Amazon Prime, plus streaming from Creator/ParamountPlus.

* TalkingToHimself: In "Reality Check", Wayne Grayson voices both Mikey and Blobboid since the latter is Mikey’s alternate universe counterpart.

* RemakeCameo: Some foreign dubs has voice actors from either the 1990s live-action films or from the the 1986 version voicing other roles:
** In the Japanese dub, Creator/HidenariUgaki, who voiced Donatello in the TV Tokyo dub of the 1986 series, ironically voice Shredder here. Likewise, Creator/KiyoyukiYanada, who voiced the aforementioned villain in the same version, voice Big Boss instead, while Creator/DaikiNakamura, who voiced Leonardo in the same version, voice the Ultimate Ninja instead.
** In the Latin American Spanish dub, Creator/ReneGarcia, who voiced Carter during a few episodes in the 1986 series, voice Casey Jones instead, while Creator/MonicaManjarrez, who voiced April O'Neil, voice Viral instead.
* RoleReprise: In the Italian dub, the turtles are all voiced by the same actors as the 1987 series.

*** In lieu of "Overload", Playmates proposed a pitch for a ContinuityReboot called "Ultimate TMNT", which was planned to combine the 2003 universe with the continuity of the live-action films and feature characters from the [[{{WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987}} 1987 cartoon]] and the [[{{ComicBook/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesAdventures}} Archie comic series]]. Eventually, "Ultimate TMNT" was rejected and "TMNT: Overload" was revised into what became "Back to the Sewer"

** Sam Riegal and Wayne Grayson were originally cast as Michelangelo and Donatello respectively, but swapped roles after the first recording session.

* WordOfGod: At the TMNT 25th anniversary panel Q&A, a fan in attendance asked how they came up with the villain Master Khan from Back to the Sewers, possibly in an attempt to get an offical word on the fan theory that he was named after 4Kids head Al Khan. One of the concept artist for the show that was on the panel answered that {{Creator/Capcom}}'s character designs were a major influence for the visual designs for many of the show's villains.

* FanNickname: The series is wildly refer as ''TMNT 2003'' or ''[=TMNT2K3=]'' by fans to differentiate it from the [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987 TMNT '87 cartoon]].
* ImageSource:
** BladeBelowTheShoulder (top third)
** FightingWithChucks
** ForHalloweenIAmGoingAsMyself
** HotScientist
** WeaponOfChoice

* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: The 4Kids DVD releases went out of print when Nickelodeon bought the series. Nickelodeon has yet to reissue the series. They did, however, issue the DVD of ''WesternAnimation/TurtlesForever''.
** Given the inconsistencies in the way the series was distributed on DVD in the US, several bits are available only in inconvenient, out-of-print bits (season 3 and the first half of season 4), available in incomplete forms (''WesternAnimation/TurtlesForever''), or not available at all (''Back to the Sewer'').
** Some light at the end of the tunnel is finally starting to shine however, as Nicktoons Network has announced that they will start airing episodes of the 2003 series. Whether this means that the episodes will get new [=DVD=]s remains a mystery, but at least the series will be able to be viewed on television again.
** Paramount and Nickelodeon have started releasing [=DVD=]s - unfortunately, they only contain three episodes each, and only collect random episodes and arcs. And eventually they were discontinued.
** Episodes of the series are available to buy on Website/{{Youtube}}, iTunes and Amazon Prime, but so far only go up to Season 3.
** This has finally been averted when the entire series (minus the "Mayhem from Mutant Island" special) was released on Creator/ParamountPlus (while it was CBS All Access) in late 2020.

* SimilarlyNamedWorks: Season 7, subtitled ''Back to the Sewer'', and has no relation to the third ''TMNT'' Game Boy game ''Back from the Sewers''.

* CreatorPreferredAdaptation: This show seems to be this for Peter Laird, which is unsurprising given that he actually had a role in making it.

* ExecutiveMeddling: As mentioned on the introduction, the 5th season got skipped in favor of the Fast Forward season. This caused the 4th season to end in a cliffhanger for some time.

* CreatorsFavoriteEpisode: Creator/SamRiegel, who voiced Donatello, stated in an interview that "The King" was his favorite episode of the series, due to being able to star in what was a tribute to one of the most famous comic book creators of all time, Creator/JackKirby.

* CreatorsFavoriteEpisode: Sam Rigel, who voiced Donatello, stated in an interview that "The King" was his favorite episode of the series, due to being able to star in what was a tribute to one of the most famous comic book creators of all time, Creator/JackKirby.

* BadExportForYou: Inverted, Nickelodeon's release of ''Turtles Forever'' in the US is in non-anamorphic widescreen [[note]]meaning that while the movie is letterboxed, if watched on a widescreen TV, the black bars would still be intact[[/note]], listed as full screen. In addition they used the EditedForSyndication version which cut out at least one plot important scene and 8 minutes of footage altogether. The UK release averts this having the film in its entirety, being enhanced for widescreen televisions.

* AuthorExistenceFailure: In the Mexican Spanish dub, Leonardo's voice actor (Enrique Mederos) died in almost the beginning of the series and he's replaced by Creator/LuisDanielRamirez. The funniest thing in the recasting is Mederos voiced previously [[Manga/CardcaptorSakura Fujitaka Kinomoto]] and Luis Daniel Ramirez voiced his son, Touya.

** BladeBelowTheShoulder (bottom-third)

* BadExportForYou: Inverted, Nickelodeon's release of Turtles Forever in the US is in non-anamorphic widescreen [[note]]meaning that while the movie is letterboxed, if watched on a widescreen TV, the black bars would still be intact[[/note]], listed as full screen. In addition they used the EditedForSyndication version which cut out at least one plot important scene and 8 minutes of footage altogether. The UK release averts this having the film in its entirety, being enhanced for widescreen televisions.

** Various episodes from season 4[[note]]Cousin Sid, The Dragon’s Brew, I, Monster, Bad Day and All Hallow’s Thieves[[/note]] were released on the DVDs "Shredder’s Final Countdown" and "Mutants & Monsters" anywhere from a few weeks to a couple months before they aired.

** “Mayhem From Mutant Island” is notably the only episode missing from Paramount Plus.
** “The Return of Nano” and "Secret Origins Part Two" were delisted from digital outlets in April 2021 for unknown reasons. The former was later reinstated on Amazon Prime.

** “The Return of Nano” was delisted from digital outlets in April 2021 for unknown reasons. It has since been reinstated on Amazon Prime.

** “The Return of Nano” was delisted from digital outlets in April 2021 for unknown reasons.

** The "Nightmare Recycled" episode would have revealed that The Garbageman and Hun were born as conjoined twins, separated at birth by a seedy, back-alley surgeon; the baby that would later become Garbageman was thrown in the trash, whereas Hun was kept and raised. 4Kids, not surprisingly, felt that this was not [[IncrediblyLamePun for kids]], and scrapped the episode before it could be completed.