New York's Shiniest

New York's Shiniest is episode number fifteen of the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon series. It is the tenth episode of season two (1988). This episode was written by Richard Merwin. It originally aired on December 3, 1988.

Plot Summary
The episode opens with the New York Skyline and fades to a ran-down building. Inside, the Shredder, Bebop and Rocksteady are scheming on a new way to defeat the ninja turtles. Shredder's plan involves stealing the prototype robotic police officer the New York Police department is developing and re-programing it to attack the turtles.

April and Irma are then shown walking to April's apartment, where it is soon discovered that April is being robbed. After April is knocked down, the criminals leave with her belongings.

Back at the lair, the turtles are alerted to April's problems and rush to April's aid. While waiting, Irma convinces April it is in her best interest to use her current problems as a news story for Channel 6 news. She contacts police headquarters and uses some connections to get in.

The turtles are patrolling the streets, disguised in long trench coats and fedoras. While on patrol, they find the street punks selling April's goods. They quickly get the punks to flee by a show of strength (the four of them lift a van), and return April's possessions. April gets a lead on her story and leaves to a warehouse.

At a warehouse April finds a robotic police officer and named REX-1. She unknowingly activates REX-1, who assumes she is his superior officer. When two security guards discover April's presence, April tries to bluff her way out but the security guards tell her to save her story for the police. REX-1 (Robot Enforcement Experiment) is programmed to protect his "master", who then states that the police have arrived and grabs the security guards, whom he believes is threatening April. April appreciates REX-1 saving her, but realizes she will be stuck with him at least until she can get her story as he followes her home. REX-1 also proves to be an adept chef, cooking dinner for April, claiming he was programmed to serve his master in all capacities. Irma arrvies and is taken with REX-1. Immediately afterwards April is confronted by the security guards from the lab, who also tracked her. Rex-1 draws his laser and shoots the door. Before the smoke has cleared the two guards run. Irma is impressed with how REX-1 defended April and wished she had someone protecting her like that.

April brings Rex-1 to the turtles' lair where once again, Donatello's favorite bo is broken. A fight is about to break out between the Mechanical Officer and the Turtles when April breaks it up and explains the situation, to which the Turtle josh April that when REX-1 followed her home maybe he has a crush on her. April convinces the turtles to scale the News 6 building and kidnap Vernon so he can tape April's news report. The Turtles abduct Vernon by blindfolding him and convincing him he will not be harmed by leading him to their lair to work the technical equipment. During her report, Shredder hacks into the database of police headquarters, steals the plans for the REX-1 and puts into motion his plans for creating an army of robotic police officers to destroy the turtles.

After the turtles bring Vernon back home, the REX-1 clones attack the turtles. A dozen robots appear in front of them, causing Raphael to remark that they have no choice but to retreat as they are outnumbered 4 to 1. Leonardo agrees, but a dozen more robots march behind the Turtle Van and block them. Leonardo drives the turtle van off of the bridge in a desperate effort to escape. The turtles are presumed dead by the robots, which are then sent on a looting spree of New York.

April and Splinter become worried when they are unable to contact the turtles, and form a search party. On the way, they get ambushed by a group of Shredder's robots; REX-1 appears to protect April, but the evil robots thwart him by shooting concrete and sending the debris down upon him, rendering REX-1 inoperable. Shredder's robots then turn their attention on April and Splinter. At the last moment the turtles show up and save the day. Donatello gets an idea of how stop Shredder's mechanical stormtroopers.

Back at the lair, Donatello fixes REX-1, using Michelangelo 's favorite movie tapes as parts for programing REX-1's new interface. REX-1 now has the ability to control Shredder's robots, but only at a small range. Splinter tells the turtles how to lure the robots into a trap. At a fair, using some fireworks, Splinter is able to create a picture of a turtle in the air as a sort of message. A robot in the area sees the fireworks and reports to Shredder that the turtles still live. Shredder summons all of the robots to that area. The tapes that Donatello had to use cause REX-1 to glitch up and act like whatever was originally on the tape. First like an old westerner, then like Dorothy from The Wizard of OZ, then like Curly from The Three Stooges. Finally Donatello's aerobic workout tape pops up, which overworks Shredder's robots causing them to explode and foiling yet another of Shredder's plans.

Back at April's apartment, it is revealed that Irma is going on a date with REX-1, who now has a more human outlook by saying his mission is to "serve, protect, and take Irma to the movies".

Writer

 * Richard Merwin

Character voices

 * Leonardo (Cam Clarke)
 * Raphael (Rob Paulsen)
 * Michelangelo  (Townsend Coleman)
 * Donatello (Barry Gordon)
 * Splinter (Peter Renaday)
 * April O'Neil (Renae Jacobs)
 * Burne Thompson (Pat Fraley)
 * Vernon Fenwick (Peter Renaday)
 * Irma (Jennifer Darling)
 * Shredder (James Avery)
 * Rocksteady (Cam Clarke)
 * Bebop (Barry Gordon)
 * Krang (Pat Fraley)
 * First Thug (Pat Fraley)
 * Second Thug (James Avery)
 * Third Thug (Pat Fraley)
 * First Security Guard (Peter Renaday)
 * Second Security Guard (???)
 * REX-1 (Jack Angel)

Trivia

 * First appearance of REX-1
 * One of the punks who burgled April's apartment would be seen again in "Rhino Man" but with a lighter skin tone and again voiced by James Avery.
 * REX-1 will appear again in "Leonardo, the Renaissance Turtle".
 * This episode appeared in comic format in the UK Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles 1991 annual.

Errors

 * When Donatello asked what was wrong when April contacted him, the antennae on his Turtlecom were coloured the same as the device itself instead of silver/grey.
 * After the Turtles crashed the Turtlevan into the river, April and Splinter were seen driving a duplicate version when out looking for the guys afterwards.
 * When April was sitting in her empty apartment,she was barefoot, but when she invited the turtles inside, her white boots appear.
 * The second security guard's hair flashed from blonde to brown when REX picked him up.
 * The Turtles were able to scale the Channel 6 building without any climbing equipment!

Locations

 * Turtles' Lair
 * Channel 6
 * Shredder's hideout
 * City streets
 * April's apartment
 * Police Department Warehouse

Vehicles

 * Turtle Van