| “Zach and the Alien Invaders” | |||||||
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| 1987 TV series episode | |||||||
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| Season Code: | 05 | ||||||
| Episode: | 18 | ||||||
| Original airdate | October 10, 1991 | ||||||
| Written by | Francis Moss & Ted Pedersen | ||||||
| Producers: | |||||||
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Zach and the Alien Invaders is episode #123 from season 5 (1991) of the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon series.
Appearing in Zach and the Alien Invaders[]
Major characters[]
- Leonardo (Cam Clarke)
- Donatello (Barry Gordon)
- Michelangelo (Townsend Coleman)
- Raphael (Rob Paulsen)
- Splinter (Peter Renaday)
- April O'Neil (Renae Jacobs)
- Zach (Rob Paulsen)
- Walt (Townsend Coleman)
- Colonel Clout/Screwloose (Townsend Coleman) (debut)
- Sergeant Rambo/Wingnut (Rob Paulsen) (debut)
- Eric (Cam Clarke)
Minor characters[]
- Irma (Jennifer Darling)
- Robotic Cockroach
- Zach's mom (Jennifer Darling)
- Zach's dad (Cam Clarke)
- Hypnotized cadet (Renae Jacobs)
- Mall guard
- Woman in Mall (Renae Jacobs)
- Military cadet (Renae Jacobs)
- Police chief (Peter Renaday)
Species[]
Objects and vehicles[]
- Construction magnet
- Channel 6 newsvan
Mind Changer
- Police cars
- Turtle Van
- Turtlecom
Locations[]
- Channel 6 building
- City Mall
- Construction site
- Teen-Hut Military Academy
- Turtle Lair
- Zach's house
Plot[]
Zach, the Turtles' young friend, and honorary fifth Turtle, is infatuated with comic books, especially "Big Bug Eyed Alien Invaders"... but the boy has "cried wolf" once too often as he seems to see aliens everywhere.
Zach "retires" his Turtle costume when his parents enroll him in the Teen-Hut Military Academy where they hope he will learn some discipline and live in the real world.
But after Zach arrives, he discovers that all his fellow cadets are zombies thanks to two aliens: Wingnut and Screwloose, who are disguised as Colonel Clout and Sergeant Rambo. Wingnut and Screwloose plan to conquer Earth using their "Mind Changer" on the young cadets.
Zach calls the police when Wingnut and Screwloose unleash a Robotic Cockroach onto the city, but they do not believe him. The only ones who might believe him are the Turtles, but he is captured before he can convince them that he is telling the truth.
It is not until the Robotic Cockroach starts attacking some construction workers downtown that Zach's alien invasion story is accepted as fact and not fiction.
Michelangelo and Donatello arrive at the Ten Hut Military Academy to rescue Zach only to find themselves in need of rescuing.
At the last minute, when Zach, Michelangelo and Donatello are strapped in the Mind Changer, Zach uses his Turtlecom to overload the power of the "Mind Changer."
Defeated, Wingnut and Screwloose "beat feet" and Zach is honored as a hero by the city.
See also[]
- Zach and the Alien Invaders/Gallery
- Zach and the Alien Invaders/Transcript
Notes and errors[]
- When Zach tries to get the attention of Donatello and Michelangelo, he bangs on a closed window. In the next shot, the window is inexplicably open, which conveniently allows for Donatello and Michelangelo to hear him yelling.
Trivia[]
- First and only appearance of Zach and Walt's parents, as well as both Wingnut and Screwloose.
- Final appearance of Walt.
- Final time Zach wears his Turtle mask.
- Even though Wingnut and Screwloose were villians in the TV show, their toys listed them as allies of the Turtles, just like their Archie counterparts.
Home media releases[]
VHS[]
- Return of the Turtleoid (1994)
DVD[]
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Season 5 (7 August 2008)
- The Complete Classic Series Collection (12 November 2012)