The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been a cultural phenomenon for years, with countless television shows, movies, comics and hordes of merchandise. In 2011, Viacom/Nickelodeon acquired the rights of the Turtles for the costly sum of $60 million, and they soon commissioned a brand new series in CGI, becoming the third cartoon iteration in the franchise. Promotional images were released soon after the news hit, and the fan response was less than enthusiastic. Purists didn't take to the new simplistic design, and news that the Turtles classic catchphrase 'cowabunga' was omitted from the new show just made matters worse. Nonetheless, it turned out that Nickelodeon had a winner on their hands and it didn't take much time for the new cartoon to be renewed for a second and third season, as it proved to be a smash hit with audiences. The response has been remarkably positive so far, due to the fact that the new show thrives with some great concepts and storytelling (plus loads of merchandise). Of course, the latest series sticks to the classic tried and tested origin of the Turtles. After being exposed to a strange mutagen, four turtles are taught the way of 'ninjitsu' by their master, the anthropomorphic rat, Splinter. Most of the original villains also return in this new incarnation, such as the Kraang, Baxter Stockman and the evil Shredder, all with slight variations in their origin and design. Nickelodeon's latest Turtles series is an outstanding feat in animation, and the creators have rejuvenated the franchise with some fantastic ideas. Admittedly, it deserves the recognition it receives, and then some. Why is it such a successful show though, and why should you be watching it? Well, here are 6 reasons why...