10 Insane Rules TV Shows Weren’t Allowed To Break
1. Heroic (And More Child-Friendly) Turtles In The UK - TMNT
At the height of its popularity, the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series encountered a most peculiar challenge across the pond. Its UK release saw the beloved toon change its name to Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles and had scenes where Michelangelo wields his iconic nunchucks replaced by random clips from the show.
This was due to BBFC director James Fernan imposing strict guidelines on British film and television, specifically on the display and use of weapons in movies and series. It turns out that Fernan (and many others of his ilk) were worried by the weapon's rise in popularity following the release of Enter the Dragon 14 years prior.
The ironic bit is that more dangerous weapons featured in the movie, but future shows and films never censored the use of guns or swords in their action set pieces.
Ultimately, the series' animators had to replace Mikey's nunchucks with a grappling hook known as the Turtle Line for the show's fourth season. It did not detract from the series as a whole, but in hindsight stands out as an example of how impactful one person's sensibilities can be.