Uncle Sean's Moving Picture Show

As a child, Ninja Turtles were more than just a TV show for me. Sitting on the couch with my tiny feet dangling, juice cup in hand, I stared into my TV watching a group of orphaned outcasts struggle with identity, a fractured family, a feeble parent figure, horrifying living conditions, and on top of all that, the profound honor and burden of defending New York City from evil.
I could relate to Ninja Turtles on all aforementioned levels, well maybe not defending the city. I did my best to defend Queens, patrolling the streets on my Big Wheel until the day it was stolen. That’s the day I hung up my plastic nunchucks to focus on coping with my deteriorating family situation. As odd as it may sound, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles— along with their blue collar, salt of the earth, Big Apple contemporaries, the Ghostbusters — gave me relatable heroes.