Operation Blue Line is a 1990 Public Service Announcement commissioned by the Southern California Rapid Transit District (RTD) meant to promote the opening of the first phase of the Los Angeles Metro Rail, the RTD Metro Blue Line. Usually, such a 10-minute promotion would be lost to history, but it remains an oddity because the video stars the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
The plot involves April O'Neil reporting the opening of the RTD Metro Blue Line when the nefarious Gridlock interrupts her report. Gridlock's plan is to use a "gloomsday device" that removes all material that promotes the RTD Metro Blue Line from existence, making it so that the citizens of Los Angeles will still rely on their polluting cars. April calls on, who else, the Ninja Turtles to help stop him. The Turtles are eager to help stop this foe along with April, with them learning about the RTD Metro Blue Line along the way.
Interestingly, all four Turtle voice actors from the 1987 cartoon reprise their roles in this PSA.
Operation Blue Line contains examples of:
- Advertising-Only Continuity: This PSA has plenty of elements only present here, such as the Turtles and April living in Los Angeles and the villain Gridlock's only appearance.
- Batman Gambit: This is the Turtles' plan to stop Gridlock. If they stage a rally for the RTD Metro Blue Line at the station, that means Gridlock will show up no matter what, since such an event is a large information source about the RTD Metro Blue Line.
- Card-Carrying Villain: Gridlock's sole purpose in life is to thwart the RTD Metro Blue Line by using his device. He proudly gloats and agrees at April's suggestion that he's against anything that makes life easier and people happier. He is dressed in a fully black outfit and fedora, not to mention the constant maniacal laughing and mugging to the camera. The only reason why he isn't a Dastardly Whiplash is the lack of moustache on his face.
- Character Shill: When Raphael asks how the RTD Metro Blue Line will prevent the smog in Los Angeles from worsening, April says that she did a newscast last month about the generating station powering the service. She then says that she recorded the tape of that story, which leads to everyone to stop what they're doing and watch the tape of April explaining how Southern California Edison is committed to supporting the clean electric energy for the RTD Metro Blue Line.
- Dance Party Ending: Once Gridlock is defeated, the Turtles, April and all the rally attendees celebrate by dancing at the RTD Metro Blue Line Station. The University of Southern California Trojan Marching Band is even present to play "Louie Louie".
- Deus ex Machina: Just when Gridlock is about to zap the Turtles with his device, the batteries run out and it starts to malfunction, destroying him instead. The fact that the device has batteries was never established before this.
- Insistent Terminology: In most every case the rail is called out by name, the characters call it the proper name of the RTD Metro Blue Line.
- Meaningful Name: Gridlock, the villain who wants to keep Los Angeles car traffic dirty and busy.
- Ms. Exposition: April functions as this, with her newscast in the opening explaining what the RTD Metro Blue Line is along with why Gridlock is here.
- Shout-Out: Michelangelo gives one to Star Trek when they walk into the RTD command center, though it comes in the form of the infamous misquote "Beam Me Up, Scotty!"
- We Will Meet Again: Gridlock makes this claim once defeated.Gridlock: But I'll be back you piece of packed pollywogs! (Evil Laugh)
- You Don't Look Like You: April O'Neil looks nothing like her previous incarnations beyond being a white woman carrying a newscast microphone, with her hair, face and clothes matching neither the 80's cartoon nor the original comics.
