My review of the Transformers cartoons

My review of the Transformers cartoons

 

Prologue: To celebrate the 30th anniversary of this franchise, I decided to review the cartoons that I've seen. I might review the other Transformers cartoons, then again, what can I say about the Unicron Trilogy that's already been said? For those of you who don't know, Transformers is based on three different toy lines from Japan; a company called Hasbro has brought them to the U.S. Due to that, Transformers has become a well-known franchise with cartoons, movies, comic books, and video games. 

Intro: A cartoon about robots transforming into motor vehicles, I can see why this was popular in the '80s, unlike the Ninja Turtles. I'm just kidding. 

Transformers G1: This series is centered on a group of robots called Autobots from the planet Cybertron. They're looking for a power source to keep their plant stable, so they travel in space to find one. Meanwhile, another group of robots called the Decepticons ambushes them, which cause both groups to crash land on Earth four million years in the past. When they are revived in the present day, they see that Earth has plenty of resources to stabilize Cybertron, so both groups fight each other for them.

Despite this cartoon being a toy commercial, it’s not bad. I don’t mind watching this if it were on TV. I appreciate that this series isn’t repetitive, I mean, not every episode is about the two robot groups looking for Energon. This show has episodes that deal with propaganda, religion, foreshadow how bad Mr. Bay’s Transformers movies are going to be, an episode for GI Joe fans, and an episode where the Decepticons got drunk. How the creators got away with that is beyond me. The jokes in this series are not cheesy, unlike Power Rangers; however, they feel dated. I don’t get why fans are annoyed with the human characters. They help the Autobots fight the Decepticons so what’s the problem?  

Let’s talk about the Autobots

Ironhide is a hothead.

Ratchet is the team’s medical officer.

Wheeljack is one of the smartest Autobots. Sometimes his inventions bites him in the rear.

Jazz is the cool one who’s into music.

Bumblebee is the youngest and one of the smallest Autobots. I don't get why he's a fan favorite. 

The Dinobots are the Autobot's muscle.

Optimus Prime is the leader of the Autobots and not a good one. He plays favorites, makes decisions that endanger the Autobots, and when one of them wants to quit, he doesn’t encourage him to stay. In the tie-in movie, he lost Earth to the Decepticons. Congratulation Optimus! Not only are you a bad leader, but the dumbest character on this show. How can Optimus lose Earth to the Decepticons when he has more manpower? ( I'm not saying it's not possible however, it still makes him look bad.) Would fans please explain to me why they (My editor censors what I'm saying to avoid me spoiling anything.) in the movie? It hurts me to say that because he does have moments where he shines; however, they are overshadowed by the things I mentioned.

Ultra Magnus is second in command of the Autobots. Wait! I thought Ironhide was Optimus's right-hand man, and Ultra Magnus is the voice of reason. I would like to know why he didn't show up sooner? 

Hot Rod is Brash and headstrong. I like this character even though he rubs fans the wrong way. The reason why I'm fond of him is that he's the only character who has a character arc, as far as I know. 

Arcee is kind and caring. 

Spike (one of the human allies) is a typical boy.

I don’t have much to say about Sparkplug (Spike’s father) He helps repair the Autobots.

Chip is the bright human ally. The only complaint I have with him is that we don’t know what happened to him after season two? 

Now let’s talk about the Decepticons, who are the villains.

Shockwave is the guardian of Cybertron. He’s a loyal follower of Megatron.

Speaking of Megatron (leader of the Decepticons), he's a tyrant. My beef with him is that he doesn’t do much about Starscream undermining him, which ends up biting him in the butt in the movie. Also, his plans fail because he tries to multitask, and he's not good at it. Do I really have to explain why I don't like that he can transform into a gun of all things!?!  

I can see why Starscream is a fan favorite because he's the only Decepticon that stood out. (Besides Soundwave.) He may be a backstabber, but he’s ambitious. There's one episode where he came close to defeating Optimus by himself. I wish I knew why he doesn’t trust Megatron. I mean, Megatron’s plans would have worked if it weren’t for him.

Soundwave is Megatron’s adviser, and he’s arguably the most powerful Decepticon.

Galvatron is a raging madman. 

The Quintesson are manipulative; they have a history with the Autobots and Decepticons. 

One of my many problems with this cartoon is that there are too many characters; heck, all of them didn’t show up in the movie. Also, the writer could have done a better job at introducing us to these new characters. Do I really have to comment on the editing and plot holes? This series is inconsistent with the continuity this series establishes. Season 4 only has three episodes, why!?! I’m not crazy about female Autobots. We learn that new robots are created by other means, so what’s the point of having them if they don’t reproduce new life? I’m annoyed that the creators brought back a character that died in the movie, all because kids can’t deal with disappointments. (Thanks a lot, parents! If I’m wrong about why the writers brought this character back, then I stand corrected.)   

Overall, this is a solid cartoon that I think holds up fine. I would recommend this if you like cars and robots.  

  

Intro: So we have a Transformers series where the Transformers use animals to disguise their robot forms. Am I the only one who finds this disturbing?

Beast Wars: This series takes place centuries after the events of G1, the Maximals (descendants of the Autobots) and the Predacons (descendants of the Decepticons) live in peace on Cybertron since then. One day, the Predacons steal a valuable object, and the Maximals have to catch them. During their pursuit, they crash land on an unknown planet that has what the Predacons want, and that’s Energon, so the Maximals have to stop them from getting it and get off the planet. 

The premise may sound similar to Transformers G1, but it’s a step up from that. This show isn’t flooded with too many characters, and they have to deal with aliens. I like how the story progresses, and I’m impressed with how this series connects to G1. The CGI was impressive at the time, but now it’s dated. I’m shocked at how this series got away with innuendos. I appreciate that we have two episodes that show that the Maximals are not so noble. 

Let’s talk about the Maximals

Optimus Primal is a by-the-book leader. What bugs me about him is that he only got one focus episode, and that's not enough to get inside this character's head. 

Rhinox is the brains of the team and second in command. He also keeps the team level-headed.

Rattrap is the comic relief. He does the spy work for the team.

Cheetor is the youngest member of the team. His overconfidence, impulsive, and kiss-up to Optimus, I mean, look up to him. I'm fond of the character development he has in this series.

Dinobot is a Predacon who joins the Maximals because he feels betrayed by Megatron. He's ruthless and honorable. He creates an interesting dynamic for the Maximals, he second-guesses Optimus, and has a love-hate relationship with Rattrap. (To be fair, Rattrap can be annoying.) Also, he’s torn between the Maximals and Predacons as far as loyalty.

Silverbolt cracks me up because of how cheesy he is. I mean, he screams 1950s Superman.

Tigertron is a passive.

Now to the Predacons 

Megatron is hard for me to take seriously because of how goofy he is; he’s not a clown; however, he doesn’t feel threatening. He's fond of Dinobot. You’ll see what I mean when you watch this series.

Waspinator is a walking punching bag because of that. I feel sorry for him. I’m surprised that he didn’t betray Megatron, I mean, he had every reason to. It's hard to find that kind of obedience. 

Tarantulas is the bright one on his team.

Blackarachnia is smart in her own right and manipulative. 

Inferno is loyal. I’m surprised that no one fixed his programming.

Rampage is the muscle.

The biggest problem I have with this show is killing off characters. I don’t have an issue with it; it’s how it was done that is the issue. Considering the type of damage the transformers take in this series, it’s hard to tell what can or can't kill them; also, some of it was played for laughs, which makes it worse. The Predacons are another gripe I have with this series; most of them are like Starscream in their own way. The writers could have handled the plot twist in season two a lot better. The comedy can be a bit much. Season one is the weakest season out of the three because it doesn't have much of a story beyond the aliens subplot. This series did something that undermines one of the best episodes in this series. 

All in all, this is a good follow-up to G1 with better writing, characterization, and animation.  

       

Intro: Fans are right, this is the worst Transformers cartoon! What? I smiled? Darn it! I can’t say that with a straight face.  

Beast Machines: Six of the surviving Maximals return to Cybertron after the Beast Wars. Instead of getting a warm welcome, they're being hunted, they have no memory of what happened when they got there, two of them are missing, and they're dying from a virus. After being cured of the virus, they learn that Cybertron is under Megatron’s control, so the Maximals have to find their missing allies and free Cybertron from Megatron's reign.

Despite this series being underrated, I can see why fans despise it; it’s a far cry from Beast Wars as far as story, characters, and tone. This feels like an original show, but the creators put Transformers in the title so more kids can watch it. That’s understandable, I would have done the same thing. If you can look past that, this is a sequel to Beast Wars; you’ll see that this is a fine show. I like that this series has a dark story and the mysteries in this series, because doing these things gives us something different. I appreciate that Beast Wars has pay-off in this series, and it connects two of the previous series. I’m fond of how these series handle the themes they are collectivism vs free will, technology vs nature.

Optimus Primal is a mass; his ability to lead is compromised by his guilt over losing Cyberton to Megatron. Thankfully, he got over that in time, and he's more of a spiritual leader.

Cheetor is second in command and the voice of reason of the Maximals.

Rattrap is R2-D2, I mean, he fills in Rhinox’s spot on the team as far as being an inventor. My beef with him is that he lost his sense of humor; all he does is complain more than usual. Rattrap losing his ability to fight is not a big issue for me because... 

 look at him, what threat does he pose? 

    

Blackarachnia doesn’t serve much of a purpose in this series; all she does is look for one of her allies. What happened to her intelligence?

Silverbolt is the opposite of what he was in Beast Wars. To the fans who have a problem with this, let me ask you this. Do you like Batman more than Superman? If the answer is yes, then you have nothing to whine about.

Nightscream is a loner who warms up to the Maximals over time. I don’t get why fans don’t like him.    

Botanica is a scientist and passive. What annoys me about her, besides her being a transforming plant ( I wish I was high so that I could make up what I just said), is that she showed up towards the end of the series.  

Now to the villains

Megatron is more menacing than he was in Beast Wars. I don’t buy his disgust for organics.  

Jetstorm (one of Megatron’s generals) is Mr. Personality. However, he wasn't funny enough to balance the dark tone in this series. 

Tankor is like the Hulk as far as all muscles and no brains. I'm not crazy about what was done with him later on.

Thrust is cool.

My grievances with this series are that you really have to suspend your disbelief. Also, the conflict between the Maximals and Megatron is contrived; the reason why the Maximals want to bring organics to Cybertron is because the Oracle told them to. No one is going to second-guess it? Also, I’m not crazy about the designs of the technorganics; they're all over the place. This makes me want to cheer for Megatron. Plus, there's no evidence that Cybertron can support organic life and plot holes with the virus. I wish this series had done more with Cybertron.   

This may not be a good entry to the Transforms franchise, but it's a good series. I would recommend that fans give it a second viewing.  

      

Intro: WOW! Where was this level of writing when the writers were working on the Transformers movies? That’s right, the writers of this show are the same ones who wrote the Transformers movies. Either they were slacking off or they were on meth.

Transformers Prime: This series is about a group of Autobots arriving on Earth because their home planet, Cybertron, is a wasteland due to the war. They manage to keep a low profile until three kids notice them, and the Decepticons leader, Megatron, shows up. So the Autobots and Decepticons continue their war on Earth.

This series blew me away! I’m fond of the mature tone, how this show handles references to past cartoons, the creators humanize the Transformers, and the explanation of why they're on Earth. This series introduces a different kind of energon that can revive the dead. Speaking of deaths, I’m happy that characters stay dead for the most part. I appreciate that one of the Autobots died at the beginning, and the Decepticons outnumbered them 100 to 1, because this helps build suspects. (Plus, they have to deal with human threats.) Do I really have to mention how good the GCI looks? 

Let's talk about the characters

Bulkhead is friendly, lovable, and childish. 

WheelJack is like Jazz from G1 instead of what he was in G1, and he’s Blukhead’s best friend.

Ratchet is a cranky doctor and scientist.

Arcee is a lone wolf to the point where she disobeys Optimus's orders. (I'm surprised that Optimus didn't bench her from the field.) She's like this because of the trauma she when through. 

Bumblebee is the scout of the team, playful and the most developed character in this series. My gripe with him is that I wish I knew what he’s saying.

Smokescreen is arrogant in an ambitious way. He later learns humility and working with others.

Ultra Magnus is the strict second in command. There is one episode that addresses how his strictness affects the team, but nothing much comes from it.   

Optimus Prime may seem like a flat character as far as being righteous, but he isn’t; there are times where his principles are challenged. What this series did with Optimus is what I expect Superman to be in Man of Steel. Am I the only one annoyed with him being a hypocrite? I mean, he tells his team to not engage the enemy alone, but he faces Megatron alone; some explain he's setting.      

Jack (one of the human allies) is the mature one and a reluctant hero. The subplot with the girl he has a crush on went nowhere. 

Miko is a reckless tomboy.

Rafael is a tech genius.  

Agent Fowler helps provide cover and assistance for the Autobots. Despite being frustrated with them doing things to blow their cover, he’s thankful for them. Also, he says some funny things from time to time. 

Now to the Decepticons

Airachnid is sick, I mean, you have to be if you enjoy hurting people in every way, shape, or form. Also, she has a rivalry with Arcee.

Predaking is the muscle with an ego. Also, how he treats Starscream is messed up. 

Dreadwing is the honorable one kind of.

Starscream may come off as the same character as his G1 counterpart, but he isn't. Sorry, I can't get into detail without spoiling anything. Heck, you kind of feel sorry for him because of how Megatron treats him. I wish the writers would come up with a better story for him; however, that would be tricky to do without repeating what Transformers Armada did with this character. 

Knock Out is the Deceptions doctor, and he's very vain. He values his looks above everything else. What bugs me about him is that he could be fruity. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against anyone like that; however, I don't see the point of having someone like that on the show. 

Breakdown is like Bulkhead, but he isn't immature. It's hard for me to consider him a deception because he doesn't do anything wrong besides property damage. I'm having a hard time believing Bulkhead when he said he did terrible things because they have a playful rivalry. My beef with this character is that he's wasted, I mean, the creator could have done more with him.   

   

Soundwave is the communication chief, that's saying a lot because he’s the strong, silent type.

Shockwave is the smart one of the Decepticons, and he’s level-headed.

Megatron is ruthless, cruel, and egotistical. I can see why he tolerates Starscream because Starscream is a toothpick compared to him. What bothers me about him is his revelations, which make him look stupid. Also, the war could have ended sooner if he wasn't obsessed with killing Optimus himself.   

One of the many problems I have with this series is the dynamic between Optimus and Megatron; it’s becoming a cliché now. I also have issues with the plot holes, like how did things from Cybertron end up on Earth? The direct-to-video movie didn't tie up loose ends. I was let down that this show didn't go in the direction I thought it was going to go in season three. It would be interesting to see what kind of story the writers could tell if they did go in that direction. I'm annoyed that we don't have any episodes focused on what Cybertron was like before and during the war, because when we learn about the past, it makes you want to see it. 

Overall, this is one of the best Transformers cartoons that deserves all the Emmy Awards it won. If you want to see a more serious Transformers show, then this is for you.