Transformers:Prime Series Review

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Crankshaft
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Post by Crankshaft »

Bumblebee wrote:and sometimes then you all wish i would shut up lmao

i like it im just glad that they made my toon/movie self something other than a compact lol i liked the chris rockish attitude that the animated bb had but not the hatchback..... i like that they kept the camaroish bodystyle. and atleast this one isnt a push over. g1 was a bit smart alec but not a great fighter but a great spy.
Same.

Also I wanna add that the Prime version of Starscream comes off as even more evil than past versions of the character. If there were a villain archetype for each of the Decepticons I've seen on Transformers Prime so far, Megatron would be the ruthless dictator, Soundwave would be the cold-blooded stalker, and Starscream would be the demented surgeon.
Optimus: Transfuhm und uttuhk!!

Bumblebee: What did you say?

Optimus: *takes down faceplate* I said transform and attack!!
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Post by Blackjack »

Crankshaft wrote: Same.

Also I wanna add that the Prime version of Starscream comes off as even more evil than past versions of the character. If there were a villain archetype for each of the Decepticons I've seen on Transformers Prime so far, Megatron would be the ruthless dictator, Soundwave would be the cold-blooded stalker, and Starscream would be the demented surgeon.
Ooooh, I like him. Can we keep him?

Let bounce series reviews off each other until the cows come home.

I too enjoy that Bumblebee doesn't talk but I enjoy more that he's not the Michael Bay Bumblebee. The character is overdone in those movies. Now I'm really mainly a G1 guy at heart, so that Bumblebee will always hold the special place in my heart, but the fact that they found a classy way to do the character without making him speak in radio is good on them. Also he's funnier that way too.

I have never really liked Bulkhead. I think animated Bulkhead, like most of the characters in that show, is a joke. The Prime version of him is much better in my opinion simply for the fact that he's the warrior type. I haven't watched the newest ep yet and I see in the preview that he 'screams like a little girl' but I enjoy this much surlier version of the character to the Animated version. In Animated they were trying to hard to parody Spongebob by having Spongebob/Bumblebee and Patrick/Bulkhead.

This is my favorite Starscream to date. Except maybe the one from Armada (I think it is though I'm not sure). It's the one where he was a loyal warrior who felt Megatron was leading the Decepticons down a path of destruction. I never watched any of the Unicron trilogy all the way through so I'm not really familiar with which is which but I like that Starscream. Still this Starscream is certainly more vicious and capable than previous incarnations. He's not a joke. Animated Starscream was immortal for a while, but he was still a joke. This one is a credible threat to Megatron's reign becuase he's not constantly looking for a way to stab his leader in the back, he's merely biding his time.

I don't feel that we know enough about Soundwave to classify him as a cold-blooded anything. He pretty much just stands around whoever's in charge and repeats back what people have said. He's probably the most like his G1 counterpart.
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Post by Crankshaft »

Not enough known of Soundwave to classify him as cold-blooded? Hello, he tried to kill 3 kids!! Before that he ruthlessly sicked Laserbeak on Agent Fowler!! Soundwave's lacking facial features in comparison to the other main Deceptions would make him seem more sinister. After all, you don't know what his true expressions (if any) he has under that mask. He could have a demented grin on his face whenever he deploys Laserbeak for all we know. XD
Optimus: Transfuhm und uttuhk!!

Bumblebee: What did you say?

Optimus: *takes down faceplate* I said transform and attack!!
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Post by Blackjack »

I guess I've just never liked Soundwave since he's always been just kind of there and does whatever Megatron says. No he's certainly evil, I don't doubt that. I just didn't think of him as much of a stalker, he just kind of stands around. I did enjoy the episode where he does try to kill the kids. Although I don't think he really is wearing a mask, I think that's just his face. He's like a Decepticon Bumblebee, he can't talk just uses radio playback.
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Crankshaft
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Post by Crankshaft »

Most of the robots in this show are based on the ones from War for Cybertron, right?
Optimus: Transfuhm und uttuhk!!

Bumblebee: What did you say?

Optimus: *takes down faceplate* I said transform and attack!!
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Post by Rattrap »

That and the exodus novel.
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Post by Crankshaft »

Do you think the Dinobots will show up in this series?
Optimus: Transfuhm und uttuhk!!

Bumblebee: What did you say?

Optimus: *takes down faceplate* I said transform and attack!!
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Post by Roadbuster »

Only Hasbro knows. Maybe we should include that in the next Q&A session. I personally think the next Autobot character needs to bring some much needed comedy to lighten things up around Autobot HQ'ers. Wreck Gar would be perfect. But that's just my opinion.
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Post by Crankshaft »

Roadbuster wrote:Only Hasbro knows. Maybe we should include that in the next Q&A session. I personally think the next Autobot character needs to bring some much needed comedy to lighten things up around Autobot HQ'ers. Wreck Gar would be perfect. But that's just my opinion.
What about Wheeljack? Most of his inventions blew up in his face after all. XD
Optimus: Transfuhm und uttuhk!!

Bumblebee: What did you say?

Optimus: *takes down faceplate* I said transform and attack!!
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Post by Time Traveller »

I gotta pitch in the last word about Prime Bee. I'm glad he can't talk, because, per his role as the kid appeal character, he wouldn't say much to add to the plot. Look at all the other kid appeal characters... Did they ever say anything moving or deep? G1 Bee is also my favorite, though I'm not a staunch GEEWUNer. As for favorite kid appeal character, that'd be Cheetor, and a completely different discussion.
I echo Blackjack's sentiment on just about everything he said on Soundwave.
I like Prime Bulkhead much better, and while the girly scream from Scrapheaps was kind of a throw-away, they didn't ruin his character, and his sheer somber awesomeness in Con Job totally made up for it and more.

Also: Bulky and Wheeljack in Con Job remind me so much of myself and some old friends I don't see anymore, it was a pretty moving ep. And parts of Scrapheaps were legitimately creepy. They should have a really dark ep about the worst Transformer disease of all: Gold Plastic Syndrome.
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Post by Blackjack »

I felt that Con-Job was an excellent episode, but I have concerns after having viewed it. Concerns that this series will probably not live up to my original expectations.

First of all I was sooooo happy to see them use Wheeljack. He hasn't been back in so long that I'd almost forgotten what he looks like. And aside from the Dr. Smoov version, this is my favorite incarnation of the character thus far.

The problem I forsee for this series is exactly the same problem that TFA has in my opinion. There won't be any new characters added to either roster, ever. In TFA you had the Autobots: Prime, Prowl, Bumblebee, Bulkhead, and Ratchet. Did we ever add anyone? Let's see there was Sentinel Prime and Jazz, oh no wait they were Elite Guard and couldn't stay, Blurr, nope killed him off, Wreck-Gar, nope he sank to the bottom of the river. How about the Decepticons: Megatron, Starscream, Lugnut, Blitzwing, and Blackarachnia (if she even counts considering how few episodes she was in). They introduced Swindle, Dirt Boss, Lockdown, Soundwave, etc. who never stayed around more than a few episodes except for random cameo appearances. Sure I know there were more characters than this, but the point is this. Transformers Prime is trying too hard to be Transformers Animated. We're starting to get a lot of one-shot episodes, a lot of awesome cameo characters, and a Megatron who is inactive for most of the first season. Hmmmm, seem familliar. Note to the creators, don't remake the same series with different art styles. For all my complaining earlier I'm actually starting to find Jack, Raf, and Miko refreshing because they're one of the only things that separates this show from TFA. Gone are the days of the ever expanding G1 rosters. Now if we want to introduce a new character for toy sales sake he or she only gets to be around for one episode. That sure makes me want to go out and buy that Wheeljack or Skyquake.

Don't get me wrong, I loved TFA and I am really enjoying TF Prime, but I was hoping this series would be something a little more special.

I'm done now. Let the counter arguements begin.

I also forgot to mention that my favorite all time kid appeal character is Wheelie as per the G1-Headmasters cartoon. He's such a jerk to Daniel and it's hilarious.
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Post by Time Traveller »

My counter-argument: I agree totally. Again, I like to hold Prime up to the high standard set by Beast Wars. While BW didn't have too many characters (A boon, since they were thus all well-developed), they added new ones thoughtfully, and those new characters became well-integrated into the stories, even if they didn't survive til the end of the series. Very few only lasted a couple episodes or less (Ravage, Transmutate), everyone else hung around long enough to make a lasting impression before going away again. I was hoping Wheeljack would be a long-term addition to the Autobot team. The Decepticons could really have used Skyquake, too, and it would be expected that they'd do what they could to bring such a powerful Decepticon back to fight the Autobots another day.
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Post by Blackjack »

I had thought of this before, but forgot to post it. But you said 'bring such a powerful Decepticon back'. I assumed he was dead. But wait, Megatron has the power to bring back zombie transformers. Hmmmm.

Deus Ex Machina was my favorite episode of this so far. It introduced some awesome new Decepticons, I feel like Starscream did something useful as leader, Bulkhead got some rocking character development, all in all pretty good. With one flaw, the Autobot won at the end. I was really hoping for Starscream to continue to hang on to the Energon Harvester for a while, just to provide a credible threat to the Autobots. It would be nice to see that for all their stength and careful planning, the Autobots lose and Starscream gets his hands on "UNLIMITED POOOOOOWER". I honestly thought Bulkhead was going to die also and that would have been a nice touch. After all, most of the episodes in this season have been centered around him in some way. Seriously, there was about a minute left minus the credits, Bulkhead was getting his energy drained and there were still three powerful Decepticons on site ready to finish him off. No win situation right. Guess not. The ground bridge is the real Deus Ex Machina here. Stupid Autobot technology.
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Post by Minerva »

Hey everyone! Don't forget to check out the latest episode:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1ERUtjO ... ture=feedu
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Post by Bumblebee »

this show still has potential but i feel the writers are not giving it there all. the shows are good but they feel a bit stagnant.
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Post by Rattrap »

Did it bug anyone else that Airachnid never fully transformed into her alt mode?
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Post by Bumblebee »

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! drove me nuts.
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Post by Blackjack »

I thought that spider form was her alt-mode. I thought she was pretty darn lucky to have an alt-mode that is still her robot mode.

Glad to see that they went back to making these and Bulkhead isn't the major focus anymore. We're getting a lot of the Arcee and Jack dynamic now.

I still don't like how it is so episodic, but Predatory is the best episode so far. I enjoyed how dark it was and how interesting notBlackarachnia is as a character. But like most new characters in this show we'll probably see her again in about twenty more episodes (if the series lasts that long).

I was pleased at how Knockout and Breakdown stayed around. Knockout is my favorite 'con in this series. Not only is he an automobile, he's also an automobile enthusiast.
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Post by Time Traveller »

I'm an automobile enthusiast!

*crickets*


Anyway, I'm with 'Jack. I hope we see more of her, and I hope they start building more of these characters into the continuing plot. This episode was extra creepy... Not quite the stuff of nightmares like "Transmutate" from Beast Wars or G1's unusually disturbing "Dark Awakening", but I was definitely worried that Arcee was somehow going to be maimed or something. Still, a fantastic job with the animation... I was on the edge of my seat for the whole show. Also, the way her "alt" mode moves with the wiggling thorax thingy was definitely awesomely disturbing. And, to expound upon the comment my former roomie there slipped in, I think they did a really good job of differentiating her from Blackarachnia. She takes Tarantulas' creepy stalkerliness without his goofy insanity, and Blackarachnia's femme fatale but without her emotional rift/secret attachment to good guys. The perfect killer, and a fitting spiderly assassin.
MOAR!
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Post by PrimeDirective »

Having seen (and for the most part, not read) the massive reviews in this thread, I'll just say this: I like Transformers: Prime.

Also, Optimus is a gentle badass. Just as he should be.
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