Transformers:
Animated
Watching Transformers: Animated's
first season DVD, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was
missing something. Certainly enough of it gibed with a vague
G-Rated retelling of Michael Bay's live-action film. Terms
like the Allspark rang a bell, and Megatron had been reduced
to a disembodied head, a reasonable invention to keep the
story going.
Turns
out I was right - though this 2-disc set calls itself "Season
One," the show had a two-hour premiere that's sold separately,
which set up the new status quo. But because the audience
for this show isn't me but my young children, it really
doesn't matter too much. This Cartoon Network offering quickly
settles in and doesn't require much questioning.
In some
ways, this feels like an old-school adventure cartoon with
an easy to grasp premise that doesn't need recapping. Though
the plot does progress throughout the series, most of the
episodes feel like stand-alones. They do their job, portraying
the Autobots as good, the occasional Decepticon as evil,
and even a would-be super-villain or two pops up.
It's bright and colorful, with the Transformers
themselves clearly designed for the younger set. This round
may upset purists, but since Marvel intends to turn its
infantilized Superhero Squad into an animated series, why
shouldn't Transformers beat them to the punch?
The character designs seem to incorporate
more than one previous incarnation. Even a non-fan (such
as, admittedly, myself) can recognize Optimus Prime and
Bumblebee, but they also look somewhat feline. I kept thinking
Beast Wars, but also realized that these more cuddly
robots in disguise make for better plush toys, too.
In overall look, it seems to borrow from
Teen Titans, or maybe that's because the versatile
Tara Strong shows up playing an 8-year-old girl named Sari.
Precocious and energetic, Sari sounds like a souped-up Raven
and acts pretty much like Beast Boy. In short, she's a little
obnoxious, but the Autobots seem to be able to gently teach
her a lesson in behavior for every piece of Earth culture
she teaches them.
It's simplistic good vs. evil, featuring
robots that turn into cars and motorcycles, and watching
it through my son's eyes reminded me that the concept is
pretty much everything a little kid could want. So it may
not be the epic that "G1" fans want - this ensures there
will be a next generation to discover the more advanced
stuff.
For some reason, the disc includes a "2nd
season preview," but that's really just character designs
in a gallery. Kids might like it, but it gives few hints
for what's to come and really, with a show like this, you
can just run it again and again anyway.
Worth it for the little ones, Transformers:
Animated should be left to them. You older guys have
your grim and gritty robots in disguise; the kids need Optimus
Prime alive, well and just a whole lot of fun.
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