Transformers: Animated

Plot synopsis:
=== Pilot episodes ===
The series began with a three-part pilot called "Transform and Roll Out!". Stellar cycles (centuries) after the Autobots won the great war for Cybertron against the Decepticons, an Autobot maintenance crew led by Optimus Prime and consisting of Ratchet, Bulkhead, Prowl, and Bumblebee discover the legendary Allspark buried on an asteroid. The Autobots take the Allspark back to their ship, but are soon confronted by a crew of Decepticons led by the notorious warlord Megatron and consisting of Blitzwing, Lugnut, Blackarachnia, and Starscream. Megatron attacks the Autobot ship and tries to retrieve the Allspark, but when an explosive planted on Megatron by the treacherous Starscream detonates, the ship crashes on Earth. The Autobots go into stasis to survive the crash, while the scattered remains of Megatron are discovered by a human scientist named Isaac Sumdac.
Fifty years later, Professor Sumdac is the CEO of a robotics company known as Sumdac Systems, which is based in a futuristic version of Detroit. Optimus Prime and the Autobots awaken from stasis and defend the people of Detroit from a monster, resulting in them becoming local celebrities. They befriend Sumdac's young daughter Sari, who teaches them about Earth customs. At the end of the pilot episodes, Starscream arrives on Earth and tries to take the Allspark for himself, but the Autobots successfully stop him and save the city once again.
=== Season One ===
In the first season, the Autobots settle into their new home and learn about Earth culture and customs, all of the while defending Detroit from various threats. Megatron's disembodied head, which has been in Professor Sumdac's laboratory since the ship crashed, comes back online and manipulates Sumdac into building him a new body, pretending that he is an Autobot. Blitzwing and Lugnut arrive on Earth searching for Megatron, while Blackarachnia targets Optimus Prime, blaming him for her techno-organic mutation. New Transformers introduced in the first season include the Autobot Arcee (who only appears in Ratchet's flashbacks), the Decepticon Soundwave, the bounty-hunter Lockdown, and the Dinobots Grimlock, Snarl, and Swoop. Several human villains are also introduced, including Nanosec (who can run at extreme speeds), the Headmaster (who pilots a machine that attaches to and controls large robots) and Meltdown (who is covered in a toxic and corrosive substance). The season ends with Megatron returning with a new body (built by the Allspark from his old body), and the Allspark exploding into fragments that scatter across Detroit.
=== Season Two ===
In the second season, the Autobot Elite Guard members Ultra Magnus, Sentinel Prime, and Jazz arrive on Earth to retrieve the Allspark, only to learn of its destruction in the Season One finale. While Sentinel completely disbelieves Optimus's claims, Optimus and his team are eventually able to convince Magnus of Decepticon activity on Earth. The main theme for Season Two is the discovery of small fragments of the Allspark littered across the city (and possibly, the entire planet), while the Decepticons work on building a space bridge back to Cybertron with the help of Issac Sumdac, who was kidnapped by Megatron in the previous season's finale. This is part of Megatron's plan to invade Cybertron from within, without the Autobots' awareness. New characters introduced in season 2 include the Autobots Omega Supreme (who was revealed to be Optimus Prime's team's spaceship), Wreck-Gar, Wasp and Blurr, the Decepticons Shockwave, Swindle, Mixmaster and Scrapper, the human villain Slo-Mo (who is able to slow down time), and Starscream's army of clones Thundercracker, Ramjet, Skywarp, Sunstorm, and Slipstream (none of the clones are openly referred to by name in the series, the names listed come from the toy-line, while Slipstream was retroactively given her name by Hasbro). At the end of the season, the Decepticon Space Bridge is destroyed, but Megatron, Starscream, and Omega Supreme are sucked through and lost in deep space. Sari meanwhile, notices an injury that exposes mechanical parts under her skin, revealing that she is not completely human.
=== Season Three ===
Following the events of the two-part second season finale, Sari is shocked and distraught over the revelation that she is a robot, and instantly assumes that her "father" had built her, refusing to believe Sumdac's claim that he discovered her as a small liquid metal body. Prowl does some research and discovers that Professor Sumdac was in fact telling the truth, and deduces that Sari is a Cybertronian protoform (the early development stage of an Autobot and Decepticon) that scanned Professor Sumdac's genetic information. Sari later uses the power from her AllSpark-powered key to upgrade herself into an armored techno-organic teenage form that is far taller and much stronger equipped with numerous weapons and special abilities.
Meanwhile, on Cybertron, Shockwave (disguised as the Autobot Longarm Prime) sabotages several Elite Guard operations in preparation for Megatron's return, unaware that Megatron and Starscream are lost in deep space, trying to gain control of Omega Supreme. Suspecting that the double-agent may be the escaped convict Wasp, Ultra Magnus sends Sentinel and Jazz back to Earth to find and apprehend Wasp, who has found his way to Earth to exact revenge on Bumblebee for framing him. Soundwave and Arcee reappear in season 3, with Soundwave being accompanied by minions Laserbeak and Ratbat. New characters introduced in season 3 include the Constructicon Dirt Boss, the Autobot scientist Perceptor, Prowl's mentor Yoketron (who only appears in Prowl's memory flashes), and the Elite Guard members Jetstorm and Jetfire.
In the two-part season finale, Jazz joins Optimus Prime's team on Earth, while Megatron and Starscream also find their way back to Earth, using information stored deep winin Arcee's subconscious mind to create an army of Omega Supreme-sized robots in Lugnut's likeness. Optimus defeats Megatron with the aid of Ultra Magnus' Magnus Hammer and a "Wingblade" jetpack built by Professor Sumdac, Ratchet, and Sari while Prowl sacrifices himself to re-assemble the Allspark and destroy the "Lugnut Supremes". The Autobots return to Cybertron with the apprehended Decepticons, and are hailed as heroes upon arriving on their home world.
=== Season Four ===
A fourth season, consisting of about 36 episodes, was initially planned and intended, but was cancelled. According to Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II, season four's main theme would have been the discovery of Energon deposits left by the Allspark across Detroit. Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Jazz and Ratchet would have returned to Earth along with new team member Ironhide (who would scan a pick-up truck vehicle mode resembling the live-action film version of the character), while Bulkhead and Sari would have remained on Cybertron, with Sari discovering more about her unique origins and Cybertronian species, and Bulkhead defending Cybertron's energon farms from the Decepticons. Megatron would also reformat into a new, Triple-Changer body, with his new vehicle modes being a fighter jet and a tank, both of which would be Cybertronian. An action figure was designed for Megatron's new body (along with figures for Powermaster Optimus Prime and Hot Shot's earth mode), but was never mass-produced or released at retail. Megatron would have broken out of Trypticon Prison on Cybertron and relocate the city of Kaon to Earth, using the Energon deposits to build machinations that could threaten all life on the planet.
Other ideas planned for the cancelled fourth season include Blackarachnia returning with an army of Predacons, Bulkhead and Sari entering a parallel universe with evil Autobots and heroic Decepticons (an homage to the Shattered Glass comic), Minicons from Kaon disabling all the machinery in Detroit (an homage to the film Gremlins), the introductions of the Autobot Cosmos (who would have scanned a prop flying saucer from the set of a B-Movie) and the Decepticon Bludgeon (who would have been a pirate), and a new group of human villains called S.T.E.A.M. (short for Saving The Earth And Mankind), who are against modern technology and use Steampunk-style weaponry.
=== Return to The Hub ===
The Hub started airing reruns of the show on July 9, 2012, in its original HD format until mid-2014.

Tags: sci-fi

Review:
More social themes like corruption, propaganda, the problems of single parenthood and "empty nest syndrome"(especially after the point where Sari "grows up) are thrown in in the later seasons allowing even older audiences to look at Transformers as not just a show to promote toys.Mentioning Sari, she is the mandatory "human" character this time around.
Now "characters" has always been the strongest point of the original series and Beast Wars.
In short, there characters are just as likable as in the original cartoon, though it may take some time to warm up to the many little changes.
Like the characters for who they are, or hate them for the changes made, its up to you.Ironically the weakest element in Transformers animated is its animation.(imagine that.
It just ends up giving a very jerky and jumpy feel to the movements.I must say that the characters actually look terrible in still shots or on posters(hence the negative fan reaction when still images of the characters were first revealed), but in constant animated movement, the character designs worked pretty well and like the characters themselves, it would eventually grow on you.I urge anyone who is looking for a good Transformers series to watch this show with an open mind.
Transformers: Animated proves that Generation 1 can live on in the modern day, whilst giving us a solid, fun, modern cartoon.
Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Ratchet, Prowl, Arcee, Jazz, Ultra Magnus, Grimlock, Megatron, Wreck-Gar, Starscream, Blitzwing and Blurr are among just a few of the cast of robots in this series.
Of the recent incarnations, Transformers: Prime may be the better animated and written show, has more depth and also has the advantage of having Peter Cullen and Frank Welker as Optimus and Megatron.
But what Transformers: Animated does better is that none of the main characters are annoying(Prime had Miko), Bumblebee is much closer in characterisation to the original show, in Prime he was bland, and it is one of the better recent incarnations in terms of recreating the spirit of the original show.
Overall, not mind blowing but highly entertaining still, while some of the complaints are somewhat valid Transformers: Animated is not really that deserving of the hate it's gotten.
When it was announced that a new Transformers series had come out, I was initially a bit sceptical, but as time passed, I grew to love those character designs and the robots personalities from the clips.
The storyline was great and the voice-actors sounded like they were the characters - not just merely reading their lines or so.
In conclusion, this series might seem a little too kiddy for those who grew up with the original Transformers, but it's really worth watching.
Being a G1 die-hard, I was naturally skeptical about this new series (especially after catching glimpses of the questionable character design).
But I have to say that after watching the first 3 episodes (or was it a full 1 1/2 hour mini-movie?), I think this new series is pretty good.
Not great, but good.The high points: They kept the original transforming sound (which is more than I can say for that damn live-action movie).
However, it must be said that the writers/producers had the good sense to keep at least a few key characters perfectly intact...namely Bumblebee and Starscream.For somebody who loved the original so dearly, this series doesn't disappoint.
Then it just so happened, on Cartoon Network, I came across a TV promo for this new show simply titled, "Transformers: Animated".
My first thought was, "Well, the story seems pretty basic, but this Starscream guy looks like a cool character (by the way, this was the show that made me a Starscream fan-girl).
This of course, was a very common trope in Transformers since G1, but instead of just being a tag-a-long, Sari actually has a story arc in this series!
She's also not as useless as most Trans-Fans like to believe, she actually helps the Autobots multiple times.
I can understand that there were a few failures somewhat in the franchise, but come one this is actually pretty good mega tron everyones beloved transformers villain has a perfect voice actor and so does star scream, and many other characters,bumblebee is portrayed as a auto bot who never shuts up and always cracking jokes as opposed to him being completely silent in the movie can be funny sometimes, and the way the designers and voice actors manage pulled it off so well in this show from start to finish.
*For anyone who might not know, G1 refers to the original 1984-1986 transformers cartoon series.I'm very glad I checked out this show.
The other transformers series after G1 has not been able too keep my attention for more than two minutes.The cartoony style is nice, I love it but fans of a more "serious" style might not like it.
One nice thing is that they have the original transformation sound and even starscreams lasers sound a lot like before.It's great they built on the idea that the autobots are repair-bots, "ordinary people" who has to fight the decepticons, who are big and scary war-machines.
However most of the time he's likable.Worst thing to me is that they keep hiding the transformations and when they do show them it usually looks bad.
Sometimes it even looks like they're shapeshifting instead of transforming, and that looks terrible.Overall however Transformers Animated has so many good elements, it comes out as highly enjoyable.
I don't follow each of the reincarnations like Beast Wars and Armada.Transformers Animated sparked my interest back, especially seeing my kid watching it religiously.
They've also brainwashed my kid into buying the Animated style toys as opposed to the movie figures and Transformers Universe..
like the whole elita one episode the characterization of the characters is really well done, each has their own unique attributes and weakness, much like the G1 characters but much more a lot of people are saying how the human characters ruin it, but i really like sari and sumdac, shes much more of a kid who audiences can relate to, (and she doesn't wear a hardhat) shes like a fangirl to the autobots :D i really can't wait to see which transformers they animated next definitely give this one a chance, watch a full episode before saying anything.
I'll start off by saying I've been an active Transformers fan for years, not someone who watched G1 as a kid and then forgot about TFs until the recent live-action movie came out (In fact, I actually hated the movie, as both a Transformers fan and a fan of movies in general).
Beast Wars (especially the second and third seasons) is my favorite show to date, not because it was the first one I watched, but because the story lines, character development, and voice acting achieved a level of depth, emotion and overall quality which has been unmatched in TF cartoons before or since.With that being said, I was a bit skeptical going into this show.
Granted, Megatron is often pulling the strings of whatever enemy they may be facing, but so far the Transformer presence on the villains' side has been severely lacking, which is a shame since the episodes where they fight a Cybertronian enemy (be it a Decepticon or the Dinobots) are clearly the strongest of the bunch.
The people making this show are clearly aware that adult fans watch the show as well (as evidenced by all the G1 references), and could easily make it a bit more mature without alienating the kids (ie Beast Wars).In conclusion, I encourage you to give this show a chance if you are at all interested, and keep an open mind; you may be pleasantly surprised.
no one is going to believe a series based on some crazy robots with animation 30 yrs old.
Fun and entertaining, yes, but not good.It astounds me to this day that people think Transformers Animated is water-down, child friendly crap.
But it's worth it when you get to the third season, which features mature/dark storytelling, legitimate stakes, and on-screen character death- all things that the cartoon that aired after it, PRIME, failed to do properly.I could write a whole novel about how this show is actually really good, but instead I'll just highly recommend you give it a watch for more than 3 minutes..
Watching these characters grow and change, learn about there vast and interesting backstories and the backstory on the war and why everything is the way it is that's what's great about the show.
Me being such a mega transformers fan this show is still amazing although how different it takes the franchise and honestly if you just wanna watch a great anime like story here you go.
I am always amazed how a team can take a decent original cartoons plus a number of knock-offs ranging from rather good to fairly poor - and create something like this.
TransFormers: Animated serves as a defribrillator for the series, as well as showing that an old TV show can still pull it off.
If they can get past the weak spots at the beginning of the series, which do still have their good points.Transformers: Animated does have Teen Titans-influenced animation.
And cameos of original characters were abundant, including, but not limited to, Cliffjumper, Ironhide, Powerglide, Warpath, Beachcomber, Brawn, Wheeljack, Perceptor, Rodimus Prime, Cyclonus, and Stryka.Oh, and for the reviewer who complained that the Allspark looked like a car key: Did you actually watch the original series, or Beast Machines for that matter?
But I feel the show needs some justice done on how good it is.Its original in its own way but keeps to its G1 roots.I have to admit the first 3 shows didn't sell me on it, I found it a bit childish especially the infamous death scene of yet 'another' optimus prime near death scene.However the episode which sold me on it was the seventh episode "Thrill of the Hunt" with it being dramatic and having great tragedy, and helping to add back story to not one but two well known G1 character's it had more of an adult theme to it but still gave the feel of a message like G1.I've not yet seen all of the episodes but no matter how bad the episodes seem I know that they can produce an episode fit to be called "Transformers" and will continue to watch the entire season and the next.However when you watch it you must not judge it by only G1 and look at it with a clean plate.Id recommend it for children of any age with its humour and active plot line, while some episode would require an older audience to appreciate the scenes shown, its fit for all age groups..
After the 2007 Live Action Transformers Movie was a hit blockbuster film Hasbro has choice to create a new Transformers Cartoon that tells a different story with The Autobots and Decepcticons The Story is that Five Autobots, Optimus Prime (David Kaye) Prowl(Jeff Bennett) Bumblebee(Bumper Robinson) Bulkhead(Bill Fagerbakke)and Ratchet(Corey Burton) discover a ancient Allspark the forces that gave Life to all Transformers They are soon chase by the Decepticons with Megatron (Corey Burton) Starscream(Tom Kenny) Blitzwing (Bumper Robinson) Lugnut (David Kaye) and many more.The Autobots crash land on Earth where they remain for many years.
Years later the Autobots awaken and soon meet a human friend Sari Sumdac (Tara Strong) The daughter of Isaac Sumdac a man who discover Megatron and use what he learn to make a robot empire.As the series goes on we meet many Autobots and Decepticons and learn a great deal about their personally.The story I thought had some promise since they took the time to think of where they want the series to go and have some good characters to go with the storyline the Human villains are just terrible and unneeded.The cast and voice acting is very good and it was nice to have a great cast of many famous actors and Transformers Voice Acting Veterans like David Kaye and Corey Burton.The Animation still is a mix bag not that is bad but they really had some issues that I wish could have fix but still they did well with what they did.So over all if you're a fan of Transformers like me then Transformers Animated is worth a try.Too bad the series was canned before we could have more promising story lines to go with this series.
Cybertron was the kind of thing you play at Guantanamo to get a confession out of people.Then comes Transformers: Animated.
The greatest consistency is to make the Autobots look like advanced toys and let those toys battle it out with the kind of super-villain you think would be cute in a movie or show making a parody of DC COmics.
After watching the series all the way through, I can say without a doubt that it isn't as bad as a lot of people say it is.
First, while most transformers shows simply focus on the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons, this series is more like a superhero show, with a few episodes not featuring a single decepticon.
The animation, more specifically the character designs, seem to be what most people have a problem with.
A lot of People Hate how this show looks, though since I grew up watching Teen Titans this art style doesn't bother me.
But if you can look past this, the series is incredibly fun and the most unique transformers show barring maybe Beast Wars..
When I first heard or rather saw that Transformers the TV series was going to be remade, I like many other fans ran to our TV guides and marked the date of release.Unfortunately to many and my own dismay, this was nothing like the old shows.In fact I felt that this was a whole other show on its on, because it didn't feel like a remake or a continuation.My problems with the series begins with the voice actors.It feels as if they brought a heavily underpaid group of VA's to fill in some very huge shoes.I didn't expect A+ voice acting, but what was given isn't even worth of a C grade.They fail mostly on Optimus Prime's voice.While he is very articulate he sounds more like an angst teenager than a grown autobot.One could blame the poor writing but the voice itself just doesn't match the drawn character.Another problem I noticed was the transforming itself.I'm a huge fan of the transformers, mainly due to the unique transformations of every Autobot and decepticon.Now I know the old shows didn't lay out every part switching panel to panel, but some sort of transformation was shown.In this series it's only masked by a flash of light and some well sped action line.Ultimately leaving anyone wanting more out of a simple transformation that took Michael Bay all of five minutes to show.In conclusion this series needs a major overhaul and even some new artists.The show feels like it was rushed just to match the date of the movie.The action is very lackluster and most episodes consist of slapstick humor the easily becomes very old and very boring.If your a fan, you'll hate it, and if your into Animated Series you'll watch a few episodes here and there but will ultimately find something better to watch..
Cartoon Network ran the "Transformers Animated Special" which is essentially the pilot for the new series.
Let's start with the animation which looks awful, especially the humans.
I wonder if Cartoon Network has the same company do all their animation for them, because it looks just like all their other shows.
Plus, they drew Megatron's body to be so big that Optimus Prime looks like a midget standing next to him.
It's one of the reasons I have not liked a Transformers based cartoon since the original.
Watching this shows human characters made me appreciate the Movie a heck of a lot more.
COULD WE NOT HAVE THE GREAT PRIME AND MEGATRON BE HONORED BY HISTORY AND HAVE NEW CHARACTERS TO LOVE?
Transformers: Animated is Cartoon Network's answer to try and get quick ratings, by introducing a new storyline with timeless characters like Optimus Prime and Megatron, but in the end, Transformers: Animated becomes only a cheap movie cash-in, reminiscent to the Transformers video game.The plot is different than what fans are use to.
The opening credits make sure you know that fearless Optimus Prime, youthful Bumblebee, elderly Ratchet are in the show as well as non-movie characters like stealthy Prowl and lame Lugnut.
And two, some may be fooled by the idea that making an all-new Transformer that has never been in a cartoon is very difficult, but it's inexcusable when three of the Autobots plus one of the Decepticons have ridiculously long chins and sound terrible.Then the producers decided to throw in a girl named Sarry whose father creates robots (and ends up housing the head of the 'late' Megatron after Starscream's signature for treachery).
It's pretty bad.Transformers: Animated may have sounded like a good show on paper, but when you try so hard to not be like the movie and yet want people to think it's the movie at the same time, what you got is just a jumble of terrible ideas from people who read a few robot names, looked at the basic plot through a Transformer fan fiction, and decided "this would make an awesome cartoon!" I can't understand why there are people who actually like this show when it's only a cheap cash-in that fails on nearly every level.
Sari (who is more annoying then Miko from TFP) was a robot the whole time?I have never seen the Transformers Generation series but I am presuming this show is based off that series.Here is an idea: watch Transformers Prime, Transformers titans return or even Transformers Robots in disguise (both 2001 and 2015) instead.The only good elements to come out of this would have been Megatron and Shockwave.