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Description

In memory of Derrick J. Wyatt (August 10, 1972 – December 16, 2021)

Transformers: Animated (2007-09)
Seasons: 3
Episodes: 42
Network: Cartoon Network

2007 was the very year where the Transformers franchise was given some fresh new blood with the release of the first live action film by Michael Bay, which helped rejuvenate the franchise and was very influential for the franchise's popularity today. At the tail end of the movie's release year, a brand new animated reboot of the franchise debuted on Cartoon Network, Transformers: Animated, a completely different take on the franchise and to this day is regarded as one of the best shows in the franchise in the community.

For me, this was the first Transformers cartoon I watched in my youth and for a long while was my preferred version of those characters. This show and the 2007 movie (when I revisited it on DVD in 2011) are what made me a huge fan of this franchise and Animated especially has always had a special place in my heart. To this day, it is one of my favorite shows in the franchise and is in constant competition with Prime as my favorite Transformers show, depending on what day you ask me. But what is it about Animated that makes it great and stand out from the huge crowd of Transformers series?

Positives:

What makes Animated unique from the other Transformers shows is the very bold and different way it reimagines the franchise with its characters and lore. Its does what a lot of the best reboots do in that it takes familiar and iconic characters and ideas in a very well known IP and reinvents them in a way that's fresh and new. Animated takes a lot of creative risks with its take of the franchise, and a lot of them pay off tremendously. It draws inspiration and combines many elements from the franchise's history up to that point and creates a version of the Transformers universe that is both familiar to not alienate long time fans but is very bold and unique in its direction and world building that helps it greatly stand on its own.

And the bold new direction and reimagining is very clear in its takes on iconic characters. In this version, Optimus is NOT the heroic leader of the Autobots that everyone looks up to and idolizes but is instead a space bridge repair man (or like the Cybertronian equivalent of an every man) in a group of other misfit bots who are somewhat ostracized from their society and it helps give a new and fresh spin on the formula and makes this main Autobot group somewhat relatable as over the course of the series, this misfit band of Autobot would learn to rise to the occasion and become the heroic Autobots we would expect when the Decepticons come into the main story. The show in a way serves as somewhat of an origin story for Optimus's rise to becoming the heroic leader we know and it makes the journey highly engaging and unique because he is very flawed and has had a rough history of mistakes and has disappointed those he knows but he grows from the past and rises to become the selfless Autobot we know Optimus to be and David Kaye provides an exceptional performance as this unique take on the character that is brilliant and stands on its own from other Optimus portrayals, even Peter Cullen, and the other VAs in the show including Corey Burton, Tara Strong, Jeff Bennett, Tom Kenny and many others are phenomenal and bring a lot of charisma and personality to their characters.

And outside of Optimus, other characters get a new twist in their characterization. Ratchet is characterized like G1 Ironhide as the grizzled and grumpy war veteran while Ironhide is a more younger soldier. This series showed the return of Bumblebee since G1 in animated form thanks to his appearance in the movies and is one of the better young Autobot characters being that he's more spunky and fun loving than reckless and annoying. Prowl is reimagined as a lone wolf ninja. The Dinobots have a new origin of being dinosaur Animatronics given life by the All Spark key as well as Wreck Gar being brought to life from a pile of junk and voiced by Weird Al Yankovic. And the list goes on with other old characters.

In addition, the show also brings in new original characters that add a lot to the show including Bulkhead who at first may come off as a big dumb lug of a bot voiced by Patrick Star (Bill Fagerbakke) but is actually a skilled engineer and has a big heart, Lugnut who is a big Decepticon brute who is fiercely loyal to Megatron, and Lockdown who is a factionless bounty hunter voiced by Lance Henrikson. They each are very cool characters and prove so with their appearance in subsequent iterations such as Bulkhead in Prime and Lockdown in Age of Extinction.

And the show also brings the menace and imposing side of the Decepticons to the front with how they are presented as bigger than the Autobots and are highly deadly combatants that make the Autobot's fights a challenge. And this show features the most cunning and Intimidating version of Megatron in the lead with his presence in the show being in the forefront as someone that can easily wipe the floors with the Autobots and Starscream who is brilliantly portrayed like his G1 counterpart but more maniacal and the way the show utilizes him is ingenious. Blitzwing went from being just a Decepticon grunt to being an amusing Con with three very different personalities from a calm German scientist to an angry almost Schwarzenegger like hot head to a crazy jack o lantern faced madman.

While the human elements of the previous shows was mixed at best, Animated excels when it comes to that factor. The main human Sari Sumdac is a great human character and companion to the Autobots as she actually holds her own as character and is able to aid the Autobots in many ways which makes her a very pivotal member of the team and what we later learn of her character makes her more interesting. Her father Professor Sumdac also is a good supporting character, bringing that father/daughter dynamic and police captain Fanzone is a riot whenever he speaks and interacts with others despite being a more minor character.

And there's many more to list but to sum up, Animated does a fantastic job at reinventing older characters in a unique way as well as giving new life to more lesser characters and the development we get with the main cast both good and to an extent bad is exceptionally done.

Another thing that makes Animated stand out is its visual style thanks to the late great Derrick J. Wyatt, whose signature art style really gives the show its unique voice. Animated leans heavily into its cartoon style with many of the designs being both simple yet dynamic just like Wyatt's other shows like Teen Titans, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated and Ben 10: Omniverse and it shines especially during the action with many of the movements, actions and personalities especially being put to full force with a more fast paced snappiness to the execution with the transformations and fight scenes and also more intimate moments that help make the show not only visually stunning but also engaging with what the animation can pull off and its a shame of what happened to Wyatt as his style is one of a kind and will surely be missed.

And the setting of the show is also very unique being a more tech savvy and machine driven version of Detroit, that takes the "Robots in disguise" theme and flips it on its head, being that the Autobots don't have to hide their existence as much as other versions from humans as their mechanical helps them fit in with the community that features a lot of robots and machines in the services. Its a very welcome change of pace to the formula and its inclusion helps give Animated a unique setting and main locale of the narrative.

Animated you could say is somewhat ahead of its time with its narrative with how its first season is a bit more simple and straightforward being mainly an introduction to the main Autobots and their adjusting to their new home in Detroit and helping the community but once the Decepticons appear, the show at that point becomes more deeper as it goes with lots of the show being dedicated to character arcs and an overarching plot that is very engaging and adds to the world building experience, as well as even gets surprisingly dark and mature at moments regarding certain character fates and circumstances, which is always a plus.

Mixed:

This mixed point is not the fault of the show itself but rather the unfortunate cancelation after season 3, as they had a lot of cool and interesting ideas and directions planned for a fourth season that potentially could have elevated the show more and be the best season yet but they were all unjustly axed. However, the reason why its mixed and not a negative is because the ending that we did get with the show is a satisfying and cathartic enough final chapter especially regarding Optimus' arc and the victory by the end and was a bit bittersweet for reasons I won't spoil. Even though there were still some loose ends with specific characters, the ending was at least somewhat conclusive, compared to other cancelled shows that were either left on a cliffhanger or were cut off before they hit their stride. On one hand, I like how the show ended in of itself and the ending we did get but a part of me does wish that the show continued and provided us more Animated content.

Negatives:

Now these points are just minor nitpicks in an otherwise awesome show that don't take away from the experience but are still worth mentioning...

While I get that Sentinel is meant to be a despicable character narrative wise, he is pretty obnoxious and is such an unlikable dick to Optimus and gives him such a hard time that I just wanted someone to come and put him in his place because of how much of a pompous douchebag he is and how he almost never gets much comeuppance for his actions. Even though he was intentionally written that way, Sentinel is still a despicable character with not many redeeming qualities.

At the start of the show, before the Decepticons became the more prevalent antagonists, the Autobots faced a handful of human villains and while they're not terrible, they don't hold a candle to the Decepticons. Outside of one's like The Headmaster and a few others, they felt more like nuisances than threats and some of them are a bit too silly even for the tone the show is going for, especially Professor Princess and Angry Archer. What kind of D list supervillains are these weirdos? They're fine for what they are but when compared to the more interesting and imposing Decepticons, the human villains are a bit weak and aside from a few, they're pretty forgettable.

And this is a very small nipick but I'm not a big fan of the name of the show, Transformers: Animated. Admittedly that's not a very creative name as the other Transformers shows are animated as well so the show doesn't really stand out much based on the title alone. They could have come up with a more creative name for the show, I'm just saying...

But that goes to show how phenomenal Transformers: Animated is when those are the only problem I can say about it, aside from its cancellation and short lived run.

Standout Episodes:
+ Transform and Roll Out
+ The Thrill of the Hunt
+ Autoboot Camp
+ Along Came A Spider
+ Headmaster
+ Megatron Rising
+ Human Error
+ TransWarped
+ Decepticon Air
+ Endgame

Final Thoughts
Simply put, love this show! Transformers: Animated is an absolute gem of a Transformers series that is way better than it had any right to be and is an absolute breath of fresh air as a reimagining of the franchise. It has amazing characters, voice acting, story and so many things going for it that it is an absolute must watch for any Transformers fan. And like I said, if not for the fact that Prime exists, Animated could easily be my number one Transformers show. And despite some of the very small flaws, Transformers: Animated is what I would call a perfect Transformers series and is definitely worth seeking out as this reimagining is more than meets the Eye!

10/10

What are your thoughts on Transformers: Animated?

Description

In memory of Derrick J. Wyatt (August 10, 1972 – December 16, 2021)

Transformers: Animated (2007-09)
Seasons: 3
Episodes: 42
Network: Cartoon Network

2007 was the very year where the Transformers franchise was given some fresh new blood with the release of the first live action film by Michael Bay, which helped rejuvenate the franchise and was very influential for the franchise's popularity today. At the tail end of the movie's release year, a brand new animated reboot of the franchise debuted on Cartoon Network, Transformers: Animated, a completely different take on the franchise and to this day is regarded as one of the best shows in the franchise in the community.

For me, this was the first Transformers cartoon I watched in my youth and for a long while was my preferred version of those characters. This show and the 2007 movie (when I revisited it on DVD in 2011) are what made me a huge fan of this franchise and Animated especially has always had a special place in my heart. To this day, it is one of my favorite shows in the franchise and is in constant competition with Prime as my favorite Transformers show, depending on what day you ask me. But what is it about Animated that makes it great and stand out from the huge crowd of Transformers series?

Positives:

What makes Animated unique from the other Transformers shows is the very bold and different way it reimagines the franchise with its characters and lore. Its does what a lot of the best reboots do in that it takes familiar and iconic characters and ideas in a very well known IP and reinvents them in a way that's fresh and new. Animated takes a lot of creative risks with its take of the franchise, and a lot of them pay off tremendously. It draws inspiration and combines many elements from the franchise's history up to that point and creates a version of the Transformers universe that is both familiar to not alienate long time fans but is very bold and unique in its direction and world building that helps it greatly stand on its own.

And the bold new direction and reimagining is very clear in its takes on iconic characters. In this version, Optimus is NOT the heroic leader of the Autobots that everyone looks up to and idolizes but is instead a space bridge repair man (or like the Cybertronian equivalent of an every man) in a group of other misfit bots who are somewhat ostracized from their society and it helps give a new and fresh spin on the formula and makes this main Autobot group somewhat relatable as over the course of the series, this misfit band of Autobot would learn to rise to the occasion and become the heroic Autobots we would expect when the Decepticons come into the main story. The show in a way serves as somewhat of an origin story for Optimus's rise to becoming the heroic leader we know and it makes the journey highly engaging and unique because he is very flawed and has had a rough history of mistakes and has disappointed those he knows but he grows from the past and rises to become the selfless Autobot we know Optimus to be and David Kaye provides an exceptional performance as this unique take on the character that is brilliant and stands on its own from other Optimus portrayals, even Peter Cullen, and the other VAs in the show including Corey Burton, Tara Strong, Jeff Bennett, Tom Kenny and many others are phenomenal and bring a lot of charisma and personality to their characters.

And outside of Optimus, other characters get a new twist in their characterization. Ratchet is characterized like G1 Ironhide as the grizzled and grumpy war veteran while Ironhide is a more younger soldier. This series showed the return of Bumblebee since G1 in animated form thanks to his appearance in the movies and is one of the better young Autobot characters being that he's more spunky and fun loving than reckless and annoying. Prowl is reimagined as a lone wolf ninja. The Dinobots have a new origin of being dinosaur Animatronics given life by the All Spark key as well as Wreck Gar being brought to life from a pile of junk and voiced by Weird Al Yankovic. And the list goes on with other old characters.

In addition, the show also brings in new original characters that add a lot to the show including Bulkhead who at first may come off as a big dumb lug of a bot voiced by Patrick Star (Bill Fagerbakke) but is actually a skilled engineer and has a big heart, Lugnut who is a big Decepticon brute who is fiercely loyal to Megatron, and Lockdown who is a factionless bounty hunter voiced by Lance Henrikson. They each are very cool characters and prove so with their appearance in subsequent iterations such as Bulkhead in Prime and Lockdown in Age of Extinction.

And the show also brings the menace and imposing side of the Decepticons to the front with how they are presented as bigger than the Autobots and are highly deadly combatants that make the Autobot's fights a challenge. And this show features the most cunning and Intimidating version of Megatron in the lead with his presence in the show being in the forefront as someone that can easily wipe the floors with the Autobots and Starscream who is brilliantly portrayed like his G1 counterpart but more maniacal and the way the show utilizes him is ingenious. Blitzwing went from being just a Decepticon grunt to being an amusing Con with three very different personalities from a calm German scientist to an angry almost Schwarzenegger like hot head to a crazy jack o lantern faced madman.

While the human elements of the previous shows was mixed at best, Animated excels when it comes to that factor. The main human Sari Sumdac is a great human character and companion to the Autobots as she actually holds her own as character and is able to aid the Autobots in many ways which makes her a very pivotal member of the team and what we later learn of her character makes her more interesting. Her father Professor Sumdac also is a good supporting character, bringing that father/daughter dynamic and police captain Fanzone is a riot whenever he speaks and interacts with others despite being a more minor character.

And there's many more to list but to sum up, Animated does a fantastic job at reinventing older characters in a unique way as well as giving new life to more lesser characters and the development we get with the main cast both good and to an extent bad is exceptionally done.

Another thing that makes Animated stand out is its visual style thanks to the late great Derrick J. Wyatt, whose signature art style really gives the show its unique voice. Animated leans heavily into its cartoon style with many of the designs being both simple yet dynamic just like Wyatt's other shows like Teen Titans, Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated and Ben 10: Omniverse and it shines especially during the action with many of the movements, actions and personalities especially being put to full force with a more fast paced snappiness to the execution with the transformations and fight scenes and also more intimate moments that help make the show not only visually stunning but also engaging with what the animation can pull off and its a shame of what happened to Wyatt as his style is one of a kind and will surely be missed.

And the setting of the show is also very unique being a more tech savvy and machine driven version of Detroit, that takes the "Robots in disguise" theme and flips it on its head, being that the Autobots don't have to hide their existence as much as other versions from humans as their mechanical helps them fit in with the community that features a lot of robots and machines in the services. Its a very welcome change of pace to the formula and its inclusion helps give Animated a unique setting and main locale of the narrative.

Animated you could say is somewhat ahead of its time with its narrative with how its first season is a bit more simple and straightforward being mainly an introduction to the main Autobots and their adjusting to their new home in Detroit and helping the community but once the Decepticons appear, the show at that point becomes more deeper as it goes with lots of the show being dedicated to character arcs and an overarching plot that is very engaging and adds to the world building experience, as well as even gets surprisingly dark and mature at moments regarding certain character fates and circumstances, which is always a plus.

Mixed:

This mixed point is not the fault of the show itself but rather the unfortunate cancelation after season 3, as they had a lot of cool and interesting ideas and directions planned for a fourth season that potentially could have elevated the show more and be the best season yet but they were all unjustly axed. However, the reason why its mixed and not a negative is because the ending that we did get with the show is a satisfying and cathartic enough final chapter especially regarding Optimus' arc and the victory by the end and was a bit bittersweet for reasons I won't spoil. Even though there were still some loose ends with specific characters, the ending was at least somewhat conclusive, compared to other cancelled shows that were either left on a cliffhanger or were cut off before they hit their stride. On one hand, I like how the show ended in of itself and the ending we did get but a part of me does wish that the show continued and provided us more Animated content.

Negatives:

Now these points are just minor nitpicks in an otherwise awesome show that don't take away from the experience but are still worth mentioning...

While I get that Sentinel is meant to be a despicable character narrative wise, he is pretty obnoxious and is such an unlikable dick to Optimus and gives him such a hard time that I just wanted someone to come and put him in his place because of how much of a pompous douchebag he is and how he almost never gets much comeuppance for his actions. Even though he was intentionally written that way, Sentinel is still a despicable character with not many redeeming qualities.

At the start of the show, before the Decepticons became the more prevalent antagonists, the Autobots faced a handful of human villains and while they're not terrible, they don't hold a candle to the Decepticons. Outside of one's like The Headmaster and a few others, they felt more like nuisances than threats and some of them are a bit too silly even for the tone the show is going for, especially Professor Princess and Angry Archer. What kind of D list supervillains are these weirdos? They're fine for what they are but when compared to the more interesting and imposing Decepticons, the human villains are a bit weak and aside from a few, they're pretty forgettable.

And this is a very small nipick but I'm not a big fan of the name of the show, Transformers: Animated. Admittedly that's not a very creative name as the other Transformers shows are animated as well so the show doesn't really stand out much based on the title alone. They could have come up with a more creative name for the show, I'm just saying...

But that goes to show how phenomenal Transformers: Animated is when those are the only problem I can say about it, aside from its cancellation and short lived run.

Standout Episodes:
+ Transform and Roll Out
+ The Thrill of the Hunt
+ Autoboot Camp
+ Along Came A Spider
+ Headmaster
+ Megatron Rising
+ Human Error
+ TransWarped
+ Decepticon Air
+ Endgame

Final Thoughts
Simply put, love this show! Transformers: Animated is an absolute gem of a Transformers series that is way better than it had any right to be and is an absolute breath of fresh air as a reimagining of the franchise. It has amazing characters, voice acting, story and so many things going for it that it is an absolute must watch for any Transformers fan. And like I said, if not for the fact that Prime exists, Animated could easily be my number one Transformers show. And despite some of the very small flaws, Transformers: Animated is what I would call a perfect Transformers series and is definitely worth seeking out as this reimagining is more than meets the Eye!

10/10

What are your thoughts on Transformers: Animated?