Beast Machines: Transformers

You can tell that the writers put effort into this show, but you also can tell that the focus was put in places you normally wouldn't think of as a Transformers series.

To this day Beastmachines is still a very divisive show in the Transformers univers, but to its defence that's the only thing that drags it down for me, because as a direct sequel series to the highly beloved Beast Wars the vastly different tone and subject matter cover the entire series' run.

It's much darker and more serious than its predecessor with very little humour which makes it rather tough to get through, but the central themes of the show like technology vs nature do take a more nuanced look at it instead of being so black/white like other movies/TV-shows like Ferngully: The Last Rainforest or Captain Planet And The Planeteers, but it's presented like this religious conquest by the now Guru of the Maximals Optimus Primal, which makes his ultimate goal not as likable as it should have been.

The animation is another commendable thing about Beastmachines. It has aged much more gracefully than earlier Mainframe Entertainment shows like Beast Wars and ReBoot, and the highly expressive faces of the Maximals can hit the uncanny valley at times. But the character designs are otherwise a mixed bag with Cheetor and Megatron being awesome while Silverbolt is garbage.

I see the problems with Beastmachines, but I can't deny that if I didn't think of it as a Transformers show, then I'd say it's a really good show if not a little dark.

This is what happens when writers stop caring they mess up a good thing.BEAST WARS ruled when the predicons and the maximals transformed they actully transformed now they morph.The story lines lack originality and soul.When continuing a saga you have to be true to you and to your viewers sometimes it pays to listen to yourself not some corporate yes man.Beast Machines is a musn't see.

"Beast Machines" puts the remaining maximals - Optimus, Rattrap, Cheetor and Black Arachnia - back on their home planet Cybertron after the ending of "Beast Wars". Unfortunately, they wake up and find themselves with no memory, in their original forms (the very first ones from the first season of Beast Wars) and being pursued by fierce robotic drones. They find out that their nemesis, Megatron, escaped en route to Cybertron and conquered it before they could arrive. After escaping the drones they find "The Oracle" of Cybertron and are transformed into more organic transformers, who fight Megatron and his new team of henchmen - Jetstorm, Thrust, Tankorr, Obsidian and Strika.

There are quite a few mysteries at the start of the series, including how Megatron managed to conquer Cybertron and the true identities of the main villains henchmen. It is pretty exciting at times, especially with the introduction of character Noble at the start of the second (and last) season. I wont give away anything, just watch the show!

Of course, there are many faults that make "Beast Machines" not as good as "Beast Wars". First, it turns into a weird new agey, environmentalist show about three quarters the way through, because Optimus finds out that the planet's core has always been organic rather than metalich, so the maximals start fighting to bring plants and fluffy animals back. Also, Megatron often whines about how he wants to leave his organic form (a huge metal dragon) because instead he wants to be pure metalich. I have no idea why the writers put this development in, because in "Beast Wars" Megatron never complained once, and actually loved his dragon form. He basically becomes a metaphor for the evil logging corporation that's chopping down precious trees. And the introduction of Nightscream's naive character (a bat) takes away from Cheetor's conflict with Optimus for the same reason.

All in all, "Beast Machines" is a good show, but not a match for "Beast Wars", 7/10.

I remember seeing pictures, and thinking, "eww." Quite literally, "eww." But watching everything in action was a sight. I loved the show's animation style. It somehow reminds me of traditional cel-style, and after watching two episodes (sadly I missed the first) and reading the official site FAQ concerning the transformations and the concepts for the show, I think it will make a fine addition to the Transformers series.

No one has lied to anyone. No one morphs. Granted it's not a traditional transformation, but there's still enough moving parts and pieces for it to not be a strait morph. And if you're going to let this one minor thing make your decision about whether you like or dislike the show then you have no business watching it IMO.