Transformers: Rescue Bots - Mission Protection!

This show is absolutely a surprise. I watched it out of curiosity, and I've been blown away by the clever writing. It's obvious that the writers are lovers of the Transformers lore and franchise. The show strays away from violence, even avoiding the word "death" or "die" whenever possible, but even though the show itself isn't that violent, it is obvious that the universe presented is connected to the universe opened up in Transformers: Prime and Transformers: Robots in Disguise, where peril exists, violence exists, and, most of all, Decepticons exist! In Rescue Bots, we get references to the Transformers lore that work as fun easter eggs for Transformers fans, as well as alluding the possibility of there being "more than meets the eye" to the world that is being presented. The references range from Unicron to Alpha Trion himself! The show even gives us fun movie references, such as E.T., Jaws, Back to the Future, and Aliens!

This show has such well written characters who have interesting personalities that get tested, strengthened, and even grown in the course of the three seasons the show has had so far. We have BLADES, afraid of heights but proving that he's brave enough to face his fears when others are in need. We have BOULDER, homesick for Cybertron but in awe of the wonders and beauty of Earth. We see HEATWAVE, the strong-willed and often arrogant leader of the Rescue Bots who grows fond of the Burns family and will put anyone's life before his own. Lastly, we have CHASE, a law enforcer who follows everything down to protocol, but learns to act on his own will as a Rescue Bot when protocol is not enough.

Along with the Rescue Bots, we have the Burns family, Kade, Cody, Dani, Graham, and Chief Burns, who work alongside the bots, teaching the Autobots while learning from them at the same time. The show demonstrates growth in the characters, both robot and human, while placing challenges and obstacles in their way that reveal vulnerabilities and flaws. No one is perfect, and children watching the show can see that not every person has good intentions, as several characters in the show want nothing but money and power (i.e. Dr. Morocco).

So, as a lover of storytelling and Transformers, I say that this show is perfect for young viewers and Transformers fans alike. Yes, Griffin Rock is the least safe city I've seen in a kid's show. I even nickname it "Murphy's Island", a reference to Murphy's Law, as every event going on in the show goes horribly wrong somehow, and literally nothing and no one is safe from danger. But the writing and character design separates Rescue Bots from shows like Transformers: Prime, which suffered from poor character writing and design (in my opinion). Who knows...maybe we'll get to see First Aid, a Protectobot from Transformers G1! Can't wait for season 4!

My oldest son first became interested in Rescue Bots when my husband and I purchased the Rescue Bots game for his LeapPad. Since then he has seen all the episodes (numerous times) and hasn't got sick of viewing them yet. I do not have the same concerns as a previous parent/reviewer who commented about the women being too curvy and men looking too strong with square jaws and six packs. My son is four (turning five next month) and the only thing he "sponges" from this show is the importance of helping and saving others. He sees how the Rescue Bots and the "Griffin Rock team" (the police chief, firefighter, helicopter pilot, etc) go out of their way to help and save the people who live in Griffin Rock. I always try to ask my son questions about the shows or movies he watches. Sometimes you'll be surprised to know your child has "sponged" something unexpected, like the act of kindness of others.

My son wants to be a Rescue Bot (even the whole family joins in) so he can help mom, dad, brother, even his small town. I'm very pleased with Rescue Bots and we can't wait for season two!!

My 2 & 3 year old boys absolutely love this show! Even I don't mind watching it with them when it is on. The music is cute and the characters are sweet/funny. The theme song is awesome and the background music is sweet. It is a great action show for little boys!

I prefer they watch this instead of the other Transformer shows as it is innocent and age appropriate for them. Optimus Prime & Bumblebee make appearances throughout the series. There are only two seasons out. so far. I am hoping they keep this show going. Check out the cast, too! If you were a child of the 80's/90's, you are sure to recognize some of the people! I was pleasantly surprised! :-)

My 5 y.o. loves this show. He's seen all 23 episodes and wants to watch them again. For a kid that is into robots or space themed stories, the Transformers Rescue Bots is a home run hit. The stories are innocuous and with just enough "danger" to make the little ones care about the happenings. Remember the target audience and don't expect the whole family to be enthralled, but it won't make the adults groan too often. To help make it more interesting for the grown ups, we try to figure out the voice actors and there are some good ones on display for Transformers Rescue Bots. No extreme violence, though and mild, measured language. Show it to your kids without fear.

We watched this show with a 4 year old obsessed with fire fighters. It was a great transitional show for him. As a parent, I thought the messages in the show were pretty positive. I also appreciate that they had cool mega robots that weren't engaged in violent activity. My son liked the plot, the characters (both robot and kid) and most of all, the giant transforming robots.

Pros:

• No serious guns or violence

• Giant transforming robots

• Functional family themes

Cons:

• Would have liked to see more use of the female characters

• The toys that accompany the series certainly encourage consumerism.