That's right everyone, in another first, I'm reviewing a TV Show! So I'm sure what you're asking yourself is "Why am I reading a blog by a geeky teenager who thinks he's incredibly funny but isn't at all?" That question, I can't really answer. But I can answer the question on why I chose to review a TV show: I wanted to try something new. So this time I'm reviewing a classic show that is beloved by cult members everywhere.
Beast Wars: Transformers
Never heard of it? Then you are clearly not a geek. I shun you for coming here without being a geek. Not really, but if you're a geek, then odds are you know Beast Wars (or "Beasties" as the Canadians called it [Don't ask]) is the best Transformers show there is., And no, I don't care about all you nostalgics saying the original cartoon was better, this show had CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT and PLOT. Can you claim that? No? Then stop complaining and read the darn review.
Anyways, the backstory of Beast Wars is that the Autobots did manage to eventually defeat the Decepticons, and semi-unify Cybertron. Eventually, both sides underwent a process known as the Great Upgrade, through which all of them shrank to human size, the Autobots became Maximals, and the Decepticons became Predacons. Yes, I know that's the name of a combiner group from the old show, but moving on! The Predacons are treated like second-class citizens (so much for the Autobots being accepting and friendly), and some are tired of this. The few five who bother to take a stand unite under a Predacon named Megatron. Yes, it's cheesy, but he actually chose this name, instead of just having it like his G1 counterpart did. Anyways, they steal a sacred item (the Golden Disk, and no, there is no chocalate inside), a spaceship (apropriatly named the Darksyde [subtle, I know]), and make for quardinets leading to a massive Energon deposit on a planet. The only ship able to respond to their escape in time is an exploration cruiser, the Axalon. They chase their quarry through a transwarp portal, and after a fight sequence, both ships crash on the planet below. Neither side is sure where or when this planet is, due to the fact that many of the readings they get were unexpected. They discover that the planet has so much Energon, it will damage their systems if they have sustained exposure to it. To counter this problem, they adopt semi-organic form based off of animals, and proceed to fight each other. One of the Oredacons defects, making the sides even, and the Beast Wars begin! Admittedly, it's not the greatest opening, but it sets up the story well enough. It gets more interesting when they discover that a strange alien race has plans for the planet, and they did not involve all-out robotic warfare. Eventually the planet is revealed to be none other than prehistoric Earth, which means they're fighting at the time when Optimus and the others aboard the Ark are in stasis-lock, which is near-death for Transformers. This means that if Megatron finds the Ark, then, well, you get the idea. Time flux! So that's Beast Wars. It's not Shakesphere, but it works, and some of the writing can be genuinly amazing. The most often cited example of this is Code of Hero. I won't lie, I agree completely with the sentament there. That episode was amazing, and a fitting farewell to a beloved character. And if you remember back to my review of Survivor's Quest, (remember, the Timothy Zahn book that didn't feel like it was written by Timothy Zahn) you'll know that the great Simon Furman wrote the final episode, and man did it show. Characters died (he's very bloodthirsty), stands against evil were made, last-ditch attempts to stop the villians were successful, and overall, it ended the show on a great note. And then, they made Beast Machines (shudders). In one sentence, don't watch it unless you're a die-hard fan. That's the only way you'll like it. But anyways, Beast Wars was a teriffic show that deserves a lot more attention then it gets. Sure the CGI is dated, (especially Season 1) and yeah, they made some mistakes early on, but it was still a great show, and definetly the best of all Transformers shows. I still don't know why only a relativly small number have seen this show, because for a children's cartoon, it's not only got a lot of adult themes in it, it's just plain brilliant. Check it out on Netflix if you have it, but be warned that there streaming is currently missing Season 3. We'll work on correcting that. And once it finally is, things will be just Prime.
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