The Energon Pub

Tue Dec 13, 2011 10:33 pm

I've watched the 5 episode pilot for the show and that's it, but I just don't see it being very good. The script was pretty ham-fisted, trying to cram in obvious references, the characters aren't all that interesting, and the premise is pretty basic. Does it like, get a lot better, or is the quality roughly the same all the way through the first season? I guess I'm expecting a lot for a series that seems to be banking on its existing fanbase, but it doesn't seem like it has much to stand on its own for the first 5 episodes.

So... is the quality the same all the way through the first season or what?

News Credits: 1235 · Tue Dec 13, 2011 11:20 pm

Just like any T.V. show, it has its hits and misses, but I believe this series has more hits than misses.

News Credits: 1 · Tue Dec 13, 2011 11:24 pm

I think you should give it more then five episodes for any series. It took me a little while to get through the first five too. I still feel that Prime thus far is the strongest and best series there is. But I could be biased.

Tue Dec 13, 2011 11:25 pm

LOST Cybertronian wrote:Just like any T.V. show, it has its hits and misses, but I believe this series has more hits than misses.

I guess, but comparatively, are the first 5 episodes worse on average than the rest of the season? Or on average is it about the same level of quality (or lack thereof)?

Tue Dec 13, 2011 11:27 pm

It gets better... a LOT better. Like pants-crappingly awesome.

Besides, what TF series has ever had a great first five episodes? Maybe Beast Machines, but nothing else.

Tue Dec 13, 2011 11:33 pm

LadyBug wrote:I think you should give it more then five episodes for any series. It took me a little while to get through the first five too. I still feel that Prime thus far is the strongest and best series there is. But I could be biased.

I'll give that Transformers Prime, from what I saw, at least looks like it might end up better than Animated, but I didn't care for that either. Let's be honest, most Transformers series aren't all that great, with Beast Wars being probably the only standout that I saw. Of course, I only saw the original series, Masterforce, Beast Wars, Animated, the movies and that's pretty much it.

Tue Dec 13, 2011 11:42 pm

cotss2012 wrote:It gets better... a LOT better. Like pants-crappingly awesome.

Besides, what TF series has ever had a great first five episodes? Maybe Beast Machines, but nothing else.

Which is why I am asking if the rest of the episodes are better or not. I don't feel like investing time into something that doesn't have a lot of hope.

Mostly I'm trying to get an opinion from someone trying to be as unbiased as possible. I feel that Transformers series get banked too much on the concept and they don't put effort anywhere else in the production or script. I think a much better story can be told on the premise, but I find that no one demands the effort to really pull it off.

Does Transformers Prime put more effort than the pretty bland attempt in the first 5 episodes? That's what I'm curious about.

Tue Dec 13, 2011 11:54 pm

Watch "Predatory" and "Partners". If those don't hook you, then you're probably in the wrong fandom.

Wed Dec 14, 2011 12:47 am

FWIW,at the very least TF Prime isn't a toddler friendly cartoon like Animated was.

At the very least TF Prime's main targeted audience is teenagers & adults.

Animated while a fun cartoon,had too much sillyness & slap stick over the top toddler humor for my taste.

TF Prime appears to be using season one to flesh out the characters & story arcs/plots. season 2 some fans assume with be more action based like beastmachines season 1 & 2 was.

News Credits: 1 · Wed Dec 14, 2011 1:52 am

Prime starts slow. But after a while I noticed I didn't want to stop watching and at the end I was bummed out because I have to wait for season 2.

News Credits: 22 · Wed Dec 14, 2011 1:58 am

It's just you.

Prime is a very good series, IMO, and season 2 looks like it will only get better. It's not better (rather, funner) than Animated was, but it's very good. Can't wait to get the DVD set.

Wed Dec 14, 2011 2:08 am

You gotta watch more of the episodes, basing anything off of the first 5 episodes or so is pretty stupid. Take (awkward to admit that I watched this but) the first Nanoha series for instance- pretty bad and/or different for the first 4-5 episodes ish and brought in new characters and interesting plot points for existing characters that made you fall in love with them.

tl;dr watch the next 21 episodes, you won't regret most of them...Shadowzone's kinda disappointing and probably the worst episode but otherwise they're great. (ymmv on some but the last 4 and partners/predatory are great or you belong to the wrong fandom)

Wed Dec 14, 2011 7:31 am

I have to say that there's something to be said about a series that requires you to ignore the first 5 episodes in order to get into it. If it wasn't for the fact that I enjoy Transformers as a whole, I would have abandoned it after the first episode.

News Credits: 1235 · Wed Dec 14, 2011 8:32 am

Ballistic90 wrote:I have to say that there's something to be said about a series that requires you to ignore the first 5 episodes in order to get into it. If it wasn't for the fact that I enjoy Transformers as a whole, I would have abandoned it after the first episode.

Sounds like you already made up your mind so I don't get why you are asking for opinions.

News Credits: 1 · Wed Dec 14, 2011 8:38 am

LOST Cybertronian wrote:
Ballistic90 wrote:I have to say that there's something to be said about a series that requires you to ignore the first 5 episodes in order to get into it. If it wasn't for the fact that I enjoy Transformers as a whole, I would have abandoned it after the first episode.

Sounds like you already made up your mind so I don't get why you are asking for opinions.

Exactly my thought. Even if he takes our advice of watching more episodes, like he should; I don't think he will. And he will be missing out on such a good series.

News Credits: 462 · Wed Dec 14, 2011 9:35 am

Episode 12 is when this show grows its beard. Everything before it varies from subpar to slightly above par. But starting at 12, the bar is raised much higher with the stories ranging from above average to excellent.

Wed Dec 14, 2011 11:26 am

It doesn't require you to, I've watched most of that series multiple times (the 4th about 5-6 times because hell yes zombies). And yeah, seems like you've made up your mind on this jazz, why are you even bothering to ask? First few episodes being subpar-above par =/= HAVING TO AVOID THE 1ST 5 EPS TO ENJOY A SERIES

News Credits: 6 · Wed Dec 14, 2011 11:42 am

If you do take our advice, you wont be dissapointed. I'll just leave you with this:

News Credits: 5 · Wed Dec 14, 2011 12:03 pm

Personally, i've enjoyed the seeries all the way through. Since the first episode of Darkness Rising, to the last when Optimus goes back to Orion PAx. (sorry, don't remember the episode name) Like some have said, some episodes are better than others, but overall i've enjoyed it.

Ballistic90 wrote:I have to say that there's something to be said about a series that requires you to ignore the first 5 episodes in order to get into it. If it wasn't for the fact that I enjoy Transformers as a whole, I would have abandoned it after the first episode.

Well your if thats your feeling, then just stop were your at, cause now your having to force yourself to enjoy. Face it, you've made your mind on the series. At this point it sounds like it just isn't for you.

Thu Dec 15, 2011 4:02 am

cotss2012 wrote:Watch "Predatory" and "Partners". If those don't hook you, then you're probably in the wrong fandom.

SirSoundwaveIV wrote:the last 4 and partners/predatory are great or you belong to the wrong fandom

Is there an echo in here?

News Credits: 462 · Thu Dec 15, 2011 8:34 am

cotss2012 wrote:
cotss2012 wrote:Watch "Predatory" and "Partners". If those don't hook you, then you're probably in the wrong fandom.

SirSoundwaveIV wrote:the last 4 and partners/predatory are great or you belong to the wrong fandom

Is there an echo in here?

Don't forget "Crisscross".

All these are probably the strongest episodes of season 1.

Thu Dec 15, 2011 4:05 pm

Sabrblade wrote:Don't forget "Crisscross"

Nah, too many humans in that one.

Thu Dec 15, 2011 6:24 pm

Yeah, but the humans in this show are interesting. More so than they've normally been. Way more than the films. But, yes, this is a good show. "Darkness Rising" had to set up a lot of stuff in five episodes. As the writers found their groove and established each of the protagonists and antagonists, the writing and acting also continued to improve. I was definitely impressed after the disappointments of the films.

As to "Beast Wars", it took a while for the fandom to completely warm up to it, too.

News Credits: 37 · Thu Dec 15, 2011 6:59 pm

Some episodes suck hard, while others are freaking awesome. The last episode of season 1 is one of the best things I've ever seen. While that racing episode with nothing but humans, and the Autobots spared that one kid, is one of the worst things TF related I've seen. I also hated how Optimus was so anti-violence up until the 4th from last episode.

News Credits: 37 · Thu Dec 15, 2011 7:01 pm

cotss2012 wrote:It gets better... a LOT better. Like pants-crappingly awesome.

Besides, what TF series has ever had a great first five episodes? Maybe Beast Machines, but nothing else.

Animated...

I had super low expectations for that show, but after seeing how badass Starscream was in the third episode, I was impressed.