The Energon Pub

okay its another Favorite thread, but one I have not seen (forgive me if i missed it) what is your all time favorite episode of the G1 animated series? for me its a toss up between two, either "War Dawn" (due to showing the origin of Optimus Prime), or "Cosmic Rust" (not sure why, just one that has stuck with me since I was a kid)

so whats yours?

For me it might be "Call of the Primitives" I just love the art of that episode I think it's some of the best for the series or at least season 3.

Autobot420 wrote:For me it might be "Call of the Primitives" I just love the art of that episode I think it's some of the best for the series or at least season 3.

Ive noticed that in that episode, all the shading and detail on the metal.

When it comes to favorite as in "episode that's the most fun to watch", I also am a fan of "Cosmic Rust". There's barely a scene in that episode that isn't a hoot to watch. To borrow from a post I made about the ep in another thread a while back:

• Superstitious Decepticons with Starscream as the skeptic, Perceptor's VA does an extra duty as the Autobot hologram, Rumble tries to help lift the lightning bug, and Megatron whines about getting a rock in his shoulder.
• Two funny Starscream/Megatron interactions. "Unfortunately, the operation was successful." "I just checked with the repair bay. Your replacement part will be ready as soon as they get around to it."
• We see in Perceptor's award ceremony that Spike and Carly actually change clothes sometimes.
• The Stunticons "borrowing" the ship. "OK, people, this is a mutiny. No, no, a hijack. I mean, we're takin' over this boat!"
• We go from Perceptor screaming to Optimus for help after getting kidnapped... to Optimus calmly discussing with Ironhide about how the Statue work is going.
• High-speed Blitzwing/Aerialbot air chase, with Fireflight almost crashing into a building. Afterwards, the visual of Air Raid turning around, bending over, and pointing that his backside is on fire is... entertaining.
• The Perceptor/Megatron interaction is greatly amusing. I love how Perceptor calmly/matter-of-factly talks to Megatron as if he's simply just a particularly annoying student. And how Megatron rants his own hand off.
• The James Bondian microscope "death trap". Cheesy, but clever. Of course, Megatron shows more typical Bond villain traits when he'd rather cook the Autobots than kill them. And Optimus shows more of his Paladinbot tendencies. (It really would have been smarter to leave Perceptor behind...)
• Perceptor employs some "percussive maintenance" on the matter duplicator. Also one of the surprisingly rare occasions we see him and Wheeljack working together. (In fact, it might be the only time.)
• And finally, the ending firefight/gestalt battle on the Statue of Liberty.

I have quite a few runner-up fave episodes, though.

Favorite Animation-wise is
"Call of the Primitives"
Story-wise is difficult cuz I have many but......mmm...... I think it would have to be "Starscream's Brigade" and then into "The "Revenge of Bruticus".
Its kind of a Two Parter even though its not titled that way.
Seeing Starscream take it as far as he did still excites me.
It was the Edgiest part of the whole Series.

'The Ultimate Doom'

'Starscream's Brigade/Revenge of Bruticus'

'War Dawn'

'Return of Optimus Prime' (plotwise, though the animation wasn't on par)

i'd have to say 'key to vecta sigms' and 'war dawn'! although most eps with the gestalts in are good for me!

Since, for me, G1 Animated is seperated into two arenas: Pre-86-movie and Post-86-movie, I have two...


Pre-86-Movie: Heavy Metal War

Post-86-Movie: Web World


Reason why I differentiate is because the writing and animation quality went straight to hell in a handcart after the 86 movie, so good eps after the movie are few and far between.

More than meets the eye part 1-3, Cosmic rust, webworld, call of the primitives.

I forget what part it was in either 1 or 2 of Megatron's Master Plan. There have been much better episodes, but SoundWave in a club, LazerBeak being offered a cracker, Megatron's press confrence!!!

And just to sea; it, Dirge sheering the glass off a skyscraper and raining the shards on the crowd below

That was cool!

Pyrostrata wrote:Reason why I differentiate is because the writing and animation quality went straight to hell in a handcart after the 86 movie, so good eps after the movie are few and far between.

Eh, I'd disagree with the "writing" part... there were several eps in Season 3 I liked a lot. Hmm. Breaking down the list...

Season 1: I... really just don't remember many of the eps from this season. :> Just "A Plague of Insecticons" and "Heavy Metal War", pretty much, and even those I don't remember as well as the Season 2 & 3 eps.

Season 2:
The Master Builders
Auto Berserk
Microbots
The Golden Lagoon
The God Gambit
Triple Takeover
The Key to Vector Sigma
Aerial Assault
War Dawn
Cosmic Rust
Starscream's Brigade
The Revenge of Bruticus

"The Gambler" gets some points for Devcon, but the overall ep was neither particularly good or bad to me.

Season 3:
Five Faces of Darkness, Parts 3 & 5 (especially 5)
Dark Awakening
Forever is a Long Time Coming
Starscream's Ghost
Thief in the Night
Ghost in the Machine
Webworld
The Ultimate Weapon
Money Is Everything
The Burden Hardest to Bear

"Only Human" and "Fight or Flee" get some points for good ideas, but IMHO the execution was off (moreso in the latter).

So, hmm. When you further factor in the eps that I liked but just didn't think were really, really good/fun, I liked almost as many third season eps as second season ones, despite the second season being larger.

NiteStar wrote:Favorite Animation-wise is
"Call of the Primitives"
Story-wise is difficult cuz I have many but......mmm...... I think it would have to be "Starscream's Brigade" and then into "The "Revenge of Bruticus".
Its kind of a Two Parter even though its not titled that way.
Seeing Starscream take it as far as he did still excites me.
It was the Edgiest part of the whole Series.

I just watched that two parter last night, both of those are also some of my favs.

also nice to see other people liked cosmic rust and war dawn as well

Outrider2000 wrote:also nice to see other people liked cosmic rust and war dawn as well

what do you expect, we get time travel, some TF history, prime before he was prime, some cool decepti-drones, oh yeah and superion too!

Pyrostrata wrote:Since, for me, G1 Animated is seperated into two arenas: Pre-86-movie and Post-86-movie, I have two...


Pre-86-Movie: Heavy Metal War

Post-86-Movie: Web World


Reason why I differentiate is because the writing and animation quality went straight to hell in a handcart after the 86 movie, so good eps after the movie are few and far between.

I agree totally about the animation and writing going to straight to hades! I would have to say my favorite episode that stands out now is Starscreams Brigade! I always think of the part when starscream looks down in a blast crater and says Bruticus? And Megatron says no Starscream not Bru-T-cus! I laugh everytime i hear it! Priceless! There's really so many though it just depends which one i happened to watch recently.

I have so many favorites it's hard for me to name an "all time" tops.

I LOVE Triple Takover. It was so fun to see Blitz and Astrotrain get their party on. Even if it did go horribly wrong.

Also a fan of Starscream's Ghost. Not just because I'm a Screamer fangirl either. (well ok, yes) Anyway, the part where Octane half-transforms while cowering in fear cracks me up every time. Also, there's that part with those two giggling together while Octane is "tortured".

For the ultimate Starscream, I prefer Countdown to Extinction even over Starscream's Brigade. He almost blew up the Earth with most of the 'cons, the Autobots, the human race, etc. still on it! He even tells Dr. Arkeville that he should be honered to be the last surviving member of his species!

ponycorn wrote:I have so many favorites it's hard for me to name an "all time" tops.

I LOVE Triple Takover. It was so fun to see Blitz and Astrotrain get their party on. Even if it did go horribly wrong.

Also a fan of Starscream's Ghost. Not just because I'm a Screamer fangirl either. (well ok, yes) Anyway, the part where Octane half-transforms while cowering in fear cracks me up every time. Also, there's that part with those two giggling together while Octane is "tortured".

For the ultimate Starscream, I prefer Countdown to Extinction even over Starscream's Brigade. He almost blew up the Earth with most of the 'cons, the Autobots, the human race, etc. still on it! He even tells Dr. Arkeville that he should be honered to be the last surviving member of his species!

Geez everybody keeps bringing up such good episodes! Countdown to extinction was great also! One i almost forgot that was probably one of my all time favs is Enter the Nightbird! There are just to many! I like different ones for different reasons. Starscreams Ghost made me have hope of Optimus Primes return and reminded me of pre movie episodes.

I love both original Dinobot episodes. The Dinos were such bad asses back then. Also I have to admit I loved Rebirth.I just love Headmasters and Targetmasters and Punch/Counterpunch is my all time favorite Transformer.

Time for FODPS’ G1 Episode Academy Awards

Best Multipart episode–Ultimate Doom (Good Human involvement)
Best 1st Season Ep— Tie: Countdown to Extinction (last time Megatron and Starscream are seen is a gem!) & Roll 4 it. (It’s all about Chip, it’s all about Chip.)

Best 2nd Season Ep—Prime Target (It’s also my favorite Transformers Comedy Ep.)

Best Ep without O.P. – Tie: The God Gambit! (Jazz Rocks) and "Autobop" (Soundwave v. Blaster!)

Best 3rd Season Ep—Webworld

Best Episode All three Seasons: Divide and Conquer (Predictable as anything but…)

Triple Takeover hands down. Full of Starscream bashing and pure comedic moments seeing what happens when Megs is out of the picture: complete & total chaos!(for more Decpeticon chaos see Season 3 when Galvatron takes over)

Pyrostrata wrote:Since, for me, G1 Animated is seperated into two arenas: Pre-86-movie and Post-86-movie, I have two...


Pre-86-Movie: Heavy Metal War

Post-86-Movie: Web World


Reason why I differentiate is because the writing and animation quality went straight to hell in a handcart after the 86 movie, so good eps after the movie are few and far between.

The writing for Season 3 is VASTLY superior to seasons 1-2 on almost every level; characterisation, plots, dramatic structure etc. It is primarily fanboy nostalgia that makes seasons 1-2 everyone's favourite. Season 3 has technically better written stories (but hey, "technically" ain't everything).

Don't get me wrong, I love diehard "I'm a season 1-2 fan foreva, boo hiss Rodimus Prime and his season 3" posts as much as the next man!

As for favourite episodes, here's a few in no particular order:

"Fire In The Sky" (nostalgia reasons mainly; remember watching this on TV-AM oh so long ago, and the story was featured in the Panini sticker album. V fond memories)

"Dweller In The Depths" (proof of the 'characterisation' point above. In one episode, Kup is made a more interesting character than most of the season 1 characters managed in 65 episodes).

"Return Of Optimus Prime" (nostalgia again, but it's also a fun episode on its own merit. Loved the "hate plague" nonsense!)

"Starscream's Brigade" is pretty good, "Dark Awakening", "Heavy Metal War", "Call Of The Primitives" and "Webworld" too...

I'm surprised I've been able to find so many, as I generally consider myself a comics-only TF fan. I struggle to make it through an episode if I'm honest!

O.k I have two all time favorite:

1) war dawn

2) 2nd episode of five face of evil when they introduce the predking.

Jeysie wrote:Season 1: I... really just don't remember many of the eps from this season. :> Just "A Plague of Insecticons" and "Heavy Metal War", pretty much, and even those I don't remember as well as the Season 2 & 3 eps.

So then why dont you watch them again?

Favorite Episodes in no particular order:

Auto Beserk - The one episode I remember as a child, plus for Soundwave and the cassettes taking on the Autobots.

Starscreams Brigade - Origin of Bruticus, Starscream being more proactive in taking over, the "you and what army?" line.

Revenge of Bruticus - Nice follow-up.

Triple Takeover - funniest episode next to WebWorld.

Heavy Metal War - Overall awesome episode.

Enter the Nightbird - Female decepticon (technically) AND ninja robot? What more could we ask for?

The Golden Lagoon - Beachcomber's a hippie.

WebWorld - Funny.

Starscream's Ghost

Ghost in the Machine

The Killing Jar

Burden Hardest to Bear

There are others but not as good as these.

NiteStar wrote:

Jeysie wrote:Season 1: I... really just don't remember many of the eps from this season. :> Just "A Plague of Insecticons" and "Heavy Metal War", pretty much, and even those I don't remember as well as the Season 2 & 3 eps.

So then why dont you watch them again?

I dunno. I should, but I've never felt a particular desire to... I like the second season characters best for the most part, plus IMHO the characterization is better in the second/third seasons.

i cant think much further than rebirth tbh, loved the whole lot, only problem was hot rod (back to his best) was hardly shown!!!