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Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:16 pm
by sandmunky
Yeah...no. This whole human villains thing was tolerable when we had like 5 mins with the Angry Archer, but basing whole episodes around it just doesn't cut it for me. Some people are saying it was a funny episode, to that I say, "Even if it was, so what?" It would be on a very low level to begin with, and that isn't what most people would be watching it for.

Also, they seem to be making a habit out of badly done internal character conflicts that get resolved in the episodes which really ticks me off. So far we've had Bulkhead trying to...not be Bulkhead and Bumblebee trying to compensate for something. They're badly done, do nothing to develop the characters or move the plot along, and they ought to be scrapped. I can only assume tomorrow's episode will have one involving Ratchet, since its about his tour of duty.

Simply put, I really don't find it appealing. Then again, this series is for the kids, not for us.

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:43 pm
by zodconvoy
Prometheus Black? Colossus Rhodes? Kids are gonna get those references? Basically, they have to do episodes that spotlight the Autobots as individual characters. It's called reinforcement. They do it in every series from Batman Beyond and Justice League to Lost and Heroes. Actually, now that I think of it, it reminded me very much of an early Batman Beyond episode.

Megatron to big a threat to just have showing up every week and even Starscream was more than they could handle. Human villains are good because, let's face it, the Decepticons would've cleaned their collective clocks by now. This group of Autobots aren't warriors. Not even Prowl the "ninja master". Yeah, I have one of those at work, too. And Ratchet's just a semi-retired vet working construction because he can't let himself stop and do nothing. And Optimus' "freedom is the right of all sentient beings" attitude is probably what got him washed out of the Academy.

The idea of the Decepticons as an overpowering threat that's only weakness is a glaring lack of leadership will only pay off with the eventual return of Megatron to the battlefield. I like Megatron behind the scenes being a puppetmaster of the Autobots most powerful human ally. Earth will be screwed on a similar level as in the movie "I, Robot." Sumdac will be quite the army builder without even realizing it.

Umm... I got off topic. But basically I like the show, human villians and all. I think it's the best new show/continuity since Generation 1. And really has the potential to knock your socks off.

EDIT: By new show/continuity, I mean better than RiD and the Unicron Trilogy of A/E/C. Beast Wars and Beast Machines are a continuation of Generation One.

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:00 am
by DISCHARGE
You know, why waste our time with this mess.
Why didn't they just make a cartoon to segue
into the next movie. They could have given us
"Allspark Battles" and the basis for a toon after
the movie would have made sense.
This is just poorly done and not as well thought out as
many are claiming it to be. That's just personal opinion.I liked the actual transforming, but the plot seems real thin now if these are what all the episodes are going to be like.

It's like when they took Superfriends from season 1 to season 2.
They took away all the real villians and some good heroes.
Only in return we got and villainous space zoo as a threat
and those hip Wondertwins 8-} . Only dif is, I can watch an entire episode of either season.

I sometimes think Hasbro wants to take a break from Transformers and is looking for an out. Man, this just might do it for them.

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:09 am
by sandmunky
yeah, I really don't like the whole Autobots not being warriors thing. Getting their clocks cleaned by 'Cons and then winning by some random fluke like that stupid thing with the allspark and starscream just doesn't make for good action. I remember when I was a kid watching things like beast wars/machines, I wouldn't want toys of characters like Waspinator, because they always got owned, so there was no play value to reenacting any show scenes with those guys without just throwing em around.

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:43 am
by Jazzz
Feels pretty G1
I don't like the idea of watching Autobots versus Deceps every episode
it'll be repetitive like... the Unicron trilogy
G1 had comedy episodes every once in a while
they had human villains
some serious episodes had non TF villains
though those villains werent quite as cool as Meltdown
and G1 wasn't as funny to me as this is

Animated FTW

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:44 am
by Jazzz
and for the last time this show won't "PHALE"
Unicron trilogy sucked quite alot and they showed every episode.

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:59 am
by Pyrostrata
I hated it. It stank so bad I had to get out the air freshener! :SICK:

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:18 am
by Wheeljack35
I liked the episode

I noticed nobody here comparing the dude that was fighting Bumblebee to one of Batmans enemies........Bane

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:19 am
by Pyrostrata
Wheeljack35 wrote:I liked the episode

I noticed nobody here comparing the dude that was fighting Bumblebee to one of Batmans enemies........Bane


I saw the attempt at the resemblance, but it sickened me to compare Bane to......to....THAT! *shivers*

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 1:47 am
by zodconvoy
Pyrostrata wrote:
Wheeljack35 wrote:I liked the episode

I noticed nobody here comparing the dude that was fighting Bumblebee to one of Batmans enemies........Bane


I saw the attempt at the resemblance, but it sickened me to compare Bane to......to....THAT! *shivers*


I also noticed the Bane factor but basically wrote it off. It's not like Bane was an original concept character anyway. There've always been inflatable characters as both heroes and villains. Bane's just got the best name.

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 2:42 am
by Dead Metal
I liked it, especially Bulckheads chairmode!

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 3:10 pm
by NiteStar
ehh... IDK. I feel like when I watch the New Series, Im watching but I'm not. I drift in and out. Like I'M waitng for The "Transformers" to begin cuz they may as well call this show "Robot Avengers" or something. Where are the Decepticons!!?? We havent seen them since Xmas in that debut movie. How long will Megs stay Bodyless. Any other Megs from any other Generation would not have stayed Bodyless that long. They would have done soemthing by now. I could see why they skipped this Episode and went to the Dinobots cuz this Episode should be further down the line. It's one of those seperate shows that has nothing to do with the Ark of the story; They just created it for syndication purposes.
IDK! 8-|
I could go on but Whatever it's just one show.

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 4:30 pm
by Dead Metal
NiteStar wrote:ehh... IDK. I feel like when I watch the New Series, Im watching but I'm not. I drift in and out. Like I'M waitng for The "Transformers" to begin cuz they may as well call this show "Robot Avengers" or something. Where are the Decepticons!!?? We havent seen them since Xmas in that debut movie. How long will Megs stay Bodyless. Any other Megs from any other Generation would not have stayed Bodyless that long. They would have done soemthing by now. I could see why they skipped this Episode and went to the Dinobots cuz this Episode should be further down the line. It's one of those seperate shows that has nothing to do with the Ark of the story; They just created it for syndication purposes.
IDK! 8-|
I could go on but Whatever it's just one show.

You do know that Meltdown is the mayor Human vilian in that show?
This is his origin story, they have to show it. And haven't you seen todays eppy jet, it features Lockdown and Blitzwing.

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 5:36 pm
by jazzrules
I didn't like this episode at all. To me, a transformers episode without bot 'Bots and 'Cons in it may as well just be any other TV show.

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Sat Jan 19, 2008 5:40 pm
by NiteStar
Dead Metal wrote:You do know that Meltdown is the mayor Human vilian in that show?
This is his origin story, they have to show it. And haven't you seen todays eppy jet, it features Lockdown and Blitzwing.


Oh I see.No I havent seen todays Ep. I'm seeing it tonight. Well thats good to know that some Decep's are actually going to be in a Transformers show.

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 12:26 pm
by Overcracker
I'll have to disagree with most of the comments about how lousy it was. and how sucky TF Animated is etc...

So yes its one of the weaker episodes. Meltdown's origin is quite lame. And Bumblebee can dish out the jokes and picking on people but can't take it. Yes the Bane knockoff was lousy. But lets not judge the entire series based on a single episode.

Having watched the other episodes I have to say this might have just been a fluke. Maybe they pulled the episode to fix some things.


So far I've liked the series. The story telling has been quite good.
Just one episode where the writers were having a bad day.

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 12:34 pm
by Pyrostrata
Overcracker wrote:I'll have to disagree with most of the comments about how lousy it was. and how sucky TF Animated is etc...

So yes its one of the weaker episodes. Meltdown's origin is quite lame. And Bumblebee can dish out the jokes and picking on people but can't take it. Yes the Bane knockoff was lousy. But lets not judge the entire series based on a single episode.

Having watched the other episodes I have to say this might have just been a fluke. Maybe they pulled the episode to fix some things.


So far I've liked the series. The story telling has been quite good.
Just one episode where the writers were having a bad day.


I am not judging the whole show by that one episode...I agree that that would be silly! It's a kids' show...thereare bound to be a few eps that are stinkers for the grown-folks, but not hardly enough to write the WHOLE show off as a total loss! I watched Total Meltdown, I hated it. But I was right there, watching Thrill of the Hunt, which I thoroughly enjoyed! Gotta allow for the stinkers in with the decent...Hell, even G1 had quite a few eps that had first-class tickets to the Land of Suck!

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 1:09 pm
by Moonbase2
There are definitely some horrible G1 shows. BOT was the next level of suckitude. So was Rise of Atlantis or whatever it was called. BLAH!

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 5:21 pm
by i_amtrunks
I liked it, it showed Bumblebee is a whining jerk who can dish out the insults and barbs but cannot take them.

Meltdown was an interesting villain, how he is handled later on will be interesting,a s he wasn't "powered down" at the end of the episode at all.

A decent episode to skip too, as it could happen at any point of time thus far in the series.

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 6:07 pm
by NiteStar
Moonbase2 wrote:There are definitely some horrible G1 shows. BOT was the next level of suckitude. So was Rise of Atlantis or whatever it was called. BLAH!

" Atlanis, Arise! " What was wrong with that Episode?Darnit :-x LOL!
No i hear ya!
One bad G1 I thought was "Hoist Goes to Hollywood". Completelty pointless !
But.... I love 'em all just the same

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 6:15 pm
by NiteStar
OH yeah one More thing! This was in the 2007 Movie too. Can they stop saying "My Bad"? Thats so 90's! I was saying that when I was in high school. Do the kids still say that these days? OMG ! I thought that was out already.

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 11:32 pm
by Bumblethumper
Good God but animated Bumblebee needs a personality makeover. Stat!

Give him the same treatment as Arcee got.

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 11:34 pm
by AfterImage
Can they stop saying "My Bad"? Thats so 90's!


Dude, you're making me feel old.

This episode felt pretty much like filler. It didn't help that I was half asleep while watching it, but frankly all I saw it doing was establishing the presence of anti-robot prejudice in the show. Watching Armitage III do that better the night before didn't help, either. At the same time, I still like the level of quality in the series so far.

I'm another fan of the idea of holding the Decepticons back for later, actually, particularly after seing just how much damage Starscream was capable of. The Deceps are war robots. The Autobots aren't. The emphasis is refreshing. Being behind a bit due to being in Canada, I won't be catching the next ep until Saturday. I'm still looking forward to it.

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 11:46 pm
by Bumblethumper
zodconvoy wrote:Megatron is too big a threat to just have showing up every week and even Starscream was more than they could handle. Human villains are good because, let's face it, the Decepticons would've cleaned their collective clocks by now. This group of Autobots aren't warriors. Not even Prowl the "ninja master". Yeah, I have one of those at work, too. And Ratchet's just a semi-retired vet working construction because he can't let himself stop and do nothing. And Optimus' "freedom is the right of all sentient beings" attitude is probably what got him washed out of the Academy.

The idea of the Decepticons as an overpowering threat that's only weakness is a glaring lack of leadership will only pay off with the eventual return of Megatron to the battlefield. I like Megatron behind the scenes being a puppetmaster of the Autobots most powerful human ally. Earth will be screwed on a similar level as in the movie "I, Robot." Sumdac will be quite the army builder without even realizing it.

Umm... I got off topic. But basically I like the show, human villians and all. I think it's the best new show/continuity since Generation 1. And really has the potential to knock your socks off.


Good points! I think you've really nailed the underlying strength of the show. There's hardly a villain yet that it hasn't taken the whole crew of Autobots to take down. They certainly aren't warriors. They're more like Cybertron's rejects.

I thought this was a dud episode, but not a total loss. The scene with Sumdac demonstrating his robot for the police: talk about déjà vu. Plus it's set in a futuristic Detroit. They're going to have to be careful it doesn't morph into Robocop:Animated.

Re: Thoughts on Ep 5. Total Meltdown

PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 7:34 pm
by Starscreams bad comedy
5.5/10

Not not favorite episode, but it was entertaining none the less.

I liked the part when the police chief was trying to put mayo on his hot dog, the fact that we has putting mayo on it was absurd enough, that shce had me laughing. I just wish they would cut down on the whole "This is why I hate machines" line.

Also I like the little Robocop homage they were doing.