Twincast / Podcast Episode #191 "Champagne Wishes and Energon Dreams"

Welcome to the latest Seibertron.com Twincast / Podcast episode, with this installment featuring our annual look back at the year that was. While 2017 still has about a week left to yield to the inevitable entropy that will consume us all, Scotty P, Seibertron, and Mr. Starscream chat about the past twelve months in the mean time.

Episode #191 "Champagne Wishes and Energon Dreams" is available directly and in our RSS Feed, and should appear on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher Radio within 24 to 48 hours of when you see this news post.

The latest Power of the Primes figures are appearing more frequently by the day, and the Voyagers in particular are now in the hands of some of the Twincast crew. A long and winding discussion about Starscream and Grimlock goes through the strengths and weaknesses of the figures in detail. Additionally, we ask the important question about accessories and the lack thereof. Would Grimlock have been almost perfect with a sword, gun, and no combination gimmick to worry about?



While we keep dodging our year end retrospective, we take a look at the just released Till All Are One Annual. This one-shot series wrap up takes the tale of Windblade, Starscream, Elita One, Rattrap, Ironhide, the Combaticons, and many more into an unexpected future. A look awaits at what kinds of consequences the events from the issue could have on the IDW Transformers universe. One conclusion gained from all the discussion is clear, and that's how TAAO's Annual delivers one of the best Starscream stories you'll ever read.



Our 2017 "Best Of" categories and topics kick off with a look at our favorites in the ever popular Transformers Generations lineup, comprised this year of Titans Return and a little bit of Power of the Primes. While there's certainly no consensus, some of the stand outs are also pretty clear, at least to us! Don't forget to let us know if you agree or if we left a piece out due to our diode blowin' dim wittery by replying to this news post.



What was your favorite part of The Last Knight? Maybe you love violence against fish, maybe there's a certain action scene you found especially exciting, maybe shirtless Wahlburgers are your thing. Whatever it is, this is the judgment free zone unlike that one gym, so the Twincast talks about what they actually liked out of a generally maligned piece of cinema. After that, we consider how Movie based Transformers toy lines just feel a little different, and this premise leads to our "Most Movie-y Movie Figure" category. Learn what figures embodied the spirit of explosions, sweat, and Miami Beach, FL more than any others for us this year.



Every year, there's That One Thing You Didn't Get Around To But Would Like To in the vast world of Transformers. The cast talks about the missed opportunities of the year, ranging from toys not yet bought to shows not yet watched. Try as we might sometimes, there's no way to experience every part of the huge world of Transformers, so see if you caught up on some of the experiences that we might not have yet!



Going in a different direction, we think about who the "Character Stock Market Winner" of 2017 could be. What long-standing Transformers character, or at least medium-term-standing character, had the best year? Maybe it was due to extra attention in various media or a new toy. Maybe for some of the crew, it was for other reasons entirely. One thing is for certain, and that's that Star Wars is forbidden.



Given the serial nature of IDW's Transformers works, sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This category is not for those cases. Instead, we talk about our favorite single issue of the entire year and why it was so effective with just 20 pages. With time going long, we don't get into the arcs and series that we encountered in too much detail, but listen in to find out what issues might be worth sampling to get a taste of the stories encountered in this year's Transformers comics.



We at least reach our picks for the best Transformers thing ever for 2017 - the hands down, best, most memorable, absolute favorite Transformers thing from this year for the cast members. Toys end up taking over due to a pair of choice Masterpiece figures that we still can't manage to agree on. Anything goes, except third party stuff, as we find out if ladder magic can manage to overcome the forces that waited an eternity for this.



Despite all the cool stuff that gets discussed, there are always the less-than-favorite parts of the hobby that are encountered. We take some time out to think about the bad stuff, whether that was a disappointing toy, terrible movie, or something else entirely. Yours truly also hands out the completely unexpected Second Annual Brian Ravage Memorial Trophy Prize Lucky Draw Award, and you'll never guess who wins! Actually, you will. It's... only human.



Our last topic, or at least part of one, is for predictions. Each attending cast participant makes one layup, softball of a prediction for something realistic that we think will happen in 2018 for the Transformers. After those very super obvious jokes of predictions, we get into the realm of Wishful Thinking, a Seibertron.com speciality. Things there get outlandish but fun, and you never know what just might come true.



Moreso than any other Twincast episode, we hope this one is a conversation starter - especially with that trainwreck of an ending! Join us on the Energon Pub Forums to discuss this episode, and be sure to look out for the written look back from the entire staff in the near future.

From the Twincast Podcast team to all of our listeners out there, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, and get ready for The Road to 200!