My Review of Transformers: Animated Season 1 Episode 1 “Transform and Roll Out! Part 1”

Grading Scale:

A (fantastic episode)
A- (an excellent episode with at least one flaw)
B+ (a great episode with a couple of flaws)
B (a good episode which still could have been better)
B- (a good episode with numerous flaws but still rewatchable)
C+ (a decent episode)
C (eh... it’s not terrible but not good either)
C- (it’s not worth rewatching although it does have good elements)
D+ (a bad episode with a few good things in it)
D (a really bad episode with wasted potential)
D- (a terrible episode with badly written characters and butchered moral)
F (horrible and unwatchable)

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Greetings, everyone! I believe it’s about time I begin my reviews for my favorite cartoon show of all time: Transformers: Animated. As some of you already know, I am a huge fan of this show, and I have been watching this ever since it first premiered in December 2007. That was the exact year in which Michael Bay released his first Transformers movie in the summer time. Around Christmas time of that year, I was getting my very first movieverse toys and a couple of Transformers Animated toys for my birthday. When I heard that they were going to premiere a new Transformers show, I was very excited. I may be wrong, but I believe my dad was the one who introduced me to this show even though he was never a Transformers fan. Since he knew I loved Transformers, he brought me to this show. Thus, I have been watching this show all the way through and loved each episode as I went along.

Now, that I have and currently am rewatching this series with an older and mature mind, I realize the brilliance of writing this show has and also the flaws this has. Keep in mind, the show is not perfect... but it is still a work of art that the creators and writers had done for the Transformers community. It is still loved by many even to this very day. So... with that out of the way, it is time to cover this highly interesting premiere of season 1. LET’S ROLL!!

The episode begins with the young Autobot commander Optimus Prime watching the history videos of the Great War between the Autobots and the Decepticons and the former faction winning the battle against them. Huh... those videos Prime was watching was in... G1 style?! Wow! So does that mean the entire show is connected to G1 somehow? If it isn’t, the writers did a great job making that Easter egg. Kudos, writers! Anyway, Ratchet and Optimus spot the younger bots Bumblebee and Bulkhead having some trouble outside the ship. Prowl later joins them.

After the Autobots handled their tasks, they discover the Allspark hidden with the boulder. Ratchet urges them to retrieve it into the ship so their enemies won’t spot them and attack them. Unfortunately, the ‘Cons were indeed able to catch up to them with their warship. Thus, Ultra Magnus orders them to stay tight while they call for backup. I like how they were established as being mere repair bots until things happen to them. Those situations would behoove them to do more than just “repair space bridges”. It’s like they rose from being simple repair bots to real heroes for the humans we shall see later.

Later, we meet Starscream who expresses his doubt and hatred for Megatron in front of Lugnut. The latter berates him for speaking ill of their leader while Blackarachnia mocks Lugnut for being such a patronizing idiot. (Chuckles) Then we see Blitzwing throwing insults at her for her organic spider form. Guys, this is my favorite version of Blitzwing. Him having three faces with diverse personalities is so cool and hilarious especially his crazy face! 😂 While they bicker and argue, we are introduced to....

Gosh, this dude made one of the most badass villain entrances of the whole franchise! I like his Cybertronian design because it is a blend of his G1 colors and Bayverse design from the first movie. It looks absolutely awesome. Megatron (voiced by Corey Burton who also voiced Ratchet and Shockwave) orders Starscream to fire on the ship. After the Autobots made it out of the attacks alive, Megatron decides to go after them. However, Starscream plants a bombing device on Megatron’s back. What?? How come he didn’t feel him touching his back? Did Megatron not have any idea what Screamer was doing to him?

Megatron: Starscream, what are you doing?

Starscream: Uhh... nothing, my liege! I’m just... patting you on the back! I just love giving you all the support you need!

Megatron: That’s nice. Now allow me to give you my support. *Punches Starscream in the face, takes the device off him, and throws it at him, killing Starscream.

Megatron: You’re welcome. (Smirks)

Megatron attempts to break into the ship but the device explodes... critically wounding Megatron. Yet for some reason, he survives this... despite the fact the bomb was literally on his back. That just proves how strong he is and isn’t really that easy to kill. He only lost his arm and fusion cannon. Wow... this version of Starscream is actually the first to successfully and indirectly kill Megatron. The other versions have either attempted to or failed to destroy Megatron; this one however actually did it. This is one of the reasons why this Starscream is my favorite version ever.

Megatron and the Autobots duke it out until they reach into Earth’s atmosphere after being transported through a space bridge from the Allspark’s power. Optimus defeats Megatron and sends him plummeting to his death. His head was later discovered by a human named Issac Sumdac (voiced by Tom Kenny who also voiced Starscream).

The Autobots crash land into the ocean and enter into statis mode. Thus, they rested peacefully in the ocean until 50 years later...

So yeah, this 1-part episode of the premiere was a great start to this memorable series. I like how we see Optimus in his younger days as he practically learns how to be a true leader and a true hero. David Kaye provided a wonderful depiction of Optimus as well as voicing Lugnut. Yesssss....

Bill Fagerbakke was awesome as Bulkhead! Nice to see another voice actor from the Spongebob show voicing a Transformers character. I can just imagine him saying, “NO! THIS IS PATRICK—I mean, BULKHEAD!”

Bumper Robinson as Bumblebee was actually good. I’m just glad we have him actually TALKING in the series and NOT as an annoying mute puppy as he is normally depicted.

Jeff Bennett was great as Prowl. I really like his voice and the other characters he voiced as well.

The animation is great, the story is great, and the plot was highly interesting. It paved a way for our main characters to grow and to be introduced to our human protagonists. This episode gets a B+! Stay tuned for the next review!

Peace!