My Review of Transformers: Animated season 1 episode 4–Home is Where the Spark Is · 2:55am Jan 22nd, 2021
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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Hey, guys. Here is my review of episode 4 of TF: Animated season 1, “Home is Where the Spark is”. It was actually a nice episode where we officially begin our adventure with Optimus Prime, Sari, and the Autobots as they settle into their new place together which was an abandoned plant and adjust to their brand new environment with Sari guiding them. However, one of the main reasons why I really like this episode is its focus on Prowl and his appreciation of animals, nature, and earth’s beautiful scenery. The conflict is that Bumblebee is constantly bugging him with other things such as Rock-n-Roll music and just being so obnoxious in general.
It’s nice to see characters with their rough edges of their personalities being displayed here because it is what begins the process of character development. But not only does it focus on Prowl but also on Bumblebee to some extent. He is obviously a complete stranger to the practicality of stillness. He tries to follow that concept in his own fool-hardy way until he was put in a position where he had to do what was necessary to save his friends... being still and attentive.
Throughout the series, both Autobots shared a great dynamic duo relationship as they got into each other’s nerves in one way or another. Nonetheless, they both fought for the same goal as Autobots and stood by each other’s side to stand against the Decepticons. So this episode shows the reality of the heart (or spark in their case) being at home wherever it may be, and as long as it is at the right place, it will produce the best results.
It was so awesome seeing Megatron come back again after being offline for 50 years at Sumdac Tower and being used as the main source of Detroit being a robotic city. The way he tried to bring a challenge to our heroes through the use of technology even as a half-dead head is really clever and well done. That says a lot about him being so dangerous both as his own bodied being AND as a head. His cunning and intelligence know no bounds. Corey Burton did a really great job voicing him (and Ratchet too).
Even though the animation was a bit too goofy, it’s still an episode worth watching. However, I really didn’t like seeing a human super-villain in a Transformers show. Just why? I’m fine with normal human villains like Harold Attinger, James Savoy, Dylan Gould, and Silas, but SUPER-VILLAINS?? No. Angry Archer was okay, but he was just not needed. Yeah, Jeff Bennett voiced this guy, but that doesn’t make it any better. He’s better off as a Batman villain or a Spider-Man villain, but not for Transformers. It just doesn’t make any sense for me. Another reason is that, Angry Archer is so generic and boring; he’s not even that often angry. Lol, why call him that if anger isn’t one of his character traits?
Despite those flaws, I give this episode a B+. I really enjoyed this one.
Peace!
Silas is a bad example.
5440151
Explain.
5440241
Remember Silas was turned into a Cybertronion.
5440300
Ah, yes. Personally, I still consider him a "human" character at that point, seeing as he was just surgically attached to the inside of Breakdown's corpse, so at best, he's a cyborg. Plus, he also got his comeuppance for killing the rest of MECH.
5440466
Point taken.