My Review of Transformers: Animated season 2 episode 10--Black Friday · 10:43pm Jul 18th, 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)
Greetings, everyone! This is Mr. J here with another Transformers: Animated episode review! This evening, I will be discussing a highly entertaining episode by the name of "Black Friday". This time, Blackarachnia makes her comeback alongside some returning characters such as the Dinobots (mostly Grimlock) and Meltdown. The organic spider lady orders the Dinobots to break Meltdown out of prison and bring him to her as she recently discovered all the technology and proper information the latter had acquired in his own lab. With it, she enlists him to bring a genetic modifier to separate her organic form from her Cybertronian biology. It really goes to show how she is still determined to be fully rid of the disgusting horror that has ruined her life and made her so heinous... and made her hate everything that reminded her of the trauma.
However, Meltdown has plans of his own as he manages to backstab her and attempts to use her as an experiment with the aide of the genetic modifier which, of course, was foiled by Optimus. Thus, we learn that in our times of desperation, we often flee to those whom we think are trust-worthy without realizing they are actually liars and thieves. Always be careful whom you trust. I mean, seriously, what did Blackarachnia think was going to happen at the end of the day? Although I have to admit that I felt very sorry for her, and I wish she had gotten the better treatment and love at the end of the series (as well as in the cancelled season 4).
Grimlock and Optimus were really funny in this episode especially as they are forced to work together to retrieve the plot device and stop Meltdown and his minions. Plus, watching them going back and forth is like watching David Kaye argue with himself since he voiced both characters. That guy truly is a legend. Yeeessss...
The voice acting was excellent, the animation was decent, and the plot was really intriguing. Oh, and the way Meltdown's defeat and facial reveal at the end highly indicated that wouldn't be the last time we see him. Considering the fact he never returned for season 3, I am pretty certain he would have made his last appearance in season 4 had the show not been cancelled. Come on, Hasbro!
Overall, this was an enjoyable episode to watch which deserves a strong A-.
Peace!
I always wondered if there was a way to cure Blackarachnia. Her body had adapted to her organic side well.
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She did say that the power of the AllSpark was the only way to cure her. I'm kinda surprised she never once attempted to reach out to the Autobots' Plant since that's where they've been storing all the AllSpark fragments.
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But the problem is her Cybertronion-half can't survive without her Organic-half.
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Something she tends to overlook.
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So the problem isn't the separation method, it's the CDNA Symbiosis structure.
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You know, that would have made an interesting Blackarachnia episode for season 4.
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I thought so, too. And speaking for the sake of science, very enlightening.
Goddamn it. Don’t mind the two deleted comments, Joker. I fucked up unintentionally. I’m going to repost the trivia. Can you please put a like on the repost, please?CURSE YOU FAT FINGERS!!!
Oh it’s this episode. I actually liked this episode when it first aired so long ago. Now, with all the niceties out of the way, it’s time to tear Porter C. Powell a new one.
1. Powell was originally meant to be a one-shot incidental character. However, the strength of his design prompted the other Animated staff members to bug Marty Isenberg into using him again, delving further into his identity and place in the Animated universe
2. Powell is described as being "very '70s game show-esque". Derrick J. Wyatt is in fact a big fan of the Game Show Network, particularly vintage episodes of Match Game.
3. It remains unclear exactly what Powell does. He's been seen as the CEO of a car company, breaking deals with gene-splicers, usurping a robotics company from an 8-year-old girl, and selling knockoffs of the original Soundwave toy. His main area of expertise remains a mystery.
And finally…
4. At BotCon 2008, it was revealed by one of the Cartoon Network guests that Powell's limo was based on the Renegade GoBot Tux because another member of the production staff still owned one from childhood. This was more-or-less confirmed by the audio commentary of "Garbage In, Garbage Out", where it was noted that Powell's limo was designed by Byron Penaranda, and Eric Siebenaler brought up that "there was a character from another transforming-robot show that was based on that vehicle", with Derrick J. Wyatt pointing out that it "had a little top hat". As it stands, the limo is not an exact match for Tux, having more futuristic detailing. So obviously, the Transformers Animated: The AllSpark Almanac II book made him so, using the name Tux used in the Hanna-Barbera Challenge of the GoBots cartoon, Stretch. Here is his picture.
tfwiki.net/mediawiki/images2/1/1f/AnimatedStretch.jpg
Would you believe this handsome rogue ALMOST caused Powell to go bankrupt? Long story short, Powell obtained and Allspark fragment from the black market, and while in transit, an attack by the Angry Archer caused the fragment to become embedded the limousine’s dashboard, creating Stretch, who proceeded to use his former owner's wealth and personal connections in order to acquire the poshest of baubles and every last trapping of opulent glitz that reflects in his monocled gaze.