G1 season three thoughts

[Dominic]

I liked "Ultimate Weapon", but the end bit with "the real ultimte weapon, my mind" always seemed cheap. (They could have scrapped the Rodimus angle for that episode and stayed with the merge teams and cities.)

"Web World" was great. So, how many fans complain about the lack of Autobots in that episode?

[Gomess]

I liked "Ultimate Weapon", but the end bit with "the real ultimte weapon, my mind" always seemed cheap. (They could have scrapped the Rodimus angle for that episode and stayed with the merge teams and cities.)

Agreed.

"Web World" was great. So, how many fans complain about the lack of Autobots in that episode?

Every other kid at my primary school.

[andersonh1]

Forever is a Long Time Coming
I've had this one on VHS for some time, so I've seen it before. I have to wonder at the sheer stupidity of the Quintesson scientist who sets up a time portal that can so disrupt everything in the universe (at least to hear him tell it!). This story references past episodes which show Cybertron's history, tying in nicely with 'War Dawn" and the revelations made about the Quintessons in FFOD. But just where does Alpha Trion get that killer Autobot badge?

Scale is really off for the characters though. In one scene, a Guardian robot threatens to stomp all of the Transformers in the past, he's so big, and in another Ramhorn attacks one, who appears to be only slightly larger than the cassette rhino.

A fun episode that plays around with Cybertron's history and lets a few underused characters (Ramhorn and Rewind) get some time in the spotlight.

Surprise Party
Gomess, you wanted to know where the Wheelie/Daniel friendship came from? How about this episode? The plot is actually fairly reasonable since most of the stupid mistakes are made by Daniel (a kid) or Wheelie (who just isn't all that bright anyway) as they try to find out Ultra Magnus' birthday so they can throw him a party. That seems like something that someone Daniel's age would be interested in doing. I had to laugh at Wheelie being a corrupting influence on Daniel when it comes to stealing a garbage scow ("A ship we'll only borrow! We'll have it back tomorrow."). They go to the library, then to a long abandoned Autobot records asteroid, full of old information and technology... which Wheelie destroys at the end of the episode, when there had to be an easier way to beat Cyclonus. And Daniel barely even gets a stern talking to by his father. Think he learned his lesson? Not likely.

Harmless fluff. And it actually has an "everybody laughs" ending.

[Gomess]

And it actually has an "everybody laughs" ending.

"Produced by Donald P. Bellisario"

Yeah, Surprise Party never seemed to deserve all the flak it got. I think it was 'cos it was so *overtly* childlike in its storyline. Because obviously, Transformers was known for tackling srs issues.

[Onslaught Six]

Forever is a Long Time Coming
I've had this one on VHS for some time, so I've seen it before. I have to wonder at the sheer stupidity of the Quintesson scientist who sets up a time portal that can so disrupt everything in the universe (at least to hear him tell it!). This story references past episodes which show Cybertron's history, tying in nicely with 'War Dawn" and the revelations made about the Quintessons in FFOD. But just where does Alpha Trion get that killer Autobot badge?

I named a song after this! It has nothing to do with Transformers. (Man, I forgot about that.)

[andersonh1]

Madman's Paradise
Two "Daniel gets into trouble" stories in a row? This is a weird sword and sorcery style episode, with a Quintesson as an evil wizard who has sealed the good wizard away and taken over. Grimlock's logic is hilarious, and Daniel carries an energon switchblade? What the?!? On the plus side, Carly actually gets to participate in the plot, and we see yet another instance of Autobots establishing diplomatic relations with an alien race, and introducing humans to them. Very strange episode, but in a universe where "A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court" is possible, I can't complain too much.

[andersonh1]

I named a song after this! It has nothing to do with Transformers. (Man, I forgot about that.)

Nice! Hey, it's a good title, why not reuse it?

[Gomess]

Gotta love how all the Quintesson exiles in Madman's Paradise have overtly Arabic-sounding names. Go 80s!

[Dominic]

And it actually has an "everybody laughs" ending.

"Produced by Donald P. Bellisario"

Yeah, Surprise Party never seemed to deserve all the flak it got. I think it was 'cos it was so *overtly* childlike in its storyline. Because obviously, Transformers was known for tackling srs issues.

There is a difference between "written for kids" and bad. Unfortunately, that distinction is not always there in TF episodes.


Dom
-wow, Daniel was troubled huh?

[Gomess]

Child*like*, not child*ish*. I honestly don't see what's so bad about Surprise Party's story. It's got plenty of 80s cheese, sure, but at least it tells a story about characters. Unlike Madman's Paradise, Only Human, and all the other out-of-nowhere go-nowhere gimmicky messes that show up in TF cartoondom.

Personal preference, of course. Only Human could've been a great two-parter.