A Prime Problem - one of the stupidest things I have ever seen in my life.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 5:08 pm

Last night I was bored enough to watch a kids' show episode. Tottering through my hard-drive, I realised I hadn't actually seen "The Autobot Run", "A Prime Problem" and "Trans-Europe Express". So I settled down to watch "A Prime Problem".

Okay, the good points - the animation was rather good, Soundwave's cassette probe was sweet, and Windcharger.

The bad points, sadly, are legion. Why doesn't Megatron get Laserbeak to kill Prime after he scans him? Or even before, seeing how easily the 'Cons defeated a Primeless set of Bots in "Divide and Conquer"? Why doesn't Megatron make a dozen Prime clones, and just wipe the Autobots out? Why not, at least, clone all his warriors for every battle, so the real article can hide a million miles away? Why does it take the Autobots so bloody long to decide which one's the clone? Why doesn't Megatron stage a rescue of Spike, led by the Optimus clone? I know he's stupid, but in this episode he's bloody stupid. Surely the Autobots would know something was up if Starscream and an Optimus who's already a little suss just stand there looking at each other on a battlefield.

Absolute ****. And it's about as original as Gus van Sant's version of Psycho.

The Green Knight · Post by **The Green Knight** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 5:19 pm

"Why is Megatron so stupid?"

Well, why is the Sun so hot? It just goes with the territory. Megatron is to stupidity what Bruce Lee was to ass kicking...

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 5:26 pm

I forgot to mention how stupid Megatron and Screamer looked with those silly hats on too...

I know Megatron is a dumbass of legend, but this one really stretched the point. Even kids must have seen the flaws in it...

The Green Knight · Post by **The Green Knight** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 5:42 pm

Well, I don't think it's a matter of Megatron being more stupid than usual outright, just that he had more opportuinities to screw up in that episode, and he did so...

Redstreak · Post by **Redstreak** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 5:43 pm

Ah, the hats...Walky's caption for a shot with Megs wearing one of those was classic:

I love my power glove. It's so bad.

You'd have been better off watching Trans-Europe, Cliffy...least it had Bluestreak in it.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 5:51 pm

I was going to after Prime Problem, but the opening scene took place in the east, and the kids' show's record for rascism in stories showing eastern cultures kinda put me off...

Now, you see, it's easy to blame the cock-ups on Megatron, but the fact is that Starscream and Soundwave both stood alongside without suggesting anything, and Screamer actually seemed to think it was all pretty clever. Mind, seeing Starscream blown up was a little satisfying.

Redstreak · Post by **Redstreak** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 6:00 pm

Originally posted by Quicksilver
I was going to after Prime Problem, but the opening scene took place in the east, and the kids' show's record for rascism in stories showing eastern cultures kinda put me off...

Yeah, point well seen. Heh. Though they don't really have any humans in the ep beyond the beginning except for one...Autobot Run is where they get stuck in vehicle mode and is nearly very satisfying...

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 6:07 pm

I'll probably watch them both some time, just so I can slate them with authority... I'm just a little wary of eastern settings, as a couple of [unecessary] touches in "A Thief in the Night" spoilt what was a very fun, if rather silly, episode...

The Green Knight · Post by **The Green Knight** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 6:41 pm

Originally posted by Quicksilver
Now, you see, it's easy to blame the cock-ups on Megatron, but the fact is that Starscream and Soundwave both stood alongside without suggesting anything

Megs never listens to anybody anyway...

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 6:49 pm

No, he doesn't. But Starscream does seem to think it's all pretty cool, which is actually pretty out of character... I know the ultimate blame lies with whoever wrote the bloody thing, and I can't help but feel that said writer didn't want to draw attention to how fragile the plot was by having ol' Fruity do his usual "Megatron, this is stupid!" thing.

Shrapnel Clone · Post by **Shrapnel Clone** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 6:54 pm

Originally posted by Snake
Megs never listens to anybody anyway...

"Suggestion noticed... and ignored!"

Autobot run suffered a lot from just stupid coincidences and idiotic masterplans.

"Yes, I have the Autobots at my mercy. Mwuahahaha! Now let's build a idiotic contraption to destroy them one by one, but takes about 30 minutes to throw one in. I could just blast them all to death with my cannon, or let Devastator destroy them by stepping on them. Heck, I could even have Shockwave here do it. But I won't, because I'm evil. EVIL. Mwuhahahaha!"

The Green Knight · Post by **The Green Knight** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 7:10 pm

Originally posted by Quicksilver
No, he doesn't. But Starscream does seem to think it's all pretty cool, which is actually pretty out of character... I know the ultimate blame lies with whoever wrote the bloody thing, and I can't help but feel that said writer didn't want to draw attention to how fragile the plot was by having ol' Fruity do his usual "Megatron, this is stupid!" thing.

The whole thing is an interesting concept, and as you mentioned, it has many different applications, so it doesn't seem unreasonable that Starscream is interested in it. After all, it could be used in a future scheme of his. But then again, isn't this the same episode where Starscream, a scientist, can't identify some kind of crystals, yet Megs does?

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Sat Jul 20, 2002 7:11 pm

One of my biggest problems with the cartoon is that so many of the episodes were reliant on characters from either faction being incredibly stupid, often against character. Off the top of my head, I can't think of a single major character who didn't do something ridiculously and unnecessarily daft during his time on the show.

Also in "A Prime Problem", where the Hell did Powerglide conveniently appear from? I'm nearly certain he didn't leave the Ark with the others. Megatron's plan is also flawed by the fact that this is the cartoon, so he doesn't have all the Autobots at his mercy, just the half-dozen or so who appear that week.

Dinobot · Post by **Dinobot** » Sun Jul 21, 2002 1:28 am

I can't believe no-one has mentioned the Autobots plan to tell the two Prime's apart - a race. :rolleyes:

The Green Knight · Post by **The Green Knight** » Sun Jul 21, 2002 2:05 am

Originally posted by Galvatron84
I can't believe no-one has mentioned the Autobots plan to tell the two Prime's apart - a race. :rolleyes:

Yeah, why do that when they could have just checked to see who had the Matrix. Even if Megs can fool Teletran-1, it's doubtful he can make a replica matrix that can compete with the real thing.

(Of course, they couldn't do that, because the Matrix is just a lame plot device that was thought-up on the spot for the movie, to defeat an even bigger plot device called Unicron. And it's ugly too; a goofy knock-off of the creation matrix.)

God Jinrai · Post by **God Jinrai** » Sun Jul 21, 2002 2:11 am

...galvy... there's... SOME semblance to that... consider this. Optimus.. the legit one, has spent his entire time on earth with an alt mode of a semi rig. he KNOWS how to use that alt mode, how best to control it, et al.

The "clone"... even if it were controled by a ground based transformer... not motormaster mind you... likely would not be quite so suited to the alt mode. It's like trying to put someone who's been driving a chevy cavalier their entire life into a semi rig and expecting that person to be able to go toe to toe with an experienced truck driver, and NOT flip the rig, et al.

You'd be able to say there's a flaw in that because of the fact that no one is physically controling the clone, just mentally... BUT... nonetheless, consider how the thing was done. Megs didn't see through the clone's eyes... did he??? he saw through a view screen that showed the situation from an outside point of view... and I SERIOUSLY doubt megatron to be experienced in simple laws of physics if he couldn't even pull off a single victory previous to " a prime problem"...

Unicron · Post by **Unicron** » Sun Jul 21, 2002 2:13 am

Originally posted by Snake
Yeah, why do that when they could have just checked to see who had the Matrix. Even if Megs can fool Teletran-1, it's doubtful he can make a replica matrix that can compete with the real thing.

(Of course, they couldn't do that, because the Matrix is just a lame plot device that was thought-up on the spot for the movie, to defeat an even bigger plot device called Unicron. And it's ugly too; a goofy knock-off of the creation matrix.)

From what I remember, when both the Comic and Cartoon were started, both sets of writers were given instructions to fit the Matrix in somewhere. The comic guys just did it first

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Sun Jul 21, 2002 2:25 am

Also I find it pretty hard to believe that Megatron can't tell the difference between Ironhide and Bumblebee... I know he probably calls no-one but Prime by name in the series, but it's ridiculous that he'd take on such a mission without checking the identity of the guys he's trying to fool... I mean, otherwise the fake could be shown by just getting both Primes to try and name some of the Bots...

Stupid, stupid episode. Why is it most of the time the better the animation the worse the plot? I didn't think Pat Lee worked for Sunbow...

The Green Knight · Post by **The Green Knight** » Sun Jul 21, 2002 2:58 am

Originally posted by Unicron

From what I remember, when both the Comic and Cartoon were started, both sets of writers were given instructions to fit the Matrix in somewhere. The comic guys just did it first

They did it first and they did it a helluva lot better too. The matrix was shoe-horned into the movie, right before it was needed, with no explanations about it (much like Unicron.)

Redstreak · Post by **Redstreak** » Sun Jul 21, 2002 3:00 am

Well, bad animated eps aren't much to write home about in the pre-movie work, I need point no further than City of Steel for that one... :rolleyes:

Though it does have a good line: If you interfere, I'll melt Optimus Prime down for PAPERCLIPS! [/Megs]

Very little in season two is worth writing home about, but I'm sure we all knew that. The early season one stuff is still where the gold is.

TFARCHIVE FORUMS

A Prime Problem - one of the stupidest things I have ever seen in my life.

A Prime Problem - one of the stupidest things I have ever seen in my life.

boom shaka lakaa !!!