I hate Cheetor so much right now

[Warcry]

Since we're all stuck at home for a while, I'm introducing my four year old to Beast Wars! I'm happy to say he's taken to it a lot more than he ever did to the various other TF series we've tried. I think it's because he likes the animals they turn into. He did have a minor TRUKK NOT MUNKY moment when he first saw Primal, but he got over it quickly and just calls him Optimus Monkey now. Also he adores Tarantulas because he laughs like the Joker.

All in all, it's been lots of fun! But holy shit do I ever want to throw things at the TV any time Cheetor speaks up. I know that he's got a bit of a heavy load to bear, since the lack of any humans in the cast mean that he has to be Bumblebee, Spike, Hot Rod, Wheelie and Daniel all at once. And I know that he gets better as the show goes on and transitions into Beast Machines. But what in the world were they thinking?

I'm not even sure what's the worst part of the character, either. Is it the painfully cheesy catchphrases that were never going to catch on, even in the 90s? The Homer Simpson-esque "Don't worry, Primal. I haven't learned a thing! *cue laugh track*" every time he nearly gets them all killed doing something stupid? The fact that he's less mature than the literal newborns who come online during the run of the show? The way he treats his friends like garbage? Or how in spite of all that, the early episodes are written on the assumption that he's definitely going to be everyone's favourite character?

Actually, no. I think the worst part is that I actually DID like him when I was a kid. Albeit mainly because his head sculpt looked awesome.

Honestly, I always forget just how wobbly the first few episodes of the show were. It gets better once it starts to dawn on the writers that Dinobot, Rattrap, Blackarachnia and Tarantulas were who they should be concentrating on rather than Cheetor and Terrorsaur, but the early episodes that feature those two prominently are a bit tough to sit through.

[Skyquake87]

Kid identification characters are always tools. I can't stand Miko in Prime for similar reasons. I think these types of characters would be less grating if they learned from all their f**k ups, but they never do and are 'reset' each episode to do it all over again.

I didn't mind Terrorsaur, he was an ambitious idiot and at least got some development. Unlike poor old Scorponok who was just 'dumb muscle', except when the plot needed him to do some science. Which kind of muddled him for me - was he thick as porridge or was he a competent engineer...?

[Warcry]

Kid identification characters are always tools.

None of the kid identification characters in other series annoy me to the same degree, though. Taking Prime as an example, Miko was definitely a brat, but the show didn't focus on her to nearly the same degree that Beast Wars did on Cheetor. Jack and Raf split up the role and screen time with her, which is probably why she didn't annoy me as much. Comparatively, Cheetor is really overexposed. And this bit is subjective, but it also feels to me like Miko's meant to be an irritating foil to Jack, where Cheetor feels more like he was meant to be cool. Which of course just makes him more annoying.

Terrorsaur just feels out of place to me. On a show where most of the other villains developed some real depth, his screeching Starscream wannabe act got old pretty fast. You're right, though, that Scorponok was much weaker. I tend to forget that he even exists when he's not on screen, though, so it's hard him to really get on my nerves. His writing was really inconsistent, though. Like you say, he swung from inventing new weapons one episode to talking like Snarl or Sludge the next. But honestly, I don't miss either one of them when they're not around in later seasons.

[Skyquake87]

I just got the impression Cheetor was trying to be cool and as brilliant as the other 'bots, which is what constantly lead him into scrapes. I do like that he slowly matures over the 3 seasons, and by Beast Machines, is the Maximal I actually enjoyed the most, as he wasn't a whiny dipstick like the rest of them (Silverbolt excepted as he actually had something horrendous done to him which he found he quite enjoyed).

I just like Terrorsaur for being a cackling jerk. Clearly there as muscle and for no other purpose*. Still like the episode where he overdoses on Energon and tries to take over as leader.

*one of things I do like about the Predacons is how Megatron has picked a bunch he'd otherwise have no time for, taking advantage of each of the predilections to further his own agenda- Tarantuals' no doubt morally questionable and dubious science experiments, Terrorsaur's boredom and aggressive nature, Scorponok for being talented, dim and easily led, Dinobot's longing for glory in battle and Waspinator ...as a mascot.