[BW,BM] Documenting a fan's first run through Beast Wars/Machines

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Jhiaxus
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Documenting a fan's first run through Beast Wars/Machines

Post by Jhiaxus »

Since the first season of Beast Wars came out on dvd in August 2003, my best friend Tommy has been watching Beast Wars and Beast Machines for his first time. As of now, all we have left to watch is the Endgame 3-parter, which is the final 3 episodes of Beast Machines. Since BM had yet to be released on dvd, I had to buy a 9 vcd set of BM on Ebay a month or so back. So far, here are HIS opinions of what he's seen.

BW Season 1: Loved the stories and character development, and really enjoyed the overriding story. His favorite episodes were the ones dealing with the aliens.

BW Season 2: Liked the improved graphics, but felt that the only reason for the introduction of the Transmetals was so that Hasbro could create new toys for Megatron, Cheetor, Rattrap, etc. Also felt that Code Of Hero was an overrated episode by the fandom and felt the whole episode had too much grandstanding. Also didn't like the involvement of Ravage in the Agenda 3-parter.

BW Season 3: Really hated a lot of the stuff here. Felt that the whole situation with BW Megatron shooting Optimus Prime's head should have resulted in the destruction of the space and time. Liked that Depth Charge started out as a loner character, but didn't like how he agreed to join up with the Maximals so quickly. And like most others, he hated that the last half of the season seemed so rushed.

BM Season 1: Loved the dark atmosphere and the change of pace of the Maximals being the underdogs and the minority. Since Rhinox was his favorite character from Beast Wars, he didn't feel too great about Rhinox becoming Tankor. And like most others, he despised the idea of Cybertron once being an organic world with organic life.

BM Season 2 (so far): This was the absolute worst season according to him, and me as well. He absolutely loathed Noble/Savage and Botanica and felt that the season could have went down well without them. However, he did like the change in Silverbolt's character, as he thought he was lame in BW. Also didn't like the idea of Megatron being a giant floating head, but found it humorous when his spark was trapped inside the diagnostic drone.

And that brings us to the Endgame 3-parter, which we'll see whenever we're around each other again. He already knows about Cybertron becoming technorganic, and he's really dreading the end of the series. He's already stated that he'll ignore BM once we're done watching it and it will never be seen again. I for one have to agree that Beast Machines was a black eye to what the Beast Wars show did for Transformers and I don't think I'll be watching Beast Machines again after this.
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megaflare
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Season 2 the best!

Post by megaflare »

Yes hasbro wanted to put out more toys but who blames them. I think the writers and mainframe did a great job of keeping everything in check with the storyline even though hasbro began to rush them they could still handle making the story look good. I liked the new transmetals alot. Megatron looked alot better i hated the gun head in his robot mode. Anyways when it starts going down hill is at the end of season 3. I heard Tigerhawk was gonna be in at least half the season but he only made it 3 episodes.:smokin:
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Post by Dead Man Wade »

And honestly, Mainframe's introduction to new characters beats Generation 1 all to hell.

"Hey, who's that guy?"
"Huh? Oh, that's Tracks. Been here since the beginning."
"Oh. Okay. Well, like I was saying..."

At least Mainframe made an attempt, and it was in keeping with the overall storyline.
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Post by Cassettacon 27 »

I don't agree with him hating BW Code of Hero and Ravage, but I must agree with his views on BM. I HATED BM. I like to think of it as an alternate reality. Many of My agree with me on this.

Why do we hate BM? Crappy characters, Rihnox, little to no referances to BW, Cheetors fights with Primal, and most of all THEY LOOKED TOO HUMAN!!
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Post by ShadowSonic »

So bad guys can become good guys, but good guys can't go bad?

Cheetor arguing with Primal, well it's okay if Primal was doing stuff that didn't exactly jive with the Maximal way (which he was)

They didn't really look that human, they looked a heckuva lot less human than most G1 TFs.

They referenced some things that were in BW, but they mostly didn't because it wasn't important to the plot to.
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Post by Cassettacon 27 »

When you have hair on a Transformer (i.e. Nitescream and BA) You know you have a problem.

Also, in BW their primary objective was to leave Earth, now all of a sudden they want Cybertron to become earth-like.

And finally, Tree-bitch as my brother calls her, a Tf as a plant, now that's just sad.
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Post by ShadowSonic »

It's never been clarified if that was really hair on Nightscream, or just looked like it.

BW their objective was to stop Megatron and go back home becuase their ship was trashed and their mission to explore the universe even worse.

Botanica...what's so bad about a TF that turns into a plant? It showshow versatile their disguise technology really is.
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Post by Jhiaxus »

What's so bad about Botanica? She looks ridculous! In G1, do you think a plant Autobot would have been any use against the Decepticons? Nope. The only way somebody like Botanica could be of any value is the crap they used her for in the crap that was Season 2 of BM.
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Post by Cassettacon 27 »

That's exactly how I feel. Thank you Jhiaxus. I have a feeling that you and I are gonna get along just fine.
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Post by ShadowSonic »

Yes, a plant TF could hide and the G1ers would never suspect a plant could be an enemy in disguise. Also, she can absorb unlimited amounts of energy via photosynthesis and blast her enemies with it (as she did to the Vehicons).

How do youknow a plant TF would be useless against G1 TFs? There were none there! And it wasnt' becuase it's a bad idea, it's becuase Toy technology wasn't advanced enough to make a decent plant TF toy, and the G1 writers were pretty unoriginal until season 3.
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Post by Cassettacon 27 »

I don't even think that they even made a toy of "Tree bitch."
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Post by Jhiaxus »

They didn't, and thank God they didn't.
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Post by Osku »

Originally posted by Cassettacon 27
I don't even think that they even made a toy of "Tree bitch."
How old are you?

So far you (Cassettacon 27, Jhiaxus) keep saying she looks ridiculous. How didn't her character work in the show? How was her alternate mode not believable? How she was useless as she was portrayed as one of the stronger characters in the series?
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Post by ShadowSonic »

They're both idiots who can't get past TFs who don't turn into vehicles, forgetting that all that does is LIMIT the abilities of a TF. Just becuase their treu forms are robots doesn't mean their alternate modes should also be robotic/metallic.
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Post by Sixswitch »

Damn, isn't it fun, flaming someone for disagreeing with your point of view? Jhiaxus has stated that he enjoyed Beast Wars. Where were the vehicles in that? Where were the metallic robots in Season 1 of Beast Wars?

Besides, lots of people have had problems with Botanica. Jhiaxus isn't the first, and he won't be the last. Whatever the reason for not liking a character, everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Having not seen Beast Machines, I can not comment on Botanica, but it seems that Osku is asking the right(constructive) questions.

The only idiot in this thread is you, ShadowSonic.

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Post by ShadowSonic »

Hardly, he hasn't given a single valid reason for not liking her other than 'she looks ridiculous' that's the stupidest reason EVER to not like someone. When he gives valid, thought out arguments for why she was bad, then I might apologize, til then I would take back a thing and keep thinking of him in a negative view for being so childish in his arguments.
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Post by Sixswitch »

Originally posted by ShadowSonic
Hardly, he hasn't given a single valid reason for not liking her other than 'she looks ridiculous' that's the stupidest reason EVER to not like someone.


Not really. In a visual medium like a cartoon, the way an object looks on screen becomes a really big part of the overall reaction to the object. In the same way as an annoying voice would turn me away from a character, one who looks bad would do likewise.

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Post by Jhiaxus »

Originally posted by Sixswitch
Not really. In a visual medium like a cartoon, the way an object looks on screen becomes a really big part of the overall reaction to the object. In the same way as an annoying voice would turn me away from a character, one who looks bad would do likewise.

-Ss


Exactly. I just believe that since 99% of all Transformers since G1 had either vehicle, weapon, or beast modes, that Botanica looks really out of place. Besides that, I think the fact that I think she's atrocious and little more than a tree-hugging hippie is enough for me to dislike her.

Now that I'm thinking of it, another reason I don't like Botanica is the fact that she falls in love with Rattrap, and vice versa. Now it wouldn't bother me if it was the same great Rattrap from BW. She had to fall for a Rattrap that had wheels for legs and a face that resembles that of an 11 year-old boy scout.
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Post by ShadowSonic »

Botanica was there to represent how versatile TF mode tech was, and to show another technorganic power. I'd like to see a Vehicon who could absorbd solar power and fire it at his enemies.

Rattrap not having legs, instead wheels...I bet you hate Prof.X and Oracle too huh?

Botanica was pacifistic becuase she was a scientist on an explorer mission, like Primal and co were before the series began. It was to contrast how far they'd come as warriors. Falling with Rattrap...what, since a TF isn't organic, he can't fall in love or have emotions? Did you hate BA and SB having a thing too?
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Post by Computron »

just a few points to stir up this some more -> by the time of beast machines the wars had been over for centuries and both sides were living in peace which would mean alt modes were choosen for their use rather than battle - in beast wars they were initially used solely to survive the energon radiation - Botanica had a similar reason for a plant mode and on a planet full of plants it was a logical choice. It wasn't till "Call of the Wild" when the Maximals totally removed the safety locks of their beast urges that the alt modes were used in any sort of combat way and then the transmetals started becoming more liek G1 (i.e used for battle)

enjoy discussing my points :)
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