It seems that there has always been a partnership between toys and children television shows. Back in my day we all had to have all the toys for Superman and Davy Crocket and faithfully watched these shows every week on TV. There should be a special place in the halls of TV tie-ins for Takara and Hasbro. Back in the early eighties they took some old toys that weren’t selling well, retooled them and launched the new line, ‘The Transformers’. Here we are almost a quarter of a century later and both the toys and television series are still going strong. One reason is, of course, the very popular hit live action movie. This has reignited the interest in this toy and has engendered a whole new generation of fans. One thing that should be made clear here; the Transformers have waxed and waned in popularity over the decades. There were years when they didn’t have a TV series and the sales of the toy line declined. What is amazing is this is a franchise that defies all conventional wisdom and keeps coming back. Their taglines; ‘More Than Meets the Eye’ and ‘Robots in Disguise’ have become part of the popular lexicon and are immediately recognizable by millions of children and adults. Now the latest series, ‘Transformers Animated’, is released on DVD through Paramount Home Entertainment as broadcast on the Cartoon Network. The first season is available as a full season set or as a set with of the first three episodes, the ‘Roll Out’ story arc.

For those who have been on a deep space mission or in a coma since the early eighties the basic theme and story behind the Transformers has remained fairly constant. Transformers are sentient robots that can take the form of other things, most commonly turning from large robots into cars, trucks, and jets. Now this does seem to break the laws of conservation of mass since the objects they transform into are typically much smaller than their robotic forms. Just remember this is aimed at kids not adults with advanced degrees in physics. At its foundation this is a classic tale of good versus evil. There is little if any ambiguity between the two. A robot is on one side and that is it. The good guys are the Autobots while the bad guys are the Decpeticons. Things haven’t been this clear since the old cowboy flicks with their white and black hats. It also remains true to the toy design. The toys were robot figures that when the child twisted and turned specific parts it would become a car or some other device. This was also great for sales since parts could break off requiring a replacement toy purchase.

This latest series is set a bit in the future in and around the city of Detroit. Once again the Autobots and Decepticons are fighting over control of the Allspark, a device that can animate just about any mechanic or electronic device. It is the basis of all Transformers. The Decepticons want it to create more of their kind while the Autobots are decided to keeping it out of their hands. Both groups originate on the planet Cybertron and have come to earth for their latest final showdown. The story opens with a recap. Millions of years ago a war broke out between the two groups. The leader of the main group of Autobots, Optimus Prime (voiced by David Kaye) likes to study the old historical videos hoping something that will make him a better leader. He is discussing this with a seasoned medic of the great battles, Ratchet (voiced by Corey Burton). In this incarnation Optimus is relatively new at being a leader. His main concern is living up to his new responsibilities. In contrast Ratchet is gruff, tough and impatient, especially with the newer rookie robots. Outside Bulkhead (voiced by Bill Fagerbakke), the largest and gentlest of the Autobots, has gotten himself in a bit of trouble and is hanging off a cliff. Coming to his assistance is Bumblebee (voiced by Bumper Robinson), who is the youngest and most enthusiastic of the group. Currently the primary function of the Autobots is to maintain space bridges. After Bulkhead is safe Optimus joins in with his battle ax helping to clear the rocks and debris. Now along side the group is Prowl (voiced by Jeff Bennett). He is a sleek, black colored Autobot with a certain Ninja air to his persona. In this variation of the story there is a slightly different military hierarchy to the autobots. Prime is used more as a title for a high ranking officer and there is the introduction of the supreme commander, Ultra Magnus (voiced by Jeff Bennett).

Most of the favorite villains are also back. The leader of the Decepticons, Megatron (voiced by Corey Burton) and whether he is in his robot or combat jet form he is an unrelenting foe that will stop at nothing to obtain the AllSpark. His control of his minions is nearly absolute. There is one Decepticon that would gladly usurp their leader, Starscream (voiced by Tom Kenny). He is a good soldier but is always ready to sacrifice the mission if it serves his purpose, replacing Megatron. Soundwave (voiced by Jeff Bennett) is a Decepticon who is opposed to all organic life and wants to see it all eradicated. As with most shows targeted at the youngster set this one gives them a character they can directly identify with; Sari Sumdac (voiced by Tara Strong). She is the eight year old daughter of the brilliant scientist Dr. Sumdac. Once she meets and befriends the Autobots she is pulled into one adventure after another. She helps out by teaching the Autobots about the cultures on the earth and generally to get into danger each episode. There is also a variety of other humans, both good and bad as well as aliens and terrestrial robots. They are not as advanced as the Tranformers but often have a major impact on the battles. Not all the action is on earth. This series takes to extending the battles to the space ships and deep space.

This is a fun show, even if you are far beyond the demographic sought. The younger kids will be able to get into it better than ones more familiar with the older series or the live action movie. The animation is better than some f the earlier shows but still has some of that stop action feel to it. Overall it is something you can watch with the kids and still have a good time.