Transformers Prime Episode 56 - Project Predacon - Discussion

[FEZaid]

Youtube links Mirror 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAaQAxg_pS0) Mirror 2 HD (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0W9uojPFoU) Mirror 3 HD (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V20rmOP3N24) Mirror 4 HD (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PErbDWyf6O0)

Finally a new intro! Love the new Smokescreen repaint and acknowledges he could have become a Prime :D Before send on a misson, Optimus just tells Magnus just to ignore what Fowler says. Also, this episode made me hate the Voyager Shockwave mold even more, it could have been engineered better.

[joshimus]

It was a decent episode. Nice to see Soundwave in Soundblaster colours. Was kind of expecting Ravage to show up but whatever.
Overall it was a decent episode to prepare for Beast Hunters
Highligts:
- Bulkheads BW reference
- Smokescreens discussion with Bumblebee. I really liked that even though is was Smoke doing the real talking.
- Starscreams comment about the Predacons microchips was funny.
- Smokescreens new look
- Optimus tells Magnus to disregard some of what Fowler says
- Watching SS and BB fight Shockwave as a team was fun.
Things that didn't make sense:
- Fowler brings in prototype truck with jets for Optimus to scan even though he already look exactly like he had scanned it already
- Why Predacons juts...died on Earth. It just seems weird that they pretty much stood there till death. I dunno. I can disregard this one I guess.

Overall a decent episode.

[Commandoclone87]

It was a decent episode. Nice to see Soundwave in Soundblaster colours. Was kind of expecting Ravage to show up but whatever.
Overall it was a decent episode to prepare for Beast Hunters
Highligts:
- Bulkheads BW reference
- Smokescreens discussion with Bumblebee. I really liked that even though is was Smoke doing the real talking.
- Starscreams comment about the Predacons microchips was funny.
- Smokescreens new look
- Optimus tells Magnus to disregard some of what Fowler says
- Watching SS and BB fight Shockwave as a team was fun.
Things that didn't make sense:
- Fowler brings in prototype truck with jets for Optimus to scan even though he already look exactly like he had scanned it already
- Why Predacons juts...died on Earth. It just seems weird that they pretty much stood there till death. I dunno. I can disregard this one I guess.

Overall a decent episode.

You're forgetting the Dinobots reference between Miko and Bulkhead.

[tz101]

I really enjoyed this episode. Shockwave is sweet as a tank!

[GMfan]

...I swear the only reason I watch this show just to keep up on fiction and if I weren't such a sucker for punishment I would have given up a long time ago.

This particular episode was just...bad.

It's pandering repetitive crap. Ooo Shockwave said logic (at an illogical point in a conversation, BUT HE SAID IT OMG), looks like Predacon clones have been on Earth all along, like Unicron, like the Cybertronian artifacts...it's pretty bad when even the writers make fun of the repetitiveness not once but twice in the episode, Optimus mentioning yet again Cybertron and Earth's pasts are linked, and Starscream mocking the whole scavenger hunt premise we're going to see over the next little while...

Needless to say its gonna another season of FOUND SOMETHING! ---> ACTION ACTION ACTION ---> Autobot or Decepticon succeed ---> End of episode.

Problem is this is a short, and last season and the time to dick around with BS like this is slim if you want to make a nice well rounded overall show. Unfortunately it seems Prime will be beating a dead horse till the season finale, which is unfortunate because this show had so much potential....visually it's still stunning but the story arcs, characterization (heh...what characterization), lack of substance is what will make this a meh show we look back on a couple of years or a decade from now and say "ya...that was that..." because when you'll look back and think about it...this show had nothing but style and action, which is nothing memorable.

Sad really...



Nice to see Soundwave in Soundblaster colours.

...what are you talking about? Soundwave's colours didn't change at all...

[ConvoyGTR]

The Predacons remains are on Earth, just EVERYTHING ELSE! But I found the explanation plausible so I was okay with it.

Ultra Magnus to Smokescreen: "Now you can look your best while moving those boxes." Lol UM is such a hardass, but I'm loving him so much right now.

"Dinobots," "Beast Wars," and "Beast Hunters" references all in the span of 10 secs. A little too fanservicy, but I was amused.

The scene at the end, Soundwave is such a smooth operator.

[ARCTrooperAlpha]

This particular episode was just...bad.

It's pandering repetitive crap. Ooo Shockwave said logic (at an illogical point in a conversation, BUT HE SAID IT OMG), looks like Predacon clones have been on Earth all along, like Unicron, like the Cybertronian artifacts...it's pretty bad when even the writers make fun of the repetitiveness not once but twice in the episode, Optimus mentioning yet again Cybertron and Earth's pasts are linked, and Starscream mocking the whole scavenger hunt premise we're going to see over the next little while...

Needless to say its gonna another season of FOUND SOMETHING! ---> ACTION ACTION ACTION ---> Autobot or Decepticon succeed ---> End of episode.

Problem is this is a short, and last season and the time to dick around with BS like this is slim if you want to make a nice well rounded overall show. Unfortunately it seems Prime will be beating a dead horse till the season finale, which is unfortunate because this show had so much potential....visually it's still stunning but the story arcs, characterization (heh...what characterization), lack of substance is what will make this a meh show we look back on a couple of years or a decade from now and say "ya...that was that..." because when you'll look back and think about it...this show had nothing but style and action, which is nothing memorable.

Damn GMfan, you beat me to the punch. Overall, this episode was cringingly acceptable

Things that didn't work and stuff I didn't like:

Wheeljack - truly is a rebel without a cause.

Predacons - How can robotic animals leave behind fossilized remains ?!

Dinobots - ughh, couldn't they say "commando squad"

Beast Wars - that reference felt forced in. More like Monster Hunt.

Beast Hunters - Optimus, you guys aren't hunting beasts, more like bone hunters.

What is the point of actually obtaining the fossils if
you don't intend/can't create your own? Wouldn't it be better destroying them ?

Shockwave - catchword : logic and other related words

So instead of reawakening other Decepticons warrior sentinels who are in stasis pods, you guys are gonna clone more Predacons ?! Real f**king efficient.

Why have they not retrieve Predaking ?

The battlefield - Why do the Autobots even need to split up if the US army picked up the Decepticons on satellite ?! Couldn't they just pop into the location ?

Also, wasn't Smokescreen shot at pointblank range by Shockwave? How is he still alive?

Shockwave has a screwed up sense of priorities in battle. Why is Soundwave the only reinforcements ? How was Bumblebee even able to knock Shockwave on his back like that ?

Tug of War - phase shifter inconsistency. Should not even take place.

Mostly everyone had generic lines.

Stuff I like :

Ultra Magnus - i still love his strict, but reasonable military persona. Even more, the writers kept the fact that Magnus led the Wreckers on Cybertron.

Smokescreen's grumbling - What ? Now you're regretting YOUR decision to revive your biggest hero ? You're more two-faced than I thought : )

Optimus and Ultra Magnus - "what's a kilt?", "just nod and move out, it's better that way"

Bumblebee's decision - well I was bland about it. Even if Bee did get promoted on Earth, it wouldn't really matter cause there's only rookie he could command anyway. :D LOL

Soundwave - was still too cool for words

Shockwave's decision to stay in the lab - not bad, since the writers want to tuck him back into the background for future episodes

[joshimus]

Maybe it feels like I haven't seen Soundwave in awhile but he looked a darker blue than before...actually more predator drone like as opposed to the toy blue. I could be losing my mind.

[UltraPrimal]

You guys also missed the MASK reference at the beginning.

I enjoyed the episode even though it totally felt like a toy commercial. More so in this episode than any other in years. "Hey, check it out! Here's the NEW Optimus Prime toy! Look! He's got jets and rockets and everything! Oh, and here's our 2 new repaints for you to buy! Check out those cool new paint jobs! Don't they kick butt?! And watch out for that new Shockwave toy! He's a big, mean, one-eyed tank! Oh, and while you're at the toy store, don't forget to pick up some Predacons! They're like the Transformers version of dinosaurs, but they're dragons and other mythological creatures! You kids like those things, right?! RIGHT!"

I kind of vainly hope that before BH is over, Optimus will be like, "OK, we need to fight fire with fire. Ratchet, build us some Beasties of our own. And be sure that they're heroic nature is at their Maximal potential!"

[joshimus]

That would be one hell of a surprise. Maximal force. I don't see it happening though.

[Jove]

I enjoyed the episode even though it totally felt like a toy commercial.

I think that people are missing the point. These ARE just toy commercials. Fun, little, 1/2 hour toy commercials.

I know that there is very little "artistic merit" in the most recent episode, but it was still a worthy offering.
I don't see how this was worse than recent episodes, or historical offerings. I completely fail to see how many people just LOVED Animated. That show was chock full of high-pitched whining characters and comical morons. Yet it was roundly liked.

AND it was still a toy commercial.

There wasn't exploration of deeper meanings, AND there were plot holes and (OMG!!) scavenger hunts for the allspark fragments.

Scavenger hunts are what these shows are all about, they've been doing them for YEARS, in every continuity that I can think of:

Armada - minicons
Energon- duh - energon
Cybertron - planet keys
Animated - allspark fragments
G1 - energy sources
Beast wars - even here there were stasis pods falling from the sky every other episode.

These guys LOVE scavenger hunts. Almost every season is:

"FOUND SOMETHING! ---> ACTION ACTION ACTION ---> Autobot or Decepticon succeed ---> End of episode"

That's how you appeal to kids and SELL THEM TOYS!

I promise, this it the last rant on the subject you will hear from me. I just needed to get it out.

[SleeplessKnight]

They mentioned Dinobots... cool. *crosses fingers*

[Autobot_Orion]

I can't believe Ratchet said "We are fortunate that Smokescreen is inexperienced enough not to have followed protocol". Smokescreen risked his own life not to leave Prime to die and have his body recovered by the decepticons. The last episode Ratchet commented on Smokescreens judgement to be sound, now in this episode he down plays Smokes actions.

Optimus Prime and many on the Autobot team have yet to formally acknowledge Smokescreen on screen for saving all thier lives.

[ARCTrooperAlpha]

I can't believe Ratchet said "We are fortunate that Smokescreen is inexperienced enough not to have followed protocol". Smokescreen risked his own life not to leave Prime to die and have his body recovered by the decepticons. The last episode Ratchet commented on Smokescreens judgement to be sound, now in this episode he down plays Smokes actions.

Optimus Prime and many on the Autobot team have yet to formally acknowledge Smokescreen on screen for saving all thier lives.

Kinda funny, isn't it ? Well that's your classic average dose of discontinuity. It ain't gonna stop.

I think that people are missing the point. These ARE just toy commercials. Fun, little, 1/2 hour toy commercials.

I know that there is very little "artistic merit" in the most recent episode, but it was still a worthy offering.
I don't see how this was worse than recent episodes, or historical offerings. I completely fail to see how many people just LOVED Animated. That show was chock full of high-pitched whining characters and comical morons. Yet it was roundly liked.

AND it was still a toy commercial.

There wasn't exploration of deeper meanings, AND there were plot holes and (OMG!!) scavenger hunts for the allspark fragments.

Scavenger hunts are what these shows are all about, they've been doing them for YEARS, in every continuity that I can think of:

Armada - minicons
Energon- duh - energon
Cybertron - planet keys
Animated - allspark fragments
G1 - energy sources
Beast wars - even here there were stasis pods falling from the sky every other episode.

These guys LOVE scavenger hunts. Almost every season is:

"FOUND SOMETHING! ---> ACTION ACTION ACTION ---> Autobot or Decepticon succeed ---> End of episode"

That's how you appeal to kids and SELL THEM TOYS!

I promise, this it the last rant on the subject you will hear from me. I just needed to get it out.

facepalm. You really thought this out thoroughly, haven't you ?

[Matrix_Holder]

In the next series, smokescreen is cheetor...nuff'said.

[Fermix]

Did anyone notice Bombshock's name in the credits?

[Knockout]

I'm actually really happy with this episode. Ultra Magnus you are awesome, I love how they kept him true to character and I can't wait to see him in the next episode. Shockwave and Soundwave fighting together = win. Smoke's new paint is making me want to repaint him again, where the heck was Knockout? Oh and an OP's jet back, robust flying section is so awkward.

Oh and that line about Beast Hunters was really lame. I wonder if Peter laughed after saying it. As for the Ratchet and Smoke thing, I took it as Ratchet showing graditude to Smoke

[razin]

Off topic - but didn't the writers say sometime during early S1 that Bee and Soundwave would have their actual voices, at least Bee? Time's running out, don't expect Bee will ever get his voice back, unless they pull a TFTM moment and give him the last line in the series.

[Shockwave 75]

Off topic - but didn't the writers say sometime during early S1 that Bee and Soundwave would have their actual voices, at least Bee? Time's running out, don't expect Bee will ever get his voice back, unless they pull a TFTM moment and give him the last line in the series.
I remember it being the opposite. That it would be Soundwave that would speak, because of the two he CAN speak, but chooses not to, whereas Bee can't.

[Shockwave 75]

Did anyone notice Bombshock's name in the credits?
I'm betting that "Bombshock" was just the name of the Insecticon who spoke.

[Fermix]

I'm betting that "Bombshock" was just the name of the Insecticon who spoke.

Yeah but it's nice to have another named Insecticon. Hopefully he doesn't bite it the episode after his debut too.

[Nightscrabbler]

Agree with most of the comments here.

The episode was obviously trying to set up the premise of the season, but that premise is weak, and all the little nods/references are pandering that didn't really make for believable dialogue. "We have to become Beast Hunters" ...sheesh.

Prime's alt mode scanning was also silly.

The mythology thing was stupid too... but consistent with all the other Earth's history silliness these writers have cooked up since the movie trilogy.

The overuse of groundbridges also seems cheap now, especially since there are a whole bunch of other occasions when they could use them if they're that easy to open and close.

At least the intro is kinda updated.

[ohnaji]

The series so far does have its fun moments but there's no denying this is a bad show. I'm surprised it hasn't been renamed, The Adventures of Smokescreen and his Amazing Transforming Friends. I just find it too random that the writers shift so much focus on a late entry character. What little development the core cast has had just seems like an afterthought now and unfortunately these characters really fade deep into the background. The current bone hunt just seems superfluous. There really is no point to it. Luckily I can still have fun with dreadful programming.

[Undrave]

Why does Megatron needs an army of Predacon to submit humankind to his will? He's got a vehicon armada and a whole hive of Insecticon! What more does he need?? Just attack Washington already!