Transformers Beast Wars: The Complete Series

Previously, on my review of Beast Wars Season 1: Put away the 80's synthesizer and pull out the 90's generic rock guitar! Created by the same company that created Reboot, this classic Computer Generated series is the follow up to the original Generation One Transformers. Beast Wars in America, Beasties in Canada (Canada has a rule that no show aimed at children can have war in the title, go figure). An enjoyable series that had previously been released in bare bones sets by Rhino (which I own and are now discontinued), it has now been rereleased by Shout! with new extras! Beast Wars has finally gotten a more deserving release!

1st Season:

Beast Wars (1)
Beast Wars (2)
The Web
Equal Measures
Chain of Command
Power Surge
Fallen Comrades
Double Jeopardy
A Better Mousetrap
Gorilla Warfare
The Probe
Victory
Dark Designs
Double Dinobot
The Spark
The Trigger (1)
The Trigger (2)
Spider's Game
Call of the Wild
Dark Voyage
Possession
The Low Road
Law of the Jungle
Before the Storm
Other Voices (1)
Other Voices (2)

The first season is more generic and simplistic as far as most of the stories go but it sets things up nicely and builds to a wonderful climax by season's end. The second half of the season really started to become inspired and storylines had more continuing arcs and characters were becoming much more developed and defined.

2nd Season:

Aftermath
Coming of the Fuzors (1)
Coming of the Fuzors (2)
Tangled Web
Maximal, No More
Other Visits (1)
Other Visits (2)
Bad Spark
Code of Hero
Transmutate
The Agenda (1)
The Agenda (2)
The Agenda (3)

This season completely transformed the series into something much more serialized and much more mature. They cram a lot into this thirteen episode season and once the first three episodes set things up nicely the rest of the season tries out some very mature storytelling and quickly delves into huge plot advancements for the series. The three part ending, The Agenda, is fantastic and took the series right back to its G1 roots in a way so well planned and so perfect. Let's also not forget the fan favorite, Code of Hero, one of the series best.

3rd Season:

Optimal Situation
Deep Metal
Changing of the Guard
Cutting Edge
Feral Scream
Feral Scream (2)
Proving Grounds
Go with the Flow
Crossing the Rubicon
Master Blaster
Other Victories (aka Closure)
Nemesis
Nemesis (2)

If you thought the second season brought new maturity and depth by transforming the series then the third season must have gone Transmetal 2. Each episode has either an inspired premise or great plot/character development if not a combination of both. Other Victories may be on of the most successful attempts to quickly tie up loose plot threads for a series that I have ever seen and the series finale went out on the high note that this series deserved.

For a show that was honestly just one huge commercial for Hasbro toys this is quite a show. It is so well designed that the addition of new characters feels natural and adds excitement to the show rather than feeling forced and contrived. The status pod crashes actually make for some of the most interesting episodes because the new character can be programmed to fight for either side. The second season concept of updating certain characters with the surge and the notion of Fuzors may also be new marketing ploys but they feel so organic to the story of the series because of the way they were handled. The final season and the concept of Transmetal 2's was also quite well executed. Just a marvelous series all the way around.

Thanks to Shout! for putting in effort when they get the rights to a series and here's hoping they obtain the rights to many more (I'm still hoping Gargoyles will get a complete series set after Disney dropped the ball those many years ago).

**Many already own this set through Shout!'s website, I'm actually waiting on the November retail release as it coincides with my birthday so I will further review content of the actual set then. However, as an owner of the Reboot set I can say if it is similar (the only downside being some audio pops and some questionable picture quality) then I will be extremely happy with my purchase.

Rhino put out a solid DVD collection of this great series some years back. ShoutFactory! puts out nice DVD boxsets (nice art, nice packaging, nice bonus features, etc.) and looks to be carrying the mantle that Rhino used to carry given the depth and breadth of their offerings. I love this show so much I bought this 2nd issue to have as backup and available for lending to any family or friends who I can convince to give it a try. This isn't just a great kid's cartoon but a flat out great out sci-fi series. Turns out Larry DiTillio and Bob Forward had worked together on SheRa: The Princess of Power and Larry did a bit of work on Babylon5. Larry also wrote some of the more amazing episodes of the overall amazing 1984 Filmation HeMan and the Masters of the Universe cartoon series. Simon Furman- a revered writer of transformers stories for the UK comics- was even brought in to pen a great episode. Top writing. The voice acting is as amazing as it can get in any cartoon (thank you Gary Chalk and David Kaye). There were staff with some real bona fides behind this show and the show delivers from beginning to end with a great story arc that really entertains. When G1 transformers get referenced (Starscream, Ravage, Autobot Ark, the flagship of the Decepticon armada "The Nemesis") you get the goose bumps and chills of awesomeness flowing through you. I get the chills just thinking about Ravage's great lines in those amazing episodes aboard the Nemesis and you will too! You too will be speaking in Waspinator speak or para-phrasing dino Megatron's "Egggggsellent!" every chance you get too after taking in this beautiful show. I look forward to watching it again (and again) with my boys.

This is the best transformers series there is. Unlike the others, this one keeps the main plot and main characters while adding acceptable additions. While it is targeting kids, it still has great humor every now and then."This guy's got bearings of chrome steel". If you loved it as a kid, buy it.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 18 reviews  4.7 out of 5 stars