Posted on June 30th, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Wars Season 1 episode, “Victory,” is now available:
“Victory” is a surprisingly fun episode. I say surprisingly because the premise itself is rather hokey, as are a number of character and plot elements. But in a way, this episode is greater than the sum of its parts. And along the way, we learn a lot more about the characters of Optimus Primal, Rattrap and Dinobot. Ultimately, this is a classic episode for the dynamic it establishes between these characters, as revealed by the events in the story.
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Posted on June 30th, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Wars Season 1 episode, “The Probe,” is now available:
“The Probe” is another smart, well constructed episode for the Beast Wars. It’s remarkable how strong the series is, this early on in its run. To be sure, there will be bumps in the road ahead but, for now, “The Probe” continues a relatively good run of episodes. The focus is more plot-based than character-driven, however, the overall narrative has enough space to include a few more brushstrokes to Dinobot’s character. All-in-all, this is a very good installment.
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Posted on June 29th, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Wars Season 1 episode, “Gorilla Warfare,” is now available:
“Gorilla Warfare” isn’t quite as good as some of the classic episodes in the series, however, it still manages to be a very competently executed episode. The main storyline, which is rather pedestrian, is the main culprit. And yet, it incorporates some more character development, primarily from Dinobot, with an important lesson about the need to keep learning from and adapting to new environments – particularly when it’s a matter of life and death.
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Posted on June 29th, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Wars Season 1 episode, “A Better Mousetrap,” is now available:
“A Better Mousetrap” is an episode which, while competently made, features a rather run-of-the-mill story. Add in the fact that the episode is, for all intents and purposes, a purely a showcase for Rattrap’s skills, and you’ve got what amounts to little more than a twenty-minute advertisement for his toy. At least the showcase itself is fun. As a result, this is an episode that will likely only appeal to avid Beast Wars fans.
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Posted on June 28th, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Wars Season 1 episode, “Double Jeopardy,” is now available:
“Double Jeopardy” is another episode which introduces a new character. And like “Fallen Comrades” the new character isn’t central to the episode’s overall plot. “Double Jeopardy” isn’t quite as good as its predecessor, but it’s close. There’s plenty of action and intrigue. And the additional subtle humor (if you’re astute enough to catch it) is quite enjoyable. Overall, this is a strong episode that further expands the Beast Wars.
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Posted on June 28th, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Wars Season 1 episode, “Fallen Comrades,” is now available:
“Fallen Comrades” is yet another sign of how good Beast Wars will become as a series. The overall story, the “acting” and the moral all fit together quite well. There are plenty of character moments. And the episode does a great job of establishing setting and mood. While this episode is far from the stellar installments that will appear later on, it is nonetheless a worthy entry on its own merits.
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Posted on June 27th, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Wars Season 1 episode, “Power Surge,” is now available:
“Power Surge” is an average episode that is helped out by a strong production value and some well-placed humor. There isn’t a whole lot of action, but the intrigue within the Predacons, as well as the response by the Maximals helps the episode overcome its rather pedestrian approach. But perhaps the most compelling element to the episode is its visuals. The rendering of the environments in “Power Surge” is quite impressive. So even if you don’t particularly enjoy the story, you’ll likely enjoy the light show.
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Posted on June 27th, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Wars Season 1 episode, “Chain of Command,” is now available:
“Chain of Command” is the first episode not to feature Cheetor. And unsurprisingly, that’s a good thing. Instead, we get our first real look at the unusual nature of this earth-like planet – with two moons, mind you – on which the Predacons and Maximals have landed. We also get a subplot about the Maximal chain of command (as per the title). The benefit here is that other characters, like Rhinox, Dinobot and Rattrap have a chance to shine. It isn’t a perfect episode, but it’s the best since the two-part pilot.
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Posted on June 26th, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Wars Season 1 episode, “Equal Measures,” is now available:
“Equal Measures” is another Cheetor-centric episode. And the results are just as mixed as the previous one. Even though there isn’t the intriguing element of a dream sequence, the episode once again includes a decent enough theme in terms of character. But Cheetor is just too annoying to allow the theme to have its full effect. Add in a rather contrived plot device and the episode struggles, despite its fairly impressive action sequences.
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Posted on June 26th, 2008 by Samuel Walters
A new review of a Beast Wars Season 1 episode, “The Web,” is now available:
“The Web” is the first true episode of the series and while it does a couple of very smart things, it also suffers from an overdose of Cheetor. The result is an episode which gives us a few hints as to what the series ultimately will become but is, at least for now, still finding its own footing.
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