A new review of a Beast Machines Season 1 episode, “Survivor,” is now available:

“Survivor” is an episode about Nightscream’s history, his potential value to Megatron, and about his character coming to terms with his past. It also provides a continuing subplot from Tankor that is steadily gaining prominence. On the whole, “Survivor” is a thoughtful, purposeful episode with enough action to keep the story moving at a fairly healthy pace. If there is a criticism, it comes from Nightscream’s character who can be just a little too annoying.

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A new review of a Beast Machines Season 1 episode, “Revelations, Part 3: Apocalypse,” is now available:

“Revelations, Part 3: Apocalypse” finishes off the three-part mini-series. The episode is certainly filled with character and narrative moments, along with plenty of action and a healthy dose of mysticism. But much like its predecessor, it doesn’t combine the elements into a seamless whole. The transitions, while certainly understandable, are just too bumpy to help the episode become truly exceptional. That being said, this installment is certainly worth watching, especially for its closing scenes.

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A new review of a Beast Machines Season 1 episode, “Revelations, Part 2: Descent,” is now available:

“Revelations, Part 2: Descent” finally tells the story of exactly what happened when the Maximals arrived on Cybertron following the Beast Wars. And, too, we learn about the fate of one of the missing Maximals. The story between Thrust and Blackarachnia also deepens, with tragic consequences. On the whole, a lot of exposition takes place in this episode alongside a healthy dose of action. But the whole mix isn’t especially compelling. Indeed, it’s a little rough around the edges due, in large part, to uneven transitions between the various story lines.

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A new review of a Beast Machines Season 1 episode, “Revelations, Part 1: Discovery,” is now available:

“Revelations, Part 1: Discovery” is the beginning of a three-episode cycle in which the Maximals begin to unravel much of the mystery surrounding their arrival on Cybertron – and the true nature of the horror which Megatron has brought to their home planet. This particular episode gives us a few answers, as well as focusing on the continuing story arcs from Cheetor and Optimus Primal.

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A new review of a Beast Machines Season 1 episode, “The Weak Component,” is now available:

“The Weak Component” is a story that was bound to happen. The building pressure behind Rattrap’s frustrations was bound to boil over at some point. And in this episode, it happens. What we see is certainly an intriguing result. But the problem with this particular episode is the way Rattrap’s estrangement is contrived. Put simply, “The Weak Component” depends entirely on the rest of the Maximals all acting in the worst possible way toward their comrade – and episodes that depend on everyone acting ridiculously stupid are lazy and, well, weak.

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A new review of a Beast Machines Season 1 episode, “Forbidden Fruit,” is now available:

“Forbidden Fruit” is the first tangible step on Cheetor’s character arc in the Beast Machines series. Already, in Beast Wars, we’ve seen him grow from a juvenile kid through adolescence. By the time Beast Machines begins, Cheetor isn’t quite as immature as he was in Beast Wars. But with “Forbidden Fruit” we get see the beginnings of Cheetor growing out of his childhood altogether and becoming more than just a part of the team – we begin to see his leadership abilities.

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A new review of a Beast Machines Season 1 episode, “Mercenary Pursuits,” is now available:

“Mercenary Pursuits” is an enjoyable episode that covers a lot of ground. But the one thing it lacks is a central focus for its narrative. The result is an episode that, while still entertaining and fairly well-made, can sometimes feel a bit disjointed. Fortunately, the various elements of the episode are interesting and compelling enough to, for the most part, compensate for the unevenness of the narrative. Ultimately, the true strength of this episode is the groundwork it lays for future installments of the series.

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A new review of a Beast Machines Season 1 episode, “Fires of the Past,” is now available:

“Fires of the Past” begins the process of unraveling the mysteries of Beast Machines. But it is a slow process – one that has the potential to leave viewers a little frustrated. For what it’s worth, though, I do think that the pacing of the overall story line, deliberate and plodding as it may seem, is actually quite well done. What helps is the fact that episodes, such as “Fires of the Past,” manage to be interesting enough on their own merits, thus keeping viewers entertained as the big questions are slowly resolved. Along with the few revelations we get, this episode’s strengths are its action, the introduction of three new villains for the Maximals to contend with and its theme about megalomaniacs and their compulsive destruction of history.

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A new review of a Beast Machines Season 1 episode, “Master of the House,” is now available:

If there is an underlying theme to “Master of the House” it is the reconciliation one must make with the “beast within.” Alongside the numerous action sequences and plot revelations, there are character and dialogue moments which underscore the need to respect and come to terms with the animalistic urges within us all. Whether or not the episode successfully conveys these concepts depends a great deal on whether or not viewers will buy into Optimus Primal’s increased role as a kind of spiritual leader. At the very least, it’s a bold direction to take the character.

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