Season 4

4.01 – The Rebirth, Part 1: B-

“The Rebirth, Part 1” simply had too much to live up to. After the highly creative efforts of Season 3, including its magnificent (and triumphant) conclusion, Season 4 tried to mask its sales pitch in a story that would be almost as creative and almost as triumphant as Season 3. And while there are some good concepts and ideas, and a fairly cohesive narrative, Part 1 just doesn’t quite live up to expectations.

4.02 – The Rebirth, Part 2: C+

“The Rebirth, Part 2” is a rather straightforward narrative. The pace is certainly brisk and economical enough to keep things interesting. And there is a legitimate beginning and end to the episode’s story. But the episode itself suffers from much of the same issues as Part 1, particularly in terms of the overwhelming array of new characters and toyline showcases. But unlike the opening episode, Part 2 is merely a bridge in the story, taking us one step closer to its conclusion in Part 3. The result is an episode which just isn’t very strong on its own merits.

4.03 – The Rebirth, Part 3 : B-

“The Rebirth, Part 3” is another example of a story that has to struggle too hard to have its voice heard. The very last episode in the Transformers G1 series does manage to end the show’s run on a high note. But it’s a very bumpy ride getting there. Indeed, there’s very little of note to this particular episode beyond the pacifism of Cerebros, Spike’s urgent desire to rescue his son, and the coming of the Second Golden Age of Cybertron. On the surface, this sounds like more than enough for a twenty-minute episode. But considering everything that transpires, it falls just short of triumphant success.