Machinima's Transformers Power of the Primes Episode 3 Airs Online

Go90 and Tumblr are both giving me the spinning circle of buffering doom. Why me?

WreckerJack wrote:Go90 and Tumblr are both giving me the spinning circle of buffering doom. Why me?

Why the universe chose to spare you in particular is something we simply cannot know.

WreckerJack wrote:Go90 and Tumblr are both giving me the spinning circle of buffering doom. Why me?

It's happened to me too. At least on Go90, if you click the video to pause, it should fix it.

Well, that's 10 minutes of my life wasted.

Felt like the first five minutes of dialogue was nothing but grunts, and running through really long grass ... though actually the running was nearly all 10 minutes.

Did anything really happen? Megatron pressed a button. That's about it.

wheeeeee

Whoever thought the pacing of this was okay needs some serious oversight. I'm dreading what's going to happen next week, will it be a case of we don't find out what happens with the button till the last few minutes?

On one hand, I'm glad we didn't get the idw versions of combiner wars and titans returns adapted as both were quite bad in execution but they were better than what we got here. Given the ideas they had to work with, there was plenty that could be done with this series, I could have looked past the actual animation itself if the story had been good.

I thought it was a really good episode, possibly the best one so far. But I respect everyone has a different opinion.

ausbot wrote:I thought it was a really good episode, possibly the best one so far. But I respect everyone has a different opinion.

And the rest of us (hopefully) respect yours too! It's cool that you enjoy the show, and it makes me happy to know some people like it.

If I may ask: is there something about it that particularly appeals to you? Or just sort of a general, "I like this show" sort of feeling?

Also, leave it to this show to not tell us what that place is where Megatronus is, but to instead only have us be told by the online description that it's "the Well of Sparks".

Here's a third option for anyone who can't view the episode on either Go90 or Tumblr:

https://vk.com/video-56732771_456239769

Sabrblade wrote:GAH, this show is stupid!

I have questions, but not really the energy to ask them. I'm just going to quote this every Tuesday morning until the shows over, it will be easier.



Predaking FLAPPED HIS WINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!

sorry had to get that out

The reason I like it is because it feels and looks a little like the G1 cartoon. I don't think its ground breaking, I just shut my brain off and watch.

ausbot wrote:The reason I like it is because it feels and looks a little like the G1 cartoon. I don't think its ground breaking, I just shut my brain off and watch.

Not even the G1 cartoon felt this asinine.

Slag, not even Challenge of the GoBots felt this bad, and that show had plenty of stinker episodes in addition to its decent ones.

Sabrblade wrote:

ausbot wrote:The reason I like it is because it feels and looks a little like the G1 cartoon. I don't think its ground breaking, I just shut my brain off and watch.

Not even the G1 cartoon felt this asinine.

Slag, not even Challenge of the GoBots felt this bad, and that show had plenty of stinker episodes in addition to its decent ones.

couple of things here...I love the Original Animated Series, it's great, certainly not flawless, but still watchable, and much better than most animated series being produced currently.

Secondly, ausbot, by chance when was the last time you watched any of the original animated series? Even me, with my *nostalgia prism* on full, recognize that the original Series, and the Machinima produced series are not the same in look, tone, etc...

I find that many who share this opinion, perhaps are basing their memories off of Transformers:The Movie, and often times, they have not seen that , or any of the original episodes in many years. TF:TM was the pinnacle of the original series, but because it was so far above and beyond the rest of the series, people tend to forget and kind of think, everything was like TF:TM (if only...)

I'm not saying this is the case with you ausbot. But I have this idea in my head, that the creators of the Machinima Prime wars trilogy were all these adults, who may have liked Transformers as kids, but hadn't seen it in 20+ years, and only vaguely remember TF:TM. They got mandate form Hasbro which characters to include, and went form there, really not researching anything from the lore, Past OR Present, and just relying on their childhood memories.

o.supreme wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

ausbot wrote:The reason I like it is because it feels and looks a little like the G1 cartoon. I don't think its ground breaking, I just shut my brain off and watch.

Not even the G1 cartoon felt this asinine.

Slag, not even Challenge of the GoBots felt this bad, and that show had plenty of stinker episodes in addition to its decent ones.

couple of things here...I love the Original Animated Series, it's great, certainly not flawless, but still watchable, and much better than most animated series being produced currently.

Secondly, ausbot, by chance when was the last time you watched any of the original animated series? Even me, with my *nostalgia prism* on full, recognize that the original Series, and the Machinima produced series are not the same in look, tone, etc...

I find that many who share this opinion, perhaps are basing their memories off of Transformers:The Movie, and often times, they have not seen that , or any of the original episodes in many years. TF:TM was the pinnacle of the original series, but because it was so far above and beyond the rest of the series, people tend to forget and kind of think, everything was like TF:TM (if only...)

I'm not saying this is the case with you ausbot. But I have this idea in my head, that the creators of the Machinima Prime wars trilogy were all these adults, who may have liked Transformers as kids, but hadn't seen it in 20+ years, and only vaguely remember TF:TM. They got mandate form Hasbro which characters to include, and went form there, really not researching anything from the lore, Past OR Present, and just relying on their childhood memories.

To me the only nostalgia part is optimus prime and megatron but in looks only
I find everything else to be way off fro. G1 and it feels like a lot is missing out of the entire trilogy

I wouldn't say g1 is better than what kids watch now...it's different because the market has changed completely from the 80s. Personally I feel the 90s was the best decade for cartoons but that's just my opinion (i mean, come on, beast wars, swat kats, spiderman, x men, iron man, fantastic four, hulk, silver surfer, batman the animated series and others that I remember) thing is though, a lot of kids now probably would get bored with G1 as it's a product of its time.

ZeroWolf wrote:I wouldn't say g1 is better than what kids watch now...it's different because the market has changed completely from the 80s. Personally I feel the 90s was the best decade for cartoons but that's just my opinion (i mean, come on, beast wars, swat kats, spiderman, x men, iron man, fantastic four, hulk, silver surfer, batman the animated series and others that I remember) thing is though, a lot of kids now probably would get bored with G1 as it's a product of its time.

Oh I wholeheartedly agree. The 90's had some of the best animated series ever, in terms of quality of story, animation, casting etc... However, when I look at what CN is churning out, now, and especially since 2014 (ish...) its nothing but dumbass comedies for kids who have ADD, and Disney Channel is not much better. Even their Marvel shows are pale copies of the MCU, and that's about it.

Now I know it may not be fair to compare comedies to action series, but CN pretty much killed that genre, which is why I have so much disdain for them. I think the Netflix Voltron series is probably the only real quality Action series I can watch TODAY that is resoundingly superior to the original Transformers animated series. I would have put Star Wars Rebels, on that list, as well a DreamWorks Dragons, but those have all recently ended. I am waiting with eager anticipation to the long awaited season 3 of Young Justice, but that's about it.

Unfortunately Machinima's Combiners Wars was my one hope for a decent Transformers series since Prime ended in 2013, but it was a major disappointment. RiD15 is forgettable at best, and while I'll give Cybermissions a shot, I'm not expecting much, especially since it appears to be falling into so many of the same trappings of other shows on CN.

Oh yeah I totally agree with the machinima series being a let down, I was cautiously optimistic at first, the episode lengths were never an issue with me (I loved the first clone wars series by the guys who did samurai jack, they were short eps as well) but it's just been bad decisions all over the place.

ZeroWolf wrote:I wouldn't say g1 is better than what kids watch now...it's different because the market has changed completely from the 80s. Personally I feel the 90s was the best decade for cartoons but that's just my opinion (i mean, come on, beast wars, swat kats, spiderman, x men, iron man, fantastic four, hulk, silver surfer, batman the animated series and others that I remember) thing is though, a lot of kids now probably would get bored with G1 as it's a product of its time.

We still have some kick ass shows now,
Like the whole marvel series of shows like ultimate spider man and now avengers assemble and guardians of the galaxy also star wars rebels and soon a new season of young justice I was hoping machima transformers would another show that would be at that level, or at least how the GI JOE resolute show was kind of dark kind of R rated

To be completely realistic The last time there was a really GOOD Transformers show on TV was Prime. Before that, Animated. Before that Beast Wars was ok, not as good as Animated or Prime, but certainly not as shitty as the Unicron Trilogy or Beast Machines.

We're bound to get another series that will be good someday, but this Machinima crap most certainly is not it.

It's been a few weeks since Power of the Primes, the third and final installment of the Machinima series of Transformers cartoons, and this Tuesday brought with it episode 3, "Without Warning". The previous two episodes haven't lived up to many expectations, will the third be any different? Tune in as we take a look at the episode to find out. Read on!

(Note: The following review contains spoilers for the Machinima Power of the Primes cartoon.)

So, we start out again in the swamp, a place that the cast somehow hasn't been able to move on from for the entire show so far, with Victorion still being tossed around by Predaking, a new character in the show who just arrived last episode. Windblade tries to help by...shooting Victorion several times.


*rubs temples*

Perceptor tries to find a way to help that consists of actual helping, as Volcanicus, the combiner made up of the dinobots, starts to gain consciousness again after being shot to the ground by Predaking in the last episode. He promptly starts chasing after the Predacons for revenge.
We catch up with Megatron, who approaches the shiny thing he was distracted by in the last episode, and it turns out to be a giant energon waterfall that looks like a Matrix, with the insignia of the various original Primes stamped on it.

Perceptor tries to distract Predaking from attacking the others, and soon all three of the main cast are being chased by two giant combiners.


*Record Scratch* *Freeze Frame* "Yep, that's me. I bet you're wondering how I got here..."\

Something to touch base on here briefly is the random inclusion of assorted slow motion shots peppered in here or there through the episode. They are painfully out of place, and haven't been a part of the show so far, (or either of the other shows, if memory serves) so they're a bit of a jarring change. They remind me of the infamous split screen edits that randomly popped up in the second half of the previous series.

We also catch up with the main baddie of this series, Megatronus, who has released the Enigma of Combination to place it in a shrine of sorts, at the head of the well of sparks, deep in the heart of Cybertron.


Oh God*** it it's just the ******* Infinity Gauntlet, isn't it?!?

As he sets the the Enigma within the altar, we're treated to another flashback from the days of the original Primes. Solus begs Megatronus to return the Requiem Blaster so she can destroy it, promising she'll craft him more weapons in exchange. She mentions she doesn't want to fuel his, *ahem*, appetite for destruction, if you will.

Megatronus promises he'll take care of the blaster, but Solus grabs it from his back. They fight over it, accidentally triggering it to fire. A beam is launched off the surface of Cybertron, killing Solus in the process. Megatronus mourns her as the spark drains from her optics.


something something topical gun control joke

He watches a spark fall into the well, and comments that his henchmen are doing their job, further confirming no one else lives on this **** planet. He opens a briefcase to reveal the Matrix of Leadership to add it to the shrine.



Fun is not something one considers when watching a terrible cartoon, but this...doesn't put a smile on my face.

Back in the swamp, our heroes are still being chased by the two combiners, when they reach the obvious conclusion of trying to make them fight each other. The pacing of the scene is literally slowed down because of another slo-mo shot. To make matters worse, Windblade talks, in the middle of the shot, at normal speed. I just... I just don't know anymore.

After running a long distance from where they first landed and met the Dinobots, they all get launched off a cliff by one of Predaking's blasts, but neither of the Combiners see it coming, so they fall as well, farther into the canyon. The heroes have a moment to regroup and find...Megatron and his giant Matrix waterfall?!? ******* what?!?

The Miraculous Teleporting Megatron; Wherever The Plot Needs Him To Be.

But the newly reacquainted group doesn't have long to chat, as Predaking and Volcanicus show up again, having magically climbed a giant cliff face in justa handful of seconds with no other signs or clues that they were approaching.
Megatron enters the Matrix building and tells the others to wait there. The episode ends.

Oh my God.

I said last week that the show felt like it was just sitting here spinning it's wheels, and this episode illustrates that perfectly. The main cast have been in the swamp for all three episodes now, and for the majority of that time simply being chased around in circles. They're accomplishing nothing, and it's getting extremely frustrating. This episode could basically have been the first, practically beat for beat. "Find enemy. Fight enemy. Figure out how to beat enemy. Run away. Repeat." The glaring plot holes and continuity errors are ridiculous, and the end of this episode is the first time I've actually shouted at my screen because of these shows. If I have to search for a positive, I like the idea of the various relics combining their power to create...something. It's fairly cool, if a little overdone by other shows. Entertainingly bad, but little more. See you next week.

Thanks for reading my review of Episode 3, you can find it on go90 and the Transformers Tumblr if you wanna watch it for yourself. Come back and tell me what you thought of the episode, and what you thought of my review! I'll see you next week when we take a look at episode 4!

There's a website out there dedicated to comic books and their associated TVs and Movies. They had a guy who was going to watch Batman vs Superman every day for a month and each day would post his thoughts (like he might notice something new).

He stopped posting after 10 days and hasn't posted since.

I'm worried this may happen to Bronzewolf, forcing himself to sit through this (most likely more than once to make sure he gets everything!) each week to bring us reviews.

Stay strong man, stay strong.

Burn wrote:There's a website out there dedicated to comic books and their associated TVs and Movies. They had a guy who was going to watch Batman vs Superman every day for a month and each day would post his thoughts (like he might notice something new).

He stopped posting after 10 days and hasn't posted since.

I'm worried this may happen to Bronzewolf, forcing himself to sit through this (most likely more than once to make sure he gets everything!) each week to bring us reviews.

Stay strong man, stay strong.

I always assumed you or other staff had forced this on bronze wolf as divine punishment

Good review bronze, I think apart from wanting to see this all through to the bitter end, I think I watch it just for your review and screenshot jabs afterwards.

ZeroWolf wrote:I always assumed you or other staff had forced this on bronze wolf as divine punishment

Being News Crew is punishment enough.

Up swamp without a paddle...wow and we’re gonna criticize the writing of this series?

Burn wrote:

ZeroWolf wrote:I always assumed you or other staff had forced this on bronze wolf as divine punishment

Being News Crew is punishment enough.

Hey now, it's not that bad. We have... bluer... names. Yeah.

Randomhero wrote:Up swamp without a paddle...wow and we’re gonna criticize the writing of this series?

Well to be fair, the writers working on this series actually got paid to do so. (Probably.)

Burn wrote:There's a website out there dedicated to comic books and their associated TVs and Movies. They had a guy who was going to watch Batman vs Superman every day for a month and each day would post his thoughts (like he might notice something new).

He stopped posting after 10 days and hasn't posted since.

I'm worried this may happen to Bronzewolf, forcing himself to sit through this (most likely more than once to make sure he gets everything!) each week to bring us reviews.

Stay strong man, stay strong.

I'm actually an admin at the site in question. The dude vanished off the face of the Earth.

Don't let the same fate befall you Bronzewolf!

The curse of batman vs Superman begins..

I actually liked the part where Victorian got hit by Windblade's fire. I mean she's doing a strafing run, and it would really have been impossible for her to not hit, but in so many other cartoons, the bullets would have miraculously missed.

I suppose it looks like Megatronious wants to bring his dead lover back from the dead, at least that's what it looks like. Seriously, there was a good chance if that is the plot, that he might have just been able to ask for help.

Rodimus Knight wrote:I suppose it looks like Megatronious wants to bring his dead lover back from the dead, at least that's what it looks like. Seriously, there was a good chance if that is the plot, that he might have just been able to ask for help.

Oh, but, see, then he wouldn't be EEEEEVIIIIIL!

I expect cheap plot devices like pop-up megatron, these are short episodes, and the show engages me just enough to want it to work.

But nothing makes any f'ing sense!

Why doesn't Volcanicus attack Predaking?

Why doesn't Victorion ever separate and GTFO?

Why does the fight between them all drag on for three episodes?

Why does Windblade *land and transform* only to *run away on her feet?**

Aside from the dinobots, when has any combiner actually uncombined?

ZeroWolf wrote:Aside from the dinobots, when has any combiner actually uncombined?

We've seen Long Haul, Scavenger, Scrapper, and Stormclash in the previous two shows.

Thanks, everybody. Last week was the least fun it's been, it was just bad; but this week it was entertainingly bad, like I said in the review. At least I had material to work off of.

I wish I could get to the point where I could offer the series higher criticism, Pacing, Camera work, tone, actual scene to scene editing, etc. But it's so plagued by these terrible plot holes and Dues ex Machina moments that I can't even get there.

And hey, I thought Up the Swamp Without a Paddle was a good title, seeing as they haven't moved from one sidequest in three episodes and it's just getting worse and worse. It's fitting. I almost named it WHAT THE **** IS GOING OOOOOONNN but I thought a) that was too long and b) wouldn't exactly fly with my superiors.

I have to say it againPREDAKING FLAPPED HIS WINGS!!, while jumping/falling off a cliff no less.

start at 45 seconds to see Predaking. Actually if you guys don't mind, since I'm 2 for 2 this may be a weekly thing for me now. Finding a moment in each episode of PotP that reminds me of Looney Tunes.

Also, I realized why I never explained myself as to why this was so late. Believe it or not, these take about 3 hours from front to back to produce. I just couldn't find that much time yesterday. I was about to put it up yesterday, but the site went down. I couldn't get it live until late last night. Next week we'll be more on time!

MrBlack wrote:I'm actually an admin at the site in question.

HA! Serious? That's awesome!

I keep trying to get Va'al to take an approach to news like you guys do just to make it a bit more fun.

How do they do the news like?

ZeroWolf wrote:How do they do the news like?

Sarcasm.

The sort of style you need when writing about Transformers vs Visionaries or this train-wreck of a trilogy.

Ah sarcasm, easy to learn, a lifetime to master.

Burn wrote:

MrBlack wrote:I'm actually an admin at the site in question.

HA! Serious? That's awesome!

I keep trying to get Va'al to take an approach to news like you guys do just to make it a bit more fun.

In all fairness, we burned pretty much every bridge in the comic book industry.

DC blacklisted us a few years back. Not sure if that rule still holds.

Maybe a few of you were underwhelmed with how little Megatron had done so far in Machinima's Transformers Power of the Primes series, but things are about to change. The official Transformers Facebook page posted a featurette video about the Requiem Blaster. This is the gun forged by Solus Prime. We see some clips of events yet to happen as well, which includes Megatron weilding this fabelled weapon. You can watch it below. Let us know if you are looking forward to this and what you think of the show so far.

Gee, that clip sure gives away a lot of what's gonna happen in later episodes of this show, as though this show can't simply handle telling its story by itself.

You know, I guess I should've expected it by now, but I was still surprised at how easily they managed to make me giggle without even needing voice acting or any of the "usual" stuff that makes me laugh at this show. That descriptive text is so badly executed and the music so unfitting - I just can't take any of it seriously

You think that's bad? Try rematch information the chase scenes with the benny Hill music over the top

Good lord. I like to imagine this would sound like the voice of the news announcer fish from Spongebob, completely overly dramatic. At least on that show it's supposed to be over the top for the sake of a joke.

Hidden away in a rock and waterfall shaped like the matrix with the symbols of all the primes etched on it's extra shinny surface for any random passerby to notice.

You expected it to be hard to find?

Serious question: Is Machinima's Generations series the worst TF show ever done? Is it truly worst than Energon? I think if you include the hype machine (which inclues the CEO of Hasbro himself) and how much this fails to deliver, it might indeed be worse.

william-james88 wrote:Serious question: Is Machinima's Generations series the worst TF show ever done? Is it truly worst than Energon? I think if you include the hype machine (which inclues the CEO of Hasbro himself) and how much this fails to deliver, it might indeed be worse.

Many argue that either Energon or The Headmasters are still worse.