Nanni (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
tiamatschild) wrote2015-06-03 10:34 am
tiamatschild) wrote2015-06-03 10:34 am
Entry tags:
Transformers Animated
I rewatched the first season of Transformers: Animated recently, and I kind of feel like writing up a quick version of my thoughts before I go on to the second season. There's gonna be kind of a lot about narrative structure and building characterization here, because I've been thinking about writing and how you do it.
So! To start!
Transform and Roll Out pts 1, 2, 3: The first and third episodes here are definitely the strongest. To be honest, the second episode is even weaker than I remember. The problem's mostly the monster and the amount of time spent fighting it – the monster has no characterization and its behavior isn't entirely consistent with its stated origin, some of what it does it clearly does for narrative convenience and the sake of visual spectacle, rather than its behavior flowing from the imperatives given to its constituent nanobots by their creators. The other problem is that the bulk of the character work surrounding the monster fight in the second episode is given to Prowl, and it doesn't really um. Work. Mostly because there's not enough time spent on it, probably. Prowl's character in the first two eps of the show doesn't really make coherent sense with his character in the entire rest of the show until halfway into season two, when we finally get some backstory and the pieces start making some sense. Given how private Prowl is, that can be justified, but is still. Kind of frustrating, because it's never even lampshaded – nrrrgh okay okay leaving that aside.
I really love the opening to the show – the propaganda vids Optimus watches because they're the only link he has to the collective past, which is precious to him. Ratchet and Optimus' friendship, the slightly awkward way Ratchet is several times Optimus' age and clearly Optimus' mentor and at the same time under his command. Optimus' deep seated belief in teamwork, which is partly an ideological value of the entire Autobot society that he has absorbed particularly deeply and partly something else. Bumblebee and Bulkhead's link – friends and the two youngest, alone together in a way. (Also kind of perpetually at odds, but in a deep loyalty way. It's never serious, for all the griping and teasing.)
And the Decipticons, eerie and terrifying and powerful, the living past, stranger and more dangerous and more complete people than any of the protagonists but Ratchet have any hope of comprehending. Brrrrr.
And episode three really is just terrifying. It starts out so sweet and slow – and I love the entire team's interactions with the Sumdacs (the introduction of Sari and elaboration of the Professor's character is what works about episode two) and Prowl's instant fascination with the ordered chaos of this weird little planet. (The best bit is definitely Optimus' ready acceptance of Sari's expertise on the subject of Earth and organic life, his massive respect for Professor Sumdac, and his continued solicitation of Ratchet's broader perspective.) But Dang, I don't think Starscream has ever been so scary. The casual way he kicks the entire team around, the fact that for once his vanity doesn't seem absurd, because it's all the Sumdacs and the Autobots can do to mount even a barely credible defense... brrrrr.
(Also I love Optimus getting dying in stupidly heroic fashion out of the way in the first storyline in this one. Although, gratuitous though it is in terms of the storytelling it echoes, it doesn't feel as over the top as many Optimus' deaths do, not least because he's desperately attempting to live till the last second, what kills him is completely normal, and he's not positioned as a Chosen figure at this point. He's an ordinary soldier who never completed his training and is now a civilian. He doesn't believe he's operationally vital, and the narrative doesn't present him that way. Optimus Prime dying at this point is sad and world shattering for Sari – who doesn't have many friends and is already devoted to this weird giant robot nerd who takes her seriously – but it is not politically or spiritually disastrous for the Autobots as a whole. Which lets the little drama stay contained and weighted, instead of soaring into operatic melodrama. ...though it gets a little melodramatic. but in a contained way. I like it. It's a nice storytelling choice.)
So! To start!
Transform and Roll Out pts 1, 2, 3: The first and third episodes here are definitely the strongest. To be honest, the second episode is even weaker than I remember. The problem's mostly the monster and the amount of time spent fighting it – the monster has no characterization and its behavior isn't entirely consistent with its stated origin, some of what it does it clearly does for narrative convenience and the sake of visual spectacle, rather than its behavior flowing from the imperatives given to its constituent nanobots by their creators. The other problem is that the bulk of the character work surrounding the monster fight in the second episode is given to Prowl, and it doesn't really um. Work. Mostly because there's not enough time spent on it, probably. Prowl's character in the first two eps of the show doesn't really make coherent sense with his character in the entire rest of the show until halfway into season two, when we finally get some backstory and the pieces start making some sense. Given how private Prowl is, that can be justified, but is still. Kind of frustrating, because it's never even lampshaded – nrrrgh okay okay leaving that aside.
I really love the opening to the show – the propaganda vids Optimus watches because they're the only link he has to the collective past, which is precious to him. Ratchet and Optimus' friendship, the slightly awkward way Ratchet is several times Optimus' age and clearly Optimus' mentor and at the same time under his command. Optimus' deep seated belief in teamwork, which is partly an ideological value of the entire Autobot society that he has absorbed particularly deeply and partly something else. Bumblebee and Bulkhead's link – friends and the two youngest, alone together in a way. (Also kind of perpetually at odds, but in a deep loyalty way. It's never serious, for all the griping and teasing.)
And the Decipticons, eerie and terrifying and powerful, the living past, stranger and more dangerous and more complete people than any of the protagonists but Ratchet have any hope of comprehending. Brrrrr.
And episode three really is just terrifying. It starts out so sweet and slow – and I love the entire team's interactions with the Sumdacs (the introduction of Sari and elaboration of the Professor's character is what works about episode two) and Prowl's instant fascination with the ordered chaos of this weird little planet. (The best bit is definitely Optimus' ready acceptance of Sari's expertise on the subject of Earth and organic life, his massive respect for Professor Sumdac, and his continued solicitation of Ratchet's broader perspective.) But Dang, I don't think Starscream has ever been so scary. The casual way he kicks the entire team around, the fact that for once his vanity doesn't seem absurd, because it's all the Sumdacs and the Autobots can do to mount even a barely credible defense... brrrrr.
(Also I love Optimus getting dying in stupidly heroic fashion out of the way in the first storyline in this one. Although, gratuitous though it is in terms of the storytelling it echoes, it doesn't feel as over the top as many Optimus' deaths do, not least because he's desperately attempting to live till the last second, what kills him is completely normal, and he's not positioned as a Chosen figure at this point. He's an ordinary soldier who never completed his training and is now a civilian. He doesn't believe he's operationally vital, and the narrative doesn't present him that way. Optimus Prime dying at this point is sad and world shattering for Sari – who doesn't have many friends and is already devoted to this weird giant robot nerd who takes her seriously – but it is not politically or spiritually disastrous for the Autobots as a whole. Which lets the little drama stay contained and weighted, instead of soaring into operatic melodrama. ...though it gets a little melodramatic. but in a contained way. I like it. It's a nice storytelling choice.)