Something confuses me. Whenever an interesting plot comes around, the Prime guys don't expand on it and wrap it up quickly. Why is that? So far:

Nemesis Prime: lasted one episode
Optimus as Orion as a Decepticon: lasted three episodes
Silas in Breakdown: lasted one episode
Synthetic Energon: lasted one episode
Bulkhead's GRAVE, NEVER WILL BE THE SAME INJURIES: lasted 3 episodes

Why do they keep doing this? I think alot of interesting situations could come from some of these. Answers?

 

To quote a particular instance from Batman:


"To mock you."

 

Because the writers hate us

But in all seriousness, it seems like (as already mentioned by another poster) they like writing episodic stories, rather than large branching stories

 

Because the golden rule of Prime is "the status quo must be maintained at all costs".

 

Only thing I agree with is Bulkhead's "Grave" injuries.
They kind of shafted us with his death then his injuries and now he's back up and running.
Loved everything else so far though, minus the mute Bumblebee and Soundwave, I HATE it when they do mute characters in shows/movies/games/etc.
It's not mysterious or ominous, it's lazy and annoying.

 

Your guess is as good as mine OP.

 

A combination of fanwanking and not having an over all plan I guess.

 

Personally, I think they don't like doing long story arcs because they don't know how to pull it off.

 

They don't have enough left brained writers

 

I have always enjoyed long story arcs. I wish this show would have something longer than 2 or 3 episodes that isn't relic hunting. Bulkhead did seem to get over his 'will never be the same' injuries pretty quick. When Ratchet said that I expected him to have more than a gimpy leg. Justice League and JLU knew how to do story arcs. Ahh, the good old days.

 

Times like this is why I thank Primus for Animated being on the Hub and having Beast Wars DVDs. Sometimes Transformers Prime feels like a more darker take of the Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy at times. Its like some plots are just wrap in one episode and in the next episode, its like never happened.

 

To be honest, I think they actually do. For all that I dislike the series, one thing I have to say in a positive manner is that it can set up plot points really well. The build up to Nemesis Prime over the course of a few episodes like Op:BB and then Breakdown's death was really well handled.

The problem is that they can't carry out on these build ups. Nemesis had so much potential, but what do the writers do? They IMMEDIATELY have him storm a military base and then essentially write him out of the show with only a brief view of his condition an episode later in the hands of the military, and then with MECH getting nuked by their own leader the next time they show up, Nemesis Prime turned into Useless Prime because the only group that knew he existed is long gone now.

And Bulkhead's situation also provides a clear look into how badly the writers fail at trying to do long term things. Crippling back wound that the doc says will have lasting handicaps? May as well not have happened as of three episodes later.

 

OP
it's called a story arc meaning the story lasts more than one episode. Therefore certain things in said episodes that you listed serve a purpose to the overall story arc. For example, Nemesis Prime served for the Autobots to gain control of the relic database, the fake Optimus Prime served to put Silas in the Breakdown suit which then served to find another relic or weapon and personally I don't think that story part is over yet. In fact who is to say some of these things are only one episode the series isn't over yet.
For all we know Synth En could serve a purpose in a later episode.
So (and this may come off as rude so I apologize I don't intend it that way)
the question isn't "why can't they keep a certain plot?"
the question should be "Why can't you be patient?" or "The definition of a story arc"

 

As far as I know they wanted to keep it episodic (sp?). I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but the show is geared more towards kids. Maybe it's easier for their target audience to keep track of what's going on? Adults can keep up with stuff better I suppose. And it's easy to pick up on what's going on even after missing an episode or two. Besides, the three most hated words are "To Be Continued".  

Though I do think some of the arcs did end a little too quickly.

 

I don't think we've seen the last of Cylasdown. Honestly.

 

I hate that they build up so much stuff. and then it falls flat on it's face, ("Cylas", Nemesis, Bulkhead, etc) or just pull stuff out of thin air(Unicron.). It can be a great show, they just need to hype something, and follow through on it, Hell I think Rescue Bots has done a much better job a shaking the status-quo, by having the bots being revealed to the Greenes.

 

THIS!

Just because one aspect is finished doesn't mean the story is done.

And, I promise you, if the storylines weren't resolved at the pace they were, people would be complaining that it was taking too long. I know I hate it when stories are spread out through a whole season when they should have been resolved in a couple (or even one) episode.

 

No it didn't.