Will we ever get a "dark" Transformers animated series?

Unlikely, given market drivers.

There's always the comics though...

Animated started off more light-hearted, but things went downhill into season 2 and 3. I'm still a bit disturbed by how Blurr was killed. Animated touched on several subjects that can be...well touchy, especially about war and such. If you're not watching shows JUST because of the animation style, then I feel sorry for you. Don't judge a show just cause of how it was animated (I love Rescue Bots, and the animation completely threw me off at first, but it works well with the show).

I don't think we need a dark, emo-ridden show. What we have currently with Prime (as well as WfC/FoC) is as dark as we need to get. I don't agree with you on saying that WfC is dark, as it's not as dark as what you're wanting. Go watch Spawn or something if you're wanting a dark cartoon. Leave Transformers out of that stuff, please.

Originally Posted by Heatwave; What do human children put on their fingers anyways? Last time I let one climb on me, I was sticky for days!

I'm not sure where emo came from. I liked Spawn some in the 90's but don't really care for the religious stuff or excessive blood.

I guess I just had something in mind, like the G2 Marvel comics.

Beast Machines wants to have a word with you....
He's alive, don't worry He's not up and walking yet, but he wasn't dumped into the furnace (read the Stunti-con job)

Beast Wars isn't entirely dark, but I highly recommend it for some mature storytelling, such as the episodes, Code of Hero, Transmutate and The Agenda 3 parter. A Transformers cartoon doesn't have to be dark all the time. But if you really want dark cartoons, I recommend several DC cartoons such as Batman Beyond and Justice League.

I just remembered The Headmasters is a bit dark, there was a bit of swearing in different versions of subtitles. But you still had that shithead Daniel Witwicky so, not completely dark. But like I said, Transformers isn't meant to be dark. Its meant to be goofy, entertaining, and half of the time taken seriously.

Id say TFP is kinda dark, at least at the start it was & it still kinda is. Lots of deaths so far, if deaths arent dark then I dont know what is.

We've got two of them: BM and Prime, and both are really rather underwhelming compared to the lighter TF series like Beast Wars and TFA!

Originally Posted by Chopperface I love Animated Straxus. Ever seen his "account" on Formspring? His roleplayer is hilarious.

transformers for all ages

Just my feelings, here, but.....

Never really bought into the idea that death automatically makes something "dark". Death can be an aspect, one facet of a film/show/book that helps set "darkness", but it isn't the only thing. To me, "darkness" is much more than a single incident: it's a tone, an atmosphere, a mood - something that can certainly be created from character death, but also has to come from within the story itself, the very execution of it - no pun intended.

Character death can be a piece of the recipe but if all of the needed ingredients aren't in place, "darkness" still won't necessarily be achieved successfully.

I also think it's possible to achieve darkness without character death.

But I don't think "dark" really works that well with what's being discussed in this topic. "Dramatic" or even "epic" (overused word, but still.....) would work better. Something that contains elements like an evolving story with a large scope and fully developed characters.

Neither TF Prime or the movies achieve that. I think Prime wants to be a little more dramatic, even to be epic at times, but I don't think it's successful - in fact, I'm kinda at the point with it where I would rather they find the fun. They're almost in nowhere's land for me. What held the movies back is the writing for the story and characters. The lack of it.

I'd adore a series meant only for adults, but that's never going to happen.