If anyone's taken time to notice, the Autobots are portrayed as very professional and squadron-like while the Decepticons are more like a ragtag band thrown together. I'm not sure if this was deliberate or not, but it overall makes the Autobots a little dull and unlively, while simultaneously making the Decepticons more interesting.

It's a matter of characterization, too. Arcee has her hang-ups, Bee is a mute, Bulkhead and Magnus are Wreckers trying to deal with cripples - Smokecreen is probably the only really positive spark in these Autobots. Knock Out on the other hand is a flamboyant dude, Starscream an overachieving weak-willed fop, Airachnid a wild card, and Predaking and Dreadwing Dinobot-esque warriors of honor - an eccentric and volatile bunch on the whole. As a whole, the Cons are way more interesting than the Bots.

And I think the makers may have seen this, too. There's been a lot of focus on the Cons these days, with things looking like it's more the bad guys' show with the Bots appearing to foil them rather than keeping things evenly between the two factions. It's perhaps a little late to make the Autobots interesting now, but on the whole this Decepticon-oriented direction is a nice touch.

 

Yes, the Decepticon focused episodes are much more entertaining than the ones about the Autobots.

 

I agree that the 'Cons are more interesting in this show. I feel like they could make a whole show about the Decepticons, in the style of "The Office."

So far "Thirst" is my favorite episode in the entire show.

 

Yeah, the cons are by far the most entertaining characters on the show.

 

If Megatron was Michael Scott, would that make Soundwave Dwight Schrute?

 

I don't think the autobots are professional or organized at all.

I have pointed out in a recent thread that neither side seems capable of taking orders. Everyone in the show seems to be doing something they were told not to do and none of them seems to be capable of following simple orders. Whether it's Knockout racing, Bumblebee going out in public undisguised, Breakdown leaving Dreadwing tied to a tree, Ratchet consuming synthetic engergon, Miko, Jack, Smokescreen, Wheeljack, etc.

Makes you wonder why they band together when they don't want to follow the chain of command.

 

Just take O- Prime from them, and they'll start tearing each other in a very dull way. Or, wait: they have Ultra Magnus supported by Ratchet - still a way to have a man "to lead them".

 

Agreed, totally. The bad guys are so much more interesting.

 

I know that I'll likely be in the minorty for this but I find the Autobots just as fun and interesting as the cons. While I enjoy a good banter every now and then that's not the main reason why I watch a show. All I want to see are good characters or at least ones that are done decentaly and I'm happy that the Autobots have this. I should mention that not all the Autobots follow orders at times and there are moments where we see some quirks in some of them at least in my opinion.

 

I think that's always been the case with Transformers, the Decepticons are this "dysfunctional family" (as someone from Hasbtro put it at Comic Con) that are just often more amusing to watch.

Not that the Autobots can't be interesting but you know they're going to be OK every time.

 

I can't say i've noticed one faction getting more screen time than other any more than usual. There have been plenty Con centered episodes in the other seasons i think.

The relationship between the Autobots is maybe allot less dramatic than the Cons who are always ready to do over one another. As Kaijuguy says i also appreciate the the Bot interactions, probably more, they are more subtle and realistic where the Cons stuff can be over the top.

 

I don't disagree with that. I didn't say they weren't entertaining. I just said in general the villains are more interesting. That is true of many franchises.

 

These Decepticons are such fun, particularly Starscream sharing shenanigans with Knock-Out or Soundwave and Dreadwing freaking people out: "Everything.... okay here?"  

So yes, I'd say they're much more entertaining than the Autobots. Shame they wanna kill us all, but heck, no-one's perfect.

 

The Cons have a lot more personalities than the Autobots.

 

I agree with Booyakadragon. Most of the Cons have more personality where you either you like them or hate them. You actually understand where they are coming from. The Bots however few them have personalities but you usually see that more on interactions with the humans or other bots.

Knock-Out the vain egotistical doctor for example where you can use adjectives.

 

Agreed, the autobots are almost boring compared to the decepticons.

 

I blame the fact that Optimus is written to be the wise perfect speech making leader like in G1. Bumblebee is just there to be the mute like in the movies. Wheeljack is kind of a jerk.

However I like the rest of the team. As individual characters they're good but they need to do more wacky shenanigans like the Decepticons.

 

I enjoyed the Autobots in Season 1, and sometimes in Season 2. Season 3, with the exception of Ultra Magnus and them FINALLY using Wheeljack, I find myself truly not caring about the Autobots. Well, sans Ratchet, but until this recent episode, he had very little to contribute to S3. Might not be the Autobots' fault, but lord, I find myself constantly thinking 'who cares, let's get back to the 'Cons' when they're on screen.

Not to say that the Decepticons are perfect, as they have their moments, but at least I'm interested in what they're doing, their motives, their personalities. And maybe it's because I know that they're expendable in the end that makes me actually worry for them more in the long run? I also find their interactions to be more entertaining- they're meant to be this military unit, yet they're completely dysfunctional, yet functional when the time needs for them to be.

I guess for me it's their interactions. Starscream and Shockwave constantly trying to outdo each other (and kill each other) is interesting to me. Starscream and Knock Out's interactions and how one second they're nipping at each other's throats and suddenly the situation turns and they're, dare I say, buddy-buddy. That seems realistic to me. At least in regards to Shockwave, Starscream and Knock Out (and prior, Airachnid, Breakdown, and Dreadwing), the interactions and their motives interest me more, because sometimes you really don't know if things are going to be okay between them in the end.

I mean... Airachnid killed the hell out of Breakdown. Megatron blew a damn hole in Dreadwing's chest. Shockwave could have easily have damaged or even killed Starscream- Starscream was planning the same thing the episode before. With the Autobots, Ultra Magnus and Wheeljack may disagree and have arguments, but you know that by the end of the episode/arc, they'll have found respect for one another, even be friends.

Long rant is long, sorry. But long story short, I agree. That's why I loved Thirst so freaking much.