Ha, I know that feeling...that's one of the only things I dislike about internet fandom. You go online feeling good about something, then see that everyone else is disappointed or angry about it. It can be a downer sometimes.

It's always fun to compare what fans are expecting to what actually happens. Usually the speculation is way off, but fandom can sometimes predict the future with eerie accuracy. And then there are the sad times when the fan's ideas are way better than what we really get in canon...

On that note, I've always been disappointed that the old Animated discussion forum isn't archived somewhere. I wasn't on this site when that show was on, but sometimes I'd like to go back and see what everyone else thought of the episodes as they were airing. (And I'll admit that I have the guilty pleasure of wanting to see some entertaining nerdrage too.  )

 

In a Vehicon origin episode, I'd love to see Starscream somehow sabotage the Vehicon production process, resulting in two sort of goofy, malfunctioning, bumbling sort of characters trying to keep up with the others. They could be destroyed or repaired in the end so they don't actually affect future episodes.

 

Hopefully Orion Pax isn't completely gone. It's a shame that none of the Autobots or humans had a chance to see Optimus that way. Would have been interesting to see how they'd react to meeting this Autobot that was their great leader now changed into a timid, uncertain data clerk.

 

We're jumping into another two parter right after the three part Orion Pax arch. I think that's a good sign that we're going to be getting more of an ongoing plot. As much as we can have, anyway.
That being said, we simply do not know that Prime was just given a "flip of a switch." We cannot say for certain that this has happened. If it does, I agree, it'll be a huge drop of the ball, but it hasn't happened, yet. So until it does (if it does at all) we should stop stating it as if it has happened.

In the end, I don't think we disagree. We all want to see Prime grow from his experience as Orion Pax. I'm just choosing a more optimistic outlook.

Back to the idea of more story arches. One thing this podcast team does a great job of is reminding the audience, and perhaps themselves, that at the end of the day this is a kids show. We're not going to get new BSG/24 style arches in this show because, for a variety of reasons, that doesn't make for good business in the realm of childrens' programming.
I'm betting we do get a degree of an over-arching story, but it still has to fit within the confines of watching a kids show. And with kids shows, episodes of the week are good for business for the same reason long, complex arching storylines aren't.

 

You know maybe later on in Season 2 Optimus may have an un intended side effect which may bring out Orion Pax in him making like a double persona that brings the team into chaos. It's an idea about if Vector Sigma has a side effect that wasn't mentioned before.

 

You maybe right. My Energon Hotshot dissappears during the night, and when I wake up, I find him with shreded pieces of black shirt on him...

 



Also, I have no clue how there'd be any side-effects to Optimus's regaining of his memories. They'd really have to think that one through.

 

I really, really hope there is... hah

 

I disagree that the notion of another two parter is an indication of a ongoing plot. I hope it is, but it also could very well mean it's an ongoing plot for two episodes.

That's why I said in my original post we are speculating, like the podcast crew clearly commented as well. No one has stated it has already happened ...

I have plenty of optimism about this show. You just seem to not like speculation.

Beast Wars managed to do it very well and to a certain extent even Animated. I know it's a tired argument that a lot is compared to Beast Wars (and Animated), but I think the kids' show argument is used just as often. A kid's TV show can achieve a story line that expands across multiple episodes.

I feel as if we're going back and forth about specifics too much. Prime is an awesome TV show that I enjoy each week, I don't want that to get lost in my words. But I also think it's fine to have speculation leading to possible concerns about the show. I'd be jumping the gun if I said "Ah! They flipped the switch. I'm out." That's not the case. I'll be tuning in next week, the following, and then the weeks till the finale.

 

Just got caught up. Hugely enjoying these again guys. Been enjoying the Blu-rays of season 1. Definately glad I went for those (thanks for the constant pimping of them Vang) given the picture quality and commentaries. Keep up the good work. And where's TJ? Are you recording of a different night maybe?

 

Without giving spoilers away, it could also mean that the writing/production team is confident enough in the idea of multiple stories that span more then one episode, so they're "testing the waters" so to speak. It's not that uncommon in ongoing television shows, for a potential permanent direction to tested out on a smaller scale to see if it'll work.

I just think that there's a line between "speculating that things may not work out" and declaring that it won't work out.
My impression was that the podcast team seemed ready to write it all off as a restart button for Prime, that they moved beyond speculation. I could very well be off (it seems I was) but still, this is the thread for podcast discussion, right?

This is true, and I don't want it come across as me saying kids have the attention span of a goldfish.
The fact of the matter is, however, that kids do have shorter attention spans then adults. And that's only part of the problem. Another part is that, unlike adults, kids don't have the ability to build a daily schedule around a program they want to watch. As adults, if we want to watch 24, we have the relative freedom to structure our day around the fact that we plan on watching that episode the day that it airs. Kids do not have this freedom. Parents may plan extra-curricular activities. The child may be punished and refused access to television for a week. School or family activities may get in the way. All of which can potentially stop a child from watching a new episode of a program that they enjoy.
Adults can handle ongoing arcs because we have the freedom to ensure we catch every episode. Children do not have that freedom. Their relatively shorter attention spans don't help.

Beast Wars and Animated managed some well put together arcs in their time, but I think we're looking back on them with rose-tinted glasses (Beast Wars in particular) if we think that they did anything out of the ordinary for kids programming. I think the Prime creative staff is capable of giving us Beast Wars style story telling. I would say they're on the write track. Beast Wars' first season started slow, but it got better. Prime's first season was nothing mind blowing, but I felt it did hit the ground running.
Look at what happened when they tried to do real season long arcs in a Transformers cartoon. We got Beast Machines. Which bombed ratings and sales wise to the point that a franchise reboot was needed.

Like I said, I don't mind speculation. I just found it odd that the podcast was all doom and gloom in tone over a potential outcome that's still a full season away.
You're right though, we're just going back and forth.

Peace.

 

We loved 2 episodes, didn't really like the other. If someone can interpret that as "doom and gloom" then color me baffled.

 

I bought the DVD of PRime Season 1, and I have to say, even on my computer monitor the show looks absolutely fanfreakintastic!

 

It was the over-emphasis on negative speculation, almost an acceptance of the worst case scenario from a story telling point of view as being inevitable.

I don't mean to push the point, I only posted in the first place because I assumed these threads were for feedback. I was more then willing to leave it at my last post, but you wanted an explanation for why I thought a certain way.
Here it is. Do with it what you will. I don't want the fact that I enjoy the work you guys do on these podcasts to get lost in these posts. So I'm done with this topic.

Keep up the good work. I look forward to the next instalment.

 

I think the best bit of Prime characterization came during the Wheeljack HACK-TOOEY episode. Everybody's having a good time, and Optimus decides to leave because "Primes don't Party." Even though he has friends, he doesn't really feel like he fits in with them in anything other than a military context.

Even in that episode when he's dying of a robot disease, whose name does he call out on his deathbed? Freaking Megatron. Megatron is the closest thing he has to a best friend.