I found this in another thread & I couldn't agree more, as for me anyway, the voice casting/line/delivery/etc is perhaps the most important element to a show's ability to keep me watching. This was always a strong point for Beast Wars (along with everything else of course), and I can honestly say that hearing Jeffery Combs (hopefully some of us remember him as Commander Shran from Star Trek Enterprise) as Ratchet is what really got me hooked from day 1.

Along with that, Optimus seems like a great staple (not that I'd have had anything against Gary Chalk), Arcee is really a dream, Bulkhead's grown on me hella hard, Jack & Starscream work really well, and Soundwave is just creepy as fuck in the best of ways.

... so in other words, the Transformers Prime voices are amazing, and very much deserving to an ode.  

 

I agree for the most part. Starscream is excellent. Megatron is very good. He gets a little grating when he yells, but he doesn't yell often. Arcee has an alright voice actor but it doesn't save her character for me. Optimus's voice is great, but the direction he's given is not the best. He sounds too rigid and emotionless save his awesome battle cries. I get he's no-nonsense, but he seems too stiff. Which is weird because in the movies he sounds like a no-nonsense guy but still give plenty of emotion.

Bulkhead is okay, nothing's really made me gravitate. His voice and inflections sometimes sound like they don't fit. Soundwave's total lack of voice is brilliant, especially in sick mind, where he just stared at Megatron. You could tell he was trying to think of somethign before noticing the cable, to which he said nothing, just slowly raised a finger. Awesome. Bumblebee works along a similar vein, but since he has the beeps as some form of vocalization (and likewise can give emotion like when he dislikes someone and the low shaking beep comes in) however his emotion comes from his expressions and body language.

Ratchet is phenomenal. Every word he says sounds genuine and believable. Ratchet has always been a favourite of mine so getting such a stellar depiction is a big plus. I wish he was the main character. (it could work) Knockout and Breakdown are good. Breakdown hasn't said much but what he has hasbn't been bad at all, and Knockdown fluctuates for me. Sometimes I like him sometimes I love him.

 

While our cast got some major big shots like Kevin and Frank, I'd like to say that I'm REALLY liking the job of the "newcomers"

Raf, Arcee and Miko are both full of personality and I really didn't expect that when I heard that their VAs were total newbies to the area, congrats to them and hope they grow more and more as actors.

 

Agreed about Optimus Prime. I do like how when Megatron gets angry and yells, a little bit of G1 comes out.

 

There have been some fantastic voice actors in this series. Ratchet is just spectacular. Arcee is amazing. Megatron is what he always should be (unless he's a purple Predacon dino).

 

I feel this too. The new VAs, Sumalee Monatano, Andy Pessoa and Tania Gunadi have come out with really strong and impressive performances. You can tell that I was impressed by them because I learnt their names!

My fave voices in the show at the mo are probably Arcee, Ratchet and Starscream's.

I gotta say as well that I think Mr. Welker came up with the perfect new voice for Megatron: a sinister movie Megatron-type voice with the raspy echoes of his G1 voice. Brilliant!

And we've talked quite a bit about Cullen's performance, many of us feeling that he often sounds a bit too stiff and always using one tone of heavy voice. He maintains the unparalleled strong, deep and resonant voice that we've always associated with Optimus Prime tho', I think we can agree on that. And I did squee a little when he said "Autobots, prepare to roll out!" in the latest ep. "Shadowzone"! The way he said it was very G1-reminiscent.

The voice casting and performances are definitely one of the biggest parts of this show. A lot of the show's strength, appeal and emphasis rests on the voice acting.

 

I love the voice cast. Arcee, Bulkhead, Ratchet, Starscream, and Skyquake in perticular.


But Adam baldwin sounded bored in Speed Metal when he said; "Knockout, Starscream demands a report."

 

I just caught an episode last night having never watched, and the voices were one thing that really impressed me, Ratchet especially.

 

Who voices Knockout. I know I know that voice but I can't recall the name.

 

Personally, I think the only dull voices we've had were Wheeljack, Breakdown, and Skyquake. Perhaps that's more about the dull characters, though.

 

Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen)
Ratchet (Jeffrey Combs)
Arcee (Sumalee Montano)
Bulkhead (Kevin Michael Richardson)
Bumblebee
Others Cliffjumper (Dwayne Johnson)
Wheeljack (James Horan)
Tailgate (Josh Keaton)

Megatron (Frank Welker)
Starscream (Steve Blum)
Soundwave
Knock Out (Daran Norris)
Breakdown (Adam Baldwin)
Vehicons
Others Skyquake (Richard Green)
Makeshift (Kevin Michael Richardson)
Airachnid (Gina Torres)
Terrorcons
Deployer

Jack Darby (Josh Keaton)
Miko Nakadai (Tania Gunadi)
Raf Esquivel (Andy Pessoa)
William Fowler (Ernie Hudson)
Others June Darby (Markie Post)
Sierra (Alexandra Krosney)
Silas (Clancy Brown)

Just a quickie reference list..from TFWiki  

Of course my fave voice is Peter Cullen's..but I think everyone is doing a fantastic job  
Among the Autobots..love Ratchet's and Arcee's too.
For the Cons..Knockout's, Starscream's and Megatron's.

 

For the 'Bots, Jeffrey Combs reigns SUPREME over anyone in the cast, just pure awesomeness in his perfomance.
And there is the of course, always AWESOME, Peter Cullen.

For the 'Cons, Steve Blum became my favorite Starscream ever due that freaking cool voice [even though he comes close to sounding like a rapist sometimes].
Frank Welker is like Cullen: So obviously awesome we don't even need to comment on it.

But, I'm also very fond of Adam Baldwin as Breakdown in his snarkyness ["And you have a pet!"].

 

James remar sounds interesting I hope he voices a kick ass autobot.

 

Hahah yeah.

I didn't even realize that Breakdown was voiced by Adam Baldwin at first, but it was a pretty nice surprise.

 

Jeffrey Combs, Sumalee Montano, Kevin Micheal Richardson, Steven Blum and Daran Norris are all amazing. They have to be Botcon or TFCon guests.

I also like Clancy Brown as Silas.......  That voices is so good.

 

Yep, Blum is scarey good!  

 

And if you've seen Full Metal Jacket, it's Animal Mother!



I also like Darran Norris's performance as KnockOut.

 

Which reminds me, I would swear that's his (D.Norris') voice on the latest Burger King ad I saw the other day. I was only paying 1/2 attn. but it sounded so much like Knockout, I had to stop and watch it. Must try to get a clip and check it out further.  

 

KnockOut now promotes fast food!

 

I saw that before. I thought he sounded more like his Team America Spottswoode voice than his Knockout voice, though.