While producing Beast Wars' predecessor ReBoot, Mainframe Entertainment had to overcome several obstacles. This was down to the fact that, up until then, no one had ever made a TV series using CGI, so it was a massive learning process learning how to make a show using this (at the time) revolutionary technology. One thing that they learnt was how the approach of making a show using CGI is actually closer to live action than it is to traditional cel based animation. This lead to them approaching the show more like a live action show. This approach is something that was carried over to Beast Wars.
This is something which I feel makes early Beast Wars stand out more than it otherwise would have. I haven't been 100% engaged by the stories of a fair few episodes so far, but what makes the episodes so watchable is the way that Mainframe takes the story from the script and makes it work. This is down to a mix of editing, camera positions/movements, the musical score from veteran Mainframe composer Bob Buckley, and the voice actors. These elements are largely what carried the show in the beginning before the scripts caught up later on. This brings us to this episode, an episode with a script that isn't one of the best, but the way that Mainframe conveys the story makes it a fun watch.
While examining a plant, Optimus Primal and Dinobot get ambushed by Scorponok, who plants a robotic bug on Optimus with the aim of making him more cowardly, therefore weakening the opposition and securing the Predacons victory. However, this has an inverse affect and ends up turning Optimus into a 90's comic book anti hero with the single minded goal of blasting the Predacons into oblivion!
For some reason, this episode's story feels like one that would have worked in the original 80's Transformers show. It's a pretty basic plot of 'villains infect the hero with some kind of device that changes their personality' that can be pretty commonplace in these kinds of shows. In spite of this, this episode still works through it's direction, voice acting, and action.
I like how we begin the episode with Optimus examining a plant. After all, the Maximal's started the show as being more like the crew of the Enterprise from Star Trek than a crew of battle hardened soldiers. It makes sense that Optimus is interested in examining the strange planet him and his crew have found themselves on alongside fending of the Predacons. Dinobot, a former Predacon, sees little point in doing this since he feels that the time could be better spent going after the Predacons.
Dinobot's former alliegence also plays a part in the Maximals figuring out what's happened to Optimus, since he's able to determine exactly what the device that Scorponok infected Optimus with does. This episode also forces him to take a step back and approach the situation more like Optimus would and attempt to negotiate with the Predacons for the cure for Optimus. While it fails, it's a nice character moment for a character who's first instinct is usually to rush in all guns blazing.
However, the highlight of the episode is Primal's one bot assault on the Predacon ship. While it's clear that Optimus is not himself, seeing him single handedly fight all the Predacons is incredibly badass, and something which is made to work through the positioning of the cameras and the editing. One moment in this sequence that I particularly like is when he bursts through a wall to grab an unsuspecting Predacon.
While not one of the stand out episodes of the show, much like a lot of the early episodes of Beast Wars, it's still enjoyable enough to be worth a watch, but you won't be missing out on any major story details if you decide to skip it.
Next time: The Maximals attempt to make contact with a Maximal probe in 'The Probe'
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