Although a montage of clips for the Generation 1 series (the one everyone remembers when they think Transformers) is shown at the start of the episode, Transformers Animated doesn't seem to follow any of the current Transformer timelines, including the movie. Instead, the new series borrows aspects from nearly every series, creating its own space in the Transformers universe.
The show still revolves around the struggle between the Autobots and Decepticons, although the Decepticons are absent throughout most of the pilot. Also, the new Autobots are decidedly blue collar; rather than being freedom fighters, Optimus and his small crew of four, which include Bumblebee, Ratchet, Prowl and newcomer Bulkhead, are workers in charge of clearing away debris from active Space Bridges. It's a new twist, though it does help to set up the "unlikely hero" scenario for the group - making Starscream's complete solo domination of the Autobots a little more believable. It also creates flaws in the characters, making them more approachable and giving them a little more dimensionality than their Generation 1 counterparts.
During one such job, the team uncovers the All Spark, prompting a visit from a Decepticon cruiser helmed by Megatron. However, Decepticons haven't been seen in years, so Optimus and the Autobots flee to Cybertron to keep the All Spark out of their hands. Given the All Spark's importance, Megatron decides to personally retrieve the object, only to be double-crossed by Starscream, who plants a bomb on the Decepticon leader's back.
Of all the small "winks" to older fans, including the "transform sound" and a sweet intro song, the dynamic between Starscream and Megatron is the best one and something that was missing from the live-action movie. While Megatron and the other Decepticons aren't seen for the rest of the pilot, they really nailed Starscream's personality - right down to the voice. While it is a bit odd that Starscream is being voiced by the same guy doing Spongebob Squarepants (and it is hard to not hear a few hints of yellow square), Tom Kenny does an excellent job at capturing Chris Latta's original performance.
Unfortunately, the same can't be said from Optimus. The voice fits the new twist on his character, but Peter Cullen's distinct voice is just something that is expected when Optimus is around.
Anyway, the explosion is enough to destroy Megatron and the Autobot's ship, both of which eventually crash on Earth. The Autobots crash into Lake Eerie while pieces of Megatron are discovered by Isaac Sumdac who uses the technology to create a robot-filled utopia in Detroit. However, one of his experiments goes haywire and inadvertently wakes up the Autobots, who soon earn a spot as the city's protectors.
Even though Transformers Animated doesn't match the quality of spin-offs like Beast Wars, it is still a surprisingly fun watch. Although the art style might be enough to turn older Transformer fans away, in truth, the new series is probably meant more for the Teen Titans crew than a bunch of twenty and thirty-somethings who grew up with the original show. However, older fans who decide to look past the art style might find there's a lot more going on here than meets the eye.
