Surprisingly, Transformers Animated: Season One doesn't include the already reviewed pilot, "Transform & Roll Out", so consider that review as sort of a companion piece. Unlike past series, Animated doesn't tie into any pre-existing timeline or universe. Instead, it is its own stand alone entity that takes the better elements from the other series and mixes them together into a hyper-anime version of the franchise.
The series, of course, follows the Autobots as they battle against the Decepticons. However, the Decepticons play a really small role throughout the first half of the series and don't really become a threat until the last 3 - 4 episodes. The rest of the time is spent battling a bunch of comic book rejects. All of the episodes are stand alone stories connected by Megatron's schemes to come back into power. I didn't mind the human villains all that much, but at the same time more Decepticons wouldn't have been a bad thing.
Animated's group of Autobots are not the battle-worn warriors from past series; instead, they are a group of unlikely heroes who just happen to stumble into their roles. On one hand, this adds complexity to characters that wasn't around in the first series. They're more well-rounded and not based on one never-changing trait (like Optimus always being the perfect leader). By the end of the first season, there is a bit of character growth from Optimus right on down to Bumblebee. At the same time, the Autobots come off as incompetent boobs throughout most of the season - a place usually occupied by most of the Decepticons.
It also takes away from the Optimus/ Megatron rivalry that has always been at the center of the series. Megatron spends nearly all of the first season as a disembodied head in a lab and doesn't gain his full power until the last two episodes. I wasn't a fan of the idea at first, but it is actually pretty cool since this is easily my favorite interpretation of the character. Instead of just being the playground bully, he's developed into a truly evil being. He's every bit the manipulator as Starscream (thankfully that rivalry is around in full effect) and pretty ruthless. However, Optimus is just another Autobot by the time Megatron gets his body, so there isn't much of a history between the two.
Another thing I really liked is that Animated "gets" both of its audiences - or at least makes every attempt to. It is approachable and fun for younger viewers, but the plotlines are complex enough that they'll remain interested in the series. It also knows that their parents (most of which probably grew up with the original series) will try to sneak a peak. The production team had to know the new art style would alienate older fans, so the series is loaded with numerous little winks to the G1 series. The Dinobots show up really early in the series and most characters resemble their G1 modes and fill familiar series roles (Bumblebee is the human helper's guardian; Starscream is a backstabber...). There are even a few smaller things like the construction workers wearing the same uniforms as the G1 construction workers and a reoccurring kid who looks just like Spike's son, Daniel. It just feels like they had as much fun with the series as they could, and it shows.
Transformers: Animated impressed me more than I thought it would. As I said in the other review, the art style might be enough to turn away older fans, but the series is really meant for younger viewers so you can't fault it for aiming for them rather than a bunch of nostalgic twenty and thirty-somethings. Younger fans and more open-minded Transformer fans will enjoy the series; if you're not in either group, skip it.
