"Beast Machines: Transformers" (1999) TV series 1999-2001

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Directors:

Greg Donis
William Lau

Writers:

Steven Melching (writer)
Len Wein (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | unknown

Genre:

Action | Animation | Sci-Fi

Plot:

The Maximals awaken on there home planet of Cybertron and are chased by mindless Veicons created by Megatron. The Maximals must free the planet from Megatron and restore it to it's real way of living.

Plot Keywords:

Organic | Gorilla | Afterlife | Plantation | Megalomaniac

Cast

Gary Chalk	...	Optimus Primal / ... (26 episodes, 1999-2000)
Ian James Corlett	...	Cheetor (26 episodes, 1999-2000)
Scott McNeil	...	Rattrap / ... (26 episodes, 1999-2000)
Venus Terzo	...	Blackarachnia (26 episodes, 1999-2000)
Alessandro Juliani	...	Nightscream (22 episodes, 1999-2000)
David Kaye	...	Megatron / ... (22 episodes, 1999-2000)
Jim Byrnes	...	Thrust (19 episodes, 1999-2000)
Paul Dobson	...	Tankor / ... (13 episodes, 1999-2000)
Brian Drummond	...	Jetstorm (12 episodes, 1999-2000)

Also Known As:

"Beast Machines: Battle for the Sparks" (USA) (second season title)
"Transformers: Beast Hunters" (Canada: English title) (working title)

Runtime:

30 min (26 episodes)

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Certification:

Australia:PG | USA:TV-Y7

Company:

Hasbro

Trivia:

None of the writers on Beast Machines ever wrote for its predecessor, Beast Wars, with the notable exception of Marv Wolfman, who wrote one episode in Beast Wars' first season. Fan speculation points to this fact as one of many reasons why fans were not as receptive of Beast Machines as they were of the G1 and Beast Wars series.

Quotes:

Megatron: Mind your manners. I rescued your spark from oblivion. I chose you as my general for a reason.
Black Arachnia: Yeah! To satisfy his twisted sense of humour. Don't listen to him.
Megatron: You are a creature of honor Silverbolt. You fight for just causes. I gave you such a cause.
Black Arachnia: The destruction of all organic life?
Megatron: Cybertron is a haven for machines... where Optimus was deluded by the visions of a malfunctioning computer I have been restoring Cybertron's purity and surely that is the most honorable cause of all.
Black Arachnia: A world without free will? Where's the honor in that? Don't listen to him Silverbolt. He turned you into a monster.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Follows The Transformers: The Movie (1986)

Soundtrack:

Phat Planet

More Than Meets the Eye

While the show is a suitable follow-up to the Beast Wars series, it is not without some problems. However, if you are a fan of Beast Wars, you may like Beast Machines equally so. The thing to keep in mind is that the characters from Beast Wars that were carried over are in a new environment and facing new challenges. Along with some nice G1 references, Beast Machines is a fine program and does not deserve the amount of flack it receives. At least, in my opinion.