Hype, or No? Transformers Siege on Netflix

A reprieve from the quarantine doldrums? Big news today, as Transformers Siege finally made its debut. Netflix's new series is something that I've been intrigued by since I first caught the trailers for it. While Hasbro doesn't have the best of track records when it comes to web series, so far this one seems to have a better handle on animation. Previous series were definitely nowhere near, but we'll get to that later.

Siege is the first part of the War For Cybertron trilogy that is going to be available via Netflix, and is comprised of 6 30-minute episodes. Translation? Those "Stay at Home Orders" just became your new best friend-it's binge time!

Now if you're like me and haven't yet pulled the trigger on Netflix (and let's be real: there are SO MANY streaming services available in Covid-world that it's hard to choose the one(s) that you'll get the most out of!) you'll want to search up the trailers. From what I was able to glean from them, I'll do my best to address whether or not this series is worth it. And maybe, THEN I'll get a trial account and get around to watching it, and see if it really was worth the wait.

Characters

Siege starts off with a pretty hefty cast, though nowhere near the size of Generation 1 or Cyberverse. I don't know all the characters that appear as of yet, but supposedly there are also some generics that serve as clever homages.

The Autobots:

• Optimus Prime - Supposedly not the best voice actor for this particular series. From what I've heard, he's not the best at conveying a more serious tone.

• Ratchet

• Hound

• Mirage - Not sure if he actually is an Autobot, but I'm guessing the Netflix figure is just his 'con disguise...

• Bumblebee - Technically a neutral guy, but not much to say here...

• Ironhide - Has a Southern drawl, but some people think the voice is a little off.

• Red Alert

• Sideswipe

• Cog - Actually gets used as a Weaponizer! Neat!

• Impactor - Again, not sure on loyalties for this guy. Hoping he's an actual Wrecker.

• Cliffjumper - He dies. I'm betting my GodGinrai on it.

• Wheeljack

• Arcee

• Elita-1

The Decepticons:

• Megatron - Lips. More than Overlord. What even... HOW. (at least his voice is good.)

• Starscream - Hope he's not just a generic.

• Skywarp - Probably a generic.

• Thundercracker - Same as Skywarp, likely.

• Jetfire - Remember your softy from G1? Well now he's a homicidal berserker who leads the Seekers. Like. What even. Since when were scientists this--

• Barricade - Short. Kinda' funny to imagine him as an enforcer. Does he just scramble around someone, or is he secretly very strong?

• Shockwave - Weird voice, but not terrible. Kind of reminds me of G1.

• Soundwave - Supposedly bad. Just a normal guy with a metallic voice effect.

Plot

While I don't know the specifics, I do know the Allspark is involved. Yes, I heard that collective groan. Ever since Michael Bay's films, the Allspark has been the go-to Macguffin for any Transformers series. It's kinda' annoying, given that it's supposedly the prize at the end of all this. Omega Guardians appear as well. Yes, Omega Supreme included.

Animation

As mentioned before, Hasbro has not historically done well with online shows. Machinima's Prime Wars Trilogy was a flop, and not just because of its nonsensical storywriting, and absolutely terrible voice-acting. The animation was not at all polished, and movements were jerky and unrealistic. Awkward pauses and strange details were ever-present. Each episode was visually disjointed, as if the crew was only just now learning to animate and running through the handbook with details such as split-screens, or smoke effects.

Prior to that, there was Cyber Missions. (Ugh...I think I just threw up a little.) The animation (and voice-acting) for CM was terrible. It made SFM animations on Youtube look like professional work. Pretty obscure, but not as much as this next one.

Transformers: Universe. When you hear that name, what's the first thing that comes to mind? The early 2000's toy series, or the later game? You'd be wrong on both counts. This short run interpretation of a G1-esque storyline is . . . you know what? Just don't look into it. Don't. It's really not worth your time.

Now, what does Siege have that these don't? Special effects are more than just photo filter overlays. They actually look like blasts of lightning and enemy fire. The character models are textured and weathered, and the movements aren't jerky and random. The detail work actually makes this look almost realistic, and combined with the lines of the actual character models, it creates a unique style that has a gritty and dark feel. Facial movements are decent, though it will take time to get used to Megatron's face. Oh, and did I mention the UI screens? They actually have relevant details! The lipsync is also much better than Prime Wars, and seems like actual talking.

~

Overall, I'm somewhat excited, particularly since several acquaintances spoke highly of it. If it turns out not be your thing, that's okay! Prime and IDW1 set very high standards for the brand, and not everything will live up to those two.