Transformers cartoons are where it’s at! A look at the history and origin of the original masterpiece that is the Generation 1 series.
The eighties were the best. That’s right, I said it. I’m definitely biased though because I was born at the start of that decade. The music, the toys, even the food! I have such great memories of growing up during the 80’s, as I’m sure most do with their respective decades. And as for television….well lets just say that the cartoons of the era still can’t be beat. In fact, they are still alive in many cases in newer, shiner incarnations. For me though, nothing takes me back to my childhood days quite like the original run of Transformers cartoons.
I was still pretty young when it started, but I still remember watching this amazing show every week. Couldn’t miss it! The right amount of sci-fi action, adventure and 80’s cheese rolled into an epic tale of Autobots vs. Decepticons made for great television.
Since then, there have been many different spin-off’s and continuations of the story, but nothing will ever top the original for me.
Commercial Success
Coming off of the huge success of the G.I Joe franchise, Hasbro again used a winning formula of collaborating between the mediums of toys, comics and television. Calling it a “product-based television program” the series was essentially a really long toy commercial. Shameless marketing ploy aimed towards easily ensnared young minds? Absolutely.
In fact, it was only possible due to recently removed regulations regarding advertising during children’s programming. What a different world it would be, had there been no toy commercials during these formative years. I shudder at the thought.
Starting out as a three-episode mini-series in September 1984, kids were introduced to the Autobots and their arch enemies; the Decepticons. Many of the characters still beloved today stem from these first episodes. Optimus Prime, Autobot leader led a team that included Bumblebee, Jazz, Wheeljack and Ironhide, among others. Fleeing the Transformer home world of Cybertron and crash landing here on Earth millions of years ago; they lay dormant until present day (1984) when they are awoken. However they did not arrive alone. Decepticons, under the leadership of their cruel leader Megatron, are on the loose.
The now iconic trait of the robots was explained in the pilot; the ability to “transform” into ordinary Earth-like machinery. It made for some great storytelling and resulted in the 13 episode run of the first season a few weeks later.
During the first season more new heroes and villains were introduced ($$$) like Dinobots and Insecticons. Children welcomed the new bots, knowing full well it was only a matter of time before the figures hit the shelves and their hands.
The second season that ran from 1985 to 1986 was expanded to a whopping 49 episodes and explored more of the Transformer lore. More of the ancient history of the Transformer race was revealed and more new types of robots like the Aerialbots and Combaticons debuted.
I’ve re-watched the entire run, and I truly believe they still live up to my memories.
Off To The Big Screen
In 1986, the Transformers cartoons led into the major theater release of Transformers: The Movie. This is the greatest Transformers movie to grace the screen. Ever.
Epic action. Killer soundtrack. New Transformers.
Jumping ahead into the “future” (2005), the movie opens with the destruction of an alien world at the hands of Unicron. Unicron is a planet-sized Transformer who feeds off of whole planets. The film’s producers were able to deliver Orson Welles as the iconic voice of this antagonist. A heavy hitter as far as acting and performance for sure, it would also be his last performance, passing away before the movie was released.
The movie was not without controversy.
Within the first half of the movie, during a HUGE Autobot/Decepticon battle, many of the original Transformers on both sides would be killed off, including…gasp…Optimus Prime. Nowadays, this might not seem so shocking; cartoons are a little heavier than I remember, but back then it was a big deal. There are stories of parents leaving the theater with crying children, sometimes before finishing the film. This led to a large write-in campaign from parents demanding that they bring him back. More on that in a little bit.
No matter how it came across, it was a very good marketing move. This allowed them to introduce many new characters to the rosters, ultimately to create new toys and boost sales, and to push the story in a new and exciting direction.
The movie concluded with Rodimus Prime, who started the movie as Hot Rod, being crowned by the Matrix of Leadership as the new Autobot leader, leading the good guys to victory. Defeating both Unicron and Galvatron, the Autobots celebrated from their reclaimed home of Cybertron.
Going Out With Style
Transformers cartoons picked up in season 3 right where the movie left off. Out with the old and in with the new. New robots like Rodimus Prime, Kup, Galvatron and Cyclonus, first introduced in the movie would carry directly over. Also straight from the movie were the Quintessons: the creators of the Transformer race. This added a new layer to the series as they were enemies of both factions of Transformers.
As I said before, the death of Optimus did not sit well with many fans and their parents. This led to an outcry that did not fall on deaf ears. Hasbro realized their misstep, and in the season three finale, resurrected him for good.
Just in time for the end.
The finale ended with the 2nd part of “The Return of Optimus Prime” and rightfully could have ended the series right there. It was satisfyingly tied up and the Autobots could have hypothetically rode off into a Cybertronian sunset.
The series did return for a fourth and final “season” but it was only a 3 part miniseries called “The Rebirth”. It went off in a weird direction, with the Transformers on the planet Nebulos joining with the locals to form alien/Transformer hybrids called Headmasters.
And that was it. The groundbreaking series ended here in the U.S in 1987 after just a few short years, but it’s impact is still felt today.
Transforming The Franchise
After the original run of Transformers cartoons, the series did continue overseas in Japan, and would return to American shores in the 90s. Popularity was steady over the years, and Micahel Bay and Paramount would capitalize on it by launching a film franchise in 2007.
While the designs vary, in some cases drastically different, and with a different mythology, the big budget films have continuously mined the original G1 Transformers cartoons for ideas and content. Take season one’s 2 part episode “The Ultimate Doom” which heavily inspired the story of Transformers: Dark of the Moon.
There is so much there across almost 100 episodes of the series, it’s ripe for the picking. I’m already seeing throwbacks in the marketing for The Last Knight.
This series has so much heart. If you haven’t seen it, or at least not in it’s entirety, give it a shot. And if you have, well, now’s a great time to revisit!
For the other articles in the roll out to Transformers: The Last Knight click here and here.
Mike Harris hails from the suburbs of Chicago and has been a fan for most of his life. Working as an industrial radiographer and raising a family with his wife take up most of his time, but there’s always room for Star Wars books and podcasts! Just looking to give back to Star Wars and the fan community, it’s been a source of fun and learning for him for so long.