Last summer we picked up Transformers: The Complete First Season.  Partly out of my nostalgia for the original Transformers series, and partially as a way to innoculate my two sons (ages 5 and 7) against the horrors of Michael Bay's overblown movies.  Which they still haven't seen.  And won't, for at least a few more years.

When Transformers got picked up for it's second season in 1985, the toys and the cartoon were a hit, so the second season is twice as long as the first.  So the second set of classic Transformers DVDs is billed as Season 2, Volume 1.  The second season introduces dozens of new Autobots (good guys) and Decepticons (bad guys), and puts the characters into stories that will integrate them with the main characters we already know from the first season.  The cynical part of me knows that the series was just there to sell toys, and the arrival of new characters from Cybertron really just means that Hasbro got a new shipment of toys from Hong Kong.  Still, I loved seeing these characters for the first time in 20 years, and my sons are enjoying meeting the new robots on the block.

The Autobots are still led by Optimus Prime, who along with Ironhide, Jazz, and Bumblebee are the heroes we see the most.  Optimus' stalwart leadership is present in almost every episode, and several Season 2 episodes deal with his potential loss.  Humans Spike and Sparkplug Witwicky are joined several times by Chip (a wheelchair-bound computer genius) and Carly, a hottie who eventually ends up marrying Spike.  Notable Autobot newbies include Blaster (a "ghetto blaster"), Tracks (a vain Corvette), Perceptor (a scientist who transforms into a microscope), and Powerglide (a daredevil airplane).  There are at least ten other new Autobots added this season, but there are usually only a few introduced in each new episode, and always alongside old characters, so you won't get lost.  Two of the three two-parters this season focus on the Dinobots, who are some of my favorites.  Grimlock's broken English and his twisted logic are always good for some comedy, and if there's anything cooler than giant robots, it's giant dinosaur robots. 

The Decepticons are still trying to rule the Earth and pirate its resources to fuel Cybertron: Megatron is their leader, with the traitorous Starscream looking for any opportunity to mutiny.  Their ranks are also bolstered this season, with new jets Ramjet, Thrust and Dirge, and "triple changers" Blitzwing and Astrotrain, who can each transform into two different vehicles instead of just one.  Specialized Decepticons like the Insecticons and Constructicons feature prominently in several episodes, as does their Space Bridge that transports characters to Cybertron for further adventures. 

The DVDs don't include any special features this time around, but do give you the option of playing the multi-part episodes continuously with no closing credits or break in the middle. 

The episodes in this set include:
DISC ONE
Autobot Spike
The Immobilizer
Dinobot Island, Parts 1 & 2
Traitor
Enter the Nightbird
Changing Gears

DISC TWO
A Prime Problem
Atlantis, Arise!
Attack of the Autobots
Microbots
The Master Builders
The Insecticon Syndrome
Day of the Machines

DISC THREE
Megatron's Master Plan, Parts 1 & 2
Auto Berserk
City of Steel
Desertion of the Dinobots, Parts 1 & 2
Blaster Blues

DISC FOUR
A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court
The God Gambit
The Core
Make Tracks
The Autobot Run
The Golden Lagoon
Quest for Survival

The animation seemed better with the second season, with fewer coloring/voice errors, and a cleaner transfer than the first season.  The voice cast is still one of my favorite things about this series, with veteran actors like Peter Cullen, Frank Welker, Casey Kasem, Don Messick, and Scatman Crothers giving personality to these characters, even when the writing is sometimes weak. 

If your kids are fans of the modern version of Transformers, I think there's still a lot to be said for the classics.  My boys haven't seen the Michael Bay version of the movies yet, but they're living it up on Cybertron with these 25 year old, decidedly old school cartoons.  If you're a fan of Optimus Prime and Megatron, you'll still like Transformers. 

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD