Transformers - Season 1: Boxed Set (DVD, 2002)

Transformers has possibly the largest fan following of any animated show from the mid-80's. And the franchise has continued to grow and evolve to this day.

Rhino Video holds the rights to both the original Transformers as well as GI Joe, and after doing a respectable job with the US release of Transformers: The Movie on DVD, they have outdone themselves with a four-disc boxed set that collects the entire first season of the TV show.

However, instead of just slapping the original episodes on the disc, they gave the shows a complete and stunning digital restoration that makes them look better than ever.

The premise behind Transformers is simple. Robots from a planet called Cybertron are locked into a fierce war between two sides, the Autobots and the Decepticons. Optimus Prime leads the Autobot forces away from Cybertron in order to find energy to bring home. On their journey, Megatron's Decepticon forces attack them and their ship crash-lands on Earth in prehistoric times.

Millions of years later, the Transformers are re-awakened and repaired by their crashed ship so they can transform into modern day earth vehicles. The Autobots ally with a few humans, while the evil Decepticons go off on their own search for energy.

This boxed set collects the entire first season on three DVDs along with a fourth disc of supplemental material:

Disc One:

- More Than Meets The Eye Part 1.
- More Than Meets The Eye Part 2.
- More Than Meets The Eye Part 3.
- Transport to Oblivion.
- Roll For It.

Disc Two:

- Divide and Conquer.
- Fire in the Sky.
- S.O.S. Dinobots.
- Fire on the Mountain.
- War of the Dinobots.

Disc Three:

- The Ultimate Doom Part 1.
- The Ultimate Doom Part 2.
- The Ultimate Doom Part 3.
- Countdown to Extinction.
- A Plague of Insecticons.
- Heavy Metal War.

It's been a long time since I've seen all of the episodes, but I was surprised at how much I remembered. I was also surprised at how bad and laughable some of the lines and mistakes in the series are. Don't get me wrong, I still love the show and had the biggest smile on my face while watching the disc, but some of the writing is just hilarious as are some mistakes that there are in both the audio and video.

A lot of these video mistakes can be seen in their glory on the fourth disc, but one audio mess up takes place in the first episode where Optimus Prime is seen speaking, but Megatron's voice is heard. This isn't a DVD problem as it was like that when the show originally aired.

There are some really good episodes on the discs despite the laughable flaws. More Than Meets The Eye is great, the Dinobots episodes on disc two are really fun, while on disc three A Plague of Insecticons is good and Heavy Metal War is excellent.

Overall, you couldn't ask for a better collection of a series that most people (myself included) have fond memories of. But before you fire up the hate mail over my score, remember that nostalgia alone isn't enough to warrant a 5/5. Especially considering that the movie is so good, and later seasons of the show are a bit better.

Season 1, Episode 1: More Than Meets the Eye: Part 1
Original Air Date—17 September 1984
The Autobots are running low on Energon, they leave their home planet of Cybertron to search for more sources. The Decepticons follow them and attack the Autobot's ship. The ship crashes on Earth and ends up inside a volcano. Millions of years later, Teletran One, the ship's computer activates and revives them. The Decepticons are determined to exploit Earth's resources for their own needs. The Autobots are just as determined to stop them. The start of the series.

Season 1, Episode 2: More Than Meets the Eye: Part 2
Original Air Date—18 September 1984

Season 1, Episode 3: More Than Meets the Eye: Part 3
Original Air Date—19 September 1984

Season 1, Episode 4: Transport to Oblivion
Original Air Date—6 October 1984

Season 1, Episode 5: Roll for It
Original Air Date—13 October 1984

Season 1, Episode 6: Divide and Conquer
Original Air Date—20 October 1984

Season 1, Episode 7: S.O.S. Dinobots
Original Air Date—27 October 1984

Season 1, Episode 8: The Ultimate Doom: Brainwash (1)
Original Air Date—3 November 1984

Season 1, Episode 9: The Ultimate Doom: Search (2)
Original Air Date—10 November 1984

Season 1, Episode 10: The Ultimate Doom: Revival (3)
Original Air Date—17 November 1984

Season 1, Episode 11: War of the Dinobots
Original Air Date—24 November 1984

Season 1, Episode 12: Countdown to Extinction
Original Air Date—1 December 1984

Season 1, Episode 13: Fire in the Sky
Original Air Date—8 December 1984
The Decepticons find a transformer buried in the ice. When they free him, Starscream is pleased to find out it's his old friend/colleague Skyfire. They convince Skyfire to join their ranks against the Autobots. While the Autobots try to stop Megatrons latest plan, Skyfire encounters humans for the first time, and discovers what joining the Decepticons really entails.

Season 1, Episode 14: Heavy Metal War
Original Air Date—15 December 1984
The Constructicons attack a construction site and steal energy machine parts needed for Megatron's current scheme. With this done, Megatron challenges Optimus Prime for a duel according to Cybertron law: the leaders of the opposing armies engage in one-on-one battle, without additional reinforcement, and the loser must exile himself and his army to deep space for eternity. Optimus, confident that he can beat Megatron under these terms, agrees. The Constructicons assemble the stolen components into power-transfer machine, which Megatron uses to obtain the powers of all the other Decepticons - against the combat rules. To ensure that the Autobots will not discover the cheat, Megatron sends the Constructicons to the Autobots' headquarters, so they will destroy Teletraan 1 while the Autobots are watching the battle. During the battle, Optimus fights valiantly, but multi-powered Megatron has the upper hand from the beginning. It seems Megatron's plot succeeds, but he forgot one important detail: the Dinobots were left in the Autobots' headquarters to guard Teletraan 1, and their intervention severely interferes with the scheme...

Season 1, Episode 15: Fire on the Mountain
Original Air Date—22 December 1984

Season 1, Episode 16: A Plague of Insecticons
Original Air Date—29 December 1984

I am a big Transformers fan. I remember seeing it on television for the first time in the early 80's. I guess you're going to get a biased opinion about this dvd set, but I will try to be fair. The set included all of the episodes from the original season. You learn the origin of the transformers and how they came to earth. It's alot easier to watch than the original cut because you don't have to deal with all of the commercials. The voice over and video is of good quality. I would highly reccomend it to any fan of the transformers or for people who might want to introduce a child to the world of the Autobots and Decepticons.

What do I like/love about Transformers-Season 1...hmm?....what's not to like!!!...for the generation I grew up in, this was our introduction to a fantastic world!....I've always liked sci-fi/fantasy, and even as a kid, I couldn't have pictured robots that disguise themselves as vehicles....this concept fascinated me!...then, I got hooked into the storyline...valiant Autobots trying to stop the evil Decepticons!...it was traditional good VS evil, but presented unlike anything I ever could have imagined!...and that was one of the things my parents liked about me being interested in the Transformers, I begin to ask my parents and grandparents questions, like how or what really defines good and evil...but it was also just fun as he** to watch...of course, like everybody who grew up watching Transformers, I had my favorites....from the Autobots: Optimus Prime, the Dinobots, Jazz, Wheeljack, and Jetfire...from the Decepticons: Megatron, Soundwave, Shockwave(most underused character ever!!!), Sarscream and the Constructicons....the first season of the Transformers will forever bring me joy and excitement, no matter how many times I watch and re-watch episodes....I highly recommend this box set to people....it's great seeing these episodes all these years later....you will not be dissapointed in tracking this box set down....

The first season of the original Transformers cartoon is great! It shows how the Autobots and Decepticons arrived on earth, as well as the origins of a number of the major characters, such as the dinobots and constructicons. The quality of the DVD is great - the color and sound is excellent.