Transformers: Generation 2 (cartoon)

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Transformers: Generation 2 is an early-1990s series that consists only of The Transformers cartoon episodes rebroadcast with a smattering of CGI animation laid on top of them. The most extensive change was the title sequence, which had been entirely replaced with CGI footage also used in a contemporary toy commercial for Optimus Prime and Ramjet. This was the only change in content; all the other CGI additions were related to the "Cybernet Space Cube," which only overlaid intrusive, noisy graphics, most often during cuts and scene transitions. The new CG animation was provided by studios Doros Motion and Lamb & Company.

You! You're not SYLVIA! You're one of The Transformers—Generation 2!

The episode choices and airing order were haphazard. Sometimes this appeared to be the result of concurrent product placement being prioritized over the original narrative, but sometimes there was no discernible reason at all. While the show managed to last through a second season, it never caught on like the original run. Fan reaction at the time is difficult to determine, since the fandom had only barely begun to coalesce, and Internet records (such as they were) are spotty. Certainly this had been the sole opportunity for many fans to see the bulk of the episodes again, since the original series had stopped airing years earlier, and only a handful of episodes were available on VHS. However, DVDs and the Internet have since filled that gap; the only lasting effect the Generation 2 cartoon has had among modern-day fans is the term "Cybernet Space Cube" becoming synonymous with cheap, annoying, useless gimmickry.

Episodes

Season 1

Generation 2's first season contained only enough of The Transformers's first season to introduce the core Transformers and then the Dinobots and Constructicons, the latter two groups being back on the toy-store shelves at the time. The episodes then leapt into The Transformers's second season for more Dinobot and Constructicon action, as well as some nods to other toys available.

1. "More than Meets the Eye, Part 1"
2. "More than Meets the Eye, Part 2"
3. "More than Meets the Eye, Part 3"
4. "S.O.S. Dinobots"
5. "Heavy Metal War"
6. "The Autobot Run"
7. "The Core"
8. "Dinobot Island, Part 1"
9. "Dinobot Island, Part 2"
10. "The Master Builders"
11. "A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court"
12. "The Golden Lagoon"
13. "Prime Target"

Season 2

Season two was longer and less clearly driven by advertisement than season one. It ended up covering a majority of The Transformers's second season and backtracking through some The Transformers-season-one episodes missed in Generation 2's first season. However, these were all massively out of order, and the insertion of a few post-movie episodes early on destroyed all semblance of continuity. The post-movie episodes' inclusion might possibly be explained by their use of the Aerialbots and/or Combaticons, who were also part of the Generation 2 toyline. But then, the Aerialbots' origin episode was never given the Generation 2 treatment.

1. "War of the Dinobots"
2. "Atlantis, Arise!"
3. "Auto Berserk"
4. "Kremzeek!"
5. "Triple Takeover"
6. "Starscream's Brigade"
7. "The Revenge of Bruticus"
8. "Masquerade"
9. "Ghost in the Machine"
10. "The Ultimate Weapon"
11. "Fight or Flee"
12. "Transport to Oblivion"
13. "Roll for It"
14. "Changing Gears"
15. "Attack of the Autobots"
16. "Day of the Machines"
17. "Enter the Nightbird"
18. "A Prime Problem"
19. "The Insecticon Syndrome"
20. "Microbots"
21. "Blaster Blues"
22. "Sea Change"
23. "The Search for Alpha Trion"
24. "Autobot Spike"
25. "The Girl Who Loved Powerglide"
26. "Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1"
27. "Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2"
28. "The Ultimate Doom, Part 1"
29. "The Ultimate Doom, Part 2"
30. "The Ultimate Doom, Part 3"
31. "B.O.T."
32. "Aerial Assault"
33. "Cosmic Rust"
34. "Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1"
35. "Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2"
36. "Fire on the Mountain"
37. "Countdown to Extinction"
38. "Trans-Europe Express"
39. "City of Steel"

Credits

For further information, see: Transformers: Generation 2 (cartoon) credits

Home video releases

United Kingdom

• Transformers: Generation 2 (2002)

Canada

A handful of VHS tapes were also released by Behaviour and Seville Entertainment in the late '90s. The first 3 VHS tapes contained the G2 versions of the episodes however the Rebirth: The Movie was the original G1 Version.

• The Transformers: Generation 2 — Desertion of the Dinobots
• The Transformers: Generation 2 — Dinobot Island
• The Transformers: Generation 2 — Megatron's Master Plan
• The Transformers: Generation 2 — Rebirth: The Movie

• 
  Desertion of the Dinobots
• 
  Dinobot Island
• 
  Megatron's Master Plan
• 
  Rebirth: The Movie

Australia

In Australia, six VHS tapes were released in 1998. The first three VHS tapes were also collected together in one boxset.

• The Transformers: Generation 2 Vol 1 — More than Meets the Eye
• The Transformers: Generation 2 Vol 2 — The Autobot Run, The Core
• The Transformers: Generation 2 Vol 3 — S.O.S. Dinobots, Heavy Metal War
• The Transformers: Generation 2 Vol 4 — The Master Builders, A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court
• The Transformers: Generation 2 Vol 5 — Dinobot Island
• The Transformers: Generation 2 Vol 6 — The Golden Lagoon, Prime Target
• The Transformers: Generation 2 Triple Video Pack Vol 1-3

• 
  Vol 1
• 
  Vol 2
• 
  Vol 3
• 
  Vol 4
• 
  Vol 5
• 
  Vol 6

Netherlands

In the Netherlands, 4 DVD volumes were released in 2007 by Bridge Entertainment Group BV. Each DVD contains 3 episodes of season one with only Prime Target missing. Each volume is labelled "Transformers The Original Series" and does not state anywhere on the case that it contains the Generation 2 version of the episodes. To make things even more confusing each disk uses stock artwork from Transformers Armada on its cover. The episodes are in English and have optional Dutch subtitles.

• Transformers: The Original Series Volume 1 — More than Meets the Eye
• Transformers: The Original Series Volume 2 — S.O.S. Dinobots, Heavy Metal War, The Autobot Run
• Transformers: The Original Series Volume 3 — The Core, Dinobot Island
• Transformers: The Original Series Volume 4 — The Master Builders, A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court, The Golden Lagoon

• 
  Volume 1
• 
  Volume 2
• 
  Volume 3
• 
  Volume 4

Notes

• The following The Transformers season one and two episodes were not featured in the Generation 2 run. If you can discern any rationale, you are wiser than the wiki editors who have come before you.

1. "Divide and Conquer"
2. "Fire in the Sky"
3. "A Plague of Insecticons"
4. "Traitor"
5. "The Immobilizer"
6. "The God Gambit"
7. "Make Tracks"
8. "Child's Play"
9. "Quest for Survival"
10. "The Secret of Omega Supreme"
11. "The Gambler"
12. "Auto-Bop"
13. "Hoist Goes Hollywood"
14. "The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1"
15. "The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2"
16. "War Dawn"

External links

• Episode list compiled by Dave "Zobovor" Edwards