The Transformers (cartoon)
More than any other of the many media which Transformers have invaded in the past 20+ years, it is The Transformers, the original cartoon (1984-1987) which captured the imagination of children and children-at-heart worldwide. This cartoon set up the basic story of Transformers that all other incarnations were to follow: two warring factions of robots on the planet Cybertron leave in search of resources. The factions crash-land on Earth and, millions of years later, begin their battle anew in Reagan-era America and across the globe. Through its 98-episode run this series took viewers to many strange places and times: the alien Cybertron, the Earth's prehistoric past, the Earth's then-future of 2005, the Metropolis-like society of Nebulos, and more. It is not the best animated series ever to air, but it stimulated viewers with its concept at the time, and continued to do so in the years to come.
Production
Writing and distribution for this series were handled as a joint effort by Marvel Productions and Sunbow Productions. Animation was produced overseas, primarily by Toei and AKOM.
DVD Releases
Kid Rhino (US)
- Transformers First Season Collector's Edition
- Transformers Season 2 Part 1
- Transformers Season 2 Part 2
- Transformers Season 3 Part 1
- Transformers Season 3 Part 2/Season 4
Madman Entertainment (Aus)
- Transformers Collection 1 - Season 1
- Transformers Collection 2 - Season 2 Part 1
- Transformers Collection 3 - Season 2 Part 2
- Transformers Collection 4 - Season 3 Part 1
- Transformers Collection 5 - Season 3 Part 2
- Transformers Collection 6 - Season 4
- The Best of Transformers Generation 1
- Transformers Generation 1 - Complete Collection
Episodes
Note: These episodes are listed in production order rather than original airdate. In a few instances, this means that episodes are not in the correct chronological story order, the specifics of which are noted in their own articles. Note that Season 3, in particular, suffers from this - the Rhino DVD release of the season reordered the episodes in question so that they were in order, but also reordered many episodes that did not have any placement problems, throwing off the whole shebang. Conversely, the R2 Metrodome release of the season just reorganized the problematic ones.
Note: The Transformers: The Movie (1986) is part of this series, taking place between Season 2 and Season 3.
Season 1
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. Transport to Oblivion
5. Roll For It
6. Divide and Conquer
7. Fire in the Sky
8. S.O.S. Dinobots
9. Fire on the Mountain
10. War of the Dinobots
11. The Ultimate Doom, Part 1
12. The Ultimate Doom, Part 2
13. The Ultimate Doom, Part 3
14. Countdown to Extinction
15. A Plague of Insecticons
16. Heavy Metal War
Season 2
1. Autobot Spike
2. Changing Gears
3. City of Steel
4. Attack of the Autobots
5. Traitor
6. The Immobilizer
7. The Autobot Run
8. Atlantis, Arise!
9. Day of the Machines
10. Enter the Nightbird
11. A Prime Problem
12. The Core
13. The Insecticon Syndrome
14. Dinobot Island, Part 1
15. Dinobot Island, Part 2
16. The Master Builders
17. Auto Berserk
18. Microbots
19. Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1
20. Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2
21. Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 1
22. Desertion of the Dinobots, Part 2
23. Blaster Blues
24. A Decepticon Raider in King Arthur's Court
25. The Golden Lagoon
26. The God Gambit
27. Make Tracks
28. Child's Play
29. Quest for Survival
30. The Secret of Omega Supreme
31. The Gambler
32. Kremzeek!
33. Sea Change
34. Triple Takeover
35. Prime Target
36. Auto-Bop
37. The Search for Alpha Trion
38. The Girl Who Loved Powerglide
39. Hoist Goes Hollywood
40. The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 1
41. The Key to Vector Sigma, Part 2
42. Aerial Assault
43. War Dawn
44. Trans-Europe Express
45. Cosmic Rust
46. Starscream's Brigade
47. The Revenge of Bruticus
48. Masquerade
49. B.O.T.
Intermediate
Scramble City
The Transformers: The Movie (1986)
Season 3
1. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 1
2. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 2
3. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 3
4. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4
5. Five Faces of Darkness, Part 5
6. The Killing Jar
7. Chaos
8. Dark Awakening
9. Forever is a Long Time Coming
10. Starscream's Ghost
11. Thief in the Night
12. Surprise Party
13. Madman's Paradise
14. Nightmare Planet
15. Ghost in the Machine
16. Webworld
17. Carnage in C-Minor
18. The Quintesson Journal
19. The Ultimate Weapon
20. The Big Broadcast of 2006
21. Fight or Flee
22. Dweller in the Depths
23. Only Human
24. Grimlock's New Brain
25. Money is Everything
26. Call of the Primitives
27. The Face of the Nijika
28. The Burden Hardest to Bear
29. The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 1
30. The Return of Optimus Prime, Part 2
