Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015 TV series)

Transformers: Robots in Disguise
Based on Transformers by Hasbro
Developed by Adam Beechen
Duane Capizzi
Jeff Kline
Voices of
Composer(s) Kevin Manthei
Kevin Kiner[1]
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 3 (including miniseries)
No. of episodes 45 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Jeff Kline
Producer(s) Adam Beechen
Production company(s) Hasbro Studios
Darby Pop Productions
Polygon Animation[2]
Distributor Hasbro Studios
Release
Original network Cartoon Network[3][4][5]
First shown in France
Original release March 14, 2015 (2015-03-14) – present
Chronology
Preceded by Transformers: Prime (2010–2013)
Related shows Transformers: Rescue Bots[6]
External links
Production website

Transformers: Robots in Disguise is an American animated television series for children produced by Hasbro Studios and Darby Pop Productions in the United States, and animated by Polygon Pictures in Japan. It is a sequel to Transformers: Prime, though it features a different animation style.[7] Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (the executive producers of Prime) did not return to the new series. In the United States, the series premiered on Cartoon Network on March 14, 2015.[3][4][5][8][9]

The show's second season premiered on Cartoon Network in February 2016, and features guest appearances from returning Transformers: Prime characters Soundwave and Ratchet. A six-episode mini-series (initially billed as a "TV special event"[10] and, misleadingly, as "season 3"[11]) featuring the return of Starscream premiered in Canada in September 2016, before debuting on US television the following month.[12] A third season will be released in 2017 under the name Combiner Force.[13][14]

Plot

Season One

Years after the events of Predacons Rising, Cybertron's genesis brings forth a new age of prosperity to a new generation of Transformers. Earth no longer remembers the Decepticon-Autobot conflict as Cybertronians stopped visiting the planet. Bumblebee has since become a seasoned Cybertronian police officer and despite his fame, he chooses to be a humble peacekeeper. Things change when he is summoned by the vision of Optimus Prime. Thought to be long dead after restoring Cybertron's population, Optimus Prime calls for Bumblebee to return to Earth as a new threat appears.

With the help of Sideswipe (a rebel "bad boy bot") and Strongarm (an Elite Guard cadet partnered to him), the trio makes it to Earth to discover a crashed maximum security prison ship called the Alchemor and its steward Fixit (a hyperactive Mini-Con with faulty wiring). They soon learn Alchemor had about two hundred Decepticon prisoners within Stasis Pods, but all of its inmates have escaped. It is now their duty to recapture all the escaped Decepticon prisoners before they cause further harm on Earth. With the aid of humans Russell and Denny Clay and the Dinobot Grimlock (who was a prisoner of Alchemor before siding with Bumblebee), Bumblebee leads this unlikely team to protect Earth from the Decepticon prisoners led by Steeljaw and restore order.[15] They are later joined with the likes of Autobot bounty hunter Drift, his Mini-Con partners Slipstream and Jetstorm, the female warrior Windblade, and the return of Optimus Prime in the wake of the arrival of Megatronus Prime/The Fallen who was the one that crashed the Alchemor and who the Thirteen Primes have been preparing Optimus for.

Season Two

Weeks after the defeat of The Fallen, the Autobots continue to deal with the threat of the Decepticon fugitives that are still on Earth. While Steeljaw is still at large, he works to ally with any other Decepticon fugitives like the group that is led by Glowstrike, Scorponok, and Saberhorn. But as Optimus's immense power is drained by the Primes, the Autobots split into two teams: an away team led by Optimus Prime and another team that remains at their scrapyard base. Along the way, the Autobots run into a strange occurrence in the form of Decepticon criminals who are not listed in the Alchemor prisoner manifest yet have criminal records on Cybertron. During this period of time, Optimus slowly recovers and the immense amount of power he had before Megatronus Prime was destroyed returns to him. As the two Autobot teams are reunited, they pair up with the Autobot Ratchet & his Mini-Con, Undertone and find the rest of the Decepticons in a hideout called "Decepticon Island", which was made of half of the Alchemor. In the wake of their victory, Optimus Prime, Ratchet, Windblade & the Mini-Cons that were held prisoner on the Alchemor repairs the ship to be returned to Cybertron, as Bumblebee and the team reside on Earth.

Mini-Series

Following the events of "Decepticon Island", a group of Decepticons called the Scavengers, who are looking for relics from the Great War, have been partnered with a breed of Mini-Cons called Weaponizer Mini-Cons who can control the bodies of their wielder. During of which, Starscream makes a unexpected return following the events of "Predacons Rising" with the help of a trio of bounty hunters led by Shadelock. Upon learning the truth from the Mini-Con Sawtooth, the Weaponizer Mini-cons had betrayed the Scavengers in favor to join with the Autobots.[16]

Characters

Episodes

Season Episodes Originally aired (U.S. dates)
First aired Last aired
1 26 March 14, 2015 (2015-03-14) September 12, 2015 (2015-09-12)
2 13[17] February 20, 2016 (2016-02-20) May 14, 2016 (2016-05-14)
Mini-Series 6 October 22, 2016 (2016-10-22) December 3, 2016 (2016-12-03)
Shorts 11 April 29, 2015 November 6, 2015

Cast

Main cast

Additional voices

Broadcast

United States

The series was originally planned to premiere on what was known as the Hub Network (a joint venture between Hasbro and Discovery Communications).[7][31] However, on October 7, 2014, just days before the channel's re-branding as Discovery Family that took place on October 13, it was announced that the series would premiere on Cartoon Network instead. Hasbro Studios president Stephen Davis felt that Cartoon Network was a more appropriate home for a Transformers series due to its male-oriented demographics, having felt that Hub Network had been skewed towards girls. Previous animated Transformers series had also aired on Cartoon Network prior to the launch of the joint venture and Hasbro Studios.[3][4][5][32]

The series debuted with a special prime time premiere of the two-part pilot on March 14, 2015, followed by the regular time slot debut, starting with an encore of "Pilot" Pt. 1, on March 21.[8][33]

Season 2 ran from February 20 to May 14, 2016. The six-part miniseries premiered on October 22 and is set to conclude on December 3.

International

On January 13, 2015, it was announced that Cartoon Network has acquired the rights to broadcast the series worldwide,[34] similarly to the global distribution of Prime before it.

Several countries have premiered the series before the United States. On February 9, Canal J premiered the series in France,[35] making it the first in the world to broadcast it on television. On March 2, Biggs premiered it in Portugal.[36] In Italy, K2 aired the pilot on March 7, followed by the official premiere on March 9.[37] On March 13, Cartoon Network Arabic premiered the Arabic version of the series .[38]

Among English speaking countries, Cartoon Network in Australia was first to debut the series, having premiered it on February 21.[39] On March 7, the series debuted on two versions of Cartoon Network, one available in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Malta, the other broadcasting in English to Greece, Greek Cyprus, the Middle East and Africa.[40][41] In Canada, the show premiered on Teletoon on March 21.[42] The series was premiered on May 23, 2015 on Cartoon Network India.

Season 1 made its debut on CITV weekday morning lineup on January 4, 2016. Season 2 first aired on CITV in March 2016 in the UK.[43]

In Japan, it was premiered on March 15, 2015 on Animax under the local title of Transformers: Adventure (Japanese: トランスフォーマー アドベンチャー Hepburn: Toransufōmā adobenchā). First season had a break after episode 13 on June 14, and resumed on September 20 with episode 14. The songs "Save the Future!!" and "Try (Transformers: Adventure)" (Japanese: TRY☆トランスフォーマーアドベンチャー↑↑↑) replace the original opening and closing themes, respectively. Takara Tomy, the company that has been representing Transformers franchise in Japan since its inception under the pre-merger Takara, is marketing and promoting associated toys on behalf of Hasbro.

Home media

Shout Factory released the first five episodes onto DVD titled A New Autobot Mission on October 27, 2015.[44] They released the complete first season on May 10, 2016.[45] In Australia, Beyond Home Entertainment released the complete first season onto DVD on September 1, 2015; they also released a single-disc DVD comprising the first seven episodes on the same day.[46][47]

References

  1. StayingInTheBox (August 4, 2014). "Kevin Manthei to Co-score Robots In Disguise". TFW2005.com. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  2. Dubuc, Nicole (July 29, 2014). "Polygon Animation!". Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 "Cartoon Network Becomes the Home of Hasbro Studios' Newest Series, Transformers: Robots in Disguise". hasbro.com.
  4. 1 2 3 Graser, Marc (October 7, 2014). "Hasbro's 'Transformers' Return to Original TV Home, Cartoon Network". Variety. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 Andreeva, Nellie (October 7, 2014). "Hasbro Moves New 'Transformers' Series To Cartoon Network". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
  6. http://news.tfw2005.com/2012/02/06/steve-blum-and-jeff-kline-talk-rescue-bots-transformers-prime-174315
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Graser, Marc (June 12, 2014). "Hasbro to Launch 'Transformers: Robots in Disguise' Show in Spring 2015 (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved June 15, 2014.
  8. 1 2 Holbrook, Damian (February 12, 2015). "Cartoon Network Gears Up for Transformers: Robots in Disguise". TV Insider. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  9. "US Premiere Date For Robots In Disguise And Regular Timeslot FINALLY Confirmed!". TFormers.com. February 12, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
  10. "TFormers Interviews Hasbro's Transformers Team Members at BotCon 2016". TFormers.com. April 10, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  11. "Coverage Of Hasbro Toy Fair 2016 Investor And Press Event". TFW2005.com. February 12, 2016. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  12. http://tvschedule.zap2it.com/tv/transformers-robots-in-disguise/EP02139365?aid=tvschedule
  13. http://news.tfw2005.com/2016/10/06/transformers-robots-disguise-season-3-officially-announced-2017-326108
  14. http://news.tfw2005.com/2016/10/06/transformers-robots-disguise-season-3-combiner-force-sneak-peek-326169
  15. StayingInTheBox (June 28, 2014). "Transformers: Robots in Disguise Cartoon Launching Spring 2015". TFW2005.com. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  16. 1 2 http://tformers.com/sdcc-2016-starscream-and-steve-blum-to-invade-robots-in-disguise-cartoon/29712/news.html
  17. 1 2 "NYCC 2014 - Transformers Robots In Disguise 2015 Live Panel Report Transformers News Reviews Movies Comics and Toys". tformers.com.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 "Robots in Disguise Cast List and Voice Actors for the first 13 episodes - Transformers News - TFW2005". tfw2005.com.
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  20. BaCon (October 9, 2014). "NYCC 2014 – Transformers Robots In Disguise 2015 Live Panel Report". Tformers.com. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  21. 1 2 3 "Cover Me". Transformers: Robots in Disguise. Season 2. Episode 5. March 19, 2016. Cartoon Network.
  22. "Impounded". Transformers: Robots in Disguise. Season 2. Episode 9. April 16, 2016. Cartoon Network.
  23. 1 2 "Overloaded, Part 1". Transformers: Robots in Disguise. Season 2. Episode 1. February 20, 2016. Cartoon Network.
  24. 1 2 3 "Metal Meltdown". Transformers: Robots in Disguise. Season 2. Episode 3. March 3, 2016. Cartoon Network.
  25. SilverOptimus (October 7, 2014). "Brand New Trailer For Transformers: Robots In Disguise Animated Series". TFW2005.com. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
  26. "Pretzel Logic". Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015). Season 2.5. Episode 3. November 5, 2016. Cartoon Network.
  27. http://news.tfw2005.com/2016/07/22/christopher-swindle-voice-character-robots-disguise-320122
  28. "Hasbro Returns to Comic-Con International, Showcasing Top Entertainment Brands". hasbro.com.
  29. Thielman, Sam (February 23, 2015). "The Rise and Fall and Rise of Hasbro's TV Strategy". Adweek. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
  30. "Cartoon Network - TV Schedule - Transformers". Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  31. Kondolojy, Amanda (January 13, 2015). "Cartoon Network Acquires Global Rights to Hasbro Studios' Newest Series 'Transformers: Robots in Disguise'". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
  32. "Lancement en France de Transformers robot in disguise: mission secrète" [Transformers Robots in Disguise: Secret Mission to Launch in France] (PDF) (Press release) (in French). February 6, 2015. Retrieved 2015-03-16.
  33. "Shin Chan, Pokémon e Transformers em Março no Biggs" [Shin Chan, Pokémon and Transformers in March on Biggs] (Press release) (in Portuguese). February 19, 2015. Archived from the original on March 25, 2015. Retrieved 2015-03-16.
  34. Grimaldi, Angela (March 9, 2015). "Transformers Robots in disguise su K2 dal 9 marzo". Marida Caterini (in Italian). Retrieved March 20, 2015.
  35. "Transformers". Cartoon Network Arabic (in Arabic). Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  36. SilverOptimus (February 9, 2015). "Transformers: Robots in Disguise to Premiere in Australia on February 21st". TFW 2005. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  37. Fury, Sol (January 30, 2015). "Robots in Disguise Premieres on March 7 in the UK". TFW 2005. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  38. Dstv (March 6, 2015). "Transformers: Robots in Disguise". Facebook. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  39. Matty (March 11, 2015). "Robots In Disguise Premieres March 21st in Canada!". TFW 2005. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
  40. Optimus, Silver (January 4, 2016). "Transformers: Robots In Disguise Season 2 Release Date And Other Info". TFW2005.com. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  41. Matty. "Transformers Robots in Disguise 2015 DVD: A New Autobot Mission". Transformer World 2005 - TFW2005.COM.
  42. ORIO. "Robots In Disguise Season 1 DVD Set". Transformer World 2005 - TFW2005.COM.
  43. onslaught24. "Robots In Disguise 2015 Season One DVD Coming to Australia". Transformer World 2005 - TFW2005.COM.
  44. Sol Fury. "Robots in Disguise "Collect 'Em All" DVD Volume 1 for Australia - Transformer World 2005 - TFW2005.COM". Transformer World 2005 - TFW2005.COM.

External links

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