Upon its initial airing in 1999, Beast Machines seemed glaringly out-of-place in the Transformers mythos. A guilt ridden Optimus (Primal) who doubted himself? The good guys (the Maximals, descendants of Generation 1’s Autobots) on the run from the bad guys (the Predacons, descendants of the Decepticons)? Robot modes that looked more organic than mechanical? It was different from everything that came before, including the well-received Beast Wars, Beast Machines‘ predecessor. Factor in the then rising ’80’s nostalgia for the original vehicular, cel-animated Transformers of Generation 1, and fans reacted to the CGI, animal-to-robot Transformers cartoon with contempt.

Beast Machines, recently released in a deluxe DVD box set, has aged incredibly well. A mature, engaging look at ideological extremism and spirituality, Beast Machines is leagues better than the garbage Transformers cartoons that have followed it, and ranks with Batman: The Animated Series and The Real Ghostbusters as one of the smartest action/adventure cartoons ever produced.

Picking up shortly after the close of the Beast Wars, Beast Machines finds the Maximals on their home planet of Cybertron, unable to remember how the Beast Wars ended (as far as they can tell, they lost), and with Megatron in power. All other Maximals and Predacons are gone; instead, Megatron, obsessed with the destruction of organic life, rules over an army of drones, and is the sole being with free will in order to ensure a secure society. Soon, the Maximals are reformatted by the Matrix (i.e. the Force in the world of the Transformers) into bodies that are equally mechanical and organic, and embark on a mission to liberate Cybertron from Megatron and restore the planet to a techno-organic balance.

It’s easy to see why fans reacted so harshly. The characters look nothing like the Transformers we grew up with, and the Maximals’ robot modes are somewhat uninspired and bland in their design. It doesn’t help matters when we’re reminded of the now iconic look of Generation 1 Transformers, including the terrific opening scene of “Fires of the Past,” where Megatron’s drones topple a statue of the original Optimus Prime. Also, the Maximals don’t use guns. All their attacks are either performed through some sort of energy blast or inner power, which is just strange to see in a Transformers cartoon.

But these are superficial criticisms. Beast Machines reaches depths rarely, if ever, achieved in a Saturday morning cartoon. Mainframe’s computer animation is stunning, and the vast array of facial expressions that convey the most subtle of emotions is extremely impressive. Character development is also handled with aplomb; Maximals and Predacons change allegiances, question leadership, and make costly mistakes. The Maximals actually have to re-train themselves how to transform, and they don’t all master the art in the same episodes. Optimus Primal constantly meditates and seeks guidance in the Matrix, sometimes unclear of the messages it gives him and how to act. Megatron, depicted as a cold, calculating master of deception, appears all the more powerful and terrifying, as he does not actually fight in most of the episodes, but rules from his throne room. Overall, the story develops slowly and patiently, culminating with a stunning final battle and bittersweet ending.

Beast Machines‘ biggest drawback is actually its fight scenes; when watched back-to-back on DVD, the show’s battles become repetitive and exhaustive, often slowing down the plot for action’s sake. It’s the quiet moments where it truly shines — Blackarachnia trying to bring back a brainwashed comrade, Megatron seducing Rattrap into betraying the Maximals, Optimus traveling into the Matrix to uncover the secrets of his mission and Cybertron — and they are the most engrossing aspects of the story.

The DVD set includes several terrific bonus features, the best being interviews with story creator Marv Wolfman and head writer Bob Skir. The two reveal how they were chosen by Hasbro to write the series simply because they were unfamiliar with Transformers; the toy company wanted a fresh take on the franchise, and they gave Wolfman and Skir free reign to tell any story they wanted.

While not perfect, and occasionally over-the-top, Beast Machines is perhaps the best Transformers show ever produced, and certainly among the most sophisticated and strange cartoons of all time. It’s hard to classify it as children’s programming, and it’s harder to believe that it actually aired on Saturday mornings with the likes of Pokemon and Godzilla. Hopefully, with this DVD release, fans will recognize what a dynamic, ahead-of-its time show Beast Machines actually was. Highly recommended.

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