Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Shout! Factory Kids/Discovery Family/Hasbro Studios
The Rescue Bots are rolling to the rescue once again this summer with a brand new collection of adventures on DVD. It comes in the form of Transformers Rescue Bots: Heroes of Tech. The brand new DVD will be released in stores and online next Tuesday, June 21st. Just as with the series’ previous DVDs there is plenty to appreciate about this latest release beginning with the episodes themselves. They all follow one consistent theme throughout the course of the disc’s nearly two hour run time. This is just one of the disc’s key elements. The writing within the episodes is just as important to note in the episodes’ presentation as the episodes themselves. Last but definitely not least of note is the work of the show’s cast once more. That is especially the case in the musical episode “I Have Heard The Robots Singing.” The cast’s work rounds out this set’s most notable elements and completes its presentation. Each element is important in its own way to the overall presentation of Transformers Rescue Bots: Heroes of Tech. Altogether they make this set yet another welcome piece for the series’ fans of all ages.
Transformers Rescue Bots: Heroes of Tech is neither the first nor the last collection of episodes to be released from Hasbro Studios and Discovery Family. Keeping this in mind it is yet another welcome collection for the series’ fans regardless of age. The central reason for this is the set’s episodes. Audiences will note that all five of the disc’s featured episodes follow the exact same theme—technology. Each episode sees the Rescue Bots—Blade, Chase, Boulder, and Heatwave—having to save the day because technology has caused some sort of havoc in one way or another. This is so important to note because it is not the first time that one of the series’ collections has managed to follow one collective theme. This has been done with previous collections from the show, too. There are lots of children’s series out there that have seen multiple DVD releases, too. The thing of those sets is that not all of them present episodes that follow the sets’ titles. Considering this, and the fact that it is not the first time that Shout! Factory (and Shout! Factory Kids) have succeeded in this avenue, it makes this element all the more important to this set’s presentation. Now, having noted all of this, it becomes clear why the episodes presented in this collection are so important to its presentation. Of course the episodes are collectively just one of the set’s important elements. The writing behind the episodes is just as important to note as the episodes themselves.
The episodes that are presented in Shout! Factory’s (and Shout! Factory Kids’) new Transformers Rescue Bots collection are in their own right hugely important to the set’s presentation. That is because they each follow one continuous theme from one episode to the next. That seems at least somewhat rare in today’s overcrowded field of children’s DVDs. It is just one of the important elements of the set’s presentation. The writing behind these episodes is just as important to the set’s presentation as the episodes themselves. This applies both to the episodes’ stories and their smaller elements. In regards to the episodes’ stories audiences will enjoy the adventures on which the writers send the Rescue Bots and the Burns family. “Space Bots” is a prime example of this. This episode sees Doc Greene and Graham take a space station of sorts called the Asgard into space. The Asgard doesn’t just launch into space either. It uses a space elevator of sorts in order to reach space. It isn’t the space elevator that has been conceptualized in real life by any means. But the fact that the episode (which isn’t the series’ only episode to feature the Asgard, either) incorporates a very real life concept at its base is impressive. That the writers would also incorporate the equally real danger of asteroid strikes into the story makes it all the more entertaining and engaging. It is just one part of what makes the story such a prime example of the importance of the set’s writing. There are other elements thrown into the story that are just as impressive. Those will be left for audiences to find out for themselves.
“The Island of Misfit Tech” is another key example of the importance of the writing in these episodes. This is evident right from the episode’s title, one of its smaller elements. The title is a play on the Island of Misfit Toys, from Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer. The story itself is just as important if not more so. This story sees the Burns family joining Doc Greene on the highly classified island as they look for Cody. They are hunting for Cody because he has inadvertently been taken there by a mechanical bull that has shorted out. In the process, the bull got his jacket, which also had his communicator, thus leaving him unable to communicate with the team. This is ultimately what leads the team to venture to the “island.” What is interesting about the whole thing is that the bull that causes the whole mess just happens along at the story’s outset. This is notable because while it seems like this isn’t much of a setup, it actually works, and does so quite well surprisingly enough. Considering all of this, this story is one more way in which the writing shows to be so important to the set. The epiphany presented at the end (which will be discussed later) proves that even more. It still is not the last way in which the stories in these episodes prove so important in the episodes’ writing. “I Have Heard The Robots Singing” is yet another example of what makes the episodes’ writing so important.
The stories that were crafted for ‘The Island Of Misfit Tech” and “Space Bots” are clear examples of the importance of the episodes’ writing. They are not the only episodes that can be cited in explaining its importance. “I Have Heard The Robots Singing” is another example of the importance of the episodes’ writing. This episode is a nearly full on musical episode, save for a few minutes in the episode’s opening scenes. It is not the first time that any show has gone the musical route. There has been a handful of shows for grownups that have gone this route over the years. But in regards to children’s shows it is one of the very few shows that has gone that route, if not the only one. That aside, it is the first time that the series has ever taken the musical route, though. So at least to that extent the writers are to be applauded. The approach taken within the episode (its smaller elements) add even more to the episode. That will be discussed shortly. The story’s setup is what makes the writing here so impressive in the bigger picture. It is caused when one of Doc Greene’s inventions is stolen by Priscilla Pynch. Doc Greene’s reason for building the machine leads to a message within the story that is just as important to the story as the story itself. It is another of those smaller elements that solidifies the writing’s importance even more and will be discussed later. All things considered, all three of the stories noted here are clear examples of why the writing behind these episodes is so important to the set’s presentation. And it is hardly the last example, too. “Too Many Kades” presents a familiar story line (at least in the realm of animated series) when Kade is cloned multiple times over by yet another of Doc Greene’s inventions. Each clone presents a different part of Kade’s personality. They also cause their own share of confusion among the team’s members until the truth is revealed and they have to get all of the clone Kades back together. The story presented in “One For The Ages” is just as familiar. It sees Cody accidentally turned into a grownup by yet another of Doc Greene’s devices. This is a story line that has been used so many times before by so many other series. But again, it is the writers’ approach that makes it original here. And yet again there is a message in this episode, too that strengthens the episode’s writing even more. Whether through this story or any of the others noted here, it becomes entirely clear why the writing behind the episodes is just as important (at least in regards to the stories) as the episodes themselves. The stories are however, not the only way in which the writing proves so important to the set’s presentation. The smaller elements incorporated into the stories are just as important to note as the stories themselves.
The stories that were crafted for each episode in Transformers Rescue Bots: Heroes of Tech are in their own right key to showing the importance of the writing in the episodes. They are however just the tip of the iceberg in doing so. The smaller elements of the stories are just as important to the writing as the stories. This includes the deeper messages of certain episodes, the dialogue incorporated into the episodes, and even certain other elements. One moment in which the smaller writing elements prove entertaining comes in “The Island Of Misfit Toys.” Right off the top the writers make a sports joke when Cody announces that he didn’t make the soccer team. Heatwave very bluntly asks, “Is soccer the one where they run back and forth across the same patch of grass?” Boulder responds with an almost inquisitive tone, “I think that’s called football.” The way in which Heatwave poses his question hints at a sense of what most people think makes soccer (or football) boring. It’s so subtle but such a great moment. Boulder’s response is just as funny because it addresses the cultural diversity in terms of what the western world calls the sport versus what the rest of the world calls it. The subtlety of the joke and the fact that the writers could actually incorporate two jokes into such a short moment makes it even more enjoyable. It is even complimented right off the bat in “Too Many Kades” as the Burns family is playing basketball. Blades asks Chase about the game saying, “Okay, explain to me again. This is football?’ Chase responds in the moment, “No actual feet are involved. The object of this game is to place the sphere through the hoop, hence the name hoopball.” Heatwave corrects them both, noting that it is in fact called basketball. The fact that the writers would harken back to a previous episode here is in itself great. “Space Bots” offers some equally entertaining dialogue between Graham and Doc Greene regarding air sick bags and appetites that is a minor running gag of sorts. And it will have audiences laughing just as much as the back and forth between Heatwave and Boulder about soccer in “The Island Of Misfit Tech.” “I Have Heard The Robots Singing” also presents its own example of what makes the smaller elements of the writing just as important as the stories. This episode is presented as if it was in fact a musical stage production. It even includes a scene in which Dani and the rest of the team are singing a multi-part piece with Dani at the front. The rest of the team shows up behind her in their own separate boxes, which feature just their faces as they sing backup (so to speak) to her. It is a classic element used so many times in real life musicals both on stage and screen. So seeing it used in the case of this episode is sure to put a smile on the faces of those familiar with said element and its use, and even those less familiar with it. It’s just one more way in which the smaller elements of the writing prove so important. There are so many more minor elements that could be cited within each episode. When those elements are set against the elements noted here, and the episodes’ stories, the overall presentation here becomes one that audiences of all ages are bound to love.
Shout! Factory and Shout! Factory Kids’ latest collection of Transformers Rescue Bots episodes is another welcome for fans of the series regardless of age. This is due in part to the episodes that are featured in the collection. The episodes follow one continuous theme from one episode to the next. It’s not the first time that a series’ compilation disc has done this. Though, in the realm of children’s DVDs it is relatively rare. Keeping that in mind it makes the episodes their own collectively important part of the set’s presentation. The writing both in regards to the stories and their smaller elements is just as important as the episodes themselves. That is because altogether the stories and their elements ensure viewers’ engagement and entertainment. Each element proves important in its own right to the disc’s presentation. All things considered Transformers Rescue Bots: Heroes of Tech proves to be another enjoyable collection of episodes from Discovery Family’s hit series. It is a welcome collection for Transformers fans of all ages. It will be available in stores and online next Tuesday, June 21st. Audiences can pre-order the DVD online now direct via Shout! Factory’s online store at https://www.shoutfactory.com/kids/kids-animation/transformers-rescue-bots-heroes-of-tech. More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:
Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShoutFactory
To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.
philspicks 