Transformers: EarthSpark is the latest approach to the Transformers series, reimagining fan-favorite characters like Optimus Prime, Megatron, and Bumblebee in an effective, more all-audiences light -- all while introducing some brand-new elements that quickly prove effective. While the two-part premiere has some new show jitters in terms of animation, the show's fluid fight sequences and charming central characters help elevate it. Refocusing the series on the humanity of the Transformers and removing the war-torn elements of the franchise, Transformers: EarthSpark -- debuting on Paramount+ on Nov. 11 -- is a fun and fresh approach to the series that will likely become a fast favorite for younger audiences.
Transformers: EarthSpark takes a uniquely Earthbound approach to the franchise, picking up years following the conclusion of the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons. After being stranded on Earth and making peace not just between themselves but with humanity, the Transformers have begun to work with the human government agency G.H.O.S.T. to ensure peace between the robotic and organic races. It's in these circumstances that an entirely new race of Transformers are born when Robby (Sydney Mikayla) and his sister Mo (Zion Broadnax) come across a mysterious stone in the cave.
Touching the rock, the pair is outfitted with cyber-sleeves on one arm that bonds them to two Earth-born Transformers -- the competitive Twitch (Kathreen Khavari) and her brother, the laid-back Thrash (Zeno Robinson). It isn't long before Twitch and Thrash draw the attention of G.H.O.S.T. forces like Optimus Prime (Alan Tudyk), Elita-1 (Cissy Jones), Bumblebee (Danny Pudi), and Megatron (Rory McCann), along with their latest recruit Dot Malto (Benni Latham) -- Robby and Mo's mother and a veteran of the original Transformers conflict. They also draw the attention of the mysterious and malicious Dr. Meridan, aka Mandroid (Diedrich Bader), a scientist seemingly intent on turning himself into a true human/Transformers hybrid.
Transformers: EarthSpark is an interesting approach to the franchise, focusing far more on a younger perspective than previous iterations of the concept. While Transformers bonding with younger characters has been a staple of the franchise, they've still been focused on a war between the Transformers spilling out into the rest of the universe. That isn't the case in Transformers: EarthSpark, which has a lighter tone to it as a result. The show quickly takes on an animated sitcom vibe as Mo and Robbie get to know their new friends, quickly adopting them as part of their family.
Thrash and Twitch are fun additions to the Transformers universe, adding a unique perspective to the franchise. The performances throughout the show's two-part premiere are solid, especially Khavari and Robinson, who quickly find fun central threads to their characters that make them sweetly naive while still teasing their true potential as heroes. The older cast also breathes new life into the classic characters, with Tudyk's Prime, in particular, being a highlight of the show. The animation for EarthSpark is consistent throughout, although it's notably more impressive in motion than when static.
There's a looseness to the action sequences that can sometimes be lacking in the smaller character beats, but the charming cast helps keep the plot moving even as the show hits stumbling blocks. Transformers: EarthSpark's two-part premiere carries many of the minor flaws and faults one can usually find in the earliest episodes of a new show, but there's an embedded sense of fun to the series, which takes the inherently childish concept of Transformers and applies it to a proven young audience's formula. By refocusing the narrative into one about families, Transformers: EarthSpark becomes a sweet-natured take on the franchise that will appeal well to younger audiences but will likely charm older fans and convince them that the series has more than meets the eye.