Enjoyable and fun, “Transformers: Rescue Bots” is a welcomed addition to safe, educational children’s television with solid animation, voice acting and positive messages for children. But for the young at heart, it’s also a series that can be appreciated by parents who were and still are “Transformers” fans.
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DVD TITLE: Transformers: Rescue Bots – Roll to the Rescue
DURATION: 130 Minutes
DVD INFORMATION: 1:78:1 Anamorphic Widescreen, 2.0 Stereo
COMPANY: SHOUT! KIDS
RATED: TV-Y7
RELEASE DATE: October 2, 2012
Written by Nicole Dubuc, Greg Johnson, Brian Hohlfield
Line Producer: Justin Gladden
Superving Producer: Brian Hohlfeld
Animation Producer: Therese Trujillo
Executive Producer: Jeff Kline
Music by Jeff Eden Fair, Starr Parodi
Featuring the voices of:
Lacey Chabert as Dani Burns
Elan Garfias as Cody Burns
Maurice LaMarche as Chief Charlie Burns
Jason Marsden as Kade Burns
Shannon McKain as Graham Burns
Steve Blum as Heatwave
Parvesh Cheena as Blades
D.C. Douglas as Chase
Imari Williams as Boulder
LeVare Burton as Doc Greene
Diamond White as Francine Greene
Jeff Bennett as Huxley Prescott
Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime
Kath Soucie as Elma Hendrickson
Tim Curry as Doctor Morocco
Robbie Daymond as Evan
Transformers Rescue Bots is created specifically for the younger generation of Transformers fans and features a group of Autobots charged with a mission to protect and learn about humans. Stationed by Optimus Prime on a technologically advanced island, the Rescue Bots – Heatwave, Boulder, Blades and Chase – team with a human family of first responders including a police chief, firefighter, rescue pilot and engineer to keep peace and safety in their new found home. Alongside their new human friends, the Rescue Bots learn teamwork and heroism.
For many of us who grew up with “Transformers” and have children, fortunately Hasbro has created toylines to attract younger children and as a parent, I know I have spent quite a bit on “Transformers” toys for my son. But one thing that I have always wished for, was a show that was targeted for children and was educational.
Fortunately, Hasbro has come up with “Transformers: Rescue Bots”, and educational series that focuses on safety. But also, has the vehicles that young boys would love to play with.
Developed by Nicole Dubuc, Brian Hohlfeld and Jeff Kline, “Transformers: Rescue Bots” features the voices of Lacey Chabert, Elan Garfias, Mauriece LaMarche, Jason Marsden, Steve Blum, Shannon McKain, Parvesh Cheena, D.C. Douglas, Imari Williams, LeVar Burton and Diamond White.
With 26-episodes created and having aired on television, “Transformers: Rescue Bots” will be released on DVD in October courtesy of Shout! Kids.
In the pilot episode “Family of Heroes”, four Autobots awaken to a message from Optimus Prime and are told to follow the coordinates sent by him.
The four robots arrive on Planet Earth and meet with Optimus Prime. He learns that the four are members of a Rescue Team and have been in stasis for some time. They also learn that Cybertron is no more and that they are the only Rescue-Bot team that has survived. In order to put their skills to use, Optimus Prime has given the four rescue bots an order to work with humans and use their skills as first response rescuers. The four robots take their shape of Earth’s rescue vehicles. Chase is a police car, Heatwave is a fire engine, Boulder is a bulldozer and Blades is a rescue helicopter.
The four end up at in the city of Griffin Rock where they work with Chief of Police Charlie Burns, who also leads the Rescue Team which his children, Kade (firefighter), Dani (rescue helicopter pilot) and Graham (construction engineer). The youngest of the Burns family is Cody Burns. Despite his age, he is the second person (his father was the first) to discover that the Rescue Bots were robots but have intelligence and may not be of this world.
But despite being a smart kid for his age, his older brothers and sister don’t listen to him because he’s a kid.
As Chief Burns assigns a Rescue Bot to his kids, the Rescue Bots have difficulty trying to listen to the orders set by the kids and wonder why they are even working with them and complain to Optimus Prime. But Optimus reassures them that they will eventually find a way to work with humans but it’s also a direct order from him. Fortunately, the Rescue Bots tend to respect Cody because of his kindness but his openness to help the Rescue Bots learn about humans and Earth.
And sure enough, after it was revealed to the Burns children that the Transformers are in fact aliens, The Rescue Bots tell Chief Burns that they will only work with them if Cody is part of the team.
And thus, Cody is brought into the team and with each episode, the Burns family and the Rescue Bots take on a variety of missions to help and rescue people.
“Transformers: Rescue Bots – Roll to the Rescue” comes with the following episodes:
- EPISODE 1: Family of Heroes – The first episode introducing the Rescue Bots and the Burns Family
- EPISODE 2: Under Pressure – Mount Magma is having problems with its lava and the team must figure out a way to stop the lava flow.
- EPISODE 3: Hotshots – When Dani and Blades are competing missions by themselves, the others start to become jealous that they are cut out of the action.
- EPISODE 4: Flobsters on Parade – What happens with snapping lobsters start to take over at the annual Griffin Rock summer festival.
- EPISODE 5: The Alien Invasion of Griffin Rock – Huxley Prescott is investigating aliens invading Earth, meanwhile, the Rescue Bots learn the importance of keeping their identities a secret from the public.
- EPISODE 6: Cody on Patrol – What happens when Cody supercharges his go-kart to help in team missions?
VIDEO & AUDIO:
“Transformers: Rescue Bots” is a series created to attract young children. My son told me it reminds him of “Curious George” because of the character design, but the series looks great. Animation is well-colored and shaded. Backgrounds are colorful and detailed. I was pretty impressed of the amount of detail because this series is targeted towards children.
Also, another plus was the fact that the series has veteran voice talent but also actresses and actors involved in this series. You have Peter Cullen, the main voice of Optimus Prime involved with the series, Steve Blum (“Cowboy Bebop”, “Naruto Shippuden”), Parvesh Cheena (“Barbershop” films), Jason Marsden (“Spirited Away”, “The Fairly OddParents”). As with actress Lacey Chabert (“Party of Five”, “Mean Girls”) and LeVar Burton (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”, “Reading Rainbow”). The series is well acted and dialogue is clear and understandable.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Transformers: Rescue Bots – Roll to the Rescue” comes with printable coloring sheets.
At the Amith household, “Transformers” is part of father and son. My son grew up watching the original series to “Transformers: Cybertron”, “Transformers: Animated” and like many children around the world, “Transformers” was probably a big part of their parent’s childhood.
When I grew up, we had the original animated series featuring the G1 Transformers. But I have always felt that if they made “Transformers” for younger children, it would be a magnificent achievement for Hasbro. They know the kids love the Transformers toys, the Happy Meal toys, even the toys that are targeted to younger children, but all they need was the animated series to help push these toys. Of course, for a younger demographic.
A storyline that could be educational and they can learn from it.
“Transformers: Rescue Bots – Roll to the Rescue” is that series. And I enjoyed the concept of creating four rescue bots that would help out a community. Robots that deal with firefighting, police, air rescue and construction. And as children love playing with firetrucks, tow trucks, police cars and helicopters, creating a series that revolves around bots that can transform into these vehicles is fantastic!
And while the series does revolve around a young boy, trying to fit in and learning about safety hazards, the series also allows children to learn about teamwork, and the role of emergency workers. As for parents and those who grew up with the series, it’s not a series that is educational in the sense like “Dora the Explorer” or “Blue’s Clues” but straightforward episodes about family of rescue workers, involved in teamwork, safety and saving lives.
It also helps to have veterans such as Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime and also talented voice artists and actors/actresses involved in “Transformers: Rescue Bots” as well.
As for the DVD “Roll to the Rescue”, you get the first six episodes plus printable coloring sheets (via DVD-Rom). The animation for the series is pretty unique for a “Transformers” series and my son did comment that it looks like something you would watch from PBS or “Curious George”. But the robots are well-shaded, the series is colorful and unlike other children’s series where art backgrounds tend to be focused on. There is a lot of work that went into the character animation and overall look of the Rescue Bots, may they be in vehicle or robot mode.
Overall, I may sound biased towards this series because I grew up as a “Transformers” fan, as did my son. But for a series targeted towards children, I was quite impressed by the animation and each episode’s storyline.
Enjoyable and fun, “Transformers: Rescue Bots” is a welcomed addition to safe, educational children’s television with solid animation, voice acting and positive messages for children. But for the young at heart, it’s also a series that can be appreciated by parents who were and still are “Transformers” fans.
Definitely recommended!