Netflix Transformers War for Cybertron Part 1: Siege Now Online

Stryker055

Not sure if this was discussed much, but the TransMissions interview with F. J. DeSanto for the art book last month definitely sheds a little light on what the production of this show was like (not great). It seems like there was a lot of conflicting messaging from Hasbro about where they wanted the story to go, with the entire Beast Wars plot for Kingdom apparently something that they mandated relatively later in production (DeSanto mentions that it wasn't his idea and that it wasn't originally planned), and Hasbro was, at least for a time, very insistent that the show be able to fit into continuity with both the G1 cartoon and the Beast Wars cartoon, to the point where they wanted it to end with the Autobots going to Earth (specifically Portland, Oregon) and setting up the G1 story, which is apparently why Earthrise's branding was the way it was.

The overall story that comes across from DeSanto's (quite bitter) account was that Hasbro demanded a three-part show to tie in with the three phases of the toyline and left it to the writers to figure out how to make it work, continuously making story demands along the way and constantly asking the writers about where the show fits in with the timeline, how it connects to the 'multiverse,' etc. It really stinks of the current way studio execs have jumped on board the 'multiverse' concept without really thinking it through, and simply demanding that everything be a "-verse" because that's what audiences are into nowadays.

This all goes a long way towards explaining why the show turned out to be the disaster that it was, and nobody seems very happy with the experience or the final product.

Hasbro's heavy-handedness plays a part in a lot of its fiction failing or being far lower in quality than it could be if they'd do three things:
1) Develop story guidelines up-front and don't change them mid-production.
2) Let creators create.
3) Revisit #1 forty-six times a aday until it sinks in.

I think, until the company comes to the realization that creators can't just turn the creative process on a dime late in the game, we're always going to be stuck getting half-hearted, sometimes disheartening takes on our favorite characters. For whatever reason, creative input seems to lead them to believe it gives them carte-blanche to screw with the creators until half of them are so bitter the only thing you sense when you watch the final product is confusion and misunderstanding.

Just think how cool a G1 prequel could have been.

Stryker055

Not sure if this was discussed much, but the TransMissions interview with F. J. DeSanto for the art book last month definitely sheds a little light on what the production of this show was like (not great). It seems like there was a lot of conflicting messaging from Hasbro about where they wanted the story to go, with the entire Beast Wars plot for Kingdom apparently something that they mandated relatively later in production (DeSanto mentions that it wasn't his idea and that it wasn't originally planned), and Hasbro was, at least for a time, very insistent that the show be able to fit into continuity with both the G1 cartoon and the Beast Wars cartoon, to the point where they wanted it to end with the Autobots going to Earth (specifically Portland, Oregon) and setting up the G1 story, which is apparently why Earthrise's branding was the way it was.

The overall story that comes across from DeSanto's (quite bitter) account was that Hasbro demanded a three-part show to tie in with the three phases of the toyline and left it to the writers to figure out how to make it work, continuously making story demands along the way and constantly asking the writers about where the show fits in with the timeline, how it connects to the 'multiverse,' etc. It really stinks of the current way studio execs have jumped on board the 'multiverse' concept without really thinking it through, and simply demanding that everything be a "-verse" because that's what audiences are into nowadays.

This all goes a long way towards explaining why the show turned out to be the disaster that it was, and nobody seems very happy with the experience or the final product.

Said it before and I'll say it again: this, right here, is why I can only roll my eyes when people say that Hasbro should just develop all its fiction "in-house." DeSanto is clearly far from blameless, but these shows serve as the measure of quality if all of the shows, comics, games, etc. were written by Hasbro executives, and they clearly have no clue what the hell they're doing. The reason these shows feel so soulless and pandering is because they're, for all intents and purposes, created by a bunch of suits who are chasing both the nostalgia of two demographics of adults who grew up with their previous product and whatever the hip new trend in media is without thinking any of it through, just foisting all of that onto a different writing team under a time limit, throwing other random, contradicting demands at them mid-production and expecting them to just make it all work. No wonder literally everyone is miserable after the fact.

Not sure if this was discussed much, but the TransMissions interview with F. J. DeSanto for the art book last month definitely sheds a little light on what the production of this show was like (not great). It seems like there was a lot of conflicting messaging from Hasbro about where they wanted the story to go, with the entire Beast Wars plot for Kingdom apparently something that they mandated relatively later in production (DeSanto mentions that it wasn't his idea and that it wasn't originally planned), and Hasbro was, at least for a time, very insistent that the show be able to fit into continuity with both the G1 cartoon and the Beast Wars cartoon, to the point where they wanted it to end with the Autobots going to Earth (specifically Portland, Oregon) and setting up the G1 story, which is apparently why Earthrise's branding was the way it was.

The overall story that comes across from DeSanto's (quite bitter) account was that Hasbro demanded a three-part show to tie in with the three phases of the toyline and left it to the writers to figure out how to make it work, continuously making story demands along the way and constantly asking the writers about where the show fits in with the timeline, how it connects to the 'multiverse,' etc. It really stinks of the current way studio execs have jumped on board the 'multiverse' concept without really thinking it through, and simply demanding that everything be a "-verse" because that's what audiences are into nowadays.

This all goes a long way towards explaining why the show turned out to be the disaster that it was, and nobody seems very happy with the experience or the final product.

I thought Legacy was just the toy line.

nobleboivin

I can see why they wouldn't want to go with Legacy. Be kind of hard to do something unique then the standard multiverse battle thing. Because if they went the multiverse route it would be like any other of the 60 shows out there doing a multiverse thing

Was Legacy going to be an unrelated Multiverse show?

Effigy

They haven’t even decided if they will renew Sandman or not, and that’s done great for them. They are very cancel-happy right now.

That’s another one I wouldn’t hesitate to put down quickly.

Ironman

Legacy show? WTC was a great series. They had success with this show so why not continue with a fourth season? Netflix isn't making smart decisions.

They haven’t even decided if they will renew Sandman or not, and that’s done great for them. They are very cancel-happy right now.

Ironman

Legacy show? WTC was a great series. They had success with this show so why not continue with a fourth season? Netflix isn't making smart decisions.

Success is a strong word-no, it’s a fallacy.

Ironman

Legacy show? WTC was a great series. They had success with this show so why not continue with a fourth season? Netflix isn't making smart decisions.

Because it sucked lmao