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DVD Shopping Bag: Challenge of the Gobots Mini-Series
Warner Archive Rules By
Robert T. Trate
May 31, 2011
Leader-1 and Cop-Tur in Challenge of the Gobots
© Warner Archive/ Robert Trate
I was never a fan of The Gobots. I always favored The Transformers more. I knew of their existence but thought it was for younger kids. It could have been any of the following reasons: the animation, the transformations, or even the character’s names but it all seemed childish to me. Being nine at the time I didn’t really care for this rip off of The Transformers. I had a few of the toys, somehow. Perhaps they were a cheap Christmas present but they were still played with and enjoyed. Today, I’ll never turn down a chance to review eighties cartoons. When the Challenge of the Gobots became available through the Warner Archive I put my nine year old prejudice aside and picked it up.
This is not the complete series of The Gobots. The remaining 60 episodes are still in the Warner Archive. I was surprised that that the whole series did not come out but that is a lot of animation to take a gamble on. This DVD is part of the Hanna-Barbera Classic Collection, which is quickly becoming a great source of classic cartoons that one used to see on the Cartoon Network or Boomerang. The mini series is all that you get here. There are no special features or toy commercials. It is your re-introduction to Leader-1, Cy-Kill, Turbo, and Scooter.
Cy-Kill (Bernard Erhard), the leader of the evil Renegades, comes to Earth to establish a base to act out his evil schemes. The reason should be a forgone conclusion as he wants to conquer his home world of Gobotron. Leader-1 (Lou Richards) and his Guardians peruse in the hopes to stop them. Cy-Kill has cut a deal with the evil NASA scientist Dr. Zebidiah Braxis(Rene Auberjonois) to conquer the world together. Double crosses will ensue but both characters are evil enough that even kids knew that these are the bad guys. Leader-1 needs help on Earth as he is out matched by the Renegades. Enter NASA astronaut Matt Hunter and his two junior cadets. The story’s plot is straight forward and each time the Guardians get the upper hand Cy-Kill takes it up notch. By the end of the show a TV series is kicked off but we the viewer are left waiting to see if Warner Brothers will unearth the rest of their adventures.
My nine year old self did not stay on the side lines too long. Instantly the poor excuses for transformations stuck out like a sore thumb. Why can I still see their Cop-Tur’s (Bob Holt) face after he becomes the helicopter? Why are their female Gobots? Better yet why does the evil one, Crasher (Marilyn Lightstone) have a crush on Leader-1? How can Leader-1, an F-15 Fighter Jet stand side by side with Scooter (Frank Welker) who is a scooter. Transformed their vehicle’s size aren’t even close to one another. Where does all that mass go? In comparison if you look at the Transformers, Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) and Bumblebee (Dan Gilvezan), we have a clear distinction between the two.
The take over the world plot is a great kick start to any cartoon series. There needs to be that introduction to the world in which these characters live in as well. This is great after school cartoon fun that I grew up with and loved living out again. What left me flat was there was nothing after this. I thought the actors that voiced the characters brought each one to life. Welker’s Scooter was a bit annoying but all in all I was ready to dive into a few more episodes. Yes, despite my nine year old self.
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The original miniseries to GoBots was pretty good. I think the other episodes were okay but nothing spectacular. I do remember that CyKill had a good put down of some of his minions who had "the combined intelligence of a ping pong ball." Still, give me Transfomers anyday. The Commander Center and Thruster toys were kind of cool though as well as Zod.