The Hub Is Revealed 10/10/10
- Thread starter MadysenJulia
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Up until now, I was very excited about the new Transformers series. Then I read that it's being handled by the same people who wrote the Transformers live-action movies.
To make a long story short, this has caused me to wonder who this new show is really for, and if it will follow on from said movies (if it does, I won't be watching). Either way, I now suspect that this show may just be another "personal vision" of the franchise (long story), or maybe even a show that only serves to please certain groups, regardless of which form or genre it might take (also a long story). In any case, this TV Tropes page best describes my reaction to this announcement regarding the new Transformers series. That said, I'm going to say it: I hope the new show isn't too "realistic"...
The article also says that they're going to show the older productions in order to attract the parents. That's a bit short-sighted, IMO. Surely the "target audience" might also be interested, but that goes into another topic that can't be brought up here.
As for the article itself, as far as Hasbro goes, "talk is cheap", as they say, and even if they are able to "deliver the goods" (in a way most if not all people can agree with), I truly hope that this won't be just another short-term success (i.e., where it's a "popular" network with a wide variety of shows, but then years later it starts suffering from "network decay"). The Hub has potential, and I hope it can still be realized 20 or 25 years from now, but as they also say, "it's not the destination, but the journey", so all we can really do is see if it lives up to its potential right now.
I don't know about G.I. Joe, but I wouldn't be surprised if that My Little Pony series follows on from "Twinkle Wish Adventure" (with that acting as a "pilot episode"), still I'll check that one out.
To make a long story short, this has caused me to wonder who this new show is really for, and if it will follow on from said movies (if it does, I won't be watching). Either way, I now suspect that this show may just be another "personal vision" of the franchise (long story), or maybe even a show that only serves to please certain groups, regardless of which form or genre it might take (also a long story). In any case, this TV Tropes page best describes my reaction to this announcement regarding the new Transformers series. That said, I'm going to say it: I hope the new show isn't too "realistic"...
The article also says that they're going to show the older productions in order to attract the parents. That's a bit short-sighted, IMO. Surely the "target audience" might also be interested, but that goes into another topic that can't be brought up here.
As for the article itself, as far as Hasbro goes, "talk is cheap", as they say, and even if they are able to "deliver the goods" (in a way most if not all people can agree with), I truly hope that this won't be just another short-term success (i.e., where it's a "popular" network with a wide variety of shows, but then years later it starts suffering from "network decay"). The Hub has potential, and I hope it can still be realized 20 or 25 years from now, but as they also say, "it's not the destination, but the journey", so all we can really do is see if it lives up to its potential right now.
I don't know about G.I. Joe, but I wouldn't be surprised if that My Little Pony series follows on from "Twinkle Wish Adventure" (with that acting as a "pilot episode"), still I'll check that one out.
I SPEAK ONLY THE TRUTH!
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I know My Little Pony isn’t necessarily going to be the most anticipated series when it premieres later this year, but I have to admit that I’ll probably check it out because I’m curious what Lauren Faust will do with it.
I’d just like for them to continue Tutenstein. Jay Stephens expressed interest in continuing it and the series was fairly successful on Discovery Kids, but I don’t believe they’re going to do that.
On another note, I found a few more trademarks: Furry Frenzies and Ouija, but unlike the others, their trademarks simply mention a television program instead of an animated television program. The Furry Frenzies toyline launches this fall, so a television program premiering around that time could make sense. However, I’m starting to see why some consumer advocacy groups were worried that this network might just be one big commercial.
I’d just like for them to continue Tutenstein. Jay Stephens expressed interest in continuing it and the series was fairly successful on Discovery Kids, but I don’t believe they’re going to do that.
On another note, I found a few more trademarks: Furry Frenzies and Ouija, but unlike the others, their trademarks simply mention a television program instead of an animated television program. The Furry Frenzies toyline launches this fall, so a television program premiering around that time could make sense. However, I’m starting to see why some consumer advocacy groups were worried that this network might just be one big commercial.
New to film
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I have to admit, the little snippet of the pony in the Hub logo actually looked pretty good. One problem I had with that old cartoon was how the ponies' faces never quite looked right to me, but that eye in the new design looks great.
BTW, if you want to either laugh or face palm, there was a post on Cartoon Brew a while back where, after praising her art in previous posts, Brew Master Amid absolutely savaged Lauren for "selling out" and working on the show. Lauren herself actually showed up, and even mentioned that she was a fan of the toyline and wanted to work on the new show. The funny thing is, I doubt Amid even noticed that Lauren and her supporters in the comments were coming off as nice and civil, while he was sounding like a closed-minded maniac who thought a cartoon based on a toyline would spell the death of animation.
BTW, if you want to either laugh or face palm, there was a post on Cartoon Brew a while back where, after praising her art in previous posts, Brew Master Amid absolutely savaged Lauren for "selling out" and working on the show. Lauren herself actually showed up, and even mentioned that she was a fan of the toyline and wanted to work on the new show. The funny thing is, I doubt Amid even noticed that Lauren and her supporters in the comments were coming off as nice and civil, while he was sounding like a closed-minded maniac who thought a cartoon based on a toyline would spell the death of animation.
Em a leeeee
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Not necessarily. While Hasbro does have the toy license for the Star Wars franchise, that doesn't mean they have the programming license. More likely, they're developing shows around properties they own, like G.I. Joe, Transformers, Jem, and the like rather than properties they hold toy licenses to, like Star Wars, Marvel, and Sesame Street. Plus, the Star Wars comedy series is still in the works and won't likely be presented until this time next year. By then, its network will be revealed.
It's a remodeled, rebranded network in the space where Discovery Kids is located in your cable package. The transition of DK into The Hub is kind of like how Fine Living is becoming The Cooking Channel. It won't be programmed like Discovery Kids, but it also won't be a glorified 24-7 commercial either as some wags fear. It'll be the combined power of Discovery Communications and Hasbro Entertainment.
And it'll be fun.
Trust and believe that Hasbro wants The Hub to work, and Discovery and Hasbro have assembled a team that will make it work. Margaret Loesch, who was an executive producer at Marvel Entertainment and worked with Hasbro with the G.I. Joe and Transformers animated series before serving as the successful head of Fox Kids from 1990 to about 1996. (you know, the good years of the block), is helming the network, so, I have nothing but confidence in The Hub.
It's a remodeled, rebranded network in the space where Discovery Kids is located in your cable package. The transition of DK into The Hub is kind of like how Fine Living is becoming The Cooking Channel. It won't be programmed like Discovery Kids, but it also won't be a glorified 24-7 commercial either as some wags fear. It'll be the combined power of Discovery Communications and Hasbro Entertainment.
And it'll be fun.
Trust and believe that Hasbro wants The Hub to work, and Discovery and Hasbro have assembled a team that will make it work. Margaret Loesch, who was an executive producer at Marvel Entertainment and worked with Hasbro with the G.I. Joe and Transformers animated series before serving as the successful head of Fox Kids from 1990 to about 1996. (you know, the good years of the block), is helming the network, so, I have nothing but confidence in The Hub.
full of hot steam
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I hope to get this channel on my Metrocast cable system by the launch date!
I wonder if they're going to do any game shows based on their Milton-Bradley board-game properties?
I wonder if they're going to do any game shows based on their Milton-Bradley board-game properties?
:) IH HI IH (:
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That's the only promo image we've seen of Transformers Prime. It's looking very much movie based, and will be animated in Japan via CG. Orci and Kurtzman are only executive producers on the show IIRC.
Here is what I like about The Hub. It cares about appealing to kids but they also come out and say that they want to grab their parents with at least a little of The Hub's programming. Nostalgia and quality can be a powerful combination if that's really what happens here.
In other words, unlike some other networks, there isn't necessarily one narrow demographic exclusively in mind. You exist if you're older than 13.
We'll see how it works in practice. But I certainly appreciate the intent.
As for Transformers, hey, give it a chance. Michael Bay isn't involved.
For all we know it'll split the difference in a cool way just like that upcoming video game, War for Cybertron.
In other words, unlike some other networks, there isn't necessarily one narrow demographic exclusively in mind. You exist if you're older than 13.
We'll see how it works in practice. But I certainly appreciate the intent.
As for Transformers, hey, give it a chance. Michael Bay isn't involved.
For all we know it'll split the difference in a cool way just like that upcoming video game, War for Cybertron.skatetodate515
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I never thought I'd say this, but I'm kind of looking forward to the new My Little Pony series. MLP isn't really cup of tea, but Lauren Faust is behind it. She's the creator of Milky Way and the Galaxy Girls, which I'd like to see on TV but that won't happen right now due to kid-vid execs' current aversion to toons with female leads, so she may be able to turn the franchise into something worth watching. Maybe in this new series, the Ponies will finally be given official names, identities and personalities rather than just being soulless indistinguishable automatons.
While that series has been announced as being based on Hasbro's "Star Wars: Galactic Heroes" toyline, it was also previously announced that it was in development with FOX.
The image Takao linked above I think is ample evidence that the show will be based on the TF movieverse. It's also another reason why TFA was canceled -- while it was an entertaining show, CN buried it on the schedule (I still believe it would have fit nicely with their Friday night action block), and it was so loosely based on the movieverse that Hasbro didn't give it enough support either. Hasbro's TFA toys were actually competing with the movie toys on the market. It's like they wanted it to die in order to have a TV show that was a direct tie-in with the movies, which is what I believe "Transformers: Prime" will be.
I really can't dismiss as corporate BS what Davis says about the development teams he's assembled and the attention given given to making an entertaining show (he even mentions that they consider the mythology to be important). I believe the show is in good hands and I'm willing to give it a shot.
"Transformers Animated" has since become one of my top 3 favorite TF series, even edging out G1 in terms of quality and entertainment value, and it delivered the kind of action scenes I'd been waiting to see in a TF series for 25 years.
I'm optimistic that Orci and Kurtzman can achieve that same level of epic action (they certainly did for the movies) with quality production and make the show fun for all ages and have enough nostalgic appeal to keep older fans watching.
Makes sense since Ouija's already in development as a feature film.
Well, it's already been announced they're giving some of their board game properties feature film treatments. Candyland, Battleship and Monopoly are in development at Universal, and Sony's developing Risk.
The image Takao linked above I think is ample evidence that the show will be based on the TF movieverse. It's also another reason why TFA was canceled -- while it was an entertaining show, CN buried it on the schedule (I still believe it would have fit nicely with their Friday night action block), and it was so loosely based on the movieverse that Hasbro didn't give it enough support either. Hasbro's TFA toys were actually competing with the movie toys on the market. It's like they wanted it to die in order to have a TV show that was a direct tie-in with the movies, which is what I believe "Transformers: Prime" will be.
I really can't dismiss as corporate BS what Davis says about the development teams he's assembled and the attention given given to making an entertaining show (he even mentions that they consider the mythology to be important). I believe the show is in good hands and I'm willing to give it a shot.
"Transformers Animated" has since become one of my top 3 favorite TF series, even edging out G1 in terms of quality and entertainment value, and it delivered the kind of action scenes I'd been waiting to see in a TF series for 25 years.
I'm optimistic that Orci and Kurtzman can achieve that same level of epic action (they certainly did for the movies) with quality production and make the show fun for all ages and have enough nostalgic appeal to keep older fans watching.
Makes sense since Ouija's already in development as a feature film.
Well, it's already been announced they're giving some of their board game properties feature film treatments. Candyland, Battleship and Monopoly are in development at Universal, and Sony's developing Risk.
Originally Posted by Moi 
Maybe in this new series, the Ponies will finally be given official names, identities and personalities rather than just being soulless indistinguishable automatons.
Yes and no. True, the Ponies did indeed have names and personalities throughout their various specials, the movie and the series, but none of them remained consistent or carried over across their various TV appearances; aside from the humans, Spike the dragon and the Moochick (sp?), the Pony cast chaged with each new adaptation. As a result, hardly anyone can recall any of their "characters" nowadays. Over 20 years later, people still know who Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Jazz, Megatron and Starscream are, but the same can't be said of the Little Ponies.
Maybe in this new series, the Ponies will finally be given official names, identities and personalities rather than just being soulless indistinguishable automatons.
Yes and no. True, the Ponies did indeed have names and personalities throughout their various specials, the movie and the series, but none of them remained consistent or carried over across their various TV appearances; aside from the humans, Spike the dragon and the Moochick (sp?), the Pony cast chaged with each new adaptation. As a result, hardly anyone can recall any of their "characters" nowadays. Over 20 years later, people still know who Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Jazz, Megatron and Starscream are, but the same can't be said of the Little Ponies.
Simply Stunning.
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Especially since Grossology has a second season of episodes that have yet to air in the U.S.
I know that this is going to be a good venture overall with both Hasbro and Discovery Communications in the mix, but what I would like to see much later on in the channel's run, if they can, is to bring together the Hasbro/Sunbow Big Four - G.I. Joe, Transformers, Jem and My Little Pony - in a daily classic 80's afternoon block.
Also, if they plan to add a new Jem series to the network, they can do the same thing where the new Jem and the Holograms series could join up with its siblings Transformers: Prime and the two new G.I. Joe and My Little Pony series coming to the Hub in an updated version of Super Sunday or Saturday.
Of course, that will be up to the network's showrunners.
Me, I wonder if Hasbro Entertainment would be interested in that, as well as a remake of Inhumanoids and Visionaries in the future.
Kenny
Also, if they plan to add a new Jem series to the network, they can do the same thing where the new Jem and the Holograms series could join up with its siblings Transformers: Prime and the two new G.I. Joe and My Little Pony series coming to the Hub in an updated version of Super Sunday or Saturday.
Of course, that will be up to the network's showrunners.
Me, I wonder if Hasbro Entertainment would be interested in that, as well as a remake of Inhumanoids and Visionaries in the future.
Kenny
No, neither Hasbro nor CN never truly supported the show from the beginning or they wouldn't have given it such a gosh-awful timeslot and then kept moving it around. But it was always on only early AM.
Seriously, did CN and Hasbro actually expect kids to get up early on a Saturday or weekday morning to watch? That went out with the 90s.
And fans had been hearing rumors of cancellation even before the show got a third season. And even when the third season was announced, there was word from the animators and cast that it would be the last.
The toys also weren't selling -- not just from lagging retail sales, but I believe it was directly related to Hasbro raising the price nearly 50% on the entire toyline. The "deluxe" scale went from $8 to $12, and Leader Class were jacked almost $10 over their normal retail prices.
Without a proper timeslot and better support from both CN and Hasbro, TFA never really had a chance.
The Hasbro/Discovery partnership was just the final nail on the coffin.
Seriously, did CN and Hasbro actually expect kids to get up early on a Saturday or weekday morning to watch? That went out with the 90s.
And fans had been hearing rumors of cancellation even before the show got a third season. And even when the third season was announced, there was word from the animators and cast that it would be the last.
The toys also weren't selling -- not just from lagging retail sales, but I believe it was directly related to Hasbro raising the price nearly 50% on the entire toyline. The "deluxe" scale went from $8 to $12, and Leader Class were jacked almost $10 over their normal retail prices.
Without a proper timeslot and better support from both CN and Hasbro, TFA never really had a chance.
The Hasbro/Discovery partnership was just the final nail on the coffin.