Family of Heroes 

Synopsis: In deep space, Optimus Prime's message for the Autobots to join him is received aboard a capsule. It sets course for his coordinates. Upon landing, its occupants, Rescue Force Sigma 17, encounter Optimus Prime. He tells them much has changed in the time they've been in stasis. Each of the four members (Heatwave, Chase, Boulder and Blades) are assigned to perform rescue duties in the town of Griffin Rock, a testing ground for new technology. They are to pretend to be inanimate rescue vehicles (fire engine, police car, bulldozer and rescue helicopter) to the Burns family (Police Chief Charlie Burns and his children, Cade, Graham and Dani), each of whom is a rescue team member. His youngest son, Cody, is still a boy but he wants to be able to live up to the rest of the family's reputation. He is the first to deduce that the robot vehicles are actually alive. The Rescue bots help the family stop a fire and later a rogue dinosaur robot that runs amok. By show's end, Heatwave reveals to the family that they are sentient alien life forms (much to their surprise). Also, Cody is welcomed on to the team as their dispatcher.


Under Pressure

Synopsis: The Rescue bots and Burns family have some trouble working together as a team. Cody tries to get them all to get to know one another but his efforts fail. The team are called to stop a devastating fire and later learn it is the result of a man made volcano that is connected to the Earth's core. The team have to pull together to stop the volcano from burning Heatwave and Cade (who get trapped in an underground tunnel by the lava flow) and prevent the island from being destroyed. In the end, everyone begins to appreciate their partners for their respective strengths.




Comments: Rescue Bots is aimed at the younger audience but I was surprised to find the show is not badly written, all things considered (I'm used to kids shows like this condescending to their audience but was pleased to find that was not the case with this show). I don't know that I'll try to catch every episode or anything but what I saw was well animated (2D cel animation with 3D cgi enhancements).
   Apparently, the show shares a continuity with Prime. Optimus Prime is present (in cameos) but no Decepticons are (or that we see, anyway, since they're not the focus of the show). The show is there to teach children about family and forging good relationships with one another, not on the melodrama of war--and that's okay. Rescue Bots will also be a great "gateway drug" for the young ones. Once they get a little older they can move on to Prime.  I also think it's cool that this is the first time we've ever had two Transformers cartoons on simultaneously (even if they serve different functions ultimately).

Verdict: Good. Worth showing to your kids--or even watching yourself, if you have nothing better to do.