RID 2001 Predacons

Robot Modes: Three relatively small robots, these three Predacons are nevertheless very posable and finely detailed. The balljoints give them a high degree of flexibility, occasionally they lack stability, but in general they are nicely made. As for their looks, well, you can't really mistake them for heroes. Slapper especially has a kind of Igor-like look to him. My personal favourite here is Gas Skunk, but all three make for nice villains. My only complaint: No handheld weapons (except for Darkscream's sword).

Beast Modes: All three transform into more-or-less realistic looking beasts. Again, my favourite is Gas Skunk, who becomes a very realistic-looking skunk (who'd have guessed?) and I don't particularly like the whatever-it-is that Slapper transforms into. Darkscream's flying squirrel mode is a bit strange, but looks decent enough.

Remarks: A TV series with very strong humour elements like RID needs the stereotypical incompenent bad guys, who trip over themselves more often than not. The three Predacons who fill this role are Gasskunk, Slapper, and Darkscream. All three are repaints of Beast Wars Transmetal toys (TM2 Spittor, Nightglider and Stinkbomb). When I first heard the name Darkscream I thought that this might be RID's version of Starscream, but that notion was quickly banished.

Still, the three of them make nice toys and their roles in the cartoon, while ridiculous, provided some good laughs (like the time they were to dress up as Autobots for a scam and all came as Optimus Prime).

Rating: C+

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