On the first day at their new school, Robbie and Mo struggle to fit in, Twitch and Thrash struggle with separation anxiety and everyone discovers something extraordinary about the Terrans.

The discovery of a second Cybertronian cave, with an arachnabot sigil suggests there’s much more to Mandroid than we’ve seen so far. Plus the idea that the Terrans recharge from the cave water is a nice evolution of the concept, and sets them up as something new. The script also neatly expresses the value of difference. The bots don’t have to go to school, the kids don’t have to recharge. They’re still family. Plus Daran Norris as Mr Smelt, their new drama teacher looks set to be a welcome comedic foil for a lot of the upcoming school plots.

But for all the anxiety school causes its family that is the focus here and it’s so sweetly handled. The anxiety the kids feel, all four of them, is founded in reality but given a welcome science fictional twist. The growing anxiety of their parents, and adoptive yellow Cybertronian older brother is honestly depicted and used as an axis to turn the episode around. The Terrans aren’t Cybertronian. They’re something very different and the implications of them being recharged by water are fascinating. Not to mention why are there so many Cybertronian caves around Witwicky? And how many more Terrans are there? Big lore questions and arc plot elements, all focused and handled deftly through the lens of friends and family.

Verdict: Another clever, kind and witty combination of new and old this is another winner in a strong series. 8/10

Alasdair Stuart