In the sleepy town of Witwicky, the Malto family are struggling to settle in. Dot (Benni Latham) is an Army veteran turned park ranger. Her husband Alex (Jon Jon Briones) is a Cybertronian history lecturer and her two children Robby (Sydney Mikayla) and Mo (Zion Broadnax) are BORED. Until the robot spiders, secret Transformer history and evil plans arrive, of course.

‘Secret Legacy’ is pretty much the platonic ideal of how to write a pilot, set up a premise and tell stories that the 21st century needs to hear. Across the two episodes Nicole Dubuc (who also shows up later in the season in voice roles) and Dale Malinkowski acknowledge Transformer history and build on it. Transformers comics play a vital role, a flashback is beautifully rendered like the 80s cartoon and both Dot and Alex have grown up in a world that’s home to two sentient species. It’s wickedly smart worldbuilding that does the near impossible and ensures that older fans are served by a very new take on the story. Every choice is smart and I particularly liked the fact that Cybertronians are just part of life on Earth now.

That sense of history empowers the shower to make its boldest choices too. Dot is a veteran, and it’s interesting and welcome to see a kids’ show explore that. Her dynamic with Alex is lovely too and Latham and Briones are both massively impressive as a very modern couple in very modern times. Mikayla and Broadnax are also great and they’re written as kids. Nothing here feels false or forced, and while there’s a little action movie logic in some spots, no one ever becomes an idiot to make it happen. The show has underlying themes of found family and inclusiveness and it just hums with a deep-seated kindness that’s welcome and tied to that very history. The core premise is that ‘Terrans’ are being activated, Transformers born on Earth. The first two are Thrash (Zeno Robinson) and Twitch (Kathreen Khavari). Bonded to the kids, the two Terrans are instantly likable, especially Twitch’s preppy competitiveness and Thrash’s almost stream of consciousness humour. They’re brand new arrivals, just like the kids and the bond between them is instantly the heart of the show.

That boldness extends all the way through the show and speaks to its deep understanding of its subject matter. Alan Tudyk’s Optimus Prime is clearly the classic character but has a likable, slightly confused air that speaks as much to Clark Kent as the artist formerly known as Orion Pax. Best of all, Rory McCann is having an absolute blast as Megatron. The Decepticon’s infamous leader is recast here as a reformed berserker fighting side by side with his old enemy. He and Dot are former squad mates and the final action scene hinges on the pair of them working off old patterns. It’s also, like the rest of the episode, really well choreographed. There’s a great tracking shot of Dot running through a warzone with Prime and Megatron running interference that’s especially good fun. It’s far from the only high spot either, and Cissy Jones’ Elita-1 beating the hell out of Swindle and Hardtop (both voiced by Nolan North!) in the opening scene is huge fun as well, especially the way the fighters use elements of their alt-modes to gain the upper hand. This show is smart, and it’s not just smart for old fans.

Verdict: Earthspark is inclusive, diverse, kind and has giant robots punching each other. The cast are great, it looks great, it’s funny and it’s a hell of a start for the new series. If you’re a fan you’ll love it. If you’re not, this is the perfect time to try the franchise out. 9/10

Alasdair Stuart