Ben 10 (New Series)

The new Ben 10 reboot aired internationally. Here are the first two episodes.

Interesting that they started off with Hex. Given the ending of the episode, I think they're setting up Charmcaster's debut when she inevitably buys the spell book, which Gwen will then obtain. Maybe they'll even make an arc of it, which would be cool since we never had a magic arc in the past shows.

edited 3rd Oct '16 1:27:48 PM by Isaac_Heller

Finally watched the first two episodes. I wish the show wasn't split up into segments but what we got was okay; the second one moreso than the first. It's kind of strange that they aren't starting directly from the beginning though since this is meant to be a reboot and they can't expect their target audience to be familiar with the original. I'm guessing we're supposed to assume everything happened as it did in the original unless it contradicts episodes of this show? Would certainly explain why the know Hex already.

I haven't watched since early on in Alien Force but since this is a reboot hopefully it'll be better than the previous series. Sucks that it won't air in America until next year though.

edited 4th Oct '16 12:52:13 PM by Chariot

I guess CN doesn't feel like doing 22 minute episodes anymore. The episodes are ok, I guess. I really don't have much to say. At least Gwen seems much less annoying in here than the original show. I'm surprised that Max and Gwen don't have their original voices, but Ben still has Tara Strong doing the voice.

It looks like they're going for a lighter and sillier tone, but wasn't that already done in Omniverse? At least Ben isn't worse than a complete moron in this case.

Honestly it's kinda bland and lifeless. It's hard to comment much about it.

Intro is very bland in audio and video. Title cards look like home made.

I'm getting used to designs,with Hex looking best and Max looking worst. Voices are very bland though and actors don't seem to put lot of effort. BTW Upgrade is no longer voiced by Tara Strong based on trailers.

Animation is ok, fights look ok, no complains.

Max is generic, but kids are less bratty, with Ben being less stupid and Gwen less perfect, but they still have some personality, so that's a plus I guess.

The Fillth was kinda plotless. Lame villains steal the car, Ben does some Looney Tunes stuff to fill them, then plan makes no sense but we just shrug it off (Compared to Gone Fishing where Ben's reaction to villain's plan was episode sole saving grace) and we're done. I only got unintentional laugh from it, because one line "I''m really not looking forward to this" was used in trailers to hype reboot - they just cut out "not".

Freaky Gwen Ben was a smudge better, but plot was bare bones copy of original. They didn't really do much with kids swapping bodies other then having Gwen use watch and every plot point they actually did was forced and rushed. Grandpa says they should walk in each other shoes cause. Gwen complain about Ben's use of alien cause. Hex switches them cause. Ben taking gloves because he still wanted powers could be interesting but again rushed. The two lose just like Ben lost and Gwen moans cause. Ben suggest help Gwen, literally like he did seconds ago. And resolution might be clever (if you're willing to buy that Upgrade works on artifacts) but it's super rushed and makes the most ant-climatic explosion. And then Ben and Gwen learn....something, I dunno.

Side notes: - I don't like how they don't start completely clean. Reboots shouldn't expect from people to know old stuff. At least Powerpuff reboot can pretend to be continuation of old show. Then again, episode would barely change if this was first time Ben meets Hex. - You know what I don't see much, judging by screenshots and trailers? Ben fighting aliens. - I find it amusing that Diamondhead and Cannonbolt are also Sonic and Knuckles or Captain America and Thor.

I'm guessing we're supposed to assume everything happened as it did in the original unless it contradicts episodes of this show?

Pretty much. A clip from a future episode shows them meeting Zombozo for the first time, so "The Last Laugh" is retconned but presumably "Lucky Girl" is not.

Few more episodes showed up (Waterfilter and Ring Leader) and show continues to be super-bland, but here's few random thoughts.

- Apparently Ben turns into Overflow for the first time here, and Heatblast is suppose to be "classic"? Is this show pretending it's not reboot or something?

- I have the same complains as with body switch episode. They introduce the concept (Gwen acts as filter for Ben's ideas) and then do nothing with it, since Gwen only gets to do it once and just like in that episode, she immediately declared herself inferior, despite Ben doing no better before. End of episode tried to say they both had a point, but it was messy.

- I guess few scenes did gave me some slight chuckles. Most of humor was barely registrable, though.

- I guess it's cool that writers aren't afraid of ugly visuals like Ben cutting monster tongue, but the fact that monsters talked was really weird. Also, what did they do with them? Last we see the freaks, Max puts them in cage and that's it.

- Names in this show are terrible. Hydromander? Chrushster?

- Another unintentional funny: Grandpa randomly rants that being a wrestler in real life in different then in game and then immediately goes to bed as if to say "Plot is set, my part is done, see ya later chumps."

- I'm slightly interested in episode "Brief Career of Lucky Girl".

edited 8th Oct '16 2:27:15 PM by Sunchet

Wait. I thought it was already established that there were several parallel universes in the Ben 10 series?

Wow, it's just like what Ben 10 would be if it totally sucked.

Yeah, so perhaps this is alternative reality to main one. Don't know what it changes.

You know, I think I know what I'm looking at now. Stupid villains, bad writing, simple animation....I think I will call this reboot Super Alien Hero Buddy Adventures.

My thoughts exactly, though the main series wasn't much either.

Dang, can't wait to watch this new show now, it's gotten such a great early reception. After the new Powerpuff Girls and Teen Titans Go I'm sure everyone's positive reviews of the first few episodes won't be completely far-fetched.

Translation: Avoid this like the plague

-watches first episode-

Okay. Bleh.

Seems like they did this on the cheap. This is a downgrade from Omniverse, which itself was a downgrade from Ultimate Alien. They kept Tara Strong but Max and Gwen are different. Ben is a little smarter this time around, but wittier in the original show.

Though I did chuckle at Gwen's "karma - collected!" fist pump, and Ben's breakdown of how ridiculous the villain's plan was.

Yeah, avoiding this. Pretty much did that with Omniverse. Maybe it'll get better later on like the original did but I'm not a fan of this art style.

-sigh- Or not, I guess I'll keep watching until we see how they've screwed with Vilgax's design this time. Maybe he'll go back to being the Darth Vader/Krampus lovechild he used to be for a change of pace.

edited 9th Oct '16 8:52:08 AM by Soble

Okay, saw the first episode, and... "Meh". It doesn't really irritates me as much as Omniverse did, but it doesn't impress me either. The villains were pretty lame and out of place in Ben 10, Ben is once again turned into a Butt-Monkey much to my dismay, and, as for the rest.... well, pretty much agree with Sunchet above. It's not really horrible, but I don't think it's for me.

Though I would REALLY like them to stop trying to say using superpowers for simple tasks is somehow irresponsible. I mean, yeah, we get it, powers should be used to help people first, and using them to cheat in some situations is wrong, but... seriously? How is using them for chores going to be a lack of responsibility?

When you think about it it actually seems like it'd help them hone their powers.

Well I like that Ben and Gwen seem to be on better terms in this series at least

That's definitely something I like in this show. In the original, their arguments often became annoying and repetitive. Ben would be reasonably punished if he did something stupid, but Gwen acted self-righteous without any comeuppance. And they both never seemed to grow closer despite spending a summer together.

As someone who didn't have a pleasant relationship with their sibling, I didn't find Ben and Gwen's bickering all that annoying.

And they did get closer - Secret of the Omnitrix says hello.

@Ethera: Exactly. It's especially jarring when you take in account the fact that both Superman (the poster guy for the boy scout perfect superhero) and Spider-Man (the Trope Namer for Comes Great Responsibility) both actively use their powers for mundane tasks and to help them on their job. Superman uses his super-speed to type his newspaper articles faster and get to work/places for big scoop in time. Spider-Man made an entire job of taking advantage on the fact he is Spider-Man to sell unique pictures of himself to Jameson. And yet, somehow Ben using his powers to do chores faster is "irresponsable".

Yeah, I argue with my brother all the time as well (ironically this has mostly started when he became a teenager; I got along with him just fine when he was a little kid), so I don't think it's unrealistic. The problem is, siblings arguing has kinda become a cliché by now and people are sick about it. As Sunchet once said on a different thread, there is a reason Gravity Falls got praised for portrayed siblings who actually got along. In addition, there is a fact Gwen REALLY was irritatingly self-righteous in the Original Show, and the writers would always go on their way to portray her as perfect and in the right. Episodes like Gwen 10 or that video game episode, for example, were frankly irritating for how the plot did everything to make Ben look like a loser and Gwen like the best human being ever. This was borderline mary-sue-level of annoying.

edited 10th Oct '16 8:54:52 AM by Theokal3

I haven't watched this new series (and don't really plan to), but is that arbitrary timer for the Omnitrix from the first one still used?

Because if so, you could argue that it's irresponsible for Ben to be using it for mundane stuff when it might time out when he needs to use it for hero stuff.

edited 10th Oct '16 8:53:42 AM by Karxrida

I dunno, I feel like if I had the ability to transform into a Machamp and used that ability to trivialize doing things like moving haybales or firewood, my dad would probably be annoyed with me too.

So....not a good first impression, I take it? (I haven't seen the episodes yet, but going by your reactions...)

This was excuse used by Max in one trailer, actually. Makes sense, actually.

I'm kinda hoping that people will appreciate Omniverse more now. Because so far, this show did literally nothing to justify it's existence. It has no good art, fight scenes, characterization, humor, plot or even pacing. Removal of some elements might be welcome, but not a single addition proved to be popular with anyone. Heck, they barely have their own ideas - literally even plot so far is at least a bit similar to classic Ben. (Ben fight sea monster/ Four Arms wrestler/ Bad guys steal Rustbucket/ Sorcerer body-switches Ben and Gwen) It's empty, tasteless, neutered. Omniverse at least had any value and it's own identity. Annoying it was, but it was there. Change from OV to Reboot is like watching wayward princess after visiting St. Olga's Reform School.

About Ben and Gwen being chummy...I admit, I appreciate it, though I have my worries. On one hand, it's very early judgment to make and I don't know how I would handle this show if it was boring and annoying...but Gwen seems a bit blander now. She no longer snarks, she doesn't do anything geeky...She just seems to be smarter Ben. Well, let's say less impulsive Ben - she still needs to prove she's actually smart.

On related note, I now kinda think that Alien Force hurt Gwen my having her grow out of making snarky comments in favor of having Kevin be main comic relief. I know that in OS her sarcasm was almost never funny, but AF had better humor, they could make it work.

Edited by Sunchet on Jul 1st 2020 at 6:46:45 PM

, Also, I don't think "realistic=good" when it comes to storytelling. I'm sure that there are worse arguments or relationships between siblings or cousins, but that doesn't mean they'll be enjoyable to watch. Being loud and annoying are already too much.

Gwen was also pretty annoying as Lucky Girl (what a lame name, btw. I know she's 10, but it's still lame), at least in her debut episode. She goes on about how Ben is a show-off, but she later becomes one herself, and nothing is done about that.

I don't remember much about Secret of the Omnitrix, at least when it comes to the relationships. Ben would feel upset about Gwen being dead, but that's because he doesn't hate her anyways. I suppose there's also Gwen saying that Ben is selfish and only likes being a hero because it's fun, but the second episode already deals with the latter. And Ben is selfish at times such as sneaking around in a hotel they were checking in at to play Sumo Slammers, but he's always made active attempts to help other people (or at least Gwen and Grandpa Max) when they need it. He even considered ditching his grandpa after the latter was injured from an attack by a robot meant for Ben.

It's also interesting that Gravity Falls was mentioned because the designs for the reboot remind me of that. I haven't seen much of Gravity Falls, though.

I haven't seen too much of Omniverse, but I lost interest around the episode Ben meets up with Julie again. Their break-up, and I use that term loosely, is one of the stupidest things I've ever seen on television. Anyone who's a little familiar with that scene doesn't need much explanation.

Ben never matured, either. It was stupid to make him immature again in AF mostly because it went too far at first, but apparently Ben being unreasonably dumb was more appealing. I also heard about Kai reappearing and apparently being Ben's girlfriend, and I checked out some of those episodes just to see how it was handled, and I can't say I liked them. In one episode, Ben goes out on a date with Ester, his new girlfriend in OV and who doesn't do much, and his comments about visiting a museum are also some of the stupidest things I've ever heard. Apparently, he never heard of an art museum.

I do think the reboot is a little better OV and maybe the original, but that's not much of a compliment.

edited 10th Oct '16 3:57:22 PM by TheBiggestLoser

@Sunchet: I hate Omniverse with every fiber of my being, but.... you are right. As obnoxious and annoying as it was, Omniverse at least brought its own unique elements. Only thing this reboot seems to have done so far is doing everything the Original Series did, only less good.

@ The Biggest Loser: Agreed. Regardless of how you feel about Julie, her breaking up with Ben was one of the stupidest break up I have seen in fiction since One More Day. And God, was Ben's stupidity annoying in this show!

Sigh... was this fucking franchise ever legit good to begin with??? I need to ask - the concept may have sounded awesome on paper - in practice, it's both nothing special nor spectacular, or worse... meh. At least, IMHO.

Also, I hear people want Generator Rex brought back - another show that also wasn't truly popular or noteworthy to begin with over this.

Seriously, maybe it's time CN stop all these reboots - they're a waste of time, money, effort, and they make just about all of us Americans who do this (for a living, of course.) look bad (if not worse) at this medium (than we're usually perceived... UGH.).

Sorry, but this all comes off so frustrating to me.