Gripes about "Ben 10: Alien Force"

[kriegerg69]

I haven't been able to really follow all the posts about "Alien Force", but figured my own thread with my nitpicks my help answer some questions I have and allow other to air theirs. As someone who's turning 48 shortly, I enjoyed the original Ben 10 series, but not Alien Force. I've only seen a few of the new series episodes, and I just don't like it because:

1. From the first episode this simply came across to me as a cross between the old tv series "The Fugitive" and....well, X-Men. Not very original, IMHO.

2. I can understand the producers wanting to take this series and the main characters in a new and different direction, but many of the changes are so drastic that....for me, anyway....it destroys how things and characters were in the original series.

3. Lots of unexplained changes in the new series, like how the heck did Kevin get freed from the Null Void? How did Kevin lose his mutant shape (after absorbing the 10 aliens from the Omnitrix) and suddenly he now has different absorption abilities, and can be human-looking until he wants to change? Why is he suddenly now a nice guy (did time served in the prison of the Null Void change him?), and he's now got a thing for Gwen....was he always attracted to her?

4. Why is Ben now able to remove the Omnitrix if he wants to? When and how was this explained? Shouldn't all of these changes been able to have been explained in the original series? Isn't the name "Ben 10" (and the 10 on his shirt) pointless, since he now can obviously become more than 10 aliens? Ben stated in the first series that he named each alien as he discovered them in the Omnitrix.....but in "Alien Force" he seems to automatically know what each one is called.....he simply shouts out the name when he becomes one (shades of the old Superman radio series when Clark Kent would say "This is a job for Superman!!").

5.The Forever Knights stink now....they were villains in the original series (explained by Max as exploiters of alien technology, while the Plumbers were protectors of such)....and now the Knights are good guys all of a sudden? I don't buy that....they're just nice guys in knight suits. Not at all interesting as they were in the first series.

6. Too many repeats too quickly.....the dragon episode of "Alien Force" was just on for about the fifth time this week. Cartoon Network repeats too many episodes too often, and the result is burnout.

7. Gwen's "magic" is now explained as being energy manipulations from her extra-terrestrial ancestry? Well, I suppose that's an interesting explanation....but I much preferred in the old series as having her powers actually being magic that she has learned. Much more fascinating, and a nice contrast to all the alien goings-on around her. Explaining her powers the way they have in the new show makes her much less special....just another alien, as it were.

Sorry, but IMHO the new show simply sucks. :raven2:

[MasterofRoku]

3. Lots of unexplained changes in the new series, like how the heck did Kevin get freed from the Null Void? How did Kevin lose his mutant shape (after absorbing the 10 aliens from the Omnitrix) and suddenly he now has different absorption abilities, and can be human-looking until he wants to change? Why is he suddenly now a nice guy (did time served in the prison of the Null Void change him?), and he's now got a thing for Gwen....was he always attracted to her?

1. The only plausible theory on Kevin escaped the null void was through a portal, it's how Vilgax escaped and came for Ben in Secret of the Omnitrix.

2. As Kevin grows older, the mutated form [and the alien powers from the omnitrix] slowly disappear and he be more human. Since he's been trapped in the null void for 5 years, it wouldn't be weird to see him normal looking. The new absorbtion abilities taht Kevin has were probably devleoped when he was trapped in the void.

3. The reason why Kevin is acting firendly with Ben & Gwen is because he felt he owed "Magister", the alien plumber in the first two episodes, for saving his life when he almost getting killed in a scuffle with Forever Knights.

4. I dunno about the last one.

[PC!]

I'm not a huge fan of Alien Force, myself, but it keeps me entertained.

When it comes to several of your gripes about unanswered plot points, I believe they said at Comic-Con that several of them will be answered next season.

As for me, I only have three big complaints when it comes to this show:

1. How mind-numbingly boring the characters are. When you like the jerk of the show better than all the other characters, you know the writers are doing something wrong. People hated Ben and Gwen bickering in the original series, but at least in the original series they had personality. Now, they're just dull, flat, boring characters with no personality traits to make them stand out.

2. Okay, maybe this one isn't really big, but who the heck was in charge of Gwen's redesign? If you're going to redesign a character, at least make her look SOMETHING like she did in the original show. Gwen looks like a completely new character.

3. The aliens. Swampfire. A swamp/fire monster. Seriously, what? That's a stupid combination. Humungosaur. A big dinosaur thing. Yeah, that's really interesting. Spidermonkey. A...four-armed monkey. The original series had Diamondhead, Heatblast, Ghostfreak, Greymatter, Cannonbolt...in fact, I think the only alien I didn't like in the original series was Wildvine. The only aliens I like in Alien Force are Chromastone and Big Chill.

...okay, one more tiny complaint: why's it always friggin' nighttime?!

[Mad Mod 49]

Agreed with PC2. It's an entertaining show, but it needs to get in gear in the second season and fix all those flaws.

One to add to the list (one that I've harped on before) is the villains. None except Mike Morningstar are interesting or pose a real threat. The DNAliens are generic monster-baddies, the Highbreed an advanced version of that, and all the rest are either one-shots or not-really-evil (the Forever Knights are big offenders, as they USED to be quite formidable.)

Compare that to Vilgax, (evil) Kevin, Ghostfreak, Hex and Charmcaster, and even Dr. freaking ANIMO. This show needs better villains.

[Paul_Cousins]

I'm not a huge fan of Alien Force, myself, but it keeps me entertained.

When it comes to several of your gripes about unanswered plot points, I believe they said at Comic-Con that several of them will be answered next season.

As for me, I only have three big complaints when it comes to this show:

1. How mind-numbingly boring the characters are. When you like the jerk of the show better than all the other characters, you know the writers are doing something wrong. People hated Ben and Gwen bickering in the original series, but at least in the original series they had personality. Now, they're just dull, flat, boring characters with no personality traits to make them stand out.

2. Okay, maybe this one isn't really big, but who the heck was in charge of Gwen's redesign? If you're going to redesign a character, at least make her look SOMETHING like she did in the original show. Gwen looks like a completely new character.

3. The aliens. Swampfire. A swamp/fire monster. Seriously, what? That's a stupid combination. Humungosaur. A big dinosaur thing. Yeah, that's really interesting. Spidermonkey. A...four-armed monkey. The original series had Diamondhead, Heatblast, Ghostfreak, Greymatter, Cannonbolt...in fact, I think the only alien I didn't like in the original series was Wildvine. The only aliens I like in Alien Force are Chromastone and Big Chill.

...okay, one more tiny complaint: why's it always friggin' nighttime?!1. Most people like the fact that Ben and Gwen have grown up some.

2. Ok, she's a touch skinnier than I like, but I like her personality, the fact she can hold her own in battle, and is not a "token girl".

3. Ever heard of swampgas? It's flamible. So the name Swampfire works.

Spidermondey is a play on it's own name.

[Malykoth]

I loves to gripe, yes I do...

1. The name-yelling thing (and the generic, 'expanding chest x-ray' transformation)...minor points, to be sure, but really lame.

2. The characters are boring. I understand that Ben has 'matured', but does that mean he has to be THIS dull? Sounds like lazy writing, if they think mature = no personality. I'm not saying I want him to still be such a jerk (and let's face it, younger Ben could be a real jerk at times), but still...

3. The whole thing with Kevin's 'new' powers...what's up with that? I can understand his liking Gwen now, though. Lots of kids at that age start to develope shall we say romantic feelings that they might not have had just a few short years ago. The hormones are strong in this one...

4. The bad, bad writing. So far, only "Paradox" was (IMO) a decent episode from a concept and plot standpoint. The other ones are filled with poor writing. For example, why do cops NEVER show up? Even in the face of massive explosions and property damage in the millions? And why did Gwen or Ben NEVER think to ask their parents or Max about his wife/Verdona before? Did it just slip both their minds that they're supposed to have two grandmothers? Why don't they try to contact any of the old Plumbers they know about, or even the Special Alien Capture Team...or even the freakin' Galactic Enforcers?

5. "Oh, and Granny Verdona...would you mind helping us avenge Max's death and save the world? No? Selfish old biddy..."

6. DNAliens...snore...


I do actually like some of it though. While I liked many of the old alien forms, a few of the new ones are pretty good. I really like Big Chill (as many seem to do), and Echo Echo, Swampfire and Spidermonkey are pretty good...at least in my opinion. 'Goop' sucks...made of slime, fail and two tin plates.

[CartoonOverlord]

The biggest problem with the show is that the main characters are so horribly bland and boring. You know there's a problem when a minor character like Paradox is more intresting and entertaining than the the three mains.

[buttah]

The show just isn't fun anymore and neither are the characters cept Kevin

[Mad Mod 49]

2. The characters are boring. I understand that Ben has 'matured', but does that mean he has to be THIS dull? Sounds like lazy writing, if they think mature = no personality. I'm not saying I want him to still be such a jerk (and let's face it, younger Ben could be a real jerk at times), but still...

Kinda reminds me of Ash Ketchum from Pokemon. Maturity definitely equalled to no personality for him. Now Ben's becoming just as boring and Gwen's not all that much either.

The show just isn't fun anymore and neither are the characters cept Kevin

Yeah, aside from the weirdness of his change to good and crush on Gwen, Kevin's been the most interesting and enjoyable main character for me. Like Grandpa Max was in the original Ben 10. It's sad that Ben and Gwen still haven't lived up to their potential. :sad:

[Martianinvader]

When it comes to several of your gripes about unanswered plot points, I believe they said at Comic-Con that several of them will be answered next season.
Was Man of Action there? Did he look like this? (http://torquesmacky.deviantart.com/art/Man-of-Action-70995164)

[warnerbroman]

for a second I thought this thread was about an interview with Greg Cripes

[Blackstar]

for a second I thought this thread was about an interview with Greg Cripes

It's Cipes, actually. No 'r'.

[Silverstar]

I was never a huge Ben 10 fan to start with, but I have to jump on the bandwagon here and say that I preferred the original Ben to Alien Force.

I get that they wanted to progress the series in a darker, more mature direction, but as soon as they killed off Grandpa Max and made Ben and Gwen older, they sucked all the charm and likability out of the characters in the process. Now that Gwen and Ben aren't 10-year-old kids anymore, they've completely lost all of their personality and charm. Now they're just bland, generic teen heroes.

Also, the original 10 alien forms were the coolest in my book; many of these new ones just seem like add-ons or copies of the original 10. Plus, given Ben too many different alien forms to choose from seems too much like crossing him over into Gary Stu territory.

The only thing I really like about Alien Force is the revamping of Gwen's magic. Yeah, I know it's just pink Green Lantern energy, but I like this idea more than her having to rely on charms.

[Malykoth]

My haiku:

"Man of Action" fails.
Boring fifteen-year-olds lack
Personality.

[Mickialla]

3. The aliens. Swampfire. A swamp/fire monster. Seriously, what? That's a stupid combination. Humungosaur. A big dinosaur thing. Yeah, that's really interesting. Spidermonkey. A...four-armed monkey. The original series had Diamondhead, Heatblast, Ghostfreak, Greymatter, Cannonbolt...in fact, I think the only alien I didn't like in the original series was Wildvine. The only aliens I like in Alien Force are Chromastone and Big Chill.

...okay, one more tiny complaint: why's it always friggin' nighttime?!

No offense, but I want you to list 10 completely new alien ideas that are nothing like the original series ones. Most of the more major and more common superpowers were all used in the original series. When it comes to superpowers, the first elements that come to mind are easy. You think of fire, super-speed, shrinking, the works. I agree, I do have some better ideas that they could've used, but I doubt I'd have enough for 10 completely new aliens.

As for it always being nighttime, one thing a lot of people forget when they watch Alien Force is that they think the trio is off traveling by themselves all across the nation, not seeing their families and not going to school. Wrong. Ben, Gwen, and Kevin are all home during the day. I don't know where Kevin stays, but I remember him saying once "This place looks like my house after that party last week" or something like that. They do still go to school, which explains why they only go on their little escapades during the night. But that is actually a big flaw within the series. We don't see enough of their actual lives, we only see them wondering around for hours at night. When do these kids even get any sleep?? Do their parents know that they're leaving in the middle of the night, usually leaving town to go to god knows where??

All in all, Alien Force isnt' the best action show compared to some others. I remember watching the series finale of Avatar, then flipping over to Alien Force and seeing the contrast in quality when it comes to not only the action sequences, but the art, the character's feelings, development, and emotions, and the background music (which is really good for Avatar IMO). But the idea is really good; they haven't expanded on it enough as of yet for me to get really into it. They got some kinks to work out when it comes to continuity and of course, characterization, but hopefully we'll be seeing improvement In seasons 2 and 3.

[Light Lucario]

I haven't been able to really follow all the posts about "Alien Force", but figured my own thread with my nitpicks my help answer some questions I have and allow other to air theirs. As someone who's turning 48 shortly, I enjoyed the original Ben 10 series, but not Alien Force. I've only seen a few of the new series episodes, and I just don't like it because:

1. From the first episode this simply came across to me as a cross between the old tv series "The Fugitive" and....well, X-Men. Not very original, IMHO.

2. I can understand the producers wanting to take this series and the main characters in a new and different direction, but many of the changes are so drastic that....for me, anyway....it destroys how things and characters were in the original series.

3. Lots of unexplained changes in the new series, like how the heck did Kevin get freed from the Null Void? How did Kevin lose his mutant shape (after absorbing the 10 aliens from the Omnitrix) and suddenly he now has different absorption abilities, and can be human-looking until he wants to change? Why is he suddenly now a nice guy (did time served in the prison of the Null Void change him?), and he's now got a thing for Gwen....was he always attracted to her?

4. Why is Ben now able to remove the Omnitrix if he wants to? When and how was this explained? Shouldn't all of these changes been able to have been explained in the original series? Isn't the name "Ben 10" (and the 10 on his shirt) pointless, since he now can obviously become more than 10 aliens? Ben stated in the first series that he named each alien as he discovered them in the Omnitrix.....but in "Alien Force" he seems to automatically know what each one is called.....he simply shouts out the name when he becomes one (shades of the old Superman radio series when Clark Kent would say "This is a job for Superman!!").

5.The Forever Knights stink now....they were villains in the original series (explained by Max as exploiters of alien technology, while the Plumbers were protectors of such)....and now the Knights are good guys all of a sudden? I don't buy that....they're just nice guys in knight suits. Not at all interesting as they were in the first series.

6. Too many repeats too quickly.....the dragon episode of "Alien Force" was just on for about the fifth time this week. Cartoon Network repeats too many episodes too often, and the result is burnout.

7. Gwen's "magic" is now explained as being energy manipulations from her extra-terrestrial ancestry? Well, I suppose that's an interesting explanation....but I much preferred in the old series as having her powers actually being magic that she has learned. Much more fascinating, and a nice contrast to all the alien goings-on around her. Explaining her powers the way they have in the new show makes her much less special....just another alien, as it were.

Sorry, but IMHO the new show simply sucks. :raven2:

The majority of your points were kind of brought up at Comic-Con and from the sound of things, they'll be explained in the next season. As for how much they've been repeated, I would blame that more on CN than on the show itself since they're the ones in charage of when their shows air.

In all honesty, I never really enjoyed much of Ben 10. I caught some episodes now and then and I've been watching some repeats during the weekdays for the heck of it, but I have to admit that I prefer Alien Force over Ben 10. From what I've seen, Ben and Gwen constantly fighting with each other and Ben using the power of the Omnitrix for his own enjoyment, even after he understood what it really was, really bothered me. I liked how Ben and Gwen have matured and aren't arguing like that any more. I do agree that they can be boring at times, and the names of Ben's new aliens can sound kind of lame too at times, but it is just starting out. I do like Kevin the most out of the three mainly for his tough attitude and his humor.

Alien Force does have some work to do in improvement, especially since they've only had two great episodes, which were What Little Girls Are Made Of and Paradox. Still, I think that it is a pretty decent action show. I think that the writers have some great potential with different storylines in this series and their comments from Comic-Con sounds like they're heading in that direction. So hopefully, the series will improve with these storylines and explaining past events, such as Kevin and his new powers.

[Scirel]

I`ll take anything over the original's complete refusal to take itself seriously, when the charachters apparently did.

You think these are plot inconsitancies? What about Vilgax from the original who was blown up in a spaceship ON EARTH at the end of one episode, and in the next appearance, he is found by kevin(who SHOULD be in space) On an alien planet, frozen in ice for no reason. What about anything that Dr. Animo says making absolutely zero sense scientifically ( I mean, come on;
"De-evolutionize")? Gwen being able to fight thugs as a ten year old girl BEFORE she learned magic?

I`ll take slightly boring over obnoxiuos and never learning/progressing any day. Sterotypical teenagers? There should be a lot more angst going on if they were. Instead, the most we get is the Keving/Gwen thing which neither of them have gotten overly emotional over. Ben and Gwen acted a lot more like sterotypical bickering siblings in the first series. How often in TV do we ever get siblings/cousins who are actually nice to each other?

Isn't the name "Ben 10" (and the 10 on his shirt) pointless, since he now can obviously become more than 10 aliens?

I guess Wildvine and Cannonbolt just passed you by, along with all of the aliens that were added in seasons 3 and 4?

The other ones are filled with poor writing. For example, why do cops NEVER show up? Even in the face of massive explosions and property damage in the millions?

Because this never, ever happened in the original ben 10. ever. How can you say the original had better writing when EVERY SINGLE PLACE they went to all of a sudden had superpowered/alien villains that just HAPPEN to show up in the summer when ben got the omnitrix? The world being in peril basically every single day and the kids + grandpa just come to eahc place by chance? At least here' they're following Kevin, and some signals, and actively seeking out the aliens so it makes more sense.

[PC!]

No offense, but I want you to list 10 completely new alien ideas that are nothing like the original series ones. Most of the more major and more common superpowers were all used in the original series.

Heck, I'd prefer the same old aliens from the original series than most of the new ones. The ideas don't have to be new; they can be complete ripoffs of the originals, as far as I care, as long as they're actually interesting.

Maybe if the original series actually kept the alien count at ten instead of adding new ones all the time, they could've used some of those in Alien Force.

[Mickialla]

Heck, I'd prefer the same old aliens from the original series than most of the new ones. The ideas don't have to be new; they can be complete ripoffs of the originals, as far as I care, as long as they're actually interesting.

Maybe if the original series actually kept the alien count at ten instead of adding new ones all the time, they could've used some of those in Alien Force.

That's a good point. Maybe keeping the number at 10 in the original series wouldn't have burned out all of their ideas. There were some pretty interesting aliens that Ben gained outside the original 10.

I like the idea of having new aliens; it's refreshing to see newer characters. I'm just kinda curious as to why they got rid of the original ones in the first place. Why did the Omnitrix just "delete" the original aliens. It seems kinda strange. And besides, maybe if they had kept some of the original aliens, they wouldn't need to make new "combo aliens" like Swampfire. They could've had a simple plot factor like Ben accidentally damaging the Omnitrix, causing some of the alien DNA held inside to be lost, while some was kept. And that somehow new alien DNA replaced the ones that were lost. I don't know, I'm just brainstorming what they could've done.

[Malykoth]

I wish it could still sample new aliens...it would be cool if Ben could turn into one of those alien dragons, or an Anodyne.

[MasterofRoku]

I wish it could still sample new aliens...it would be cool if Ben could turn into one of those alien dragons, or an Anodyne.
It probably can do that, it's just that Ben doesn't want to go in & just absorb several different aliens, he's content with what he has right now.

And I think Ben's old aliens are unlocked, since it's been 5 years since he put on the omnitrix. Also, I don't mind the new aliens much or Ben having more than 10 aliens, even though have similar powers than the old ones,besides since Ben's going to Ben 10K in the future...I can tell that some of the new aliens might similar abilites, I mean heatblast isn't the only alien to generate fire, or Dittio isn't the only alien to create copies.

[Kagetsu]

I haven't been able to really follow all the posts about "Alien Force", but figured my own thread with my nitpicks my help answer some questions I have and allow other to air theirs. As someone who's turning 48 shortly, I enjoyed the original Ben 10 series, but not Alien Force. I've only seen a few of the new series episodes, and I just don't like it because:

1. From the first episode this simply came across to me as a cross between the old tv series "The Fugitive" and....well, X-Men. Not very original, IMHO.

2. I can understand the producers wanting to take this series and the main characters in a new and different direction, but many of the changes are so drastic that....for me, anyway....it destroys how things and characters were in the original series.

3. Lots of unexplained changes in the new series, like how the heck did Kevin get freed from the Null Void? How did Kevin lose his mutant shape (after absorbing the 10 aliens from the Omnitrix) and suddenly he now has different absorption abilities, and can be human-looking until he wants to change? Why is he suddenly now a nice guy (did time served in the prison of the Null Void change him?), and he's now got a thing for Gwen....was he always attracted to her?

4. Why is Ben now able to remove the Omnitrix if he wants to? When and how was this explained? Shouldn't all of these changes been able to have been explained in the original series? Isn't the name "Ben 10" (and the 10 on his shirt) pointless, since he now can obviously become more than 10 aliens? Ben stated in the first series that he named each alien as he discovered them in the Omnitrix.....but in "Alien Force" he seems to automatically know what each one is called.....he simply shouts out the name when he becomes one (shades of the old Superman radio series when Clark Kent would say "This is a job for Superman!!").

5.The Forever Knights stink now....they were villains in the original series (explained by Max as exploiters of alien technology, while the Plumbers were protectors of such)....and now the Knights are good guys all of a sudden? I don't buy that....they're just nice guys in knight suits. Not at all interesting as they were in the first series.

6. Too many repeats too quickly.....the dragon episode of "Alien Force" was just on for about the fifth time this week. Cartoon Network repeats too many episodes too often, and the result is burnout.

7. Gwen's "magic" is now explained as being energy manipulations from her extra-terrestrial ancestry? Well, I suppose that's an interesting explanation....but I much preferred in the old series as having her powers actually being magic that she has learned. Much more fascinating, and a nice contrast to all the alien goings-on around her. Explaining her powers the way they have in the new show makes her much less special....just another alien, as it were.

Sorry, but IMHO the new show simply sucks. :raven2:
I agree wholeheartedly.

Kevin is sO X-men,,, though I actually like that part. That Gwen's magic is alien is ok if it just was still magic and not Greenlantern-esq. The whole "I'm your Gran-gran, destroy your body and you'll think like me" was total "pfffft"

Ben's aliens seem to be weak reflections of the first ten.

The Foreverknights have gone from tech gatherers to conquer "in order to protect" the world, to "they've got a dragon in the basement (with a British accent no less) and they want it stuffed for the smoking lounge" :shrug:

The "think of a better way before you hit,,, hard" general storyline is refreshing and I really like the animation.


Shame that most of the show is about finding new alien/hybrid alies and they don't even bother to make them honorary "TeenTitans"

They still have a chance to pull this thing together and nOt be a total toy ad,,, but I don't see it happening :shrug:
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj39/sakurabanners/shows/ben10AL.jpg

[spyke]

Here's the problems I have with this show.

1. The new aliens Ben transform into (a) suck and (b) are just too darn powerful.

2. I hate that both Ben and Gwen have alien ancestory/DNA.

3. All super powered people on earth having alien ancestory/DNA.

4. Gwen's powers no longer being magic.

5.The Plumbers kids all being half human alien hybrids is a bad idea IMO.

That all being said, I do like this show despite the gripes I have with the show itself.
.

[tb4000]

I'm actually wondering what kind of 15 year olds they know that act that stoic. Most 15 year old dudes still act just as immature as Ben did when he was 10...the only reason I can think of him acting so angsty is because he had to deal with so much crap when he was younger and it just took its toll.

[Mad Mod 49]

They still have a chance to pull this thing together and nOt be a total toy ad,,, but I don't see it happening :shrug:


Hey, I still have faith. Lots of shows have bumpy starts. If what Murakami and McDuffie said at Comic Con holds true, then the second season will be a vast improvement over the first.

[Mickialla]

I'm actually wondering what kind of 15 year olds they know that act that stoic. Most 15 year old dudes still act just as immature as Ben did when he was 10...the only reason I can think of him acting so angsty is because he had to deal with so much crap when he was younger and it just took its toll.

Excuse me, I'm 15 years old. :D

[Alzatia]

I'm actually wondering what kind of 15 year olds they know that act that stoic. Most 15 year old dudes still act just as immature as Ben did when he was 10...the only reason I can think of him acting so angsty is because he had to deal with so much crap when he was younger and it just took its toll.

Wich seems to be what happen to Ben10k.

But I agree....Ben has turned kind of boring and dull. When I heard Yuri Lowenthal was voicing him, I was expecting him to still act as, or close to, his 10 year old persona. I thought he was gonna go along the lines of a character such as Son Goku from Saiyuki.



1. The new aliens Ben transform into (a) suck and (b) are just too darn powerful.

I don't think they suck, aren't so orignal, but not suckish.

But I agree 100% on them being to damn powerful. Alien X makes it worse. >_<


2. I hate that both Ben and Gwen have alien ancestory/DNA.

I don't mind that actually. Just the fact that it messes up the whole Magic thing and is another thing that is forced to be involved with aliens like EVRYTHING else. >_<

3. All super powered people on earth having alien ancestory/DNA.

And here we go again with making everything alieny..I so agree with ya.

4. Gwen's powers no longer being magic.

Do I need to say it again?

5.The Plumbers kids all being half human alien hybrids is a bad idea IMO.

At first I didn't mind having some kids be half aliens...but now it's just getting out of hand. It's kinda ridiculous. There's no sense behind it unless you imply geneteic alteration or something along those lines. >_<



They still have a chance to pull this thing together and nOt be a total toy ad,,, but I don't see it happening :shrug:
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj39/sakurabanners/shows/ben10AL.jpg

I don't mind it being a toy ad..

They could've had a simple plot factor like Ben accidentally damaging the Omnitrix, causing some of the alien DNA held inside to be lost, while some was kept. And that somehow new alien DNA replaced the ones that were lost. I don't know, I'm just brainstorming what they could've done.


Well, the characters seemed to have had a hard time taking the thing of Ben's wrist. Maybe their trying to take it off caused damage and the thing tried to slowly heal itself and a part of this "healing" caused the recalibration. It probly didn't work the same way once put on again since it could had been damaged in the removal, Ben didn't attempt to use it as soon as he put it on. So the thing could had forced the recalibaration in order to work properly again..or something like that. @_@

[strawberryjuice]

In all fairness I've never been a huge Ben 10 fan. I kinda started getting into it later in the game aorund when Alien Force was coming on. I occassionally watch a few Ben 10 episodes when nothing was on Pre Alien Force though but anyways...

My gripes about Alein force is

a. Totally agree, these characters have the personality of bricks. Actually a brick has more personality then they do! I actunally never minde dthe griping between Gwen and Ben. Kevin is alright but he was just alot more interesting of a character when he was the bad guy. Now watching all of them talk is just so akward!

b. The whole alien ancestory (english?) with gwen in my opinion was just really unecessary. As stated earlier here, It's interesting that otehr kids were the same but yeah it's getting way too overboard now.

c. Wheres the fun!? Maybe it's just me, but for some reason this show feels like a medicore dectective show. Even though I wasn't the biggest Ben 10 fan, the show had it's perks. Alien Force lacks any fun to it and imagination. Ben used to have alot of fun with transofrming into aliens. The show is way too seriouse now.

d. Villans, their crap. I haven't seen one interesting villian throughout this entire series so far. Like our heroes, this villians have zero personality! and motives I could care less about.

e. Whats with ben shouting the alien's name when he transforms? It's annoying. Oh yeah and the tranformation segments are unecessary too.

[Mickialla]

e. Whats with ben shouting the alien's name when he transforms? It's annoying. Oh yeah and the tranformation segments are unecessary too.

The stupid transformation segments remind me of how a Digimon would Digi-volve in Digimon, only in Alien Force it's worse.

The reason I see Alien Force as needing much improvement is when I compare it to Avatar. I know the two shows have no similar plot factors, but their both action shows. And I have to say that Alien Force falls short in every category.

[MasterofRoku]

The stupid transformation segments remind me of how a Digimon would Digi-volve in Digimon, only in Alien Force it's worse.

The reason I see Alien Force as needing much improvement is when I compare it to Avatar. I know the two shows have no similar plot factors, but their both action shows. And I have to say that Alien Force falls short in every category.
It's kind of stupid complaining about the transformation sequences since they were in the original series and no one minded them using it at all.:shrug: When a person goes and morphs into something don't you usually show the person transforming?

The only gripes I have with the show is the whole "no magic" thing. I didn't mind Ben or Gwen's Anodyte heritage, but the whole "Alien Dragon" deal annoyed me.
Anyway, I'm sure the show will get better... after all it's the first season.

[strawberryjuice]

The stupid transformation segments remind me of how a Digimon would Digi-volve in Digimon, only in Alien Force it's worse.

hahaha! I was thinking about that too. I'm a digimon fan I'll admit. But transformation sequences in almost anime any anime really get on my nerves.

[Ultra8]

I've been pretty much avoiding the series since I saw the first 3 eps., though I have been keeping up by reading the threads. I just treat it as a non-canon spin-off of the original series, essentialially a completely different series.

Can't think of any gripes with the show that haven't been stated better by other people.

[Scirel]

It's kind of stupid complaining about the transformation sequences since they were in the original series and no one minded them using it at all.:shrug: When a person goes and morphs into something don't you usually show the person transforming?

The only gripes I have with the show is the whole "no magic" thing. I didn't mind Ben or Gwen's Anodyte heritage, but the whole "Alien Dragon" deal annoyed me.
Anyway, I'm sure the show will get better... after all it's the first season.


It's really funny how amost 3/4 of the things people are complaining about were also in the original series, only they pretend not to notice.

[Sammie]

I haven't been able to really follow all the posts about "Alien Force", but figured my own thread with my nitpicks my help answer some questions I have and allow other to air theirs. As someone who's turning 48 shortly, I enjoyed the original Ben 10 series, but not Alien Force. I've only seen a few of the new series episodes, and I just don't like it because:

1. From the first episode this simply came across to me as a cross between the old tv series "The Fugitive" and....well, X-Men. Not very original, IMHO.

2. I can understand the producers wanting to take this series and the main characters in a new and different direction, but many of the changes are so drastic that....for me, anyway....it destroys how things and characters were in the original series.

3. Lots of unexplained changes in the new series, like how the heck did Kevin get freed from the Null Void? How did Kevin lose his mutant shape (after absorbing the 10 aliens from the Omnitrix) and suddenly he now has different absorption abilities, and can be human-looking until he wants to change? Why is he suddenly now a nice guy (did time served in the prison of the Null Void change him?), and he's now got a thing for Gwen....was he always attracted to her?

4. Why is Ben now able to remove the Omnitrix if he wants to? When and how was this explained? Shouldn't all of these changes been able to have been explained in the original series? Isn't the name "Ben 10" (and the 10 on his shirt) pointless, since he now can obviously become more than 10 aliens? Ben stated in the first series that he named each alien as he discovered them in the Omnitrix.....but in "Alien Force" he seems to automatically know what each one is called.....he simply shouts out the name when he becomes one (shades of the old Superman radio series when Clark Kent would say "This is a job for Superman!!").

5.The Forever Knights stink now....they were villains in the original series (explained by Max as exploiters of alien technology, while the Plumbers were protectors of such)....and now the Knights are good guys all of a sudden? I don't buy that....they're just nice guys in knight suits. Not at all interesting as they were in the first series.

6. Too many repeats too quickly.....the dragon episode of "Alien Force" was just on for about the fifth time this week. Cartoon Network repeats too many episodes too often, and the result is burnout.

7. Gwen's "magic" is now explained as being energy manipulations from her extra-terrestrial ancestry? Well, I suppose that's an interesting explanation....but I much preferred in the old series as having her powers actually being magic that she has learned. Much more fascinating, and a nice contrast to all the alien goings-on around her. Explaining her powers the way they have in the new show makes her much less special....just another alien, as it were.

Sorry, but IMHO the new show simply sucks. :raven2:

I agree with you the new show sucks. But half the reason it might be because it's something boys would watch not girls my brother and his friends loves this show and I hate it. I and my friends love Totally Spies and PPGs and my brother and his friends hates them both.

[Silverstar]

I agree with you the new show sucks. But half the reason it might be because it's something boys would watch not girls my brother and his friends loves this show and I hate it. I and my friends love Totally Spies and PPGs and my brother and his friends hates them both.

Or at least that's what they're telling you, since most boys that age are too macho to admit that they like a show starring a girl or a group of girls. I've never had that problem myself, but no one's ever accused me of being normal. ;)

Anyway, in Man of Action's defense, Ben 10 has always been aimed mainly at boys. Sure, the character of Gwen was added so girls wouldn't feel left out, but Ben 10 has always been first and foremost a boys' action show.

Unfortunately, too many animated shows try to appeal to only one gender exclusively. A really successful show should ideally rope in both boys and girls. That was sort of the idea behind Disney's Yin Yang Yo!. I know this series gets a lot of hate, but they at least try to appeal to both genders equally.

[Alzatia]

hahaha! I was thinking about that too. I'm a digimon fan I'll admit. But transformation sequences in almost anime any anime really get on my nerves.


Ah yes..the new transformation sequences suck. They seem so pointless and show little of an actual transformation. Just a random sihoulette(sp?) or Ben floating, a bunch of green bubbles, sometimes a random ribcage, overly dramatic music and the alien appears out of nowhere. We don't see an actual transformation like with the first series' sequences.

[warnerbroman]

Ah yes..the new transformation sequences suck. They seem so pointless and show little of an actual transformation. Just a random sihoulette(sp?) or Ben floating, a bunch of green bubbles, sometimes a random ribcage, overly dramatic music and the alien appears out of nowhere. We don't see an actual transformation like with the first series' sequences.the only thing annoys me about the sequence is him saying the name of the monster everytime!

[Zenze14]

Yes, I hate when he say the monster name everytime, I get he got to say the name of the aliens so people know what they are but not every episodes he need to say the monster name, just tansform and go battle

[Mickialla]

It's kind of stupid complaining about the transformation sequences since they were in the original series and no one minded them using it at all.:shrug: When a person goes and morphs into something don't you usually show the person transforming?


I can't complain about the transformation sequences in the original Ben 10 because I never watched the original Ben 10. :shrug: I'm not the kind of person who would bias my opinion towards something I like better. If I had watched the original Ben 10, I would probably complain about the transformation sequences there too. In general I think transformation sequences are cliche and a waste of time. You know the character is changing, you don't need to show how they do it. If you must do a transformation sequence, you should do it only the first time an alien is introduced; doing it every time an alien shows up is repetitive and time-wasting.

[Chykin]

Oh man, I hate those new transformations! We get it already! His ribcage gets bigger/smaller!:mad::mad::mad:

[peterg14]

Any plot gripes can be explained easily within 60 seconds. But is that what you want? Some quickfix answers? I'd rather they wait and build up plots slowly than blow some possible season arcs because fans are too impatient. I guess since Ben 10 had a lot of quick fix ends and answers, they expect Alien Force to do the same, oh well.

While I do agree about the characters' lack of personality, I'd take that over the stupid petty name calling. Are 10 year olds now-a-days really that obnoxious, because I don't remember myself or any of my friends acting that way.

Anyway, most of these things were in the main series, but I guess people are paying attention to these things now.

[ozymandias]

while I actually like alien force I am somewhat confused abut kevin suddenly becoming good because in ben 10 he was a homicidal maniac though until they explain his powers I'm going to say that he isn't a part-alien but rather a meta-human(mutant)

[MasterofRoku]

while I actually like alien force I am somewhat confused abut kevin suddenly becoming good because in ben 10 he was a homicidal maniac though until they explain his powers I'm going to say that he isn't a part-alien but rather a meta-human(mutant)
The reason why he's good is because he felt that he owed Magister [The laien plumber that died] for saving his life.

[kriegerg69]

Overall, even though some people more or less like it, the general consensus seems to be (based on replies here) that the new show isn't particularly good, overall.:yawn:

[PC!]

While I do agree about the characters' lack of personality, I'd take that over the stupid petty name calling. Are 10 year olds now-a-days really that obnoxious, because I don't remember myself or any of my friends acting that way.

Yes. Yes they are. At least the ten year olds I know.

[Lachesis]

The reason why he's good is because he felt that he owed Magister [The laien plumber that died] for saving his life.

Which would be completely out of character for the old Kevin. I can buy that he changed over the years, but it would be nice if the show actually acknowledged some of that offscreen development. Because I'm really not buying that he just grew out of the homicidal maniac tendencies.

[Polychrome]

Anyway, in Man of Action's defense, Ben 10 has always been aimed mainly at boys. Sure, the character of Gwen was added so girls wouldn't feel left out, but Ben 10 has always been first and foremost a boys' action show.

You sure about that? Here's a shocker: The majority of the people in line to ask questions at the Comic Con panel were little girls. Ya know, the type wearing Disney Princess shirts that you'd expect to be at Con for the sole purpose of completing their My Little Pony collections. Even the speakers at the panel noticed this and pointed it out.

Anywho, honestly, it's not like there aren't any changes I don't agree with, but the show itself is enjoyable. I think in any series, people take some things way too seriously/personally. I say this about every series: We don't own it. If something is changed, or your personal fan theories get squished by a meteor of ownage, so what? Man, remember the amount of complaining about the end of Harry Potter? Yet that's what JKR had been building up to the entire time. It's not her fault people misinterpreted her fan-teasing as proof that she'd kill everybody and their dog in some emo-drama abyss of death. Seriously, she could never say those "I might kill 'em" lines with a straight face. What'd people expect?

Yes, I *am* one of those "don't like, don't buy" types. But I tell ya, my life's a lot less stressful than a lot of fans for it. :D

[strawberryjuice]

You sure about that? Here's a shocker: The majority of the people in line to ask questions at the Comic Con panel were little girls. Ya know, the type wearing Disney Princess shirts that you'd expect to be at Con for the sole purpose of completing their My Little Pony collections. Even the speakers at the panel noticed this and pointed it out.

Anywho, honestly, it's not like there aren't any changes I don't agree with, but the show itself is enjoyable. I think in any series, people take some things way too seriously/personally. I say this about every series: We don't own it. If something is changed, or your personal fan theories get squished by a meteor of ownage, so what? Man, remember the amount of complaining about the end of Harry Potter? Yet that's what JKR had been building up to the entire time. It's not her fault people misinterpreted her fan-teasing as proof that she'd kill everybody and their dog in some emo-drama abyss of death. Seriously, she could never say those "I might kill 'em" lines with a straight face. What'd people expect?

Yes, I *am* one of those "don't like, don't buy" types. But I tell ya, my life's a lot less stressful than a lot of fans for it. :D

Yeah, from the online fanbase I was pretty surprised the majority of them are girls.

I agree on your view with taking things too seriousely. Yeah, I have my gripes with certain plot changes, endings, etc. But it's not going to be the end of the world. It's just a fictional series and thats that. I will say it can be fun debating flaws and pros in a series but just as long as it's all in good fun.

One example of tking things too far was when evangelion ended I remember reading the director (creator? I can't tell anymore) got death threats!