The Transformers
Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship
TV Flash files “Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship” as a desk essential hour — The Transformers (1984–1987) on Syndication, season 1, episode 23, aired 1987-12-25, 30 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S01E23: listed hour 23 of 35 in the The Transformers guide, hour 23 of 35 in season 1. It aired 1987-12-25 (30 min). The listed hour before it is “Head Formation of Friendship” (S01E22). Next is “The Death of Ultra Magnus” (S01E24).
Essential hour: “Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship”. Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship is a Christmas-1987 serial title: the original cartoon still the voice, not a merchandising accident — though it paid the bills.
Viewer FAQ
Where does Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship sit in the The Transformers guide?
S01E23 is listed hour 23 of 35 — hour 23 of 35 in season 1, season 1 episode 23.
When did The Transformers S01E23 air?
Mystery of the Space Pirate Ship aired 1987-12-25 and is listed at 30 minutes.
Do I have to watch the 1986 movie?
Only if you want the wound. It killed Optimus Prime and traumatized a generation. The syndicated cartoon is the scripture; the movie is the merchandising-and-myth shock.
In the series
Why this series still plays
Robots in disguise as a mythology, not a merchandising accident — though the merchandising paid for every laser. Autobots versus Decepticons on weekday afternoons, then the 1986 movie that killed Optimus Prime and traumatized a generation. Kids' sci-fi serial that still powers a film empire; the original cartoon is the scripture.
Syndication, 1984–1987: heroic Autobots battle evil Decepticons for Energon and Earth's fate — robots in disguise as a mythology, though the merchandising paid for every laser. That is the window, not a Saturday souvenir. The Transformers classic cartoon is Hasbro/Sunbow/Marvel Productions' toy-cartoon complex: Peter Cullen's Optimus as moral center, Frank Welker's Megatron, Corey Burton in the mix. Weekday-afternoon sci-fi serial that still powers a film empire. The original cartoon is the scripture. Rex can…
Filed against
- Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime
Peter Cullen voiced Optimus Prime on The Transformers, 1980s robots-in-disguise mythology — Autobots versus Decepticons on weekday afternoons, merchandising that paid for every laser, then a 1986 movie that killed the leader and…
- Frank Welker as Megatron
Frank Welker’s Fred Jones drove Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! like a van with a plan — 1960s catalog rubber-mask religion, then The Transformers stretching the throat into robots in disguise. TV Flash files him as the meddler who became a…
- Corey Burton as Spike Witwicky / Shockwave
Corey Burton voices Spike Witwicky and Shockwave on The Transformers — weekday-afternoon robots in disguise that sold a mythology while the merchandising paid for every laser. Autobots versus Decepticons, then a 1986 movie that…