Ben 10 and Ben 10: Alien Force

[Ares_God_of_War]

So what have you thought of these series so far? I liked the original for what it was but I am not liking the new version as much. I kind of wish the continuity matched more in line with the Ben 10,000 episodes. While I like the new series at times it feels more forced and just trying to capitolize off the original's success. So what do you all think?

[Previsionary]

I like the series, but I have a few problems with Alien Force. Just an FYI, the future episodes of Ben 10 (Ben 10,000 and the other one) aren't canon as far as I know. They're just possible futures.

Alien Force seems like a completely different show at times, so I treat it as such. Gwen doesn't really use her "magic" anymore and sticks with a simple battle plan that she emulates every single battle. I was honestly shocked when she actually started using her martial arts this episode. A lot of mystery has been removed from Ben and his watch so it's not nearly as interesting or as entertaining as the old show was. Also, he has a tendency to stick to a few forms, so I was happy that Spider Monkey and the British robot showed up in today's episode. Ken is a bunch of problems within himself as I still don't know how he got back, but other than those few things, I usually enjoy the show. Only problem is...it comes on opposite new episodes of spider-man. :S

[Ares_God_of_War]

The thing that is sort of bothering me with the new series is how it seems to go against some of the things from the older series. Like how all the plumber stuff and badges seem to have the omnitrix symbol on it now. Unless they have some future episode that ties the plumbers and Azimuth together somehow I kind of think its dumb that they match. Also the whole take on "magic" now is weird. If the new series is correct on "magic" than what about Charmcaster and Hex. Yeah I dont think the Ben 10,000 episodes were canon but they seem to mesh better and Gwen actually uses "magic" there

[Glitch Girl]

Deeply disapointed in B10:AF.  There may be action, but everything is somehow so... bland.  There are just so many cases of the characters just written poorly.  Examples:

- Plumbers are supposed to be a secret, and yet characters throw the names around like they were common knowlege.

- Ben does not recognize powers he used to have (example: the date episode when the equipment gets possessed by the Upgrade-like alien "dog" - same green/black effect on the tech.  You'd think he'd notice)

Gwen's an alien... HATE that revelation.  And it didn't seem to fit Uncle Max's character to pair up with the woman who's her grandmother.  The new aliens... they feel too random.  A plant being that creates fire?  An incorpreal being with ice powers?  A duplicating creature with sound attacks?  I feel like they're "pick one from column a, one from column b" creations.  And continuity?  Forget the first series, most of that's been thrown out the window. 

I guess I just feel that the series writing is just too lazy.  There was potential, but no effort taken to use it and that's a real shame.

[Ares_God_of_War]

I agree pretty much with everything you have stated. I was actually hoping that "Grandma" would have been the lizard chick Max met a while ago. The whole "drifted apart" thing doesnt fit really well to me. Max didnt seem that flighty even though this one did.

The aliens bother me since he used some of the same ones in those Ben 10,000 ones and now he is basically getting aliens that do the exact same things. I wish he would use the old ones and get new ones that fill new and unique roles

[bredon7777]

Gwen's an alien? Really? How dissapointing. Is that how they explained away her "magic"?

I quite liked the original Ben 10- to the point where I'd go out of my way to tape it to make sure I caught it.

Alien force- not so much.

[Previsionary]

On the magic thing, I'm trying to recall what the ben10 marathon/pop up edition said about it + Charmcaster/Hex...the two magical creatures/beings on the show. I remember this being addressed and I think they denied "magic" existing in it too...Bah, they need to show the popup episodes again or something.

As far as Gwen goes, it's easy to explain her previous feats in "magic"...but the show hasn't taken anytime to focus on it or even to really connect with the old show beyond some characters and villains. I'm still wondering why they added Cooper in the final 2 episodes of the Ben10 finale and then we never hear from him again. He had some sort of power too, no?

But yeah, I don't even know the premise of the show anymore since the show jumps around way too much for me to get a coherent understanding of where it's trying to head. Without the Grandpa Max storyline to drive them through the season, it just feels like a bunch of filler episodes now. That would have worked in Ben10...but in AF, not so much.

With that said, does anyone know if everyone involved with the old show are still involved with this one? I'm assuming the writers' strike could've affected the show a bit and I know most of the voice actors disappeared off the show for w/e reason, but are the same writers involved and such? There's quite a few drastic changes going about for me to believe otherwise.