If you could choose only one...

[GoktimusPrime]

Couldn't they come up with their own ideas?

Was DC the only other BW character that was a possibility if Animated continued?

We already had Rattrap in the form of Rattletrap and of course Blackarachnia, Waspinator, Spittor and Cheetor.

Other Animated BW could have beens? Off the top of my head...
Primal Major (Optimus Primal)
Stampy
Star Upper (his image made an appearance but the character did not)
Longrack
Alpha Supreme (Omega Supreme X Axalon)
Scorponok (G1 colours but alt mode arguably looks more BWesque)
Slapper (yeah I know, technically not a BW homage, but he's still based on a Predacon)

...that's all I can think of for now, but I'm sure I've left some out.

[Doubledealer]

We already had Rattrap in the form of Rattletrap and of course Blackarachnia, Waspinator, Spittor and Cheetor.

Other Animated BW could have beens? Off the top of my head...
Primal Major (Optimus Primal)
Stampy
Star Upper (his image made an appearance but the character did not)
Longrack
Alpha Supreme (Omega Supreme X Axalon)
Scorponok (G1 colours but alt mode arguably looks more BWesque)
Slapper (yeah I know, technically not a BW homage, but he's still based on a Predacon)

...that's all I can think of for now, but I'm sure I've left some out.

If there's any more I certainly can't think of 'em. Other ones that may interest you Verno are General Strika (did make the show) and Botanica (didn't make the show) from Beast Machines.

[Verno]

Well I'm glad Animated didn't keep going then, otherwise we'd have ended up with the entire BW cast sitting around looking at each other thinking 'We're all here, but this isn't our show, right?' and 'Geez we look weird'.

[GoktimusPrime]

They wouldn't have necessarily looked out of place - as many of them would have transformed into vehicles, like Cheetor (who shares the same body type as Blurr). Rattletrap & Stampy share the same body type as Ransack so presumably they transform into bikes. Spittor and Slapper transform into these kinda bipedal jumping fighting machines with "tongues" that's froglike, but they aren't actually frogs. Longrack looks inspired by Cybertron Longrack, who transforms into a crane (the construction vehicle, not the bird). Deoth Charge's alt mode kibble suggests that he transforms into a jet (which isn't so bad considering that his BW namesake's vehicle mode was a kind of jet).

Primal Major would be the most likely to sport a beast mode, and it's said that his origin story would have tied to Blackarachnia. The others would simply be regular vehicular moded Transformers who happen to sport aesthetic designs/motifs that resemble BW characters.

[Verno]

Sounds like desperation in trying to get older BW fans on board the show. Didn't work.

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Haven't seen the show yet, huh Verno?

Animated did lots of homages and did them well, just because the creators were fans making a show for fans by fans. You really just need to watch it (and trawl the TFwiki) to understand - they really did love their work. If they were homaging Primal it was because they found a way to incorporate it into the storyline and because they wanted to, not to try to win over new fans.
Let's face it, Animated had been going for three seasons by then and it got a pretty big reaction from the fanbase one way or another, they weren't going to win over any new converts by then and they knew it.

Man I miss that series, and Season 4 sounded like it was gonna be great. RIP Animated.

[UltraMarginal]

Man I miss that series, and Season 4 sounded like it was gonna be great. RIP Animated.

+1

[Hursticon]

Well I'm glad Animated didn't keep going then, otherwise we'd have ended up with the entire BW cast sitting around looking at each other thinking 'We're all here, but this isn't our show, right?' and 'Geez we look weird'.

For me dude, I appreciate the nods that those involved with TF: Animated gave to BW as it's something they didn't have to do but really they had no intention to ever really 'Bring in Beast Wars', rather, they just took pieces that suited their needs - It's a show that caters far more to G1 fans than Beast Wars but it's got to be said that they did give fans something to w*** over...

Even if the art style belongs here :

[Verno]

Yeah, the art is the bit that turned me off Animated. That and the bloody kids! Why do we need humans in Transformers stories?! WHY?!

[Doubledealer]

Yeah, the art is the bit that turned me off Animated. That and the bloody kids! Why do we need humans in Transformers stories?! WHY?!

To better humanize the aliens (Transformers) and for the children watching at home to have someone to relate to I'd imagine. And probably also because Earth is full of, well, humans.

RIP Animated indeed. Hope we at least get some more comics one day.