This thread started out of reaction to the favourite Toy series in the Awards. So let me share some more details.

If you take in to account that Masterpiece, Alternators and Classics lines are all modern versions of G1, than toys of G1 characters actually got 75% of the vote.

Second was Animated with 10%
Followed by Beast Wars with 6%
And in last place: Armada/Superlink, Cybertron/Galaxy Force, and Movie all had 1% of the vote.

All of these other series have G1 references too, and I can't imagine how big a reboot would be needed to get rid of them. The Maximal / Predacon era was a bit status quo upset but the characters had familiar names and soon enough the cartoon was throwing in appearances by G1 characters.

I think Hereticpoo's comment earlier was very true: G1 lays the framework for all that has followed.