Behind-the-scenes info from Simon Bennett regarding Dino Super Charge, Ninja Steel, and Beast Morphers.
Executive meddling strikes again!
Executive meddling strikes again!
Power Rangers General Discussion Thread
- Thread starter Sabrblade
- Start date
Big same.
I remember hearing about how Saban wanted to take the series "back to its roots" back when Samurai came out, but RPM was only a "failure" in the sense that Disney did an abysmal job of advertising it.
They put it in a dead timeslot on ABC Kids, they never put it on Toon Disney's Jetix (Jungle Fury was the last season to air there), and there were zero commercials hyping up any forthcoming new episodes.
Disney's Power Rangers production team made an amazing season to end the whole series with a lot of care and effort, but the higher ups at Disney proper just didn't care about Power Rangers anymore by that point.
It's like SPD was the last season Disney really gave any decent attention to before deciding they were just done with Power Rangers.
They put it in a dead timeslot on ABC Kids, they never put it on Toon Disney's Jetix (Jungle Fury was the last season to air there), and there were zero commercials hyping up any forthcoming new episodes.
Disney's Power Rangers production team made an amazing season to end the whole series with a lot of care and effort, but the higher ups at Disney proper just didn't care about Power Rangers anymore by that point.
It's like SPD was the last season Disney really gave any decent attention to before deciding they were just done with Power Rangers.
I... didn't say it wasn't.
I just finished the latest batch of Dino Fury episodes. That was a roller coaster of emotions.
...I think this is a "Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" situation, for me. That 3-episode finale was AMAZING...the rest of the show was okay...at best.
Seriously, this MIGHT be the best Power Ranger finale we've gotten since RPM.
I REALLY like the villains...but the Rangers are a little "so-so" for me. They just feel really "generic".
And it's like they blended together a bunch of unrelated ideas and none of them really go together. The alien stuff is interesting, but it doesn't really go together with the Internet Blog workspace. Jane and J-Borgs antics MIGHT be good slapstick at times, but they really don't tie together with anything else and it doesn't really lead anywhere. And then there's still high school antics with Izzy...it just feels like the focus is a mess to me. But, there are some REALLY good parts.
I think so far I'd give it a...B or B-. But, Cosmic Fury might sway me one way or another.
Episode thoughts:
...I think this is a "Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" situation, for me. That 3-episode finale was AMAZING...the rest of the show was okay...at best.
Seriously, this MIGHT be the best Power Ranger finale we've gotten since RPM.
I REALLY like the villains...but the Rangers are a little "so-so" for me. They just feel really "generic".
And it's like they blended together a bunch of unrelated ideas and none of them really go together. The alien stuff is interesting, but it doesn't really go together with the Internet Blog workspace. Jane and J-Borgs antics MIGHT be good slapstick at times, but they really don't tie together with anything else and it doesn't really lead anywhere. And then there's still high school antics with Izzy...it just feels like the focus is a mess to me. But, there are some REALLY good parts.
I think so far I'd give it a...B or B-. But, Cosmic Fury might sway me one way or another.
Episode thoughts:
Ultimate Mystery:
Amelia has subordinates at her job, she's moving up in the world.
The Lokar reference feels a little weird to me. But, I appreciate the Beast Morphers callback.
Since when do Power Rangers have PRISONS, though? I mean...they blow up every single monster they meet, so....
Eating the giant radiation-mutated blueberries feels like it should have bigger consequences than just making a mess.
Love Hate:
This couples contest at the start is dumb...but it's being done by a website desperate for views, so it makes sense.
UGH...this misunderstanding was dumb. "Who likes daises?" UGH. It doesn't help that I find BOTH of these characters to be insufferable know-it-alls in different ways, so I can't even really root for their romance. It's nice to see them like each other later on, but...I just don't like THEM very much.
Scrozzle from Beast Morphers is teaming up with Lord Zedd. I kind of wish Zedd would get a small army of past villains as his team, but I think this is mostly it for now.
Oh, is Amelia going to have to kiss Ollie to wake him up like Sleeping Beauty? Oh...no kiss. I'm a little disappointed.
Rafkon Revealed:
Okay, as much as I kind of get annoyed by Jane and J-Borg...I'll admit this Nerf War was pretty fun and well-shot.
It's weird that the scan says there's no lifeforms on the planet...but there ARE TREES on the planet. Do trees not count as "life" to the scanners? If there WERE a intelligent species of tree on the planet, would the Rangers scanner's NOT pick them up?
Ah, yes, "the planet is different now"...probably due to the budget.
You know what? This scene with Zayto recalling what his planet USED to be like was actually poignant and well done. Maybe this show actually CAN take things seriously sometimes and doesn't always have to be a joke.
"Can you get them to lead us to a bathroom next? I haven't gone to the BATHROOM since Earth!" ....And moment ruined. Thanks, Dino Fury. I knew I could count on you.
Nice use of Zedd's spy-vision from the old show, though. I had forgotten about that.
Couldn't the Rafkonians have decommissioned the Sporix creator sometime in the last 65 million years? I mean, a lot could change in that time.
Morphin Master:
So, I guess if there was some continuity problem in the past...Master Green did it. I...guess that's a improvement than things just happening? Maybe? It's still a deus ex machina, but at least we know who the "deus" is who's "machina"-ing. Mostly seems to be bringing up the Nick seasons, too.
You know, these "Morphin Masters" feel a LOT more like the comic's "Emissaries"...but enough time has passed between MMPR and Dino Fury, maybe the Emissaries got a upgrade?
The Morphin Masters aren't supposed to interfere like Marvel's Watchers. But there ARE some tantalizing breadcrumbs about a bigger war they're fighting. Teasing Cosmic Fury?
Is this going to be a clip show? Oh...no it isn't. Good.
Rafkon just BLEW UP! And...Zayto and Aiyon grieve for it about as long as they would for a old car....
These jokes feel REALLY tone-deaf after seeing a planet get blown up.
"Zedd's too chicken to fight us himself....MOO!" "Aiyon...that's a cow. He's still learning his Earth-animals" I could feel something inside of me break listening to this line. You just watched your homeworld get destroyed. You're facing off against the villain who did it. And you...moo at him in defiance. I can't. This is....UGH! I know they don't want to make it TOO serious and scare the kids watching, but....GEEZ!
I swear, it's like this show has two writers. And one of them is trying to sabotage the "serious" one by throwing in as many bad jokes as they can. I expect SOME jokes in Power Rangers, that's just the style. But...this just feels like too much for this episode. Where's the righteous fury?!
And Zedd got sealed into a crystal. Okay. Not sure how he'll get out of that, in another dimension.
The prophecy was misleading....this felt like a waste of a plot point. But, maybe Aiyon will still do something in Cosmic Fury.
Wishful Thinking:
Seeing human-Mucus is a nice gag. That could be a recurring thing.
Is young-Amelia a reference to something? Her real-life little sister or something?
Seeing a actual-prop sized T-Rex Zord is kind of fun, too.
I WANT to say that later revelations about Amelia make this episode retroactively brilliant...BUT, I don't think Amelia ever sees Void King OR Queen during this episode. The "magic charm" really DIDN'T work for her.
Things Unspoken:
Looking back, I think THIS is the episode where the tone changes a little. The characters are allowed to have moments where they DON'T joke around. There's more drama. This is kind of the start of the show getting better during this batch.
Izzy's dad after being injured: "You don't need to tell YOUR PARENTS where you go or the reasons why you do things or why you turn down life-changing opportunities...but you NEED to tell your girlfriend. A high-school girlfriend is a relationship that lasts FOREVER!" I get they wanted to tone down the dad's aggressiveness...but maybe they went too far the other way.
Guilt Trip:
And the Void Queen's grand plan is to...steal a human-made drill? I mean...I guess it's a big drill. But, I feel like she could either MAKE one herself that's just as big or a Sporix monster that does the same thing. This feels...low stakes.
And the moral of the story is: Make time to talk to your mom about anime, instead of planning a weekend trip to a haunted house with your girlfriend....Even these guy's civilian lives are weird!
Mom just...licks the white stuff on her shoulder like it's nothing. I don't care if it's not bird poop, it still came from a monster, that can't be healthy.
This entire episode is just a excuse to throw pies at Aiyon.
Bad Vibes:
Izzy and Javi getting brainwashed could be a REALLY COOL plot...if it lasted more than ONE episode.
Cute family moments with the Garcias.
The Void King created a blaster that can mutate ANYONE into Sporix Lords like them?! Oh...it just brainwashes people. That was a chance to use more monster suits wasted. You could have used more ToQger general suits!
The montage is sweet...but it's a LITTLE lame that just feeling a little nostalgia and love undoes the brainwashing like it's nothing.
I actually REALLY like Void Queen referring to the Sporix Monster as her "child" and telling them they did a "good job" after they get blown up and revert back to a blob...but she really doesn't show up often enough to make it a memorable part of the show. Void Queen sharing the spotlight with Lord Zedd kind of hurt her character growth a little.
Oh, I guess they used the drill to break into the Ranger Base. I GUESS that's kind of what Zedd and Rita did in MMPR a few times. But...I wish it was a little more "grand" than just a drill, you know?
The Invasion:
This is the start of the three-part finale. And WOW! Where was THIS SHOW for the past 40 episodes? This is SO MUCH better than it has ANY right to be.
The Rafkons are here and they want the planet. There's some tension here. To be fair, the aliens have a point.
These Rafkon suits are...okay. But, they are kind of cheap looking. So many "thin" shoulder pads. I guess it's fine since they stay in the background, mostly. I kind of hope Hasbro ups their game if they plan to make their own suits for Ranger seasons going forward.
I feel like it'd take a while for the dam bursting to actually reach the town...but whatever.
Wait, why does Pop-pop know about alien antenna?
GEEZ, POP-POP! That actually felt kind of brutal for this show.
Wait, wha...Amelia's a alien?
The Truth:
We haven't gotten a pre-title sequence scene in Power Rangers in a while. Kind of nice to have it back.
Man...this...this backstory is actually REALLY touching. Pop-pop is such a great guy!
I...wish Amelia being a alien was better hinted at earlier on in the season. I...guess it fits well enough though. But, now Ollie's dating a mind-reader...that's going to cause problems.
I guess Pop-pop's going to be fine...GOOD! I've gotten kind of attached to him. More so than most of the Rangers, if I'm being honest.
Void Queen's cacooning...this is going to be bad.
OH MY GOD THEY KILLED MUCUS! THOSE...wait, I'm pretty sure she'll be back...or she'll be the reason Void Queen get's defeated, one of the two.
Oh...Area 62 is the villain lair...I'll admit, if we already knew that, I had forgotten about it.
OOOOHHHHH....Void King and Queen are Amelia's parents!? Okay...I should have seen that coming...but again I didn't. Again, this is a REALLY touching moment. Why couldn't we have gotten THIS verison of the show sooner?!
Uhh....Santaura needing a entire healing tank for ONE (Styrofoam-looking) rock feels like overkill...but fine. Kind of weird she made a entire speech AFTER that injury but still needed that healing-tank, though. But...FINE!
The Void Queen's rage is retroactively justified, though.
LOVE curing their mutation is still kind of lazy...but it feels more earned HERE than with Izzy and Javi's brainwashing being undone by the power of family kareoke. They just found out their baby was alive!
Nemesis:
Oh, are we going to get to see Void Knight's Brown/Hero form from Ryusoulger? Oh...no we aren't. That's too bad, this would have been the perfect (and only) opportunity to use that suit.
Okay, this fight with the Rangers fighting this GIANT MONSTER with NO MECHS is really cool! Shadow of the Colossus style stuff. They even skateboard on one of the mooks!
Oh, so the Morphin Masters can just...scoop the Sporix up and put them in a crystal now. Okay.
Wait...Zayto's INSIDE the Morphin Grid? That sounds...suspiciously like what happened to Zordon. Are we going to get to see Zordon in Cosmic Fury?
Santaura's pregnant again? Geez, Tarrick works fast.
What is this show's cake budget? Why can they afford to just DESTROY cake after cake after cake?
Slyther and Mucus have started a magician group. That's a nice ending for them...or it would be, but I'm sure they'll show up in Cosmic Fury, again.
ZAYTO'S ALIVE! That...didn't even last a episode, but oh well.
Why is Lord Zedd so good at escaping prisons? Every single prison he's put in.
So, yeah, again...GREAT FINALE! But...the rest of the show's a mixed bag for me.
I DO like Zayto's new suit...but it's just the Shishi Red Orion suit from Kyuuranger. It's not even a subtle steal.
Let's compare:
It's a good look...but again, those shoulder pads just feel too "thin" to me.
Amelia has subordinates at her job, she's moving up in the world.
The Lokar reference feels a little weird to me. But, I appreciate the Beast Morphers callback.
Since when do Power Rangers have PRISONS, though? I mean...they blow up every single monster they meet, so....
Eating the giant radiation-mutated blueberries feels like it should have bigger consequences than just making a mess.
Love Hate:
This couples contest at the start is dumb...but it's being done by a website desperate for views, so it makes sense.
UGH...this misunderstanding was dumb. "Who likes daises?" UGH. It doesn't help that I find BOTH of these characters to be insufferable know-it-alls in different ways, so I can't even really root for their romance. It's nice to see them like each other later on, but...I just don't like THEM very much.
Scrozzle from Beast Morphers is teaming up with Lord Zedd. I kind of wish Zedd would get a small army of past villains as his team, but I think this is mostly it for now.
Oh, is Amelia going to have to kiss Ollie to wake him up like Sleeping Beauty? Oh...no kiss. I'm a little disappointed.
Rafkon Revealed:
Okay, as much as I kind of get annoyed by Jane and J-Borg...I'll admit this Nerf War was pretty fun and well-shot.
It's weird that the scan says there's no lifeforms on the planet...but there ARE TREES on the planet. Do trees not count as "life" to the scanners? If there WERE a intelligent species of tree on the planet, would the Rangers scanner's NOT pick them up?
Ah, yes, "the planet is different now"...probably due to the budget.
You know what? This scene with Zayto recalling what his planet USED to be like was actually poignant and well done. Maybe this show actually CAN take things seriously sometimes and doesn't always have to be a joke.
"Can you get them to lead us to a bathroom next? I haven't gone to the BATHROOM since Earth!" ....And moment ruined. Thanks, Dino Fury. I knew I could count on you.
Nice use of Zedd's spy-vision from the old show, though. I had forgotten about that.
Couldn't the Rafkonians have decommissioned the Sporix creator sometime in the last 65 million years? I mean, a lot could change in that time.
Morphin Master:
So, I guess if there was some continuity problem in the past...Master Green did it. I...guess that's a improvement than things just happening? Maybe? It's still a deus ex machina, but at least we know who the "deus" is who's "machina"-ing. Mostly seems to be bringing up the Nick seasons, too.
You know, these "Morphin Masters" feel a LOT more like the comic's "Emissaries"...but enough time has passed between MMPR and Dino Fury, maybe the Emissaries got a upgrade?
The Morphin Masters aren't supposed to interfere like Marvel's Watchers. But there ARE some tantalizing breadcrumbs about a bigger war they're fighting. Teasing Cosmic Fury?
Is this going to be a clip show? Oh...no it isn't. Good.
Rafkon just BLEW UP! And...Zayto and Aiyon grieve for it about as long as they would for a old car....
These jokes feel REALLY tone-deaf after seeing a planet get blown up.
"Zedd's too chicken to fight us himself....MOO!" "Aiyon...that's a cow. He's still learning his Earth-animals" I could feel something inside of me break listening to this line. You just watched your homeworld get destroyed. You're facing off against the villain who did it. And you...moo at him in defiance. I can't. This is....UGH! I know they don't want to make it TOO serious and scare the kids watching, but....GEEZ!
I swear, it's like this show has two writers. And one of them is trying to sabotage the "serious" one by throwing in as many bad jokes as they can. I expect SOME jokes in Power Rangers, that's just the style. But...this just feels like too much for this episode. Where's the righteous fury?!
And Zedd got sealed into a crystal. Okay. Not sure how he'll get out of that, in another dimension.
The prophecy was misleading....this felt like a waste of a plot point. But, maybe Aiyon will still do something in Cosmic Fury.
Wishful Thinking:
Seeing human-Mucus is a nice gag. That could be a recurring thing.
Is young-Amelia a reference to something? Her real-life little sister or something?
Seeing a actual-prop sized T-Rex Zord is kind of fun, too.
I WANT to say that later revelations about Amelia make this episode retroactively brilliant...BUT, I don't think Amelia ever sees Void King OR Queen during this episode. The "magic charm" really DIDN'T work for her.
Things Unspoken:
Looking back, I think THIS is the episode where the tone changes a little. The characters are allowed to have moments where they DON'T joke around. There's more drama. This is kind of the start of the show getting better during this batch.
Izzy's dad after being injured: "You don't need to tell YOUR PARENTS where you go or the reasons why you do things or why you turn down life-changing opportunities...but you NEED to tell your girlfriend. A high-school girlfriend is a relationship that lasts FOREVER!" I get they wanted to tone down the dad's aggressiveness...but maybe they went too far the other way.
Guilt Trip:
And the Void Queen's grand plan is to...steal a human-made drill? I mean...I guess it's a big drill. But, I feel like she could either MAKE one herself that's just as big or a Sporix monster that does the same thing. This feels...low stakes.
And the moral of the story is: Make time to talk to your mom about anime, instead of planning a weekend trip to a haunted house with your girlfriend....Even these guy's civilian lives are weird!
Mom just...licks the white stuff on her shoulder like it's nothing. I don't care if it's not bird poop, it still came from a monster, that can't be healthy.
This entire episode is just a excuse to throw pies at Aiyon.
Bad Vibes:
Izzy and Javi getting brainwashed could be a REALLY COOL plot...if it lasted more than ONE episode.
Cute family moments with the Garcias.
The Void King created a blaster that can mutate ANYONE into Sporix Lords like them?! Oh...it just brainwashes people. That was a chance to use more monster suits wasted. You could have used more ToQger general suits!
The montage is sweet...but it's a LITTLE lame that just feeling a little nostalgia and love undoes the brainwashing like it's nothing.
I actually REALLY like Void Queen referring to the Sporix Monster as her "child" and telling them they did a "good job" after they get blown up and revert back to a blob...but she really doesn't show up often enough to make it a memorable part of the show. Void Queen sharing the spotlight with Lord Zedd kind of hurt her character growth a little.
Oh, I guess they used the drill to break into the Ranger Base. I GUESS that's kind of what Zedd and Rita did in MMPR a few times. But...I wish it was a little more "grand" than just a drill, you know?
The Invasion:
This is the start of the three-part finale. And WOW! Where was THIS SHOW for the past 40 episodes? This is SO MUCH better than it has ANY right to be.
The Rafkons are here and they want the planet. There's some tension here. To be fair, the aliens have a point.
These Rafkon suits are...okay. But, they are kind of cheap looking. So many "thin" shoulder pads. I guess it's fine since they stay in the background, mostly. I kind of hope Hasbro ups their game if they plan to make their own suits for Ranger seasons going forward.
I feel like it'd take a while for the dam bursting to actually reach the town...but whatever.
Wait, why does Pop-pop know about alien antenna?
GEEZ, POP-POP! That actually felt kind of brutal for this show.
Wait, wha...Amelia's a alien?
The Truth:
We haven't gotten a pre-title sequence scene in Power Rangers in a while. Kind of nice to have it back.
Man...this...this backstory is actually REALLY touching. Pop-pop is such a great guy!
I...wish Amelia being a alien was better hinted at earlier on in the season. I...guess it fits well enough though. But, now Ollie's dating a mind-reader...that's going to cause problems.
I guess Pop-pop's going to be fine...GOOD! I've gotten kind of attached to him. More so than most of the Rangers, if I'm being honest.
Void Queen's cacooning...this is going to be bad.
OH MY GOD THEY KILLED MUCUS! THOSE...wait, I'm pretty sure she'll be back...or she'll be the reason Void Queen get's defeated, one of the two.
Oh...Area 62 is the villain lair...I'll admit, if we already knew that, I had forgotten about it.
OOOOHHHHH....Void King and Queen are Amelia's parents!? Okay...I should have seen that coming...but again I didn't. Again, this is a REALLY touching moment. Why couldn't we have gotten THIS verison of the show sooner?!
Uhh....Santaura needing a entire healing tank for ONE (Styrofoam-looking) rock feels like overkill...but fine. Kind of weird she made a entire speech AFTER that injury but still needed that healing-tank, though. But...FINE!
The Void Queen's rage is retroactively justified, though.
LOVE curing their mutation is still kind of lazy...but it feels more earned HERE than with Izzy and Javi's brainwashing being undone by the power of family kareoke. They just found out their baby was alive!
Nemesis:
Oh, are we going to get to see Void Knight's Brown/Hero form from Ryusoulger? Oh...no we aren't. That's too bad, this would have been the perfect (and only) opportunity to use that suit.
Okay, this fight with the Rangers fighting this GIANT MONSTER with NO MECHS is really cool! Shadow of the Colossus style stuff. They even skateboard on one of the mooks!
Oh, so the Morphin Masters can just...scoop the Sporix up and put them in a crystal now. Okay.
Wait...Zayto's INSIDE the Morphin Grid? That sounds...suspiciously like what happened to Zordon. Are we going to get to see Zordon in Cosmic Fury?
Santaura's pregnant again? Geez, Tarrick works fast.
What is this show's cake budget? Why can they afford to just DESTROY cake after cake after cake?
Slyther and Mucus have started a magician group. That's a nice ending for them...or it would be, but I'm sure they'll show up in Cosmic Fury, again.
ZAYTO'S ALIVE! That...didn't even last a episode, but oh well.
Why is Lord Zedd so good at escaping prisons? Every single prison he's put in.
So, yeah, again...GREAT FINALE! But...the rest of the show's a mixed bag for me.
I DO like Zayto's new suit...but it's just the Shishi Red Orion suit from Kyuuranger. It's not even a subtle steal.
Let's compare:
It's a good look...but again, those shoulder pads just feel too "thin" to me.
I DO like Zayto's new suit...but it's just the Shishi Red Orion suit from Kyuuranger. It's not even a subtle steal.
Let's compare:
It's a good look...but again, those shoulder pads just feel too "thin" to me.
It makes sense since they are MMPRing Kyuranger for Cosmic Fury
SPD and TImeforce would both like to have words with you.
I just find it odd that they're basically copying the Kyuranger suit...instead of just USING the Kyuranger suit. It's right there. You COULD use it. You have to make new toys anyway. Maybe it's cheaper to repaint the old figures instead of making new ones, but still.
Fair point about SPD and Time Force. But, it wasn't really a thing that's around MUCH in Power Rangers. And I don't think they've been..."invented" yet? We haven't seen a present-day team use a prison...I don't think....
I feel it its basically following the reasoning as why MMPR kept the Zyuranger suits; except they're compromising an making new suits that still mostly look like like the old, but still gives them new product. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if that's not 100% Zayto's look in Cosmic Fury since it sounds like it was designed last minute; so could end up looking more refined when it actually needs to be used for something besides a quick scene
They really don't look a lot alike to me, outside of the colors doing the heavy lifting there. I mean, there are similarities, but... that goes for most Ranger costumes. The biggest things are the shoulder pads and cape, but even those look completely different.
Anyway, I really liked Dino Fury. It really felt like a part of a bigger Power Ranger universe in a way most of the last several seasons, bar Beast Morphers, haven't. And even then, it felt like it did it in its own way, not just cribbing BM's notes.
Yeah, and it seems like both BM and DF trying to expand the lore, is largely Hasbro's doing. I imagine Beast Morphers would have done some of its stuff much better if Saban hadn't still had their hand in the cookie jar. Becuase Dino Fury takes that same kinda premise and spreads it through out the season ymmv of course on how well they did that; but part of BM's issue was that they were forced to be very episodic by Saban.
I feel that's more down to 'learning curve' Jane and J-Borg are, imo a step down from Ben and Betty (who could be part of the plot, so their anticis weren't so random) but they were better used then Victor and Monty; We can see above those Victor and Monty we're kinda sabotaged from the start so nothing against them; but Jane and J-Borg didn't feel like they were 'forced' to do bad and immature jokes becuase some old guy thinks kids will find it funny. So trying to figure out how to keep a Bulk And Skull-esque presence in the show, while not feeling too outta place? Not gonna be easy, and for the Rangers themselves? While I do agree some parts should have stuck to a more serious tone (Cow/Chicken joke I agree with for example) I like that the show isn't trying to split things between 'Humor only for the Comic relief duo or Villians' like it feels like some seasons do. Seeing the Rangers actually kinda being goofs themselves, makes them feel more realistic to me the some of the previous seasons under Saban.
Maybe, maybe not. Hasbro might use the money they get from their toy sales from transformers, My little pony, and other Hasbro properties.
