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01-15-2021, 09:34 AM | #431 |
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Sorry if it's off-topic but I did just want to say I actually missed the original morphing sequence more than anything in the second half(which to put my pedantic hat on seems technically more like 2 thirds but I'll play ball) considering I always wanted more actual ''morphing'' in Power Rangers! Although Tommy maybe shouldn't have got his own helmet formup but it just always seemed a bit unfair to me that a couple of actors were apparently written out despite initially wanting to stay on, but I suppose that possibly happens with soaps too!
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Last edited by DreamSword; 01-15-2021 at 03:20 PM.. |
01-15-2021, 04:55 PM | #432 |
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We're in my top 10 now! Can you guess what seasons will place where?
I also learned this morning that I gotta be careful from here on out. I went and watched one episode of this season... which then turned into 10, haha. Jungle Fury Pre-Show Preamble Like many of the seasons I've been going over lately, Jungle Fury is a season that alot of people had initially passed on, but overtime has grown more and more fans. And again, it's great for me because I felt this was a huge step up after PROO. There's so much to like about this season that a part of me almost feels like I should put it up higher, but, that should help to highlight just how much I enjoy not just this season, but all the future ones I'll be touching on. First off, I absolutely loved the Kung Fu motif that the show went for. Power Rangers takes alot of inspiration from Jackie Chan movies as it is, so having an entire season based off of various martial arts and kung fu flicks honestly just seemed like a really natural progression. It's to the point that the Civilian Powers of past seasons disappear, and everything is focused on hand-to-hand combat. Second, I am absolutely floored with how well the show's' writing turned out considering the time. Many might not remember, but back when the show was being made, there was a huge writer's' strike going on, so PRJF cycled through alot of different writers. Yet somehow despite that, the writing remained mostly consistent and the character development absolutely on point. There's even alot of subtle foreshadowing I missed the first time around. And last, in compliment to the second, the character development was really, really good this season. RJ is my favorite here, as well as my favorite Purple Ranger, but if I had to give the award of "best development" to anyone, it would be Camille and Jarrod. Not only was making the Sixth Ranger not just a bad guy, but THE Big Bad a totally fresh idea at the time, but many episodes are just as much Jarrod and Camille's' as they are the Power Rangers. I'd even go so far as to say I think they're the best developed villains the franchise has had! It ended up making choosing a favorite episode of the show really hard, but in the end, I think I found it. Episode 9: Good Karma, Bad Karma The overall theme and message of this episode is duality, and how the people, events, and choices we experience in life play a huge part in who we end up becoming. Alongside the usual monster of the week, there are two plotlines ongoing here: One focusing on Casey and a boy named Josh, and the other focusing on Jarrod and his new master, Carnisoar. Before we get to Casey's' half, can I just say that while I didn't get much out of it as a kid, now that I'm older and I've worked fast food, can we just take a moment to appreciate the fact that the Rangers this time around are all fast food workers? Not only is it a nice message to send that fast food workers aren't inherently losers, but maaann did I find alot to relate to considering my past experience in the industry. There were SO many times during the binge that I outright said "God this is way too similar to my normal day at work." Especially during the episodes when things were going hectic. Also Fran is nowhere near appreciated enough, the poor girl. Anyway, this time around, Casey has to contend with a boy named Josh, who steals a $5 bill off one of the tables so he can buy a kite that he really wants. Casey chases the kid down and decides to try and teach him about not giving into greed and working to be better than that. Realistically enough, Josh does what alot of little kids would do and gives in anyway, buying the kite with the stolen money. At the end of this, while he certainly could've worded it better, I do like the message that Casey passes on here. The message he gives essentially being that it makes no sense to look up and admire heroes if you don't also strive to uphold their core values. It's not always easy. Infact, many times it's very hard, but your integrity and your sense of right and wrong are very important, and you should do your best to live up to those ideals. He even uses Josh's' kite at the end to help defeat the monster! Which is a great callback to the training he got from RJ in episode 3, by the way. Side tangent: Apparently alot of people dislike the Solar Morphers? I always felt they were not only something cool and different, but also practical. Toei seemed to have liked the idea too, considering Sunglasses Morphers would make a return come Go-Busters. I guess I should talk about the monster in this one, huh? He's an eel monster named Slickagon, whose gimmick is that he's far too slimey and slippery to get a clean hit on. Though really, the best thing to come out of him is not his slime, but the fact that he does the worm as a form of attack. That always gets a giggle out of me. Oh, and double points in that despite Theo and Lily going to RJ for help, he's not the one who comes up with the solution, Casey does all his own. Another side note: I always loved how low tech RJ's' pad was compared to other command bases in the series. Dude straight up monitors things via CRTs and has the Rangers swing out of the joint Tarzan-style. Just another point to RJ being one of the most unique mentors the series has ever had. Love this guy. But now we get into the real meat of this episode, and something that I feel wouldn't be nearly as effective if we didn't have the Casey plotline to directly contrast with. Carnisoar shows Jarrod visions of his past, all the while convincing him to literally have a change of heart so that the might of Dai Shi can continue to take over Jarrod's' mind. It's here that we learn a whole lot about Jarrod. He was a loner who always tried to do the right thing, only for life to turn around and kick him for it at every turn. He had absentee parents, he was bullied, and many of the things he tried to succeed in, he failed at. I especially like how this is shown as a gradual process: Carnisoar first starting with something small(cheating on a test), and then growing bigger and bigger(letting an innocent family essentially die), thus letting Dai Shi's' hatred flow even more. Another great detail to notice too, and a follow up to previous scenes in other episodes focusing on Jarrod, is that despite all of this, Jarrod is still there, doing his best to resist Dai Shi's' influence. Jarrod isn't evil, just misguided and someone who's been hurt over and over again. The only person who really cares about him being Camille. This culminates with Camille deciding that Carnisoar needs to go, as even she can recognize he's a horrible influence on her master, furthering the arc that the two share and the grand payoff it would have come the end of the season. Overall, Jungle Fury is a season that's all about insecurities, and how they both influence how people act as well as what people do to try and either handle or overcome them. Nearly every character has one they need to conquer in order to better themselves, and that motif lead to some overall great character arcs; this episode being a great example of the building blocks that make that up. After-Show Bonus Ever notice how this season doesn't have a Battlizer nor any sort of crossover with its predecessor season(Operation Overdrive)? Apparently the budget for those was instead put into making the Spirit Rangers, and personally? I think they made the right call on that front.
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Last edited by DreamSword; 01-27-2021 at 08:26 PM.. |
01-16-2021, 04:15 AM | #433 |
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I mostly remember this episode as my first experience with Jungle Fury (We’d recently got a Sky box, and with it, access to Jetix UK) And I started midway through the episode, so the most I picked up on was the bad guy watching a bird man mess with random people and become even angrier.
Though I’ll admit, I was on the edge about Jungle Fury when I first watched it, and had a few issues with it (like the overuse of Master Mode and the Wolf Pride Megazord, neither of which appealed to me). But years, later I’m a bit more appreciative. Plus, my main issues came from Gekiranger, and Jungle Fury actually took out some of my other issues with that show (like the bizarrely placed filler episodes, having Yellow as the leader (which was mostly used for some weird and unfunny gags), and the bad guy coming off as unsympathetic, making his eventual redemption seem unbelievable, the eventual final boss coming off as a walking ass pull and the horrific lack of world-building). So I’m a lot more appreciative to it now |
01-16-2021, 09:27 AM | #434 |
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Quote:
Though I’ll admit, I was on the edge about Jungle Fury when I first watched it, and had a few issues with it (like the overuse of Master Mode and the Wolf Pride Megazord, neither of which appealed to me). But years, later I’m a bit more appreciative. Plus, my main issues came from Gekiranger, and Jungle Fury actually took out some of my other issues with that show (like the bizarrely placed filler episodes, having Yellow as the leader (which was mostly used for some weird and unfunny gags), and the bad guy coming off as unsympathetic, making his eventual redemption seem unbelievable, the eventual final boss coming off as a walking ass pull and the horrific lack of world-building). So I’m a lot more appreciative to it now
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01-16-2021, 02:16 PM | #435 |
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In Space Pre-Show Preamble In Space was very much the RPM of its day. Back then, it was to be the final season of the show as a whole, so Saban decided to swing for the fences and go to places unexplored. They started by upping the target demographic from 5 to 10, as by now that was the age of most kids who'd been keeping up with the series. This also allowed the story to touch on themes and subjects the series had strayed from. To me, the aspect that stood out most was the concept that yes, humans can also be criminals, and they won't typically just have a change of heart overnight("A Ranger Among Thieves"). This was a huge shake-up from the typical Alien Menace the series had 99% of the time gunned for up until now. That is not the episode we're focusing on today. They also introduced the Psycho Rangers, who, while not the first set of Evil Rangers, were the first to actually be an entirely unique team, all with their own shades of character traits. Their fights were intense and brutal, essentially being single-minded murder machines who cared for nothing else as long as their prime directive was met. That is not the episode we're focusing on today. Space also brought us the first instance of the "Battlizer" though its concept is slightly different from how every Battlizer since would be designed. Still, the concept of a Red-unique power up was revolutionary, and remains not only in Power Rangers, but now Super Sentai to this day. That is not the episode we're focusing on today. This was also the first season to be set primarily out of Angel Grove, instead opting for more of a space opera approach. Certainly, there were a few locations they would visit every so often, and yes, they would visit the Surf Spot, located within Angel Grove every now and then, but the outer space exploration was certainly the prime focus, only to be arguably outdone by Lost Galaxy a year later when the series was revived. The intent was always clear from the start: Do something fresh and new, while at the same time trying their best to wrap up every character arc, close every lingering plot thread they could, use as much original footage as they reasonably could, and have a fulfilling end to this franchise that meant so much to so many people at the time. It's the reason why many fans divide the Saban Era into the "Zordon" and "Post-Zordon" Eras, and is still regarded as one of, if not the best entry in the series to date. It was so popular that the rest of the Era would do its best to try and recapture that magic. And while I do certainly love the season overall, I just can't find myself singing the same praises that alot of other fans do. I already gave my thoughts about how I feel Lost Galaxy is an overall weak season, but there's one detail I purposely left out: One of the reasons I can't bring myself to absolutely love LG is that, to me, it very much feels like a watered down version of IS. See, alot of modern fans lament how Neo-Saban went out of its way to avoid doing anything even remotely resembling RPM again, but personally, I fully supported that decision, and still do to this day. Because if I wanted to watch RPM, then guess what? I'd watch RPM. Variety is one aspect of this series that I've always valued, and it's why I hold alot of the Disney Era in such a high regard, even if I personally feel it has one of the weakest entries in the series, ontop of the terrible treatment the higher ups gave the franchise. Trust me, had Samurai ended up being RPM-2, I'd be alot harsher on it. Thankfully though, while the idea wasn't fully gone, Saban did seem to atleast learn that trying to do PRIS over and over again wasn't too hot of an idea as the Era continued on. Say what you want about Wild Force, but atleast it was unique! And uniqueness and finality are the two main aspects we'll be focusing on today; with not only what I feel is the best two-parter the series has ever done, but the best finale of any season to date. Episodes 42+43: Countdown to Destruction The Legendary War wishes it was this good. Fun fact before we get into it though: This two-parter was written by Koichi Sakamoto, the guy who directed every season from MMPR S3 through RPM. This episode details the darkest hour of any Ranger season. The United Alliance of Evil launches a full scale invasion of the entire known universe, creating a force so oppressive that even multiple Rangers from across space aren't enough. Chaos and mayhem is the name of the game here too. Explosions, collapsing buildings, legions of robot soldiers... the forces of good can barely fight back against the oncoming onslaught. Even the villains aren't safe, as Darkonda goes through the final phase of his plan to betray Dark Specter. There also seems to be no hope left for Karone, as even after Dark Specter and Darkonda are no more, she still assumes the identity of Astronema, and proceeds to lay waste across the universe, with Earth as her next target. The Space Rangers do their best to fight back, but quickly fall to the sheer numbers of the army that they're up against. The Rangers fall back to try and regroup and make a plan of attack, and Andros decides to go off on his own to infiltrate the Dark Fortress, hoping that somehow, someway, he can still reach his sister. It's here that Astronema offers the people of Earth a choice: Either hand over the Power Rangers and swear allegiance to the UAE, or be slaughtered en mass. What results is the most badass moment not just for Bulk and Skull, but the people of Earth as a whole. They're all eternally grateful for everything that the Rangers have done for them up to now, and show that by proclaiming they are all Power Rangers. Not only standing in defiance of Astronema, but outright fighting alongside the Rangers against the oncoming swarm. It's a really well done scene that often makes everyone's' "best moments" lists, and I am in no way trying to argue against that. It's not only extremely awesome, but a great final moment for everyone that the Rangers have helped up to this point. Meanwhile at the Dark Fortress, Andros manages to sneak his way in and finds Zordon, who's been held captive the entire season. And it's here that Zordon says what I feel is the most shocking sentence in the entirety of the franchise. "Shatter my energy tube." Zordon, the prevailing big good of the whole series up to this point, outright tells Andros to kill him, so that way his magic can spread across the universe and fight back against the darkness. Andros is of course hesitant, but after a fight with Astronema and Ecliptor showing him that he has no other choice, he knows what must be done. And indeed, the Zordon Wave rips across space, purifying and turning many of the evil forces to dust. It even shows us that Divatox and Dimitria are sisters, a loose hanging plot thread from Turbo. Many cry foul at Ecliptor getting killed, and I do agree, that's like the one weak point in this whole thing. In the end, Astronema is freed from her mind control, the universe is saved, and the Space Rangers are free to all go home together. At long last, there is peace. It's hard to explain just why this finale is so good, especially since it sort of requires viewers to be familiar with the entire series up that point. They went all out here. Every still surviving Ranger and villain showing up, the dreadful and hopeless atmosphere, the sheer scale of the action, and of course, every character action and reaction being very well thought out and emphasized. It's a wonderful end to not only In Space, but the Zordon Era as a whole. In the end, the Rangers are not heroes to be admired not just because they can beat the bad guys, but because they keep going, despite how much they keep getting knocked down. After-Show Bonus The set design for the Astro Megaship was really smartly done! It was a set of walls on wheels, making the entire set entirely modular. Need a hallway? Rearrange them in a straight line. Need a room? Make a square. And it all looks really good to boot. Huge props to the set designers for their creativity and ingenuity here!
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Last edited by DreamSword; 01-27-2021 at 08:36 PM.. |
01-16-2021, 09:35 PM | #436 |
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We finished season 1 of Beast Morphers!
Personally, I have mixed feelings. Because atleast so far, when the show is good, it's REALLY good, but when it's weak, it's really weak. I think the biggest issue I have is that, when it comes to a handful of characters, we're informed to alot of their traits, but not actually shown any of them. The most blatant example being Mayor Daniels. Devin loves to claim, especially in the early episodes, that his dad is unreasonable and that the two never see eye to eye... yet, every time Daniels is on screen, he's not only totally reasonable in all his assertions(Morph-X is a horrible idea, just saying), but he's shown caring alot about Devin's' well being all the while. On the brighter side of things, all the original footage and money they're flexing is rather nice, I like the villains, and there are some genuinely sick action scenes in this season. So far my favorite character is Steel. He's really funny and has a really fun and energetic personality. And while I do like Ben and Betty, I feel they're a small step down from Victor and Monty. Also my friend and I have started calling Ravi "Shinji." One guess as to why. Please do not spoil season 2, as I am overall looking forward to it.
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01-17-2021, 09:14 PM | #437 |
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Mighty Morphin' Season 3/Alien Rangers Pre-Show Preamble Yes, I am counting them both as one season. I know some people don't. Not many people seem to either remember or properly give the third season of MMPR credit for alot of the things it did for the series. First off, this season is what helped bring us Saban's Masked Rider, which, my own distaste for that show aside, DID bring awareness to Kamen Rider, just as Power Rangers had brought awareness to Super Sentai. Second, this was the first we had not only an entirely separate team of Rangers, but ones with entirely different suits, from an entirely different planet. The Alien Rangers(man did that name not age well) being entirely new characters with different powers, different suits, and, oh yeah, WERE NINJAS!! Third, it was the first time that the Zords got upgraded mid-season, which would become standard from every show here on. Although that said, what makes this interesting(to me atleast) is that the Shogun MegaZord was less an upgrade and more a change in stats from the Ninja MegaZord; Swapping speed for defense. The two MegaZords even work together at times! Fourth, the introduction of Kat to replace Kimberly was handled much better than what the Stone Canyon Trio were. Kat was a character very distinct from Kim and had her own entire arc before joining the team, a very smart move on the writer's' part. I imagine it helped alot of kids to accept her much easier than they did the SCT; I know it did for me. After that, the only originals left were Billy and Tommy. Fifth, they brought about the first team-wide Super Mode, the Metallic Armor. Simplistic, cheesy, and lasting only a few episodes, sure, but never the less, this was a big deal. Something like it wouldn't be seen again until Lost Galaxy and the Lights of Orion, and even then it'd still take awhile before becoming something alot of seasons would do. Sixth, Season 3 coincided with The Movie, a huge deal for a show like this. I might do my own separate post for it at some point, but all you really need to know is that Ivan Ooze is awesome and that movie is basically everything a Power Rangers movie should be. Unlike the 2017 film. And last... it marked the debut of the first Christmas episode. Okay, technically not the first, but the the first to air within the season itself and not on direct-to-video. And personally? I still think it's the best Christmas special the series has ever done. So, that's what I'm covering today! Episode 16: I'm Dreaming of a White Ranger Premise? ITS CHRISTMAS! IN POWER RANGERS! IT'S ABOUT TO GET... wholesome! But yeah, the Youth Center is putting together an event to celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah(Happy Holidays!), and the Rangers are of course doing what they can to help out. It's here we meet a little girl named Becky, who's having a hard time because her father chose to work the holiday instead of coming to see her sing. Tommy, Aisha, and Kim, all do their best to help her cheer up, but Kim is the only one to give actual advice. She tells Becky to tell her dad about how important it is to see him for the holiday; Words that Becky takes to heart. It's a good lesson for kids too. You can't expect someone to know there's a problem unless you tell them about it. Meanwhile, Zedd HATES Christmas. And yes, Christmas specifically, not Hanukkah. He is Jewish afterall! And to counteract the holiday, he comes up with a wonderfully insane plan like always. Step 1: Send Rito to the North Pole. Step 2: Have him force Santa to create mind-controlling dreidles. Step 3: ???? Step 4: TAKE OVER THE EARTH!!! Zordon of course calls in the Rangers, where he says yet another of my favorite lines ever. "Because of a combination of the North Pole's' unique polarity and a cross current of holiday magic, your Morphing powers will not work there." What this tells me is that Santa Claus is more powerful than the Morphin' Grid, and that's amazing. And what I love about this entire scenario is that everyone just immediately accepts that Santa is real, as if that's common knowledge in this universe? I mean, after all of the other insane stuff they've dealt with up to now, why not right? Meanwhile, at the North Pole: Hahahaha, I love this stuff. I love that the Rangers decide that stealth is the best option... only to be immediately found out because they teleported in. They manage to get out okay due to the North Pole also nullifying Zedd's' evil magic, meaning that Morphing Time isn't needed, and after sending Rito and Goldar packing, even help Santa get his toys together for delivery. All in all, everything turns out a-okay for the holidays. Becky is even reunited with her dad! It's enough to even make Bulk and Skull shed tears of joy! Aww... Overall, this is a really fun special full of legit laughs and heart-warming moments, and I don't think it could've been done any better. After-Show Bonus Less of a bonus bit of trivia and more of a question for you all. Were the Alien Rangers to ever get an alternate name, what would you go with? The only two titles I could think up were "Aquitar Rangers" and "Ninja Strike." Listen to me, Androzani, and En-chan watch the episode live HERE.
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Last edited by DreamSword; 12-26-2022 at 10:58 AM.. |
01-17-2021, 09:36 PM | #438 |
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These mini reviews are awesome. Would be great to get a write up on all the movies one day
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01-17-2021, 09:40 PM | #439 |
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Aww thank you! I'm definitely tempted to do MMPR The Move and the Turbo Movie sometime, but uh, I don't think anyone would really appreciate anything I'd have to say about the 2017 Reboot, hahaha.
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01-17-2021, 10:27 PM | #440 |
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