How not heard good things about Zyu? Have you not been paying attention to my praises of it? I just rewatched the show two weeks ago and have praises for it in the What are you watching topic.

Whoever it is that says these supposedly bad thing about Zyuranger, I just don't get the criticism. I know it's an early 90's sentai so it's gonna have it's issue, but there are no inherent "problems" with that show.

Zyuranger is good in my opinion. I think people didn't like it for having annoying kids and the show didn't live up to Jetman. Jetman was awesome back in 1991 and I think fans at the time had hopes that Zyuranger would live up to it. Despite older fans not liking it, the show had better toy sales then Jetman.

Because it's dull 75% of the time. The story was spread absurdly thin throughout the show. Now I know filler is a given, but there's a difference between filler breaking up a story for a bit and filler being huge chunks of the show. The only time the story really shines through and thus something major happens is the first couple of episodes when they gather all of their weapons and the components for DaiZyuJin, Burai's story, and the finale when Bandora goes to end it all. Outside of that, nothing really important happens. And even when you separate all the filler and evaluate the story alone, it still isn't that great outside of the first couple of episodes with all of the quests.

Zyuranger isn't a great show, it's meh to me and out of all of the Sentai I've seen, it's the weakest. I enjoyed the ride as it happened, but looking back it isn't that great anymore. I still enjoy the show and like it enough to get the full SHF team and buy the DVD set, but when I have to think of it on a critical level, it just isn't that great and I've seen much, much better. So the criticism as a whole that I hear and read a lot is what I said, too much filler which makes the show drag on and become boring with not enough excitement going on unless it about the whole 25% of story the show has.

As opposed to all the Super Sentai series with tightly knit serialized plots like...?

As I said, I know filler is something every one has. But compared to (IMO at least) a series like Goakiger where the story always seemed to be episodic and when there was filler that played of some importance, Zyurange doesn't hold up. You will literaly get three or six episodes of story and then another six or ten of filler. It kills the buzz you get from watching the story unfold. Heck when I get the DVD I'll probably just end up never watching every single episode and just watch the key ones.

This is simply my opinion though and I know you nor anybody else is bound to fully agree with me.

While I enjoy Jetman, I think it suffers from weaker monster designs. One thing I think they both have in common though is that Yellow and Blue are vastly underdeveloped.

I personaly think the 90s was the best decade of Sentai. Outside of ZyuRanger, everything from Jetman through TimeRanger was golden. Each series felt fresh with new ideas, new concepts, they were trying new themes, and most of all, they were taking risks. Yes, they all have their flaws, but honestly, I just don't think any of the series from the last several years sans GekiRanger have any lasting power. I love Gokaiger, it is in my top 10, but there is nothing truly new in the show outside of the ability to use every ranger power.

The story is not spread thin. Episodes 1-7, 9-10, 17-23, 28-32, 34, 37, 40-43, and 47-50 are all episodes that are part of the plot of the show.

That encompasses the gathering of the weapons, the birthing of Daizyujin, the introductions to Gnome, who is part of the reason Burai comes about. The introduction to the dinosaur eggs. Burai's awakening, his acquiring Dragon Ceasar, and learning about his remaining life time. Bandora's acquisition of the new clay for her monsters, Dai Satan's introduction and attack on Earth, Geki learning about Burai's peril, Geki trying to make a deal to save Burai, Burai losing his time to save a girl and her brother, recovering the dinosaur eggs, the death of Burai, and finally, Dai Satan's return with Cai and then the final battle. That is more plot than nearly everything I have seen from the 80s.

You could say the same about any Sentai series though. Your feelings on Zyu are my feelings on Gosei, Go-On, Go-Bus, ToQ, Mask, Bio, Turbo, Five, etc.

I'm not the biggest fan of Zyuranger, but it's in no way a bad series. Nor is it really a series where you should just base an opinion of hearing things. Watch it for yourself and then judge it.

So you'd recommend picking this up and at least giving it a try?

I'd say the same about any Super Sentai series getting a DVD release I think.

Except maybe Sun Vulcan