DreamSword Rewatches Power Rangers SPD
 

Hola amigos, it's DreamSword. The only Power Rangers fan!

2025 is the year that Power Rangers SPD canonically takes place, and as far as I can tell, no singular PR season has had one of these review threads before.

So I figured I'd give this a shot! SPD has always been one of my favorite seasons of the show, and with the future of the franchise being uncertain, I figured it'd be fun to take a look back and try to talk about why I love it so much.

As I've said before, I can't offer any sort of super "deep" insight like what you might find from the reviews of other users on these boards, but what I can offer is genuine interest and emotion towards whatever I'm talking about. Positive, negative, I always try my best to articulate why I feel the way that I do.

In other words, while you're most likely not going to ever read me talk about a certain episode is some deep analysis on the nature of humanity or society or whatever, you will most likely gain insight into how various aspects of the episode made me feel, and whether or not I had a good time doing so. I am a simple man with simple pleasures.

Did I get that across right? If not, well, then that's all par for the course. So to help things along, here are some general guidelines for the thread as a whole:

This show is 20 years old, so there will likely be spoilers. I'll do my best to be as spoiler free as possible, but the thread will probably be talking about the show as a whole as much as it does each individual episode. This will be like the fourth time I've seen it, afterall. Adding to that, you all are allowed to talk spoilers in this thread if you think it'll help with discussion. If you're coming into Space Patrol Delta for the first time, well, you've been warned.

Please try to keep discussion focused on SPD specifically. I'm not saying you can't make any offhand comparisons to other seasons or tokusatsu or whatever, that's all well and good, but please try not to use this thread as an excuse to come in and go off about some other show you've got a bone to pick with. Try to keep SPD at the forefront, whether you liked whatever the particular episode was doing or not. But on that note...

This thread is celebratory, not derogatory. Not saying you're required to praise every single aspect of this season. Heck, there are certain bits of it that I don't think are as good as they could be, but please try not to come in solely to talk about how much the franchise is bad, or that Saban/Disney/whoever is the worst thing on Earth, or how MMPR is a disgrace to the entire genre, or whatever. Like, sure, I can't stop you from making those comments, but don't expect me to at all engage with them.

And as always, the final rule is to try and respect the opinions of others. We all aren't going to agree on every little aspect of anything, that's just true to life. But what we can do is atleast try to see where the other person is coming from. If we agree, great. If not, well, we're all entitled to our own opinions. It's nothing to wage keyboard wars over.

With all that said, let's get started on (re)watching and talking about Power Rangers Space Patrol Delta...

Power Rangers Dino Thunder: Before it Began

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR5p8_7J7io

... But before that, I wanna talk about the lead up to this show, actually!

"Before it Began" was a bonus feature on one of the Dino Thunder DVDs, and was one of our first peaks into what would become Power Rangers SPD.

The setup involves Ethan and Kira managing to summon a fragment of the Morphin' Grid, which in turns shows them visions of the future and the next season of the show.

Like alot of early previews for toku shows, there are some rather notable differences between what we see here and what'd end up in the final product. Most onvious there's the stand-in voice actors, but there are other details too like the basic plot setup and one of the elite mooks being voiced.

Having already been a diehard Rangers fan, getting me to watch the show wasn't exactly difficult. But alot of the preview really did intrigue me. The Power Rangers as cops(which was last seen during Time Force), the promise of aliens now being common place, and as noted by the characters themselves, those really cool new Zords!

But the thing that really got me excited for this upcoming season was the early commercials for it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI16wTgQAho

One that would air all of the time both before the show began airing as well as during its early episodes was one that gave us a much closer look at the world and its cast, as well as stating that the show took place in the year 2020, when in reality as soon as the story started it was established to take place in the year 2025. I guess someone in the writer's' room felt at the last second that tacking on another five years would make alot of the stuff seen in the show alot more plausible sounding.

Regardless, the general vibe and aesthetic as presented not just in that trailer, but in alot of the early promos got me super excited for what was to come, and needless to say, I was not disappointed. But more on that when we start watching the show proper.

Also, big shout out to this fan made trailer I found while searching. It's very cool!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBRAymGVc5g

I’m guessing the reason this experiment was never repeated was because of the obvious limitations of the format (making a pre-series cameo for a cast that hasn’t been cast yet).

That and budget cuts, most likely.

Episodes 1+2: Beginnings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7J6fckRjgM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDGz3EAz6yM

These two episodes originally aired as a 42 minute special, so that's how I've always watched them. And today is no exception.

And I'll just say it: This is my favorite premiere in the entire franchise.

Don't get me wrong, "Day of the Dumpster" is an absolutely iconic episode and I love both versions of it to bits, but when it comes right down to it, "Beginnings" never once misses a beat, even if it's doesn't 1000% mesh with the rest of the show.

It helps that in regards to plot, not only is the special a great setup for the rest of the show in itself, but there are no conflicts at all. No, the very minor disconnects rely on the characterization.

And I do mean minor. It's stuff like how Bridge's' vocabulary is a bit more "academic" than how we'll normally hear him speak for the rest of the show, or how this is the only time I can recall that we'll hear the "Blue Heads" talk. Things of that nature. But really, if we're talking about these episodes in and of themselves, the characterization is incredibly strong all the way around.

Both the writing and the actors do a wonderful job at giving you a glimpse in how each character operates. Every character absolutely oozes with personality and all in ways that make them very immediately endearing and likable while still having everyone be unique. Even Sky, the "hardass" of the group, is made fun by not only showcasing his faults for what they are, but having other characters notice and make fun of him for it. But in that friendly, ribbing sort of way.

The episode really does fire on all cylinders though, because the characters both are enhanced as well as further enhance everything else that these episodes have to offer. The action, for example, is really intricate and very fun to watch all throughout. There's of course the signature physical and wire stunts that the franchise is known for(thanks, Koichi Sakamoto!), but throw in the very cool dynamics brought about by the civilian powers each Ranger has as well as the interweaving of the Dekaranger stock footage alongside some original visuals, and every single action scene is just a wonderful time all around.

Speaking of the civilian powers though, one common misconception that the show often gets is that the premiere is the only time that Jack uses his power to phase through objects, and that's actually not true. I'll be sure to bring this up again when we see him utilize this power again. And adding to that, another misconception is that the B-Squad is always shouting whenever they're morphed. Watching the second part alone proves this to be untrue, as most of the time they're talking at a very standard volume.

What's that? They're called B-Squad? That's right. Something else unique to SPD is that our main heroes are actually the runner-ups to a different set of Rangers: SPD's' A-Squad, which are designs original to us here in the United States. While mostly their own designs, A-Squad noticeably retools the In Space helmets in their suits. It's something else that the fandom has thrown a fit about over the years, and I feel that it's a bit of a double standard given that whenever shows like Kamen Rider retool old suits/props, no one really complains all that much. But I digress, it's an aspect of the show's' production, and the lack of budget is the blame.

Yeah, for those curious, Producer Greg Aronowitz recently posted on his socials about the decisions behind retooling older stuff for SPD, and while the short answer is "budget" he also elaborates that the In Space helmets were specifically chosen for A-Squad because they were the ones that most resembled the SPD helmets at the time, and they are not meant to indicate any sort of direct continuity with In Space itself. The same logic(sort of) applying for some other reused props that we'll see later on. Personally, it never bothered me when watching the show as a kid, and it still doesn't bother me even now. The suits look cool, and that's all I need, really.

I could go on and on forever about how much I love every little individual aspect of these two combined episodes, but for the sake of brevity, I just want to highlight one other major aspect of any Power Rangers season, and that's that the music is absolutely fantastic, dude! The SPD theme song featured the return of Ron Wasserman composing the theme song for a PR season, and he absolutely knocked it out of the park with a song that never fails to get me hyped up. Major props have to be given to Bruce Lynch too, who is the head composer for the score of the season. He did a great job making background tracks that not only perfectly capture the mood every scene needs, but also stick out as immediately recognizable in a very pleasant way to my ears. Dang near all of my senses get the time of their life with these episodes!

I just... I just really love this two-parter, is what it comes down to.

Oh hey, this is really cool to see! The vast majority of this show, I haven't watched since about two decades ago(!), so I doubt I'll be able to actively contribute that much, but rest assured I'll be eagerly reading along, because I really enjoy the passion you bring to the table when talking about Power Rangers.

I can say that SPD has a pretty golden premise, though? The underdog angle to the heroes is such a fundamentally strong concept. Personally, I also recall really liking the idea of the Red Ranger for this team of cops starting out as someone on the wrong side of the law? Even if it were just one of the other colors, that would be fun, but for the big important leader guy to have that backstory is such a fascinating angle.

I'm trying to think of premieres of equal or better quality and y'know, this one is probably at least in the top 5. It does a lot of things right with the setup and the twist of the criminal Jack becoming Red instead of Sky is pretty surprising, ignoring the fact that the trailers give it away.

I like it when the grunts talk and show personality. I wish the Blue Heads would've done that more.

"But sir, she's a girl. A girl can't be the Red Ranger."

Flashback to 2 years ago.... :lol

I have to agree with Doggie's judgment here. Sky acts entitled to be Red as the one with the most experience, as well as being uh, male, while Jack.... Admittedly isn't exactly a great choice either, he lacks discipline, but he shows potential and considers the feelings of others, not only himself. I understand that Sky's obvious flaws are part of his arc though.

While I think they look kind of lame compared to the B-Squad SPD suits, they're onscreen for so little time that it seems frivolous to complain about them. It's not like the Megaranger suits got dismantled or anything, so I don't see the harm. I think some people just want to complain that PR is cheap instead of enjoying the product.

It's catchy for sure!

Space Patrol
Space Patrol
Space Patrol
Space Patrol Delta!

I appreciate that! And hey, should you ever feel the itch to revisit any piece of the show, it's all on YouTube for free.

One could write a whole essay on all of the unique stuff that SPD brings to the table when it comes to Power Rangers, but having a Red Ranger who very much does not immediately fit in with everyone else and by all rights would be a different color in any other season is definitely a big stand out. And they didn't even need to make him a bad guy to pull it off either.

I'm interested: What are your other favorite premieres?

And sure, losing the twist of Sky as Blue and not Red is a bit of a shame, on the other hand, it does allow one to instead look into the logic that Commander Cruger has when deciding who to put in what position.

It's definitely something that's become more funny over time for sure. With or without the context of Cosmic Fury though, it for sure shows that Sky still has alot of growing to do.

Doggie's' longcon is definitely one of the aspects of the show that I only grew to appreciate more and more upon rewatches of the show. On a narrative level alone, Sky needed to be brought down a peg, whereas Jack needed to be elevated in order to see the bigger picture, and I think that the Commander for sure recognized that.

I do not disagree with this assessment.

POWER RANGERS, GOOO!!!

SPD really does frontload a lot of what makes it great, but the action stands out as some of the best in the franchise. It's fast, has impact, and they don't over-rely on the civilian powers making them a complement to the scene rather than the main point of it. It's a good balance.

Also that Sky guy is a real jerk. I bet he's gonna stay that way and not grow up at all.

Mighty Morphin' S1, Dino Thunder, Jungle Fury and Cosmic Fury.

Definitely not Samurai.

Doggie is a wise mentor. He gave Sky the chance to show he understood what was important in the leader and Sky instead showed that it was too early for him. There'll be more opportunities to bring this up later, but I think Jack and Sky are good complimentary characters who can learn a lot from each other, in a way you can only see in a strict hierarchy-based show like this one.

You're right.

Pretty solid choices.

And yeah, having Samurai debut with its third episode was uh, certainly a choice.

So, one thing I wanna note before we get into this: some of the episodes on YouTube have a weird framerate issue; usually thought to be due to the source DVDs that the channel used for their rips. Whatever the case might be, if you ever come across an episode that seems to be going just slightly too fast, go into the video's settings and set it to either .90 or .95 speed and you should be good to go. With that out of the way, let's get into today's episode.

Episode 3: Confronted

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HcNdxpMwh0

Jack might have been assigned Red, but the only person he's ever worked with before now was Z, his best friend, so he's not quite Leader material as of yet.

This is the first episode focused primarily on Jack, while simultaneously introducing us to many more aspects of the setting of SPD such as New Tech City and how Emperor Grumm goes about conducting business.

Let's start with Jack. As someone completely foreign to the idea of both the police force as well as being on a team, he doesn't exactly fit in in regards to well, everything. He shows up late to meetings, doesn't take his training seriously, and when he finds out that he has authority, he kinda goes overboard with it.

But the thing about Jack, his biggest strength? It was showcased in the premiere and it's put on full display once again during the climax of this episode: He'll always come around to doing the right thing in the end. He learns from his mistakes, and although his methods might be unorthodox, it's also the out of the box thinking he has that ends up being the key to victory.

Case in point, he does right by his team by not only getting the Megazord combination to work(humorously, by literally jamming the Zords together), but puts himself through the same trials he put everyone else through during the events of the episode. And it's what gets everyone to trust him again despite their very understandable decision of kicking him off the team earlier on. Even Sky is willing to set his frustrations aside after seeing that.

Fun fact about the mud crawl scene, by the way: Did you know that Bridge's' actor, Matt Austin, was actually injured during the filming of that scene? The story he's told at cons is that he actually broke his nose while him and Sky's' actor, Chris Violette, were horsing around on set. And Matt had to act through that(what a trooper)! It's why the mud is smeared across Bridge's' face the way is: So that it's hard to tell that his nose is broken. Just goes to show why exactly stunt doubles exist, don't it?

Probably the other biggest thing shown off in this episode is how the various Ranger aspects of the show work out. From the suits to the Zords. When it comes to the suits, while they are generally liked, I've heard some complaints about the helmets, and really, I never got it because I love the way that they're designed. From the siren lights on the sides to the sides of the eyes lighting up whenever anyone is in their Zord's' cockpit, it really seemed like alot of smaller details were considered when designing them, and it just makes me love how they look. I've especially always liked how the numbers are integrated into the chests.

As for the Zords, well, I always love it whenever the Zords get to fight individually in any Rangers season, even if it only happens on an average of once or twice. And the Delta Squad Megazord? Even if it's not my favorite Megazord in Space Patrol Delta proper, it's still one of my favorite Megazords like, ever. Not only in terms of looks, but also in its arsenal and how its moves. Love the giant metal handcuffs, as well as the Robocop styled way in which it stores weapons in its legs. And that's not all when it comes to mecha either, because SPD is the first season wherein most of the villains actually pilot their own mechs against our heroes; which is a really neat twist on things!

The last detail I want to mention is this, because it has to do with another misconception about Power Rangers SPD as a whole: Many fans have (lovingly) mocked the show for its aspect of somehow having giant energy blasts blow enemies up yet somehow trap them in cards at the same time. This... is only half true. When it comes to alot of episodes, the earlier ones especially, the various finishing attacks typically only incapacitate/stun the opponent, and the Rangers then use the Morpher to trap the criminal in a card prison. This episode actually showcases that exact scenario, with the Megazord blowing up the drill machine and then Jack taking down and arresting the monster piloting it. Later episodes will indeed feature the setup that fans make fun of, but it's by no means something that happens every single time as they'd lead you to believe.

I could go on, but this post is getting long enough as it is. So I'll simply end this off by saying that, yeah, this was another fun episode that managed to have a little bit of everything, with nothing feeling forced or out of place. It's just as great a showcase of Jack as it is so many other things in regards to the story, and it's a great time as a result.

https://i.imgur.com/Fj5Unhh.png

Sky judges those who blatantly abuse their power.

Never noticed the peach fuzz on Sky there.

Just so we're clear, this post is not an April Fool's Day joke. While I was considering doing one, I ended up deciding against it, as I felt none of the ideas I came up with were very good. With that out of the way, let's get into today's episode review.

Episode 4: Walls

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkwY1b10sgs

This is our first episode focused on Sky... technically. Lemme explain.

While Sky is definitely the head of the episode and his character is the one that's most developed, this episode juggles quite alot at once.

Notably, we get alot of established character traits on the rest of the team too. Bridge is a mechanic, Z dislikes cutesy things, Syd is likes everyone to be playful, and probably most importantly, Jack's' intuition is usually on point.

Still, Sky is the headliner in all this right? While the overall idea of knocking him down a peg is definitely still in effect, this episode specifically is more about getting him to trust in his team more and not act as if he has to be number 1 all the time.

Case in point, not only does his stubbornness cause the mission to ultimately end in failure, had he stopped to not try and be so "above it all" he would've seen how much his talents and presence are desired by the rest of the team. In universe, Sky doesn't get a new motorcycle because he already does fine without one, and it's because his combat skills are so good that Jack trusted him on guard duty.

But, right, the motorcycles. While the in-universe justification for why only Jack and Bridge get them is fine enough, in a meta sense, well, it's not great. From what's been said in interviews and at cons, the real world reason for why the bikes were handled the way they were is because Disney wanted new toys to advertise, but didn't want to spend too much money on props. Adding onto that, the reason why Z and Syd are stuck in a hummer is because, in Disney's' words, "No one wants to see girls riding around on motorcycles."

And that brings me to the other major aspect of this episode: That it's essentially one gigantic action sequence. And honestly? I'm here for it. It definitely helps that not only is alot of the action very fun to watch, but the episode has just enough character interaction and development to keep things interesting. There's a story to this mini-action movie, and it never feels like one aspect is totally drowning out the other or is that anything is really out of place.

Well, I say that, but I suppose this episode is as good as any to address one big elephant in the room when it comes to the actions sequences in SPD: The explosions. For those not in the know, a certain (in)famous internet reviewer coined the term "Kalishsplosions" in regards to how the style of pyrotechnics used in this season got shaken up compared to past Power Rangers shows. Said review thought up this term because he apparently has no idea what role an executive producer actually plays and thus blamed Bruce Kalish for "the overuse of giant fireballs." (Paraphrased)

So let's address this here and now. Is there an increase in fireball explosions? Yes. Is it anywhere near as bad as what said reviewer, and consequently much of the viewerbase likes to exaggerate? No. If one was to believe them, they'd think that every second of every action sequence was nothing but Michael Bay-esque explosives. And while the extended motorcycle action sequence in this episode does make frequent use of them, I think many viewers are totally missing how exactly they're utilized here. They really only happen whenever a big group of mooks is getting blown up all at once, and is a way to showcase how strong the firepower of these new vehicles really is in comparison to the usual weapons out heroes use.

With that out of the way, all aspects of the action in this one are alot of fun! It's not just the new bikes, but also the brief hand to hand combat and of course the typical Megazord fight. Really, any complaints I have about this episode are actually rather minor such as how the Delta Max Striker is erroneously called the Delta Max Blaster here(and, infact, the show will flip-flop between these two names going forward), and how the Pink Ranger is wearing red boots at times for some reason(though that's more the fault of the stock footage). When it comes to the high energy of the fighting and the more down to earth moments with Sky, I feel like this episode did a nice job at showcasing both.

Sky certainly has a tough exterior, but he does still have a playful side, a petty side, and isn't immune to rash decisions. Just like anyone else, he is human.

So fun fact, while never given an official name, the Hummer was nicknamed by fans as “Machine Dingo”, since all the vehicles in Dekaranger were “Machine (breed of dog)”.

Also gotta love how Sky gripes about not getting a bike, and then he gets one later (granted, it’s not as fancy or cool looking as the other two)

This episode features a weird new zealand child arguing with a man-bat arms dealer to determine who the skeleton man listens to. SPD can be a weird show, man.

Also, without Sky they'd all be done.

It's a good idea to show Jack at his absolute worst here, since it's a pretty realistic outcome for a social outcast thrust in to a position of responsibility to suck at being responsible. This casts doubt on Doggie's judgment, leading to the eventual revelation of why he put faith in Jack. For the first time, Sky is actually depicted as the voice of reason here as he stands up for Bridge, Z and Syd, rightly calling out Jack and telling him that being the Red Ranger doesn't make you the leader. Rather, the leader makes Red. Like sure, this team has a hierarchy, but when Jack initially failed to be an example of trust and morale expected of his high position, he was left as a leader to none and realized he was the one who needed to improve to carry his team forward. And yeah, as a leader, he did it on his own initiative, showing recognition of his flaws and working hard to overcome them.

You mean, he broke the bridge of his nose? :p

There are people who actually dislike the SPD helmets? Yeah, that's crazy. I think it's cool how the visors manage to depict a different emotion with the same basic shape, as well as the number of lines corresponding to their chest numbers. Those black numbers extending throughout the entire left torso is a clever way to compensate for the lack of a Black Ranger (at least on the core team) and they look great when the Rangers are lined up in sequence.

While I'm generally not a fan of overly simple limb-swappers, I do like the overall appearance of this one with the uniform white color accented by the Rangers' personal colors. The fact that each Zord brings something unique to the functionality, with Pink's in particular providing the totally essential Judgment scanner, mostly makes up for the lack of variety in combining.

Congrats on your 5000th post!

Bridge also confirms that he is Jewish, a rare mention of religion in PR.

Sky is such a big baby here, like, he's the only one with a flying Zord and yet he's complaining that he doesn't have a new bike. It's sometimes comedic how jealous and insecure he gets whenever someone gets something that he doesn't. Like, he feels like he's losing to not only Jack but also Bridge, even though he's literally the only one who thinks that. If the previous episode was about Jack learning to be a good leader, then this one is about Sky learning to be a good team player and do what the team need him to do.

I'm not surprised at all. While the setting is 2025, the production is certainly stuck in the 00s.

That describes like half the episodes of this show.

I suppose that's better than calling it the "Risky Dingo."

The villains have such a fun dynamic in this show!

Oh for sure. It's really smart character work all around. I think having Jack's' episode be first was a smart move too, because it shows that even though he was chosen to be Red, he's by no means perfect and just has just as much growing to do as everyone else on the team does.

Oof, good one.

Yeah. It's a complaint that's died down over time, but back in ye olden times I remember reading posts about how people didn't like the "angry eye" look and whatnot. Totally agree with all you had to say!

Yeah, having every component be a tad more important than just being a limb is a rather nice touch to be sure.

I actually didn't even notice that. Thanks!

Just like Lord Zedd!

Oh yeah, he's for sure being childish. What I find interesting about it though is that the episode shows his childish side as being both a good and bad thing, depending on context. Like yeah, it's bad in the sense that he compromises the team's' operation and has a jealousy fit over some relatively minor stuff, but on the other hand, it's also what gets Syd to get him to open up a little when the two are alone. It's a surprisingly balanced viewpoint on this sort of thing.

Episode 5: Dogged

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGFvHFGMc3E

If the opening fooled you into thinking that this was the first Bridge episode, I wouldn't blame you.

Yes, this episode is the origin of the famous "buttery" line/tick for Bridge. And yes, it is very funny and helps to further establish Bridge as a quirky guy. I'm not hating on this moment in the slightest!

Another funny story we learned thanks to Matt Austin though: Bridge's' "buttery" bit came about when he was making casual conversation with some of the showrunners, and he did the now famous hand gesture as a joke, thinking nothing more of it. Then the very next day it was added to the script.

Anyway, this episode has shared focus between Syd and RIC, the robo dog!

And I won't lie, this is one of my favorite episodes in all of SPD. Sure, it helps that I'm a sucker for canines, but this episode just does a whole lot for not just helping to establish and develop Syd, but also introduces even more cool and unique aspects to the show as a whole ontop of helping to set up a few things in regards to future episodes.

So one might immediately think, "then why the opening with Bridge?" Well not only is it funny and helps to showcase him a bit more, it sets the stage for the important role that he and Boom play later on, as well as giving us more look into Syd's' distaste for machinery. See, that's the thing in all of this: Being a spoiled rich girl, Syd has trouble seeing machines, and especially robots, as anything other than junk to be replaced.

This is what brings us to RIC, the robot companion(so I guess you could call him this season's' Alpha-5) who hasn't done too much outside of the premiere. And the reason for that is that RIC's' technology has become outdated over the years, and he still barely functions, and as a result is set to be decommissioned. Despite this, RIC still has all the heart and feelings of a loyal canine. Despite the rejection he faces, he still does what he can to support the team, and even tries to make a bond with Syd despite her initial objections.

But after a bout of heroism, Syd begins to have a bit of a change of heart. I think it spoke volumes how she not only went through the effort of getting RIC rebuilt, but I don't think I'll ever forget the scene where she spends an entire day digging in the spot that RIC points towards when the squad is looking for evidence. The spoiled rich girl, having such strong faith in a robot to the point that she doesn't care that she started getting covered in rain and mud. Syd's' not heartless, and it's been shown that she puts more faith in others than most do; Like how she did with Sky just last episode.

And in the end, not only is RIC re-accepted as an honorary member of SPD, but he even gets to turn into the Team Cannon for the season! I always loved the K-9 Cannon not only for its connections to an actual character, but in how unique it is compared to other Cannons that Power Rangers has had before and since. There's not even a Megazord fight following its debut. Heck, there's one specific scene with it in a later episode that I hope I remember to call out, as it's another example of what I'm going on about.

If it seems like I'm avoiding talking about the plot for this one, well, I'm not. It's just that there isn't too much to it. And the reason it's probably not given too much focus in the episode itself is because it's the sort of thing that could've easily been way darker had they dived into it. In short: It's an episode where a monster turns people into slime. Slime that can be used up to power machinery. Don't think about it too much.

Oh, and this episode also is the first instance wherein we see that Bridge likes to think about things via doing headstands. This episode is just a great time all around, man.

https://i.imgur.com/lyf9DjL.png

Subtle nuance here, but Bridge and Jack both put on a yikes face when the poor hound is suffering, but not my boy Sky. He's concerned. He even objects when he hears he's going to be decommisioned and the sheer degree of his mock laughter when Syd says her father will cut them a check for a new dog? *Chef's kiss*

It's also foreshadowing for later on in the show!

Episode 6: A-Bridged

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCAPzmThzAU

Bridge is my favorite character in SPD, and my favorite Green Ranger of all time.

Sure, he's a very funny character, which is the immediate thing many gravitate to when it comes to him, and that's understandable. But there's so much more.

He's got such an endearing personality in general with his actor bringing alot of charisma to the role, and I always felt that, while it's never been outright confirmed(as far as I know), that he served as good representation for those on the autism spectrum(if I'm way off on that, by all means correct me).

And then there's episodes like this, where the ultimate lesson is to not judge a book by its cover, and Bridge, being the "weirdo" of the group, likely knows all about that ideology, also tying into his role as an empath.

This episode also marks the first time that a civilian power is actually majorly plot important, as Bridge's' Aura Sense is what kicks off the events leading into a more thorough investigation on the series of bank robberies going on around the city. While the meta reason for Bridge's' gloves is that Disney wanted to cover up Matt Austin's' tattoos, but in-universe the justification is that they limit Bridge's' powers, which must mean he has trouble turning it off. Dude feels big. Literally.

While not judging things as they first appear is the major theme of the episode, there's actually a secondary theme running throughout that poor communication kills. Had T-Top and B-Squad just talked things out, everything would've been smoothed over pretty quickly. Likewise, had the rest of the group put their faith in Bridge, everything would've went much faster too.

The episode also features the first time that a monster actually grows giant sized in this season. This time via the bite of a vampire bat sent out by Broodwing. And humorously, the Megazord has a pair of handcuffs that shrink monsters down. While on its face it's a bit silly, it does make sense. This show is set in a future where the Power Rangers are now common knowledge. After literal decades of giant monster attacks? Yeah, I could see some tech being developed to reverse the effects of gigantification.

Oh, and of course we can't forget that this is the episode where Bridge throws an ENTIRE CAR at the criminal. Haven't seen a move like that since my favorite episode of Mighty Morphin'. This episode has a little bit of everything sprinkled in with some wonderful character development. You know, like alot of episodes of SPD. For example, yes, this episode is very funny, but alot of episodes this season have great comedic beats; And not just from Bridge, but from the cast as a whole. While that might sound like I'm saying that this episode isn't anything "special" I mean it in the sense that it, too, is a great one in a long list of great episodes that this season of Power Rangers has.

The short of it is that Bridge, much like the show he's in, is just always a joy to be around, and this episode does a pretty good job at showcasing why.

It's a simple little detective episode, but I like that we actually follow Bridge in his investigation. Plus the clues make sense. He doesn't magically discern the criminal because she made a funny face in the background when they arrived on scene or some other such nonsense. However...

https://i.imgur.com/Ztm1ETN.png

"Commander, I had criminally few lines this episode."

There is definitely a method to Bridge's' madness, and it was nice that the viewers gets to follow his process every step of the way.

Before we start, I wanna give a slight correct to a claim I made about the premiere. In it, I said it was the only time we heard the Blue Heads talk, and these episodes proved me wrong... kinda. The climax features a Blue Head that isn't voiceless, but all it does is grunt. So, if you want to make the argument that it thus has a voice and as such "talks" then, sure, I won't counter that. Personally, I don't count it, but I could see if one wanted to. With that said, let's get into the second two-parter of the season.

Episodes 7+8: Sam

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHjbP7c8jow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHsukyHXj1g

What exactly does a title signify?

On its face, that might sound like a pretentious question, but no, really. I'm asking because I feel it's important here.

Does it signify the most important aspect of the story? The most memorable? It is merely something to help the writer(s) remember which script is which? Or is it perhaps the indicator of the thing that the audience should be most focused on?

I bring this up because I feel like the title of this two-parter, "Sam" is important, as it signifies both an aspect and a character that I've seen many people outright ignore when it comes to certain aspects of SPD that I can't quite bring up as of yet. The titular Sam is important in more ways than one.

While these two episodes are technically our first episodes focused on Z, her spotlight is shared with Sam. It's through Sam that we learn more about Z and vise-versa, and it's something that I feel many viewers sort of either forget or ignore outright when it comes to these episodes. The two are mirrors of one another, and in terms of the narrative, very purposefully so.

Both are outcasts who became desperate for acceptance due them being born with powers that most "normal" people don't have. Growing up on the streets definitely didn't make life any easier either. But the big difference between the two is that whereas Z eventually found Jack, Sam has no one; Seemingly not even having any sort of parental figure in his life either. Sam is thus easily lead by his craving for acceptance, while Z has always had someone to keep her grounded.

Speaking of Jack, not only is this the second time that we get to see him use his power of phasing through objects, but including him in all of this was a very smart move. Given, as mentioned before, he grew up with Z, but also he too mirrors Sam in that Sam eventually grows the same intuition that Jack has. All throughout these two episodes we get some pretty solid hints as to the type of person that Sam will eventually grow up to be. Heck, he even becomes an SPD Cadet at the end.

But hey, Sam, Z, and Jack aren't the only ones with powers, right? All of B-Squad does, and it becomes a rather important plot point in these episodes, as we learn of the deeper connection that everyone has not only with eachother, but with SPD as a whole. Turns out it wasn't just Sky's' parents who worked with SPD, but so did the rest of the Squad's', with everyone eventually breaking off on different paths. And while it's glossed over in the episodes themselves, if one thinks about it, paints a very interesting picture of the kinds of parents our heroes were born to. Not everyone who works with the police is a 1000% goody-goody, you know.

On the technical side of things, these episodes also feature some of slickest action yet. It's relatively simple, but I've always loved the bit where Jack rebounds off of the fence in order to keep firing on the Orange Head. And the rest of the action is no slouch either. From the Orange Head's' cool lightning finisher move to the grenade discs that are revealed to be a part of the D-Rods, to the great hand-to-hand choreography that the franchise is known for, there's really never a dull moment in these episodes. Oh, and yes, there is a new elite mook known as an Orange Head and it does talk in this one. And while I think it's the only time that they will, I'm not 100% on that one, so we'll see. Either way, it puts up one heck of an impressive fight against our Rangers!

Since I brought up titles, I suppose I'll end things off with these piece of trivia: The reason that every title in SPD is one word is because this was Bruce Kalish's' first season as an executive producer, and as such he wanted every title to be one word as a subtle way to reflect that. I don't feel too strongly about it, but hey, I guess maybe I'm a sucker for shows that pull this sort of thing, given my love of shows like Kamen Rider Kuuga and SSSS.Gridman.

Overall, it's some wonderful character work as always with Power Rangers, and I await Sam's' promised return.

Oh, and this episode establishes that Bridge can read the minds of those he comes in direct contact with. Yeah, I can see why he needs to keep the glove on.

I don't have a lot to add here, but one line I really like from Sky is that while they may all have powers, "that's all we have in common." It highlights how, to him, actions define a person far more than feeling or associations. It's a very law man way of looking at things.

Honestly, I remember this two parter for how I disliked the kid in it. And I’m generally more tolerant of child characters than many in any fandom you can name.

Syd's digging scene is memorable for me as well. Despite being a snob, she does have a strong sense of guilt, responsibility and faith that makes her the heart of the team and it pays off here with RIC being proven right. She also holds her own against the MOTW, putting her on a similar level to Kimberly or Amelia.

RIC certainly has a lot of functionality that proves he's far from being obsolete. He's a detective, a friend, a cannon and something else that we'll see later.

The "Thinking Pose", as it's called in Dekaranger.

If we're excluding Tommy as a Sixth Ranger, then I'm inclined to agree.

I know you said Jack's intuition is one of the reasons why he was chosen for Red over Sky, but when it comes to pure intuition, I think Bridge is unrivaled. There had to be not a single modicum of doubt in his mind when he threw that car, or else a civilian would be dead. And he was totally right, which makes him look like both a genius and a bad*ss! It's a good moral that to succeed as a detective, you need to be a little ruthless and suspect people even when they seem nice on the surface.

Yeah, I appreciate that Bridge's deduction relies on hard evidence and his method relies on everybody thinking he's a fool so they drop their guard. It's dangerous to underestimate him.

He's also kinda, ya know, being obstinate. As Sky is one to do.

That's a shame. I like Sam. I even related to him some.

She wasn't kidding when she said not to mess with her!

I don't blame ya. Tommy is some serious competition.

You make a good point. Bridge was also the only one who thought to give the A-Squad a once-over at the start of the show, afterall. And we'll see how that pans out eventually.

Tricking the suspect into blowing up the balloon for him so he could analyze it later was pure genius.

Episode 9: Idol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NjCdUOVrfw

Today's' episode is actually Name's' favorite in SPD. So I decided to let him have the opening statement:

"Sky is the best damn ranger in this season and it's not even close. This man cherishes his friendships, accepts his failings, and always makes right what he's done wrong. There are no special provisions made for criminals, no matter who they are. So much so, in fact, that he'll even gun down his closest friend. Did I mention he's better than the best marksman SPD has ever seen at the academy? Because he is. This man is absolutely stone cold when justice is involved. Blue Centurion would be so proud of him. In fact, the only way Sky could possibly be better is if he got a combat knife! Actually, there's a thought...


This is peak SPD and if you don't like that you can kick rocks.

LOOK AT THAT INNER TURMOIL."

Okay, but I--

"KICK. ROCKS."

Ahem. Anyway. Today's' episode is one that I haven't seen anyone talk about very much in online circles, and I feel that's a major shame because it's all in all a really good one!

This one is written by David Garber and directed by Charlie Haskell, and I gotta say, this is hands down some of their best work! The shot composition is especially great all throughout the episode, featuring wonderful visual storytelling and some of the best transitions between original scenes and the Super Sentai stock footage ever seen in Power Rangers. And I do not say that at all lightly.

The film reel scene is especially good. While a one-off establishing Drew being a movie nut might've helped, the overall tone and atmosphere of the episode's' climax does more than enough to carry the entire thing, and that's ontop of how clever the editing is in both matching and transitioning into the Sentai footage. And it's not even like the TV magic is exclusive to hanging onto the Japanese side of things either, because that scene towards the end, where Grumm is seemingly monologuing to himself? Just aces all around in terms of dialogue, editing, and directing.

As for the writing, alot of the dialogue is surprisingly clever and helps to sell the visual metaphors being presented here. A rather underrated scene is the one where the group is spending lunch together; with everyone talking about Bridge's' dream that's straight out of a stock horror film. It serves as foreshadowing to what's going on with Drew, is a funny bit of character interaction on part of B-Squad, and helps to let the viewer in the metaphors that the episode is going for. It's the sort of thing that many tend to praise Kamen Rider for, you know?

But in the end this one is all about Sky, and more importantly his relationship with his best friend Drew. And you know Sky is fond of someone when he's doing his best to work the other way even when something clearly isn't right. And even when everything is out in the open, he still does his best to talk Drew down.

While maybe an extra scene or two of the two goofing off together might've been nice, the writing is tight enough to sell how close the bond between Sky and Drew actually is -- atleast on Sky's' end. Heck, according to Chris Violette, there was even a shower scene between the two that was filmed, but was left unused in the final cut. Interpret that information however you will.

Jack is no slouch in this episode either, with that old intuition of his coming immediately into play once Drew gives the story about the ship crashing down. And while it causes him and Sky to once again bump heads, Jack does still try to do right by Sky, even when it became more and more clear that Drew was guilty(heck, they don't even bother to use the Judgment scanner on him). And in a narrative sense, it also helps to show how in the end, Jack and Sky are growing closer together both as squad mates and as friends. While it might be seen as a minor fumble that Jack's' friendship with Z isn't brought up, I think the episode is doing its best to talk about male bonds, specifically.

While it isn't my personal favorite episode of Power Rangers SPD, "Idol" certainly is a great one, and it really makes me wonder what those who claim that "Power Rangers has no mature storylines or character development" think of episodes like this. It's mature, it's dramatic, and all around a great character piece for Sky. What more could you want?

How fitting that Z is the last letter of the Roman alphabet and Ω is the last letter of the Greek alphabet.

Z joined SPD as she saw that it was her opportunity to make a big difference for persecuted people like herself, while also comfortably staying on the right side of the law. So she'd definitely get ticked off at someone like Bugglesworth presenting himself as a savior, like Jack to Z, while actually exploiting Sam's loneliness and encouraging cynicism towards other people to make him complicit in the abductions. It shows how some people can become criminals, when they lose faith in human kindness. But Z is a Ranger now, so she has the power to save Sam and put him back on the right path.

This explains why Doggie drafted Jack and Z in to the Rangers even though they had none of the formal SPD training that the others did. They were all basically destined to become Rangers since their childhood. Their parents' morality is left kind of ambiguous, but it certainly raises some questions about parental responsibility, especially with Jack and Z living on the streets until joining SPD in contrast to Syd who lived like a princess.

This is a very good read. Sam absolutely would've gone down a darker path if not for Z, just like how Z might've if not for Jack.

While it is indirect, it is interesting how this is one of the few Ranger seasons to have the parents of some of our heroes be less than ideal. And having it be different for every member of the team makes for good variety.

Episode 10: Stakeout

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dboiEg_4DY

This episode marks the third time that Jack uses his civilian power.

It's also the one where he and Syd argue about the importance of birthdays, with both sides having a point.

The overall plot of this one is very straight-forward: Syd wants to take the day off for her birthday, but Jack tells her that duty calls, and the two are tasked with keeping watch over a scientist that an alien criminal is after.

So while there isn't a whole lot going on in this one in terms of events, the real heart of it all, like most Power Rangers stories, is in the character development and interactions. Jack and Syd are catty with one another all through the episode, but they're able to work through it in the end.

While Jack does have a point that public safety is more important than your average birthday, he also learns how important birthdays can actually be to people, especially given his own upbringing where as far as he knew, he didn't even have a birthday. And as Jack is one to do, he in the end does what he can to make right by those he hurts.

As for Syd, while she does have a stance that many people do; Wherein working on your birthday does suck, she also comes to see how some people don't have it nearly as good as she does, as well as seeing Jack's' point that as a Ranger, the well being of others comes first. In the end, both are able to reconcile, and Syd decides that, since Jack doesn't have a birthday of his own, she'll share hers with him from now on. It's a very sweet gesture.

While the rest of the cast is very much in the background of this one, they do still get some little moments that are nice. My personal favorite being during Syd's' birthday at the end, wherein Sky's' idea of "lightening up" is to unzip his jacket a little bit. It always gets a chuckle out of me.

Even though this episode is pretty simplistic compared to all of the ones that came before it, it still makes for a good time via the great showcasing of what happens when Jack and Syd, two people of entire different classes, are paired up together. And I'm overall happy with it.

Oh, and this episodes marks the very first time that we see the K-9 Cannon both explode and contain a criminal at the same time. So again, while it is a thing, the feature is by no means "every episode" as some like to claim.

Well don't forget. Just last episode Krueger absolutely grilled him on sticking to regulations. This poor man is being given conflicting messages.

I’ve got to question how Jack doesn’t know his birthday, but knew his parents were missionaries (who presumably “went missing” in the jungle) two episodes ago

Wow, that's unexpected and it would've been interesting to see that. But of course Disney wouldn't want to provoke the moral guardians, SMH.

Sometimes the new friends we meet can be better than the old friends we knew for a long time. Maybe Drew was a good person once, but at some point he went down a path of evil. Sky was clinging to unrequited sentimentality and rejecting Jack's (who he most hates losing to) doubts until he was forced to confront the truth. It's a dark episode with a depressing yet realistic moral, but I like how it ends with the happy note of Sky accepting Jack as his bud now.

That would imply those people have actually watched any episodes outside of MMPR.

I'm with Jack on this one. I mean, if he was forcing Syd to work on Christmas instead then no, screw that. But a birthday isn't a national holiday, so I don't think Jack is obliged to give Syd a day off for this. If kids go to school on their birthdays, then adults should go to work (unless they're unemployed) as well. Besides, Jack brought pizza. He was trying!

After last time, I guess Sky wearing his uniform could also show that he's becoming more comfortable in his position as the Blue Ranger under Jack's leadership, now that he has learned to respect Jack's qualities.

I can see Spd adding an s squad and a v squad in a lupinranger vs patranger adaptation .

Well then obviously the regulations say that birthday parties are an exception.

Makes one question just what kinds of people his parents were, dunnit?

Yeah, it's surprisingly real all around. People change, sometimes in very unexpected ways. And while it always hurts, it's best to know when to break yourself off. But on the bright side, you can always find others who are willing to reignite you. Perhaps in new and exciting ways.

Even then, MMPR had its moments, ya know?

Indeed. He's about at the point where he wears that blue uniform with pride.

I always said that a LuPat adaptation could've made a great prequel to SPD, had Hasbro been willing to do it.

Well, I stand fully corrected on my tidbit about both the Blue and Orange Head robots. Turns out they do infact talk at multiple points throughout the show, as the first of these two episodes shows. My mistake, I legit just outright forgot. With all that said, let's get into this one.

Episodes 11+12: Shadow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qml9HlzdQRQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiW40By4e4w

This is arguably the most popular two-parter amongst fans of Power Rangers SPD.

And honestly, if not for a different two-parter we'll see a little ways down the road, it'd probably be mine too.

The title of "Shadow" holds multiple meanings for these episodes.But at its bare essence, it talks about the shadows looming over a good chunk of the cast, as well as the arrival of arguably the Sixth Ranger of the season.

But before we dig into the main dish, let's go over all of the other good stuff laid out on the table before us. Because while the episode is almost entirely about the backstory of Anubis "Doggie" Cruger, many other characters have rather good showings here.

Most notable to me is Katt, who also gets a solid bit of development here, what with it being established that she's been good friends with the Commander for a long time now, which is why she's able to talk to him more directly than anyone else, and is the key to getting him to do what he needs to. It's also shown that she knows how to fight, which is important for later.

There's alot of fun to be had with the casting and directing here as well. For instance, Rene Naufahu, the voice actor for Emperor Gruumm, gets to play a civilian whom Gruumm steals the likeness of in this one. And he still kills it on every front. For those not in the know, Naufahu would later go on to play Mentor Ji in Power Rangers Samurai. So yeah, the guy for sure has range. I always love the Gruumm monologue scenes.

Surprisingly, these two episodes were also written by Bruce Kalish himself, showing that he actually can pull this sort of thing off; Especially in terms of dialogue. The climax of the episode has a sequence that I've often heard quoted by fans. And the direction this time is done by Mark Beesley, who, while not utilizing nearly as much visual storytelling as Charlie Hakell did for "Idol" does still managed to capture the dramatic tone needed to pull these episodes off; All while the transitions between stock footage are just as smooth.

But now we get to the big dog in all of this: Commander Cruger. This episode is all about him. His backstory, his attitude, his grief over his past failures, as well as the climax which shows that, while he might be old, he's still got it and is the head of SPD's' Earth Branch for a reason. And yes, he does indeed become the Shadow Ranger here, which, while it's common knowledge now, was a major twist back when this show first aired. It's not often you get to see the mentor characters throw down in Power Rangers, and even less often you get to see them become a Ranger themselves!

So let's talk about the Shadow Ranger for a bit. First off, he's got probably one of the coolest introductions like, ever? Leaping in to not only settle the score with an old foe, but making his grand entrance by cutting down 100 mooks in only a matter of minutes? Absolutely awesome. And all throughout the bout, he never once loses control. Even when it seems like Benagg has him cornered, Cruger is able to use Benagg's' own force against him in order to free Katt from the trap she got put in. And I really like his weapon of choice isn't actually tied to the suit itself, but rather it's Cruger's' own personal sword that he's used for years; Long before he became a Power Ranger.

Speaking of which, the Shadow Saber might just be one of the coolest swords ever. Its overall aesthetic is absolutely my jam, with the wolf head serveing as the crossguard, which in turn opens up in order to power the blade up. And that's not even getting into the finishing move, which features covering the area in blue flames which is just really cool visually ontop of matching the aesthetic of the suit itself. Heck, the suit in and of itself is really cool ontop of being rather unconventional by Power Rangers standards, yet still falls in line with signifiers of other SPD suits. I especially love how, due to how the jacket is cut, his number can be read as either "00" or "100" with both being fitting.

On that note, I want to talk about a personal anecdote really quick: Now, officially, the Shadow Ranger is both the Black Ranger as well as one of the Extra Rangers this season. But as a kid I was confused, because Shadow was not only the Sixth Power Ranger introduced into the season, but the unconventional design of the suit got me thinking that maybe he qualified as a second Blue Ranger, which I in turn felt was fitting given Cruger's' blue scales ontop of his mentorship of Sky. Things only got more confusing once the actual Sixth Ranger of the show got introduced, but more on that later. I fully acknowledge that this is most likely just a me thing, as I've never heard or read anyone else talk about this experience, so if it seems like I'm talking nonsense, then hey, fair enough.

I've also neglected to bring it up until now, but man, the suits, makeup, and animatronics in this show are absolutely fantastic and still hold up even today. And we have Greg Aronowitz and his crew to thank for that too. For those not in the know, Power Rangers SPD actually had a lower budget than the season that came before it; Dino Thunder. As such, alot of the alien stuff you see on screen was actually paid for out of pocket by people who were passionate about the project, and man, I have nothing but respect in that regard. Don't get me wrong, Disney absolutely should've fronted the bill on that front, but the hard work and dedication of everyone on staff really shows and goes a long way into the excellent visual aesthetic as well as world building that Space Patrol Delta manages to pull off all throughout the season.

There's just so much to like in these two episodes. Even the comedy stands out with the (in)famous "BATTLE CRY!" shout from the B-Squad during one of the Megazord fights being the bit that most tend to remember. But all in all, this two-parter manages to bring basically everything together into a wonderful piece of storytelling, and I couldn't imagine it being done any other way.