What's in my Queue?- Weeks 8 and 9

Trying a new biweekly structure for this series, so let's see all the stuff I collectively binged in the last 2 weeks.


Scream- Season 1:

Getting ready for the Season 2 premiere this week, I went back and binged the first season of Scream. Since Scream is my favorite horror movie franchise, you can imagine how nervous I was when this show aired. Made in the shadow of other shows like Pretty Little Liars and Teen Wolf, the amount of meta humor used in turning a slasher movie into a television show is actually quite compelling. The acting isn't ever top notch, but the story hooks you in by giving you characters you surprisingly care about. Then, when they're killed off, it hurts you. I think that might actually be a quote verbatim from the show, talk about meta. Scream always had me guessing who the killer (or killers?) was and I can't wait to see how the story continues in Season 2.

Orange is the New Black- Seasons 1 and 2:

My wife and I have also decided to get ready for Season 4 of Orange is the New Black by watching the previous seasons. The first two seasons are amazing character studies that gave a lot of grey area between groups of female prisoners, the guards that are supposed to uphold the law, and the dysfunctional family and friends that await them outside the gates. I'll go on record and say the least compelling character is the main character (god, Piper is just so frustrating and annoying that words can't do it justice). You really grow to love a lot of the side characters and learn a lot about each of them through their backstories. An easy recommendation from me if you're looking for a show to binge on Netflix, and truly one of the strongest examples of how great their original programming is.

That '70s Show- Season 2:

Now that we know our favorite characters in Point Place, we can grow their arcs throughout this season. Eric and Donna's relationship, Kelso cheating on Jackie with Laurie, Jackie trying to figure out whether she has feelings for Fez, Bob and Midge's marital problems, Red trying to find a job, and the introduction of Leo. That's all here and it ties into some hilarious episodes. Just to name a few, there's the episode where they try to get into a nightclub, the Halloween episode where they're all at odds with each other in the abandoned school, Eric getting suspended for smoking, and a lot more. Getting through That '70s Show is really easy for me at this point because of how much I love the characters and the chemistry between the cast members.

Sons of Anarchy- Seasons 1 and 2:

I took a trip to Charming the last few weeks to visit some of my favorite Sons. Obvious puns aside, Sons of Anarchy was a show I used to disregard when it was in its prime. It was thanks to my college roommate that I discovered the show and once I started watching, I couldn't put it down. I missed the last season and a half, so I decided to go back and watch the whole series so I can have a fresher mind for the story and characters when I try to go back to seasons 6 and 7. I really love the combination of Seasons 1 and 2. The first season acts as an opportunity to get used to the characters thanks to a season that is essentially through a number of filler episodes. Once you know these characters, you can take them through Season 2, which opens the door for character growth and season-long story arcs. There's moments where Sons of Anarchy went a little out there for my taste, but the first 2 seasons are virtually perfect and a wonderful introduction to one of my favorite shows.

3rd Rock from the Sun- Season 3:

I feel like 3rd Rock from the Sun took a huge step backwards with this season. After the 2-part season opener, we're back to where we were all the way back in Season 1. Dick and Mary are broken up and at odds with each other, which really isn't something I wanted to see again. You already know Dick is going to win her over again, so what's the point? Wouldn't the season been more interesting if she discovers they're aliens and has to get used to that throughout the season, not to mention keeping it a secret and covering for them when they act stranger than usual. Something tells me when I go through a binge marathon of this season, Season 3 will be one of the ones I heavily skip. But hopefully, it gets better from here.

The Office- Season 3:

The Gay Witch Hunt, Prison Mike, Pretzel Day, the arrival of Andy Bernard, the continuing saga of Jim and Pam, and the confusing relationship that develops between Michael and Jan. All of these fan favorite moments occur in Season 3, which I think can be marked as the moment where The Office really hit their peak. The momentum was there in the established fan base, and the show was new enough to still pull in new viewers. Currently working a job in a cubicle, I love the environment this sitcom is able to create for me. I've found it more poignant now than I ever have and will continue to watch and love all the hilarity the crew Dunder Mifflin is able to bring me.

Scrubs- Season 4:

I've now arrived to the point in Scrubs where it's all new to me. Me and my wife are finally at a point in a sitcom we both love where we both have fresh eyes. I'm such a fan of how they are able to combine hilarious scenarios with heartbreaking truths about life. It's a wonderful combination that is compelling and insightful. My favorite stuff from this season was the marital troubles between Turk and Carla. When we finished Season 3, they had just got married and were the happiest they'd been. This season focused on their first year of marriage troubles. That's something that really spoke to my wife and I, as we are finishing up our first year of marriage together as well. It added some amazing perspective and created some amazing discussions in our living room. Scrubs continues to be one of my all-time favorite sitcoms and I hope they keep that momentum going as long as possible.


Scream and images are copyrighted by The Weinstein Company

Orange is the New Black and images are copyrighted by Lionsgate Television

That '70s Show and images are copyrighted by Carsey-Werner Productions

Sons of Anarchy and images are copyrighted by 20th Television

3rd Rock from the Sun and images are copyrighted by Carsey-Werner Distribution

The Office and images are copyrighted by NBCUniversal Television Distribution

Scrubs and images are copyrighted by Touchstone Television and ABC Studios

Command Center Commentaries: Power Rangers Zeo Part 5

With only 10 episodes left, this is that last chance for Power Rangers Zeo to drive the season home. Could it do it? Well, with 3-part episode that has Tommy turn evil again, a 2-parter that saw the Zeo Rangers team up with the Alien Rangers, an episode that deals with time travel, an episode set at a murder mystery party, an episode with a Hawaiian theme, a musical episode, and the big season finale. That's a pretty stacked list of episodes and marks the first time this season where I have gone through an entire disc and haven't labelled an episode as skippable filler. So let's sit back, relax, and ride out the quality that is episodes 41-50 of the season.


Episode 41- Where in the World is Zeo Ranger 5?: This episode leads into the upcoming 2-parter, so it holds a little more significance than your average filler episode. To summarize, Tommy is kidnapped by the Machine Empire and the gang is having trouble finding him. This was interesting for the team dynamic because it allowed Jason to step into that leader role again. It was like riding a bicycle for him, but there's no time to enjoy it because Tommy is still missing by the end of the episode. We end the episode with Tommy, morphed and strapped to a chair, with a device on his head as he writhes in pain. Wow, what a visual. It's haunting and captivating all at once. Talk about a supreme cliffhanger that made you tune in for the next episode.

Episode 42- King for a Day Part 1: After a trippy nightmare scene, we see that Tommy has been brainwashed into believing that he is the leader of the Machine Empire and the Power Rangers are evil. So when Jason is transported to where Tommy is, he's convinced the Gold Ranger must be destroyed to save the world. So, technically, Tommy is evil again and Jason is in a bit of a spot, as he's in a gladiator-like arena fighting a monster powered by Tommy's powers.

Episode 43- King for a Day Part 2: Obviously, the Rangers teleport to save the day, but it's the way they save Tommy that is memorable. They power down, in hopes that their faces will trigger Tommy's memories and it works. There's also a fascinating subplot with Bulk and Skull who have also been transported to where the Rangers are, and they help an alien warrior plan his escape. It's just humorous to see them in this situation, where they accidentally end up saving the Rangers. No one on Earth will believe them, except for the Rangers, and when they say they believe Bulk and Skull, it's Bulk and Skull that don't believe them. That made me a little cross-eyed, but it's hilarious to watch all the same.

Episode 44- A Brief Mystery of Time: Admittedly, episodes 44-46 are pure filler, but I think they are some of the most compelling filler episodes from the season thanks to the episodes' themes. Like in this episode, Tommy is caught in a time hole, so he's reliving the same day over and over again. They attribute this to his brainwashing and it's all solved by the end of the episode. I'm a sucker for time travel, so this left me happy.

Episode 45- Mystery to Me: Another enjoyable filler, this episode had the theme of being set at a murder mystery party. While not overly important, it does give some signs at how Bulk and Skull are becoming more competent as detectives, plus it's fun to see the characters dressed up like rejects from the game Clue.

Episode 46- Another Song and Dance: Nothing that happens in this episode is worth anything to the actual story arc of the season. But it's one of the most memorable episodes of the season. Why? Because Tommy and Tanya are put under a spell where they can't stop singing. It's absolutely hilarious. Tanya is able to hold her notes, but it's Tommy's awkward delivery that makes this all worth it. If you aren't too concerned about story for this episode, you'll have an amazing time watching it.

Episode 47- Rangers of Two Worlds Part 1: The Rangers head to the Power Chamber to see an old man there that is revealed to be BILLY! Science mumbo jumbo...Billy is aging rapidly and needs a cure. A distress call is sent to Aquitar and the two Ranger teams spend time looking for a cure. At the same time, both the Machine Empire, as well as Rita and Zedd are creating monsters to fight the Rangers. The smart thing for the two forces would be to team up for a common purpose, which they do. Is there any way the Zeo Rangers can fight off two groups of villains?

Episode 48- Rangers of Two Worlds Part 2: With the forces of Rita, Zedd, and the Machine Empire teaming up, it'll take something we've never seen before to stop them: 2 Ranger teams fighting side by side. Although nearly completely nothing but Sentai footage, we get the Zeo Rangers and the Alien Rangers fighting together. It's brief, but it's fun to see and paved the way for the traditional season teamup episodes that we've all come to know and love. The episode ends with Billy going off to Aquitar to find a cure, while also hinting at a romance with an alien named Cestria. And thus, we say goodbye to Billy, the last of the original 5 Rangers to depart from the series.

Episode 49- Hawaii Zeo: Not much here outside of a Hawaiian atmosphere. I guess if there was something else worth noting, Tommy is shy to ask Kat out on a date. Odd, I just assumed they were already dating. But I guess this episode was the one to make it official. Well it's good to see that he's finally over that stupid letter from Kimberly that I really hate talking about.

Episode 50- Good as Gold: Jason's powers are malfunctioning. Odd, never addressed that as a major issue until just now. Anyways, they need to get the powers transferred back to Trey of Triforia. They succeed and grow super tall to defeat King Mondo. Zedd and Rita then give the Machine Empire a present that explodes. Driving away from the blown up Empire, Zedd declares "We're Back!" Meanwhile, Bulk and Skull quit their job with Stone in favor of an international espionage job. With Jason's powers gone, Tommy assures him that things will be ok and the two bros walk off into the distance with their respective girlfriends, ending the season. With so many cliffhangers like that, you can't help but build anticipation for the next season. Well, nothing concerning this status quo is retained by the next season, so this finale feels like a bit of a time waster. I'm not sure if this was filmed at a time where they were debating whether Zeo will get a second season or not, but since we obviously know now that the decision was made to do a new series after this episode, you can't help but wonder why they didn't do some fine tuning with the storytelling so the transition is smoother.

Season Spotlight: Villains

We were given a fresh new group of villains this season, sporting a very different aesthetic than Rita and Zedd. Essentially the same type of characters, the Machine Empire added a level of technology, while Rita and Zedd favored the mystical and magical side of things. Some of the standouts included whiny Prince Sprocket (which is more memorable for how annoying he was for anything else), Clank (the Finster of this season with a wonderful Scottish accent), and Prince Gasket (who surprisingly accomplished quite a bit in his short tenure on the show). Not as good as Rita and Zedd, but still left enough of an impression to be one of the most iconic villain groups to come out of Power Rangers.

Season Spotlight: Final Thoughts

The word "change" is a good way to describe Power Rangers Zeo. It retained enough things that were familiar about Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and added enough aesthetics to make it feel like its own entity. It continued the story by addressing things we had seen before and introducing us to new things. The highlights definitely included Tanya's development, Billy's transition to being the team's tech master, the saga with the Gold Ranger's identity, and Tommy's connection with his Native American roots. It was the natural progression, an evolution of the show and characters we've grown up with. Not necessarily as good as Mighty Morphin in hindsight, but it was certainly captivating enough to keep enough of the original fans satisfied. Those fans weren't sent packing until next season, which was proceeded by another movie that actually was in canon with the show. That movie should've been an indicator of the crap we were in store for next season, but that's a story for another time.


Power Rangers Zeo and images are copyrighted by Saban Entertainment

What's In My Queue?- Week 7

Which group was stranger this week: The Solomon family or the gang over at Paddy's Pub?


3rd Rock from the Sun- Seasons 1 and 2:

About a year ago, my wife and I began watching this show together, both heading in completely blind. We were hooked within minutes. But we took a break from it after two seasons. We're getting back into the show within the next few weeks, so I spent the week re-binge watching the first two seasons as a refresher. I love the chemistry these characters have with each other and I find the writing and messages of each episode to be both clever and poignant. Since they are aliens, each episode focuses on a foreign study of human life. It's a very humorous satire that I love diving into with each episode. I know a lot of modern viewers like to watch this as a major starting point for Joseph Gordon-Levitt's career, but the real star of the show is John Lithgow as Dick Solomon. I could watch his material every day, he's that funny. 3rd Rock from the Sun is an easy favorite of mine and, you guessed it, will be getting its own retrospective once I've finished going through all 6 seasons.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia- Season 2:

I tried. I REALLY tried. I gave it one more season, so I could be introduced to the character dynamic once Danny DeVito was added on. And, I really felt like I gave it a chance but it isn't for me. I won't deny the show has its humorous moments, but I'm not in that proper mindset for it. I'm just not in this morally depraved state right now, but I'll admit if I was, this is probably a show I'd turn to for humor. Everyone has a different definition of what's funny to them and I'll acknowledge this show is funny for a lot of people. It just isn't for me...right now. It could be some day, but today it's getting a mild pass from me. Maybe I'll revisit it, or try going through it very slowly and maybe some mild fandom for It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia will spark out of it. But that's a big maybe.


3rd Rock from the Sun and images are copyrighted by Carsey-Werner Distribution

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and images are copyrighted by 20th Television

Command Center Commentaries: Power Rangers Zeo Part 4

At this moment on Power Rangers Zeo, the big question that kept fans watching was the identity of the Gold Ranger. It could be Billy. It could be Tommy's brother David. It could be Skull. The point was, we had a very compelling list of candidates that could possess the powers of this mysterious Gold Ranger. Episodes 31-40 did their job in giving us the identity of the Gold Ranger, but it isn't as simple as that. From what I've gathered, Brad Hawkins (the main actor on VR Troopers) was slated to play the character of the Gold Ranger, even voicing him in early episodes. Something happened to change those plans, so the Gold Ranger was given an underwhelming identity. To save us from a lackluster build, it was necessary to bring in a former Ranger to take on the Gold Ranger's powers. How did they make this work? Well let's find out...


Episode 32- Do I Know You?: The major moment of this episode that really narrowed down the potential list of identities for the Gold Ranger was when the Gold Ranger was teleported to the Power Chamber and acknowledged Zordon and Alpha. They deduce that for him to know them, they must've known him. Well...that rules out both Skull and David. It really made a lot of people think it could be Billy, but you can tell it's not. If he was, he would tell them. He wouldn't be this darn stubborn to keep the secret going. In truth, he was working on something for them. Had David Yost stayed with the show, it was heavily rumored that the goal was to have him create the powers they'd be using for next season. Of course, he had a falling out with the production and plans changed. But yes, after watching this episode, it really nailed in that all the candidates for the Gold Ranger were merely red herrings.

Episode 33- Revelations of Gold: After being wounded in a battle, we finally know the identity of the Gold Ranger. It's.....someone we've never seen before. The Gold Ranger is named Trey, an alien from the planet Triforia. The gimmick with Trey was that he was split into three personalities (using triplet actors...nice touch guys) of courage, wisdom, and heart. This causes his powers to be unbalanced, so they must be transferred to someone else. The Rangers naturally don't hesitate to select Billy, but thanks to some science mumbo jumbo, he's not able to. Tommy has another idea and leaves to go get another candidate for the powers. Probably his brother David, but we don't know for sure until the next episode.

Episode 34- A Golden Homecoming: Tommy makes it back to the Power Chamber with the new recruit and it's...JASON!?!?!? HOLY CRAP!!!! I can't imagine how good that must've felt for the fans when it first aired. It's such a great homecoming for the original Red Ranger. He takes on the Gold Ranger's powers and it feels just like old times. I got chills when he said "Back to action!" The Rangers also add the Super Zeo Zords to their arsenal in this episode, as well as Rito and Goldar get their memories back and reunite with Zedd and Rita. Now they're focused to try and take over the world again. What an episode to shake things up. You've got the return of an old ranger to take on the powers of the Gold Ranger, an unveiling of new zords, AND we're teased that Rita and Zedd are a force to be reckoned with yet again. Lots of stuff going on and fans were probably glued to their sets for the rest of the season. An episode like this has THAT much momentum going for it.

Episode 35- Mondo's Last Stand: With Jason back on the team, Rocky feels like he's being replaced. Which makes sense, after all, HE replaced Jason, so it's not too out there to think he'd be paranoid of turnabout being fair play. To prove himself, he tries to fight King Mondo on his own. It blows up in his face, obviously, but the Rangers band together to save the day. Mondo is destroyed, but Queen Machina makes it explicitly clear that Mondo will be back after a little bit of repair. But for now, we've got 15 episodes left, and our main villain has been temporarily destroyed. As far as major story arcs go for the season, anything is possible at this point.

Episode 36- Bomber in the Summer: The good times couldn't last very long for the Rangers, as a new baddie is created by Zedd and Rita to overthrow the Machine Empire. This new bad guy, Louie Kaboom, has a bit of an annoying voice that's tough to get around, but time will tell to see what kind of lasting impression he makes. This episode also introduces Jason's potential girlfriend for the season Emily. It seems so strange to see Jason have a love interest since he was really the only one in the original Power Rangers team to not be romantically attached to someone. I can't understand why, as he seems very good at it with his scenes with Emily.

Episode 37- The Lore of Auric: This episode had two main moments in the long run. The first was that it introduced the character of Auric the Conqueror, serving as a Ninjor-like ally for the team. However, there is a misunderstanding when Sprocket awakens Auric and convinces him the Rangers are evil. I'm surprised a villain hasn't thought of that until now. Summon a great warrior, convince them the Rangers are evil, and have them do all the dirty work for them. Brilliant. Anyways, the other aspect of the episode that's worth noting is that Tanya is able to find and save her long-lost parents in the jungle. It's a happy ending and all, but they're never seen or heard from again, so it kinda goes nowhere. But in the confines of the episode itself, it's a nice moment for Tanya's character.

Episode 40- The Joke's on Blue: We get the arrival of Prince Gasket, the heir to the Machine Empire, in this episode. He and his wife Archerina devise a plan to make Louie Kaboom fall in love with Archerina. They use that to their advantage and send him to go and destroy the Rangers, which ultimately backfires. With Louie gone, Gasket celebrates knowing the Machine Empire can now be in his control. What kind of evil plans will Gasket and Archerina have in store for the Rangers? Well, with 10 episodes left, we hopefully get some really solid episodes that make it worth adding them on as main villains.

Character Spotlight: Jason Lee Scott, played by Austin St. John

Having Jason come back was a huge shocker for fans watching the show at the time. Of course, it does raise the question of where the heck Zack and Trini were, but that's a minor gripe. It would have been easy for them to not develop Jason any further than how we knew him when he left back in Season 2 of Mighty Morphin, but they took advantage of the opportunity that presented itself. Jason has been gone from being a Power Ranger for 2 years, and he's clearly going to have room for growth as a person. Moments where he thanks Tommy for stepping up as leader when he had to leave for the Peace Conference, assuring Rocky that he won't be replaced, and his romance with Emily. All these felt like a step in the right place for gradually developing Jason. He wasn't your stereotypical leader character anymore. There was a bit more substance in his episodes and the long-time fans definitely got a kick out of seeing Jason back on a team with Tommy, this time with the roles reversed. It's now Tommy who is leading as the Red Ranger and it's Jason who is the Sixth Ranger struggling with his powers. But I'll cover that more next time.

Season Spotlight: Bulk and Skull

The big progression with Bulk and Skull this season came when they stuck up for Lt. Stone after he was fired from the Police. After that, they became second-rate detectives and the comedic possibilities became endless. If there was anything that staggered Bulk and Skull slightly, it was the episodes that had them bully Rito and Goldar. While it's funny to see these two in control of the monsters that used to terrorize them, it regresses their development over the years and reverts them back to selfish bullies. Other than that, I really felt Bulk and Skull's material, like usual, makes most of the filler episodes must-see television.

Gasket and Archerina only have 10 episodes left in the season to prove their worth. But we'll get to talk about that in Part 5...


Power Rangers Zeo and images are copyrighted by Saban Entertainment

What's In My Queue?- Week 6

Heading back to Albuquerque this week, but I've seemed to make a pit stop in Philadelphia...


It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia- Season 1:

This was one I felt I needed to watch out of necessity. Nearly every guy friend I have has praised this show and I've always felt out of the loop. Watching the first season was an ok introduction, but it's noticeable that it wasn't the show it is today when it first premiered. The first season is only 7 episodes and there is no Danny DeVito in the cast yet, so I know I need to keep watching in order to get a better initial impression on the show. However, from what I can say is that the show has excellent writing, the cast has solid chemistry, and the humor works if you're in the proper mindset. That mindset, however, is knowing you are watching 4 of the most despicable and idiotic characters on television getting away with saying and doing some of the most horrible things imaginable. If you're into that mindset, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is comedy gold. If you get offended easily, go watch something else. Plain and simple.

Better Call Saul- Season 2:

I really enjoyed the first season of Better Call Saul and I felt the second season provided a story that was easy for me to absorb. By now, I'm used to these characters, so getting thrown some backstory curveballs here and there was refreshing. The overall story is now split in two, and really gives you two stories that they're building. The stories are how Saul and Mike came together to form the relationship we saw them have in Breaking Bad. Mike's story comes equipped with full-on Breaking Bad cameos from the Salamanca family, while Saul's early days as Jimmy are the meat of the actual plot of the season. The first season started off strong by throwing a lot at you to get the status quo across, and the second season has that plot developing, slow burn effect. I can't wait to start watching it on a weekly basis when the third season comes out, so I can see how the story unfolds next.


It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and images are copyrighted by 20th Television

Better Call Saul and images are copyrighted by Sony Pictures Television

Command Center Commentaries: Power Rangers Zeo Part 3

The show was picking up some serious steam as the episodes progress, but there's still something missing in that team dynamic. We've arrived at the moment that would change that: The Gold Ranger Saga. When the time came to introduce the 6th Ranger for the season, a story was attached to it where the Rangers were completely unaware of his identity. Throughout the episodes where the Gold Ranger would appear, a bunch of red herrings would be dropped hinting that anyone could be the Gold Ranger. That includes people like Billy, to Tommy's brother David, and even Skull. But who really is the Gold Ranger? Well, we don't find out in episodes 21-30, but we can at least keep an eye out for any clues or important moments that occur during the Gold Ranger's introduction.


Episode 21- Brother, Can You Spare an Arrowhead?: Everything you imagine would happen does. Tommy saves his brother and gets the arrowhead back. This episode also gives us a combination of the Zeo Megazord and the Red Battle Zord. It looks pretty sweet. Not overly bad way to end this story arc with Tommy and his brother, it's just a little predictable.

Episode 22- Trust in Me: This episode teased the idea that the Rangers weren't prepared for. What happens if one of Mondo's robots didn't want to be evil? I mean, it shouldn't be a complete foreign concept to them. I mean, they have Alpha after all. Anyways, it doesn't really matter because they trust the robot and he ends up lying to them. But it does raise some interesting points for questions and discussion.

Episode 23- It Came from Angel Grove: Nothing overly important to the main story, but if you like old monster movies, this episode is a treat. Adam stays up late to watch a monster movie and has a nightmare where all his friends resemble classic movie monsters. It's a great episode to watch around Halloween, and as a fan of horror movies, I have to recommend it.

Episode 24- Bulk Fiction: This episode is important because of the development we get with Bulk, Skull, and Lt. Stone. After falling for the police chief's daughter, Bulk makes a spectacle of himself to impress her, which gets Lt. Stone fired. Loyal to Stone, despite how much he intimidates them, Bulk and Skull quit on the spot. By the episode's end, we learn what they'll all be doing next. Stone opens up his own detective agency and hires Bulk and Skull on to help him. Well that'll be interesting. Bulk and Skull as detectives. The possibilities for comedy are endless.

Episode 26- Game of Honor: This episode has an Adam and Tanya focus, with the return of her dick ex-boyfriend Shawn. If you wanted some follow up on the Adam and Tanya relationship that fell to the wayside by the show's writers, this episode is your best chance. Tanya supports Adam by helping him train for a fight in a tournament against Shawn. She even calls him "sweetie" at one point. Why didn't they keep at the relationship? It was cute. I didn't mind seeing it play out. I mean, what other storyline could have possibly been more important in this season?

Episode 27- The Power of Gold: This is what we've all been waiting for! The arrival of the mysterious Gold Ranger! He debuts with an amazing costume, an impressive amount of fighting skills and powers, not to mention an awesome theme song! It takes a while to build up to him showing up in this episode, but it's all worth it when we finally see the Gold Ranger for the first time. Our first red herring for his identity is Billy, which would make tons of sense, since Billy is already used to being a Power Ranger and he disappeared to go do something shortly before the Gold Ranger showed up. Very smart move on the writers' part for them to give us teases like that. Really pulls you into the story immediately because you want to figure out if you can solve the Gold Ranger's identity.

Episode 28- A Small Problem: AH! Ok, whose bright idea was it to feature a giant tarantula in the episode's plot? Alright, I'm going to go super quick with this one. The tease for the Gold Ranger's identity in this episode is Skull of all people. And the Gold Ranger shows up to help the other Rangers form the Zeo Ultrazord. It's not very appealing , but it's huge and full of power, so it gets the job done. Good, now will you go away? BE GONE GIANT TARANTULA!!!

Episode 29- A Season to Remember: Dear God, another Christmas episode. Bring on the schmaltz! The goal of this holiday episode was to highlight the significance and importance of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. Yeah, it's preachy, but what do you expect from a Power Rangers holiday special? The Rangers are planning a holiday celebration with a classmate named Raymond, who appeared a few times throughout the season but wasn't really important in the grand scheme. In honesty, I'm surprised Raymond wasn't a teased identity for the Gold Ranger. In fact, the Gold Ranger isn't mentioned in this episode, probably was filmed or broadcast earlier in the calendar year. Even more, the Rangers don't morph in the episode. They just get mad at each other over the different holidays and make up by the end thanks to a song. There's also a pretty funny side story of Bulk and Skull trying to solve a case of missing fruitcakes. And the main narrative is told through an elderly Tommy telling his grandson the story of this episode, where we find out he's married to Kat and their eldest grandson is a Power Ranger. Quite a prediction for their future.

Episode 30- Oily to Bed, Oily to Rise: This episode is pure filler, with the only important plot point being the tease that Tommy's brother David could be the Gold Ranger. Lackluster way to end this string of episodes, but what can you do?

Character Spotlight: Tommy Oliver, played by Jason David Frank

Tommy's extension of character in Power Rangers Zeo is small, but effective. We take a journey with Tommy as he explores his roots. We find out he's Native American (and I know, he's the Red Ranger. Won't Power Rangers ever stop being accidentally racist?) and has a brother that Tommy immediately begins to bond with. During this time, Tommy also uses his knowledge of Native American culture to help him in battle, by telepathically controlling the Red Battle Zord. That's about it with Tommy, apart from that stupid letter from Kimberly. He's a good leader and the same character we've known and loved for 3 years. Why fix something that isn't broken? Just have Tommy keep doing what he's doing, while sprinkling in a few interesting things here and there.

Character Spotlight: Billy, played by David Yost

When the time came for the Rangers to decide who wouldn't get a Zeo Crystal, Billy openly volunteered to step away from being a Power Ranger. He felt his skills were better utilized within the Power Chamber, working as their tech guy for the remainder of his tenure on the show. Despite not being a Ranger, he's still treated as an equal member of the team. And during this string of episodes, it was heavily speculated that he was the guy behind the Gold Ranger's helmet. Heck, the episode the Gold Ranger debuted, Billy laments over the fact that there used to be six Rangers. It would have been a really cool thing had Billy been the Gold Ranger, but that wasn't what the showrunners had in mind. At least, that's not what we got. By now, most fans have heard about David Yost's falling out with the show over how he was treated behind the scenes. There were some plans for Billy that were going to extend beyond Zeo, but we I'm not sure of the full extent. Anyways, I liked what they were able to do with Billy before David Yost left the show permanently, showcasing that a former Ranger is still useful after their powers are gone.

So who is the Gold Ranger? We're going to find out in Part 4...


Power Rangers Zeo and images are copyrighted by Saban Entertainment

What's In My Queue?- Week 5

This week featured binge marathons for Marvel and Ashton Kutcher. Those types of things don't go hand in hand, but I decided to roll with it.


Daredevil- Season 2:

HOLY BALLS!!!! I thought the first season of Daredevil was amazing, but this is beautiful. The first season felt like a slow burn to get into, but this season started off really aggressive and made it very easy to binge. All the characters were given natural progression with their story arcs, and we had a few new characters thrown into the mix. I wasn't too big on Elektra's story arc, to be perfectly honest, but she's only part of the overall story. The new character that really steals the season is The Punisher, played expertly by Jon Bernthal. He was so brutal and so compelling that I was really happy when they announced he'd be getting his own spinoff earlier this week. This Marvel Television Universe they're creating for Netflix is really doing well and I can't wait to see where they take it from here.

The Ranch- Part 1:

Curiosity's sake got the better of me with this one. I liked Ashton Kutcher and Danny Masterson when they were on That '70s Show, so seeing them together on another show had me intrigued. It won't be everyone's type of show, but it works well enough for me when I'm in the mood to watch it. Two things work for me on the show. The first is the type of comedy it's going with. They use a ranch environment, but what keeps the setting fresh is jokes that are filled with modern references and a much stronger adult sense of humor than I was expecting. The other thing that really works is the family dynamic between Kutcher and Masterson's characters and their father, played by Sam Elliot. These guys bicker phenomenally. Kutcher and Masterson just feels natural, given their history on That '70s Show, so I was really impressed with how well Elliot fit into the dynamic. You see them interact and you really see a dysfunctional family that loves each other deep down. The chemistry works really well between the main actors and that's what keeps me coming back for more. I hope this show is a success for Netflix, as I would love to see more episodes churned out to turn Part 1 into Season 1, and then maybe another season or two to see what kind of traction The Ranch can get.

That '70s Show- Season 1:

It was most likely seeing Kutcher and Masterson on The Ranch earlier this week, but I really felt the need to start watching That '70s Show again. I didn't grow up in the '70s, so sometimes it takes me a moment to process the jokes but that isn't the important element of the show to me. I don't care about the '70s references. What made me fall in love with the show was how incredible the cast was. I have a lot of favorite characters in this show and I love to see most of them grow over the course of 8 seasons. I only had time this week to watch the first season, but this is another of my favorite sitcoms that will definitely be getting a full show retrospective once I get to the show's final season. That may take a while, since a lot of these shows are stacking up and people can only have so much time in the week to watch stuff and do other things, but I know I'll be having a good time getting through it all.


Daredevil and images are copyrighted by NBCUniversal Television Distribution

The Ranch and images are copyrighted by Fox Television Animation

That '70s Show and images are copyrighted by T Group Production