What's In My Queue?- Week 1

Hello everyone, and welcome to another new series I'll be testing out on here. As TV viewers, we all have something in our queue. Whether that's Netflix, Hulu, or our own DVRs, we all have a laundry list of shows we try religiously to keep up with. So much so that I thought it would be creative to go and give mini-reviews to shows that I am either trying out for the first time or shows that I'm revisiting after time away from them. These are the shows that I wouldn't think would get a full on review or analysis, but I still have a thought or two that I can reflect on for my overall viewing experience. The good thing about my queue is that I like a little of everything, so I'll be doing my best to have the mindset of someone that is going into the shows completely blind. That in mind, let's get started with the first group of shows that I gave a shot at this week.


Scrubs- Seasons 1, 2, and 3:

I started this show about 5 years ago, made it through the first three seasons, and then put it to the side. I'd always wanted to return to it, but hadn't had the chance to. When the wife sat down to watch it with me for the first time, she was hooked by the end of the first episode. This will probably get some kind of series review when I finish the whole thing, as there are a ton of things to love about Scrubs. It's not just a comedy about working in a hospital, but also a sitcom that isn't afraid to show some of the harsh realities that exist in a hospital, while also giving a message on how you can connect what these doctors are learning and apply it to everyday life. That's a much smarter concept for the show than I initially thought heading in, believing that this was going to be a stupid show for the sake of stupidity. It isn't that. There's always an amount of depth and reason for the silly humor and a balance of dramatic and emotional moments as well. This became an instant favorite of ours and we can't wait to finish it.

The Batman- Season 1:

Maybe it's my bias towards Batman: The Animated Series talking, but I couldn't get into The Batman as much as I was hoping for. The younger and modern approach to the Batman story is an interesting idea and the animation choices are certainly unique and darker in tone, but I can't help but compare it to a more superior Batman cartoon. The episodes are enjoyable enough and there's plenty of story here, but there's something I just can't put my finger on about why I'm not crazy about the show. I love the Dark Knight as much as any comic book fan, but I think I'll be taking my time to try and watch the next 4 seasons of this adaptation.

Grounded for Life- Seasons 1 and 2:

Grounded for Life was a sitcom straight out of my early teenage years. I would come home from school, get an hour of it from reruns on ABC Family, and it kept me thoroughly entertained. When my wife had never heard of it, I knew I needed to introduce her to it, and it's proven to be a really success in our weekly viewing. It's a great show to go through if you want to invest in the humor and the characters, or if you want some fun background noise. The real key to the humor for me is Donal Logue as Sean Finnerty. Something in his delivery and his character really gets me laughing. He's the kind of cool, lazy dad that you would like to be in concept, but realize your family life would be all kinds of dysfunctional if you were. Nostalgia aside, this is a fun little sitcom gem that more people need to discover.

Blue Mountain State- Season 1:

This show is purely a gratuitous, raunchy, sports sitcom courtesy of Spike TV. If you like football, odds are you'll like the show. If you like crude, college-related humor, odds are you'll like the show. If you aren't about that, then you'll hate this show and probably be disgusted by most of it like my wife was. This is a show to watch with the guys, and I found I really need to be in a perverse mood to sit down and binge this one. I got through the entire first season in a day. The next day, I tried Season 2 and just wasn't that into it. I'll try it again sometime soon, when I'm in the proper mood, and give my final thoughts on it. A quick thought on Season 2 was that they wrote out one of the most interesting characters Craig Shilo, because his actor Sam Jones III was having some legal issues with drugs. It's a shame that they had to write him out because his character had some of the most interesting side stories going on in the series. I was really looking forward to seeing what would happen to him. Oh well, if the other two seasons suck in comparison, at least the first season was able to have the right formula for the cast of characters in Blue Mountain State.

Cheers- Season 1:

Considered one of the greatest sitcoms ever, I was walking into Cheers pretty blind. Sure, I'd seen some reruns in my youth, but I couldn't appreciate the humor or the bar environment. As an adult, this was something I was really looking forward to. A landmark in television history is bound to have a lot of groundbreaking episodes. And it does, but the season kind of drags a little. There are episodes that tackled a lot of questions about current issues at the time. Issues like interracial marriage, homosexuality, and feminism are presented in a way that is treating the issue as important, but also tying enough humor to it so things don't get too serious. Everything in the first season was tied to the ongoing saga of Sam and Diane's relationship. We all knew they were going to get together, so dragging it on for 22 episodes just seemed a bit much to get through. I'm a fan though. I love the characters and I think the humor is absolutely brilliant. Not sure if this one will warrant it's own retrospective later on, because everything right now is as it appears on the surface. When more characters and story arcs show up, then I'll be able to tell if the show is worth its own review. But trust me when I say it's a quality sitcom that has its spot in television history for a reason.


Scrubs and images are copyrighted by Touchstone Television and ABC Studios

The Batman and images are copyrighted by Warner Bros. Animation

Grounded for Life and images are copyrighted by Carsey-Werner Distribution

Blue Mountain State and images are copyrighted by Lionsgate Television

Cheers and images are copyrighted by CBS Television Distribution

Command Center Commentaries: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Season 3- Part 5

Last time on Power Rangers, the Rangers were turned into children...again. This time, their memories are intact so they know they are powerless against the forces of evil. How will they restore their age and their powers? And on top of that, who is going to protect Angel Grove while the Rangers are children? The answer to all this is a 10-part mini-series that is considered a half season or its own season depending on who you ask. For me, it's included in my Season 3 DVD set, so it's the 5th and final part of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Still, this last group of episodes (34-43) is commonly referred to as Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers, so let's see how the Alien Rangers bring the 3rd Season to an end.


Episode 34- Alien Rangers of Aquitar Part 1: This first part episode is a little on the boring side, only because we spend majority of the time with the kid Rangers. We aren't introduced to the concept of the Alien Rangers until the very end. It's like the last time they were kids, they just aren't very interesting. In some interesting bits during this time, we can see that the Rangers are the only ones in Angel Grove to retain their memories. Bulk and Skull have reverted back to being bullies and, in a nice moment of continuity, only recognize Billy because the other Rangers have all moved to Angel Grove within the last 3 years. Still, I really don't need to see extended scenes of Tengas getting beat up by children or child actors be in the forefront of a Power Rangers episode. Bring on the aliens!

Episode 35- Alien Rangers of Aquitar Part 2: The Alien Rangers from Aquitar, or Aquitian Rangers if you prefer that, finally arrive and they have a pretty good first showing against a bunch of Master Vile's monsters. They defeat the monsters with help from their Battle Borgs, zords that they control telepathically. Well that's pretty awesome. Although, one thing that irritates me with the Alien Rangers are the voices. The garbled, water sound in their voices can get tiring really fast, but I like the overall alien look they have. This victory sends Master Vile packing, leaving Zedd and Rita to be our main villains in charge for the remainder of the season. What the heck Vile?!?! He was given so much build up and was around for like 7 episodes. What a waste, dude!

Episode 36- Climb Every Fountain: The real significant moments in this episode is when Billy creates a device that uses the power coins to restore their age. He tests it on himself and is restored to his proper age. Before he can use it on the others, Goldar and Rito steal the power coins and destroy the machine. Rita and Zedd then DESTROY the power coins. WOW! That is depressing. So now the Rangers are even more screwed than they were before. The Alien Rangers are our only source at fighting evil during this mini-series and the goal for the former Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is to find a way to get their powers back AND restore their age AND they still need to properly find a permanent source of hydration for the Aquitian Rangers.

Episode 37- The Alien Trap: This is probably the only episode to really skip in the mini-series. The plot focuses on the Rangers' pursuit to create a device that will keep the Aquitian Rangers hydrated. Rito and Goldar pollute said water supply, and the Alien Rangers have to return home temporarily after they save the day.

Episode 38- Attack of the 60' Bulk: In this episode, Rita and Zedd turn Bulk into a monster. The Alien Rangers return to fight the monster, while also trying to convince Bulk to break Zedd and Rita's hold on him. Very interesting to see the kids use their heads and hearts in order to save a friend. Also, the fight in the water park is full of fun and humorous moments from the Alien Rangers. Nice to know they've secured a sense of humor since being on Earth. At the end of the episode, Zordon informs the kids that he plans to restore their powers by seeking out the ZEO CRYSTAL!!!! Clever way to introduce the power supply earlier on in the season, and then call back to it as a method to restore the Rangers' powers. I approve. Not like that matters, since this happened at a time when I was 3-years-old, but still, I approve.

Episode 39- Water You Thinking?: Once the kids go on their quest for the Zeo Crystals, the episodes are pretty formulaic. Billy tries to help the Alien Rangers stay hydrated with new inventions and ideas, the kids go back in time to their ancestry to retrieve their crystal, and the Alien Rangers fight the monster and save the day. The first to complete their vision quest is Rocky, who is transported to Mexico and receives help from the young version of his grandfather to retrieve the crystal from a volcano. Simple, but enjoyable. We also notice that the crystal in the shape of a triangle has a bluish glow as Rocky teleports back home. Hmmm...interesting. I will also take the time to point out another subplot that started occurring during the Zeo Quest. Rita and Zedd have sent Rito and Goldar underneath the Command Center in order to plant a bomb that will blow our heroes sky high. The big problem there is that...well, it's Rito and Goldar, so they are clueless and get lost. This goes on the entire Zeo Quest, so I'm left wondering if this whole quest takes place over a matter of weeks, days, maybe even just hours. I'm hoping it's at least a couple of days, because if it was just hours, I think the importance of the Zeo Quest gets diminished pretty quickly.

Episode 40- Along Came a Spider: In this episode, the major highlight is Adam traveling to ancient Korea to find his crystal. He goes searching for a wise man to help him, while also trying to ignore this goofy old man who won't stop bugging him. Anyone with a brain can figure out exactly what you think is going to happen. Adam realizes the old man is the wise man he's been looking for and is given the crystal as a reward. It reminds me of when Luke Skywalker went looking for Yoda in Empire Strikes Back and has no idea the tiny, green creature is the great Jedi Master. Yes, I just connected a plot in Power Rangers to one of the greatest movies of all-time. Clearly, I take my fandom a little too seriously. Anyways, Adam's crystal is shaped like a rectangle and has a green glow. These color changes are getting very interesting.

Episode 41- Sowing the Seas of Evil: We get a two for the price of one in terms of the Zeo Quest in this episode. Kat's journey is in Australia, where she is tested on her kindness. It's not too exciting, but boosted by the appearance of Catherine Sutherland playing the teenager that agrees to help young Kat, and the old woman that asks young Kat for help. Her crystal is shaped like an oval and has a pink glow. Tommy's vision quest is a literal vision quest, diving into his Native American roots and giving him a journey that allows him to follow his instincts and trust himself. This is by far the best test during the Zeo Quest. It's the most profound and really legitimizes Tommy's ability to be the leader of the Power Rangers. As Tommy heads home, we see the star crystal has a reddish glow to it. Why do I get the feeling Rocky's getting demoted by next season? Anyways, we're also teased on the arrival of Hydro Hog, a villain who is essentially the Zedd and Rita of the Aquitian Rangers' world. It's interesting to see the Alien Rangers filled with fear at the idea of Hydro Hog showing up. Nice little build up there.

Episode 42- Hogday Afternoon Part 1: Hydro Hog finally arrives and actually does some pretty serious damage to the Alien Rangers. He sucks up all the water supply in Angel Grove, which is pretty bad news for our Rangers. Also, Aisha tries to complete her Zeo quest in Africa. There, she meets a girl named Tanya and quickly becomes friends with her. The first part is a bit on the stale side, but that's because you have to save all the resolution for Part 2.

Episode 43- Hogday Afternoon Part 2: Thanks to an invention, Billy is able to synthesize a rain or something to restore some hydration for the Alien Rangers and they send Hydro Hog packing. Aisha is pretty much just given her crystal at Tanya's tribe. Her crystal has a yellow glow and is shaped like two thin ovals or horizontal lines or something like that. When Aisha learns of a plague that is spreading throughout the village, she offers to stay and help thanks to her knowledge of animals. She decides to send Tanya back to Angel Grove in her place with the crystal. While not a terrible goodbye for Aisha, I wish they would have given Karen Ashley a chance to have a final scene with her costars. With all 5 crystals put together, the timeline is restored and the Rangers and everything is back to normal. At the same time, Rito and Goldar have successfully planted the bomb under the Command Center. While the Rangers are saying goodbye to the Aquitian Rangers, Rito and Goldar appear in the Command Center and steal the Zeo Crystal. The Rangers teleport back after they've left, right before the Command Center begins to blow up. Alpha and Zordon teleport the Rangers out in time, and the final moment of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is of the Rangers looking on, as they see the Command Center get blown to bits. WOW! What a downer! But also, what a cliffhanger to end the series on!

Character Spotlight: The Alien Rangers

The Alien Rangers are a hard group of characters to analyze. They're only around for 10 episodes, and they don't really have that much growth or personalities to really explore. What you see on the surface is pretty much what you'll get the entire time. The Red Ranger is Aurico and he doesn't get to do a whole lot other than lead the team in battle, and that's only due to the Sentai footage. Delphine is the White Ranger and the only female Ranger on the team. In the American footage, Delphine is the leader of the team, the first time a woman has led a Power Rangers team. Cestro is probably my favorite Ranger on the team. Being the Blue Ranger and the team's smartest member, he is able to form a strong bond and friendship with Billy over technology and science. Tideus seems to have a bit more personality than his fellow Aquitian Rangers, and is apparently the strongest member of the team. He's also the first official male Yellow Ranger in Power Rangers history. Rounding out the team is the Black Ranger Corcus. Often serving in the background, Corcus is the quietest member of the Aquitian Rangers. However, when in battle, thanks largely in part to the Sentai footage, he is possibly the quickest and fiercest fighter of the five. On an aesthetics note, I really like the Alien Ranger costumes. Even though the Sentai series has a ninja theme, the costumes translate into something that could look alien, while blending into the Ninja/Shogun themes and aesthetics that were used throughout Season 3.

Season Spotlight: Final Thoughts

The words "escalation" and "transition" comes to mind when I think about Season 3 of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. The use of many multi-parters make the story arcs feel much more grand and epic than in previous seasons. With the use of transition, we are able to build towards the next group of Power Rangers, while quietly phasing out the remnants of the original team. Think about it, Billy is the only Ranger from episode 1 to be on the team, and even that will change at some point next season. With the destruction of the Command Center and the introduction of a new power source, fans had to be riveted to see what was going to happen next. Are Zordon and Alpha alive? Will the Rangers get the Zeo Crystal back? And if they do, what kind of power source will the Zeo Crystal be? These are questions that are just dying to be answered and I'll be able to talk about those next time, when I begin my review of Power Rangers Zeo.


Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and images are copyrighted by Saban Entertainment

Command Center Commentaries: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Season 3- Part 4

With Kat joining the team, you'd expect that whole new team dynamic you got when Rocky, Adam, and Aisha joined the team in Season 2. That doesn't exactly happen this time around because this team's run as the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers essentially comes to an end at the end of this batch of episodes (26-33). There's still a little more of the season afterwards, but I'll get to that next time. With the addition of Kat to the team, we have a handful of filler episodes to get used to Kat on the team, but it comes to an end before her run as Pink Ranger can get a lot of traction. Seriously, if they wanted to get Kat over as the proper replacement for Kimberly, they should've either added more episodes to the season or done this whole transition thing earlier in the season, but that's beside the point. Let's see how the final team of 6 teenagers with attitude bring an "end" to Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.


Episode 26- Rita's Pita: This one's a goofy little filler that has a cult following for its ridiculous plot. Essentially, Rita and Zedd put a tapeworm monster inside Tommy, which forces him to eat a whole bunch of junk food. Two things about this episode stuck out to me. The first is seeing Kat use her powers for the first time. She's able to harness the power of the Pink Ranger, but is definitely boosted by her powers in a battle. She needs to rely on them for the time being, but can definitely improve in her martial arts skills over time. The second thing is that you really get a sense of how preachy these teens are when you watch an episode like this. Maybe it's the name of the kid Tommy's talking to or the "bad habit" that he's teaching about, but hearing Tommy tell Danny about how eating a cheeseburger and fries is disrespectful to your body just made me want to send a monster down to Earth and beat up the White Ranger. For one of the first times on this show, I have sided with Zedd and Rita for the course of an episode.

Episode 29- Master Vile and the Metallic Armor Part 1: In Part 1 of this 3-parter, we get the introduction of a new villain and some new power ups. The villain is Master Vile, Rita and Rito's father and the power up is a new metallic armor for the Rangers. Don't get too excited, it's just glitter on their suits. Anyways, the Rangers get Ninjor back when Rito accidentally sets them free, prompting Vile to take over with a new scheme, involving a mysterious Zeo Crystal. Zeo?!?! Eh, it's probably one-off source of power that we'll never hear from ever again. Anyways, Kat and Tommy devise a plan to get the crystal by heading to Rita and Zedd's, Kat pretending that she wants to be evil again.

Episode 30- Master Vile and the Metallic Armor Part 2: In Part 2, Tommy attempts to take the Zeo crystal and get Kat out of trouble before she's turned evil again. The Rangers get the upper hand, at first, but Vile's monster proves to be pretty powerful, forcing the Rangers to retreat without their Zords. Evil has won by the end of Part 2, but of course everything will be made good by the end of Part 3.

Episode 31- Master Vile and the Metallic Armor Part 3: What a surprise, everything is made good by the end of Part 3. In retrospect, I think the sour grapes for this multi-parter can be chalked up to the disappointing metallic armor. Would it have killed them to use the suits from the movie that the show never mentions? Anyways, they save the day, separate the Zeo Crystal into 5 pieces, and scatter them in different places. That Zeo Crystal would've made an interesting power supply for them. It's a shame they had to go and get rid of it, what with it being a one-off power and all. Oh well, it's not like we're ever gonna hear from it again.

Episode 33- Rangers in Reverse: As far as the "final" episode of this season goes, it's a good cliffhanger to get the viewer interested in what could happen next. Master Vile plans to use a mystical orb to turn back time and change the Rangers into kids. It's been done before, but something about not erasing their memories as Rangers makes them feel more helpless. Plus, the ending visual of giant Zedd, Rita, Goldar, and Rito really makes us feel like the Rangers have finally been beat for good. It guarantees you'll tune in to see what happens next.

Character Spotlight: Katherine Hillard, played by Catherine Sutherland

After she turned good, Kat was simply under the character trait of being the new Power Ranger. I don't think she got nearly enough time with the team before they decided to give us a storyline that would lead to the eventual destruction of the original Ranger aesthetics. When I look at that costume, all I can picture behind the helmet is Kimberly. Kat doesn't even come into my mind once. She's not bad in the role, just wasn't given enough time to make it her own. And then there's the relationship with Tommy. At this point, since Kimberly is still in the picture and Kat is no longer evil, she doesn't step on any toes and has a platonic relationship with Tommy...for now.

Season Spotlight: New Characters

A lot of new characters were thrown our way this Season besides Kat. The only major supporting character on the side of good is Lt. Stone, who serves as a great authority figure and comedic foil for Bulk and Skull on their mission to become police officers. On the villain side of things, Rito Revolto is a funny side villain that bickers with the other villains. The Tengas are nowhere near as enjoyable foot soldiers as the Putties were. Maybe it's because we had 2 seasons of Putties and 1 season of Tengas, but they just stick out like a sore thumb. And finally, Master Vile had a lot of build up to him as a serious threat, but doesn't stay around as long as I'd like in order to make an impact. Having a being that was so powerful and evil, while also having some success that Zedd couldn't have, plus being Rita and Rito's father. It just made for a unique villain, but his run in terms of episode numbers is a little disappointing, as you will see.

With the Rangers turned into children again and the villains reigning supreme, is there any hope left for good to triumph over evil? We'll find out in Part 5, the final chapter in my retrospective on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers...


Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and images are copyrighted by Saban Entertainment

Command Center Commentaries: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Season 3- Part 3

If you're paying attention to what's been going on with this season, you might notice a certain pattern that was used back in Season 2. Is there a member of the team that is perhaps feeling less included in the episodes than others? Is there some kind of competition or event that is taking up said character's time and attention? Is there a new character that has shown up, befriended the Power Rangers, and just so happens to wear the same color as the previously mentioned character? If you answered yes to all of the questions, then you know as well as I do that episodes 18 through 25 will see a member of the Power Rangers depart from the team and a new member will take their place. Will this departure have more dignity than the horrible dubbing that was used to say goodbye to Jason, Trini, and Zack? Let's find out by picking up where we left off last time, with Tommy and the new character Kat in trouble and the Rangers needing to save them from a strange dimension.


Episode 18- A Ranger Catastrophe Part 2: The Rangers save Tommy from the dimension, they destroy the monster and save the day. You know, I'm getting really sick and tired of these lackluster conclusions to multi-parters. Of course the Rangers are going to save the day, I shouldn't expect anything less. We're far removed from multi-parters that would actually up the stakes for the Rangers, and it'll probably be a long time before we get another one on this show.

Episode 19- Changing of the Zords Part 1: In the traditional fashion of me being proven wrong, we are finally treated to something that really felt different from your usual multi-part episode. Rita and Zedd stumble upon some dormant zords, the Shogun Zords, and they plan to have the Rangers pilot them in the name of pure evil. How do they plan to do that? Well, for starters, they have their new evil pawn Kat steal Kimberly's power coin during a battle, making her weaker. With that power coin, Kat gains access to the Falcon Zord and captures it for Rita and Zedd. Having a huge power source like that in their control, they also are able to kidnap Ninjor. And that's all by the end of Part 1.

Episode 20- Changing of the Zords Part 2: With Kimberly significantly weakened, Rita and Zedd lure the other Rangers to a monster battle while staging an altercation between the Tengas and Kat. Kimberly comes to Kat's rescue and passes out due to her weakened state. Kimberly is now being held in Zedd's dimension. The only way the Rangers can free her is to give in to Zedd's demands. His first demand is to be teleported into the Command Center. Seeing Zedd's chair in the Command Center is surreal, and is a landmark moment in the history of Power Ranger villains. If they wanna free Kimberly, they must pilot the Shogun Zords. What will their answer be? Tune in next time to find out. Oh gosh, what a cliffhanger. And that's not my sarcasm talking. Could you imagine waiting to hear their answer and then you have to wait til the next day to find out? Wow. Genius move.

Episode 21- Changing of the Zords Part 3: The Rangers agree to pilot the Shogun Zords, but only as a way to stall while Billy prepares a machine to help save Kimberly. Meanwhile, Tommy goes to Zedd's dimension to free Kimberly and...comes face to face with Lord Zedd for a fight. WOW! This is like Zedd's reckoning as a villain. He is so superior in combat to the rest of his evil forces, but he has such power that you wouldn't expect him to have to do all the dirty work. But when he does, he's all business. He even insults Tommy's battle cries. This fight was awesome to watch, and you can imagine that Tommy got away lucky. Zedd could have finished him off if they kept going. Anyways, the Rangers gain control of the zords once Kimberly is back with them, and they save the day. But on an interesting note, they've won the battle, but the war is still to be decided. Zedd and Rita still have Ninjor and the Falcon Zord, and they still have Kat securing her way into their group. So, we have a multi-parter come to a very rewarding conclusion, while leaving the door open for arcs to continue. And in a nice moment to parallel Tommy's struggle with losing his powers in the first few seasons, he consoles Kimberly at the end of the episode when she begins to question how long she has left to be a Power Ranger.

Episode 23- A Different Shade of Pink Part 1: Kimberly begins training with a coach for an upcoming gymnastics competition that is on Olympic levels of importance. The goal here for Rita and Zedd is to keep her busy and worn out so she eventually hurts herself. Simple premise, but the intriguing part is the ending. It leaves you on a cliffhanger with Kat finally breaking free of Rita's spell and tries to help Kimberly before she falls off the balance beam and hits her head.

Episode 24- A Different Shade of Pink Part 2: Part 2 opens with Kimberly rushed to the hospital, the rest of the Rangers and Kat waiting for her to wake up. When she does come to, Kat finally comes clean about everything and the Rangers forgive her, citing back to how Tommy was able to overcome Rita's evil spells and find the good in himself as well. Rita and Zedd then offer a deal to the Rangers: they will give Ninjor back to the team in exchange for Kat. What will the Rangers do?

Episode 25- A Different Shade of Pink Part 3: The Rangers devise a plan to protect Kat in a force field after they get the jar with Ninjor in it. The jar is empty, so it's interesting to see both sides weren't going to hold up their end of the bargain. The Tengas destroy the force field and Kat is taken to Zedd and Rita's Dimension. From there, it's the ending you'd expect. I'm ok with this episode getting the traditional happy ending because of what it means for the show. Kat is able to get the pink power coin back in the hands of someone that is good and the Rangers save the day. Kimberly decides to go train for the gymnastics competition and names Kat as her replacement. It's a pretty good way to handle a farewell to an original Power Ranger and introduce a new one. Good luck, Kat. You've got some big boots to fill.

Character Spotlight: Billy Cranston, played by David Yost

Billy has become one of those mainstay members of the team, to the point where we don't need to really see him go on a massive story arc or have monumental development anymore. He's one of the most likable and popular members of the team, so you can imagine the showrunners would want to retain all of the positives for Billy, instead of drastically changing what made fans fall in love with the character in the first place. The key thing for Billy this season was how much he'd improve with his inventions. With the amount of time he's been spending in the Command Center, he's really become an extra set of eyes and ears for all that happens in their secret base. Also, that whole "geek" element to his character has been completely scrapped as a negative trait. His character is now fully realized as both an intelligent and confident member of the Power Rangers.

Character Spotlight: Kimberly Ann Hart, played by Amy Jo Johnston

And thus, another one of the original Power Rangers have bid farewell to the show. In Kimberly's defense, her actress actually stayed around to make sure her character was written off properly. It was something that was heavily teased throughout the series. She was sick and missed the teamup with Masked Rider. In many filler episodes, she was practicing her gymnastics and was called into action as a last resort. In one episode, she is trapped within a taxi cab monster and the Rangers have to save her. And of course, her missing power coin left her in a weakened state that forced the other Rangers to work as a team with her included less. It sucks to see Kimberly go from the team, but they were preparing us for it throughout the season and by the time she did leave the series, she was able to evolve and develop her character far beyond the stereotypical Valley Girl we met all the way back in Season 1.

So how will Kat measure up as the new Pink Ranger and what's in store for the Power Rangers next? We'll have to wait until Part 4 to find out...


Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and images are copyrighted by Saban Entertainment

Batman: The Animated Series Season 2- Part 4

And now, the fitting conclusion to the second season of Batman: The Animated Series...


Episode 22- Off Balance: We get a lot of seeds planted for the arrival of a huge villain in the Batman universe. We see Batman kinda work alongside the mysterious Talia al Ghul to stop the villain Count Vertigo. We hear the mentioning of Talia's father, a secret Society of Shadows, and we see Batman's identity revealed to her without his consent. This is where the title makes an excellent double meaning. The off balance effect can be from both Count Vertigo's disorienting eye patch, as well as Batman's uncertainty of what side Talia is on. If you're familiar with Batman lore, you can probably assume how things are going to end. But, the highlight comes at the end when we are given a tease with the reveal of Talia's father. I can't wait for them to get back to this story arc, cause things are about to get really good.

Episode 23- The Man Who Killed Batman: We get another very interesting concept in this episode, as a clumsy henchman is believed to have inadvertently killed Batman in an explosion. The result is that Sid the Squid has fame, but not the way he'd like. People are challenging him to stake their dominance and The Joker tries to have him executed because he ended the long standing battle between his greatest foe. You really see a good side of respect that Joker has for Batman. The punchline of Joker's schemes has theoretically been snuffed out thanks to this guy, but you can't help but feel bad for Sid because he didn't ask for any of it. The ending, of course, shows us that Batman isn't dead and we get a resolution that allows justice to be properly paid while also giving Sid the proper fame he desires. Very nice concept and execution. We get to know a lot more about the Joker's relationship with Batman than we'd initially thought and we spend some quality time to get to know and relate to the character of Sid.

Episode 24- Mudslide: This episode picks up where we last left off with Clayface. His molecular structure is deteriorating, and he is looking for any method to stop him from melting all over the place. This naturally turns to crime, which Batman has to put a stop to. But, you kind of wish he'd give the guy a break right? I mean, he didn't ask to be this way. I'm surprised Batman wasn't trying to synthesize some kind of cure during this episode. All that aside, I always enjoy Clayface episodes so we can hear what new material Ron Perlman can bring to the role.

Episode 25- Paging the Crime Doctor: Here, we get a little more depth on recurring villain Rupert Thorne. We get to see the dynamic he has with his brother, a very accomplished doctor that has lost his license and is reduced to helping patch up the criminals of Gotham. We also get another good look into Batman's relationship with Leslie Thompkins, and the discovery that Thorne's brother was best friends with Leslie and Bruce's father. The action is in the background of the episode and I don't mind one bit, because the forefront of the episode features elements like characters and their relationships with other characters. Where will the allegiances lay? Does the bonds of family outweigh the morals of right and wrong? The dichotomy is not as black and white as you'd expect. It's more complicated than you would at first suspect and I love how the show doesn't stoop to kid friendly cliches.

Episode 26- Zatanna: This episode dives into the realm of magic and gives the viewers a look into a lesser known DC superhero. We get an interesting romance between her and Bruce Wayne that calls back to his previous training with her father. In an interesting flashback, we see that he studied the art of escaping in order to build his skills necessary to be Batman. I like seeing that kind of past development a lot. Not much else to the episode than that. If you're a fan of magic, you'll enjoy watching this episode. But I'd stay for the flashbacks that peel back the layers that helped shape a young Bruce Wayne into The Dark Knight.

Episode 27- The Mechanic: This episode calls back to that moment in Batman Returns when the Penguin rigs the Batmobile to be under his control. Of course, there is more to the episode than that, but you can't help but compare when the episode came out only a year after the film AND features a similar plot with the SAME villain. Call it an homage, but it needed a little more creativity in my opinion.

Episode 28- Harley and Ivy: This season knew how to end on a high note. We really get an opportunity to further develop two of the most well-known female villains in all of comic books. Harley Quinn is sent packing from The Joker's lair, leaving her completely devastated. She then forms a team and friendship with Poison Ivy. We get to see Ivy as a confident, independent female, and we see that Harley is addicted to The Joker in a very unstable way. We get hints that Joker is abusive, but Harley still believes he loves her. Even on the Jokers point of view, he knows he threw her out, but expected her to come back like she always does. For a kids show, a side story like this takes serious balls to do. Ivy's sick of seeing her friend like this, knowing Joker is no good and Harley is blinded by love. Throw Batman into the mix and an annoyed Joker trying to get Harley back, and you have a great climax where something has to give. It's a very enjoyable episode that all genders can enjoy. Women can watch it with a feeling of empowerment, and men can enjoy it because it's an awesome episode.

Series Spotlight: Rupert Thorne, voiced by John Vernon

Here's a villain I wasn't expecting a lot out of, but he leaves a good impression with his multiple appearances. If you're a fan of The Dark Knight Trilogy, think of Rupert Thorne as the Carmine Falcone equivalent on this show. He's one of the most feared gangsters and doesn't need any crazy costume or superpowers to get the job done. He makes a couple of appearances on this disc of episodes, so I couldn't help but spotlight him. His highlights on the show so far definitely include being the man that got under Harvey Dent's skin enough to help transform him into Two-Face, as well as had a relationship developing episode in "Paging the Crime Doctor" with his brother. He's not as physically imposing as other villains, but he still has a lot of power in the crime world and can be a serious thorn in Batman's side. See what I did there?

Series Spotlight: Final Thoughts on Season 2

I really think Season 2 upped the amount of quality because it was able to build off the success of the first season. We got to see the showrunners take a lot more risks in the stories and ideas that they wanted to develop, arcs and characters were able to develop further with more long-term effects, and the show continued to deliver what fans had come to expect. This offered Batman: The Animated Series to continue being smart and mature, while also not breaking any boundaries that made it inappropriate for kids. With tons of validation as one of the top cartoons at the time, the sky was the limit for this show for what was to come next. More characters could be introduced, deeper stories could probably be addressed, and the potential could also exist for this universe to be put on the big screen. Maybe it's time for another crossover with my movie blog in the near future...


Batman: The Animated Series and images are copyrighted by Warner Bros. Animation

Command Center Commentaries: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Season 3- Part 2

The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers have their new ninja powers and we're now back to the status quo of getting a couple of filler episodes from time to time. The fillers aren't too bad, but the show has evolved over 3 seasons to the point where the viewer is expecting a little more depth. With that in mind, this batch of episodes (10-17) might seem brief in terms of episodes analyzed, but trust me when I say stronger strings of episodes are on the way.


Episode 12- Stop the Hate Master Part 1: Not on overly awful multi-parter in concept, just some of the cheesiness feels off-balanced. Zedd and Rita send a monster to Angel Grove to fill the Rangers with hate. This monster raps, which is already very distracting in terms of tone. The Rangers are pretty interesting when they're evil. Although, some of the acting could've been better (I'm looking at you Steve Cardenas). Aisha is the only one to be unharmed by the monster's affects, because of a necklace her grandma gave her. Uh...ok, I just thought it was because she wasn't there when the other Rangers were put under the spell, but fine, it's because of a necklace her grandmother gave her.

Episode 13- Stop the Hate Master Part 2: In Part 2, Aisha helps save the day with the help of the power of love. Not bad for the title of a Huey Lewis song, but my God this was terribly corny. When you sell me on an episode that says the Rangers all start to hate each other to the point where Billy sabotages the Command Center's technology and they tease a showdown between Adam and Tommy to see who the better fighter is, I'm pretty much on board. But when you save the day with the power of love, it just feels wrong.

Episode 15- The Potion Notion: While not an overly important episode on a storyline basis, it is an entertaining concept. It's an episode that deals with love spells gone wrong. Bulk falls for Aisha, Kimberly falls for Skull, Lt. Stone and Mr. Caplan fall for Ms. Appleby, the whole shebang. I just always get a kick out of TV shows that do the whole love spell thing. Plus, we get a little payoff on the whole "Rita gave Zedd a love spell last season" thing. Not to mention the ending gives a nice little character moment between Kimberly and Skull where she actually calls him a friend. That's what I really enjoy about the show, the little moments that can show some serious character growth. Think all the way back to the first episode of the first season. I know it's a kid's show and all, but I appreciate the amount of maturity the showrunners can give to these actors and characters to have little character bits like this, creating a relationship arc that is able to change over time and growth. Look at me getting all existential about Power Rangers.

Episode 16- I'm Dreaming of a White Ranger: And here I thought Power Rangers couldn't do anything worse than the straight to VHS "Alpha's Magical Christmas" special. Zedd tries to take over the world with hypnotic toys he plans to deliver on Christmas, so he holds the North Pole hostage. Thus, the Rangers need to travel to the Pole in order to save Santa and the elves. On an interesting note, the Rangers are unable to morph while at the North Pole. That makes this, as far as I believe, the first episode that had purely American footage. If it's not, please correct me. But anyways, this special has all the cliches you'd expect from a Christmas episode, and while corny, I have a soft spot for all things Christmas, so this doesn't bother me that much.

Episode 17- A Ranger Catastrophe Part 1: And now we've arrived to the episode that gave us our most important recurring character of the season. The teens find a cat in the park that ends up being a teenage girl that Zedd and Rita are using to execute an evil plan. She separates Tommy from the group and they are kidnapped to another dimension. And, in a fun little moment, you can see Kimberly's immense jealousy when she sees Tommy with another girl. It's not an overly important Part 1, but it sets a lot of groundwork for future story arcs in this season.

Character Spotlight: Aisha Campbell, played by Karen Ashley

Apart from that whole power of love thing in "Stop the Hate Master," we actually were able to know a bit more about Aisha over the course of these episodes. For starters, she has an amazing amount of pride and respect for her family when a hate-filled student denies her entry in a social club due to her family's financial status. She commits time in her schedule to visit with her grandmother, leading to her not falling victim to the Hate Master's spell. On top of that, we discover in "A Ranger Catastrophe" that she has a deep passion for helping animals, which will play a major role in her development towards the end of the season. She's grown a lot more than just being Kimberly's new best friend and liking to go shopping.

Character Spotlight: Rocky DeSantos, played by Steve Cardenas

This group of episodes had 2 filler episodes focused on Rocky, so I thought this would be the opportune moment to talk about him. He's grown a bit since his introduction in Season 2. He's grown a lot more of a status as the field leader when Tommy isn't in battle and you even get to see that he's smart, funny, and has an appetite. These are a few minor things, but it's still something. You can still see that Rocky has improved since he became a Ranger and is at least filling the role of Red Ranger a little better. I think all Rocky needed was time to step out of Jason's shadow. With that comes a confidence in helping lead the team and more definable traits.

With Katherine introduced into the fold, what can happen to the Power Rangers next? We'll find out when we get to Part 3...


Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and images are copyrighted by Saban Entertainment

Batman: The Animated Series Season 2- Part 3

The Dark Knight is back in a solid string of episodes from Batman: The Animated Series...


Episode 15- Moon of the Wolf: This episode tells a classic werewolf story concerning an athlete that took a suspicious supplement in order to do better in competition. The curse of being a werewolf serves as the consequences for his actions. If you like werewolf stuff, you should like this episode. But my major problem with it is that it ends on a cliffhanger and we never get a proper resolution to the story. Maybe it wasn't a popular episode in the creators' eyes, so they didn't want to work on a follow-up. Oh well.

Episode 16- Day of the Samurai: We get the return of Bruce's martial arts rival Kyodai Ken in this episode and we get a story that I really enjoyed. Kyodai steals his former master's prize student and in ransom for the scroll that will teach him the necessary fighting technique to get his revenge on Bruce Wayne. After he learns the technique, he also kidnaps Alfred to lure Bruce into a final battle. Bruce, knowing that Kyodai can recognize Batman's fighting technique, reveals his identity and fights Kyodai near an active volcano. Talk about a grand finale! It's absolutely amazing to see Bruce face someone that knows his identity. He completely sheds his cape and cowl to settle this, it's personal. But, when the volcano erupts and Bruce is called to do the right thing to get him and Kyodai to safety, he still offers his help. That is so telling of how great a hero Bruce is. Even when things are so bitterly personal, he will still always try to do the right thing in the name of justice. Fantastic episode.

Episode 17- Terror in the Sky: This episode calls back all the way to the pilot and focuses on another mysterious bat monster. This time, Batman is convinced that Kirk Langstrom is at it again, but we find out that this one's a new monster. Even worse, this person isn't even aware of what's happening to them. This episode was fine, but not as visually engaging as the last time we saw this whole Man-Bat thing on the show.

Episode 18- Almost Got 'Im: This is a flawless episode. In the span of 20 minutes, we are treated to an episode involving The Joker, The Penguin, Two-Face, Killer Croc, and Poison Ivy playing cards and talking about their greatest stories of how they almost defeated Batman. The villains are one of the biggest selling points of the show's success, so to get many of them here in one episode is a true landmark episode. Each of them gets a chance to tell a story that puts Batman in a trap that plays to the each villain's strengths and personalities. I love the dialogue, the visual aspects of the stories, and the star-studded quality of the episode.

Episode 19- Birds of a Feather: Here's another favorite episode of mine, this time focusing on The Penguin trying to turn over a new leaf. When he finds companionship and comfort with a lady friend, he truly finds his happiness and acceptance in society. When he finds out that it's all a practical joke, you can really feel his embarrassment and heartbreak. He blames society for the way he is, and ultimately, the way he will remain. That's some heavy stuff to get across in 20 minutes, but this show excels in storytelling like that.

Episode 20- What is Reality?: We have another Riddler episode, this time stepping into the world of virtual reality. The animation style is definitely trippy, creating a world full of the color red. Funny, I would have imagined it being green for the Riddler. But I digress. There's plenty of puzzles and riddles scattered throughout the episode and the animation techniques definitely make for a visually appealing episode. Plus, I like the idea of Batman and Robin venturing into virtual reality to save Commissioner Gordon. It's very futuristic, but also heavily dated. You can tell that this episode is a product of the '90s, but in the best way imaginable.

Episode 21- I Am the Night: Wow, I wasn't expecting this episode to be as impactful as it was. While doing his annual visit to the alley his parents were murdered in, he misses a crime bust where Commissioner Gordon is shot. This causes some major friction between Batman and Bullock, and causes Batman to doubt his abilities. I mean he goes into a major depression, even by Batman standards and it requires a lot to pull him out of his slump. We also get some more time to know Gordon's daughter Barbara and the ending really says a lot about the respect Batman and Gordon have for each other. A really good episode for the emotions and fans who enjoy the relationships of the Gotham characters are sure to get a kick out of it.

Series Spotlight: The Penguin, voiced by Paul Williams

Just looking at the guy, you can tell that the animation style is calling back to Danny DeVito's portrayal of The Penguin from Batman Returns. Yet, in this version, they still try to keep him classy in a sense. He has taste for art and all things refined, but can also be repulsive in appearance and behavior. But, as we can pretty much infer when we watch "Birds of a Feather," it's possible that Oswald Cobblepot turned to a life of crime because society rejected who he was. When he has a shred of humanity with this one person that might care about him, he gives up that life. But when he finds out that affection was all part of a practical joke, he renounces his reformed life and turns back to a life of crime. It's actually pretty tragic to see this guy nearly had a happy life, but feels like this is the role he HAS to have. Perhaps he is right in this instance, society is to blame. The high society, that is.

Series Spotlight: Killer Croc, voiced by Aron Kincaid

This week's episodes were kinda lacking in the iconic rogues gallery, so I thought I'd take the time to share my thoughts on Killer Croc. It's not too far of a stretch to review him here, since he was featured in "Almost Got 'Im," well...he kinda was. But anyways, you get the idea that a character like Croc doesn't need to be the greatest criminal mastermind in Gotham, but can get around in the crime world due to his intimidating size and strength. He isn't utilized as frequently as other mainstay villains on the show, but I always liked when I'd see him, even if it was in small doses. Plus, Croc made an early living as a professional wrestler. Being a huge wrestling fan, that's something I just love to see in a character like Croc. But as we all know, he's not the ONLY villain on Batman: The Animated Series to have connections to wrestling. But I'll get to that at another time.

The Second Season of Batman: The Animated Series will conclude in Part 4...


Batman: The Animated Series and images are copyrighted by Warner Bros. Animation

Command Center Commentaries: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Season 3- Part 1

You're the number one kid's show on the planet, have been on the air for two years, and have just made the leap to the big screen with a blockbuster motion picture. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was on top of the freaking world heading into Season 3. And, just like in Season 2, the question was how you can keep your product at the top of the mountain. You add a few changes to the status quo and you keep the story going with season-long story arcs. And, in my opinion, Season 3 is probably the best season in Mighty Morphin in terms of the stories they tell. The season is cut nearly in half in terms of episode length and has only a handful of filler between the multi-parters. With that in mind, let's kick off Season 3 by analyzing the first 9 episodes of the season with the Power Rangers and...Hey, is that the Masked Rider? What the heck is he doing here?!?!


Episode 1- A Friend in Need Part 1: This 3-parter kicking off the season serves as a strange pilot to get buzz going for the eventual Masked Rider television series. How do we tie that in to Mighty Morphin Power Rangers? Well, the Masked Rider, known as Dex, is from Alpha's home planet. That's an alright start. Alpha hears a distress call from the planet and the Rangers go as a favor to Alpha. It's a nice moment to see that even though he's a robot, Alpha can feel sad and the Rangers will do anything for him because they care about him. Anyways, they get to the planet and Dex thinks they work for the bad guys, so we get a convoluted fight between the Power Rangers and the Masked Rider. When the Rangers are fired upon just as much as Masked Rider, he comes to his senses and realizes the Rangers are allies. A lot of new things to keep up with in this first part, but not a bad way to try something new for a season premiere.

Episode 2- A Friend in Need Part 2: The Rangers and Dex share their identities in a form of trust and prepare to do battle against the forces of evil. That's really it for their part on this episode. The other main story going on in this episode is about Kimberly staying home because she has the flu. Zedd and Rita send a monster down and Kimberly gets the monster sick. The other other main story is Bulk and Skull trying to fool/impress these girls by pretending to be Power Rangers. Yeah, that goes nowhere, and it really makes me wish the 3-parter could've given us one last scheme for these two to try and figure out the Rangers' identities.

Episode 3- A Friend in Need Part 3: The Rangers return to Earth and help Kimberly stop the monster and save the day. The zord battle is interesting to see because it is one of the few times we actually see American footage of the zord suits. It does make a big difference in terms of a visual presentation of the battle. If it looks like it's taking place in Angel Grove, and NOT Japan, then it helps add a layer of authenticity to the action. On Dex's planet, he is told that their villains are on their way to Earth and he must venture there to save the planet, thus having people ready to tune into Masked Rider to see what happens next. Or not. Obviously, the show wasn't as big of a success as Power Rangers, so this episode seems a little strange in hindsight. But it's still a crossover that is a bit different than the traditional team up episodes we will become used to over the course of this franchise.

Episode 4- Ninja Quest Part 1: Now here's the episode that feels like the proper season opener. Rita's brother Rito Revolto arrives to help Zedd and Rita get rid of the Power Rangers once and for all. And their plan works pretty well. They make Rito grow and the Rangers feel like they have the day won, like usual, but then 4 other monsters show up to ambush them. They use so much power in the battle that they overload everything, destroying the zords and their powers to close the episode. It's a pretty depressing sight to see the zords pretty much fall apart, sparks and wires shooting everywhere. Naturally, based on the title, this episode will lead to them discovering the ninja powers, meaning that everything that happened in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie is completely out of canon with the series. Why even bother with that being the plot of the movie at all? Why not have the movie lead into the third season? Why not give the movie a completely different plot, especially if you're going to reboot the storyline once you get to the "Ninja Quest" episode? It's always bugged me and it always will. I. LIKE. CONTINUITY.

Episode 5- Ninja Quest Part 2: The Rangers then embark on their quest to find Ninjor, creator of the Power Coins, in an attempt to get some new powers. On their way, they're attacked by the Tenga Warriors, those bird creatures from the movie that has nothing to do with the show. In this continuity, they're a wedding present from Rito to Rita and Zedd (who he, in a running gag, refers to as "Ed."). I should also take this time to mention Bulk and Skull's material for the season. Tired of trying to figure out who the Rangers are, they enroll in the police academy. Admittedly, they enlist to impress women, but you can also argue that they've picked up a sense of honor, decency, and the desire to help the city. You spend as much time as they do around the Power Rangers, and some of that is bound to rub off on you. But also, just picture the comedic possibilities. Bulk and Skull as police officers. They're training features all the stuff you'd expect. They overreact to their new haircuts, they are bumbling around the obstacles courses due to them not being in shape, and they are a thorn in the side of their new authority figure Lt. Stone. I love the new material they are given, and it paints an idea that they could go from stereotypical bullies to more developed and semi-heroic goofballs by the end of the season.

Episode 6- Ninja Quest Part 3: The Rangers discover the hidden temple of the great and powerful Ninjor. He's kind of a douchebag to them in the beginning, but changes his tune once they show they'll find a way to fight the forces of evil even without their powers. They're given those nice ninja costumes that you saw in the movie that has nothing to do with the show, and they fight off the army of Tenga Warriors outside the temple. A simple, yet effective episode that showcases the change of powers almost like birth or baptism. They've been given a new arsenal of skills and powers that they've never experienced before. Heck, there's points where Ninjor refers to their older powers as primitive in comparison. That's a huge way to make this ceremony feel like the most important thing in the universe. Nicely handled.

Episode 7- Ninja Quest Part 4: With their new powers, they return to Angel Grove to save the day from Rito Revolto. They use their new zords to create the Ninja Megazord. It's not a bad Megazord, but they lack that certain nostalgia that I'd imagine most fans have for the original zords, or even the Thunderzords. The vampire monster hatches from an egg and attempts to attack Ninjor. Surprisingly, Ninjor can grow in size and has his own fighting mode. He's a pretty formidable ally to the Rangers, I just wish he didn't have such an annoying voice. Anyways, the day is saved, and now we have a new status quo. The Rangers have new zords, new ninja powers, and a new friend in Ninjor.

Episode 9- Passing the Lantern: A lot of the filler episodes that take place during the season aren't much to write home about, but there's a few gems here and there. "Passing the Lantern" is a gem in what it provides for Adam's character growth. If you recall what I said in my last review concerning Adam's character, I said all he had to him was being the sensitive puppy dog of the team. This episode showed me that he values his family and his ancestry by trying to guard a paper lantern with his life. He made a vow to his family and knows what kind of shame he would feel if anything happened to this family heirloom. The rest of the episode is so-so, but I really like the amount of value and investment he puts into uncovering the powers the lantern holds.

Character Spotlight: Tommy Oliver, played by Jason David Frank

Maybe it's the fact that his powers aren't in jeopardy or he hasn't really been separated from his group in any major form, but Tommy gets kinda boring when he's not at the forefront of the story. I mean that with all the respect of in world, since Tommy is still my favorite Power Ranger, but he's not a character that is developed through personality and character traits. His legend is derived from his actions and memorable stories in his life as a Ranger. So if you have a story that involves the entire team or a number of filler episodes, Tommy is just there to lead the team. Nothing more. Nothing less. Really at this point in the season, his only 2 points in relevancy are that he is the team leader and he still has that romance with Kimberly to count on. This does leave the opportunity for other Rangers to develop personalities and grow as characters, since the spotlight isn't being used for Tommy-centered episodes, so you can maybe make the argument that there's a positive to take from this negative.

Character Spotlight: Adam Park, played by Johnny Yong Bosch

As I said in my thoughts about "Passing the Lantern," Adam was given a little more depth as his character grew on. He was the one that fit in the most comfortable with the older Rangers and made being a Power Ranger feel more important than Rocky and Aisha. Think about it this way, when you look back at the show and you see the Rangers lose their powers, who normally looks the most devastated and distraught? Kimberly, Billy, Tommy, and Adam. I chalk a lot of that up to Johnny Yong Bosch picking up on subtle nuances that helped him stand out as a stronger actor than the majority of his cast. No wonder he's gone on to be a pretty important actor in the Anime community, Adam felt like a character that was growing over the entire course of the show, as if he'd been there since day one. He was developing a stronger sense of confidence, humor, and a lot of honor and pride in his ancestry and family. And yes, he can still look like a sensitive puppy dog and I'm ok with it because he has a little more depth to him now.

There's still bound to be a number of changes happening throughout the third season. And I'll uncover some of those changes next time in Part 3...


Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and images are copyrighted by Saban Entertainment