Power Rangerswill always be synonymous with the 1990s, but the show’s best season from that era was notMighty Morphin Power Rangers. Having been around for over 30 years,Power Rangershas seen almost a thousand episodes as well as three movies. The franchise also includes hundreds of comic book issues, multiple video games, and more. Despite such a long list ofPower Rangersshows and movies,it’s difficult not to associate the franchise withMighty Morphin, the original series that ran from 1993 to 1995.
Althoughnostalgia plays a role when looking atMighty Morphin Power Rangers, the original series was very good and became a pop culture phenomenon for a reason. TheZyurangeraesthetic worked incredibly well for an American superhero show, withMMPRalso including a compelling cast of main characters that will forever be remembered by fans of the series. That said,Mighty Morphinwas a simple, formulaic show that rarely tried something different. The same applies toZeoandTurbo.It was only in 1998 withPower Rangers in Spacethat the show challenged its formula– and it worked.
Power Rangers In Space Is When The 1990s Show Achieved Its Full Potential
Power Rangers in Space Was Bolder (& Better) Than Previous Seasons
The conclusion of the Zordon Era,Power Rangers in Spacewas the culmination of everything the show had done by that point. WithPower Rangers Turbostruggling with low ratings and proving that the series needed something fresh,In Spacehad the difficult mission of reinventingPower Rangers. Fortunately, the idea of taking the Turbo Rangers to a different setting and throwing a brand-new Red Ranger into the mix paid off.Power Rangers in Spacetook risks that the show had never once taken, giving its viewers a more mature story compared to the previous seasons.
The Zordon Era refers to the period between Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Power Rangers in Space, starting with the formation of the original team and ending with the death of Zordon.
The new Turbo Rangers had already been a great addition to the show and were a breath of fresh air after years in which we kept following theMMPR/Zeocharacters. With the command center destroyed and Zordon missing,the Turbo Rangers minus Justin set controls to outer space and took the show to a whole new level.Instead of episodic adventures on Angel Grove,Power Rangerswas now telling a cohesive, high-stakes story about finding Zordon and preventing the most evil force in the universe from conquering everything.
Power Rangers In Space Gave The Show Its First Three-Dimensional Protagonist
While it may seem exaggerated to say that it tookPower Rangersfive years to have a three-dimensional protagonist, that is actually what happened. Andros, the Red Ranger without aPower Rangers team, was a fascinating character and way more nuanced than any other previous Red Ranger. As a kids' show with 20-minute-long episodes,Power Rangerscould only do so much in terms of developing the characters and giving them meaningful arcs. However,In Spaceshowed that there was room for complex, three-dimensional characters in the series.Andros was a tragic Rangerwho initially didn’t get along with the team.
This 22-Year-Old Power Rangers Episode Fulfilled The Dreams Of Every ‘90s Kid
One of the greatest Power Rangers episodes of all time delivered an interaction that every 1990s kid who watched the show had dreamed of seeing.
Andros had his own agenda, which included finding Zordon and learning what happened to his sister, Karone. This was the first time the backstory of a Power Ranger actually mattered throughout the whole season and not just for a standalone episode about their past.The fact that Astronema was Andros’ long-lost sister made their stories and their characters even better, setting the stage forPower Rangers in Spaceto have a much stronger overarching story than any of its predecessors. That is not to mention Andors’ dynamic with the Silver Ranger and how he eventually learned to play well with others.
Power Rangers In Space Is Still The Benchmark For What Power Rangers Should Be
Power Rangers In Space Set The Tone For The Show’s Other Great Seasons
Power Rangers in Spacekept everything that made the original show successful – great costumes, a catchy theme song, and fun characters – but also added things that the series desperately needed. This includes more nuanced characters, complex relationships even among the villains, and an overarching story that serves as the backdrop for the entire season.Power Rangers in Spacealso had a great finale, “Countdown to Destruction,” which is considered one of the best episodes of the entire show.
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Power Rangers Lost Galaxy
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There is often a debate regarding how serious and maturePower Rangersshould be. AlthoughIn Spacehad its silly moments, it knew when to treat its characters seriously. This made things like Zordon’s death and Astronema’s redemption much more impactful.MMPRremained the most iconicPower Rangersseason, butIn Spaceallowed other entries in the franchise to take risks, with series likeLost GalaxyandTime Forcealso becoming fan favorites.
Power Rangers In Space
Cast
Power Rangers In Space is the sixth season of the Power Rangers franchise, airing in 1998. The show follows the remaining Power Rangers, Andros, Carlos, Ashley, Cassie, and T.J., as they flee their home planet of KO-35 and attempt to find the legendary Phantom Ranger, Zordon, and Alpha 5.
