In this day and age, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is quite embarrassing to watch, with its lack of plot, badly dubbed footage and flashy special effects. But given the fact that so many enjoyed the series in the '90s growing up, it brings back nostalgic memories. In the first season, we're introduced to evil sorceress Rita Repulsa (Machiko Soga, used from the Japanese version) and her loyal minions. Enraged after 10,000 years of imprisonment, she decides to conquer the nearest planet, which just so happens to be Earth. Little does she know that her arch nemesis, Zordon, has been preparing for her return. With the help of his trusty robotic sidekick, Alpha 5, Zordon recruits a team of teenagers, embuing them with superpowers to defend the planet from danger. Dubbed the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Jason (Austin St. John), Kimberley (Amy Jo Johnson), Trini (Thuy Trang), Billy (David Yost) and Zack (Walter Emmanuel Jones) have the responsibility to protect the world from the evil creatures formed by Rita. Split into the first 30 shows of the season, each episode goes by the same formula despite a few plot changes. Always starting off at school or the local gym, the teens are seen living their ordinary lives as adolescents. Whether they're trying to fight pollution or showing up the school bullies, it's not long until they're summoned by Zordon (played by an extremely pixelated screenshot of Robert L. Manahan) to save the world from Rita Repulsa's monstrosities. From a technical point of view, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers doesn't offer anything spectacular considering the decade it was filmed in. There are the characters' classic '90s wardrobe, cheesy sound effects and corny one-liners ("That's so '90s!" Kimberley exclaims in one scene), as well as contrived acting and fight scenes that take up the majority of each episode. It's easy to see how a typical kid in that decade would enjoy the idea of being a Power Ranger though. With their bright-coloured costumes, kickass martial arts and giant robotic vehicles, it wouldn't take much to amuse them. However, it likely won't resonate with kids today. Watch the series for the pure nostalgia of the '90s, but seeing as there are no extras or subtitles, it'd be better to re-watch the episodes on Netflix.
(Shout! Factory)Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Season 1, Vol. 1
BY Samantha LuiPublished Jul 26, 2012