10 Episodes Of Power Rangers That Were Masterfully Written

While a lot of Power Rangers episodes follow the classic monster of the week formula, some stand out due to their writing and how different they are from the rest of the show. Even the best Power Rangers seasons were limited by the show’s formulaic structure, which includes always having a Megazord fight and giving the heroes a happy ending. This is why, whenever Power Rangers would break that formula, the result was always an incredible episode.

As nostalgic as Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is, the original series did not have a lot of great episodes compared to what was to come. Power Rangers grew with its audience and allowed itself to have slightly more serious episodes, especially in the early 2000s. The Power Rangers chronology shifting away from MMPR and doing standalone seasons also allowed for more risks to be taken.

10 “Green With Evil”

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

While “Green With Evil” is technically a four-part episode, it is difficult not to think of it as one big story. Between the TV spots teasing the arrival of a new Power Ranger and the legacy that Jason David Frank’s character was about to build in the franchise, “Green With Evil” is one of the most important chapters in Power Rangers history. Not only is this a historical arc after which the show was never the same, but it is also a very well-written one. “Green With Evil” checks all the boxes for how to introduce a new character.

An evil Ranger turning good and eventually joining the team was something that Super Sentai was used to doing, but Power Rangers managed to use this trope just as well. We get to meet Tommy Oliver for a few minutes before Rita Repulsa captures him, and it’s just enough to make us feel for his fate. It doesn’t take too long for “Green With Evil” to establish that Tommy is an incredible fighter, which becomes a problem once he is given the corrupted Green Power Coin by Rita. The arc ends with Tommy joining the Power Rangers.

9 “Always A Chance”

Power Rangers In Space

A Power Rangers episode talking about anxiety and fear of failure in the 1990s was a big deal. “Always A Chance” saw Black Ranger Carlos questioning whether he deserved to be a Power Ranger after making a mistake in a battle that almost cost the life of Pink Ranger Cassie. Carlos no longer believed in himself and could not even morph. This was the perfect setup to bring back Adam, the second Black Ranger from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Adam had also been the Zeo Green Ranger as well as Carlo’s predecessor as the Turbo Green Ranger.

The parallels between Adam and Carlos made for a fantastic episode. Both had been Turbo Green Rangers, with Adam passing the torch to Carlos. Adam was no stranger to questioning himself and having insecurities either, both in canon and in the 1995 Mighty Morphin Power Rangers movie. With Carlos currently being the Black Ranger, seeing Adam back in his MMPR colors was incredibly exciting. “Always a Chance” also gave us one of the best morphs in the franchise’s history when Adam risked his life to use a damaged Power Coin.

8 “Countdown To Destruction”

Power Rangers In Space

A two-part episode, “Countdown to Destruction” has everything one would expect from a finale. The heroes were about to lose, the Alliance of Evil had finally made its move to conquer the universe, and the chances of saving Astronema were getting slimmer by the minute. “Countdown to Destruction” felt more than just a finale for Power Rangers in Space. Instead, it played out as a conclusion to the entire Power Rangers saga that had started in 1993 with Mighty Morphin.

While there were no Mighty Morphin Rangers in “Countdown to Destruction,” this episode felt like the culmination of everything the show had done in the last five years. The fact that Zordon’s life was at stake made Power Rangers go full circle, not to mention the appearances of characters such as Rita Repulsa, Lord Zedd, Bulk, and Skull. “Countdown to Destruction” makes it feel like all hope is lost until Zordon’s sacrifice and Andros’ courage to do what it takes to change everything.

7 “The Power Of Pink”

Power Rangers Lost Galaxy

Killing off a superhero in a show aimed at kids is surely a big writing challenge. With Valerie Vernon, who played Kendrix in Lost Galaxy, set to leave the show to undergo treatment for leukemia, Power Rangers would have to write its current Pink Ranger out of the story. It must be noted that, by this point in Power Rangers history, the show had already replaced a bunch of Rangers with new characters and never recast an important character.

However, not only did Lost Galaxy introduce a new Pink Ranger to replace Kendrix, but it also killed off the character. It was a shocking decision that raised the stakes for Lost Galaxy and made it one of the most mature Power Rangers seasons. It was still a “PG death” but an intense moment nonetheless, especially for Power Rangers. “The Power of Pink” was a sequel to the “To Tenth Power” crossover and brought back the Psycho Pink Ranger. To stop this monster from getting the Savage Sword, Kendrix had to sacrifice herself.

6 “From Deep in the Shadows”

Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue

After Tommy in “Green With Evil,” the bar for how to introduce an evil Power Ranger and then bring them into the team later on was very high. Fortunately, Lightspeed Rescue did an origin story for its sixth Ranger that was as good as the original Green Ranger’s introduction, if not better. In “From Deep in the Shadows,” we learn that Captain Mitchell had a son, Ryan, who was taken by Diabolico as a child after a car accident.

“From Deep in the Shadows” reveals that to save both of his children, Captain Mitchell had to make a deal with the devil and give his son to Diabolico. Ryan, however, grew up thinking that his father had let him die and chose to save his sister, currently the Pink Ranger, instead. The first appearance of the Titanium Ranger is incredibly chilling and sets the tone for one of the best evil Ranger arcs in Power Rangers.

5 “Movie Madness”

Power Rangers Time Force

A monster that thinks he is a movie director kidnaps the Rangers and sends each of them to a parallel universe where they are actors in a film. On paper, this sounds way too silly and cartoonish, to the point one would assume it is a skippable Power Rangers episode. However, “Movie Madness” was surprisingly one of the best Time Force episodes – which is saying a lot given that Time Force is one of the best seasons of the show.

Related

Sorry Kimberly, But Power Rangers’ Greatest Pink Ranger Was Only Introduced In The 2000s

Mighty Morphin’s Kimberly is among the most iconic Power Rangers of all time, but the best Pink Ranger in the franchise first appeared in the 2000s.

The absurdity of it all seems to have allowed those involved in “Movie Madness” to just have fun, and the result was one of the coolest Power Rangers episodes of all time. The fight choreography in “Movie Madness” is spectacular, and the entire episode feels like a love letter to moviemaking and all the work that goes into crafting a television episode. The Rangers don’t get together until the end of part 2, and they barely use their powers, yet it is a very fun episode.

4 “Forever Red”

Power Rangers Wild Force

There is a reason “Forever Red” is widely considered the best Power Rangers crossover episode and one of the greatest episodes of the show in general – and it is not just because of how cool it was. A big problem with team-up episodes not only in Power Rangers but in any multi-media franchise is when the characters are not written the way they used to be in their original movies or shows. However, in “Forever Red,” every Red Ranger acts exactly like they would in their respective seasons.

None of the Red Rangers feel like a parody or dislocated from the other characters, which results in an amazing crossover that highlights how unique each of those Rangers is. Another aspect that makes “Forever Red” so special is that, despite the annual crossovers, Power Rangers had not been a very interconnected franchise since In Space. For example, Tommy and Andros had never met, just like most of these Red Rangers had never interacted with each other. “Forever Red” delivered all that and more.

3 “Legacy of Power”

Power Rangers Dino Thunder

Listing what is essentially a clip show as one of the best-written episodes in Power Rangers may seem strange, but “Legacy of Power” deserves it. Unlike all other clip shows in Power Rangers, “Legacy of Power” was essential to the season’s plot and also served as an anniversary episode. It marked Power Rangers’ 500th episode, which is why it was designed to be very nostalgic and includes scenes from all previous seasons.

Related

The Most Nostalgic Power Rangers Episode Broke The Fourth Wall And Brought The Show Full Circle

One of the most famous Power Rangers episodes was a celebration of the franchise and all but broke the fourth wall to deliver a nostalgic experience.

The concept was simple yet entertaining: With Tommy missing, the Power Rangers accessed a recording left by their mentor and found out that Dr. Oliver had once been a Power Ranger himself. In the recording, Tommy narrated the history of the Power Rangers, starting with the events of Mighty Morphin. More than a franchise recap, “Legacy of Power” was a love letter to Power Rangers.

2 “Fighting Spirit”

Power Rangers Dino Thunder

Dino Thunder was a legacy sequel to Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and the first show since 1997 to have Tommy as a main character. Rather than relying on nostalgia only, Dino Thunder gave Tommy a character arc and allowed him to evolve, which hadn’t really happened since his MMPR days. In “Fighting Spirit,” Tommy is in a coma and has to fight for his life. This fight is illustrated by the appearances of his previous Ranger forms.

While Tommy’s Turbo Red form didn’t appear, all his other Ranger colors did. Before he could wake up, Tommy had to face the Zeo Red Ranger, the Mighty Morphin White Ranger, and the Mighty Morphin Green Ranger. It was as if Tommy was literally fighting the ghosts from his past. “Fighting Spirit” was a cathartic episode that ended up with Tommy getting a new power-up.

1 “The End”

Power Rangers Cosmic Fury

With the future of the Power Rangers TV show after 2023 uncertain, Cosmic Fury’s finale would have to be a good ending not only for the show but for the franchise as a whole. Between Lord Zedd’s defeat and Zordon’s return, “The End” achieved just that. While it is difficult to have an epic finale that does a 30-year-old franchise justice in 22 minutes, “The End” was a satisfying enough conclusion to the series.

Zayto once again sacrificed himself to help his friends, with the former Red Ranger and current Zenith Ranger now giving up his physical form and becoming a Morphing Master. “The End” gave Power Rangers its own “Avengers: Endgame portal scene” by having multiple Megazords from previous seasons showing up at the last minute. In addition to all the fanservice, it also had emotional moments and focused on the core Dino Fury/Cosmic Fury Rangers.

Power Rangers

Power Rangers is a long-running multimedia franchise that debuted in 1993 with the TV series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Created by Haim Saban and adapted from the Japanese Super Sentai series, Power Rangers became a cultural phenomenon by combining action-packed footage from Super Sentai with new scenes featuring American actors. The franchise follows teams of young heroes who transform into Power Rangers to battle various villains, using martial arts, special powers, and giant mechas called Zords. Over the decades, the franchise has expanded into multiple TV series, films, comics, video games, and merchandise, becoming one of the most successful children’s franchises in the world.

Created by

Haim Saban , Shuki Levy , Shotaro Ishinomori

First Film

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie

First TV Show

Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers

First Episode Air Date

August 28, 1993

TV Show(s)

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers , Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers , Power Rangers Zeo , Power Rangers Turbo , Power Rangers In Space , Power Rangers Lost Galaxy , Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue , Power Rangers Time Force , Power Rangers Wild Force , Power Rangers Ninja Storm , Power Rangers Dino Thunder , Power Rangers S.P.D. , Power Rangers Mystic Force , Power Rangers Operation Overdrive , Power Rangers Jungle Fury , Power Rangers RPM , Power Rangers Samurai , Power Rangers Megaforce , Power Rangers Dino Charge , Power Rangers Ninja Steel , Power Rangers Beast Morphers , Power Rangers Dino Fury , Power Rangers Cosmic Fury

Character(s)

Jason Lee Scott , Tommy Oliver , Kimberly Hart , Zack Taylor , Trini Kwan , Billy Cranston , Rita Repulsa , Lord Zedd , Alpha 5 , Zordon

Video Game(s)

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Mega Battle , Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid , Saban’s Power Rangers Megaforce , Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind

Summary

Power Rangers is a long-running multimedia franchise that debuted in 1993 with the TV series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Created by Haim Saban and adapted from the Japanese Super Sentai series, Power Rangers became a cultural phenomenon by combining action-packed footage from Super Sentai with new scenes featuring American actors. The franchise follows teams of young heroes who transform into Power Rangers to battle various villains, using martial arts, special powers, and giant mechas called Zords. Over the decades, the franchise has expanded into multiple TV series, films, comics, video games, and merchandise, becoming one of the most successful children’s franchises in the world.

Expand