It's Master Vile! I love Master Vile.
So we start this episode off with Civilian Rangers plus Bulk, Skull, and Lt. Stone on horses. They're riding through what looks like the park, western style. Most of them seem comfortable enough, and Kat even suggests galloping through the meadow. Skull complains about being on horseback, but for all his griping, he knows how to ride! He's got the best seat I've seen in quite some time, certainly the best seat of all the actors in this scene!
There is some generic discussion of nature and fun, but mostly we just pay attention to Adam and Billy's arms, and get irritated that Rocky is in long sleeves. Because apparently we can get half-naked Adam OR Rocky, but not both.
Anyway, it suddenly gets very dark and the ground starts shaking. Everybody dismounts and the rangers find a Very Large Tree to stand in front of. They can't get in touch with Zordon and so, it being dark, and their audience being Bulk and Skull, decide to teleport to the Command Center anyway. Alpha is powered down and Zordon is nowhere to be found. The Command Center appears to be out of power.
Oddly enough, on the moon, the same thing is happening. Rita wonders if Finster has forgotten to pay the electric bill again. In comes a mysterious figure. Zedd wonders who has come into his palace unannounced, and Rita goes all goey. Because she knows who it is. It's Master Vile! Her father! Zeddy, meet the in-laws.
Back on Earth, the Command Center and Alpha manage to reboot. Zordon comes back and tells them all about what's going on. He mentions Master Vile is Rita's father and Rocky is all amazed that Rita has a father. Oh, Rocky, Honey. You're not a stupid young man. Of course Rita has a father. Does Adam need to explain reproductive biology to you again?
Anyway, Zordon tells them about new metallic armour they will get. He also tells them about the Zeo crystal (ooo foreshadowing) and how it's protected by a force field that will only let the most innocent of pure hearts through. It's being held in caves on the moon directly beneath Rita's palace. Which is on the moon. On top of the caves. That are on the moon.
Back on Earth, Bulk and Skull are wondering where the Civilian Rangers are, and Lt. Stone tries to get them to see what's going on. He says that darkness can only mean one thing, and Skull says daylight savings time much be over. Lt. Stone is smart, however, and knows it means a monster attack is soon to follow! He needs volunteers to ride for help and the horses push Bulk and Skull forward. Aw, horses.
Back on the moon, Zedd is not so much trying to impress Master Vile, Father-In-Law, as he is trying to one-up him. Oh Zedd, baby, no. That's... not how it's done. Vile doesn't believe that Zedd captured Ninjor and so Rito brings the jar over, only he trips on something he can't see due to all the fog all over the place, and drops the jar. It shatters and Ninjor is free! They try to catch him but he escapes and goes right to the Command Center. Vile says he's going to take Rito and Monkey Boy to carry out his evil plan.
The Rangers don't seem too terribly happy to see Ninjor is finally free, but then, he was held captive on the moon for how many weeks now? And never once did they even attempt to come up with a rescue plan. So I don't think they were too concerned about it in the first place.
Tengas attack Bulk and Skull and so the rangers morph and go fight. Bulk and Skull get away but the rangers are overtaken by the Tengas. They can't fight them off this time. They call Ninjor and he goes to help them, and he grows, and then he gets his ass kicked. And he gets captured AGAIN.
But that's okay. The rangers get their new metallic armour. It looks nothing like metal. In fact, it looks like somebody threw glitter on their existing spandex. They SPARKLE. I shall from now on call them all Edward. They finally beat back the Tengas.
Back in the Command Center, Tommy is sure they need the Falcon Zord to win. We aren't sure why. They realize they need the Zeo crystal and figure Tommy is the purest good one and he should go. We do a double take. Because really? Tommy? He's the most likely to BE EVIL, and you're sending him???? Oh show. Kat decides she's going to distract Rita and Zedd by pretending to be evil again. Okay, I'll buy it.
Billy comes up with a plan to form their MegaZord even without the Falcon Zord. He's going to sell more toys by using it in place of the actual zord! Somehow the toy is tied into the zords and the Command Center and tricks them into thinking the Falcon Zord is there? Again, not sure why the Falcon Zord is the only solution here.
We learn a bit more of Master Vile's plan, what with him barfing up a big green egg full of blue goo that ten turns into a Goo Monster. Frankly, I think Ivan Ooze did it better. Vile has used the Goo Monster to drain Ninjors powers. And instead of THAT being our cliffhanger, we get more Kat-will-pretend-to-be-evil angst. Because apparently that's a better cliffhanger than Vile slowly draining away all of Ninjor's powers.
4 fish. It was... not a bad episode, just didn't make a lot of sense on it's own.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
A Brief Interlude
It's Power Morphicon weekend! I'm sure a large group of our readers are currently there, hanging out with the Rangers, having a blast. We're even down one recapper this weekend, with enjoying herself immensely surrounded by fellow PR fans and all the people that made that magical show happen.
So what am I doing posting to the community? I'm NOT at Power Morphicon, much as I wish I was. And I felt the need to update about something very special, something I hold very near and dear to my heart.
David Yost.
That's right, David Yost. I'm sure we've all seen the truly amazing interview he granted No Pink Spandex.
I've watched it three times now and tears spring to my eyes each and every time. This man deserves all the hugs in the world. ALL of them. These pictures? Take on an entirely different meaning than they did before. My heart just breaks for him.
I know, for quite some time, rumours ran amuk about David Yost, his personality, his outlook on the show. Frankly, I think he deserves to be a little bitter about the time spent on Power Rangers, considering all he went through. But that's neither here nor there. I'm not here to talk about the interview. I'm not here to talk about his former perceived personality. No. I'm here to talk about the man himself and what he brought to the show.
Billy was my favourite, from the very moment he walked on the screen in his big round glasses with his fly away blonde hair, ready for his first karate class. He really won me over with the overalls, with the techno-babble, with his inability to relate to others easily. He was cripplingly shy, like me. He was bullied, like me. He was powerless to stop the world from hating him being himself, like me. My 12 year old self fell in love, right from the get go. And now, 17 years later, my 29 year old self is still in love. Billy is, and always will be, my favourite ranger.
Even as he evolved from the awkward teenager to a more suave, sophisticated young man, I could still relate to him. He still kept an innate sense of Billy-ness that I connected to. And when he lost his powers, my heart ached for him. But he was still Billy. A little sadder, a little older, a little more jaded, yes. But I still loved him.
And then he left in what I consider the worst send off of the entire show. It's the reason we rate everything on a scale of fish... because it was the singular event that made the least sense in the entire series up to that point. And now I know WHY they did it that way and it makes me hate it even more. When we finally get to that point in Zeo, I'm sure I'll cry. Because he deserved BETTER. Billy and David Yost both deserved more than what was given to them.
Power Rangers has changed my life. Billy made me love Power Rangers. David Yost made me love Billy. And I hope he knows how much his fans still, to this day, love and appreciate him.
So what am I doing posting to the community? I'm NOT at Power Morphicon, much as I wish I was. And I felt the need to update about something very special, something I hold very near and dear to my heart.
David Yost.
That's right, David Yost. I'm sure we've all seen the truly amazing interview he granted No Pink Spandex.
I've watched it three times now and tears spring to my eyes each and every time. This man deserves all the hugs in the world. ALL of them. These pictures? Take on an entirely different meaning than they did before. My heart just breaks for him.
I know, for quite some time, rumours ran amuk about David Yost, his personality, his outlook on the show. Frankly, I think he deserves to be a little bitter about the time spent on Power Rangers, considering all he went through. But that's neither here nor there. I'm not here to talk about the interview. I'm not here to talk about his former perceived personality. No. I'm here to talk about the man himself and what he brought to the show.
Billy was my favourite, from the very moment he walked on the screen in his big round glasses with his fly away blonde hair, ready for his first karate class. He really won me over with the overalls, with the techno-babble, with his inability to relate to others easily. He was cripplingly shy, like me. He was bullied, like me. He was powerless to stop the world from hating him being himself, like me. My 12 year old self fell in love, right from the get go. And now, 17 years later, my 29 year old self is still in love. Billy is, and always will be, my favourite ranger.
Even as he evolved from the awkward teenager to a more suave, sophisticated young man, I could still relate to him. He still kept an innate sense of Billy-ness that I connected to. And when he lost his powers, my heart ached for him. But he was still Billy. A little sadder, a little older, a little more jaded, yes. But I still loved him.
And then he left in what I consider the worst send off of the entire show. It's the reason we rate everything on a scale of fish... because it was the singular event that made the least sense in the entire series up to that point. And now I know WHY they did it that way and it makes me hate it even more. When we finally get to that point in Zeo, I'm sure I'll cry. Because he deserved BETTER. Billy and David Yost both deserved more than what was given to them.
Power Rangers has changed my life. Billy made me love Power Rangers. David Yost made me love Billy. And I hope he knows how much his fans still, to this day, love and appreciate him.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Episode 139 - A Chimp in Charge
Hey! This is our last update before Power Morphicon! I will be attending Morphicon, and I'll have handy dandy little fliers to hand out to promote so come find me!
Anyway, there's something you need to know about me. I read comics. I read a lot of comics. And comics have this thing about monkeys. Gorilla Grodd, Detective Chimp, Ultra-Humanite, Congorilla, Titano... look, I read Marvel Apes, and that was one of the worst comics ever written. So you have to understand, my initial reaction to this episode was "OOOH! MONKEY!"
The episode begins, and we sit through the incredibly Kat heavy opening, and we're hoping that this will be a heavy Billy episode, because we love David Yost a whole lot. Instead, we get another Kat episode with Billy in a fairly significant role. And Adam and Rocky areoff having sex the whole episode barely in it.
So, apparently we have come to the end of the school year! I have to choose to believe that this is the end of their junior year, with Zeo being their senior year, except I'm not sure if MMPR 1 and 2 was freshman and sophomore year, or if there's some sort of weird time condensing going on. Also, I'm pretty sure we just had summer vacation. Ms. Applebee announces that for their final project they have to do a ten minute presentation on language. Any language. We're not sure which class this is - linguistics? In high school? Bulk and Skull assume that they can just stand up and speak English for ten minutes, but they get that thought squashed pretty firmly.
In the youth center, we find out that Tommy and Billy are going to be deciphering hieroglyphics, and we assume this was Billy's idea, and Tommy just wanted the A. Also, that is way advanced for a high school class. Well, this whole class makes no sense. We have no idea what Adam and Rocky are doing, but Kat has offered to babysit her aunt's chimpanzee and she and Aisha plan on teaching it sign language. In two days.
AHAHAHA.
No, seriously, pause for a minute and think about that.
AHAAHAHAHAHA.
Ok. Look, there is so much wrong with this, I don't even know where to start, but I'll try. 1-Who lets a teenager borrow a monkey? 2-Do they really think they can do this in two days? 3-they live in Angel grove. Doesn't the aunt realize the monkey will probably grow wings and try to capture Dorothy?
I could keep going, but I think I've made my point.
While Kat is showing off her monkey (ape, gorilla, chimpanzee, mongbabrilla, whatever) Bulk and Skull are informed that someone has stolen Ernie's bananas. They are on the case. Then they compare Tommy and the monkey. It's actually a good joke! The monkey was amused! Bulk realizes that monkeys eat bananas, and asks Skull who is the most likely to steal bananas. Skull answers his cousin Femur in New Jersey, but he's off at chess camp. I really want that story. But they will go spy on the monkey.
Up on the moon, Rita and Zedd decide to steal the monkey. I am shocked by this news. They send Tengas (and Finster!) down to the park, and the Rangers (minus Adam and Rocky, who are brushing up their oral skills) go fight the Tengas (with Kat just putting down the ape and telling it to stay) and the monkey (who is named Kelly, after Kim's cousin) manages to dodge Finster. Tommy wonders what Zedd wants. HMMM.
Back at Aisha's house, the girls are trying to teach themselves and the ape sign language. They go get a snack, and Aisha proves that she is still a bad pet owner, as Kelly wanders outside, where she promptly molests Bulk and Skull. It is cute. Bulk and Skull tell the monkey to lead them to the bananas, so the ape takes them to.... a random Rastafarian fruit seller in the park? Sure. The guy has chimp sized clothing and dresses Kelly up, and then Zedd turns the monkey into the Sinister Simian, which is totally straight out of comics.
Some of the fish are countered by the fact that we have a monkey in sunglasses. Seriously, something that awesome deserves credit. Oh, and the monster is clearly a baboon and not a chimpanzee.
Zordon was paying attention for once, and he calls the Rangers. They're concerned about hurting Kelly, even though usually the spell is broken and the monster goes back to whatever it was before as soon as they destroy it. But in this case, we need to showcase how awesome Billy is, so he needs to steal some fur from the monkey and then go make a reverse monkey formula and at this point the fish are swarming so heavily that I was too busy laughing to be paying much attention.
Oh, and Tommy molests a random blond girl. We need to point that out. (He's telling her to get to safety.)
Anyway, Billy builds his phallic symbol device, and the monkey grows and they "hit her in exactly the right spot" with the phallic device and then the monkey is fine again. Then we get a shot where we can see right up Kat's skirt. Great job, wardrobe!
Back at the Youth Center, we find out that apparently Kat and Aisha have taught the ape a lot of signs, so they should be getting their PhDs any moment now. (Hey, maybe that explains Tommy.) Oh, and it turns out that the delivery guy had put the bananas in the freezer, so they were never stolen. Too bad Bulk and Skull had already arrested the Rastafarian fruit seller.
The episode ends with Bulk being molested by the monkey again. Clearly she knows that one day Bulk will also be a monkey.
Fish: 4.5 Even though everything is better with monkeys, the fish were really swarming this episode.
Billy Speak: "Well, we thought it'd be interesting to examine ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and their translation in modern society."
"Well, if I can get a fur sample, perhaps I can analyze how they were transformed and figure out a way to change her back."
"After I devised the anti-transformation formula, I was able to mold it into this projectile."
Anyway, there's something you need to know about me. I read comics. I read a lot of comics. And comics have this thing about monkeys. Gorilla Grodd, Detective Chimp, Ultra-Humanite, Congorilla, Titano... look, I read Marvel Apes, and that was one of the worst comics ever written. So you have to understand, my initial reaction to this episode was "OOOH! MONKEY!"
The episode begins, and we sit through the incredibly Kat heavy opening, and we're hoping that this will be a heavy Billy episode, because we love David Yost a whole lot. Instead, we get another Kat episode with Billy in a fairly significant role. And Adam and Rocky are
So, apparently we have come to the end of the school year! I have to choose to believe that this is the end of their junior year, with Zeo being their senior year, except I'm not sure if MMPR 1 and 2 was freshman and sophomore year, or if there's some sort of weird time condensing going on. Also, I'm pretty sure we just had summer vacation. Ms. Applebee announces that for their final project they have to do a ten minute presentation on language. Any language. We're not sure which class this is - linguistics? In high school? Bulk and Skull assume that they can just stand up and speak English for ten minutes, but they get that thought squashed pretty firmly.
In the youth center, we find out that Tommy and Billy are going to be deciphering hieroglyphics, and we assume this was Billy's idea, and Tommy just wanted the A. Also, that is way advanced for a high school class. Well, this whole class makes no sense. We have no idea what Adam and Rocky are doing, but Kat has offered to babysit her aunt's chimpanzee and she and Aisha plan on teaching it sign language. In two days.
AHAHAHA.
No, seriously, pause for a minute and think about that.
AHAAHAHAHAHA.
Ok. Look, there is so much wrong with this, I don't even know where to start, but I'll try. 1-Who lets a teenager borrow a monkey? 2-Do they really think they can do this in two days? 3-they live in Angel grove. Doesn't the aunt realize the monkey will probably grow wings and try to capture Dorothy?
I could keep going, but I think I've made my point.
While Kat is showing off her monkey (ape, gorilla, chimpanzee, mongbabrilla, whatever) Bulk and Skull are informed that someone has stolen Ernie's bananas. They are on the case. Then they compare Tommy and the monkey. It's actually a good joke! The monkey was amused! Bulk realizes that monkeys eat bananas, and asks Skull who is the most likely to steal bananas. Skull answers his cousin Femur in New Jersey, but he's off at chess camp. I really want that story. But they will go spy on the monkey.
Up on the moon, Rita and Zedd decide to steal the monkey. I am shocked by this news. They send Tengas (and Finster!) down to the park, and the Rangers (minus Adam and Rocky, who are brushing up their oral skills) go fight the Tengas (with Kat just putting down the ape and telling it to stay) and the monkey (who is named Kelly, after Kim's cousin) manages to dodge Finster. Tommy wonders what Zedd wants. HMMM.
Back at Aisha's house, the girls are trying to teach themselves and the ape sign language. They go get a snack, and Aisha proves that she is still a bad pet owner, as Kelly wanders outside, where she promptly molests Bulk and Skull. It is cute. Bulk and Skull tell the monkey to lead them to the bananas, so the ape takes them to.... a random Rastafarian fruit seller in the park? Sure. The guy has chimp sized clothing and dresses Kelly up, and then Zedd turns the monkey into the Sinister Simian, which is totally straight out of comics.
Some of the fish are countered by the fact that we have a monkey in sunglasses. Seriously, something that awesome deserves credit. Oh, and the monster is clearly a baboon and not a chimpanzee.
Zordon was paying attention for once, and he calls the Rangers. They're concerned about hurting Kelly, even though usually the spell is broken and the monster goes back to whatever it was before as soon as they destroy it. But in this case, we need to showcase how awesome Billy is, so he needs to steal some fur from the monkey and then go make a reverse monkey formula and at this point the fish are swarming so heavily that I was too busy laughing to be paying much attention.
Oh, and Tommy molests a random blond girl. We need to point that out. (He's telling her to get to safety.)
Anyway, Billy builds his phallic symbol device, and the monkey grows and they "hit her in exactly the right spot" with the phallic device and then the monkey is fine again. Then we get a shot where we can see right up Kat's skirt. Great job, wardrobe!
Back at the Youth Center, we find out that apparently Kat and Aisha have taught the ape a lot of signs, so they should be getting their PhDs any moment now. (Hey, maybe that explains Tommy.) Oh, and it turns out that the delivery guy had put the bananas in the freezer, so they were never stolen. Too bad Bulk and Skull had already arrested the Rastafarian fruit seller.
The episode ends with Bulk being molested by the monkey again. Clearly she knows that one day Bulk will also be a monkey.
Fish: 4.5 Even though everything is better with monkeys, the fish were really swarming this episode.
Billy Speak: "Well, we thought it'd be interesting to examine ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and their translation in modern society."
"Well, if I can get a fur sample, perhaps I can analyze how they were transformed and figure out a way to change her back."
"After I devised the anti-transformation formula, I was able to mold it into this projectile."
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Episode 138- Another Brick In The Wall
Today is apparently the start of Kat being a Very Special Snowflake on the Ranger team. I don't dislike Kat, but this episode starts to show why I never actively sought out her episodes after the first run on tv. It's the first in the migration from team-oriented episodes, or at least attempting to showcase the others in a ranger-specific episode.
We start with Adam and Tommy sparring. Kat comes up with a model home in her hands. It's apparently a model for a restoration project she's taking part in and she designed it herself. It's a very small, modest house, with a HUGE three to four car garage (seriously, two equal sized garage doors and the garage itself is the same size as the entire house). We theorize this project creates houses for people who have been displaced by monster attacks.
Rita is disgusted at how goody-goody Kat has become. Goldar makes some snide comments and Rita defends Rito, saying what a big help he's been and how he's done more for her than Goldar and Zedd combined. Aw, Rita loves her brother! That's sweet.
Back on Earth, Kat has taken lessons from Aisha in How To Run Things. She is wearing a pink hard hat (in the Youth Center) and ordered about thirty people around. Apparently there is nobody to paint, however, and I have to wonder... what is wrong that not one of these thirty people can pick up a paintbrush or roller? Really? That's a lot of people for just landscaping. I won't complain too much. We get some nice shots of Adam and Billy's arms, though the episode is sadly lacking in flexing Rocky.
Anyway, everybody gets to work on this big brick wall and gardening and the place looks great. Kat is going to stay behind to take pictures, but meet up with everybody later. She's not worried about things because she has Bulk and Skull (covered in soap and goodness knows what else, and currently knocked unconscious under a tree, which nobody seems concerned either) to protect her, and I bristle. Don't tease the poor boys. It's cruel.
As soon as everybody leaves, Tengas and Rito show up. They wake up Bulk and Skull and chase them away while destroying as much of the work as possible. Kat fights for awhile but then remembers she has a communicator and calls Zordon. He sends the others in and they fight for a bit. I love the Ninja powers, but I really miss the unmorphed fights. Rito and the Tengas go away as Rita calls down a new monster. She takes a section of the brick wall and turns it into the monster, just another brick in the wall.
They morph and fight, but the brick monster turns first Aisha and Adam, and then Tommy and Rocky into bricks. Kat and Billy are the last ones standing. We can only assume Rocky is not the last one standing because the rangers were not turned into balls this time, unlike... well... all the other times. Kat and Billy collect the bricks and teleport to the Command Center while the monster runs around eating building supplies.
Zordon discovers the rangers are not actually bricks, but rather have been shrunken and encased in bricks. Billy suggests they erode the bricks away to release their teammates and Kat, having learned about erosion in architecture class (not science? In like, second grade? Really?), agrees to help. But alas, the monster is terrorizing Angel Grove and so Billy goes to fight it, leaving Kat to do all the science-y stuff.
Now here's my thing. Billy is the science-guy. Billy is the genius. Billy is the chemist. Shouldn't Billy have been the one to stay and free the others? But no. KAT gets to do it because KAT is super special and knows all about erosion and Kat had a random moment of guilt so she has to absolve herself of... I'm not sure what. She and Alpha manage to use pollution to erode the bricks (OMG they're all going to die of cancer now... what, wouldn't WATER have worked???) and release the other rangers.
But wait! She's too late. Because Billy is a BADASS and manages to defeat the monster ALL ON HIS OWN. He is now on fighting-level-AWESOME with Kim. Go Billy! And... all the others thank Kat profusely and only remember to say "Hey, good job, Buddy" when Kat talks up Billy's awesomeness.
Back at the restoration sight, everybody is standing around waiting on the mayor. Lt. Stone comes up wondering what's taking so long, having sent Bulk and Skull to find out who stole all the building materials (because he didn't believe a monster took them... what, is he new to Angel Grove or something?). Just then, Bulk and Skull come up having restrained a woman in a nice suit carrying a golden shovel. They insist she's the thief even though she says she's the mayor, and Lt. Stone turns about four shades of red in anger because, uh, she actually is the mayor. They release her and apologize while she tells Kat what a great job she did. Kat is handed the useless golden shovel.
And that was a short episode clocking in at only 19 minutes. Wow.
4 fish. The pollution thing? Just flat out ridiculous. And dangerous.
We start with Adam and Tommy sparring. Kat comes up with a model home in her hands. It's apparently a model for a restoration project she's taking part in and she designed it herself. It's a very small, modest house, with a HUGE three to four car garage (seriously, two equal sized garage doors and the garage itself is the same size as the entire house). We theorize this project creates houses for people who have been displaced by monster attacks.
Rita is disgusted at how goody-goody Kat has become. Goldar makes some snide comments and Rita defends Rito, saying what a big help he's been and how he's done more for her than Goldar and Zedd combined. Aw, Rita loves her brother! That's sweet.
Back on Earth, Kat has taken lessons from Aisha in How To Run Things. She is wearing a pink hard hat (in the Youth Center) and ordered about thirty people around. Apparently there is nobody to paint, however, and I have to wonder... what is wrong that not one of these thirty people can pick up a paintbrush or roller? Really? That's a lot of people for just landscaping. I won't complain too much. We get some nice shots of Adam and Billy's arms, though the episode is sadly lacking in flexing Rocky.
Anyway, everybody gets to work on this big brick wall and gardening and the place looks great. Kat is going to stay behind to take pictures, but meet up with everybody later. She's not worried about things because she has Bulk and Skull (covered in soap and goodness knows what else, and currently knocked unconscious under a tree, which nobody seems concerned either) to protect her, and I bristle. Don't tease the poor boys. It's cruel.
As soon as everybody leaves, Tengas and Rito show up. They wake up Bulk and Skull and chase them away while destroying as much of the work as possible. Kat fights for awhile but then remembers she has a communicator and calls Zordon. He sends the others in and they fight for a bit. I love the Ninja powers, but I really miss the unmorphed fights. Rito and the Tengas go away as Rita calls down a new monster. She takes a section of the brick wall and turns it into the monster, just another brick in the wall.
They morph and fight, but the brick monster turns first Aisha and Adam, and then Tommy and Rocky into bricks. Kat and Billy are the last ones standing. We can only assume Rocky is not the last one standing because the rangers were not turned into balls this time, unlike... well... all the other times. Kat and Billy collect the bricks and teleport to the Command Center while the monster runs around eating building supplies.
Zordon discovers the rangers are not actually bricks, but rather have been shrunken and encased in bricks. Billy suggests they erode the bricks away to release their teammates and Kat, having learned about erosion in architecture class (not science? In like, second grade? Really?), agrees to help. But alas, the monster is terrorizing Angel Grove and so Billy goes to fight it, leaving Kat to do all the science-y stuff.
Now here's my thing. Billy is the science-guy. Billy is the genius. Billy is the chemist. Shouldn't Billy have been the one to stay and free the others? But no. KAT gets to do it because KAT is super special and knows all about erosion and Kat had a random moment of guilt so she has to absolve herself of... I'm not sure what. She and Alpha manage to use pollution to erode the bricks (OMG they're all going to die of cancer now... what, wouldn't WATER have worked???) and release the other rangers.
But wait! She's too late. Because Billy is a BADASS and manages to defeat the monster ALL ON HIS OWN. He is now on fighting-level-AWESOME with Kim. Go Billy! And... all the others thank Kat profusely and only remember to say "Hey, good job, Buddy" when Kat talks up Billy's awesomeness.
Back at the restoration sight, everybody is standing around waiting on the mayor. Lt. Stone comes up wondering what's taking so long, having sent Bulk and Skull to find out who stole all the building materials (because he didn't believe a monster took them... what, is he new to Angel Grove or something?). Just then, Bulk and Skull come up having restrained a woman in a nice suit carrying a golden shovel. They insist she's the thief even though she says she's the mayor, and Lt. Stone turns about four shades of red in anger because, uh, she actually is the mayor. They release her and apologize while she tells Kat what a great job she did. Kat is handed the useless golden shovel.
And that was a short episode clocking in at only 19 minutes. Wow.
4 fish. The pollution thing? Just flat out ridiculous. And dangerous.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Episode 137- Rita's Pita
Warning: Possible eating triggers
OMG show. I hate this episode. I really really hate this episode. And now, starting out this recap, I wonder how many times I'll have to rewrite this due to capslock incoherency.
So we start this episode with Tommy sparring with an Inappropriately Young Friend. They finish up and Ernie asks what they want to eat. Tommy orders a veggie pita and a fruit smoothie while IYF orders a double cheeseburger, fries, and a milkshake. That's a lot of food for a kid but hey, if he's paying for it, more power to him.
Tommy decides to turn this into a Very Special Episode and chastises the IYF for choosing unhealthy food for this one, singular meal. Apparently your body is a temple and ought to be treated as such by only ever eating the healthiest possible food at all times and never ever splurging on something unhealthy, not once, not ever. Because eating junk food makes you a Bad Person unworthy of being a role model. So IYF immediately sees the light of day and orders a veggie pita and fruit smoothie too. *eyeroll*
Meanwhile, Rita and Zedd are doing a better job of watching the rangers than Zordon ever has, and they decide to destroy Tommy by sending down a shrunken monster for him to accidentally eat. The monster will make him eat uncontrollably. It's like Innerspace: the tapeworm sequel!
So the monster goes down and climbs into Tommy's veggie pita. Though I don't think you can really call it that. It's two pieces of pita used as sandwich bread around a few pieces of lettuce. That's... not actually that healthy. So much for the "lesson" of this Very Special Episode.
During this time, Kat, after leaving Adam and Billy who apparently has a crush on her, overhears Rita and Zedd's conversation. How, we don't know. Remnant of the spell apparently. At least that's the convenient plot point of it this particular episode. She rushes to the Youth Center to tell the others what she's overheard, but alas, she's surrounded by some Tenga warriors. She calls her ninja powers for the first time and spends most of the fight being very excited she can morph and harness the pink power and all that jazz. It gets kind of annoying after awhile. Or maybe that's just THIS STUPID EPISODE ITSELF.
Anyway, the monster takes hold of Tommy's stomach and he immediately must eat a bunch of junk food. He takes a platter of sandwiches, chips. twinkies, and cookies away from Bulk and Skull and starts downing it as if he hasn't eaten in weeks. The way he's eating is disturbing. But nobody seems to care about the fact that he's shoveling entire twinkies into his mouth and swallowing without even chewing. No, they are concerned not that he's eating like a starved man, but that he's eating JUNK FOOD.
Rocky and Aisha look disgusted at his food of choice. Inappropriately Young Friend way overreacts, calls Tommy a lying hypocrite, says he has can no longer look up to Tommy as a role model, and stomps off. The others have lost all respect for Tommy. All because Tommy is eating some junk food. OMG show, will you just lay off the EAT HEALTHY OR BE A DISGUSTING SLOB UNWORTHY OF FRIENDSHIP OR LOVE line of thinking here? Seriously?
Kat tries to explain what she heard and Billy tries to get Tommy to go with him to the Command Center for some scans. Tommy refuses, wanting more food, and Billy is sure there is something wrong. Not because he's eating in excessive amounts, mind, but because he's eating junk food. Tommy says there is nothing wrong that a donut won't fix and Billy knows it's way more serious than he thought... because Tommy is going to eat a DONUT! OH NOES! That's it. One donut will surely RUIN HIM FOR LIFE.
The others leave him to go find dessert while they go talk to Zordon. Zordon shows them the monster in Tommy's stomach and Adam asks if they can just teleport Tommy to them. Zordon refuses because bringing Tommy to the Command Center will bring the monster to the Command Center, and that would be far too dangerous and risking far too much. Uh... wait. Didn't they just bring ZEDD into the Command Center? ZEDD? Mr. Evil Emperor himself? And somehow the piddly Tapeworm MONSTER is more dangerous?
Meanwhile, at a local bake sale, Bulk and Skull have decided to stall sales so they can eat whatever isn't sold. Tommy doesn't care that the pies are (not really) made of fish, and downs a bunch of food. He at least pays for it.
The rangers manage to get Tommy away and explain what's going on. He just can't resist though. Aisha comes up with an awesome plan and gets Rocky to help her bring over a massive ice cream sundae. Tommy tries to lunge for it but the others hold him back. The monster wants that sundae though, so he jumps out of Tommy's stomach and they all have to fight. Kat is still super excited she's a ranger.
The monster grows and the rangers call their zords and I have a moment of rage that Kat is Tommy's copilot, except apparently it was mentioned that Kim did that as well, though I don't recall seeing it. Oh well. They beat the Tapeworm Monster and save the day.
At the Youth Center, Tommy approaches the downtrodden just-had-his-whole-world-shattered Inappropriately Young Friend. IYF refuses to listen at first, calling Tommy a hypocrite. And now he's going to quit karate, too. Way to overreact, IYF! Tommy admits he made some pretty big mistakes (DUDE ATE SOME JUNK FOOD, THAT IS NOT A MISTAKE NOR THE END OF THE WORLD), and gives a lesson on being true to yourself and yada yada yada.
Number of times I had to rewrite: Only twice. I gave up trying to take the rage out. It's just not happening.
Fish: ALL THE FISH IN THE WORLD. Um, really only about 4.5 I guess. But I want to give it all the fish in the world. Stupid episode.
Things we'd like to see: This monster fighting the Pudgy Pig (PP would TOTALLY win) OR, alternately, this monster having a sit down and chat session with Pudgy Pig. They'd have a lot to talk about!
Junk food eaten during the viewing of this episode: consumed some Cheez-Its and 3 Cosmos. only had some water, but is now, having finished writing this, going to eat a HUGE bowl of ice cream. Because this episode made me NEED IT.
OMG show. I hate this episode. I really really hate this episode. And now, starting out this recap, I wonder how many times I'll have to rewrite this due to capslock incoherency.
So we start this episode with Tommy sparring with an Inappropriately Young Friend. They finish up and Ernie asks what they want to eat. Tommy orders a veggie pita and a fruit smoothie while IYF orders a double cheeseburger, fries, and a milkshake. That's a lot of food for a kid but hey, if he's paying for it, more power to him.
Tommy decides to turn this into a Very Special Episode and chastises the IYF for choosing unhealthy food for this one, singular meal. Apparently your body is a temple and ought to be treated as such by only ever eating the healthiest possible food at all times and never ever splurging on something unhealthy, not once, not ever. Because eating junk food makes you a Bad Person unworthy of being a role model. So IYF immediately sees the light of day and orders a veggie pita and fruit smoothie too. *eyeroll*
Meanwhile, Rita and Zedd are doing a better job of watching the rangers than Zordon ever has, and they decide to destroy Tommy by sending down a shrunken monster for him to accidentally eat. The monster will make him eat uncontrollably. It's like Innerspace: the tapeworm sequel!
So the monster goes down and climbs into Tommy's veggie pita. Though I don't think you can really call it that. It's two pieces of pita used as sandwich bread around a few pieces of lettuce. That's... not actually that healthy. So much for the "lesson" of this Very Special Episode.
During this time, Kat, after leaving Adam and Billy who apparently has a crush on her, overhears Rita and Zedd's conversation. How, we don't know. Remnant of the spell apparently. At least that's the convenient plot point of it this particular episode. She rushes to the Youth Center to tell the others what she's overheard, but alas, she's surrounded by some Tenga warriors. She calls her ninja powers for the first time and spends most of the fight being very excited she can morph and harness the pink power and all that jazz. It gets kind of annoying after awhile. Or maybe that's just THIS STUPID EPISODE ITSELF.
Anyway, the monster takes hold of Tommy's stomach and he immediately must eat a bunch of junk food. He takes a platter of sandwiches, chips. twinkies, and cookies away from Bulk and Skull and starts downing it as if he hasn't eaten in weeks. The way he's eating is disturbing. But nobody seems to care about the fact that he's shoveling entire twinkies into his mouth and swallowing without even chewing. No, they are concerned not that he's eating like a starved man, but that he's eating JUNK FOOD.
Rocky and Aisha look disgusted at his food of choice. Inappropriately Young Friend way overreacts, calls Tommy a lying hypocrite, says he has can no longer look up to Tommy as a role model, and stomps off. The others have lost all respect for Tommy. All because Tommy is eating some junk food. OMG show, will you just lay off the EAT HEALTHY OR BE A DISGUSTING SLOB UNWORTHY OF FRIENDSHIP OR LOVE line of thinking here? Seriously?
Kat tries to explain what she heard and Billy tries to get Tommy to go with him to the Command Center for some scans. Tommy refuses, wanting more food, and Billy is sure there is something wrong. Not because he's eating in excessive amounts, mind, but because he's eating junk food. Tommy says there is nothing wrong that a donut won't fix and Billy knows it's way more serious than he thought... because Tommy is going to eat a DONUT! OH NOES! That's it. One donut will surely RUIN HIM FOR LIFE.
The others leave him to go find dessert while they go talk to Zordon. Zordon shows them the monster in Tommy's stomach and Adam asks if they can just teleport Tommy to them. Zordon refuses because bringing Tommy to the Command Center will bring the monster to the Command Center, and that would be far too dangerous and risking far too much. Uh... wait. Didn't they just bring ZEDD into the Command Center? ZEDD? Mr. Evil Emperor himself? And somehow the piddly Tapeworm MONSTER is more dangerous?
Meanwhile, at a local bake sale, Bulk and Skull have decided to stall sales so they can eat whatever isn't sold. Tommy doesn't care that the pies are (not really) made of fish, and downs a bunch of food. He at least pays for it.
The rangers manage to get Tommy away and explain what's going on. He just can't resist though. Aisha comes up with an awesome plan and gets Rocky to help her bring over a massive ice cream sundae. Tommy tries to lunge for it but the others hold him back. The monster wants that sundae though, so he jumps out of Tommy's stomach and they all have to fight. Kat is still super excited she's a ranger.
The monster grows and the rangers call their zords and I have a moment of rage that Kat is Tommy's copilot, except apparently it was mentioned that Kim did that as well, though I don't recall seeing it. Oh well. They beat the Tapeworm Monster and save the day.
At the Youth Center, Tommy approaches the downtrodden just-had-his-whole-world-shattered Inappropriately Young Friend. IYF refuses to listen at first, calling Tommy a hypocrite. And now he's going to quit karate, too. Way to overreact, IYF! Tommy admits he made some pretty big mistakes (DUDE ATE SOME JUNK FOOD, THAT IS NOT A MISTAKE NOR THE END OF THE WORLD), and gives a lesson on being true to yourself and yada yada yada.
Number of times I had to rewrite: Only twice. I gave up trying to take the rage out. It's just not happening.
Fish: ALL THE FISH IN THE WORLD. Um, really only about 4.5 I guess. But I want to give it all the fish in the world. Stupid episode.
Things we'd like to see: This monster fighting the Pudgy Pig (PP would TOTALLY win) OR, alternately, this monster having a sit down and chat session with Pudgy Pig. They'd have a lot to talk about!
Junk food eaten during the viewing of this episode:
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Episode 136 - A Different Shade of Pink Part 3
Before the recap, a little bit of housekeeping. We are hopefully going to settle into a Wednesday/Saturday schedule for the recaps. However! I will be going to Morphicon in 2 weeks, and the weekend after that is Dragon*Con, so... who knows when we're going to update? It should be interesting, anyway.
If you're at Morphicon, you should come find me and say hi!
Anyway. Previously, on Power Rangers - Amy Jo Johnson uses these last few episodes to audition for ER, and Rita wants to send Ninjor as a message in a bottle.
The episode opens with the Rangers angsting about the choice they've been given - they can hand over Kat or Ninjor will be drowned. Zordon says that this is the toughest choice they've ever faced. Really? What about the time they had to choose between their power coins or the teens at the world peace conference? Or their coins or their parents? Basically, they have been in this situation before.
Up on the moon, Zedd and Rita are bickering. The honeymoon is over. Awww. And on Earth, Kat is showing how she is ridiculously insightful, as we get another long explanation of her backstory. It's really touching, and Kat clearly knows what is best for Kim as she gets her to admit to being scared. Then she runs off to go offer to sacrifice herself to save Ninjor, and Queenriley and I both start shipping Rocky/Kat at the same time.
In the park, the Rangers bring Kat to trade for Ninjor. However, they have Kat protected in a force field, and Rita cheated anyway - no Ninjor in the jar. There's a nice fight scene, until one of the Tengas breaks the force field projected, and Kat gets kidnapped. And she screams for Tommy. :( :( :( Billy is blaming himself for Kat being captured. Awww.
Up on the moon, Zedd and Rita decide that they're going to throw Kat in the jar with Ninjor and wash them both out in the Sea of Sorrows, except they can't do anything until the tide comes in. So Kat is locked up in a cell, where she tries to steal the keys from Squatt and Baboo. She almost succeeds, but the guard changes. She massages Rito (making an amazing face in the process) until he falls asleep, and she escapes. She grabs the pink power coin (in a glowing pink box) which alerts Alpha that the coin is in the hands of good again. Kat taunts Rita for a bit, until she's teleported out by Billy's amazing insta-tech. Kim is very glad to have her coin back.
At Angel Grove community pool, a stunt person who is supposed to be Kat does an awesome dive, showing Kim that conquering your fears is possible. Kim decides to participate in the competition, and does an awesome job. Also, Aisha clings to Rocky. This important for everyone. Kim's routine is pretty great, and she gets a high schore. At the youth center, Ernie throws her a party, and the coach offers her a spot at his gym in Florida so he can train her properly for the Pan Globals.
This is not an offer you turn down.
At the Command Center, Kim tells the other Rangers she isn't going to accept because she has her responsibilities as a Ranger, and they all encourage her to go. Zordon even tells her that when she comes back she will be a greater Ranger than before. WHEN SHE COMES BACK. MAKE IT HAPPEN. Even Tommy encourages her, and some of my objections to the ship fade away, because he's being ridiculously sweet.
Kim was clearly hoping that the Rangers would tell her to go, because she had made arrangements for Kat to take over if they'd convinced her to go. The power is transferred to Kat, and really, there needs to be so much more Kim/Kat fic in the world. Make it happen!
Also, Adam wonders if Kat is really free of the spell, and then there is epic sadface on my part. Adam! Not cool! Especially when TOMMY is on the team. JUST SAYING.
Fish: 1.5. Only because we aren't sure why Rita just didn't grab Kat in her sleep.
Fic we want: KAT/KIM. And Kat/Rocky!
If you're at Morphicon, you should come find me and say hi!
Anyway. Previously, on Power Rangers - Amy Jo Johnson uses these last few episodes to audition for ER, and Rita wants to send Ninjor as a message in a bottle.
The episode opens with the Rangers angsting about the choice they've been given - they can hand over Kat or Ninjor will be drowned. Zordon says that this is the toughest choice they've ever faced. Really? What about the time they had to choose between their power coins or the teens at the world peace conference? Or their coins or their parents? Basically, they have been in this situation before.
Up on the moon, Zedd and Rita are bickering. The honeymoon is over. Awww. And on Earth, Kat is showing how she is ridiculously insightful, as we get another long explanation of her backstory. It's really touching, and Kat clearly knows what is best for Kim as she gets her to admit to being scared. Then she runs off to go offer to sacrifice herself to save Ninjor, and Queenriley and I both start shipping Rocky/Kat at the same time.
In the park, the Rangers bring Kat to trade for Ninjor. However, they have Kat protected in a force field, and Rita cheated anyway - no Ninjor in the jar. There's a nice fight scene, until one of the Tengas breaks the force field projected, and Kat gets kidnapped. And she screams for Tommy. :( :( :( Billy is blaming himself for Kat being captured. Awww.
Up on the moon, Zedd and Rita decide that they're going to throw Kat in the jar with Ninjor and wash them both out in the Sea of Sorrows, except they can't do anything until the tide comes in. So Kat is locked up in a cell, where she tries to steal the keys from Squatt and Baboo. She almost succeeds, but the guard changes. She massages Rito (making an amazing face in the process) until he falls asleep, and she escapes. She grabs the pink power coin (in a glowing pink box) which alerts Alpha that the coin is in the hands of good again. Kat taunts Rita for a bit, until she's teleported out by Billy's amazing insta-tech. Kim is very glad to have her coin back.
At Angel Grove community pool, a stunt person who is supposed to be Kat does an awesome dive, showing Kim that conquering your fears is possible. Kim decides to participate in the competition, and does an awesome job. Also, Aisha clings to Rocky. This important for everyone. Kim's routine is pretty great, and she gets a high schore. At the youth center, Ernie throws her a party, and the coach offers her a spot at his gym in Florida so he can train her properly for the Pan Globals.
This is not an offer you turn down.
At the Command Center, Kim tells the other Rangers she isn't going to accept because she has her responsibilities as a Ranger, and they all encourage her to go. Zordon even tells her that when she comes back she will be a greater Ranger than before. WHEN SHE COMES BACK. MAKE IT HAPPEN. Even Tommy encourages her, and some of my objections to the ship fade away, because he's being ridiculously sweet.
Kim was clearly hoping that the Rangers would tell her to go, because she had made arrangements for Kat to take over if they'd convinced her to go. The power is transferred to Kat, and really, there needs to be so much more Kim/Kat fic in the world. Make it happen!
Also, Adam wonders if Kat is really free of the spell, and then there is epic sadface on my part. Adam! Not cool! Especially when TOMMY is on the team. JUST SAYING.
Fish: 1.5. Only because we aren't sure why Rita just didn't grab Kat in her sleep.
Fic we want: KAT/KIM. And Kat/Rocky!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Episode 135 - A Different Shade of Pink Part 2
Previously, on Power Rangers - Kat proves that she is wicked awesome by breaking the spell placed on her by Rita, and Kimberly falls off a balance beam.
We begin in an episode of ER - Kat called an ambulance, which rushed Kim to the hospital. Kat explains to the doctors that Kimberly fell off the beam and hit her head. If you watch the episode, it is clear that no, Kimberly did not in fact hit her head, but we guess for dramatic purposes she needs to have a head injury.
And then she wakes up and has amnesia and thinks she's dating Billy. Who wants to write me that fic?
Anyway, Kat feels guilty that Kimberly is hurt even though a) it is not her fault and b) she was under a spell, which she broke on her own, proving that she is way more awesome than Tommy because she didn't need someone to break a sword to remove the spell. Up on the moon, Rita and Zedd discuss the situation, and agree that Kat's act of supreme goodness has broken the spell permanently.
Back at the hospital, Tommy is on a payphone to Kim's mother in France and we discover that Kim's mother can't get a flight to the states. Billy and Tommy also have a discussion where they finally start to get suspicious of Kat, as they are not sure why she was at the Youth Center so late at night, but they are glad she was.
Meanwhile, Bulk, Skull & Lieutenant Stone are spying on Kim's coach, as they are convinced he is a spy. Then they get pushed down a laundry chute. Whatever. Kim's coach expresses concern for Kim. Aww.
Adam/Rocky/Aisha are off on a date in the park when Billy calls to let them know that Kim has woken up and the doctor says that she'll be just fine. We don't know why they weren't at the hospital to wait for their friend, but we can only assume they were busy comforting each other. Rito shows up to attack them, and they are very annoyed at being interrupted. It's Ninja Ranger time!
... Ok, we clearly entered the Twilight Zone or something, because Tommy is being really sweet. He brought Kim a bear! He expressed concern! We are not yelling at him to shut up! What madness is this? Why am I suddenly thinking Tommy is being good for Kimberly? My worldview is shattered. SHATTERED. Zordon calls and interrupts the moment and expresses his concern for Kim, who is sorry for worrying him. Zordon was actually paying attention for once, and the SCT are being overwhelmed. Billy and Tommy morph in the hospital room and then teleport straight out of there. Secret identities they are doing it wrong.
Kat comes into Kim's room and confesses everything while the other Rangers are fighting. She is all concerned that they will hate her forever for what she did while under the spell. In further proof that we've entered the twilight zone, two amazing things happen - continuity and characterization. Kimberly (and then the other Rangers) tell Kat about how Tommy began a Ranger, and how strong Rita's magic is, and that they could never hate her for what she did. It is actually really touching, and someone should write me Kim/Kat fic. Kim also says that she is not going to try out for the competition anymore, she's done with gymnastics. Everyone is confused by this, even though it is obvious that Kim is just terrified after falling. Characterization, you are doing it... quite well! Good job, show!
Rita and Zedd are now officially annoyed, so they send down some garbage monster to kidnap Kat. The monster gets them when they're all leaving the hospital, and the Rangers morph and the monster just stands there with Kat until she escapes. Then they call the Shogun Zords, which at one point get trapped in a garbage can, but they immediately break out. It's pretty dull. Except they have a flaming sword! I approve of that.
Rita confronts Billy/Kat/Tommy at the lake and tell them that if they don't turn Kat over to her, then they will destroy Ninjor forever. He is still trapped in a bottle, even though he has managed to get out of bottles before.
Why Rita doesn't just kidnap Kat while she sleeps we... really don't know.
To be continued!
Fish: 1 Any fish we had were counteracted by the characterization and continuity of awesome in this episode.
We begin in an episode of ER - Kat called an ambulance, which rushed Kim to the hospital. Kat explains to the doctors that Kimberly fell off the beam and hit her head. If you watch the episode, it is clear that no, Kimberly did not in fact hit her head, but we guess for dramatic purposes she needs to have a head injury.
And then she wakes up and has amnesia and thinks she's dating Billy. Who wants to write me that fic?
Anyway, Kat feels guilty that Kimberly is hurt even though a) it is not her fault and b) she was under a spell, which she broke on her own, proving that she is way more awesome than Tommy because she didn't need someone to break a sword to remove the spell. Up on the moon, Rita and Zedd discuss the situation, and agree that Kat's act of supreme goodness has broken the spell permanently.
Back at the hospital, Tommy is on a payphone to Kim's mother in France and we discover that Kim's mother can't get a flight to the states. Billy and Tommy also have a discussion where they finally start to get suspicious of Kat, as they are not sure why she was at the Youth Center so late at night, but they are glad she was.
Meanwhile, Bulk, Skull & Lieutenant Stone are spying on Kim's coach, as they are convinced he is a spy. Then they get pushed down a laundry chute. Whatever. Kim's coach expresses concern for Kim. Aww.
Adam/Rocky/Aisha are off on a date in the park when Billy calls to let them know that Kim has woken up and the doctor says that she'll be just fine. We don't know why they weren't at the hospital to wait for their friend, but we can only assume they were busy comforting each other. Rito shows up to attack them, and they are very annoyed at being interrupted. It's Ninja Ranger time!
... Ok, we clearly entered the Twilight Zone or something, because Tommy is being really sweet. He brought Kim a bear! He expressed concern! We are not yelling at him to shut up! What madness is this? Why am I suddenly thinking Tommy is being good for Kimberly? My worldview is shattered. SHATTERED. Zordon calls and interrupts the moment and expresses his concern for Kim, who is sorry for worrying him. Zordon was actually paying attention for once, and the SCT are being overwhelmed. Billy and Tommy morph in the hospital room and then teleport straight out of there. Secret identities they are doing it wrong.
Kat comes into Kim's room and confesses everything while the other Rangers are fighting. She is all concerned that they will hate her forever for what she did while under the spell. In further proof that we've entered the twilight zone, two amazing things happen - continuity and characterization. Kimberly (and then the other Rangers) tell Kat about how Tommy began a Ranger, and how strong Rita's magic is, and that they could never hate her for what she did. It is actually really touching, and someone should write me Kim/Kat fic. Kim also says that she is not going to try out for the competition anymore, she's done with gymnastics. Everyone is confused by this, even though it is obvious that Kim is just terrified after falling. Characterization, you are doing it... quite well! Good job, show!
Rita and Zedd are now officially annoyed, so they send down some garbage monster to kidnap Kat. The monster gets them when they're all leaving the hospital, and the Rangers morph and the monster just stands there with Kat until she escapes. Then they call the Shogun Zords, which at one point get trapped in a garbage can, but they immediately break out. It's pretty dull. Except they have a flaming sword! I approve of that.
Rita confronts Billy/Kat/Tommy at the lake and tell them that if they don't turn Kat over to her, then they will destroy Ninjor forever. He is still trapped in a bottle, even though he has managed to get out of bottles before.
Why Rita doesn't just kidnap Kat while she sleeps we... really don't know.
To be continued!
Fish: 1 Any fish we had were counteracted by the characterization and continuity of awesome in this episode.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Episode 134- A Different Shade of Pink Part 1
Oh show. This is both a happy and sad episode, and I both love and hate episodes like this. It's the end of Kim being a Power Ranger, which is really sad since Kim is AWESOME! She will be missed. But, we get Kat, who can be pretty great in her own right. This also means that Billy is (very very soon) the only original ranger left on the team. It's only a matter of time. :(
So we start off with Kim and Tommy in the Youth Center. Kim is doing gymnastics while Tommy watches. A middle-aged man walks in wearing a shirt that is so bad it's crossed into cool. He introduces himself as Gunther Schmidt. Tommy is duly impressed. Gunther is also duly impressed with Kim's routine, though I have to admit, it wasn't all that impressive. Anyway, she is all star struck and Gunther wants to speak to her coach, of which she has none, so he agrees to train her himself in what little spare time he has. He seems a nice guy!
Rita observes and, after calling Kim a Mallrat, makes plans to muck up her life... in a very uncomfortable place. Like the back of a Volkswagon.
So Kim, all excited about her chance at Pan Globals, calls a meeting in the Command Center. Rocky determines it's very serious and Kim starts to mention Gunther Schmidt. Apparently Tommy has already told them all everything about what Kim wanted to talk about. She didn't even get to share the good news herself! Not cool, Tommy, not cool. But the others are very happy for her (being good friends for a change! They must have taken relationship seminars) and Zordon is sure she can balance training and rangering. He is very supportive of them following their dreams instead of rangering and I totally approve of this. A definite Zordon!Win here!
So we get an awesome training montage where Kim does some much more impressive routines and there is lots of gratuitous running (of which we wholeheartedly approve). She brings Gunther to the Youth Center for one of Ernie's protein smoothies, and Bulk and Skull overhear a news broadcast on a spy in the area. He's middle-aged, greying hair, 5'11", and speaks with a heavy accent. Gunther Schmidt is middle-aged, greying hair, 5'11" (ish), and speaks with a heavy accent. Of course Bulk and Skull are sure he's the spy and they intend to find out! But first we get a fantastic Bill Clinton joke. :D
Kat, meanwhile, is slowly but surely breaking the spell. She's remembering her past as a diver. This is one aspect of her story I had completely forgotten and I'm quite happy to rediscover it. It's an interesting back story.
Rita decides Kim has had enough training and sends down tengas, Rito, Goldar, and monsters. The others won't call Kim until they absolutely have to, and they are overwhelmed pretty quickly. Zordon calls Kim and she eventually begs off training, after a lecture about priorities from Gunther, and goes to rescue Tommy. She saves the day and returns to the Youth Center just in time to get called back to the fight yet again! She passes out after all the rigorous fighting, but still manages to beat the bad guys WITHOUT a power coin. Because she's just that UBER.
Bulk and Skull attempt to observe Gunther by doing gymnastics, completely with spandex (lovely lovely spandex) and bathrobes. Skull does not like being upside down, however, and we hear it went very badly.
Tommy drives Kim back to the Youth Center, despite it being closing time, and drops her off, though he at least tried to convince her to let him stay for her safety. She refuses, but does convince Ernie to let her close up and practice. He leaves and she stays while Kat, lurking outside, remembers her past as a diver who injured herself and ruined the chance at the Pan Globals, and completely breaks the spell. OF HER OWN FREE WILL, PEOPLE! Kat broke the spell BY HERSELF because she was too strong for it to keep hold. I kind of love her a little right now.
Anyway, she rushes into the Youth Center just in time to see Kim fall. Kim is uninjured but passed out and Kat feels incredibly guilty while she tries to figure out what to do to help her. And we're left with a freeze frame and quite the cliffhanger!
Fortsetzung folgt. To be continued!
1.5 fish. It wasn't bad!
(also of note: Can anybody please throw your up-for-grabs Kat icons at me? I need a good one!)
So we start off with Kim and Tommy in the Youth Center. Kim is doing gymnastics while Tommy watches. A middle-aged man walks in wearing a shirt that is so bad it's crossed into cool. He introduces himself as Gunther Schmidt. Tommy is duly impressed. Gunther is also duly impressed with Kim's routine, though I have to admit, it wasn't all that impressive. Anyway, she is all star struck and Gunther wants to speak to her coach, of which she has none, so he agrees to train her himself in what little spare time he has. He seems a nice guy!
Rita observes and, after calling Kim a Mallrat, makes plans to muck up her life... in a very uncomfortable place. Like the back of a Volkswagon.
So Kim, all excited about her chance at Pan Globals, calls a meeting in the Command Center. Rocky determines it's very serious and Kim starts to mention Gunther Schmidt. Apparently Tommy has already told them all everything about what Kim wanted to talk about. She didn't even get to share the good news herself! Not cool, Tommy, not cool. But the others are very happy for her (being good friends for a change! They must have taken relationship seminars) and Zordon is sure she can balance training and rangering. He is very supportive of them following their dreams instead of rangering and I totally approve of this. A definite Zordon!Win here!
So we get an awesome training montage where Kim does some much more impressive routines and there is lots of gratuitous running (of which we wholeheartedly approve). She brings Gunther to the Youth Center for one of Ernie's protein smoothies, and Bulk and Skull overhear a news broadcast on a spy in the area. He's middle-aged, greying hair, 5'11", and speaks with a heavy accent. Gunther Schmidt is middle-aged, greying hair, 5'11" (ish), and speaks with a heavy accent. Of course Bulk and Skull are sure he's the spy and they intend to find out! But first we get a fantastic Bill Clinton joke. :D
Kat, meanwhile, is slowly but surely breaking the spell. She's remembering her past as a diver. This is one aspect of her story I had completely forgotten and I'm quite happy to rediscover it. It's an interesting back story.
Rita decides Kim has had enough training and sends down tengas, Rito, Goldar, and monsters. The others won't call Kim until they absolutely have to, and they are overwhelmed pretty quickly. Zordon calls Kim and she eventually begs off training, after a lecture about priorities from Gunther, and goes to rescue Tommy. She saves the day and returns to the Youth Center just in time to get called back to the fight yet again! She passes out after all the rigorous fighting, but still manages to beat the bad guys WITHOUT a power coin. Because she's just that UBER.
Bulk and Skull attempt to observe Gunther by doing gymnastics, completely with spandex (lovely lovely spandex) and bathrobes. Skull does not like being upside down, however, and we hear it went very badly.
Tommy drives Kim back to the Youth Center, despite it being closing time, and drops her off, though he at least tried to convince her to let him stay for her safety. She refuses, but does convince Ernie to let her close up and practice. He leaves and she stays while Kat, lurking outside, remembers her past as a diver who injured herself and ruined the chance at the Pan Globals, and completely breaks the spell. OF HER OWN FREE WILL, PEOPLE! Kat broke the spell BY HERSELF because she was too strong for it to keep hold. I kind of love her a little right now.
Anyway, she rushes into the Youth Center just in time to see Kim fall. Kim is uninjured but passed out and Kat feels incredibly guilty while she tries to figure out what to do to help her. And we're left with a freeze frame and quite the cliffhanger!
Fortsetzung folgt. To be continued!
1.5 fish. It wasn't bad!
(also of note: Can anybody please throw your up-for-grabs Kat icons at me? I need a good one!)
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
133 - Follow That Cab!
Today, on Power Rangers - we celebrate Shark Week by getting shark cycles. Or, you know, Shark Week happens to fall on the same week that we get to the shark cycles. Whichever.
The episode opens at the Juice Bar, where we discover that Kimberly seems to think that taking cats to restaurants is totally acceptable behavior. Frankly, she is wrong about this. Tommy shows up, just as Kim lets out a shriek, and Tommy comments that he's glad to know that he has that effect on her.
Tommy is glad he can make Kim scream. Kid's show. Riiiiiiight.
It turns out that he has nothing to do with it - famous gymnastics coach Gunther Schmidt is coming into town to look for talented gymnasts to participate in his Pan Globals team. Hmm. I wonder how this will end? Tommy encourages Kim to go meet the coach since she idolizes him. (He is clearly supposed to be Bela Karolyi, just saying.) She decides to go, and asks Ernie to watch the cat.
... WORST PET OWNER EVER. However, she has enough sense not to ask Tommy to watch the cat. Of course, as PC is secretly Kat, she quickly runs off to report what Kim is up to to Rita. Rita and Zedd are planning to trap a Ranger inside a monster so that the other Rangers won't want to destroy it. This is actually a fairly cunning plan! Probably because Rito thought of it. His plans are usually good. The only other thing of importance in this scene is that when Rita calls Kat an evil girl, Kat flashes back to how awesome and good she was and manages to temporarily break the spell. She is pretty awesome.
Anyway, since there is apparently sometimes crime in Angel Grove, Bulk and Skull fail to recognize the most obvious car thief ever and actually help him steal Kim's car. Kim then demands they go after the guy, so they commandeer a cab, which is promptly turned into a monster.
Alpha summons the Rangers, after commenting that he hopes they aren't off scuba diving, and I nearly fall off my chair laughing. Oh, show. At least you remember these ridiculous things!
The Rangers need to chase after the cab, and they get shark cycles. Because they... need to sell more toys? The slowest chase scene ever happens, and then Zords are summoned. The show attempted to provide some drama by claiming that the process of removing Kimberly, Bulk and Skull from the monster could result in Kimberbulk, but we know that wouldn't happen - the show clearly doesn't have the budget for it. So they get rescued, the monster is destroyed, and this is really boring.
What I didn't mention in the preceding paragraph is that the monster is the Crabby Cabby, and he speaks in one of the worst fake Brooklyn accents I've ever heard. And I'm from New York. We are just going to pretend that it never happened.
Back at the Youth Center, Bulk and Skull have managed to locate Kimberly's car, and she hugs Bulk but not Skull. Poor Skull. :( Kimberly then decides she will try to meet her idol at the tryouts. The episode ends with her saying how much easier it would be to be a cat. I don't even know what to say about that.
Fish: 3. It was just... really mediocre.
The episode opens at the Juice Bar, where we discover that Kimberly seems to think that taking cats to restaurants is totally acceptable behavior. Frankly, she is wrong about this. Tommy shows up, just as Kim lets out a shriek, and Tommy comments that he's glad to know that he has that effect on her.
Tommy is glad he can make Kim scream. Kid's show. Riiiiiiight.
It turns out that he has nothing to do with it - famous gymnastics coach Gunther Schmidt is coming into town to look for talented gymnasts to participate in his Pan Globals team. Hmm. I wonder how this will end? Tommy encourages Kim to go meet the coach since she idolizes him. (He is clearly supposed to be Bela Karolyi, just saying.) She decides to go, and asks Ernie to watch the cat.
... WORST PET OWNER EVER. However, she has enough sense not to ask Tommy to watch the cat. Of course, as PC is secretly Kat, she quickly runs off to report what Kim is up to to Rita. Rita and Zedd are planning to trap a Ranger inside a monster so that the other Rangers won't want to destroy it. This is actually a fairly cunning plan! Probably because Rito thought of it. His plans are usually good. The only other thing of importance in this scene is that when Rita calls Kat an evil girl, Kat flashes back to how awesome and good she was and manages to temporarily break the spell. She is pretty awesome.
Anyway, since there is apparently sometimes crime in Angel Grove, Bulk and Skull fail to recognize the most obvious car thief ever and actually help him steal Kim's car. Kim then demands they go after the guy, so they commandeer a cab, which is promptly turned into a monster.
Alpha summons the Rangers, after commenting that he hopes they aren't off scuba diving, and I nearly fall off my chair laughing. Oh, show. At least you remember these ridiculous things!
The Rangers need to chase after the cab, and they get shark cycles. Because they... need to sell more toys? The slowest chase scene ever happens, and then Zords are summoned. The show attempted to provide some drama by claiming that the process of removing Kimberly, Bulk and Skull from the monster could result in Kimberbulk, but we know that wouldn't happen - the show clearly doesn't have the budget for it. So they get rescued, the monster is destroyed, and this is really boring.
What I didn't mention in the preceding paragraph is that the monster is the Crabby Cabby, and he speaks in one of the worst fake Brooklyn accents I've ever heard. And I'm from New York. We are just going to pretend that it never happened.
Back at the Youth Center, Bulk and Skull have managed to locate Kimberly's car, and she hugs Bulk but not Skull. Poor Skull. :( Kimberly then decides she will try to meet her idol at the tryouts. The episode ends with her saying how much easier it would be to be a cat. I don't even know what to say about that.
Fish: 3. It was just... really mediocre.
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