In this episode, lots of people make lots of baseless assumptions!
Kat goes to the Youth Center off hours. She sees a girl doing what we think is supposed to be dancing. Dancing Girl stops when she notices Kat, packs her stuff, and leaves without saying a word. Kat complimented her dancing and she just kind of ran away. Kat assumes she has attitude. I assume she's shy and nervous around new people.
Turns out, Dancing Girl is Jenny, Lt. Stone's niece. Her mother felt she needed a firm hand of discipline before school started (so it's still summer vacation! But why is Justin in school then? He skipped two grades which means he tested academically higher than 9th... so he doesn't need summer school). Jenny doesn't know anybody, is very uncomfortable, and gets accused of everything bad that happens. Attitude problem? Sure, but it's not her attitude that needs adjusting.
ANYWAY! Kat is auditioning for the Royal Academy in London. This is a big deal! Turns out Jenny is dancing too. Kat does a lovely ballet. Jenny... doesn't, exactly. But they love her anyway. She gets a call back. So does Kat. Ooooo tension! Tanya is super supportive.
Meanwhile, Divatox gets a ring at her doorbell. Why a sub has a doorbell I'm not sure. Anyway, it's a monster who wants to work for her. He's a conductor and his music makes anything come to life. Divatox sends him to make all the cars of Angel Grove start flying around. It's... special and has very little to do with the plot of the episode.
Meanwhile, Lt. Stone discovers all the money is missing. He was trying to balance the books and wonders how Ernie did it (clue: he didn't... we have no idea how Ernie made his money, but he certainly never balanced any books). The money went missing right out from under his nose and instead of calling the police, he immediately accuses Jenny instead. Wow, way to jump to conclusions there Lt. Stone! That's just not right. She, of course, gets upset at being accused and his disbelief at her insistence that she didn't take the money, and then stomps off. I don't blame her! He confronted her in front of the ENTIRE Youth Center. There was a crowd! That's just not right.
So the rangers get called to go deal with this monster and the flying cars. They have a rough time of it and Blue Senturian shows up. There is some minimal fighting and then they blow up the monster and all is well with the world again. It was boring, but blissfully short.
The rangers rush into the callbacks because Elgar planted a detonator in the tape recorder (TAPES! OMG we are so OLD). Everybody is so used to the Power Rangers now that nobody seems to really bat an eye. Unfortunately, Jenny is in the middle of her audition when the rangers take the tape player and rush it outside so it can blow up without hurting anybody. Nobody seems to realize it was a bomb and everyone is confused at why the Pink Ranger rushed off with the music. Jenny is upset and rushes out the door.
Kat comes back just in time for her audition. She's good, but she's no Billy Elliot. I liked his Royal Academy audition much better. ;)
So it's down to Jenny and Kat. British Guy says Jenny is unique and he likes her style, but her attitude is holding her back and he won't accept her. He gives the spot to Kat instead.
Hold on a minute here. Because Jenny is very quiet. Because Jenny is not terribly social. Because Jenny was upset her audition was interrupted and her music destroyed so she couldn't finish. SHE has the attitude problem? She never said a rude word to ANYBODY. She didn't cart around as if she were better than the rest. In fact, she looked rather like she was lacking confidence in her abilities as a dancer. And SHE has the attitude problem that won't let her in the school???? W. T. F. show?!?!??!!
Kat goes outside and Jenny accurately predicts it's for the "let's all be friends, kumbaya" speech. Kat tells her she should be nicer and hello, she was never mean! She was just quiet. Jenny makes a good point that it's hard when you're new and starting over, that it's hard when you have one chance for a better life and instead of being given an honest chance, you're prejudged for EVERYTHING. Kat agrees, but then continues with telling Jenny she should get over it and she'll need all the friends she can get. I'm sorry, but NO. You don't tell the person who was wronged to get over it. And not everybody WANTS to be social.
Back at the Youth Center, Kat is considering not taking the position. She points out that Tanya gave up music for awhile to stay a ranger and Tanya makes our argument canon. She can always go back to music. Dancing is a very time-limited dream. If Kat is going to do it, she needs to do it NOW. Meanwhile, Chimpanzee Bulk and Skull come in with a wagon full of money. They'd tried to balance Lt. Stone's books for him, but had no luck either. Lt. Stone apologizes to Jenny and they share a familial hug.
4.5 fish. If you audition for a ballet school, you do BALLET. Also, what was up with that monster?
(if Kat gives up her dream spot at the Royal Academy only to give up her powers two episodes later? We're going to scream and throw things... we are left without an answer at the end of this episode)
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Episode 219 - A Drive to Win
YOU GUYS, IT'S CARLOS AND ASHLEY!!!!!!
I um, possibly ship them. JUST A LITTLE.Or a LOT
So, Adam is apparently coaching a soccer team. One that happens to have Carlos as the star player. Aww. However, Carlos hasn't even become a Ranger yet, and he still needs to learn the lesson about teamwork. He seems to be forgetting that soccer is a team sport, so he doesn't really pass to anyone. Winning is the most important thing, so when Adam gives him the speech about making sure everyone gets a chance to play and teamwork he seriously looks at Adam like he's from another planet. It's great.
Meanwhile, Ashley is off being a cheerleader. The cheers are horrible and one of the girls on the squad is complaining about how if she had known it would be this much work, she'd have joined the army instead. Cheerleading is hard work.
Back at the Juice Bar, Kat and Tanya are practicing with Tommy, which in this case means that they're mostly practicing judo and throwing him to the ground. I approve so hard. They also seem to be getting revenge for him spending so much time at the racetrack - Kat in particular is not impressed.
Divatox has a plan - she sends down some Pirahnatrons to annoy everyone at the soccer field, and we get an unmorphed fight. Except not just Adam - Carlos and Ashley fight as well! In fact, for some reason it seems as if Divatox is concentrating on them. Hmmm. Afterwords, Carlos offers to walk Ashley home, and she accepts, although she tells him that she doesn't need his protection. He agrees, but says he needed an excuse to talk to her. SHIP THEM SO MUCH.
Also, I maintain that the reason that Angel Grove's economy runs on martial arts is that 90% of the people take some sort of self defense class. I mean, if you lived in Angel Grove, that's probably a good idea.
Divatox plants a detonator at the soccer field, and it will activate when Angel Grove's team scores 4 goals against Stone Canyon - something Divatox is counting on Carlos to do. The bad guys cheering for Angel Grove is hilarious and awesome - they should do it more often. Carlos continues to play a very self-centered form of soccer, and when he tries to brag to Ashley, she tells him off, and he feels bad.
Of course, midway through the game (tied at 3-3) communicators go off, and Adam has to be the worst coach ever and leave in the middle of a game. There's some sort of ridiculous fight that makes no sense at all that involves the monster and Elgar on motorcycles that are shooting electricity or something? Then there are Zords, and wow, do I not care. MORE CARLOS AND ASHLEY.
Back at the soccer game, apparently nobody has scored at all while the Rangers were gone. Either there was halftime, or Stone Canyon seriously stepped up their game. Meanwhile, Justin has detected the Turbo Navigator, because he is SMART and carries his around with him. Which frankly, all the Rangers should be doing. He gets it from behind the scoreboard and deactivates it, just as Carlos remembers that teamwork exists and passes the ball to the teammate he'd been previously mocking. The teammate scores the 4th goal, and Angel Grove wins.
Ashley invites Carlos to walk her home, Divatox is sad, and Bulk and Skull are cheerleader!monkeys. Oh, and Divatox pretty much explicitly says that she was after Carlos and Ashley because of the Millenium Message. :D
I love this episode.
Fish: 2.5. How did Adam not get fired for LEAVING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GAME???
I um, possibly ship them. JUST A LITTLE.
So, Adam is apparently coaching a soccer team. One that happens to have Carlos as the star player. Aww. However, Carlos hasn't even become a Ranger yet, and he still needs to learn the lesson about teamwork. He seems to be forgetting that soccer is a team sport, so he doesn't really pass to anyone. Winning is the most important thing, so when Adam gives him the speech about making sure everyone gets a chance to play and teamwork he seriously looks at Adam like he's from another planet. It's great.
Meanwhile, Ashley is off being a cheerleader. The cheers are horrible and one of the girls on the squad is complaining about how if she had known it would be this much work, she'd have joined the army instead. Cheerleading is hard work.
Back at the Juice Bar, Kat and Tanya are practicing with Tommy, which in this case means that they're mostly practicing judo and throwing him to the ground. I approve so hard. They also seem to be getting revenge for him spending so much time at the racetrack - Kat in particular is not impressed.
Divatox has a plan - she sends down some Pirahnatrons to annoy everyone at the soccer field, and we get an unmorphed fight. Except not just Adam - Carlos and Ashley fight as well! In fact, for some reason it seems as if Divatox is concentrating on them. Hmmm. Afterwords, Carlos offers to walk Ashley home, and she accepts, although she tells him that she doesn't need his protection. He agrees, but says he needed an excuse to talk to her. SHIP THEM SO MUCH.
Also, I maintain that the reason that Angel Grove's economy runs on martial arts is that 90% of the people take some sort of self defense class. I mean, if you lived in Angel Grove, that's probably a good idea.
Divatox plants a detonator at the soccer field, and it will activate when Angel Grove's team scores 4 goals against Stone Canyon - something Divatox is counting on Carlos to do. The bad guys cheering for Angel Grove is hilarious and awesome - they should do it more often. Carlos continues to play a very self-centered form of soccer, and when he tries to brag to Ashley, she tells him off, and he feels bad.
Of course, midway through the game (tied at 3-3) communicators go off, and Adam has to be the worst coach ever and leave in the middle of a game. There's some sort of ridiculous fight that makes no sense at all that involves the monster and Elgar on motorcycles that are shooting electricity or something? Then there are Zords, and wow, do I not care. MORE CARLOS AND ASHLEY.
Back at the soccer game, apparently nobody has scored at all while the Rangers were gone. Either there was halftime, or Stone Canyon seriously stepped up their game. Meanwhile, Justin has detected the Turbo Navigator, because he is SMART and carries his around with him. Which frankly, all the Rangers should be doing. He gets it from behind the scoreboard and deactivates it, just as Carlos remembers that teamwork exists and passes the ball to the teammate he'd been previously mocking. The teammate scores the 4th goal, and Angel Grove wins.
Ashley invites Carlos to walk her home, Divatox is sad, and Bulk and Skull are cheerleader!monkeys. Oh, and Divatox pretty much explicitly says that she was after Carlos and Ashley because of the Millenium Message. :D
I love this episode.
Fish: 2.5. How did Adam not get fired for LEAVING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GAME???
Episode 218 - The Millenium Message
After the last group of recaps we did where neither of us wanted to write either of them, this time we get the I argued to get two of them. Look, I have theories about the Millenium Message.
Which means that this recap will be heavy on theories, and also on spoilers for RPM, SPD, the next half of Turbo and the PRiS finale. (Yes, we know, we try not to say too much about later series, but I wanted to talk about this stuff.)
So, we start off at the Juice Bar where Tanya and Tommy are working out, and Adam comes in wearing a magician's costume complete with cape and top hat, grumbling about this week's stunt show. I approve so hard. Then suddenly there's an earthquake. This being Angel Grove, it turns out the earthquake is actually being caused by an approaching ship. The Rangers assume that it's because the ship is there to talk to them, and... this being Angel Grove, sure. But how do they know the guy just isn't lost???? Anyway, his ship explodes, and he's found by Divatox.
Turns out this guy is the Blue Senturian, some sort of Intergalactic Robot Police Officer. Divatox manages to convince him that she's Dimitria (and we know that in universe they're twins, but REALLY?) and he plays a message, showing how the United Alliance of Evil is about to conquer Earth in the year 2000 and only one force stands in their way. We don't see who it is, but TIME FOR THEORIES.
SPOILERS
1-The team of Rangers they're actually seeing is the Turbo 2 team. That's what suddenly makes the Rangers all leave once TJ and Cassie get there - and why Divatox seems to seriously want to destroy them.
2-Obviously, PRiS happened in 1998 while the Millenium Message says the future he's from has the final battle in 2000. Well, this is because when it came down to it, none of the 5 current Rangers would have been able to kill Zordon, so the battle stretched on, which is why Earth is going to be overrun. By handing over their powers, they saved the universe.
3-The Blue Senturian works for SPD.
4-The future Blue Senturian came from? Also eventually becomes RPM. I mean, that would explain why there's no other Ranger teams around - everyone was lost fighting against the United Alliance of Evil.
So, to sum up. Had the Turbo 1 team NOT handed over their powers, the events of the Turbo finale STILL would have happened, Tommy would have been unable to kill Zordon, and then the world would have basically been conquered. Of course, since the Rangers are always victorious even if it takes a while, the Turbo 2 team would have eventually persevered. But the destruction of basically the world is what makes Alphabet Soup realize that they need their own Ranger teams, and why Dr K had a piece of the venjix robot from the Machine Empire that she accidentally turned into the venjix VIRUS.
Back to the recap. Blue Senturian gets reprogrammed after showing the message, and there's a detonator in him. He goes and fights Tommy, but then runs away after the other Rangers show up. Adam knows what the Blue Senturians are because Zordon told him, but he also suggests that GEE, MAYBE HE WAS REPROGRAMMED. Not like Divatox hasn't done THAT before.
Divatox also sends down a monter, and the fight is really stupid, and Kat manages to twist her ankle again and scream for Tommy. *SIGH*
Then the Rangers reprogram the Senturian (getting a glimpse of the message in the process), but don't remove the detonator and it runs off to go try and arrest Divatox, and there's an explosion and the Rangers think that it's been destroyed. Divatox shows up to taunt them, because she's awesome like that.
Except then the Blue Senturian shows back up with a Zord and it destroys the monster, and Alpha teleports down to try and cut the wire belonging to the detonator. He cuts the wrong one. Then Justin cuts the wrong one. Then they figure out they have to cut the purple one.
Back at the Power Chamber, they can see more of the message, but the important part has been damaged in the fight. Personally, I choose to believe that Alpha or Justin just cut the wrong wire.
Fish: 5! Although it's pretty good for thinking ridiculous thoughts
Covered in: Lt. Stone gets covered in bananas during the earthquake
Which means that this recap will be heavy on theories, and also on spoilers for RPM, SPD, the next half of Turbo and the PRiS finale. (Yes, we know, we try not to say too much about later series, but I wanted to talk about this stuff.)
So, we start off at the Juice Bar where Tanya and Tommy are working out, and Adam comes in wearing a magician's costume complete with cape and top hat, grumbling about this week's stunt show. I approve so hard. Then suddenly there's an earthquake. This being Angel Grove, it turns out the earthquake is actually being caused by an approaching ship. The Rangers assume that it's because the ship is there to talk to them, and... this being Angel Grove, sure. But how do they know the guy just isn't lost???? Anyway, his ship explodes, and he's found by Divatox.
Turns out this guy is the Blue Senturian, some sort of Intergalactic Robot Police Officer. Divatox manages to convince him that she's Dimitria (and we know that in universe they're twins, but REALLY?) and he plays a message, showing how the United Alliance of Evil is about to conquer Earth in the year 2000 and only one force stands in their way. We don't see who it is, but TIME FOR THEORIES.
SPOILERS
1-The team of Rangers they're actually seeing is the Turbo 2 team. That's what suddenly makes the Rangers all leave once TJ and Cassie get there - and why Divatox seems to seriously want to destroy them.
2-Obviously, PRiS happened in 1998 while the Millenium Message says the future he's from has the final battle in 2000. Well, this is because when it came down to it, none of the 5 current Rangers would have been able to kill Zordon, so the battle stretched on, which is why Earth is going to be overrun. By handing over their powers, they saved the universe.
3-The Blue Senturian works for SPD.
4-The future Blue Senturian came from? Also eventually becomes RPM. I mean, that would explain why there's no other Ranger teams around - everyone was lost fighting against the United Alliance of Evil.
So, to sum up. Had the Turbo 1 team NOT handed over their powers, the events of the Turbo finale STILL would have happened, Tommy would have been unable to kill Zordon, and then the world would have basically been conquered. Of course, since the Rangers are always victorious even if it takes a while, the Turbo 2 team would have eventually persevered. But the destruction of basically the world is what makes Alphabet Soup realize that they need their own Ranger teams, and why Dr K had a piece of the venjix robot from the Machine Empire that she accidentally turned into the venjix VIRUS.
Back to the recap. Blue Senturian gets reprogrammed after showing the message, and there's a detonator in him. He goes and fights Tommy, but then runs away after the other Rangers show up. Adam knows what the Blue Senturians are because Zordon told him, but he also suggests that GEE, MAYBE HE WAS REPROGRAMMED. Not like Divatox hasn't done THAT before.
Divatox also sends down a monter, and the fight is really stupid, and Kat manages to twist her ankle again and scream for Tommy. *SIGH*
Then the Rangers reprogram the Senturian (getting a glimpse of the message in the process), but don't remove the detonator and it runs off to go try and arrest Divatox, and there's an explosion and the Rangers think that it's been destroyed. Divatox shows up to taunt them, because she's awesome like that.
Except then the Blue Senturian shows back up with a Zord and it destroys the monster, and Alpha teleports down to try and cut the wire belonging to the detonator. He cuts the wrong one. Then Justin cuts the wrong one. Then they figure out they have to cut the purple one.
Back at the Power Chamber, they can see more of the message, but the important part has been damaged in the fight. Personally, I choose to believe that Alpha or Justin just cut the wrong wire.
Fish: 5! Although it's pretty good for thinking ridiculous thoughts
Covered in: Lt. Stone gets covered in bananas during the earthquake
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Episode 217 - Alarmed and Dangerous
Everything about this episode is bad and wrong. BAD AND WRONG!
So it starts out with Kat, apparently student teaching (NOT POSSIBLE), handing out a test to Justin and a bunch of kids who are definitely NOT freshmen in high school. TSB feels this is summer school.
Two big guys try to get Justin to show them his test. He won't cheat. They get very loud and blatant about the desire to cheat and Ms. Applebee boots them AND Justin out of the classroom. Oh Ms. Applebee, we love you, but do not punish the kid for saying "No". They must wait in the hallway until the test is over. Bully-With-Bad-Hair gets fresh and uses Justin's shirt to slide him up the wall. Bully-With-Great-Teeth mocks.
And then there is a fire alarm! Clearly pulled by the bullies. The firemen give the "False alarms keep us from real fires!" lesson and this is really not the episode for that, show. This is supposed to be the bully episode. Do not confuse your Very Special Episode messages, mkay?
At the Youth Center, Adam and Tanya are training. Tommy is beating the shit out of a punching bag. TANYA ACTUALLY PAYS FOR SOMETHING! That's two episodes in a row! The fire alarm goes off and Lt. Stone lets everybody stay where they are so he can go check it out. Then another alarm goes off at the school. Ms. Applebee sends everybody home until they can figure out what's going on with the alarm. Meanwhile, the bullies muss Justin's hair a bit.
Fire alarms are going off around town. The rangers chase them down. Justin tries to talk to Kat about the bullies and says he might fight them. She says that's a bad idea. Then they discover it's Piranhatrons setting off the alarms and they rush to the Power Chamber to tell the others. Nobody knows what is going on until Demetria points out how confused they are which is exactly how Divatox wants them to feel. YOU THINK?
So they split up to find the detonator. Justin gets caught in the park by the bullies. Bully-With-Bad-Hair pushes him around and actually kind of hits him a little, and then Justin throws him against a table and climbs over him with his fist up. But he doesn't hit him. Instead he just says he doesn't want to fight and runs off. They chase! Bully-With-Great-Teeth points out that he's fast and they've lost him. Bully-With-Bad-Hair suggests they split up. Justin has climbed a tree and as soon as he's noticed by Bully-With-Bad-Hair, he slips and starts to fall. He teleports out and the branches fall, which the bullies poke up, but don't seem to care that THE KID JUST VANISHED IN FRONT OF THEM.
At the Power Chamber, Kat lectures Justin about using his powers for personal gain. Frankly, I think not killing himself falling out of a tree justifies the use of the powers. He mentions the bullies and instead of being HELPFUL, Kat tells him he's smart enough to figure it out on his own. THIS IS NOT HOW BULLIES WORK. ANYWAY.
They find the detonator on a fire truck. Instead of making things go explode-y, it turns the truck into a monster. Which the rangers ride downtown and let it destroy a couple buildings. Then they blow it up and the firemen are safe. I... don't get this part. Whatever.
HERE IS WHERE IT GETS REALLY REALLY BAD AND HORRIBLY HORRIBLY WRONG.
Justin comes across Bully-With-Bad-Hair in the hallway of the school. BWBH taunts him about running home to Mommy and Daddy, to which Justin replies that he doesn't live with his parents right now. Bully-With-Bad-Hair hasn't seen his father in 2 years. He's a bully because he doesn't have a dad? Really show, you went there? Not having a dad (or mom) does not a bully make. *grrr* (and let's not even get into how Bully-With-Great-Teeth just vanished from existence in this show... what's his story?)
AND THEN! And then they sit down all melancholy and Justin offers to tutor Bully-With-Bad-Hair so he doesn't have to cheat any longer. BWBH says he basically forgives Justin for narking on him, since Justin can't lie and apparently the bully wouldn't either. BWBH is amazed Justin would tutor him, and Justin says "what are friends for?" AND REALLY SHOW?!?!??! YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE BESTEST FRIENDS FOREVER WITH THE GUY WHO JUST TRIED TO BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF YOU JUST BECAUSE YOU SORT OF KIND OF HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON. THIS IS NOT RIGHT, SHOW. NOT RIGHT AT ALL.
Here's the thing... I was bullied as a kid. Bad. Really bad. Like, permanent damage kind of bad. So I really feel for Justin this episode. But it was written HORRIBLY. It does not have the best moral ending. It does not actually DEAL with the bullying and instead merely brushes the LET ME KICK THE SHIT OUT OF YOU BECAUSE I'M BIGGER HAR HAR HAR aside. I do not like this, not one tiny little bit.
5 fish. It just... made no sense. AND IS ALL THE BAD AND WRONG.
So it starts out with Kat, apparently student teaching (NOT POSSIBLE), handing out a test to Justin and a bunch of kids who are definitely NOT freshmen in high school. TSB feels this is summer school.
Two big guys try to get Justin to show them his test. He won't cheat. They get very loud and blatant about the desire to cheat and Ms. Applebee boots them AND Justin out of the classroom. Oh Ms. Applebee, we love you, but do not punish the kid for saying "No". They must wait in the hallway until the test is over. Bully-With-Bad-Hair gets fresh and uses Justin's shirt to slide him up the wall. Bully-With-Great-Teeth mocks.
And then there is a fire alarm! Clearly pulled by the bullies. The firemen give the "False alarms keep us from real fires!" lesson and this is really not the episode for that, show. This is supposed to be the bully episode. Do not confuse your Very Special Episode messages, mkay?
At the Youth Center, Adam and Tanya are training. Tommy is beating the shit out of a punching bag. TANYA ACTUALLY PAYS FOR SOMETHING! That's two episodes in a row! The fire alarm goes off and Lt. Stone lets everybody stay where they are so he can go check it out. Then another alarm goes off at the school. Ms. Applebee sends everybody home until they can figure out what's going on with the alarm. Meanwhile, the bullies muss Justin's hair a bit.
Fire alarms are going off around town. The rangers chase them down. Justin tries to talk to Kat about the bullies and says he might fight them. She says that's a bad idea. Then they discover it's Piranhatrons setting off the alarms and they rush to the Power Chamber to tell the others. Nobody knows what is going on until Demetria points out how confused they are which is exactly how Divatox wants them to feel. YOU THINK?
So they split up to find the detonator. Justin gets caught in the park by the bullies. Bully-With-Bad-Hair pushes him around and actually kind of hits him a little, and then Justin throws him against a table and climbs over him with his fist up. But he doesn't hit him. Instead he just says he doesn't want to fight and runs off. They chase! Bully-With-Great-Teeth points out that he's fast and they've lost him. Bully-With-Bad-Hair suggests they split up. Justin has climbed a tree and as soon as he's noticed by Bully-With-Bad-Hair, he slips and starts to fall. He teleports out and the branches fall, which the bullies poke up, but don't seem to care that THE KID JUST VANISHED IN FRONT OF THEM.
At the Power Chamber, Kat lectures Justin about using his powers for personal gain. Frankly, I think not killing himself falling out of a tree justifies the use of the powers. He mentions the bullies and instead of being HELPFUL, Kat tells him he's smart enough to figure it out on his own. THIS IS NOT HOW BULLIES WORK. ANYWAY.
They find the detonator on a fire truck. Instead of making things go explode-y, it turns the truck into a monster. Which the rangers ride downtown and let it destroy a couple buildings. Then they blow it up and the firemen are safe. I... don't get this part. Whatever.
HERE IS WHERE IT GETS REALLY REALLY BAD AND HORRIBLY HORRIBLY WRONG.
Justin comes across Bully-With-Bad-Hair in the hallway of the school. BWBH taunts him about running home to Mommy and Daddy, to which Justin replies that he doesn't live with his parents right now. Bully-With-Bad-Hair hasn't seen his father in 2 years. He's a bully because he doesn't have a dad? Really show, you went there? Not having a dad (or mom) does not a bully make. *grrr* (and let's not even get into how Bully-With-Great-Teeth just vanished from existence in this show... what's his story?)
AND THEN! And then they sit down all melancholy and Justin offers to tutor Bully-With-Bad-Hair so he doesn't have to cheat any longer. BWBH says he basically forgives Justin for narking on him, since Justin can't lie and apparently the bully wouldn't either. BWBH is amazed Justin would tutor him, and Justin says "what are friends for?" AND REALLY SHOW?!?!??! YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE BESTEST FRIENDS FOREVER WITH THE GUY WHO JUST TRIED TO BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF YOU JUST BECAUSE YOU SORT OF KIND OF HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON. THIS IS NOT RIGHT, SHOW. NOT RIGHT AT ALL.
Here's the thing... I was bullied as a kid. Bad. Really bad. Like, permanent damage kind of bad. So I really feel for Justin this episode. But it was written HORRIBLY. It does not have the best moral ending. It does not actually DEAL with the bullying and instead merely brushes the LET ME KICK THE SHIT OUT OF YOU BECAUSE I'M BIGGER HAR HAR HAR aside. I do not like this, not one tiny little bit.
5 fish. It just... made no sense. AND IS ALL THE BAD AND WRONG.
Episode 216 - Weight and See
TRIGGER WARNING FOR DISORDERED EATING
You guys, this is like the most frustrating run of episodes ever. Two rage inducing ones in a row. And this one, frankly, is seriously triggering and also not the episode you want to be watching right after eating probably too much pizza.
Last time we had an episode about food, it was about how if you eat junk food you are a bad person. This time we get Kat's brief brush with anorexia. And frankly, it does some things really well and some things REALLY BADLY.
So, Kat is auditioning for a ballet. Hey, continuity! I am impressed. They're doing The Nutcracker (I guess because they thought it was the only ballet that kids would know?) and Kat desperately wants to be Clara. Random bitchy girl makes some sarcastic comments to Kat about how Kat is a little too big for the part, and she should be in better shape. Random bitchy girl expects to get the part, but instead Kat impressed the director with her fresh take on the role and is cast as Clara. Random bitchy girl continues to bring up Kat's weight.
At the beach, Adam and Justin are planting tide markers. Adam gets distracted by a hot girl in a yellow bikini. (This is the part where I started all capsing at queenriley about how he's dating Tanya and he's being... well, a teenage boy.) Justin gets distracted by a younger girl in a bathing suit. Hey, if we're doing the "it isn't how you look on the outside" episode, could we get an objectification is bad moral? No? Also, Adam is totally grossed out by the fact that Justin is noticing girls.
Then they get attacked by Piranhatrons and we get an unmorphed fight. Yay! (Adam, your HAIR.)
Back at the Youth Center, Kat has apparently decided she isn't going to eat until after the show. We don't know how long it is until they perform the ballet. Tanya and Tommy try to encourage her to eat but she refuses and leaves. Tommy and Tanya follow her and Tommy actually pays for something. The world is ending.
Apparently Divatox's big plan is that she's going to turn Angel Grove into Atlantis. It's a shame Billy isn't there, because otherwise I would totally make a joke about my ridiculous DC comics crossover OTP of Billy/Garth (which BFF harmonyangel and I once mentioned to comics artist Steve Lieber. Look, Heroescon last year was awesome.)
So. Kat runs into the monster which makes her lighter? I feel that the show is not understanding how anorexia works. I guess they were trying to go for the she's getting so thin she's floating away idea? (And like, she skipped one meal.) But it would have made more sense if they'd made her think she weighed more than she did.
The Rangers all go to the Power Chamber (Kat is still floating) and everyone goes to fight the monster except for Kat. (The monster is like, a weird looking version of the Count) Everyone but Justin is made to feel like they weigh a ton, and Justin gets to float. Dimitria gives Kat some inspirational phrases that she pretends are questions, and Kat realizes that it's really about how she is on the inside, not on the outside, and she's miraculously broken free of the floating spell and I...
Look. I have friends and family who have struggled with eating disorders. Neither of us really wanted to be the one to recap this episode, but all I'm going to say is that this cannot be fixed by a simple inspirational speech. It just doesn't work like that. I'd like to applaud the show for *trying* but...
Anyway, let us instead talk about the AWESOME part. Kat beats up the monster by herself and it is amazing.
Then the monster grows and hits the Zord with a duck. (Well, a duck shaped blast, but I like the idea of the Zord being hit by a duck better.) Then the Rangers blow it up.
Sometime later, Kat is performing the ballet. She is awesome. Random bitchy girl is a rat. I'd have thought she'd have gotten Sugar Plum Fairy or something.
Fish: FIVE. ALSO, RAGE INDUCING.
You guys, this is like the most frustrating run of episodes ever. Two rage inducing ones in a row. And this one, frankly, is seriously triggering and also not the episode you want to be watching right after eating probably too much pizza.
Last time we had an episode about food, it was about how if you eat junk food you are a bad person. This time we get Kat's brief brush with anorexia. And frankly, it does some things really well and some things REALLY BADLY.
So, Kat is auditioning for a ballet. Hey, continuity! I am impressed. They're doing The Nutcracker (I guess because they thought it was the only ballet that kids would know?) and Kat desperately wants to be Clara. Random bitchy girl makes some sarcastic comments to Kat about how Kat is a little too big for the part, and she should be in better shape. Random bitchy girl expects to get the part, but instead Kat impressed the director with her fresh take on the role and is cast as Clara. Random bitchy girl continues to bring up Kat's weight.
At the beach, Adam and Justin are planting tide markers. Adam gets distracted by a hot girl in a yellow bikini. (This is the part where I started all capsing at queenriley about how he's dating Tanya and he's being... well, a teenage boy.) Justin gets distracted by a younger girl in a bathing suit. Hey, if we're doing the "it isn't how you look on the outside" episode, could we get an objectification is bad moral? No? Also, Adam is totally grossed out by the fact that Justin is noticing girls.
Then they get attacked by Piranhatrons and we get an unmorphed fight. Yay! (Adam, your HAIR.)
Back at the Youth Center, Kat has apparently decided she isn't going to eat until after the show. We don't know how long it is until they perform the ballet. Tanya and Tommy try to encourage her to eat but she refuses and leaves. Tommy and Tanya follow her and Tommy actually pays for something. The world is ending.
Apparently Divatox's big plan is that she's going to turn Angel Grove into Atlantis. It's a shame Billy isn't there, because otherwise I would totally make a joke about my ridiculous DC comics crossover OTP of Billy/Garth (which BFF harmonyangel and I once mentioned to comics artist Steve Lieber. Look, Heroescon last year was awesome.)
So. Kat runs into the monster which makes her lighter? I feel that the show is not understanding how anorexia works. I guess they were trying to go for the she's getting so thin she's floating away idea? (And like, she skipped one meal.) But it would have made more sense if they'd made her think she weighed more than she did.
The Rangers all go to the Power Chamber (Kat is still floating) and everyone goes to fight the monster except for Kat. (The monster is like, a weird looking version of the Count) Everyone but Justin is made to feel like they weigh a ton, and Justin gets to float. Dimitria gives Kat some inspirational phrases that she pretends are questions, and Kat realizes that it's really about how she is on the inside, not on the outside, and she's miraculously broken free of the floating spell and I...
Look. I have friends and family who have struggled with eating disorders. Neither of us really wanted to be the one to recap this episode, but all I'm going to say is that this cannot be fixed by a simple inspirational speech. It just doesn't work like that. I'd like to applaud the show for *trying* but...
Anyway, let us instead talk about the AWESOME part. Kat beats up the monster by herself and it is amazing.
Then the monster grows and hits the Zord with a duck. (Well, a duck shaped blast, but I like the idea of the Zord being hit by a duck better.) Then the Rangers blow it up.
Sometime later, Kat is performing the ballet. She is awesome. Random bitchy girl is a rat. I'd have thought she'd have gotten Sugar Plum Fairy or something.
Fish: FIVE. ALSO, RAGE INDUCING.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Episode 215 - Glyph Hanger
Hey, it's an Adam episode! Sadly, it sucks.
We begin at the stunt show, and man, I approve of that SO HARD. The theme of this stunt show is apparently ancient Egypt, so we've moved on from Grease. We briefly wonder if this time the stunt show cast will be convinced that they're the Pharaoh's guards, but no such luck. Instead, we find out that Divatox used to date some monster named Pharaoh (who is sadly not a Goa'uld) who has the same staff that is used at the stunt show. Divatox calls up her ex, who owes her a favor, and he goes to plant a detonator at the stunt show. Adam confuses the monster's staff for the one used at the stunt show, and takes the monster's staff home. It turns all writing into hieroglyphics.
I don't know why Adam apparently builds his own props for the stunt show. I guess they should hold a fundraiser or a martial arts expo or something, because this town is cheap.
One important thing - Pharaoh gets beaten up by some children. I know they're trying to make the monsters less scary or something, but that's just pathetic.
After all the writing is turning into hieroglyphics AND Piranhatrons have stolen back the monster's staff AND some old guy from the stunt show returns Adam's actual staff to him the Rangers figure out something is wrong and go to the stunt show. There's a "comical" sequence where the old guy proves he knows all the items at the show, and they figure out that the detonator is a pyramid. But before Adam can blow it up with a cannon monsters show up, and there's a fight, and then the monster grows, and if Divatox's big plan was to make children cry by blowing up the amusement park, why doesn't she just have a monster step on it?
The fight lasts a long while, so we get a night!Zord battle, which was pretty great.
Oh, and Bulk and Skull monkeys thought that they could tell their story by painting it on the side of the Youth Center. Monkey paintings are pretty awesome.
Fish: 4. Nothing about this makes any sense.
Covered in: Lt. Stone is covered in paint
We begin at the stunt show, and man, I approve of that SO HARD. The theme of this stunt show is apparently ancient Egypt, so we've moved on from Grease. We briefly wonder if this time the stunt show cast will be convinced that they're the Pharaoh's guards, but no such luck. Instead, we find out that Divatox used to date some monster named Pharaoh (who is sadly not a Goa'uld) who has the same staff that is used at the stunt show. Divatox calls up her ex, who owes her a favor, and he goes to plant a detonator at the stunt show. Adam confuses the monster's staff for the one used at the stunt show, and takes the monster's staff home. It turns all writing into hieroglyphics.
I don't know why Adam apparently builds his own props for the stunt show. I guess they should hold a fundraiser or a martial arts expo or something, because this town is cheap.
One important thing - Pharaoh gets beaten up by some children. I know they're trying to make the monsters less scary or something, but that's just pathetic.
After all the writing is turning into hieroglyphics AND Piranhatrons have stolen back the monster's staff AND some old guy from the stunt show returns Adam's actual staff to him the Rangers figure out something is wrong and go to the stunt show. There's a "comical" sequence where the old guy proves he knows all the items at the show, and they figure out that the detonator is a pyramid. But before Adam can blow it up with a cannon monsters show up, and there's a fight, and then the monster grows, and if Divatox's big plan was to make children cry by blowing up the amusement park, why doesn't she just have a monster step on it?
The fight lasts a long while, so we get a night!Zord battle, which was pretty great.
Oh, and Bulk and Skull monkeys thought that they could tell their story by painting it on the side of the Youth Center. Monkey paintings are pretty awesome.
Fish: 4. Nothing about this makes any sense.
Covered in: Lt. Stone is covered in paint
Episode 214- The Whole Lie
Is there a good episode of Turbo? I mean, a really good episode? I'm beginning to doubt it.
So there's a car wash. They're trying to raise money to support the Angel Grove baseball team. Hey, it's a sport that isn't martial arts! In Angel Grove! No wonder they need a fundraiser. Justin spies something odd and goes to investigate. He finds Porto, who gives him the best nickname ever that we shall use forever and ever. He calls him the Littlest Ranger and zaps him with some kind of ray gun that forces him to tell lies.
Kat, clearly needing a book on free range parenting, gets all worried because the TWELVE YEAR OLD has wandered off on his own. He's 12. He's not 2. He is perfectly capable of being off by himself. She finds him just as Porto is leaving and asks if anything is wrong. Seeing as Justin can't tell the truth, he tells her he's fine and nothing unusual is going on.
When he lies, a piranatron appears. Kat and Justin fight (unmorphed! Yay! I missed those) and then return to the car wash. Justin continues to lie and Kat is worried about him, so she talks to Tanya. This plan would be much better if he was only lying about certain things, not everything. It's really easy to pick out something is wrong when he lies about stuff they KNOW to be true. Divatox seems pleased with the progress of her plan, however, and Elgar is fighting an octopus with really really long tentacles. He's completely wrapped up. She doesn't seem to care.
Concerned, Tanya and Kat take Justin to Demetria. She is... less than helpful. Justin lies again and a single piranatron shows up at the car wash. Adam is there to fight it off, but for some reason he needs to morph. Tanya and Kat go to help him out, just in time for a monster to show up. Justin stays behind. He's concerned about breaking the spell while the others fall under the same spell.
Tommy, meanwhile, is in the racing footage from the first episode and does not respond to his communicator. He is useless... until he decides he really ought to listen and goes to fight, only to fall under the lying spell as well.
Demetria asks Justin a question upon which he answers truthfully and suddenly the spell is broken. He morphs and asks the others a question, which they also answer truthfully and the spell is broken on them as well. So. A spell that makes it impossible for them to tell the truth can only be broken by telling the truth? And somehow they're able to do this without any trouble, without any concentration, without even any trickery involved? That... is the dumbest lie ray ever.
The monster grows, though how Elgar fired the torpedoes while being sucked out the porthole by the long-tentacled octopus is anybody's guess. They fight. They win. It's very boring.
Back at the Youth Center, Justin promises to never ever lie again. It's not like you could help it, kid! Lt. Stone asks Justin, Kat, and Tanya to try a new juice blend smoothie. They taste it, but it's vile. Lt. Stone asks Justin's opinion, being sure to spell out that he knows Justin would never lie to him, and so Justin tells him it's bad. The others agree. He blames the chimpanzees who then manage to cover him in smoothie. Justin once again reiterates how bad it is to lie, and how people really do want the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth at all times. I think we get the point, show.
4 fish. 4 really old sat-out-in-the-sun fish. Ew.
Covered in food: Lt. Stone in juice blend/smoothie.
So there's a car wash. They're trying to raise money to support the Angel Grove baseball team. Hey, it's a sport that isn't martial arts! In Angel Grove! No wonder they need a fundraiser. Justin spies something odd and goes to investigate. He finds Porto, who gives him the best nickname ever that we shall use forever and ever. He calls him the Littlest Ranger and zaps him with some kind of ray gun that forces him to tell lies.
Kat, clearly needing a book on free range parenting, gets all worried because the TWELVE YEAR OLD has wandered off on his own. He's 12. He's not 2. He is perfectly capable of being off by himself. She finds him just as Porto is leaving and asks if anything is wrong. Seeing as Justin can't tell the truth, he tells her he's fine and nothing unusual is going on.
When he lies, a piranatron appears. Kat and Justin fight (unmorphed! Yay! I missed those) and then return to the car wash. Justin continues to lie and Kat is worried about him, so she talks to Tanya. This plan would be much better if he was only lying about certain things, not everything. It's really easy to pick out something is wrong when he lies about stuff they KNOW to be true. Divatox seems pleased with the progress of her plan, however, and Elgar is fighting an octopus with really really long tentacles. He's completely wrapped up. She doesn't seem to care.
Concerned, Tanya and Kat take Justin to Demetria. She is... less than helpful. Justin lies again and a single piranatron shows up at the car wash. Adam is there to fight it off, but for some reason he needs to morph. Tanya and Kat go to help him out, just in time for a monster to show up. Justin stays behind. He's concerned about breaking the spell while the others fall under the same spell.
Tommy, meanwhile, is in the racing footage from the first episode and does not respond to his communicator. He is useless... until he decides he really ought to listen and goes to fight, only to fall under the lying spell as well.
Demetria asks Justin a question upon which he answers truthfully and suddenly the spell is broken. He morphs and asks the others a question, which they also answer truthfully and the spell is broken on them as well. So. A spell that makes it impossible for them to tell the truth can only be broken by telling the truth? And somehow they're able to do this without any trouble, without any concentration, without even any trickery involved? That... is the dumbest lie ray ever.
The monster grows, though how Elgar fired the torpedoes while being sucked out the porthole by the long-tentacled octopus is anybody's guess. They fight. They win. It's very boring.
Back at the Youth Center, Justin promises to never ever lie again. It's not like you could help it, kid! Lt. Stone asks Justin, Kat, and Tanya to try a new juice blend smoothie. They taste it, but it's vile. Lt. Stone asks Justin's opinion, being sure to spell out that he knows Justin would never lie to him, and so Justin tells him it's bad. The others agree. He blames the chimpanzees who then manage to cover him in smoothie. Justin once again reiterates how bad it is to lie, and how people really do want the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth at all times. I think we get the point, show.
4 fish. 4 really old sat-out-in-the-sun fish. Ew.
Covered in food: Lt. Stone in juice blend/smoothie.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Episode 213 - Bicycle Built for the Blues
Oh hey! It's Justin's birthday! We.... should have delayed this episode, but both of us have blocked out forgotten most of Turbo, or else we would totally have watched this next week.
The Rangers are plotting a surprise party for Justin, and I'm going to use this as an excuse to rant about how much I hate surprise parties. Mostly the ones that have the "and we're going to pretend all day that nothing special is going on" variety, but I guess they haven't learned anything from Zack's surprise party so long ago.
Divatox figures she'll give Justin a special gift too, and sends a bike that turns into a detonator that will explode after he bikes 25 miles. Justin (who is sad because the Rangers are all ignoring him/won't let him into the garage) assumes the bike is from his dad, and is apparently superglued to it instantly or something because he doesn't stop peddling/jump off the bike/crash into a tree like he should.
After all the Rangers leave the party set up because Dimitria actually noticed something was going on (SHOCKING) monkey!Bulk and Skull throw their own party, complete with a "Hey, hey, we're the monkees!" joke. I APPROVE.
While Tommy chases around the MOTW (named Big Burpa. Seriously) Adam, Kat and Tanya just stand there. Then they join in and chase after it some more. Then there's some more chase scenes. Justin still fails to crash into a tree. Oh, and the bike floats. When they suggest Justin stop peddling, he acts like he never thought of that, but yeah, he can't due to magic.
So Tommy summons his ZORD which starts driving and Tommy perches on the car and knocks Justin off the bike. Who was driving the Zord? If Justin was superglued to the bike, wouldn't that have seriously hurt? Who came up with this stupid plot???
They morph and fight the monster and it's really boring. Then everyone heads back to the garage, and aww, Justin's party is happening, and there's actually a bunch of kids! I guess the other people from the shelter? Bulk and Skull give Justin a banana. Justin is still sad, because his dad isn't there.
Except then his dad shows up for the party. And look, we totally understand having a breakdown after losing the wife - that makes sense. But he seems to be fairly recovered now, so why is he still leaving Justin in the shelter?
Justin needs ALL THE HUGS.
(Congrats, Justin, it only took a movie and 8 episodes to win us both over.)
Fish: 3.5 JUST JUMP OFF THE DAMN BIKE.
The Rangers are plotting a surprise party for Justin, and I'm going to use this as an excuse to rant about how much I hate surprise parties. Mostly the ones that have the "and we're going to pretend all day that nothing special is going on" variety, but I guess they haven't learned anything from Zack's surprise party so long ago.
Divatox figures she'll give Justin a special gift too, and sends a bike that turns into a detonator that will explode after he bikes 25 miles. Justin (who is sad because the Rangers are all ignoring him/won't let him into the garage) assumes the bike is from his dad, and is apparently superglued to it instantly or something because he doesn't stop peddling/jump off the bike/crash into a tree like he should.
After all the Rangers leave the party set up because Dimitria actually noticed something was going on (SHOCKING) monkey!Bulk and Skull throw their own party, complete with a "Hey, hey, we're the monkees!" joke. I APPROVE.
While Tommy chases around the MOTW (named Big Burpa. Seriously) Adam, Kat and Tanya just stand there. Then they join in and chase after it some more. Then there's some more chase scenes. Justin still fails to crash into a tree. Oh, and the bike floats. When they suggest Justin stop peddling, he acts like he never thought of that, but yeah, he can't due to magic.
So Tommy summons his ZORD which starts driving and Tommy perches on the car and knocks Justin off the bike. Who was driving the Zord? If Justin was superglued to the bike, wouldn't that have seriously hurt? Who came up with this stupid plot???
They morph and fight the monster and it's really boring. Then everyone heads back to the garage, and aww, Justin's party is happening, and there's actually a bunch of kids! I guess the other people from the shelter? Bulk and Skull give Justin a banana. Justin is still sad, because his dad isn't there.
Except then his dad shows up for the party. And look, we totally understand having a breakdown after losing the wife - that makes sense. But he seems to be fairly recovered now, so why is he still leaving Justin in the shelter?
Justin needs ALL THE HUGS.
(Congrats, Justin, it only took a movie and 8 episodes to win us both over.)
Fish: 3.5 JUST JUMP OFF THE DAMN BIKE.
Episode 212- Built For Speed
It's an Adam episode! It's... a really bad Adam episode.
So apparently the radio station is putting on some play/stunt show/thing. It's set in the 1950's and has cast a bunch of local teens in the stunt show. All the bad kids apparently also had to play the bad kids in the wild west show. And every other show. They're totally typecast and not at all happy about it. So a fight ensues and Tanya gets all mad they went off script. Apparently this happens a lot because the two groups cannot get along. Outside, they challenge each other to a drag race. Adam tries to talk them out of it.
Guys, it's just a play! But they wear clothes in the stereotypical "bad boy" 1950's style and they drive 1950's cars and they apparently really are like that or something? Is Angel Grove stuck in a time warp or something? THIS MAKES NO SENSE.
Meanwhile, some super speedy racer monster has planted a super small detonator on one of the cars. Adam chases him and manages to blow him up. Porto made a second one, however, and they all have to go fight it. They did a really BAD job of splicing the Japanese footage with the US footage. It looks like a completely different show set in a completely different country BECAUSE IT IS. Adam blows up the guy again. And then they have to fight him again and Tommy shows a stunning moment of character development, however brief, by allowed Adam to take charge and destroy the monster for good.
At the drag race: Bulk and Skull hide in the back of the cars in hopes to bring attention to themselves. As the drag racers manage to head off towards the cliff, the chimpanzees cover their eyes and they go right off the edge. Luckily the Megazord is there to catch them... except at those speeds and that sudden a stop, there would have been MAJOR damage to both cars and people. Adam gets rid of the detonator in the car and lectures the kids about drag racing. They apologize to each other once back on solid ground. Lt. Stone shows up to get the chimps and actually starts to think they might be Bulk and Skull, except they drive off in his car before he can say so.
5 fish. What the hell is up with the stupid time warp going on????
So apparently the radio station is putting on some play/stunt show/thing. It's set in the 1950's and has cast a bunch of local teens in the stunt show. All the bad kids apparently also had to play the bad kids in the wild west show. And every other show. They're totally typecast and not at all happy about it. So a fight ensues and Tanya gets all mad they went off script. Apparently this happens a lot because the two groups cannot get along. Outside, they challenge each other to a drag race. Adam tries to talk them out of it.
Guys, it's just a play! But they wear clothes in the stereotypical "bad boy" 1950's style and they drive 1950's cars and they apparently really are like that or something? Is Angel Grove stuck in a time warp or something? THIS MAKES NO SENSE.
Meanwhile, some super speedy racer monster has planted a super small detonator on one of the cars. Adam chases him and manages to blow him up. Porto made a second one, however, and they all have to go fight it. They did a really BAD job of splicing the Japanese footage with the US footage. It looks like a completely different show set in a completely different country BECAUSE IT IS. Adam blows up the guy again. And then they have to fight him again and Tommy shows a stunning moment of character development, however brief, by allowed Adam to take charge and destroy the monster for good.
At the drag race: Bulk and Skull hide in the back of the cars in hopes to bring attention to themselves. As the drag racers manage to head off towards the cliff, the chimpanzees cover their eyes and they go right off the edge. Luckily the Megazord is there to catch them... except at those speeds and that sudden a stop, there would have been MAJOR damage to both cars and people. Adam gets rid of the detonator in the car and lectures the kids about drag racing. They apologize to each other once back on solid ground. Lt. Stone shows up to get the chimps and actually starts to think they might be Bulk and Skull, except they drive off in his car before he can say so.
5 fish. What the hell is up with the stupid time warp going on????
Episode 211- Rally Ranger
Justin is in a boxcar derby! Justin has angst! I... actually like Justin this episode! Will wonders never cease?
So there is a Tiny!Bully named Warren. He chases Justin off the track in a practice race. I have a thing for boxcar derbys. Just sayin. Justin's car is ruined. It gives him a sad, especially when Evil Warren comes up and taunts him.
Meanwhile, Porto is trying to fix a detonator. Divatox is mean to him, unsurprisingly. Porto, fed up with his evil genius being unappreciated and abused, decides he's going to leave. Good for you, Porto! You have my support.
Back at the garage, Tommy is creepy with little boys. He gives Justin a pep talk that, at that age, would have had me rolling my eyes and crying "You don't know what it's like!". Justin doesn't want to be smart, he doesn't want to be different. He just wants to fit in. I know how you feel, kid. Tommy's talk inspires him and TSB and I decide Justin really really REALLY needs to meet Billy. They'd have a lot to talk about. Billy would totally be a better mentor to him than Tommy. Justin's little boy angst and little boy sad!face make me want to snuggle him and bake him cookies and read him a book on physics.
He gets permission to work on his car all night long and ends up falling asleep in the garage. The rangers are creepy and watching him sleep before he finally wakes up and fakes them out. He makes them think he didn't finish in time, when instead he actually used that massive brain and built a whole new, better car instead. Off to the races! Where Lt. Stone is totally trying to up sell his smoothies. He sounds kind of desperate, actually.
Elgar has managed to use his protective fish shield and fix the detonator Porto was working on before he left. He places it on Evil Warren's car. Meanwhile, Porto is off trying to impress Divatox by blowing up the city. He makes himself grow instead. The rangers are called just as the race is about to start. Look, derby races take all of about a minute. Justin could totally have stayed and completed the race and then joined the others! But no, he has to leave, and Evil Warren calls him a chicken. While wearing black leather and a jaunty ascot. How much do I love that Evil Warren wears a jaunty ascot? A lot. I am filled with glee.
So they go fight Porto. They don't get very far, though, because Elgar pinpoints his location and they call him back to Divatox's ship. He's not terribly happy to go.
Justin gets to go back to the race just in time to see that Elgar's detonator did sort of blow up and sent Evil Warren's boxcar careening out of control. Justin's new boxcar is fast enough that, despite being a few minutes late to the race, can not only pass the others, but get ahead of Evil Warren. He reassures Warren he can slow him down. His plan is actually pretty good! He gets in front of Warren and slowly applies his brake, allowing his car to slow down Warren's car, until they both glide to a gentle stop. Good thinking, Justin!
Evil Warren thanks Justin, apologizes for being a bully, says he was just jealous of Justin's massive intellect, makes moony eyes, and then WINKS AT HIM. Evil Warren is totally boy-crushing on Justin. We decide that in 3 years time they date. But only for a little while, because then Justin meets Fred. ;)
Bulk and Skull, still in chimpanzee form, attempt to get noticed. They manage to spill Lt. Stone's smoothies all over some random pageant lady. She gets mad, dumps a smoothie on Lt. Stone, and everybody laughs. Nobody notices Bulk and Skull are STILL missing. WORST FRIENDS EVER.
2 fish. Good lord, this was a really low fish episode, especially for Turbo!
So there is a Tiny!Bully named Warren. He chases Justin off the track in a practice race. I have a thing for boxcar derbys. Just sayin. Justin's car is ruined. It gives him a sad, especially when Evil Warren comes up and taunts him.
Meanwhile, Porto is trying to fix a detonator. Divatox is mean to him, unsurprisingly. Porto, fed up with his evil genius being unappreciated and abused, decides he's going to leave. Good for you, Porto! You have my support.
Back at the garage, Tommy is creepy with little boys. He gives Justin a pep talk that, at that age, would have had me rolling my eyes and crying "You don't know what it's like!". Justin doesn't want to be smart, he doesn't want to be different. He just wants to fit in. I know how you feel, kid. Tommy's talk inspires him and TSB and I decide Justin really really REALLY needs to meet Billy. They'd have a lot to talk about. Billy would totally be a better mentor to him than Tommy. Justin's little boy angst and little boy sad!face make me want to snuggle him and bake him cookies and read him a book on physics.
He gets permission to work on his car all night long and ends up falling asleep in the garage. The rangers are creepy and watching him sleep before he finally wakes up and fakes them out. He makes them think he didn't finish in time, when instead he actually used that massive brain and built a whole new, better car instead. Off to the races! Where Lt. Stone is totally trying to up sell his smoothies. He sounds kind of desperate, actually.
Elgar has managed to use his protective fish shield and fix the detonator Porto was working on before he left. He places it on Evil Warren's car. Meanwhile, Porto is off trying to impress Divatox by blowing up the city. He makes himself grow instead. The rangers are called just as the race is about to start. Look, derby races take all of about a minute. Justin could totally have stayed and completed the race and then joined the others! But no, he has to leave, and Evil Warren calls him a chicken. While wearing black leather and a jaunty ascot. How much do I love that Evil Warren wears a jaunty ascot? A lot. I am filled with glee.
So they go fight Porto. They don't get very far, though, because Elgar pinpoints his location and they call him back to Divatox's ship. He's not terribly happy to go.
Justin gets to go back to the race just in time to see that Elgar's detonator did sort of blow up and sent Evil Warren's boxcar careening out of control. Justin's new boxcar is fast enough that, despite being a few minutes late to the race, can not only pass the others, but get ahead of Evil Warren. He reassures Warren he can slow him down. His plan is actually pretty good! He gets in front of Warren and slowly applies his brake, allowing his car to slow down Warren's car, until they both glide to a gentle stop. Good thinking, Justin!
Evil Warren thanks Justin, apologizes for being a bully, says he was just jealous of Justin's massive intellect, makes moony eyes, and then WINKS AT HIM. Evil Warren is totally boy-crushing on Justin. We decide that in 3 years time they date. But only for a little while, because then Justin meets Fred. ;)
Bulk and Skull, still in chimpanzee form, attempt to get noticed. They manage to spill Lt. Stone's smoothies all over some random pageant lady. She gets mad, dumps a smoothie on Lt. Stone, and everybody laughs. Nobody notices Bulk and Skull are STILL missing. WORST FRIENDS EVER.
2 fish. Good lord, this was a really low fish episode, especially for Turbo!
Episode 210 - Transmission Impossible
So, as previously mentioned, Tanya's summer job is working as a DJ on KAGV radio. She's actually fairly good at it, and she has her own show and everything, instead of just doing the usual intern hell where you just bring someone coffee or whatever. Kat comes to visit her at work (and wow, the clothes are really bad this episode) and somehow the radio station picks up a transmission from some alien who wants to contact Dimitria.
Let me get this straight. Angel Grove's radio station can pick up the signal, but Dimitria didn't pick it up? That is... man, I miss Zordon. Let's just leave it at that.
Divatox decides that if this signal is so important to Dimitria, then she's going to capture the guy before Dimitria can hear the message. She's also going to plant a detonator at the radio station. Oh, and the monkeys figure that if they can get on the radio, everyone will hear their explanations and the Rangers will help them turn back into humans.
Kat is all ready to run off to the Power Chamber, but Tanya is stuck at work. I guess missing class was ok, but missing work is not. Adam is also at the Power Chamber, doing the tech stuff, because he's awesome. Dimitria manages to contact the guy (Visceron) who is from her home planet, but unlike her, he doesn't have to phrase everything in the form of a question. I like him better than Dimitria already. He has important news for Dimitria, but he's afraid someone else is listening, so he can't tell her until he gets to Earth. Of course, Divatox promptly kidnaps him by tractor beaming him from warp? Fiiiiiiiiiiiish. And then she decides to break him by having Porto brainwash him with a water gun and make him do the dishes. I wish I was making this up. (I also wish I could brainwash someone to do the dishes.)
Tanya is still at the station, and her Turbo Navigator picks up the detonator, but she can't leave and for some stupid reason she can't contact the Power Chamber. (I refuse to believe that the radio station could block their signal. That is STUPID.) So instead, she just assumes that they're listening to her radio show at the Power Chamber, and dedicates a song to the power rangers called "I need you now" and drops a hint about it being the bomb, and the others figure it out. Oh, and Kat gets to say Shift Into Turbo instead of Adam. I approve.
Adam, Tommy and Justin handle Pirahnatrons while Kat goes to get Tanya, who is just pacing back and forth instead of doing something. Then she puts on a really long song so she can go join the others. And.... she didn't just do that before? Whatever.
Visceron has been turned into a monster, and they fight him, and he eventually ends up with the detonator, which explodes in a small enough space that only he is affected. Then he turns back into Visceron, and all of the Rangers feel really bad. But don't worry, because Dimitria saves him with the power of love.
He wakes up, and tells Dimitria her records have been altered and she has a twin sister. Apparently, power Rangers, REALLY likes the long lost sibling trope. This is the second time we've had it, and it's not going to be the last.
Anyway, Tanya forgot about her job, but don't worry, her job is safe becausethe manager knows she's a Ranger the manager thinks its really funny that the monkeys were DJing. Bulk and Skull just saved Tanya's job.
Fish: 3.5 SPACE DOES NOT WORK LIKE THAT. Also, Tanya is not going to forget her job.
Let me get this straight. Angel Grove's radio station can pick up the signal, but Dimitria didn't pick it up? That is... man, I miss Zordon. Let's just leave it at that.
Divatox decides that if this signal is so important to Dimitria, then she's going to capture the guy before Dimitria can hear the message. She's also going to plant a detonator at the radio station. Oh, and the monkeys figure that if they can get on the radio, everyone will hear their explanations and the Rangers will help them turn back into humans.
Kat is all ready to run off to the Power Chamber, but Tanya is stuck at work. I guess missing class was ok, but missing work is not. Adam is also at the Power Chamber, doing the tech stuff, because he's awesome. Dimitria manages to contact the guy (Visceron) who is from her home planet, but unlike her, he doesn't have to phrase everything in the form of a question. I like him better than Dimitria already. He has important news for Dimitria, but he's afraid someone else is listening, so he can't tell her until he gets to Earth. Of course, Divatox promptly kidnaps him by tractor beaming him from warp? Fiiiiiiiiiiiish. And then she decides to break him by having Porto brainwash him with a water gun and make him do the dishes. I wish I was making this up. (I also wish I could brainwash someone to do the dishes.)
Tanya is still at the station, and her Turbo Navigator picks up the detonator, but she can't leave and for some stupid reason she can't contact the Power Chamber. (I refuse to believe that the radio station could block their signal. That is STUPID.) So instead, she just assumes that they're listening to her radio show at the Power Chamber, and dedicates a song to the power rangers called "I need you now" and drops a hint about it being the bomb, and the others figure it out. Oh, and Kat gets to say Shift Into Turbo instead of Adam. I approve.
Adam, Tommy and Justin handle Pirahnatrons while Kat goes to get Tanya, who is just pacing back and forth instead of doing something. Then she puts on a really long song so she can go join the others. And.... she didn't just do that before? Whatever.
Visceron has been turned into a monster, and they fight him, and he eventually ends up with the detonator, which explodes in a small enough space that only he is affected. Then he turns back into Visceron, and all of the Rangers feel really bad. But don't worry, because Dimitria saves him with the power of love.
He wakes up, and tells Dimitria her records have been altered and she has a twin sister. Apparently, power Rangers, REALLY likes the long lost sibling trope. This is the second time we've had it, and it's not going to be the last.
Anyway, Tanya forgot about her job, but don't worry, her job is safe because
Fish: 3.5 SPACE DOES NOT WORK LIKE THAT. Also, Tanya is not going to forget her job.
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