Episode 91 - When is a Ranger Not a Ranger?

I apologize in advance for how crazy this recap is. This episode was filled with fish, and also I got all the Sims 2 expansions, and it is entirely possible I feel the need the go build a new Adam/Rocky house. Like, immediately.

Anyway, this episode is filled with so many fish, and incredibly horrible science, but it is also the first Bulk and Skull are BIG DAMN HEROES moment, and I love them so much. SO MUCH.

So, we open in Ms. Applebee's classroom, where Adam is giving a report on kaleidoscopes. Apparently the Rangers are all in third grade. I'd point out that Angel Grove lacks quality education, but we knew that already. Besides, more importantly, Aisha is staring at Adam with a "damn, that boy is fine" expression on her face. I have my priorities when it comes to important things about this show. Ms. Applebee thanks Adam for his awesome report, and asks if anyone has any questions. Bulk and Skull raise their hands, and she sighs and asks if anyone has any intelligent questions, and we start raging about how she needs to be fired immediately as this is completely unacceptable behavior. Bulk says he has an intelligent question, and then asks something about a mountain, and Ms. Applebee asks if he has anything related to Adam's report, which he grumbles that he didn't understand. *bangs head on wall repeatedly* I used to teach high school, and this is just causing me to rage.

So let's talk about happier things, like this plot. On the list of tropes I love, convenient plot-related amnesia is probably up there toward the top of the list. And Zedd is fascinated by Adam's kaleidoscope and decides he will turn it into a monster that will make the Rangers forget who they are. \o/ So barely two minutes into the episode, he sends Putties down to fight the Ranger Trio (Kim/Billy/Tommy) and there is a really awesome fight until the monster is created. Oh noes, the three of them now have amnesia.

You guys, I want all the fic in the world about this. Amnesiac!Kimberly thinks Tommy is creepy and she's dating Billy! Tommy's evil personality reasserts itself! People trying to make them remember things! This should TOTALLY HAPPEN. And yes that deserves the caps.

Back at the Youth Center, Bulk and Skull are preparing a camouflage outfit thing so that they can spy on the Power Rangers. Rocky hypnotizes them, and seriously? The Stone Canyon Trio have only known Bulk and Skull for like, 30 seconds, so they need to stop picking up the worst habits of the old Rangers.

Zordon summons the Stone Canyon Trio to the Command Center, and Zordon fills them in on what happens, and then sends them down to get the other three Rangers. Why they didn't just teleport the others to the Command Center, I have no idea. By this point Kimberly has decided that Billy is totally a brain, and Tommy thinks Kim is really pretty, and if I shipped Tommy/Kim at all I would think that is really sweet, but since I don't, I'm going to just ignore it.

Rocky is all leaderish, and seriously, why doesn't he get more to do? Because he needs more episodes about him, since he's awesome, and really good at taking command. Insert comment about how Adam enjoys that here. He then confirms that yes, Billy is a brain. Aisha then tells Kim that they're best friends and they go shopping together every day. Kimberly is all "What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I so shallow?" and I just want to give both girls a hug. Aisha is all "Oh God, how is Zedd that powerful?" and I flash back to Island of Illusion with Kim being all "Bulk and Skull nice? RITA WILL WIN."

Adam doesn't bother to tell Tommy anything. HA.

Adam tries to explain Zedd, and the Ranger Trio are all freaked out, and would probably have run away, except Zedd screws up his own plan by sending Goldar down, causing them to run to the Stone Canyon Trio. (Kim holds out her hand to Aisha and is all "best friends, right?" and it is actually really sweet.)

Back at the Command Center, it's like a flashback to the first episode! Billy and Kim both repeat their dialogue from Day of the Dumpster and we start flailing since we're exactly that dorky.

Then there's some absolutely horrible science, that I'm not going to even dignify with a mention in this recap, except to say that Adam comes up with the plan that maybe if they expose the monster's beam to a prism everyone will get their memories back. I couldn't make this shit up if I tried. So Adam and Billy go to Adam's lab, while the other four go to try to find the monster, and Aisha and Rocky morph in the process.

They teleport right in front of Bulk and Skull, and Bulk and Skull are so damn awesome. They're totally shocked, as is to be expected, and I have no idea what really happened, because we were too busy allcapsing about how awesome they are.

The monster shows up, and then Adam and Billy teleport back in, and Adam instantly gets memory wiped. Aisha and Rocky try to go get the prisms Adam dropped and yell about how that will save them, and then they lose their memories too.

AND THEN.

Bulk and Skull decide that They Will Not Let The Rangers Be Hurt. So they go FACE DOWN A MONSTER because they are THAT AWESOME and they get to the prisms and all the Rangers get their memories back, but Bulk and Skull lose their memories, and seriously, why is there not fic where they get to keep their memories? Also, how awesome are Bulk and Skull? SO AWESOME.

Anyway, the Rangers summon Zords and defeat the monster, and everyone is all happy, and then they tell Bulk and Skull that they saved them, and there is much flailing.

Back at the Youth Center, Bulk and Skull are trying to tell the story, and nobody believes them, and someone asks why the Power Rangers don't show up and give them credit. Which they should be doing. Instead, Kim and Aisha go over and tell Bulk and Skull that they believe them, and say really nice things about them, and there is more flailing. And then Bulk and Skull try to ask them out, and the girls turn them down very nicely.

If the science in this episode didn't suck so hard, it would be so awesome.

Fish: 4.5. SCIENCE DOES NOT WORK LIKE THAT.

Billy speak: "There is a margin of merit in your plan of action, but the likelihood of bettering our situation is..."
"a fully sentient multi-functional automaton"

Fic people need to write: Bulk and Skull keep their memories, and all sorts of amnesia hijinks.

Episode 41- A Pig Surprise

First, I'd like to apologize for this not being up yesterday. We were both incredibly busy and there was inclement weather which made internet not possible. So you're getting it today. And it's a Pudgy Pig episode! I LOVE Pudgy Pig. No rational reason why, I just do.

We start the episode with the ranger teens working at a pet adoption fair. They adopt out a bunny and puppy to children with no parents present (I shudder at the thought). Just as they are about to close up, an elderly woman comes up with a pig on a leash. She can't keep the pig and hopes they can find him a good home. His name is Norman. Kim is grossed out by him, but I just think he's the most adorable piggy ever. Dawwwww Norman.

We cut to Zack running through the forest, stopping long enough to check his watch. He's apparently very late. We suspect he's been taking lessons from Tommy. He stumbles across the old woman from before and she dances around and turns into a putty. He goes to attack, but the putty splits multiple times and Zack complains it's not a fair fight. It's never been unfair before, him versus multiple putties, but we won't complain too much because it makes for one awesome solo fight! He wins, picks up a spinny thing that fell on the ground, and then runs off.

Meanwhile, Bulk and Skull come running up to the pet adoption booth. They want a pet too! They want something cool and different. Trini hands them Norman's leash and they happily take him home. At school the following day, they're showing him off. They are so proud! It's great. Bulk tries to get Norman to do some tricks but Norman basically ignores him, so he says "Stand there and ignore me" which Norman does. It's pretty clever, actually.

Billy and Trini are in Billy's garage trying to figure out the spinny device. Zack walks up and he can't offer much help, but he's curious how it's going. Billy suddenly remembers Zack said it was dropped by a putty that was disguised as an old woman, and it they FINALLY put two and two together. Maybe this device has something to do with Norman! Golly, you think?

They race to school, which is still in session by the way, so they were skipping. Jason and Kim haven't seen Bulk and Skull, so Billy and Trini go back to his garage and the other three look for the pig. Zack finds Bulk and Skull in the Youth Center with Norman just as the timer on the spinny thing counts down to zero. Norman turns into Pudgy Pig and everybody runs screaming. Skull tries to get him to remember that they are his parents, but he just wants to eat Bulk's sandwich. Zack, meanwhile, just kind of stands there. He doesn't call for help. He doesn't use the communicator. He doesn't run off and morph. He just... stands there.

Pudgy Pig has the munchies, which must mean it's 4:20, and he disappears from the Youth Center to who knows where, in hopes of finding food. Zack finally contacts Zordon and he says the other rangers are at the Command Center waiting for him. Zack AND Zordon!Fail.

The rangers all morph and run off to fight Pudgy Pig. Hey, look, it's the SAME sentai footage from Food Fight. Nice to see you there, familiar sentai footage. It is pretty cute how Pudgy Pig just kind of sits on the ledge of the roof though. He's just chilling, hanging out, still with the munchies. He teleports away, though, because the rangers are harshing his squee.

They find him at a pig farm. They hide expertly behind a pile of baled hay (because nothing says covert like bright red, yellow, blue, black, and pink spandex!) and discover he's dancing! Why is he dancing? Why, because he's trying to impress a lady pig, of course! Pudgy Pig is in love and it's the most ADORABLE THING EVER. No, seriously. I spent a few minutes just going "Daawwwwwww" and irritating TSB. The rangers think Pudgy Pig/Norman and Lady Pig would make beautiful bacon together (which is kind of morbid, when you think about it) and then say Pudgy Pig MUST be Norman because Rita's monsters can't fall in love. Way to stereotype, guys! Monsters can fall in love! *grumble grumble*

Zordon contacts them and we discover it was all a distraction. Rita really planned to send Goldar down to demolish the city. He's currently crushing things left and right in downtown Angel Grove. So the Rangers go fight him but end up being attacked by Scorpina instead. Goldar threatens to squish them like the little bugs he thinks they are and so they summon the zords in a really long sequence. Way to be out of sentai footage, guys!

We are then treated to a really long Goldar/MegaZord fight, with lots and lots of Rita reaction shots. Meanwhile, they call for the Mega Sword, which is supposed to be Power Sword, and it actually took me a minute to figure out they were saying Mega SWORD and not Mega ZORD and... yeah. Anyway. Goldar is pulled back by Rita just as the Rangers are about to slice him with the sword.

A short while later, they head back to the pig farm where Pudgy Pig/Norman is still trying to woo the lady pig. She seems rather unimpressed. Billy has fixed the spinny device and uses it to turn Pudgy Pig/Norman back into just Norman the pig. Lady Pig is duly impressed. Farmer agrees to adopt Norman so they can make beautiful (creepy and morbid) bacon together.

At school the following day, we discover Ms. Applebee is ill so Principal Caplan will be teaching her class. They're going to learn about farm animals and we have to remind ourselves this is supposed to be high school. Principal Caplan brings in a pig and poor Bulk and Skull, traumatized from what happened to the last pig they hung out with, freak out and run away. Poor Bulk and Skull.

List time!

Fish: 2.5 because it could have been worse, but it could have been better. And it's the most adorable episode.

Billy speak: "I was able to recalibrate the transformer so if my calculations are correct, it should reverse the process with no harm to Norman"

Question to ponder: Where did Rita get Norman from in the first place?

Fic we want: Angel Grove guidance counselors dealing with weird fears of the students due to Rita's wacky hijinks. "I was attacked by a rubber duck monster! Now I'm terrified to take a bath!" I nominate TSB to write it. Because I have too many fics in the works to add another "mundane daily life of Angel Grove residents" to my list.