Courtesy: Saban/Fox/Shout! Factory
Saban’s cult favorite franchise Beetleborgs has at last come to its finale. That is because Shout! Factory, the leading name in home entertainment, recently released the final volume of episodes from the one-time Fox Kids series in the form of Beetleborgs Metallix: Season Two Volume Two. The series never did exactly receive a proper sendoff at the end of its second season in its original run on TV. That aside, it is no less enjoyable for fans that grew up with the short-lived series. Regardless of their familiarity with the series, audiences will find that the main reason for the success of these episodes is the work of the series’ writers. Unlike its more well-known counterpart Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, the writing that went into Beetleborgs was far more kid friendly. It lacked the martial arts action that was the centerpiece of the Power Rangers franchise and focused more on comedy and camp. That is just as evident in the episodes presented in this final volume of episodes as Shout! Factory’s previous Beetleborg’s box sets. The work of the show’s cast is just worth noting in regards to these episodes as the work of the show’s writers. The special effects that continued to be incorporated into the series in these episodes should be noted, too in terms of what makes them so enjoyable. They are very similar to those used throughout the early days of the Power Rangers. But because the show in general had a different format than that of Power Rangers, the special effects were able to take more of a spotlight. All three elements each play their own key part in the success and enjoyment of Beetleborgs Metallix: Season Two Volume Two. Together they make the triple-disc box set in whole one that every kid and kid at heart will want to add to their personal library regardless of their familiarity with this cult favorite series.
The final volume of episodes from Saban’s cult favorite series Beetleborgs is a collection that any kid and kid at heart will want to add to their personal library now that it is available on DVD. The main reason that viewers of all ages will want to add this collection to their personal libraries is its writing. While these episodes continued to incorporate much of the same action elements used in its more well-known counterpart in the Power Rangers, the writing incorporated into this series was far more kid friendly. There was no real martial arts action in the battle scenes. It was more blatantly fun, campy material with over the top special effects. Even outside of the battle scenes, what audiences got was far more kid friendly. There was no teen or even pre-teen angst unlike in the Power Rangers. That is evident as the writers continued to focus on the kids’ friendhip with Flabber and his monster pals. Speaking of the monsters, their continued buffoonery makes for plenty of laughs for audiences of all ages. From Flabber using a metal detector on them to find out which one might have stolen the astral coins to Count Fangula serving as Wolfgang’s lawyer as the pair negotiates to let Wolfgang help the Beetleborgs to their own back and forth with one another from episode to episode, they give audiences plenty of opportunities to laugh. That is just part of what makes the writing so pivotal to this volume. The actual stories that were crafted for the episodes in this volume should be noted, too.
The stories presented in Beetleborgs Metallix: Season Two Volume Two are just as key to the set’s enjoyment as the more extraneous elements of the show’s writing in this volume. While the general effect of Beetleborgs remained in these episodes far more kid friendly than in Power Rangers, the stories presented in the episodes were very familiar to those of Power Rangers, stylistically speaking. Case in point the multi-episode arc that saw the Beetleborgs have to retrieve the Astral Sword and coins so as to maintain control of the Roboborg and keep Nukus from controlling it for his evil plans. The arc in question kicks off in the back-end of the set’s first disc and takes up the set’s second and third disc. What really makes this final story arc so interesting is that unlike with the Power Rangers’ story arcs, audiences aren’t left with constant cliffhangers. Each episode managed to remain its own stand-alone episode all while advancing the story each time. In an odd way, it serves as an example of the serial done right well before serials became the norm. And even though it al built up to a finale that essentially left things wide open, the build up to that point still proves a success. It’s one more reason that audiences will appreciate this collection of episodes and will in turn want to add it to their own personal DVD libraries.
The work of the writers behind Beetleborgs gives viewers plenty to enjoy in its final collection of episodes. Its more kid friendly elements continue to maintain its identity apart from the likes of Power Rangers and other similar series that were being churned out at the time. On the other hand, the stories that were crafted for these episodes are very much like those of the series’ “big brother.” There are even coins very much like the original Power Rangers’ “Power Coins” that lie at the center of the series’ final story arc. Speaking of that arc, its progression is never met with any cliffhangers from one episode to the next. That is entirely different from the story arcs used in the Power Rangers’ original episodes. Yet again audiences see the writers’ ability to give viewers something familiar without making Beetleborgs a blatant carbon copy of Power Rangers and other similar series on TV at the time. Together with the episodes’ more kid friendly, comic elements the balance used in the crafting of this volume’s episodes shows clearly why the writers’ work is so important to the overall enjoyment of each episode.
The work put in by Beetleborgs’ writers proves throughout the series’ final collection of episodes to be of the utmost importance to its enjoyment even years after their original run. Their work is just one part of what makes the final volume of episodes from Saban’s Beetleborgs so enjoyable for audiences of all ages. The work of the show’s cast plays just as important a role in making this volume enjoyable. That is especially the case with Flabber and his monster pals. Billy Forester’s Robin Williams-esque approach to Flabber is just as entertaining as it was in the series’ first episodes. Joe Hackett, Frank Addella, and Blake Torney conjure thoughts of The Three Stooges at some points with their buffoonery. One can’t deny the laughs that David Fletcher offers as Frankenbeans, too. Even Marshal Hilton entertains with his entirely outlandish and over the top take on Lester Fortunes. His is a type of acting that has been mimicked many times since by so many other grown up actors that star in kids’ shows. One could potentially even argue that his acting was, maybe not groundbreaking per se, but definitely original for its time. Together with the work of his cast mates, the group in whole keeps audiences laughing and watching from beginning to end, proving yet again the importance of the cast’s work in these final episodes of Beetleborgs Metallix. Their work coupled with that of the show’s writers shows even more why audiences of all ages will want to add Beetleborgs Metallix: Season Two Volume Two to their own home libraries.
The work of the writers behind Beetleborgs and that of the series’ cast in the show’s final volume of episodes shows in so many ways what makes this volume so enjoyable for audiences of all ages. For all of their significance, the noted elements are only part of what makes Season Two Volume Two so enjoyable. The special effects and stock footage used throughout these episodes play their own role in the episodes’ enjoyment. The stock footage used in these episodes was lifted right from the series’ Japanese counterpart B-Fighter Kabuto. It is not the first time that the series had used stock footage, as it also lifted from Juukou B-Fighter for the series’ first season. It is also the same sort of approach used by Saban for its Power Rangers installments early on. Even being a similar approach, there is still something about it that makes the episodes that much more fun. The use of the seemingly intentionally campy special effects adds even more enjoyment. Whether it be Flabber getting the magic “knocked out of him” at one point, Mums spinning his head around to relieve tension in his neck at another, Count Fangula switching between his bat form and human form, or even Nukus bringing Les’ drawings to life, there is just something entertaining about the overly campy nature of these effects. These are just a handful of examples of the extensive campy special effects utilized throughout the final episodes of Beetleborgs. There are plenty of others that audiences will enjoy time and again when they purchase this box set. In seeing them, audiences will agree that when coupled with the use of the stock footage from B-Fighter Kabuto, both elements together complete Beetleborgs Metallix: Season Two Volume Two. Set along with the work of the show’s writers and that of its cast, all three elements make Beetleborgs Metallix: Season Two Volume Two a fully welcome addition to the library of any of the show’s original fans and those of the show’s new fans.
Beetleborgs Metallix: Season Two Volume Two shows in a number of ways to be a fitting final sendoff for what was one of the most underrated of Saban’s sci-fi/fantasy series. The writing used in this collection’s episodes continue a standard established in each of the series’ previous volumes. It is a standard that gave audiences a series with a look and feel similar to that of Power Rangers but still managed to establish its own identity at the same time. The work of the series’ cast in these episodes makes Season Two Volume Two all the more enjoyable because of the laughs that it offers audiences of all ages. The show’s use of stock footage and apparently intentionally campy special effects adds even more enjoyment to each episode. The stock footage helped to establish that familiarity among audiences while the special effects made for their own share of laughs and in turn help to establish the show’s identity even more. All three elements alone play their own important part to the whole of Beetleborgs Metallix: Season Two Volume Two. Collectively they make this final set of episodes from Beetleborgs one that viewers of all ages will want to have in their own home libraries so that they can enjoy them again and again. Beetleborgs Metallix: Season Two Volume Two is available now in stores and online. It can be ordered direct from Shout! Factory’s online store at https://www.shoutfactory.com/kids/kids-action-adventure/beetleborgs-metallix-season-two-vol-2. More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:
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