‘Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation’ Is An Interesting Piece Of ‘TMNT’ History

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Saban

Thirty two years ago Mirage Studios first introduced American audiences to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  The “heroes on the half shell” were created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.  In the years since their creation, Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo (and their rodent sensei Splinter) have gone on to become a worldwide phenomenon with various incarnations on both the silver screen and the small screen.  Some have been hugely popular such as the original 1987 animated series (perhaps the franchise’s most successful incarnation) and the 1990 big screen adaptation of the comic book.  That incarnation even spawned three sequels.  Other incarnations have not been so successful, such as the 2014 big screen reboot and its new sequel Out of the Shadows.  They are not the franchise’s only lesser installments.  In 1997 Saban tried its hand at its own take on the everyone’s favorite reptile heroes in the form of Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation.  That incarnation ultimately proved to be a bust for the company.  It only lasted one season and a total of twenty-eight episodes.  Now thanks to Shout! Factory fans of this short-lived series can own it for themselves on DVD.  That is because Shout! Factory released the series in its entirety early this past May.  While the series was obviously one of the least successful of the TMNT franchise it still is a good addition to any hardcore TMNT fan’s collection.  That is because it serves as a historical document of sorts showing everything that was done right and wrong with the series.  In examining those pros and cons in whole audiences will agree that while it might not be the best of the TMNT franchise’s installments it also is not its worst.  That (dis)honor still goes to Paramount and Nickelodeon’s 2014 big screen take on the turtles.  Keeping that in mind, this installment proves once more to be a worthwhile addition to any TMNT fan’s collection if only for historical purposes.

Saban’s 1997 live-action take on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise is by no means the franchise’s best incarnation.  In all fairness it is also not the franchise’s worst incarnation either.  Keeping that in mind, it is a welcome (and important) addition to any TMNT fan’s collection.  That is because it shows through its twenty-eight total episodes that Saban, with all of its successes, was not invincible at the time of the series’ run.  That is not entirely the fault of the people at Saban, though.  In examining for instance the timing of the series’ debut it had a lot working against it.  The series was meant to follow the events of the franchise’s original cinematic trilogy.  The problem is that that trilogy wrapped in 1993 with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III.  Saban’s live action series didn’t start until four years later in 1997, which was also only a year after the original animated series came to its own end.  When the story lines presented in each are taken into consideration and the timing of their beginnings and endings, they worked wholly against Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation.  Had Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation come earlier—perhaps during the animated series’ run as an alternate universe series of sorts—then it might have had more of a fighting chance.  But because of the timing of its debut and its plot line it is clear why it failed in the long run.  That is just one important part of the show that should be noted in examining what the series in whole.  the series’ writing, in the bigger picture of its presentation, played its own integral part in the series’ failure.  The same can be said of the look and the feel of the series.

The timing of Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation’s debut is a big part of what might have made the series’ run so short.  The timing of its release, when considered alongside the events of the franchises cinematic trilogy and its animated series, put a rather large nail in the series’ proverbial coffin.  The series’ writing is just as problematic as the timing of its release.  The series’ writers opened this series by introducing its key villain—Dragon Lord–early on.  The problem is that he wasn’t the series’ only villain starting out.  The writers incorporated Shredder into the story, too.  However, they wasted very little time taking him out of the story, too.  The way in which they wrote him out was rather anticlimactic to say the very least, too.  It almost leaves one asking why he was even used in the overall story considering how little impact his elimination had on the series’ overall story.  It could be argued that in so randomly eliminating Shredder, the writers were just throwing something out there just to see if it would work and make the series in whole anywhere near feasible.  While the overall story did work, it still ended up being relatively lackluster at best.  The same thing happened when the writers behind the TMNT animated series tried to keep that series going after the turtles eliminated Shredder.  They introduced a new villain—an alien from another world—but it just didn’t work, which ultimately led to the series’ end in Season Ten.  The same sort of mindset led to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III’s failure, too.  With Shredder out of the way at the end of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II it was as if the writers were asking where to go from there.  One can only assume that someone just said, “hey, let’s send them back in time on a quest and see how audiences react.”  While the end result was entertaining in its own right, it is still obvious that the movie’s writers struggled to come up with something to keep the movie (and the franchise) going.  This, again, goes back to the obvious practice of the writers behind Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation.  It is as if, again, the writers went into the series blindly and just threw in what they could as the series advanced.

The timing of Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation and its writing are both key elements that worked against the series in its short run on FOX Kids from 1997 – 1998.  They are not the only elements that should be considered in examining what the series got right and what it got wrong.  The look and the feel of the series are just as important to note as the timing of its run and its writing.  The look of the series will be examined first.  The costumes and the sets that were used in Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation are a stark contrast to those used by Saban’s Power Rangers franchise at the time.  That series had come a long way in terms of its look from the days of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers.  Some of the camp was still there in terms of its look.  But that look had also clearly evolved to a point since those days, too.  By comparison Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation took audiences back to the days of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers thanks to the campy look of its sets and costumes.  No effort was made by the people at Saban to make this series look anything like the franchise’s original cinematic trilogy, which again this series was supposed to be linked. Even the look of Shredder’s outfit barely made him look menacing.  He looked more like one of the then WWF’s costumed bad guys than any truly menacing villain.  That is thanks to the design of his outfit.  Even the look of the turtles was a complete change of pace from their look on the big screen and its previous small screen incarnation.  This is again even with the series’ alleged connection to the franchise’s cinematic trilogy.  The only part of the series that really bore any similarity (and that term is used very loosely here) to that trilogy is that of the turtles’ subway lair.  It is obvious that whoever designed their lair for this series did in fact make a concerted effort to connect the two universes.  Sadly it is about the only thing that actually connects the two universes in terms of the series’ look.  The rest of the sets and costumes are more akin to the MMPR series than anything seen on the big screen or any other TMNT incarnations.  By relation, the feel of the series is linked just as directly to MMPR as its look.

The look of Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation is an undeniably important part of the series’ life span.  That is because of how starkly it stands out from that of the rest of the offerings in the TMNT universes and even from that of Saban’s Power Rangers universes at the time.  The series’ feel is just as important to note as its look.  That is because its feel stands out just as starkly as its look.  The feel includes the series’ cinematography and the acting.  The cinematography throws back to the days of MMPR just as much as the costumes and sets that were used throughout this series.  That is evident in the scene transitions, the angles used within given scenes, and even the speed of the shot changes within the scenes, too.  The transitions from the general scenes to those of the dragons’ lair are key examples of that throwback look.  MMPR used very similar transitions when its scenes transitioned from Angel Grove to Rita (and later Zedd’s) moon base.  That is something that was gradually phased out as the Power Rangers franchise evolved over time.  The acting on the part of both Shredder and Dragon Lord plays its own part in the series’ feel.  The same can be said of those that brought Leo, Raph, Donnie, Mikey, and even Venus to life.  The camp in their collective work gives the series a fun, cheesy feel that interestingly enough will keep audiences entertained because of that cheese factor.  Again it is all a noticeable throwback to the days of MMPR.  Again in comparing this to the feel presented in the likes of Power Rangers in Space, the current installment of Saban’s Power Rangers franchise at the time, it is a completely different feel.  Good or bad is in the eye of the beholder.  In all fairness it likely played its own part in the series’ downfall since few programs if any had that same campy feel at the time.  So that probably hurt the series even more.  Between that and the show’s equally campy look, it becomes even more evident why the series’ combined look and feel might have hurt the series more than it helped.  That is especially considering the time at which the series was on television.  Speaking of the time at which the series debuted, it plays its own part in the series’ problems.  The writing behind the series plays its own part in the series, too.  Each element plays its own part in the series’ short run.  That goes without saying.  All things considered it becomes wholly clear why Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation is one of the least successful entries in the TMNT universe.  But when it is compared to those other entries in it still is not the franchise’s worst installment.  Keeping that in mind, it is still a welcome and important addition to any TMNT fan’s home collection if only for its historical value.

Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation is hardly the best offering in the TMNT universe.  It is not the franchise’s worst offering, either.  That (dis) honor belongs, to this day, to Paramount and Nickelodeon Studios’ 2016 big screen reboot of the original cinematic franchise.  Given, this series had (and has) a lot working against it.  But still in comparison to other offerings from the TMNT universe it could have been a lot worse.  Considering all of this it is still a welcome addition to any true TMNT fan’s collection whether for entertainment or for historical value.  It is available exclusively via Wal-Mart and can be ordered online via Wal-Mart at http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ninja-Turtles-The-Next-Mutation-The-Complete-Series/51301759.   More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

 

 

 

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Power Rangers In Space Volume One Is Another Out Of This World Box Set For Every Power Rangers Fan

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Saban/Saban Brands/FOX

The final chapter in Saban’s original Power Rangers franchise is also one of the franchise’s best installments.  And thanks to the partnership between Saban and Shout! Factory, the first half of that final chapter is finally available on DVD in the form of Power Rangers in Space: Volume One.  Power Rangers in Space: Volume One is one of the best of Saban’s original Power Rangers franchise first and foremost because of its writing.  All of the elements that made the Power Rangers franchise so beloved early on in its run are still present.  Making things better is the expansion of the Rangers’ world so to speak.  For the first time ever, the Rangers’ adventures aren’t limited to just Angel Grove and Earth.  There’s even a crossover with Saban’s  short-lived live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series in this volume to sweeten the deal.  The episodes’ presentation is just as important to the overall success of this box set as the writing of each episode.  That is also worth noting concerning this box set.  And last but not least is the set’s packaging.  As with Shout! Factory’s previous Power Rangers box sets, this set has also been packaged in a manner that saves space on audiences’ racks.  All things considered, Power Rangers in Space: Volume One proves in the end to be one more welcome addition to any Power Rangers fan.

Power Rangers In Space: Volume One is a welcome addition to any Power Rangers fan’s collection especially if said fan doesn’t already own Shout! Factory’s previously released twenty-one disc megaset containing the full original seven-season Power Rangers run.  The primary reason for this is the writing incorporated into this half of Season Six.  All of the elements that made the franchise’s first five seasons so enjoyable are still present in these episodes including both the life lessons incorporated into each episode and the comic relief on the part of Paul Schrier and Jason Narvy (Bulk and Skull). In “A Ranger Among Thieves,” Andros (and viewers) learn an important lesson about right and wrong and the consequences connected to doing wrong. The season’s two-part premiere incorporates the familiar lesson of teamwork into the story.  These are just a couple of the lessons included in this season.  There are plenty more included across the episodes spread throughout all three of the discs that make up Power Rangers in Space: Volume One. And those lessons are not all that the show’s long-time fans will appreciate in this latest installment.  Just as welcome, is the inclusion once again of the comic relief from Paul Schrier and Jason Narvy as Bulk and Skull.  Having left behind their short-lived careers as junior police officers and then aids to Detective Bullock at his own private eye office, Bulk and Skull are now assisting a crazy professor in his search for alien life.  The duo’s Laurel & Hardy style comic routines are just as funny as ever this season, and help to lighten the mood anytime that the pair is on screen.  The comic relief provided by Narvy and Schrier does just as much as the lessons taught throughout each episode, leading the two factors collectively to show solidly just why the writing in this half of Season Six continues to be just as impressive as in past seasons of the Power Rangers franchise.

The writing that went into each of the episodes presented in Power Rangers in Space: Volume One is highly important to the success of this latest Power Rangers release.  Just as worth noting is that the episodes presented here are presented exactly as they were in their original broadcast on FOX’s weekday afternoon FOX Kids programming block.  Unlike so many other series that see changes and edits here and there, none of the seasons of Power Rangers released so far by Shout! Factory have seen those edits.  It’s one more reason that Shout! Factory has continued to remain at the forefront of home releases for so long.  Audiences will see for themselves when they purchase this three-disc box set for themselves.

The writing and general presentation of the episodes contained in Power Rangers in Space: Volume One are both of high importance to the set’s success and enjoyment.  The last factor to examine in the success and enjoyment of this set is its packaging.  Just as Shout! Factory has made a tradition of presenting the Power Rangers’ episodes in their entirety, so has Shout! Factory also made a tradition of proper and respectful packaging.  While there are only three discs in this set, each one is placed on its own spindle inside the standard single-disc DVD case.  Two of the discs are placed on either side of a single insert while the third rests on its own spindle on the back of the case.  As with every previous Power Rangers release, this protects the discs from one another, thus preserving them and allowing for enjoyment for quite some time.  It is the final piece of the whole that makes Power Rangers in Space: Volume One a welcome addition overall for any true fan of this landmark franchise.

Power Rangers in Space: Volume One is available now on DVD in stores and online.  It can be ordered direct from Shout! Factory’s online store at http://www.shoutfactory.com/product/power-rangers-space-vol-1.  More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online at http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial and http://www.shoutfactory.com.  To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

The Beginning Of The End Is Here For Saban’s Original Power Rangers Franchise

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Saban Brands

The countdown to the end of the original Power Rangers franchise is on.

Shout! Factory, in conjunction with Saban Brands, released Power Rangers in Space: Volume 1 this week. The first of two volumes, this collection of episodes begins the countdown to the end of what is dubbed by many as the “Zordon era” or in layman’s terms, the original Power Rangers franchise. Not only does this latest collection episodes mark the end of an important era in the Power Rangers franchise, it also marks the end of the show runners’ practice of employing a set group of actors for multiple seasons. After the end of Power Rangers in Space audiences would see each team of Rangers in a different setting within each season.

Power Rangers in Space: Volume 1 is available now in stores and online. It can be ordered online now direct from the Shout! Factory store at http://www.shoutfactory.com/product/power-rangers-space-vol-1. More information on this and other releases is available online now at http://www.shoutfactory.com and http://www.facebook.com/officialshoutfactory. To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Power Rangers Turbo Vol. 2 To Be Released Next Week

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Saban/Saban Brands

The countdown to the end of Saban’s original Power Rangers franchise is on. Shout! Factory will release Power Rangers: Turbo—Volume 2 next week.

Power Rangers: Turbo—Volume Two will be released Tuesday, June 3^rd on DVD. Volume Two picks up right where Volume One left off. Tommy, the last of the original Power Rangers and Kat, the second Pink Ranger both depart and are replaced by new Rangers as are Yellow Ranger Tanya and Green Ranger Adam. With a whole new team in place, it’s up to them to stop Divatox once and for all before it’s too late. The Rangers’ battle against Divatox and her evil brother General Havoc leads to what would be the final, epic chapter in the original “Zordon Era” of Saban’s Power Rangers franchise.

Power Rangers: Turbo—Volume Two will retail for SRP of $19.93. It can be ordered direct from Shout! Factory’s online store at http://www.shoutfactory.com/product/power-rangers-turbo-vol-2. More information on this and other releases from Shout! Factory is available online at http://www.shoutfactory.com and http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial. To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Power Rangers Turbo One Of The Best Of Saban’s Original Franchise

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Saban Brands

Shout! Factory has spent just over a decade bringing some of the most well-known and beloved movies and television shows in modern entertainment history.  That dedication to bringing so many great titles back to life has put Shout! Factory at the forefront of the home entertainment business.  This critic’s own opinion is that that dedication has even pushed Shout! Factory past even bigger companies such as Warner Home Video and 20^th Century Fox Home Entertainment just to name a couple.  Two years ago, Shout! Factory announced a partnership with Saban Brands that has since then cemented even more Shout! Factory’s reputation as a leader in the home entertainment industry.  That’s because the partnership gave distribution rights to Shout! Factory for many of Saban’s Power Rangers series including Saban’s most famous series, Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers.  Shout! Factory started releasing Saban’s Power Rangers series two years ago, starting with the complete seven-season box set.  Last month, it took one more step closer to the end of its deal with Saban with the release of Power Rangers Turbo Volume One.  Power Rangers Turbo is one of the more pivotal installments of the original Power Rangers franchise.  That is the case first and foremost because of the show’s writing.  Another reason that this latest installment works so well is its look.  And having finally been released on DVD, the series’ packaging actually plays just as much of a role as the aforementioned factors in its success and enjoyment.    All three factors together make this first volume of episodes from Power Rangers Turbo another must have for any fan of Saban’s original Power Rangers franchise.

Power Rangers Turbo is one of the most important installments of Saban’s original Power Rangers franchise.  That is the case first and foremost because of the series’ writing.  There is much to be said of the writing in this “season.”  The most noticeable aspect of the season’s writing is that unlike the previous Power Rangers movie, Saban has actually this season in to the movie Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie.  At the same time, this season is also a continuation of the previous Power Rangers installment.  The writers are to be commended for having been able to connect both elements together without allowing the franchise to become bogged down.  Even more important to consider from this season is that the writers made this season a major turning point in the original Power Rangers franchise.  It could be said that they made this “season” the beginning of the end for the “Zordon era.”  Zordon is replaced by a new mentor of sorts named Dimitria.  Alpha 5 is replaced by the next Alpha model, Alpha 6.  And the last of the original rangers, Tommy, leaves the series.  He’s not the only ranger to leave, either.    As a matter of fact, audiences see what is an entirely new team this season during the two-part story arc “Passing The Torch.”  As if that’s not enough, Ernie’s juice bar owner Ernie (played since the days of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers by Richard Genelle) also leaves.  He is written out early in this half of the season thanks to an explanation by Lt. Stone (Gregg Bullock), who ends up taking over Ernie’s juice bar.  So there are lots of changes going on in this half of Season 5 (a.k.a. Power Rangers Turbo).  Most impressive of all is that even with all of the changes that take place in Season 5, the writers still manage to keep everything balanced.  And that is a testament in itself.    Just as much a testament to Power Rangers Turbo is the production values displayed in this season.

The look of the franchise employed by those behind the Power Rangers franchise was something special throughout all seven seasons of the franchise’s original series.  This season is included in that run.  The reason that the series production values were so special is that even in Season five, the series’ heads were still incorporating elements of the Japanese series on which the Power Rangers franchise had been based from Season One.  Even in Season Five, it had more of that familiar “gritty” look established from the franchise’s inception.  These same values would continue on into Season Seven (a.k.a. Power Rangers Lost Galaxy).  After that, the franchise’s look noticeably changed.  So it is nice to see that those behind Power Rangers Turbo maintained the not so perfected, spit-shined look established early on in the franchise’s life.  It’s one more piece of the whole that audiences will appreciate in viewing Power Rangers Turbo: Volume One.

The look of Power Rangers Turbo and its writing are both pivotal to this season’s enjoyment and success.  The packaging of Power Rangers Turbo: Volume One is the last aspect of this set to examine in the set’s enjoyment and success.  There are those that have lambasted Shout! Factory for splitting the show into separate volumes going all the way back to its release of the original Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers installment of the franchise.  This season is no different. Those that have come down on Shout! Factory for this course of action have not seen the bigger picture. Fans of the Power Rangers franchise are very particular individuals. Not every fan likes one entire season or another. In the same vein, not every fan likes the same episode or episodes. By splitting up the seasons, Shout! Factory is allowing that worldwide legion of fans to choose the episodes and seasons that they want to see rather than forcing them to buy entire seasons that they might not like. Looking at the packaging from this angle, Shout! Factory is to be commended once again. And those charged with packaging this set are to be just as commended for the fact that they have packaged the discs in exactly the same fashion as previous Power Rangers sets. Each of the set’s three discs is placed on its own spot inside the case. The first two discs are placed on either side of a standard “insert” that protects them from each other. The third disc is placed on its own spindle on the back side of the case. For those that perhaps like this season better than others, or even just this half of the season, this actually does save space on their racks. So those naysayers that would prefer to lambast Shout! Factory for this should keep this in mind. They should also keep in mind everything else mentioned about this set as a reason for picking up Power Rangers Turbo: Volume One.

Power Rangers Turbo: Volume One is available now in stores and online. It can be ordered online via the Shout! Factory online store at http://www.shoutfactory.com/product/power-rangers-turbo-vol-1. More information on this and other releases from Shout! Factory is available online at http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial and http://www.shoutfactory.com. To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Power Rangers Seasons 8 – 12 Box Set A Must Have For Any Diehard PR Fan

Courtesy: Shout! Factory

Shout! Factory’s release of Power Rangers Seasons 8 – 12 is an absolute must have for anyone that is a true hardcore fan of the Power Rangers franchise.  This latest box set was released in late 2013, only months before the planned release of the franchise’s next box set, containing Seasons 13 – 17.  Audiences that grew up watching Seasons 8 – 12 will appreciate this box set primarily because of its writing.  Seasons 8 – 12 mark a complete cutting of ties so to speak from the original Power Rangers franchise, which ended with Power Rangers Lost Galaxy.  It was a surprisingly clean cut, too.  The bonus DVD included in this set adds to its value for any true hardcore Power Rangers fan.  That’s because of the abundant amount of extras included just on the one disc alone.  And rounding out the whole thing is the bonus booklet that comes with the set.  All of this together makes Power Rangers Seasons 8 – 12 a set that the most hardcore Power Rangers will want to add to their personal collection.

Power Rangers Seasons 8 – 12 is an important addition to any hardcore Power Rangers fan’s collection first and foremost because of the writing behind each season.  It all starts with Season 8 a.k.a. Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue.  This season and those that follow mark a clean cut from the Power Rangers’ original franchise, which ran technically six seasons.  The franchise’s seventh season saw what would be the first attempt at cutting ties from the original franchise.  But even that season maintained at least some link to the original franchise with the re-introduction of the Astro Megaship, which was used in Season 6 (Power Rangers in Space).  That essentially makes Season 8 the very first time that the franchise’s writers made a complete and clean break from the original series.  It did this quite well, too.  It is interesting to see the Power Rangers go from almost superhero-like status in its previous incarnations to being made into a semi-militaristic force in Season 8.  A similar approach is taken in Power Rangers Time Force.  The writers behind Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue made a clean, solid break from the Power Rangers’ original franchise.  For all of their ability to break from that franchise, audiences will appreciate that they did throw back to Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers with the introduction of the Titanium Ranger in this series.  Just as Tommy was originally brainwashed by Rita, so was Ryan brainwashed by Diabolico.  Fans that grew up with the original Power Rangers franchise will appreciate this throwback, whether it was intentional or not.

The eighth and ninth seasons of Power Rangers exhibited brand new chapters in the long-running franchise’s mythology.  They showed in their writing that the Power Rangers brand could keep running even in a whole new universe separate from the one created in the its first seven seasons.  This trend continued on through Seasons 10 and 11.  The most intriguing of the seasons included in this set would have to be Season 12, though.  Tommy Oliver (Jason David Frank) returns in Season 12 a.k.a. Power Rangers Dino Thunder as the head of a new team of Power Rangers.  What makes this season so enjoyable is that while it lives within the confines of its own universe, it also makes no attempt to ignore Tommy’s past as one of the original Power Rangers.  The very fact that it would be titled Dino Thunder and that the new Power Rangers would have their own dinozords of sorts is a full on throwback.  It brings everything full circle in this set.  It goes without saying that this was not the longest series in the Power Rangers canon.  But it was nice to see the writers and the franchise’s heads make that re-connection with the early days of the Power Rangers once again, just as Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue did in Season 8.

All involved behind Power Rangers Season 8 – 12 are to be commended .  These five seasons prove to be some of the best from the Power Rangers franchise in its post-Zordon era.  Fans will see this for themselves when they order the complete five-season box set from Shout! Factory.  The solid writing in each season and the inclusion of each season are only the starting point in what makes this collection a must have for any hardcore Power Rangers fan.  The set also comes with an extra sixth disc loaded with bonus material that fans will love.

The bonus sixth disc that comes with Power Rangers Seasons 8 – 12 is a bonus in itself.  It is loaded with more than its share of background on each season beginning with an in-depth look at how the actors voiced their parts for the big fight scenes.  Audiences will laugh along with the cast members as they recall being in the recording booth, recording their lines and even fight sounds as they see the action on screen.  The “Ranger Tales” segment is just as in-depth.  It offers insight on each season from different members of each season’s cast.  What’s more, this segment proceeds chronologically from Season 8 – 12.  Viewers will also enjoy watching “A Web of Fans.”  This bonus feature takes a look at the impact of the show on its fans and vice versa.  It showed how close-knit the Power Rangers fanbase is to this day and how it has helped to keep the franchise alive such a long time.  There are even more bonuses including one that discusses the introduction of the Titanium Ranger and a semi-promo from Tommy himself pushing Power Rangers Dino Thunder and even a promo by two members of the Dino Thunder cast for Power Rangers S.P.D. which is part of the next Power Rangers box set.  The bonuses don’t end here.  There is still at least one more aspect of this set that fans will appreciate being included.  That bonus is the booklet that comes with the box set.

Power Rangers Seasons 8 – 12 includes as a companion to the bonus sixth disc, a bonus booklet that includes character bios for each season as well as a complete episode guide for each season as well.  Along with the character bios are the actual names of each cast member from each season.  This includes both the Rangers and the villains.  There are even stills of various scenes taken from different episodes of each season to enhance the booklet even more.  From the stills to the episode list and character guide, those responsible for assembling this booklet put in a lot of work to make it the perfect addition to the overall set.  Together with the bonus sixth disc, the two bonus additions collectively make for one wonderful bonus to a set that simply put is a must have for any true hardcore Power Rangers fan.  Power Rangers Seasons 8 – 12 is available now in stores and online.  It can be ordered direct from the Shout! Factory online store at http://www.shoutfactory.com/product/power-rangers-seasons-8-12.  More information on this and other releases from Shout! Factory is available online at http://www.shoutfactory.com and http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial.  To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.