Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Saban/Saban Brands
Twenty-three seasons. That is how long Saban’s Power Rangers franchise has been on the air. To be more precise, it has been on the air for twenty-three seasons over the course of twenty-two years. August 2016 will mark twenty-three years on the air for the Power Rangers. A lot has changed for the Power Rangers since the days of the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. The teams have changed. The locations have changed. And so have the stories. They’ve ranged from fantasy to sci-fi from one season to the next and at times even included both. The one thing that hasn’t changed throughout the years is the franchise’s popularity. And thanks to Shout! Factory’s long-running partnership with Saban, fans of the franchise’s early years have been able to relive the joy of those early years for themselves on DVD. Now next Tuesday another of those early seasons will be available in stores and online thanks to that partnership in the form of Power Rangers Time Force: The Complete Series. The five-disc DVD box set offers plenty for audiences to appreciate beginning with its writing. There’s plenty of action and adventure. But the story at the center of this season is the key element of the season’s writing. Just as important as the season’s story is the work of the season’s cast. Rounding out the presentation is its mix of stock footage and special effects. Each element is important in its own right to the whole of this season. Altogether they serve to make Power Rangers Time Force one of the most standout seasons of the Power Rangers franchise and in turn this season one that every Power Rangers fan should own.
Power Rangers Time Force is one of the most standout seasons of the Power Rangers franchise. It is a season that every Power Rangers fan should own. The main reason for this is the work of the season’s writers. The writers behind this season of the Power Rangers have crafted a story that is unlike any before or in reality even since. It is the second installment of the Power Rangers franchise in the post-Zordon era. What’s more it stands alone from its predecessor Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue. The one link that it does hold to that series is that this season sees the Power Rangers as yet again a semi-militaristic organization, this time upholding the law and taking down bad guys from the future. It is based just as much in sci-fi as that series, too. What sets it apart from that series (and every Power Rangers franchise before) is that it is the first time ever that a Power Rangers team has been led by a female character. That is a real breakthrough for the franchise. Sure, Wes as the Red Ranger is the team “head.” But in all reality Jen is the real team leader in this series. On another angle, Ranksik’s source for evil henchmen is not endless. But it is not so limited that it limited the show’s run. After all, forty episodes for one season of the Power Rangers is not bad. That was enough to run the show a little more than nine months. Keeping all of this in mind, it all comes together to show why the writing in general this season was integral to its success. It isn’t all that makes the writing key, though. The stories within the episodes is just as important as the season’s overall writing.
The general writing behind Power Rangers Time Force does plenty to make this season of the Power Rangers stand out. As important as it is to the season’s success, the writing behind the episodes within the season is just as important as the season’s writing in general. Audiences will laugh as Lucas (Michael Copon — The Scorpion King 2, Bring It On: In It To Win It, One Tree Hill) has to earn his driver’s license in “A Blue Streak.” Here is a man who in his time is a championship race car driver. But in 2001 is just another person. The setup for this situation makes for its own share of laughs. “A Parting of Ways” is another important example of how the writing behind this season is so important. It is a mini-coming-of-age story for Wes as he stands up to his father and becomes his own man. He also becomes even more solidified as a member of Time Force as a result. The series final four episodes are perhaps its most important. It is in these episodes that some very important revelations are made and some very important decisions are made, too. Those revelations won’t be revealed here for those that haven’t yet seen this season. But they do have an important impact on everything that had led up to that point. Now keeping this in mind it is clear why the writing behind Power Rangers Time Force in whole is so important to this series. It isn’t just the writing behind the season’s episodes, but in whole. While the season’s writing proves hugely important to its whole it is just one aspect of the season that makes it stand out. The work of the show’s cast is just as important as that of the show’s writers.
The work of the writers in Power Rangers Time Force shows to be hugely important in the overall picture of the season. Between its episodes and its overall premise and approach, the writing behind Power Rangers Time Force stands out from almost everything else that had been presented in every season of the Power Rangers up to that point and honestly since then. As important as the writing proves to be to this series it is just one element of this season that makes it stand out. The work of the show’s cast is just as important to the season as its writing. Right off the bat, Vernon Wells has to be mentioned here. He is spot on as the maniacal villain Ransik. Even as over-the-top as he can be at times, he is still believable in his role. That is because he really does try to keep from getting too much over-the-top at any point. He really makes audiences appreciate him in his role because of this. There is almost a classic villain sort of figure in his portrayal even as he comes to his ultimate revelation in the season’s finale. It really feels like something that a person would see in a classic broadway stage production. On the other side of the spectrum, Erin Cahill (Fast Track: No Limits, Saving Grace, General Hospital) is just as believable as the Rangers’ leader Jen. Early on she makes audiences feel for her in her belief that Alex was killed. That belief makes her a strong leader for the Rangers. And even as her relationship with Wes blossoms, she still maintains that strength rather than letting herself become the standard damsel in distress figure. It is honestly a refreshing sight considering how often strong female leads end up taking a backseat to their male counterparts. Switching gears quite a bit Douglas Fisher is impressive in his own right as Wes’ butler and limo driver Phillips. Fisher (Intolerable Cruelty, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Imagination Movers) may only play a supporting role here. but even in that role he still adds his own touch to given scenes. His disbelief early on as Wes jumps out of the limo to fight Nadira is great. And even as Phillips has to take a woman and her child to the hospital near the season’s end he doesn’t try to ham it up. He takes the moment and fully embraces it. His reaction to a child hitting a ball onto Mr. Collins’ limo earlier in the season’s run is yet another example of his ability to handle the role. Audiences see the surprise and frustration. It shows his character’s displeasure with the moment. However, his reserved reaction only serves to make audiences hate Mr. Collins even more as he tells the boy that he is going to keep the boy’s baseball. So even in a non-speaking moment, Fisher plays his own important role that helps to make the moment all the more powerful. To that extent, it shows why even a supporting actor is just as important to a presentation as the leads. He is hardly the only other member of the seasons’ cast worth mentioning, too. One could go into each member of the show’s cast. But that would take far too long. So keeping that in mind, it can be said in full confidence that the work of the season’s cast holds its own importance to the season as the season’s writers. Both together go a long way toward making this season stand out. Even with their combined influence they are still not the season’s only notable elements. The special effects and stock footage incorporated into this season are just as important to its presentation as the work of the show’s writers and cast.
The combined work of Power Rangers Time Force’s writers and cast is hugely important to the season’s overall presentation. Through the combined work of all involved, audiences are certain to remain engaged from one episode to the next. While they are unquestionably important to the season’s overall presentation they are not the season’s only important elements. The combined stock footage and special effects are just as notable. The stock footage lifted from Super Sentai Mirai Sentai Timeranger is used sparingly throughout each of the season’s forty total episodes. Where it is used, it is almost seamlessly combined with the live action footage recorded for the show. More often than not, that incorporation is used in the major fight scenes. Other than that, the show is made up largely of live action footage recorded specifically for the show. Moving on to the show’s special effects, the special effects retain the same look as those in the series’ predecessors. There are lots of cool lasers and explosions. And the effects used to grow Nadira’s nails into almost Wolverine-like claws is just as notable. Speaking of Nadira, her makeup and costume are part of yet another element that should be noted–the show’s costume and makeup department. Getting back on track, the time travel sequences, the effects used to make it appear as if Katie Walker (the Yellow Ranger, played by Deborah Estelle Phillips–The Cavanaughs, 7th Heaven, The Company We Keep) had super strength, and other effects were just as impressive. That certain camp feeling that the effects had early on the Power Rangers run is just as prevalent here yet it is still just as fun to watch. Whether through these or other moments, it can be seen just why the special effects and stock footage together play such an important part in the overall presentation of Power Rangers Time Force. Interestingly enough they are still hardly the last of the season’s notable elements. Those that handled the show’s costumes and makeup are just as deserving of credit as anyone else. That’s a story for another time. Altogether, all of the elements noted here paint a picture of Power Rangers Time Force as being one of the franchise’s most standout seasons. They reveal this season to be one that any Power Rangers fan will want to have in his or her own collection, especially if he or she doesn’t already own Shout! Factory and Saban’s previously released mega-Power Rangers multi-season sets.
Power Rangers Time Force: The Complete Series is a collection that any Power Rangers fan should have in his or her personal DVD library. That is especially the case for those fans that might not have been lucky enough to get their hands on Shout! Factory and Saban’s previously released mega-Power Rangers multi-season sets. That is most evident in the show’s writing. From its episodes to its overall presentation, it is clear that a lot of work and thought was put into this season’s writing. The work of the show’s cast is just as important to its presentation. This includes both the lead and supporting cast. The combined efforts of the show’s editors, special effects staff, costume department and makeup department are all just as pivotal to its presentation. Each element is important in its own massive way. Altogether, they make Power Rangers Time Force: The Complete Series a collection that once again every Power Rangers fan should have in his or her own personal DVD library, especially if said fans don’t already own the previously released mega-Power Rangers multi-season sets. Power Rangers Time Force: The Complete Series will be available next Tuesday, February 9th in stores and online. It will retail for MSRP of $19.97 but can be pre-ordered online direct from Shout! Factory’s online store now at a discounted price of $16.97 at https://www.shoutfactory.com/kids/kids-action-adventure/power-rangers-time-force-the-complete-series. More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:
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