The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was a live-action television show that debuted in 1993. Targeted towards children and pre-teens, it quickly cemented itself in American pop culture and is one of the things brought up by "90's kids" to show how much of a 90's kid they are.
With the recent reveal of images from the upcoming big budget theatrical reboot, I decided to watch the pilot episode from the original series, original being used loosely, as Saban Entertainment cannibalized three Japanese tv shows and shat out The Rangers.
The episode opens like an endorphin rush. Main villian, Rita Repulsa, is released from a 10,000 year imprisonment and sets her conquering sights on Earth. Zordon, the pre curtain reveal Wizard of Oz, orders Alpha, a robot, to assemble a team of teenagers with attitude.
Accompanying this speeding exposition is the hairiest of hair metal and seizure inducing flashing images.
After the minute long intro, the episode properly begins. Two astronauts stumble upon what they think is a space dumpster, leading to the title card of the episode.
Opening Pandora's trashcan frees Rita and her Keystone Kops: Finster, Goldar, Baboo, and Squatt.
She isn't too picky about which planet to try to conquer, settling for whichever one is closest, which is Earth, of course.
Meanwhile, at the Angel Grove Youth Center, Jason and Zack, the Red and Black Rangers, are having a friendly sparring session. Pink Ranger Kimberly is doing gymnastics, which is what Amy Jo Johnson did before pursuing acting. Lastly, Yellow Ranger Trini is moving her arms around.
Milquetoast Billy Blue Ranger shows up, but never mind that shit! Here comes Bulk and Skull!
Kimberly and Trini turn down their double-date offer, clearly outing themselves as lesbians.
Rita has set up shop on the moon, eyeing Earth and thinking it's right for the taking, ordering Finster to create a batch of Putty Patrollers, her lesser group of idiots.
Cutting back to Angel Grove, we find Billy flopping in Jason's karate class, but never mind that shit, here comes Bulk and Skull!
These two want to learn to kick ass and Bulk manages to throw up an impressive side kick for a fat, nonathletic looking man, but he fails at the follow-up spin kick.
An earthquake rocks the center and Zordon has Alpha beam the teens over. "Teleport five emotional and overbearing humans to us."
After being kidnapped teleported over, Zordon explains to them that he is an inter-dimensional being caught in a time warp.
A quick look into the viewing globe and the teens get the rundown on Rita Repulsa, intergalactic sorceress and Madonna cone-boob admirer.
Everyone gets a fancy belt buckle, giving them the ability to morph into The Power Rangers. The black guy is the Black Ranger and the Asian girl is the Yellow Ranger as been talked to death, I'd like to mention Kimberly asking Zordon to be the Purple Ranger instead of pink.
After a rundown of everyone's spirit dinosaur, the would be Rangers decline the offer and walk out. Zordon lets them keep the morphin buckles, which conveniently come in hand when Rita sends her Puttys after them.
These grey goons don't stand a chance against a black man dancing.
Rita turns to her last resort and makes Goldar a Toho sized monster.
Calling upon the power of stop-motion Bandai toys, the Rangers summon their zords, giant robots that been lying dormant in the earth.
Back at base, Zordon lays down some rules:
1. Never use your powers for personal gain.
2.Never start a fight.
3. Keep your identity secret.
In other words, don't be Ironman.
So that's it, the first episode of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. A slew of merchandise, follow-up series, and two theatrical films latter, the franchise is still going strong today, with the new film set to be released in March of 2017, featuring Elizabeth Banks as Rita Repulsa.
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