Legends of Power, WEEK # 37 - To Catch A Killer . . .

LEGENDS OF POWER, WEEK # 37
Reflection
Power Rangers SPD


   We get our first taste of SPD on the countdown with this week's story. We start with our Legacy Ranger, Skye. Skye has, throughout the series, been trying to live up to his father, who was also a Power Rangers ... that wore the Red Time Force Ranger suit ... with an SPD logo on it. Skye started out hating our Red Ranger, Jack, but had come to respect him. Kat was imputing the new Battlizer for Jack when Skye said put him next only to be told that it was only for the Red Ranger. Skye lives and Jack goes after him. After another talk about not living up to his father's expectations, Skye reveals that he feels like he's failed to Jack. Jack says the now infamous and powerful line "... Heroes come in all colors."

 
   Meanwhile, a vicious attack by a monster leaves the SPD Rangers beaten and stumped because the criminal, known as Slate, can be anybody he wants. Skye is then sent to a prison planet where he must cover all his reflective surfaces because supposedly, the criminal Mirloc, can travel through mirror surfaces. Skye and Mirloc do a pretty damn good Hannibal Lecter and Clareese impression as Skye gets hints to what he needs.  Skye tells Jack and Jack ... with his metal thong and then the full battlizer to kill Slate and the copies that seem to spring from him ... Long story.

 Skye returns, as Mirloc requested. Mirloc shares how he killed Skye's father.Skye's shaken enough that a single tear falls. And Mirloc's planned worked. He escapes through Skye's lone tear.

    SPD chases after Mirloc but they are taken down one by one. Skye, with some help from Sam, frees his friends. Jack loans Skye the battlizer to take down Mirloc.


   And that was Reflection, parts 1 & 2.

This two parter really did a lot of good:

 - We learned of Skye's backstory with HOW his father died & who killed him.

 - We got more development from both Jack and Skye, really cementing their friendship while also seeing the  men they have become because of SPD.

 - The new battlizer which was pretty cool for the most part.

- Mirloc proved to be a great villain throughout the 2 parter.


Unfortunately, the fact that Skye's dad is wearing a Time Force Uniform leaves much to the imagination. Since his last name is Tate, it would be assumed that he is NOT Wes's son. Yet ... does that mean was that the real Time Force Outfit or a facsimile? Or what  if Skye IS Wes's son but just hidden? We  don't know nor will we ever know.

 Another gripe is that while the other rangers were there, because of this focusing on Skye, they were in the background ... a bit too much. I don't mind having focus but it did seem that most of the team save for Jack, Sam & Skye were pretty much limited in this two parter.

  Those are why this 2-parter is # 37 and not higher or lower.


Still, this was a great 2 parter. Check it out when you can. That's it for this week. Get more next week. Till then, May the Power Protect You! 

Legends of Power, WEEK # 45 - T n A Sells This Freaky Friday

Legends of Power - WEEK #45
Invasion of the Body Switcher
Power Rangers In Space


    If there is one things that Power Rangers seems to do well is to give you something nice to look at. To a shirtless Jason in season 1 to a curvacious Kat during Power Rangers Zeo. Even this year's cast of Mega Force as quoted by Fighter's High Creator Chris Ryons as being "Super Models." Yet, Power Rangers in Space really seemed to be the series that let looks and  sex help sell the show. And why not? Many of the audience had become Teenagers or Pre-teens and it was a factor the show's ratings to go up. You don't believe me?
    Let's go over the series, shall we? We've got a villainess clad in skin tight black leather for 2/3rds of the series. We've got the Rangers in tight uniforms showing off their physiques: especially apparent with TJ, Cassie & Ashley. TJ's muscles were very apparent in the Space Uniform; without the jacket, you can see the blue shirt show off his six pack for frell's sake. An there were plenty of shots that showed off the Rangers as well. They were overly apparent but if you look, you'll definitely know what I mean.

   Which comes to this week's entry in #45. Power Rangers is not known for its fan service but boy, did they push it in this episode. The episode has Ashley celebrating her birthday with the rest of the team on Earth. As they are building up the Andros/Ashley relationship, Space once again nukes any notions of a Carlos/Ashley relationship they tried for in Turbo by having Carlos give Ashley a fire extinguisher for her birthday present.

 Hold on a second. Warning, RANT: WHAT THE HELL CARLOS? A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AS A BDAY GIFT?! SHE"S A CHICK THAT YOU ONCE HAD A MAJOR CRUSH ON & YOU GIVE HER A FIRE EXTINGUISHER?! MEN WERE & STILL ARE ASHAMED OF YOU THAT MOMENT! GRRRR ....

  RANT OVER


   Anyway, as Ashley gets a jewel from Andros which becomes a plot point later. Meanwhile in the Dark Fortress, Astromena gets introduced to the Monster of the Day, The Body Switcher. After a frightening cheese fest that was "Disco Kitty", the monster ends up changing Astromena into Ashley.  While Ashley & Cassie talk, Astromena takes her chance to switch with Ashley.  Before Ashley back to the Dark Fortress, we get a shot of what's up her skirt ... wow. She's wearing a holter top with a hoodie but now we get up her skirt for a split second. WOW.

   After a hilarious battle with the Quantrons which one of them hits Astromena pretty hard to fool Cassie, Astromena returns with Cassie to the Megaship. One by one she takes down the Rangers ... in a TIGHTER version of the Space Uniform. (In the Words of Spaceman Hardy & our own Durga: DAT ASS!)  At one point, Astromena runs into Alpha (who believes it's Ashley of course) and gives her a present. For a moment, Astromena actual reflects on someone being nice to her then throws the gift away. When Andros is the only ranger left that Astromena hadn't captured, she makes a fake attack in order to distract him.

  Meanwhile, Ashley easily tricks the Body Switcher to turn her into Astromena, surreal I know, and then gets free by Tricking Elgar. On Earth, Astromena has morphed into the Yellow Ranger, about to shoot Andros from behind when Ashley arrives. Ashley says that the Yellow Ranger is Astromena but Astromena is smart enough to trick Andros into fighting Ashley. At one point, Ashley makes Andros awary that the Yellow Ranger is not her and Andros quickly shoots her in the shoulder. As the morpher drops, Astromena's disguise also disappears.

   Astromena and Ashley duke it out as the other Rangers arrive, wondering which is which. And in a brilliant move by the writers, Andros holds out the morpher saying "Let's Rocket!" Astromena on the Left does the movement correctly while the Astromena on the Right looks like she's having an epileptic seizure. Then the rest of the episode is usual stuff but before she leaves Astromena says, "I wouldn't want to be a Power Ranger anyway." - OH IRONY!

   This episode is the most fan service (in terms of showing off bodies) in Power Rangers History. You can see most of the Rangers butts in this episode fairly well. Tracey Lynn Cruz is clearly wearing a tighter costume ... with possibly no bra at one point. And Selwyn Ward ... his muscles .... Let me stop. You've got shots in the episode showing off the actors assets more than usual. Yet, you've got a strong character piece that advances Ashley's relationship with Andros while giving more depth into Astromena's character and the argument of nature vs nurture. Both Tracy Lynn Cruz & Melody Perkins do exceptional jobs as playing each other's characters in this episode, which makes the show even better. This episode is pure fun  . . . & a big ole tease.

   It also has one of the top funniest moments in PR history with Astromena, as the Yellow Ranger, not doing the now legendary signature flip onto screen.


  Why is this # 45. Two Reasons: 1 - DISCO KITTY ... & # 2 - FIRE EXTINGUISHER!

 Still, watch the episode. It's a funny, entertaining tease that actually advances story well.



NEXT WEEK:  In the Light of the Moon . . .