Tag Archives: Once & Always

REVIEW: Power Rangers Cosmic Fury – Spoiler Free Review

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REVIEW: Power Rangers Cosmic Fury

“Cosmic Fury is a concentrated blast of everything you loved about Dino Fury, while stripping away some of the things that bogged the previous two seasons.”

It’s been over thirteen months since Hasbro first officially announced Power Rangers Cosmic Fury on National Power Rangers Day 2022. Who could forget the infamous accidental 1:00am tweet during the last Power Morphicon before the cast left to film in New Zealand again?

Since then, a fervent anticipation for this season has gripped the fanbase, ready to pounce on every scrap of behind the scenes information, tweets from executive producer Simon Bennett, trickles of official information from Hasbro press or unofficial leaks.

Now that Cosmic Fury is here, does it live up to the hype? For me, the answer is yes… mostly.

Overall, I enjoyed Power Rangers Dino Fury Seasons 1 and 2. The main characters were all very endearing, even secondary characters like Jane, J-Borg, Tarrick and Pop Pop, among others. All of that was possible thanks to the hard work of the creative team; writers and actors whose comrade and passion shined a little more than past seasons.

Both Dino Fury seasons also included past season cameos (like Kelson Henderson’s Mick Kanic, Campbell Cooley’s Scrozzle or Lord Zedd in Dino Fury season two), easter eggs and references (J-Borg is a Hartford Robotics android, a nod to Operation Overdrive) for long time fans. Cosmic Fury is a concentrated blast of everything you loved about Dino Fury, while stripping away some of the things that bogged the previous two seasons.

CAST (Left to Right): Jordon Fite (Aiyon); Tessa Rao (Izzy Garcia); Kai Moya (Ollie Akana); Hunter Deno (Amelia Jones); Russell Curry (Zayto); and Chance Perez (Javi Garcia). Not pictured: Jacqueline Joe (Fern) and David Yost (Mighty Morphin Blue Ranger/Billy Cranston).

This third season only works based on the solid foundation built on the shoulders of the previous two. Since all of the main cast has been established over the past forty-four episodes, this leaves room to introduce new villains of the season Bajillia Naire and her daughter Squillia Shar Livia Naire of Squid Ink, Inc. Bajillia and Squillia are very fun characters that are a not-so-subtle commentary on contemporary corporate and influencer culture and are the perfect villains to scheme alongside Lord Zedd.

From the various trailers, press releases and articles, Mick Kanic (Ninja Steel, Dino Fury) and Billy Cranston do indeed return for this season. Without spoiling anything, both have many great moments throughout the season. Especially Billy, who feels like a better representation of the character than in MMPR: Once & Always. Granted, Billy was in a stressful situation after the loss of Trini and obsession to pursue Robo Rita for a year. However, in Cosmic Fury, Billy feels like the natural 30-year extension from the genius we knew from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and Zeo.

Stripped away from the previous two seasons, and the past ten years frankly, are the more heavy handed “lesson of the week” morals and are replaced with multi-episode conflicts that build and resolve naturally for many characters and pairings to varying degrees of success. Conversations and resolutions are fleshed out and the dialogue feels less stilted. Also gone are the wacky hi-jinks B-plots from characters like Jane and J-Borg… mostly. They are still in the show, and funny as ever, but only as much as the story allows in the season-long crisis. And the crisis is about as universe ending in Power Rangers as it gets, It might sound dire as a final(?) season of the current status quo… but there are still empowering, funny and heartwarming moments throughout Cosmic Fury.

From Power Rangers Cosmic Fury Episode 3 “Off Grid”. Hunter Deno as Amelia in Power Rangers Cosmic Fury. Cr. NETFLIX © 2023

The first three episodes of Cosmic Fury are the perfect beginning to the season, with the first episode (“Lightning Strikes”) starting literally moments after season two’s cliffhanger ending. The Netflix bingeing format works for Cosmic Fury, as the season has a clear beginning (Episodes 1-3), middle (Episodes 4-6) and end (Episodes 7-10). My advice would be to skip the intros in your first watchthrough if you want to go in as spoiler-free as possible to capture the excitement of the surprises and twists in store (if that’s even possible at this point…). Also, watch in those previously listed blocks if you need a break between arcs this weekend.

By the end, Cosmic Fury actually made me wish for just a couple more episodes to spend with this team. Or at the very least, some extended scenes, like a full team roll call in the style of the one seen in Episode 4 “Team Work”. This is just a small gripe after four complete watchthroughs of the season over the course of the month. When watching Cosmic Fury for my first time… I was hooked. It made me feel as excited as I was thirty years ago watching Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

From Power Rangers Cosmic Fury Episode 4 “Team Work”. (L-R) Tessa Rao as Izzy, Jordon Fite as Aiyon, Hunter Deno as Amelia, and Chance Perez as Javi in Power Rangers Cosmic Fury. Cr. NETFLIX © 2023

With Power Rangers officially ending production in New Zealand after twenty years, I want to thank all of the cast and crew who kept the power going throughout that time. Power Rangers Cosmic Fury is the culmination of writing, direction, cinematography, stunts, prop, costume and set design when the restrictions of network television feel like they are gone (or at least… previous corporate mandates).

Overall, Cosmic Fury is a tight ten-episode series that cuts the fat from a traditional Power Rangers season, but still keeps the charm, action and wild production history unique to the franchise as a whole and is a fitting end(?) to this thirty-year saga.

I give Power Rangers Cosmic Fury an 8/10.

A huge thank you to the team at Hasbro, eOne and Netflix for providing RCPH with a press screener earlier this month. Power Rangers: Cosmic Fury premieres globally on Netflix this Friday, September 29th. Stay tuned for our upcoming (spoiler full) podcast reviews for the first and second halves of the series.

Ranger Command Power Hour Extra Episode 093

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Originally recorded on May 21st and August 15th, 2023.

It’s time to Ranger Up with your hosts as they talk all things Power Rangers on the Four Eyed Radio Network with RANGER COMMAND POWER HOUR!

In newest Extra Episode, brought to you by our supporters on Patreon, Eric is joined by Theresa (@Thetgb17 & @thet_thinks) to review Anime Central 2023, which happened on May 19th-21st.

Anime Central (ACen) is the largest anime, manga and Japanese popular culture convention in Chicago and the Midwest. Anime Central started in 1998. As part of its mission, ACen brings fans together with guests from the Japanese and US sectors of the anime and manga industry, as well as gaming, cinema, and Asian culture personalities. The event includes a huge exhibit hall, a massive video game room, concerts, dances, educational panels and workshops, premiere screenings, autograph sessions, 24-hour video rooms, tabletop gaming and much, much more!

Then, Eric interviews Tony Oliver. Tony Oliver began his career over 40 years ago as an actor on stage and on camera, performing in several feature films and dozens of plays. He found success as a voice over artist, lending his voice to one of the first foreign made animated features to receive wide release (“The Sea Prince and the Fire Child”). His first foray into television was as the lead voice in the popular animated series “Robotech”. Following that, Tony turned his attention to writing and was soon working as a freelance writer on several cable series for children.

In 1988 he joined the staff of Saban Entertainment, story editing the long running Nickelodeon series “The Noozles”. He quickly rose through the ranks, producing, story editing and voice directing numerous broadcast and cable series as well as promotional pieces and sales presentations.

In 1992, Haim Saban (CEO of Saban Entertainment) asked Tony to help him and development executive Ellen Levy-Sarnoff create a new kind of children’s television show. The result was the mega children’s hit, the “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers“. Tony not only served as the development producer but also wrote the pilot episode, produced the network presentation and story edited the first season. As Supervising Producer, Tony took on the additional responsibilities of writing, producing and directing the Power Rangers live appearances including the February 1994 appearance at Universal Studios, Hollywood, which drew an estimated 50,000 people on a single day.

In early 1994, Tony was named Supervising Producer of “Saban’s VR Troopers”. Later in the year he co-developed and wrote the script for the international sensation “Mighty Morphin Power Ranger – Live Tour“. He then spent several months in Sydney, Australia consulting on the 20th Century Fox summer release “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers – The Movie“. In 1995 Tony was named Co-Producer of “Power Rangers”. Following that he produced a number of short run series, PSA’s and specials for FOX Kids Network and Fox Family Channel.

Tony produced a Power Rangers retrospective special, which earned significant Saturday morning ratings among kids and was the top rated program on FOX Kids the day it aired. In 1999 Tony left Saban Entertainment but has continued to develop, produce, voice and direct numerous projects for TV, Film, and Video Games.

Bio from: https://animecons.com/guests/bio/905/tony-oliver

Listen now: Ranger Command Power Hour Extra Episode 093 – “Ranger Command at Anime Central 2023”

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Timestamps:

  • 0:00:00 – Intro and Anime Central 2023 review
  • 0:15:52 – Interview with Tony Oliver
  • 0:34:08 – Social Media Plugs and Outro

Links mentioned in show:

Ranger Command Power Hour Extra Episode 092

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It’s time to Ranger Up with @trekkieb47, @secretrangerfan & @ZachLaVoy as they talk all things Power Rangers on the Four Eyed Radio Network with RANGER COMMAND POWER HOUR!

In newest Extra Episode, brought to you by our supporters on Patreon, the hosts are joined by Chris (@TokuChris), Mason (@Masonmerrell), and Tyler MC (@stormbreakerer) of the Dads Are Dorks Podcast (@DadsAreDorks), Mere (@nightmere10) of The Power Scoop (@thepowerscoop), Chris Long (@clong83), Hassan Ahmed (@HassanAhmed120), and Josh (@KentuckyJAM) of The Ranger Reader to watch Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always with a live reaction commentary. Then we decompress and discuss what we just watched!

This is a commentary episode, meant to serve as an episode commentary like what you would find on a DVD or a Riff track. For maximum enjoyment please watch along with us. We are watching Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always 30th Anniversary Special, available exclusively on Netflix.

Go, Go Power Rangers!

Listen now: Ranger Command Power Hour Extra Episode 092 – “Rangers React: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always”

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Timestamps:

  • 0:00:00 – Intro
  • 0:03:12 – Once and Always Commentary Track and Live Reaction
  • 0:58:30 – Discussion
  • 1:36:09 – Social Media Plugs and Outro

Links mentioned in show:

Ranger Command Power Hour Episode 215

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It’s time to Ranger Up with @trekkieb47, @secretrangerfan & @ZachLaVoy as they talk all things Power Rangers on the Four Eyed Radio Network with RANGER COMMAND POWER HOUR!

Eric, A.P. and Zach are here with a SPOILER-FREE review of the Power Rangers 30th Anniversary Special – Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always.

A huge thanks to Hasbro, eOne and Netflix for providing us with a Press Screener.

Here is Zach’s review:

I love how this special jumps right into the action and we’re quickly introduced to the new character Minh, played by Charlie Kersh. She fits right in with the cast and you feel the emotion behind every line she says.

The special moves at Lightning pace to tell a comprehensive story that lays out exactly what happened to the team, and the hurdles they must overcome in order to come out on top. Lots of great fight scenes, tons of heart, and a love for the original MMPR team tempered with fun easter eggs for the long time franchise fans. And while not every single plot hole is explained away, only the most hardcore lore hounds will notice. When in doubt, just remember the MST3K mantra “It’s just a show, I should really just relax.”

The updated effects look fantastic for what they were able to achieve with their budget. Seeing the updated morph sequence is a visual and nostalgic delight. As seen in the trailers, there’s a putty fight in the Juice Bar that absolutely blew my mind with how faithfully the original Juice Bar set has been recreated. Major kudos to the set designers and builders for making this set piece so faithful to the original.

The fight scenes are wonderfully scored thanks to the legend, Ron Wasserman. He managed to recreate the FEEL of the original series’ score while updating it. His work is absolutely worth watching certain scenes over and over to enjoy his score.

The climax of the special is an emotional rollercoaster that will have you cheering, laughing, and absolutely shedding a few tears. This special is everything I hoped for and surprised me at every turn. My only gripes are minor nitpicks that honestly have been talked about to death, so I won’t mention them here.

This special is fantastic and that’s why I’m giving Power Rangers: Once and Always an easy 9/10.

Morphenominal!

Listen now: Ranger Command Power Hour Episode 215 – “Rangers Review Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always”

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NEWS – Sneak Peek Clip of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always

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Yesterday, eOne and Power Rangers revealed the first sneak peek at the upcoming Netflix special Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always!

The clip shows Rocky and Kat receiving Proxy Power coins that Billy and Alpha have created together. Zack has some concerns about duplicating powers, echoing Zordon’s past warnings. Kat doesn’t care about too much Pink energy being dangerous if it means saving lives.

Finally, an explanation of her using the Pterodactyl Power Coin!

You can view the sneak peek clip HERE.

The clip builds anticipation for the Rangers Morphin Sequence and features:

  • David Yost (Blue Ranger / Billy Cranston (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, 1993-1996)
  • Walter E. Jones (Walter E. Jones (Black Ranger / Zack Taylor (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, 1993-1994)
  • Catherine Sutherland (Pink Ranger / Kat Hillard (Mighty Morphin Powers Rangers 1995-1996; Power Rangers Zeo 1996; Power Rangers Turbo 1997)
  • Steve Cardenas (Red Ranger / Rocky DeSantos (Mighty Morphin Powers Rangers 1994-1996; Power Rangers Zeo 1996; Power Rangers Turbo 1997))
  • Richard Horvitz as the voice of Alpha.

Tune in on April 19 for the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always special, exclusively on Netflix.

NEWS – Netflix Debuts Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always Trailer

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Just days after Power Rangers revealed the key art for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always, Netflix debuted the official trailer for the 30th Anniversary Special on Tuesday (3/21) evening through Twitter and Facebook.

In Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always, thirty years after the wise and powerful Zordon formed the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the team comes face to face with a familiar threat from the past. In the midst of a global crisis, they are called on once again to be the heroes the world needs. Inspired by the legendary mantra from the franchise “Once a Ranger, Always a Ranger,” Once & Always reminds everyone when you become a Ranger, you are always a part of the Ranger family and always welcome.

“After tragedy strikes, an unlikely young hero takes her rightful place among the Power Rangers to get revenge on the team’s oldest arch nemesis.” 

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always premieres globally on Netflix on April 19th, 2023.

Photo Credit: Hasbro/eOne

NEWS – “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always” Global Premiere on Netflix April 19

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The countdown begins for the ultimate reunion special as Hasbro and the Power Rangers team reveal official key art for “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always,” premiering exclusively on Netflix globally on April 19!

On March 14th, Power Rangers on Twitter tweeted a new image used as the key art for the upcoming 30th Anniversary special. This comes exactly one month after their last tweet on Valentine’s Day, which had new artwork for Rita Repulsa.

The key art features the Blue, Black, Pink and Red Mighty Morphin Power Rangers representing Billy, Zack, Katherine and Rocky respectfully; missing is the Yellow Ranger. Also featured in the background in Robo Rita, the main villain for the special.

All of this comes a few days after the official synopsis of the special was revealed on Netflix.

“After tragedy strikes, an unlikely young hero takes her rightful place among the Power Rangers to get revenge on the team’s oldest arch nemesis.” 

Download the full resolution key art images from Hasbro by clicking each picture below:

Social Media Banner (1600 x 675)

 

Instagram Images (1500 x 1500)

 

Phone Wallpaper (1080 x 1920)

Ranger Command Power Hour Episode 210

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It’s time to Ranger Up with @trekkieb47, @secretrangerfan & @ZachLaVoy as they talk all things Power Rangers on the Four Eyed Radio Network with RANGER COMMAND POWER HOUR!

We celebrate 9 YEARS of the podcast doing what we do best… podcasting!

Von Cooper (@MrCooper92) drops by to discuss the latest news from Power Rangers Cosmic Fury regarding Amelia becoming the next Red Ranger, Black leaders in Power Rangers and the fandom.

In the news, we discuss GLAAD announcing nominees for the 34th Annual GLAAD Media Awards which includes Power Rangers Dino Fury, comics, Cosmic Fury suits, Once & Always 30th Anniversary trailer and more!

Watch the unedited livestream here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3ebjxr2RlM

This is the edited podcast version.

Dolphins go EEEEEEEEEEE!

Listen now: Ranger Command Power Hour Episode 210 – “Ranger Command Power Hour 9th Anniversary Special”

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Timestamps:

  • 0:00:00 – Today On and YouTube shout outs
  • 0:03:24 – Intro and Thanks for 9 years
  • 0:06:00 – Hype for 30 years of Power Rangers
  • 0:10:02 – Long running franchises and fandom / content creation burn out
  • 0:19:10 – NEWS – Power Rangers Dino Fury nominated for the 34th Annual GLAAD Media Awards
  • 0:22:44 – Power Rangers Comics News
  • 0:25:46 – Listener Question: Nightmere10
  • 0:29:10 – Power Rangers Cosmic Fury with Von Cooper – Black Leaders, Female Reds, and Fandom
  • 1:05:23 – Cosmic Fury Suits
  • 1:30:07 – Once & Always – 30th Anniversary Trailer
  • 1:44:26 – Lightning Collection Fanstream reveals

Links mentioned in show: