Summary
While it’s true thatPower Rangersis catered for children, some stories within the franchise are actually surprisingly fleshed-out and well-developed for their target audience. In fact, it’s precisely because of riveting plots of somePower Rangersseries that made them quite iconic not just to kids but even adults today. While it’s true that viewers need to extend some sort of suspension of disbelief when watching these teenagers save the world, the level of detail production has put into some of the series has made aPower Rangersteam even more awesome than they already were.
Thankfully, the show’s rich history has provided fans with a plethora of themes, motifs, and even story beats that aPower Rangersshow has either followed, paid homage to, or even subverted entirely. In the context of seasons with the best story, just whichPower Rangersseries hit the mark?
10Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue
An Epic Introduction To A True Post-Zordon Era Power Rangers
When ancient demons from beneath Mariner Bay threaten the populace, Captain Mitchell and the organization Lightspeed task its recruits to defend the civilians and eliminate the demonic threat. InPower Rangers Lightspeed Rescue, the Lightspeed Rangers aren’t created through magic or some hyper-scientific powers but sheer human ingenuity. WhileLost Galaxy“technically” starred a completelynew team outside Zordon’s influence, some remnants ofIn Spacemeant the season is still tied to itsMMPRroots -Lightspeed Rescuegave viewers an almost Zordon-independentPower Rangersseason (sans “Trakeena’s Revenge”) and set the bar for a standalone series.
Lightspeed Rescue’s worldbuilding is another class for its time, featuring a team of first responders and human-made Zords that remain grounded to the season’s rescue theme. Although sandwiched between epic seasons (In Space, Lost Galaxy, Time Force) and possessing some oddities (such as the Ranger suits and villain dynamics),Lightspeed Rescueis home to interesting storylines such as the mystery of Mariner Bay, Carter Grayson’s stellar development as a Red Ranger, and even the constant backstabbing among its villains.
Greenlit after the relative success ofIn Space, the story ofPower Rangers Lost Galaxybegins when a group of teenagers from Angel Grove depart in the space colony Terra Venture to search for planets like Earth. However, a chance encounter with Quasar Sabers transforms them into the Lost Galaxy Rangers - a much-needed help against the forces of the alien Trakeena. Despite production woes that could often bog down aPower Rangersseries,Lost Galaxymanages to bring forth one of the more mature yet narratively impressive seasons of the franchise to date.
An unfortunate side plot involving the season’s name aside,Lost Galaxyis home to some of the most interesting arcs in the series - particularly Trakeena’s true nature, the mystery behind Magna Defender, and the fate of some of its Rangers. Perhaps all the more impressive is that the space-themedLost Galaxy’s source material,Seiju Sentai Gingaman, is nature-themed - making the reconciliation of high-octane space battles with jungle-themed scenes quite interesting to check out.
When a sentient computer virus named Evox made fighting with machines almost impossible, the Grid Battleforce agency used special Morph-X with animal DNA to create their Rangers: the Grid Battleforce Rangers. When Evox createsevil clones of their two best Ranger candidates, Grid Battleforce is forced to turn two new cadets into Rangers - making the war to save the Earth even more perilous inPower Rangers Beast Morphers.
Although the chosen source materialTokumei Sentai Go-Bustersis more of an “extra”Sentaiseason than an official entry, Hasbro managed to up the ante and provide a well-paced narrative for the cast. All Rangers now have more serious motivations - Battleforce Blue Ravi needs to save his girlfriend Roxy after being turned evil, Battleforce Yellow Roxy strives to prove her worth after her cadet demotion, Battleforce Gold Nate reconciles his need for sibling love, and Battleforce Silver Steel studies what it means to be “human.” Perhaps more interesting is howBeast Morphersalso reconciles some plotlines from otherPower Rangersseries, specifically a surprising connection toRPM.
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Airing Date
February 5 to June 03, 2025
Humanity faces an inevitable future with aliens (and superpowered people), and it’s up to Space Patrol Delta to maintain peace throughout the galaxy. The story ofPower Rangers SPDbegins when the rookie B-Squad is assigned to the forefront when their A-Squad comrades go missing and, in a weird twist of fate, are put under the leadership of the delinquent Jack Landors - instead of the well-trained Sky Tate, who is now designated SPD Blue Ranger. This early dynamic placesPower Rangers SPDas more or less a pseudo-police procedural, where the B-Squad uses their superhuman powers to solve a case and transform into the SPD Rangers when criminals decide to play hard to get.
Tensions between Jack and Sky are always a delight to see, especially when they finally put their differences aside. The series is also among the few seasons where extra Rangers are both plentiful and active, marking the debut of the time-travelling Omega Ranger (sadly just a ball of light), the badass Shadow Ranger (their commander Anubis Kreuger), and even the resident scientist as the Kat Ranger. Discovering the fate of the A-Squad is also a treat to fans, asSPDcloses this arc with quite a suspenseful approach.
Dinosaurs inPower Rangerslore weren’t just made extinct by a random asteroid, but collateral damage in the fight between the Keeper entrusted to keep the mystical Energems safe and the intergalactic bounty hunter Sledge. And when Sledge returns to Earth in the present after being trapped in deep space, Keeper searches for the teens who got their hands on the Energems to train them as the Dino Charge Rangers. This convoluted backstory aside, precisely this attention to detail madePower Rangers Dino Chargeone of the more memorable Neo-Saban entries in the franchise.
Dino Chargebecomes a compelling watch for fans who want a decent mix between narrative cohesion and comedy, as the series loves its quips without going too overboard. Fans who love seeing many Rangers will also appreciateDino Charge, as the series is notable for having the largest Ranger roster in one season beyond its sixthDino Charge Gold Ranger. The season is also notable for its decent take on character development, especially when establishing the dynamic between the main Rangers and their villains, the arrival of their sixth Ranger, the entry of the extra Rangers, and a compelling rival-to-ally arc of a specific villain.
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March 7 to July 25, 2025
WithGo-Ongerdazzling fans with its racing motif complete with talking mecha, it’s become quite a surprise for Disney to end its stint withPower Rangerswith a concept that is almost the complete opposite theme: a story in a post-apocalyptic future where humanity’s last city of Corinth deploys Ranger Operators -Power Rangers RPM -to fightan evil AI called Venjix from completely dominating the world. Initially led by military-trained Scott Truman and teammates Flynn and Summer, the RPM Rangers are soon joined by comedic Ziggy, the mysterious Dillon, and wonder twins Gem and Gemma.
Despite its dark storyline,Power Rangers RPMdelights fans with a cohesive narrative and solid character development - with all of its cast members having personal stakes that all get weaved into an overarching plot. Behind the awesome gadgets (and hilariously-explained meta elements like explosions and oddly cartoonish mecha in a desolate world) of Doctor K are ties related to Venjix’s ride, while the tension between amnesiac Dillon and murderous villain Tenaya is more than meets the eye. WhileRPMhas a short story and a rather mature premise, it’s an underrated entry in the series that is worth a visit.
While notable today as the final act to the “Zordon Era” in the franchise,Power Rangers in Spacewas initially conceptualized as the lastPower Rangersseries “ever” with the dismal ratings ofPower Rangers Turbo. As with early-eraPower Rangers,In Spaceradically goes away from its source materialMegaranger’s story and becomes its own thing. Immediately following up onTurbo’s events, the Rangers venture into space to save Zordon from the hands of the United Alliance of Evil - with a reluctant Andros eventually inviting the former Turbo Rangers to become Space Rangers and stop the new Princess of Evil, Astronema.
Although the series is no stranger to twists and turns,Power Rangers In Spacehas its fair share of storylines enough to get new fans hooked and older fans remembering exactly what made the franchise iconic. With no mentor like Zordon as a guide, the older Andros becomes both a leader and a tour guide to the intergalactic aspect ofPower Rangerslore.In Spacealso becomes the venue of a surprisingTMNTcameo (courtesy of Saban’s ownTurtles: The Next Mutationthat was airing at the time), and the appearance of the first “true” evil Ranger counterpart - the Psycho Rangers.In Spaceis undeniable proof thatPower Rangerscan still become a hit even with a completely new team of Rangers.
A lot is riding onPower Rangers Cosmic Fury, especially with its set-up as a 10-episode “franchise finale” beforePower Rangersentered its indefinite hiatus. While initially set up as unofficially the third season ofDino Fury,Cosmic Furyis a celebration ofPower Rangersand a preview of what it could become. Taking place just after the events ofDino Fury, Lord Zedd’s return and Zayto’s demise forces Amelia Jones to retire her mantle of Pink Dino Fury Ranger and take charge as the Red Cosmic Fury Ranger - embarking on a race against time with the entire Morphin Grid at stake.
Despite the lackluster suits and somewhat mixed pacing,Cosmic Furyis a definite step-up since the series’ return post-RPM. The short run cut a lot of unnecessary filler, raised the stakes, and set up much-needed closure on arcs opened inDino Chargeand even way back inMMPR. Narrative depth became a priority inCosmic Furyas the season respects its decades-long history and broke new ground in storytelling - specifically the charged character arcs of Javi and Zayto and Amelia with her leadership role.
Aside fromOhranger, fans considerTimerangeras one of the more mature stories to ever graceSuper Sentai- andPower Rangers Time Forceis an appropriately serious adaptation of the entry. Set in the far future wherethe Time Force Rangersalso protect the world from temporal threats, Pink Ranger Jen Scotts leads the Rangers in a race against time as crime lord Ransik travels to the 21st Century in a bid to secure a foothold on Earth so he’s never caught in the future. Jen isn’t leading the Rangers out of a sense of duty, however, as she’s also chasing Ransik for killing her fiancé Alex Drake who happens to be the team’s Red Ranger.
Their trip to the past makes her cross paths with Wesley Collins, Alex’s distant ancestor, who reluctantly accepts the role of Red Time Force Ranger.
The death of Alex as early as the first episode can be quite a shocker toPower Rangersfans who almost always never had to encounter tragic deaths. Not to mention, Jen’s leadership of the team is a historic first in the franchise, as there hasn’t been anyone who isn’t a Red Ranger that led a Ranger team. Relationships among the cast are always tested through the series, such as Alex constantly earning his role as the new Red Ranger while also coming to terms with his conflicting relationship with his close friend Eric Myers, who becomes the Quantum Ranger.
While it’s true thatPower Rangershas had its fair share of anniversary celebrations, none can compare toPower Rangers Dino Thunderwhen it comes to paying homage to the series’ roots. Taking place in Reefside,Power Rangers Dino Thunderwill place three teenagers with nothing in common - athlete Conner, rockstar Kira, and nerdy Ethan - in the crossfires of a war against Mesogog and his plans of returning Earth to the age of dinosaurs. With the power of the Dino Gems and guidance of paleontology professor Tommy Oliver (theTommy), the Dino Thunder Rangers perfectly represent a more modern generation ofMighty Morphin’s teenagers with attitude.
Compared to other seasons,Dino Thunderworks with a small cast of four, eventually five, Rangers - providing a lot of room for character development. Each of the Dino Thunder Rangers also hide personal struggles they eventually help sort out throughout the series, all while fans get a blast from the past with an aged Tommy and a redemption story in the form of Trent Mercer’s White Dino Ranger.
