How Power Rangers tore up the rule book and stood the test of time

The series became a surprise hit which has gone on to run for almost 30 seasons and in turn, launched a pop culture phenomenon in its own right, spawning spin-off films, games, comic books, merchandise and action figures.

To celebrate the milestone anniversary, the current iteration of the Mighty Morphin heroes will be joined by some of the iconic original cast in a one-off Netflix special, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers – Once and Always.

Ahead of the special, we take a look at how the series kept on morphin’ to become the mammoth show it is today.

Teamwork and inclusivity

One of the major pulls of the original series was the exciting concept that almost anyone could be a Power Ranger.

The assembled team of heroes were compiled from a ragtag bunch of teenage high schoolers with their own unique personalities, ranging from the endearingly clumsy nerd Billy (David Yost), AKA the Blue Ranger, to the charismatic martial art enthusiast Zach (Walter E Jones), AKA the Black Ranger.

Also, five years before Sarah Michelle Gellar broke ground as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Amy Jo Johnson and Thuy Trang were tearing up the gender rule book as the formidable Pink and Yellow Power Rangers. Fighting as impressively alongside their male counterparts, the pair proved key members in the team, smashing the typical gendered stereotypes of entertainment aimed at kids in the early '90s (colours not withstanding!).

The writers also placed heavy importance on teamwork throughout the many series. To defeat the larger and more powerful villains, the rangers had to team up and assemble their Zords to create the giant robot Megazord – proving their strength came from the core bond.

Absolute absurdity

The silly central concept featured wacky scenarios and elements including colour coded suits, giant battling robots, bonkers villains, a mentor who was a giant floating head and stylized martial arts fight sequences ripped from Japanese show Super Sentai. Coupled with the low-budget production and hilarious costumes, this all added a truly endearing charm to proceedings.

Whether it was the Rangers battling Mad Mike the pizza chef in Power Rangers Turbo, villains Zedd and Rita driving around the universe in an RV in Power Rangers Zeo, or the green Ranger summoning the Dragonzord with his iconic Dragon dagger flute in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, these bonkers elements quickly became synonymous with the franchise.

And as the years progressed, the writers seemingly attempted to go bigger and better with each series, launching new Zords, team-ups (hello Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and even more absurd scenarios (think teams of elemental mages, elite space police and adventurous treasure hunters!)

Despite the absurd plots, there’s also an undeniable simplicity and joy to the show, especially when the theme music kicks in and you hear the iconic, “It's morphin time.”

Compelling and relatable storylines

Another winning aspect of the franchise is the writers’ ability to strike a great balance between the fun elements and more absurd comedy, with strong character arcs and compelling Power Rangers lore.

Across the years, the various series explored recurring universal themes throughout their respective narratives, primarily focusing on the battle between good and evil, stories of friendships and overcoming challenges to become a better person.

Strong character driven arcs proved most popular, particularly throughout Tommy the Green Ranger’s iconic struggle to break free from Rita’s evil enchantment. This influential five-part arc charted the evolution of Tommy from an infiltrating spy to a core member of the Rangers, who went on to become their leader as the White Ranger in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie.

This core tale of personal development and the importance of teamwork proved a relatable narrative with the key audience demographic, especially set in the coming-of-age high school backdrop.

The nostalgia kick

The enduring nature of the series has long since cemented a special place in pop culture, with the show proving one of the best and longest running original live-action superhero team-ups – long before Marvel and DC launched their own cinematic universes.

Despite the ownership of the franchise changing hands over the decades, the iconic elements such as the coloured costume mantles, stylised fight sequences, Zord battles and (variations on the) "Go, Go, Power Rangers" theme song have remained.

For those who grew up with the original '90s show, there has been plenty of great tie-in media and merchandise to collect including comic books from Boom! Studios and three spin-off films. The coloured suits have also become a staple for cosplayers at comic cons worldwide, along with a dedicated fandom.

With the various iterations of the show streaming on Netflix, the original '90s fans can now share their love of the series with their own children, with the Once and Always special set to bridge the gap between generations.

You can catch Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once and Always on Netflix from Wednesday 19th April. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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