Friday, June 28, 2013

MMPR // 1.3 "Team Work" [review]

Episode 3 “Team Work”
                This episode seems to draw a certain amount of source material from Captain Planet, as it’s all about saving the planet.     We begin with the girls’ quest to shut down a dump site because of all of the pollution it causes.   Skull and Bulk, who are now joined by a silent female, want to rain on the parade because… apparently they like pollution and not being able to breathe?   I don’t know, there is no clear reason here as to why Skull and Bulk align themselves with garbage. 
                And just then, as if it was to be known all along, Rita Repulsa exclaims that she is the reason there is so much pollution on this planet.
                Whoa.
                Whoa.
                Whoa-freaking-whoa.
                You’re not getting off that easy, human race. 
                This would have made much more sense if we saw Bulk and Skull trying to help the girls out because every member of this planet should care, no matter how poorly their characters are written, and what’s more so is that Rita could have made some kind of declaration about how we all live in our own filth and don’t seem to mind it.   I really would have liked this episode to take a little more personal responsibility, have a garbage monster and come away at the end feeling like if the Power Rangers are doing their part to help the environment so can everyone else. 
                Of course that doesn’t happen, but we get a glimpse at our second adult in the series: the principal who is creepy as all get out.   And when the girls ask the guys for help at the dump site, what happens?   They all have excuses as to why they can’t go.   Wow.  Add them to the bad guy roster now.   Zack is the best because he’s going to help Alpha, the lame robot, learn how to dance.   And, no, I only wish I was making this part of the story up. 
                So naturally, the girls get singled out and flooded with putties.   So what do the rest of the Power Rangers do?   Well, once Zordon figures it out, he teleports Billy and Jason to the spaceship, you know, as opposed to just sending all three to the dump site to help the girls with no time to waste. 
                Then- I kid you not- once all the guys are standing around and have figured out that the girls are being beaten by putties, what does the all great and powerful Zordon say?  This is a direct quote I wish I only made up: “There’s no time to lose” – Zordon
                Well, the guys end up going after their own monster anyway, after a bunch of standing around not helping the girls, and somehow the girls manage to fend off all of the putties themselves only to then meet Goldar.  
                Eventually, everyone comes together to fight and the Power Rangers end up fighting a giant minotaur.   When they just can’t seem to get it together, they are taken back to base to be told by Zordon about some power weapons that, you know, would have been helpful from day one, but why not just give them to them now, huh Zordon?
                Megazord.  Power weapons.  Minotaur loses and Rita Repulsa must regroup and try again next episode.
                Oh, and after the minotaur, yes, I have completely forgotten about the environment. 

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