YOPR: 31. Calamity Kimberly
On April 19, MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS: ONCE AND ALWAYS premieres on Netflix. I’m writing about all 60 episodes of MMPR’s first season in the lead-up to that premiere.
If you’d like to follow along on this rewatch, entirety of MMPR’s first season is available for free (with ads) on YouTube.
One-sentence synopsis: Even gorgeous superheroes have bad days.
Why it matters: Kimberly-heavy episodes to this point have seen her act as an agent in her own rescue (“Foul Play in the Sky”) or continuing to work alongside the team while incapacitated in some form (“Switching Places”). Seeing her as a “damsel in distress” trapped alone in a magical jar is a bit jarring, but in the context of the episode – she was a black cat and a ladder away from blasting through every bad-luck trope in a matter of three minutes – it works effectively enough. That choice is improved by the juxtaposition of Tommy – her would-be knight – also being incapacitated, thanks to Zyuranger footage.
Episode MVP: Amy Jo Johnson. It’s just so clear at this point that she’s the best actor on this show, and I don’t think that’s subjective. She’s given a lot of spotlight and so many things to do while she’s in it. The opening sequence is nearly two full minutes of a Kimberly monologue, wherein she falls out of a bed, gets audibly and visibly disgusted by her bed hair, and discouraged by the clothing options in her closet. It’s all simple stuff, script-wise, and rooted in a trite plot, but AJJ’s commitment to the bits elevates it to the point of necessary believability it needs for those watching at home. Her eventual departure from the show is well-timed, but selfishly I wish we could have watched Kimberly’s character mature through the departure of her peers in Turbo. We missed out on a lot, I think.
A good quote: “A little wet? I’m a total wreck.” – Kimberly
Rating: 4/5 unacknowledged Thunder Bikes