YOPR: 12. Power Ranger Punks
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: Billy and Kimberly go rogue after Rita spoils the Rangers’ volleyball game.
Why it matters: Billy’s friendship with Trini was well-established from the series’ jump – she’s the de facto translator for his over-the-top geekspeak – but it’s his bond with Kimberly that’s more poignant, especially early in the show. From a strict stereotyping point of view, the two contrast more than any of our heroes. Billy is a hapless nerd with social skills that are, to put it kindly, questionable. Kimberly is a valley girl, through and through. If this were any other show, that they even breathe within arm's length of one another would be unbelievable, and their relationship no doubt gave thousands of young, nerdy boys a heightened expectation of what their social circle could look like in high school. This is the first time the two are paired off in a meaningful way, and it’s fun to watch how well they complement one another – even as they spend most of the episode out of character.
Episode MVP: A California thrift store, probably. Our heroes seldom stray from apparel choices that match their spandex threads, and that commitment is ironclad even when Billy and Kimberly “go punk.” Billy’s cutoff denim vest is an easy but effective choice, but the blue-tinted sunglasses really bring out the whole ensemble. There is zero doubt that Kimberly’s get-up was the subconscious underpinning for most of my adolescent fantasies. The wardrobe- and makeup departments, overall, did more to bring out their “punkness” than did either of the actors, whose performances feel more out of place than they ought to.
A good quote: “Unfortunately, Billy and Kimberly are of no use at the present time.” – Zordon
Rating: 3/5 bandanas
