YOPR: 16. Switching Places
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: A classic body-switching plot, but with spandex.
Why it matters: There are some sloppy episodes throughout MMPR, but “Switching Places” might take the soufflé. The original and source footage seem more disconnected than usual despite good-faith efforts to bridge them; the core beat of the episode – Billy and Kimberly switching bodies – mostly plays as an afterthought; and the general state of interactions between the Power Rangers and Zordon just feels odd – it’s almost as if this episode was intended to air among the first handful of shows rather than nearly halfway through the intended 40-episode run. It’s best contribution: a B plot centered on Bulk and Skull! It’s not the first time our favorite bullies have done something other than bullying, but it’s the first time they’ve engaged in antics that didn’t directly involve the main cast of characters. It’s a narrow window into their future as characters, but a window nonetheless.
Episode MVPs: Amy Jo Johnson and David Yost. While a few episodes ago they came across as over-the-top in their portrayal of “punked out” versions of their characters, their tours as versions of one another’s characters goes much more smoothly. These character swaps are endearing in a way that their other alternative versions weren’t quite; another shoutout to the makeup and costume departments is in order, because they’re doing a lot of heavy lifting here.
A good quote: “It’s scarfin’ time!” – Bulk and Skull
Rating: 3/5 genie lamps
