“It’s a goofy show adapted from a goofy Japanese show that gets translated or adapted into a goofy American show filmed in New Zealand, bringing actors from Canada to New Zealand to film a show that gets aired primarily in America.” — Joshua Moore.
I’ve often said that I was exactly the right age to initially think that Power Rangers was idiotic when it debuted in 1993, only to come to appreciate it when my kids discovered it in the early 2010s. Be it “good” or “bad,” it’s unlike anything else that existed before or (save for attempted knock-offs) since. In retrospect, it was an example of a large-scale commercial triumph, partly due to being the first of its kind and by delivering previously “foreign” genre elements to young American audiences.
It proved to be a gateway drug for all kinds of geeky and fantastical properties, including a gradual move towards a “mainstream” acceptance of anime outside of Japan, while serving as a one-stop shop for everything (giant robots, slimy monsters, kaiju mayhem, martial arts, slapstick comedy, YA soap opera, and more) that a stereotypical American kid might crave. Furthermore, its difficulty in achieving commercial glory beyond the small screen and the toy aisle early on illustrated the challenges of cross-platform success.
So it was with great interest that I scooped up Morphemenal, penned by Kentucky-based journalist Joshua Moore. As hoped, it’s an engrossing one-stop shop for everything of note related to the making, evolution, and pop culture impact of the Power Rangers. It’s filled with nuggets of “new to me” trivia. For example, I somehow never knew that the first, now-30-year-old Power Rangers movie was essentially an Elseworld. It also provides comprehensive context for more well-known historical nuggets, such as how the 9/11 attacks impacted the show and the unpleasant circumstances behind David Yost’s departure.
It all adds up to a singular tome that celebrates the show’s successes without ignoring its artistic and/or economic shortcomings. We spent most of the (edited for clarity and length) 75-minute conversation discussing our differing and mutual experiences with the property, its of-the-moment and in retrospect cultural impact and whether the franchise, which aired its “final” television season in 2023, is truly done. While we do discuss factoids and history that can be found in the book, I have tried to avoid extensively detailing its contents. I still want you to buy or borrow it and read it yourself. And with that, Forces of darkness empow… wait, sorry… I meant, “It’s Moprhin’ Time.”
Morphenomenal is the first unauthorized book written by an independent journalist—and lifelong fan—about the creation and history of Power Rangers, its impact on pop culture, and how it has continuously evolved to meet kids’ tastes and survive, if not thrive, across three decades of an ever-shifting TV landscape.
In addition to extensive archival research, Morphenomenal includes stories, memories, and insights culled from more than 100 original interviews with cast members, writers, production crew, executives, and fans who have left a lasting impact on Power Rangers. The book also features more than 80 color and black-and-white photos, including never-before-seen materials and others in print for the first time.
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