Review: Power Rangers in Space

Favourite Ranger: Ashley Hammond, the Yellow Space Ranger

Favourite Villain: Astronema

Favourite Episode: "Countdown to Destruction" (Parts I & II)

Least Favourite Ranger: Zhane, the Silver Space Ranger

Least Favourite Villain: Darkonda

Least Favourite Episode: "Grandma Matchmaker"

When Zordon is captured by the united forces of the nefarious Dark Specter, the Power Rangers venture off into space in search of their mentor. They quickly join forces with Andros, a rebel who fights against the femme fatale Astronema while searching for his long lost sister. Together, Andros and the other Power Rangers form a new team dedicated to bringing down the universe's most dangerous evil organization.

After the campiness of Turbo, Power Rangers in Space is a refreshing return to action-packed adventure and character-driven narratives. It is cohesive in its tone and focuses on delivering story arcs, making it decidedly one of the more well-written entries into the franchise. Andros' search for his sister grounds this series and provides a reason for viewers to root for the Rangers beyond the "good vs. evil" cliché. This also helps to improve our reception of Andros as a character. Unlike previous Red Rangers, he is flawed and is more of a lone wolf. He's not a natural leader, but he's got a good heart. This makes him one of the more multi-faceted characters in the franchise.

Much like Andros, the villainous Astronema is portrayed as a complex character that we can sympathize with. Previously, the Rangers' antagonists have been fairly one-note and typically don't have much in the way of a backstory. From the overbearing Rita Repulsa to the campy Divatox, the villains have traditionally been evil "just because." Astronema's motivations are much more complicated and she's given a history that is presented to the audience as a puzzle that we must piece together. The mystery of her origins, paired with her affection for the Silver Ranger, make her fascination to watch. She's certainly one of the more vicious villains the franchise has had, but she's also the one we can empathize the most with.

One of the biggest complaints I had towards Turbo was the blandness of the "new" Rangers Cassie, TJ, Carlos and Ashley. Thankfully, they come into their own in Space. We get to see Cassie's feisty personality, TJ's skills as a brilliant strategist and Carlos' headstrong attitude. Most interesting, however, is Ashley's crush on Andros. What starts out as a subtle affection turns into a rather sweet relationship. Unfortunately, it's not handled as well as it could have been. The progress of their relationship inevitably takes a backseat to the conflicts with Dark Specter and Astronema, which prevents the couple from becoming a true rival to the fan-favourite Kimberly and Tommy pairing. Still, it is through Ashley's love for Andros that we see her heart and passion shine through. 

Power Rangers in Space is one of the most addictive entries into the Power Rangers franchise. Its relatively small cast of characters and use of recurring storylines make for one of the tightest narratives the franchise has ever had. It takes risks and presents itself as a bold mix between Star Trek and just about every daytime soap opera. The Rangers are flawed, but likeable, while the villains are much more complex in their characterization. There's really very little to complain about when there were only a couple of stinker episodes out of a 43 episode run.