As I now know, Zyuranger plots tended to focus on random
child characters that the rangers would inexplicably befriend. They typically only appeared for only one
episode, have a simple character arc (sometimes), and were typically never
seen again. The show was very
rarely about the rangers themselves, which was a bit disappointing. However, most
Power Rangers episodes based on Zyuranger fight footage changed the focus so
that the rangers were at the forefront, which ultimately made the show better
off in spite of the lack of Zyranger’s darker themes and style. However, there are a multitude of
episodes where the Power Rangers writers (likely due to footage demands)
decided to focus on random kid characters anyway, just like Zyuranger. The results were often nauseating.
The first, and arguably worst, example of this is found in Big Sisters, an episode that is bafflingly
insipid. Trini and Kimberly
have volunteered for a big sisters program, wherein the two of them hang out
with a twelve-year-old girl named Maria for the day. Maria, a monstrous little brat whose voice seems to be
coming from another dimension, gets kidnapped and forced by Rita’s Chunky
Chicken monster to open up an ancient box that contains the Power Eggs (it can
only be opened by innocence, so it’s a wonder how Maria qualifies). What do the
Power Eggs do, you ask? Well, you see, they’re very powerful. The rangers’ communication and teleporting is down for some
reason, so they instead travel via the Radbug: Billy’s new invention that will
allow them to travel to the Command Center by flying there (with the aid of…
the Northern Lights?). The rangers
engage in a battle with Chunky, Goldar, Squatt, and Baboo, which results in the
Power Eggs being tossed into the ocean (the one next to the mountainous
desert). After Maria is nearly
dropped to her death by the Chicken, the Rangers catch her using the Megazord
and she drives off in the Rad Bug to safety. Now it’s time to take care of the scissor-wielding
birdbrain.
The episode is clumsily stitched together, with the Radbug coming out of nowhere in addition to being extremely goofy. The Power Eggs idea is underdeveloped (we don’t even see Maria open the box), and the way the box is tossed into the ocean, in the MIDDLE OF THE DESERT, it just lame. Also, there’s no reason why Goldar or the flying chicken couldn’t have just hopped in and gotten the eggs. Couldn’t even say “Zordon teleported them somewhere far away,” or something? But none of these issues compare to the biggest problem with the episode.
Nothing works about Maria at all, except perhaps that the crew actually pulled off using the Sentai footage with her counterpart well enough (though I was instinctively waiting for her to shout “tasukete!” when she was hanging on the rope). From her introduction (pulling a corny prank where she shuts the hot water off on the guys showering at the Juice Bar) to her downright creepy looks, Maria is a nightmare come to life. We learn nothing about her, she doesn’t change (she might even be more obnoxious by the end), plus her wig and dubbed voice are terrible. What an awful, awful character.
There are a few things I noticed about Big Sisters that were interesting, even if they don’t necessarily make the episode any better. This is the first time we hear about The Morphing Masters, which may or may not be tied to the show’s overall mythology later on. This is also one of only a few times that Rita comes down to Earth using her flying bicycle, and while it does look pretty silly, I like how the effect of her flying over trees is all done in-camera. I also noticed that this might be the only time all the rangers are shown taking out their Power Coins and forming their Power Crystals in their zords (usually it’s just Jason). It makes for a pretty dynamic sequence, and I wish it had been used more often. And like it or not, we can’t forget that this is the introduction of the Rad Bug, which does become more important later on. Also, first time the rangers do that pyramid formation attack thing? Super cool.
In conclusion, Big Sisters is the worst episode the show I’ve encountered thus far in my re-watch. Bulk and Skull do absolutely nothing except getting chili dumped on them at the very end, meanwhile Maria gets an interview on what I assume is Angel Grove’s public access news station, declaring that she’s “the most popular kid in class.” The episode’s fights aren’t any better or worse than we’ve seen already, and Chunky Chicken, in Goldar’s own words, is a just a lame monster overall (not helped by the fact that we just had a “Pudgy Pig” only last episode, making me wish that they’d gone with at least one more “Fat + Animal” monster throughout the series’ run). But hey, for damn near rock bottom it’s still pretty entertaining.
The episode is clumsily stitched together, with the Radbug coming out of nowhere in addition to being extremely goofy. The Power Eggs idea is underdeveloped (we don’t even see Maria open the box), and the way the box is tossed into the ocean, in the MIDDLE OF THE DESERT, it just lame. Also, there’s no reason why Goldar or the flying chicken couldn’t have just hopped in and gotten the eggs. Couldn’t even say “Zordon teleported them somewhere far away,” or something? But none of these issues compare to the biggest problem with the episode.
Nothing works about Maria at all, except perhaps that the crew actually pulled off using the Sentai footage with her counterpart well enough (though I was instinctively waiting for her to shout “tasukete!” when she was hanging on the rope). From her introduction (pulling a corny prank where she shuts the hot water off on the guys showering at the Juice Bar) to her downright creepy looks, Maria is a nightmare come to life. We learn nothing about her, she doesn’t change (she might even be more obnoxious by the end), plus her wig and dubbed voice are terrible. What an awful, awful character.
There are a few things I noticed about Big Sisters that were interesting, even if they don’t necessarily make the episode any better. This is the first time we hear about The Morphing Masters, which may or may not be tied to the show’s overall mythology later on. This is also one of only a few times that Rita comes down to Earth using her flying bicycle, and while it does look pretty silly, I like how the effect of her flying over trees is all done in-camera. I also noticed that this might be the only time all the rangers are shown taking out their Power Coins and forming their Power Crystals in their zords (usually it’s just Jason). It makes for a pretty dynamic sequence, and I wish it had been used more often. And like it or not, we can’t forget that this is the introduction of the Rad Bug, which does become more important later on. Also, first time the rangers do that pyramid formation attack thing? Super cool.
In conclusion, Big Sisters is the worst episode the show I’ve encountered thus far in my re-watch. Bulk and Skull do absolutely nothing except getting chili dumped on them at the very end, meanwhile Maria gets an interview on what I assume is Angel Grove’s public access news station, declaring that she’s “the most popular kid in class.” The episode’s fights aren’t any better or worse than we’ve seen already, and Chunky Chicken, in Goldar’s own words, is a just a lame monster overall (not helped by the fact that we just had a “Pudgy Pig” only last episode, making me wish that they’d gone with at least one more “Fat + Animal” monster throughout the series’ run). But hey, for damn near rock bottom it’s still pretty entertaining.
Mighty Morphin’ Score: 4/10
Power Rangers Score: 2/10
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