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Power Rangers SPD: Volumes 4 & 5 (December 19/05)

Power Rangers SPD marks the eleventh (!) show to carry the Power Rangers name, and though each series introduces different characters, they're all essentially the same. Five ragtag teenagers must join forces when they're recruited to become Power Rangers, and the series follows their efforts to fight intergalactic enemies.

Power Rangers SPD is no different, as the series revolves around a quintet of high school students who find themselves forced to save the world on a regular basis. The twist here - if you can call it that - is that the show transpires 15 years into the future, where aliens and humans co-exist peacefully (most of the time, anyway).

The Rangers this time around are: Jack Landors (Brandon Jay McLaren), Schuyler "Sky" Tate (Chris Violette), Bridge Carson (Matt Austin), Elizabeth "Z" Delgado (Monica May), and Sydney "Syd" Drew (Alycia Purrott). Their leader is a weird creature that resembles a dinosaur named Commander Cruger (John Tui), while their most fearsome enemy is the malicious and evil Emperor Gruumm (Rene Naufahu).

Volume 4 ("Boom") and 5 ("Zapped") each collect five episodes of the series, presented in their proper order. Additionally, both DVDs come armed with a never-before-seen bonus episode entitled "Wormhole." Volume 4 includes: "Boom" (in which Boom lies to his parents about his status as a Power Ranger), "Recognition" (a body-switching episode revolving around Sky and a monster), "Samurai" (the Rangers must stop a deadly beast skilled in swordplay), "Dismissed" (Cruger is relieved of his position as head of the Power Rangers), and "Perspective" (a Rashomon-like episode in which each Ranger remembers a mission differently).

The five episodes included within volume 5 are: "Messenger" Part 1 and 2 (the Rangers receive assistance from a time-traveling Ranger from the future in their effort to combat deadly adversary Morgana), "Zapped" (a magician is enlisted by Morgana in the fight to destroy the Rangers), and "Reflection" Part 1 and 2 (Sky must face off against the villain that killed his father).

Power Rangers SPD is just as silly and forgettable as its various predecessors, although the fact that the show is still around means that there's an audience for this stuff.

 

About the DVD: Both DVDs come armed with a behind-the-scenes featurette and a virtual simulator. Several Disney Sneak Peeks are also included.
© David Nusair