Power Rangers DinoThunder: Triassic Triumph (December 11/04)

Power Rangers DinoThunder is the latest Mighty Morphin Power Rangers spinoff, and it's not difficult to see why the series has managed to stick around for so long. Aimed unapologetically at young children, the show features easy-to-identify-with heroes and detestable bad guys (the latter of which are always vanquished). When in human form, the Power Rangers participate in soap opera-esque plot lines that most adolescents will be able to relate to (ie how to deal with a bully). Triassic Triumph collects five episodes of the series.

Episode #1, "It's a Mad Mad Mackerel," opens with Kira starting an internship at a TV station, where she's working on a children's TV show. One of Mesogog's minions finds out about this, though, and dispatches several monsters to her location - forcing Kira to transform into her Power Ranger alter-ego there and then. Meanwhile, Mesogog's son - the evil White Power Ranger - is squabbling with a fellow villain for second-in-command status.

"Copy That" features a new villain that is able to copy whatever weapon it is being attacked with, leaving the Rangers unable to defeat it. Luckily the White Ranger is transformed back into his good self, allowing him to help in the fight against the monster. Meanwhile, Dr. Mercer is struggling to keep his evil alter-ego from emerging, but Mesogog won't be vanquished that easily.

In "Triassic Triumph," Mesogog creates a powerful clone of the White Ranger, along with a powerful dino-villain that seems determined to kill the Rangers. Meanwhile, Conner finds himself playing second banana to a Russian student who has a reputation for being a much better soccer player.

Kira is the focus of "A Star is Torn," as she receives the opportunity to release one of her songs as a single and video. But when she meets up with the producer, Kira discovers that he wants to turn her into an '80s-style techno act. Meanwhile, Mesogog has learned about the Rangers' efforts to develop a super-weapon and decides to step in before they have a chance to finish building it.

The disc's final episode, "A Ranger Exclusive," Kira learns that Conner has been seeing the nerd-hating Cassidy - and is cajoled into introducing her to the TV station's general manager. Fortunately for Cassidy, she just happens to be in the right place at the right time and captures footage of the Rangers defeating Mesogog's latest monster (and as such, winds up impressing said general manager).

Older viewers will be hard-pressed to find much here worth embracing, although there's no denying that the show isn't quite as bad as one might expect. This is mostly thanks to the various performers, who are surprisingly charismatic and adept.