"Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive"
If you know a child that is between five and twelve, you probably already know this - "Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive" debuts Monday, February 26th at 8:00PM. There will also be a pre-behind-the-scenes show for the hardcore fans on Monday morning.
Everyone is familiar with the Power Rangers. However, most of us just think of the original Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers from the early nineties, which is usually followed by a 'cheezy', 'corny' or 'lame' epitaph - and those are mostly deserved. But there have been many, many other incarnations of this team. To wit, from the Wikipedia:
Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive (abbreviated as PROO and Operation Overdrive...) will be an American children's television program, the fifteenth season and anniversary of the Power Rangers franchise. It is due to air in February of 2007...The program is a co-production between Disney and Toei. Toei produced the series which Operation Overdrive is to be adapted from, GoGo Sentai Boukenger, which is the thirtieth series in the long running Japanese Super Sentai franchise of tokusatsu programs.
Just to emphasize the point: this is the 15th season of Power Rangers in the US, and the Japanese Super Sentai series (on which Power Rangers is based) is in its 30th season. That's some serious longevity! (BTW, the RangerCentral site is an excellent resource if you want to research the previous seasons.)
So...I might as well admit it. I am hooked on the Rangers. Sure, I only started watching when my five year old thought it was cool. Now, I remind *him* that a new episode is coming on! Most of the plots are simple, but they are meant to be, considering the target audience. Most of the acting is fairly horrendous (although it seems to be improving) and the effects are not that great, unless you get fired up about explosions. But, every so often, they are able to put together a good scene or episode - just enough to make an adult say 'Hey - that was cool!'. In each of the last three season (which pretty much sums up my viewership), I have enjoyed those episodes.
That is why this show is still on the air after 15 years - kids and parents, watching together. Go Rangers!
