With just three words, “It’s Morphin’ Time,” the long-running Power Rangers series earned its place in pop culture forever. With over 30 years of TV, there’s surely a few that are worthy of stand-alone recognition.
Originally produced by music mogul Haim Saban, the entire history of Power Rangers began when Saban took a business trip to Japan and had his mind blown by the Japanese television series Super Sentai, created by Shotaro Ishinomori. In watching a team of colorful superheroes fight evil as one, Saban saw nothing but green and spent several years trying to sell a repackaged version of Super Sentai to an international audience.
(Fun fact: Before Saban, none other than Marvel’s Stan Lee saw similar fortunes. In the late 1970s, Stan Lee fostered a partnership between Marvel and Toei to share each other’s works. While Toei produced its own live-action version of Spider-Man, Marvel attempted to remake the Toei-produced series Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan to Hollywood. Marvel’s attempts failed, and eventually its partnership with Toei withered away.)
Eventually Saban succeeded in his efforts, and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers made it to airwaves on Fox Kids on August 28, 1993. It quickly became one of the biggest cultural phenomenons - and must-have toys - of the 1990s. Beginning with Power Rangers Zeo in 1996, the series refreshes itself on an annual basis, adopting new themed costumes, weapons, mecha, and often new characters.
With the Power Rangers franchise now under ownership by Hasbro and its future looking as promising as ever, we rank the 35 greatest episodes in all of Power Rangers history. Strap on your morphers, because baby, it’s morphin’ time.
35. “Missing Green” (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers)
After Tommy (Jason David Frank) loses his Green Ranger powers for good in Season 2 of the original Mighty Morphin series, team leader Jason (Austin St. John) feels guilty for failing his best friend. In “Missing Green,” the Red Ranger struggles to maintain focus on a karate competition until he’s forced to step up and rescue his other fellow Power Rangers after they’re kidnapped by Goldar. This leads to a thrilling climax where Jason battles Goldar in good old fashioned hand-to-hand combat. While Tommy would soon return as the more powerful White Ranger, “Missing Green” is one of Jason’s finest hours as the heroic Red Ranger before his own exit later in the season.
34. “Stranger Within” (Power Rangers Mystic Force)
On several occasions, different Power Rangers have dealt with vampires. But in the fantasy-themed 2006 series Power Rangers Mystic Force, a superstar DJ comes to Briarwood, with Pink Ranger Vida (Angie Diaz) shirking her duties to check out the concert. However, the DJ is actually an Underworld monster in disguise whose music transforms his listeners into sharp-toothed vampires. (So basically, it’s just another weekend at Coachella.) “Stranger Within” is a two-part episode that’s goofy and spooky - Vida’s vampire make-up is legitimately startling - in which the Mystic Force work together to save one of their own.
33. “Tongue and Cheek” (Power Rangers Ninja Storm)
What can fame do to a superhero? In the 24th episode of Power Rangers Ninja Storm, Dustin (Glenn McMillan) uses his Yellow Ranger powers to fend off thieves attempting to burglarize his friend’s extreme sporting goods store. While Dustin’s actions are genuinely noble, he is hyped up by the press as a Power Ranger embarking on a solo act. Not only is fame and fortune not something Power Rangers should strive for, but his attention starts to get in the way of actually saving the world. While the episode has a hackneyed resolution, it boasts a humorous take on how much the Power Rangers are really meant to be a team.
32. “Redemption Day” (Power Rangers Lost Galaxy)
In the mid-season finale of the sci-fi themed 1998 series Power Rangers Lost Galaxy, the Terra Venture space colony (the show’s primary setting) is under siege by big bad villain Scorpius. As the attack threatens the colony’s safety, the Power Rangers find themselves out of options. In walks the Magna Defender. The antagonistic warrior has sworn vengeance against Scorpius for killing his son Zika before the events of the story. His violent quest has not only cost him the Power Rangers as allies, but his own goodness too. In a final act of selflessness, the Magna Defender marches through fire to save millions, in the hope that it would make Zika proud.
31. “And… Action!” (Power Rangers RPM)
Longtime fans were blown away in 2009 when Power Rangers RPM set a new standard with quality storytelling and an unusual post-apocalyptic setting. (Think Mad Max and The Terminator, but in spandex.) Due to a mid-season change in showrunners, production was left scrambling to fill an episode. This led to one of its most inspired moments ever: a behind-the-scenes special. From make-up chairs to stunt rehearsals, the Power Rangers - who stay in character for some reason - break the fourth wall to reveal how the mighty morphin’ sausage is made. Anyone remotely interested in filmmaking as a craft should see for themselves how a low-budget, effects-heavy show like Power Rangers makes it to air.
30. “Cyborg Rangers” (Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue)
Not even the Power Rangers are immune from automation. In the military and emergency rescue-themed season Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue, the heroes face their obsolescence via technology when their superiors abruptly replace them with remote-controlled avatars. In the end, the Power Rangers prove that saving the world from evil takes real flesh and blood heroes. While the episode aired in 2000, it maintains frightening relevance after all these years as industries everywhere myopically lean towards the short-term benefits of artificial labor while underestimating what it actually costs us.
29. “The Samurai’s Journey” (Power Rangers Ninja Storm)
In the first half of the 2003 series Power Rangers Ninja Storm, computer wiz Cam Watanabe (Jason Chan) languishes in a thankless role as the heroes’ technical support. But in “The Samurai’s Journey,” Cam gets his chance to become a superhero himself when he must travel back in time and retrieve a magical amulet from his late mother that lets him morph into the armored Green Samurai Ranger. While “The Samurai’s Journey” goes on for a needless third episode, it’s still an engaging trilogy that allows Cam to steal the spotlight with arguably one of the greatest costumes in Power Rangers history.
28. “The Millennium Message” (Power Rangers Turbo)
In 1997, the future for Power Rangers was looking uncertain, and so the producers began preparing for an end. With the foreboding episode “The Millennium Message” of Power Rangers Turbo, the show teased an Avengers: Endgame-style blowout in which all of the major villains in Power Rangers history join together as the United Alliance of Evil. These events would come true a year later, in the two-part finale “Countdown to Destruction” of Power Rangers in Space. While Power Rangers wound up staying on the airwaves for years afterward, “The Millennium Message” marks the first time the writers of Power Rangers really considered a true series finale.
27. “Goldar’s Vice Versa” (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers)
It’s easy to forget, what with all the monsters and Megazords, but Power Rangers is also a show about teenagers dealing with teenage problems. Like prom. Enter: “Goldar’s Vice Versa,” a stand-alone Season 2 episode of Mighty Morphin in which Adam (Johnny Yong Bosch), the second Black Ranger, is feeling left out of a Sadie Hawkins dance at Angel Grove High. That’s when he meets a beautiful new student named Sabrina, only to learn she’s the evil Scorpina in disguise. There’s nothing worse than finding out your new crush is your enemy, and it’s in these slice-of-superhero life episodes where Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is secretly at its best.
26. “Wild West Rangers” (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers)
Taking a page out of Back to the Future Part III, Pink Ranger Kimberly (Amy Jo Johnson) is time displaced to late 1800s Angel Grove. However, this Old West frontier town is still vulnerable to Lord Zedd, which forces Kimberly to recruit a temporary group of Hootin’ and Hollerin’ Power Rangers. From their ridiculous cowboy-style costumes to the show’s affectionate parodies of Western movie conventions, “Wild West Rangers” shows Power Rangers actually having some fun with its own tired formula, giving it yee-haw pizazz.
25. “Day of the Dino” (Power Rangers DinoThunder)
In 2004, the late Jason David Frank returned to Power Rangers, reprising his popular role. With his superhero days behind him, “Tommy” is now grown up as Dr. Oliver, a paleontologist who takes a job teaching high school science. But “Dr. O” is thrust into the role of mentor when three of his students - soccer jock Connor (James Napier), tech geek Ethan (Kevin Duhaney), and aspiring indie rocker Kira (Emma Lahana) - are chosen by fate to become new Power Rangers. The two-part premiere of Power Rangers DinoThunder, “Day of the Dino,” is in many ways a true spiritual reboot of Mighty Morphin, with an even stronger focus on teen angst and social cliques all yielding to a greater destiny.
24. “Idol” (Power Rangers SPD)
In the Blade Runner/Men in Black-inspired series Power Rangers SPD, the Power Rangers are police officers who maintain law and order in a future where Earth has invited space aliens as immigrant inhabitants. In “Idol,” an old friend of Sky, the Blue Ranger (Chris Violette) suddenly returns out of the, ahem, blue. But there’s more to Sky’s friend Dru than meets the eye. With “Idol,” Power Rangers warns that even old friendships have limits, and that you really can’t know someone no matter how far back you go.
23. “Trial By Fire” (Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue)
In this early episode of Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue, this generation of Power Rangers - all of whom all had careers prior, like stunt pilots and paramedics - bond over training exercises. Carter Grayson (Sean Cw Johnson), the Red Ranger, reveals he was inspired to become a firefighter from when he was rescued as a child. Though Carter excels in the trials, he learns a harsh lesson that having record timing means nothing when lives are on the line. Beyond its strong character-driven story, “Trial By Fire” is a refreshing take on the show’s established formula, showing that being a Power Ranger isn’t something you luck into but train for.
22. “The Master’s Last Stand” (Power Rangers Wild Force)
In the exceptional mid-season finale of Power Rangers Wild Force, Red Ranger Cole (Rick Medina) confronts his past when a friend of his deceased parents, Dr. Adler (Ilia Volok) turns up alive. However, unbeknownst to him, Dr. Adler - who had an unrequited love for Cole’s mother - has been the evil “Master Org” this whole time. Armored up as the Red Ranger, Cole does battle with the man, or monster, who killed his family. Not only does “The Master’s Last Stand” feature one of the most exquisite fights in all of the show’s history, but its layered story shows its main characters trading blows not only as superhero and supervillain, but as vengeful son and jealous murderer.
21. “Secret Struggle” (Power Rangers Beast Morphers)
What if Power Rangers was like a teenage rom-com? That’s the general idea behind “Secret Struggle,” the eighth episode of Power Rangers Beast Morphers’ second season. While the episode primarily centers around a 24/7 security detail for the town mayor, the real meat of “Secret Struggle” is the budding romance between Yellow Ranger Zoey (Jacqueline Scislowski) and Gold Ranger Nate (Abraham Rodriguez). Although the two Power Rangers try their best to perform their duty, their feelings for each other amusingly, and adorably, get in the way.
20. “The Quantum Quest” (Power Rangers Time Force)
Not all Power Rangers are altruistic do-gooders. In Power Rangers Time Force, the selfish and overly ambitious Eric Myers (Daniel Southworth), a soldier in the for-hire army Silver Guardians, seizes his chance to steal the incredible powers of the Quantum Ranger. Emotionally driven by his resentment towards his childhood friend Wes (Jason Faunt), a spoiled trust fund kid who is also the Red Ranger, Eric morphs into the Quantum Ranger not only to advance his career, but to rub it in Wes’ face how much better he looks in red.
19. “Always a Chance” (Power Rangers in Space)
Generations of Black Rangers unite when Carlos (Roger Velasco), the Black Space Ranger, loses his groove and asks for help from his predecessor Adam (Johnny Yong Bosch in a guest role). “Always a Chance” marks the first time Power Rangers acknowledges its expanding universe, and it does so by giving fans a treat in seeing Adam morph once again, albeit at great personal risk. This is not the last time Adam would yell “It’s Morphin’ Time,” but watching two Black Rangers stand side-by-side for the first time ever is exciting as it is surreal.
18. “Wrath of the Queen” (Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue)
With demons for villains, Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue has some of the scariest monsters of all time. In “Wrath of the Queen,” the Power Rangers take a backseat to demonic politics when the heartless Queen Bansheera - striking in her yellow cat eyes and pale, scaly skin - manipulates her most loyal soldier, Loki, into being her cannon fodder. This infuriates her general Diabolico, leading him to strike up an uneasy alliance with the Red Ranger. Feeling less like Power Rangers and more like Game of Thrones, “Wrath of the Queen” is unlike anything else you might expect to see on Saturday mornings.
17. “Things Not Said” (Power Rangers Operation Overdrive)
It’s easily one of the greatest twists in Power Rangers history. After an otherwise rudimentary battle against evil, Mack (James Maclurcan), the Red Ranger, starts to display erratic behavior. You might even say he’s glitching. Away from the eyes of the other Power Rangers, his father Andrew (a billionaire who bankrolls Operation Overdrive) wakes up Mack to reveal he’s not a real human being but a lifelike android built to be the family Andrew wanted but couldn’t have. Not only is the image of Mack’s severed head with wires dangling downright eerie, but “Things Not Said” retroactively made the middling Power Rangers Operation Overdrive season immediately more interesting.
16. “The Mutiny” (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers)
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was not supposed to last more than one season. But after it became a TV phenomenon, its producers found an ingenious if also roundabout way to keep up its momentum. With the start of Season 2, the show introduced a terrifying new villain, Lord Zedd (voiced by the late Robert Axelrod) in an epic three-part premiere airing on primetime. “The Mutiny” sees the Power Rangers lose control of their Dinozords, forcing them to adopt their new, more powerful Thunderzords (borrowed from the series Gosei Sentai Dairanger). “The Mutiny” is a bombastic spectacle that has everything kids could want - giant robots, scary monsters, and explosions - on a level that kids hadn’t seen before and arguably never did again.
15. “A Friend in Need” (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers)
Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe and The CW’s Arrowverse, Power Rangers tried launching its own shared universe of TV superheroes. The success of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers inspired producer Haim Saban to launch a similar series, Masked Rider, adapting material from the Japanese show Kamen Rider Black RX. The three-part Season 3 premiere of Mighty Morphin functioned as a backdoor pilot for Masked Rider, with the new hero being introduced to fight, and then team up, with the Power Rangers on his home planet. While Masked Rider did not enjoy the same success as Power Rangers, “A Friend in Need” predates so many other superhero media that actually pulled the whole enterprise off.
14. “Fighting Spirit” (Power Rangers DinoThunder)
Although Jason David Frank’s return as a full-time Power Ranger was hampered by a run of episodes where he was made invisible (real world explanation: Frank was busy running his karate schools), his comeback episode “Fighting Spirit” is an incredible celebration of his history. In a coma-induced fever dream, Tommy fights for his life against three ghosts of Power Rangers past: the Red Zeo Ranger, the White Mighty Morphin Ranger, and of course, the Green Mighty Morphin Ranger, who test Tommy’s mettle to see if he’s worthy or if he’s nothing but hype. There has simply never been a TV superhero like Jason David Frank, and since his passing in 2022, there may never be one again.
13. “Dr. K” (Power Rangers RPM)
Although it ran for just 32 episodes, Power Rangers RPM wasted no time exploring the rich lore of its dark futuristic setting. The harrowing episode “Dr. K” reveals the origin story of Olivia Tennet’s socially awkward tech genius, being a gifted child forced by shadowy governments to perform calculations instead of enjoying her childhood. Over time, Dr. K ends up creating the Venjix virus, a rogue A.I. that later ravaged the world and necessitated the rise of the Power Rangers. With a haunting violin music motif and a seriously moving performance by actress Olivia Tennet, “Dr. K” proves that shows with small budgets can still have huge ambitions.
12. “Journey’s End” (Power Rangers Lost Galaxy)
When Saban’s expensive series Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog was canceled, its sizable budget was funneled back into Power Rangers Lost Galaxy. That money was put to good use in its three-part finale “Journey’s End.” As the Terra Venture colony endures heavy destruction from villainess Trakeena (Amy Miller), the colonists become desperate to arrive at their destination: the lush garden world Mirinoi, from which Yellow Ranger Maya (Cerina Vincent) originates. “Journey’s End” is magnificent and surprisingly violent, with explosions galore (many from bombs strapped on the foot soldier minions) and the slow destruction of Terra Venture giving every passing second alarming urgency.
11. “A Golden Homecoming” (Power Rangers Zeo)
By the time the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers upgraded their powers using the Zeo Crystal, it had been awhile since anyone saw Austin St. John as Jason Scott. But when the Zeo Rangers needed someone to inherit the Gold Ranger powers, Tommy brings Jason back into the fold. While Jason enjoyed a sizable run as the Gold Ranger, he wouldn’t make it to the finale. When the Gold Ranger powers started disagreeing with his human physiology, he was forced to surrender the powers back to the Triforians. Still, there’s nothing like seeing someone from Power Rangers’ past come back for a second morph, and still nobody can belt out “It’s Morphin’ Time!” like Jason.
10. “Frax’s Fury” (Power Rangers Time Force)
While Power Rangers is fundamentally about strength in diversity, rarely has it ever explicitly explored themes of hatred and racism. But in Power Rangers Time Force, the mutant criminal Ransik (Vernon Wells) stands to conquer history before the creation of Time Force, all in the name of mutantkind. But his underling Frax - once a human named Dr. Fericks - has his own schemes to undermine his boss, stemming from a hateful act Ransik has all but forgotten. “Frax’s Fury” kicks off a riveting storyline where Frax goes rogue under Ransik’s nose. But it also tells an exciting plot-driven story too, in which Ransik’s ailment spreads all around Silver Hills by a dangerous, vampire-like monster. The emergency forces everyone to work together - even estranged families, like son Wes the Red Ranger and his greedy father who runs Bio-Lab.
9. “Truth and Consequences” (Power Rangers DinoThunder)
Proving that DinoThunder is the smarter, better remake of Mighty Morphin, the Power Rangers find themselves pitted against a new enemy: the evil White Ranger, whose real identity is their friend Trent (Jeffrey Parazzo). While the three-part episode “White Thunder” is laser focused on Trent reconciling with his alter ego, “Truth and Consequences” is a riveting follow-up where Trent works to directly fight his bad self. This includes isolating himself from his friends, including budding love interest Kira the Yellow Ranger. Power Rangers DinoThunder is the first time in which someone’s Power Ranger identity has a mind of its own (think the Venom symbiote), and it’s nothing short of compelling.
8. “Countdown to Destruction” (Power Rangers in Space)
The closest thing Power Rangers fans have to an Avengers: Infinity War-sized spectacle, the United Alliance of Evil finally make their move to overwhelm the forces of good on every planet. On Earth, the Space Power Rangers work to rescue Zordon and save Angel Grove. But for once, even the Power Rangers aren’t sure that they’ll see morning light. In the end, the people of Angel Grove stand as one - no doubt inspired by the many years the Power Rangers saved them - and Zordon allows himself to be sacrificed in order to purge the universe of evil. Years of Power Rangers history builds towards this moment, and “Countdown to Destruction” marks the true end to what fans now call “The Zordon Era.”
7. “The Road to Corinth” (Power Rangers RPM)
It’s a curse that Power Rangers, as a TV show, is at its best when no one is watching. At the end of the franchise’s ownership under Disney came Power Rangers RPM, airing in 2009. With the show left to its own devices and doomed to godforsaken timeslots (some TV markets had it play at 5 a.m.), Power Rangers went out with a bang, setting its story in a bleak, post-apocalyptic future in which the last humans live inside a hermetically-sealed domed city called Corinth. Visibly inspired by media like The Matrix, The Terminator, and Mad Max, RPM kicks off with a banger of a premiere that makes the most out of a mighty low budget. Strong character introductions, clever writing, and striking cinematography makes certain that Power Rangers RPM makes noise even when no one is around to hear it.
6. “White Light” (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers)
Who can forget when Tommy Oliver became the White Ranger? With Jason David Frank’s character so popular with the show’s audience, the producers of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers scrapped their original plans to introduce a new character and instead brought Tommy back as the new, more powerful White Ranger (a costume inherited from the series Gosei Sentai Dairanger). Tommy’s unmasking as the White Ranger is an all-time TV moment for millennials, foundational as an example that sometimes all legends ever need is just a change in wardrobe.
5. “The Rescue Mission” (Power Rangers Lost Galaxy)
Worthy of recognition as the scariest episode in Power Rangers history, “The Rescue Mission” (directed by Steve Wang) of Power Rangers Lost Galaxy follows a team of soldiers - among their ranks Leo (Danny Slavin), also the Red Ranger - who are dispatched to investigate a derelict spaceship. Amidst creepy corpses and spider webbing, the soldiers find themselves hunted by a malignant alien entity. Clearly taking its cues from films like Predator and Aliens - as well as recycled costumes from Starship Troopers - “The Rescue Mission” shows that children’s entertainment doesn’t always have to be so colorful and comfortable.
4. “The Power of Pink” (Power Rangers Lost Galaxy)
Crossover specials are something that Power Rangers is maddeningly good at. But after the Space Rangers team up with the Lost Galaxy Rangers in “To the Tenth Power,” the spotlight is placed on the Pink Rangers, Cassie (Patricia Ja Lee) and Kendrix (Valerie Vernon) in the shocking episode “The Power of Pink.” With the evil Pink Psycho Ranger resurrected for one last mission, both Cassie and Kendrix team up to stop her - and it ends in disaster. In one of the most stunning episodes in Power Rangers, Kendrix sacrifices herself, making it the first time a Power Ranger has ever fallen in battle. (In real life, Valerie Vernon was diagnosed with leukemia and left the show to undergo chemotherapy. She has since made a full recovery.)
3. “Reinforcements From the Future” (Power Rangers Wild Force)
While it requires having seen all of Power Rangers Time Force and every episode of Power Rangers Wild Force up to this point to really appreciate it, the crossover episode “Reinforcements From the Future” is a masterclass in merging two different worlds, settings, and casts of characters and still turn out something that is cohesive overall. On top of sharp writing and impeccable character work, “Reinforcements From the Future” also has exciting action choreography that pays homage to everything from Jackie Chan to pro wrestling. This era of Power Rangers was when it was at its creative zenith, and “Reinforcements From the Future” is the show firing on every cylinder possible.
2. “Forever Red” (Power Rangers Wild Force)
To mark 10 years of saving the world on TV, Power Rangers achieved the impossible in October 2002. In the tenth anniversary special “Forever Red,” 10 generations of Red Rangers unite to stop an ancient threat hidden on Earth’s Moon. Besides the sheer thrill of seeing almost every Red Ranger up to that moment, “Forever Red” is a pure celebration of not only Power Rangers but all of American-made tokusatsu. With villains whose costumes are recycled from the sister series Beetleborgs, “Forever Red” capped off 10 years of the Japanese genre thriving in America, and foretold the future of superhero pop culture. Before Avengers: Endgame, there was “Forever Red.”
1. "Green With Evil" (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers)
There are moments in TV history where you can feel the ground shake. When you know that what you’re watching will resonate for generations. While many adult-oriented prestige TV shows like The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, and Game of Thrones have such moments, deserving of mention among them is “Green With Evil” from Season 1 of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
Clocking at a then unheard-of five parts, “Green With Evil” sees the Power Rangers rocked by a new student at Angel Grove, Tommy, who is kidnapped by Rita Repulsa to fight them as her own Green Ranger. Childrens’ entertainment had never seen a show like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers before, being a live-action superhero show that presented itself like a new monster movie every week. With “Green With Evil,” the dial got cranked way up, with its five-part installments instructing its young audience how to engage with appointment television and join in on seminal moments in the monoculture. “Green With Evil” was many people’s introduction to Power Rangers, and to this day, it’s still the definitive storyline that makes the entire series worthy of its place in pop culture history.
