Power Rangers is one of those franchises where we don’t recommend people start at the beginning. The original Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers certainly has its charms, especially as a throwback to early ’90s aesthetics and style, but it’s far from the best place in the series to start. The effects are dated, and the storytelling hasn’t been refined yet. Future installments would build upon the Power Rangers formula, creating seasons of the series that remain among the most entertaining children’s media available.
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With how many seasons of the show out there, it can be daunting to decipher which to start with. Fortunately, there are five clear favorites within the franchise. These five are not necessarily the best in the entire franchise, but these are the best place to begin if you’re new to the series. With the franchise put on temporary hiatus, it’s the perfect time to catch up and watch some great seasons of Power Rangers.
5) Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue
The first six seasons of Power Rangers followed a singular storyline that centered on Zordon, ending with Power Rangers In Space. Although seasons like Power Rangers Zeo and In Space are great, particularly In Space, they are not good seasons to begin with. The seventh season, Lost Galaxy, continues certain plot beats from the original six, making it also not an ideal season to start with.
Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue was the first Power Rangers season independent of the previous seven, serving as a fresh start for the franchise. Lightspeed Rescue was also the first season to focus on much older Rangers, adults with careers and professions. The show does feel very dated at this point, having first premiered 25 years ago. The acting is pretty wooden, and the villains are forgettable. Nonetheless, the action is fun, and the original footage used for the Titanium Ranger remains one of the franchise’s most impressive achievements. If only we got to see the Titanium Ranger more often.
4) Power Rangers RPM
The then-recent Power Ranger seasons hadn’t been doing well under Disney ownership, with the series constantly on the verge of cancellation. Power Rangers RPM was Disney’s last shot to right the ship and deliver a darker and more mature season of Power Rangers. Unfortunately, RPM was stuck with arguably the most goofy Super Sentai footage, which included talking Zords and silly comedy.
Nonetheless, the crew was about to make Power Rangers RPM work as a more serious yet tongue-in-cheek season of Power Rangers. The season’s approach to meta-humor has led to several genuinely funny moments, including the infamous meme line “I’m Scottish!” The swift in producers and showrunners halfway through the show adds a tonal dissonance to the season, but it works nevertheless. Power Rangers RPM didn’t save the brand for Disney, which then sold the rights back to Saban, yet it has developed a strong cult following.
3) Power Rangers Time Force
Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue was a good test run for the series, proving the brand can move away from the settings and characters established in Mighty Morphin’. Power Rangers Time Force further demonstrates how the show can be amazing when it focuses on new characters and different premises. Time Force featured, at the time, some of the strongest and most mature writing in the franchise. The villains were threatening, and the characters had drama in their personal lives.
Not every character is treated equally in the season, with the Red, Pink, and Quantum Rangers receiving nearly all the character development. Yet the season overcomes those issues to deliver a show with genuine stakes and pathos. This is the season where some of the best performances in the franchise are displayed. Time Force is one of the best seasons of the show in general, and deserves to be watched by anyone even remotely interested in the franchise.
2) Power Rangers Dino Charge
The 2010s era of Power Rangers is highly contested among fans. After Disney sold the franchise back to Saban in 2010, the second era of Saban Power Rangers is labeled as the Neo-Saban era. Even though the Neo-Saban era brought the franchise to HD, many of the Power Rangers shows were often divisive, with Megaforce and Ninja Steel recognized as some of the fans’ least favorite Power Rangers shows.
Power Rangers Dino Charge was easily the best show of the Neo-Saban era, featuring witty humor and memorable characters. Dino Charge is the best contemporary Power Rangers season, displaying luxurious production value and an engaging storyline. The biggest criticism of the series is that its second half, Super Dino Charge, felt overstuffed with too many rangers and villains taking up screentime. Nonetheless, the Dino Charge cast remains one of the strongest in the entire franchise and is worth watching.
1) Power Rangers Dino Thunder
After a few seasons away from the school, Power Rangers Dino Thunder brings back the high school setting for the franchise in a big way. Dino Thunder was essentially a 2000s adaptation of the original Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, except with a higher production value. The sets and models remain some of the most impressive in the franchise. Some of the effects have become dated, but there’s a charm to them now.
Jason David Frank as Tommy Oliver returns to the franchise as a mentor figure for the new cast, and quickly becomes the Black Ranger for the season. The inclusion of Tommy, a previously established character, in Dino Thunder would make the show seem less new and less viewer-friendly. However, we believe the show does an amazing job keeping viewers informed and ensures that nothing gets lost in the confusion. The main Rangers of Dino Thunder are some of the most fun characters in the franchise, and the villains remain some of the most imposing. It’s a season that gets plenty of things right, not only making it one of the best seasons of Power Rangers ever, but also the perfect series to watch for new-time watchers.
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