It's Morphin' Time: Cultural Changes Over 20 Years of Power Rangers

Still Go-Go-Going

The sole fact that the franchise continues to exist probably says the most about the broader changes in broadcasting and society. Back in the early ‘90s, while some parents dutifully sought out the complete set of five-inch action figures, others were outraged at the violence portrayed onscreen. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was one of the most violent children’s shows at the time, though the behaviour was presented and legitimized as self-defense or protection.

When Canadian stations Global Television and YTV began airing the program, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission began receiving complaints from horrified parents who claimed that their children were mimicking the aggressive behaviour of the Power Rangers, high kicks and all. Despite its immense popularity, the show was eventually pulled. Though the majority of the violent acts depicted did not result in physical injury and never caused death or even bloodshed, the series had the distinction of being the first program to be labelled unacceptable under the Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ code of television violence. The show prevailed without the support of Canadian parents, flourishing on other networks.

These days, when bloody imagery is completely routine, even in media that is readily available to children, it’s hard to imagine many parental eyebrows raising at a series which, as stated by Global in its 1994 response to the complaints, “carries a redeeming moral message and promotes camaraderie and friendship” and whose squeaky-clean stars moonlight as D.A.R.E. spokespeople. A number of stations stopped airing Power Rangers in the mid-‘00s due to the lack of educational and informative content required to comply with FCC requirements, but not because of violence.

Society demands more from entertainment with every generation of consumers, and children’s TV is no exception. Broadcasters answer to these changes accordingly by producing shows that are better, faster, and stronger, without vastly altering the fundamental infrastructures of character and message. New seasons of Power Rangers debut complete with mobile apps and an active Facebook presence; old ones are now available for streaming on iTunes and Netflix. But beyond modifications made for cultural sensitivity (or lack thereof), increasingly complex content to keep up with the times, and the upgrading of production quality, the basic skeleton of Mighty Morphin continues to thrive year after year.

In May of 2014, a live action feature film reboot was announced by Saban, who had partnered with Lionsgate for the project. He cited the entertainment company’s track record with a new generation of global, merch-heavy blockbusters like The Hunger Games and Twilight. “We’re confident that we will capture the world of the Power Rangers and translate it into a unique and memorable motion picture phenomenon with a legacy all its own,” Saban stated in a press release. The internet was instantly abuzz with fan speculation, former cast members voicing their interest in doing cameos, and even People Magazine eagerly chiming in with an article entitled “Let’s Fan-Cast the Gritty Power Rangers Reboot Coming in 2016”.

Along with season 22 Dino Charge, which premiered on Nickelodeon in February—a dinosaur-themed toy line accompanying its launch, natch—it doesn’t look like the Power Rangers are Go-Go-going anywhere any time soon.