A particular incarnation of the beloved team of heroes is still at the center of fan discussions
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Among the various television shows that have landed on the small screen in recent decades, the Power Rangers franchise has established itself as one of the most beloved, also managing to find a longevity that has gone beyond all expectations. One of the secrets behind the success of the series has been the ability to reinvent itself with each season by embracing an ever-changing theme. A factor that has therefore always given new impetus to the franchise and which has also led every fan to have a respective favorite incarnation of the famous group of heroes. However, fans seem to agree in considering a specific season of Power Rangers as the most controversial of the entire franchise.
We are talking about Power Rangers S.P.D. (Space Patrol Delta), which debuted in 2005 in a period full of changes for the franchise, whose television exploitation rights in the early 2000s were changing hands from Saban Entertainment to Disney. But let's take a step back. Under the creative direction of the House of Mouse, seven Power Rangers series have seen the light, namely Ninja Storm, Dino Thunder, S.P.D., Mystic Force, Operation Overdrive, Jungle Fury, and RPM.
Although the Disney era has been widely appreciated by fans for its internal coherence, even with some seasons less successful than others, Power Rangers S.P.D. still divides the opinions of fans into two completely opposite poles. With a starting point that fully embraced the science fiction of the early 2000s, the idea behind Space Patrol Delta saw the team as the last defense of the Earth against some alien forces with warlike intentions. Here the Power Rangers were part of a group of elite warriors trained as agents along the lines of Men In Black, capable of moving between the various alien populations and always ready to face physical threats.
Compared to other seasons of Power Rangers, the S.P.D. team also often saw alternating formations always new led by the commander and mentor Anubis Cruger. Many of the elements of the show that fans had learned to love have been preserved. In fact, we have other mysterious rangers such as the White Ranger or the Omega Ranger, the legendary Zords, and the inevitable transformation sequences. S.P.D. however took great risks since it tried to introduce the public to a markedly sci-fi approach combined with moving at the same time into darker territories.
The designated villain was in fact the emperor Gruumm, who had a personal hatred towards Cruger considering him the main person responsible for the extinction of his species. With these premises, S.P.D., therefore, proposed for the first time a ruthless villain driven by a fierce hatred that was unprecedented in the franchise until then. At the same time, S.P.D. could not give up the camp elements characteristic of the brand, since the series remained intended for a very young audience. A factor that, together with the sci-fi twist and the new dark tone of some elements, gave life to a mix that in some cases confused fans.
Power Rangers S.P.D. may have had a higher-than-average writing quality, also bringing more mature elements to the scene. However, these would have contributed decisively to the decline of the series. In fact, many fans felt uncomfortable with the depiction of the new Red Ranger, described as an ex-convict. Even if stories of redemption have always been important in the franchise, this seemed to hide and minimize the consequences of the crime he had committed. Furthermore, the Power Rangers in S.P.D. seem to behave like a sort of police force, prompting fans to discuss how much coercive power they were allowed to exercise without supervision.
The series also introduced an entire team of Power Rangers who went over to the enemy and were accused of treason, thus tarnishing for the first time the aura of incorruptibility that has always surrounded the team. Other widely debated elements were also that of genocide, relying on the story of Emperor Gruumm, and murder. This in particular pops up in the series with some figures, such as Sky's father, who were actually killed in cold blood. In short, if Power Rangers S.P.D. had come out today, it could have been much more appreciated. The series definitely had too much on its plate, but this allowed it to establish itself as a television product ahead of its time destined to fuel discussions among fans of the franchise.
source: CBR
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