Rita Repulsa Triumphant! Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers Cancelled.

Posted by on March 20th, 2009   Filed under: Action, Sci-fi, TV
Source: New Zealand Herald

There is an end to everything, to good things as well, and at no time has that ever been more true than now, with the cancellation of the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. I know what you’re thinking, and yes, it is unimaginable that the dream has died. But 17 seasons and over 650 episodes is an excellent run, especially as it beats out its long-time rival ER in longevity. And while Film Junk tends to shy away from television news, I do think this is important as it means that the long-anticipated third theatrical Power Rangers film is unlikely. Or is it?

I know that there are at least a few of you reading this who enjoyed the show. And while you may have long ago set aside childish things, and moved on to such adult concerns as Batman and Star Wars, please consider stepping forward now and paying your respects to this, the tokusatsu phenomenon that shook the world. Take a moment and pour one out for Bulk and Skull, won’t you?

Around the Web:

  • TheMovieVampire

    I watched this when I was six, I didn’t even know it was still on the air.

  • http://henrikseehuusen.com Henrik

    I can’t believe this show was still on the air.

    I remember being 10 years old and thinking it was pretty politically incorrect to have the black guy wear the black uniform! And I played the Gameboy game, it wasn’t that good.

  • http://www.flixster.com/user/blackeyedsurfer Ashley

    I loved this show as a kid. I’m still a fan of Amy Jo Johnson, the original pink Power Ranger. After Rangers, she was on Felicity, and now Flashpoint. :)

  • swarez

    17 seasons! Damn.

  • http://deven-science.livejournal.com/ Deven Science

    I was too old for this when it came out, but my kids liked it, years ago. I, like others here, didn’t realize that it was still going.

  • http://www.theboomboxincident.com Matt R

    Don’t forget…the Asian character in yellow and a Native American guy in red.

    But when you’re 9, you don’t notice these things.

  • Josh R.

    Personally Mighty Morphin’ was the only good part of the long Power Ranger franchise, the rest was like a soda after eating a large cake whole… tasteless and bitter

  • http://www.laughtercomedy.com Dane

    When I was 9 or 10, I used to carry around a small framed picture of the original Pink ranger and tell people she was my girlfriend. No one believed me, but a boy can dream dammit!!!

  • http://www.ryanmarlow.com Ryan M.

    When this came out I was the only kid at school the day after the primetime premiere thinking it was kinda lame. I disliked this and Scooby Doo for a similar reason: if you’ve seen one episode, you’ve seen them all.

    I’m all for an American premiere of that Super Sentai Spider-man show though.

  • Tyler

    You people are crazy. This is by far on of the greatest series on television, and I for one am crushed to see it come to an end. I’ve been a long time fan until Disney bought them out, and although they were corny,they always somehow tied in a life lesson. If nothing try to appreciate the fact that a group of teenagers with attitudes in jumpsuits got one helluva run.

  • http://www.supersentai.com/ Super Sentai FTW

    Tokusatsu and it’s more renowned brother Super Sentai is nowhere dead, now I’ll give you that Disney has beyond all hope hurt the power rangers with it’s era of poorly constructed story arcs and outsourcing to NZ for filming.

    I’ve been a dedicated fan of MMPR’s and of the Japanese shows from which they came. Saban had a vision for the show, a truly connected world that’s felt like it was all leading up to something big and amazing.

    The first film way beyond a slap in the face to the story ark of the show and seemed to stick with the show from then on.

    Zordon of Eltar, being lost forever *his physical body* in the time vortex was a masterful plot device, one Hollywood rehashing of a already seen story line should not have that much of an effect upon story lines to come.

    The fans of Doctor Who, face the same problem with masterfully done story lines rehashed into movies, Peter Cushing did a wonderful job as The Doctor / Doctor Who / Dr. Who in those movies, but those in control where smart and keep what happened in the movies just that, something that happened somewhere else.

    Having Zordon, be physically located with in the imaging chamber encased in crystals, is like going back and making a film just to say oh yea, by they way JFK was actually not killed in Dallas but instead died of a heartache and was only shot in Dallas. You shouldn’t be able to go back and rewrite history of a show by making it into a movie.

    Power Rangers is a cash cow, If Disney has truly oped out of another season past this RPM thing going on now,then I’m sure that someone will come along and buy the rights flat out and bring it back to the air waves.

    I could keep writing a long diatribe about this. But I can’t see it going anywhere other then into a never ending loop.

    I enjoy Power Rangers, no matter how bad of a job they’ve done on it, it’s still a part of my childhood I just can’t bare to let go, like Doctor Who, Star Trek and Those other classic moments if cinema and film that not matter how many times you see them they still bring tears to your eyes.

  • http://Tvtonight.com.au Sport lover

    I really liked the original and yess even the next 3 versions. Basically the saban era was great. This news is a shame but it was inevitable because the storylines got lame and were not as good as the first 3. But maybe if some one picks up the rights or if haim saban returns a spin off could be done involving rita, lord zedd & zordan to tell the story of how rita became rita, how zedd became zedd and how zordan lost his body.

  • Bob

    For all those who are saying “Mighty Morphin” was the best and that the show started to have lame storylines have OBVIOUSLY never seen some of the recent series. You’d be in for a shock, because everything from fight choreography, storylines, stunts, special effects, and acting have improved in the show’s 17-year run. Just because the Blue Ranger isn’t Billy anymore and the Pink Ranger isn’t Kimberly anymore is by no means a valid reason to say Power Rangers isn’t good.

  • DONOTUSEME

    Ha! Why is the Mighty Morphin so popular? 90 percent of its footage was dubbed. Take off those retard goggles.

  • http://filmjunk joe moore

    Look People There Is nothing Good On Tv The Power Rangers Was A very good Show So Were All Of The Spin off`s Even Karmen Rider Is Good Ultra man And Specter Man Sucked But We All Still Wached Them What Do You People Want From Tv CSI Chicago O I Know MONK JR Tv Show`s Lack Good Writeing And Good Writer`s At Least The Powe Ragers Try To Bring A Good Story Line The !7th Season Is Not Predictable At All It Has The Best Story Sence In Space, Lost Galaxiy And Mystic Force Heack Even Jungle Fury Was Good. Today`s Wacher`s Of Tv Are To In To Reality Tv Tv Is Not Meant To Be Real
    It Was Meant To Be Entertain Now Reality Tv Has Exploited The Tv Remember Tv Is Fake Enjoyment But Thas Why I Rent Movies I See Real Every Day Cant The Real Tv Heads Have Something Real Tv Has Robbed Us Of Our Last Leagale Escape From Lifes Bull I Say Keep The Power Rangers On Let Us Have 1 Last Fake Season
    Season 18

  • http://filmjunk joe moore

    1 More Thing In Season 18 Get The First set Of Rangers In For A Cameo For 1 Last Morph All Of Them From Mighty Morphing To Turbo`s First Set RIP Thuy Trang AKA Trini Go Out Whith A Real Bang

  • JJT

    @joe moore: You don’t have to Put A Captital In Front Of Every Word You Type.

    My little brother loves one of the newer Power Rangers, SPD I think. I don’t mind it, as it isn’t as cheesy as the original, plus Kimberly has been replaced with Kat in my mind :P

    But I’ll miss it, it’s my childhood, hell this shows had a long run.

  • http://none John jimkins

    I think that the Power Rangers should have at least one more season or if not have an undefeatable enemy at the end of rpm that requires every ranger from the past return. or in season 18 they go back like what a few people have said show how zordon got trapped in the interdimentional vortex show ninjor forming the original crystals.

  • http://filmjunk joe moore

    LIKE A SAID REALITY TV IT`S REALLY BUGING ME I HATE ALL REALITY TV SO I RENT OR BUY BOOT LEGS OFF THE STREET`S I TRUST BBC AMERICA THEY HAVE GOOD SHOW`S ROBIN HOOD TOURCH WOOD AND PRIMEVAL EVEN FX NETWORK AND THE CW TNT USA TNT TBS A@E SHOW`S ON THESE NET WORKS LAST MOST TV NETWORKS HAVE NO CLUE WHAT GOOD TV IS HERE`S A CLUE MEN WATCH TV TO NOT JUST HOUSE WIVES
    MEN LIKE ACTION NOT REALITY.

  • Raquel Macon

    MMPR will always be the best but i stopped watching the show after Kimberly left. Then I started back when Power ranger in space came out. Then Time Force was okay. The rest are boring.

  • http://filmjunk.com hayden paruze

    there not even ending it watch next year those samuri 1s will air cuz disney is thinkin about ending the show cuz its 2 pricey but ther lookin 4 sum 1 2 supply the money 4 thm so they can keep it but if not tony oliver this guy who helped wth MMPR is gnna remaster and re edit the original season MMPR 2 air so this generation of kids and teens who dnt c thm can c how it all began anyways they said overdrive and jungle fury wer the last seasons 2 but look they still made thm so hopfully i pray 2 god they wont end this super cool show tht s like the longest running action show so we will just half 2 wait 4 2010 2 c wats gnna happen

  • http://filmjunk.com candice danson

    hopfully they dnt end it its like super kool and plus im 23 and i still like it i buy my MMPR shirts at hot topic and i always hear people say kool shirt and i remember them and its mostly sum dumb teenagers tht think ther 2 old 4 this kind of stuff but if they r gnna end it thn disney is messed up

  • http://filmjunk joe moore

    If They Were Going To End It At All It Should Have Been In Space Or Dino Thunder I Also Would Have Kept The First Turbo Cast For Power Rangers In Space And kept Jason As The Gold Ranger in the movie And Made Him The Phantom Ranger in the Show As A Turbo Upgrade Like The Other Five Also Would Have Made Kimerly The Pink Ranger And moved Kat To Blue Or Brought Back Billy As The Blue And Tossed A coin Up For The Pink Ranger Mabey Hade kat nocked out And let Kim Morph 1 Last Time As Far As Jason As The Gold Ranger He Saved Zeo The Shows Ratings Shot To The Roof Fans Have Always Liked Jason Hes One Of The Main Reasons
    That Forever Red Was A Great Moment In Ranger History.

  • http://filmjunk joe moore

    Rest In Peace Power Rangers You Kept My Tv Days Kool For 17 Seaons But Hey I Got Karman Rider Now O Yea To The Disney You Got Money Stop Being So Cheap.

  • http://filmjunk kyle veronne

    i just read on linear ranger.com tht damb disney is ending power rangers and thier toy line as well and power rangers RPM will be the last series wich is a huge bummer this sucks and i collect the toys dambit

  • http://junkfilm mitchie gomez

    disney is cheap they rather waist ther money on gay shows like phineaous and ferb thn keeping a legendary show alive they dont care about nothing thy jst want money and i like kamen rider but its not even close to beeing as good as power rangers this sux

  • Jon Jones

    Power Rangers was and still is my most favorite Sci-Fi TV show besides Star Trek. No better way to go than to remaster where it started the MMPR! Can’t wweight to see the remake in 2010! I’ve watched Power Rangers as a kid until current at age 28 and still enjoying it. YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD TO WATCH AND ENJOY POWER RANGERS, DON”T LET ANYONE TELL YOU OTHERWISE! I like every single set(some more than others)! It’s a shame its being cancelled but at the same time Power Rangers can afford to be cancelled. The reason I say this, 17 seasons long with at least 15 sets of Power Rangers some people have not even seen or noticed. Also, because it’s last show, Power Rangers RPM will be completed in Dec. of 2009. As long as there is no cliffhanger cancellation is acceptable. There are Power Ranger shows after Mighty Morphin that a lot of people have not even seen which would be new to them. People say the originals (Mighty Morphin) are the best of all and the rest suck. I beg to differ, I like Mighty Morphin too but my most favorite of all is the Zeo. The Zeo were the second set of Power Rangers. The Super Zeo Megazord was awesome and only took a moment to assemble from the Super Zeo Zords! If you had quit watching power rangers after the time of the Mighty Morphin, just because new actors entered the circle you missed out on some exciting and interesting action time! Another one I like recently was Power Rangers Jungle Fury. Every set of rangers had something special or unique about them. Jungle Fury has the most unique looking outfits which highly identifies them from the other sets of rangers. Jungle Fury’s helmets were different from all the other sets of rangers and they wore thick heeled sneakers instead of boots like the other rangers. Their ranger upgrade included rocket boosters on their back and shoes to fly! So for those of you knocking down the rangers other than Mighty Morphin, I urge you to try and watch those other sets of rangers and their zords, watch all shows from beginning to end starting with the Zeo they could really be quite unique and interesting!

  • karen

    well, i am a 18 year old girl who has loved power rangers since forever. The MMPR seasons were great.sure the acting was bad and the monsters unsettling but that was the 90′s. The thing I loved about it was the actors knew how to fight. The other seasons after zeo were horrible. talking dogs and stuff. but this year they have upped the anti and have made a dark take on power rangers. I think that if PR ends this year that they should have one big battle with all the rangers of the universe. And i am not japanese so i have no clue bout super sentai but 17 years is a long time for the show so let’s let it go with a bang and watch the old seasons of DVD.

  • http://hotmail powerguy

    green ranger is awesome (evil laugh) WAHAhahahahaha!!!

  • supaflyafro

    i knew it was getting canceled. besides MMPR power rangers SPD was my 2nd fave. RIP power rangers. hey at least we still got pokemon

  • babyboyj.r

    this is tragedy.. for those who dont care. this is a big deal. this was my favorite show and still is. i hope this year will b different with the new 2010 mmpr toys . i cant wait for dragonzord by the way. but they should atleast show re-runs of mmpr.

  • bob

    there should be one each year

  • http://filmjunk.com dusty

    I am 22 now and I remember with great glee as afive year old watching the original episodes everyday after school. I am graduating college and watching my life coincide with the power rangers series. Why can’t I at least get the decency of being able to buy what I grew up with to have for myself? Or am I the only one who feels like they are losing part of their childhood?

  • Dino

    It’s a sad sad day…. Man like the #33 poster. I am 22 and I remember watching this show when I was younger religiously. I really thought the canned it years ago, but I am glad to here it had such a long run. I watched it up to the Turbo one and maybe a little farther I think… Just in case you guys are wondering of what happened to Jason David Frank. He is an official MMA fighter. I hear that at some of his fights the crowd chants “GO GREEN RANGER !!!!” lol

  • Jacob

    Well it’s about the old fossil died I was thinking it would never end. I for one am glad because it lost it’s taste around Time Force.

  • http://electrokami.com Cam

    But the original is different from the rest of them. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was only on for 3 seasons. The rest are all basically spin-offs.

  • A

    Not cancelled. LMAO

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