Adam's (mostly) Filler-free Power Rangers Episode List and Series Guide

With a lot of help from Linkara's "History of Power Rangers" video series and many hours of slogging through Netflix, I was able to compile a master list of episodes for people who want to get into the Power Rangers franchise while skipping through most non-essential "Filler".  Simply put, this list only includes episodes that are significant to the overall story and character development for each season and to the franchise as a whole.  This catalogs the original Saban and Disney era seasons up through "RPM".  All seasons of Power Rangers are currently available on Netflix instant streaming.  Happy viewing and "Go, Go Power Rangers!"

Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers (season 1, 1993)

• Day of the Dumpster
• Green with Evil (5 parter)
• Gung Ho!
• The Green Candle (2 parter)
• Doomsday (2 parter)
• Return of an Old Friend (2 parter)

Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers (season 2, 1994)

• The Mutiny (3 parter)
• The Green Dream
• Green No More (2 parter)
• Missing Green
• White Light (2 parter)
• The Ninja Encounter (3 parter)
• A Monster of Global Proportions
• Zedd Waves
• The Power Transfer (2 parter)
• When is a Ranger not a Ranger?
• The Wedding (3 parter)
• Return of the Green Ranger (3 parter)
• Best man for the job

Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers (season 3, 1995)

• Ninja Quest (4 parter)
• A Ranger Catastrophe (2 parter)
• Changing of the Zords (3 parter)
• A Different Shade of Pink (3 parter)
• Master Vile and the Metallic Armor (3 parter)

Mighty Morphin' Alien Rangers (1996)

• Alien Rangers of Aquitar (2 parter)
• The Alien Trap
• Attack of the 60' Bulk
• Water You Thinking?
• Sowing the Seas of Evil
• Hogday Afternoon (2 parter)

Power Rangers Zeo (1996)

• A Zeo Beginning (2 parter)
• Graduation Blues
• The Power of Gold
• A Small Problem
• Rock-A-Bye Power Rangers
• Do I know You?
• Revelations of Gold
• A Golden Homecoming
• Mondo's Last Stand
• Where in the World is Zeo Ranger 5?
• King for a Day (2 parter)
• Rangers of Two Worlds (2 parter)
• Hawaii Zeo
• Good as Gold

Power Rangers Turbo (1997)

• Shift into Turbo (3 parter)
• The Millennium Message
• Passing the Torch (2 parter)
• The Wheel of Fate
• Trouble by the Slice (easily one of the weirdest episodes in Power Rangers history.  Includes the infamous "Rangers baked into a pizza" scene as well as the notorious "toss your salad" line.)
• The Phantom Phenomenon
• The Darkest Day
• The Fall of the Phantom
• Clash of the Megazords
• Parts and Parcel
• Chase into Space (2 parter)

Power Rangers in Space (1998)

• From Out of Nowhere (2 parter)
• Save our Ship
• Shell Shocked (a terrible episode, but noteworthy for the absurdity of having a crossover with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
• Never Stop Searching
• Satellite Search
• The Wasp with a Heart
• The Delta Discovery
• T.J's Identity Crisis
• Flashes of Darkonda
• The Rangers' Mega Voyage
• True Blue to the Rescue
• Invasion of the Body Switcher
• Survival of the Silver
• Red with Envy
• The Silver Secret
• A Date with Danger
• Zhane's Destiny
• Always a Chance
• The Secret of the Locket
• Astronema thinks Twice
• The Rangers' Leap of Faith
• Dark Specter's Revenge (2 parter)
• Rangers gone Psycho
• A Rift in the Rangers
• Five of a Kind
• Silence is Golden
• The Enemy Within
• Mission to Secret City
• Ghosts in the Machine
• The Impenetrable Web
• A Line in the Sand
• Countdown to Destruction (2 parter)

Power Rangers Lost Galaxy (1999)

• Quasar Quest (2 parter)
• The Lights of Orion
• The Magna Defender
• The Sunflower Search
• Silent Sleep
• Orion Rising
• Orion Returns
• Redemption Day
• The Rescue Mission
• The Lost Galactabeasts (2 parter)
• Heir to the Throne
• An Evil Game
• To the Tenth Power
• The Power of Pink
• Protect the Quasar Saber
• Facing the Past
• Enter the Lost Galaxy
• Beware the Mutiny
• Escape the Lost Galaxy
• Journey's End (3 parter)

Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue (2000)

• Operation Lightspeed
• Lightspeed Teamwork
• Cyborg Rangers
• Rising from Ashes
• From Deep in the Shadows
• Truth Discovered
• Curse of the Cobra
• Strength of the Sun
• The Cobra Strikes
• Olympius Ascends
• The Omega Project
• As Time Runs Out
• Trakeena's Revenge (2 parter)
• The Last Ranger
• Sorcerer of the Sands
• Olympius Unbound
• Wrath of the Queen
• Rise of the Super Demons
• The Fate of Lightspeed (2 parter)

Power Rangers Time Force (2001)

• Force from the Future (2 parter)
• Something to Fight For
• Ransik Lives
• A Parting of Ways
• Jen's Revenge
• The Time Shadow
• Future Unknown
• Worlds Apart
• The Quantum Quest
• Clash for Control (2 parter)
• Bodyguard in Blue
• Trust and Triumph
• Trip Takes a Stand
• Quantum Secrets
• Time Force Traitor
• Frax's Fury
• Dawn of Destiny
• Fight against Fate
• Destiny Defeated
• Time for Lightspeed
• A Calm Before the Storm
• The End of Time (3 parter)

Power Rangers Wild Force (2002)

• Lionheart
• Darkness Awakening
• Ancient Awakening
• The Bear Necessities
• Soul Searching
• Curse of the Wolf
• Battle of the Zords
• Predazord, Awaken
• Revenge of Zen-Aku
• Identity Crisis
• The Ancient Warrior
• The Lone Wolf
• The Wings of Animaria
• Reinforcements from the Future (2 parter)
• The Master's Last Stand
• Unfinished Business
• The Soul of Humanity
• Forever Red
• The Master's Herald (2 parter)
• Fishing for a Friend
• Sealing the Nexus
• The End of the Power Rangers (2 parter)

Power Rangers Ninja Storm (2003)

• Prelude to a Storm
• There's No “I” in Team
• Looming Thunder
• Thunder Strangers (3 parter)
• Nowhere to Grow
• Return of Thunder (4 parter)
• The Samurai's Journey (3 parter)
• Shane's Karma (2 parter)
• Shimazu Returns (2 parter)
• Eye of the Storm
• General Deception (2 parter)
• A Gem of a Day
• Storm Before the Calm (2 parter)

Power Rangers Dino Thunder (2004)

• Day of the Dino (2 parter)
• Legacy of Power (essentially a clip show, but serves as a kind of super-condensed Cliffs Notes version of the first 11 years of the franchise)
• Back in Black
• Golden Boy
• Beneath the Surface
• White Thunder (3 parter)
• Truth and Consequences
• Leader of the Whack
• Burning at Both Ends
• Lost & Found in Translation (unique for being the only episode of Power Rangers to feature it's Japanese counterpart Super Sentai as being a real TV show within the Power Rangers universe. Satirizes the debates within the fanbase over the merits of both versions of the show)
• Copy That
• Triassic Triumph
• A Star is Torn
• Disappearing Act
• Fighting Spirit
• Strange Relations
• Thunder Storm (2 parter)
• House of Cards
• Thunder Struck (2 parter)

Power Rangers S.P.D. (2005)

• Beginnings (2 parter)
• Confronted
• A-Bridged
• Sam (2 parter)
• Shadow (2 parter)
• Wired (2 parter)
• Samurai
• Dismissed
• Perspective
• Messenger (2 parter)
• Reflection (2 parter)
• S.W.A.T. (2 parter)
• Katastrophe
• Missing
• History
• Impact
• Badge
• Insomnia
• Wormhole
• Resurrection
• Endings (2 parter)

Power Rangers Mystic Force (2006)

• Broken Spell (2 parter)
• Code Busters
• Rock Solid
• Whispering Voices
• Legendary Catastros
• Fire Heart
• Stranger Within (2 parter)
• The Gatekeeper (2 parter)
• Scaredy Cat
• Long Ago
• Inner Strength
• Ranger Down
• Dark Wish (3 parter)
• Koragg's Trial
• Heir Apparent (2 parter)
• The Light
• The Hunter
• The Snow Prince
• Light Source (2 parter)
• The Return
• Mystic Fate (2 parter)

Power Rangers Operation Overdrive (2007)

• Kick into Overdrive (2 parter)
• Pirate in Pink
• Both Sides Now
• Face to Face (2 parter)
• Man of Mercury (2 parter)
• Behind the Scenes
• Once a Ranger (2 parter)
• One Fine Day
• Ronny on Empty (2 parter)
• Things not Said
• Red Ranger Unplugged
• Home and Away (2 parter)
• Two Fallen Foes
• Nothing to Lose
• Crown and Punishment

Power Rangers Jungle Fury (2008)

• Welcome to the Jungle (2 parter)
• Sigh of the Tiger
• A Taste of Poison
• Way of the Master
• Good Karma, Bad Karma
• Blind Leading the Blind
• Pushed to the Edge
• One Master Too Many
• Ghost of a Chance (2 parter)
• Bad to the Bone
• Friends Don't Fade Away
• No “I” in Leader
• Path of the Rhino
• Dash for the Dagger
• Race to the Nexus
• Arise the Crystal Eyes
• Fear and the Phantoms
• Blue Ranger, Twin Danger
• One Last Second Chance
• Tigers Fall, Lions Rise
• The Spirit of Kindness
• To Earn Your Stripes
• Path of the Righteous
• Now the Final Fury

Power Rangers RPM (2009)

• The Road to Corinth
• Fade to Black
• Rain
• Go for the Green
• Handshake
• Ranger Green
• Ranger Red
• Ranger Yellow (2 parter)
• Ranger Blue
• Doctor K
• Blitz
• Brother's Keeper
• Embodied
• Ghosts
• In or Out
• Prisoners
• Belly of the Beast
• Three's a Crowd
• Heroes Among Us
• Not so Simple
• The Dome Dolls
• Ancient History
• Key to the Past
• Beyond A Doubt
• Control-Alt-Delete
• Run Ziggy Run
• End Game
• Danger and Destiny (2 parter)

Adam's Moon Landing 45th Anniversary Celebration Megapost

45 years ago today, mankind set its first steps onto another celestial body.  It remains to this day one of the riskiest and most awe-inspiring technical achievements ever successfully performed by human beings.  A feat we have only been able to perform 6 times.  To my profound disappointment,  I was not alive to see these incredible historical milestones firsthand. (second only to my disappointment that we still have not been able to repeat this in my lifetime.)  For now, all I can do is dream and hope that someday soon humanity will remember how to dream again and have the audacity to believe that we can accomplish anything.

In celebration of the anniversary of this historical event, I've decided to waste my entire day engaging in various moon-themed shenanigans and writing an article about it for your enjoyment.

Preparations complete

First up on today's itinerary is the 1989 Wallace & Gromit animated short film "A Grand Day Out".  Bumbling inventor Wallace and his hyper-intelligent dog Gromit blast off to the Moon in a homemade rocket in search for cheese only to find a bizarre "washing machine"-like robot with aspirations of alpine skiing.

Let's start our morning right with some TANG powdered breakfast drink.  TANG was originally created in the late 1950s as an instant, low-cost alternative to orange juice and became popular during the 60s due to its association with the US space program for use as an astronaut food.  

Although it may not actually contain anything resembling a real orange, it is "inspired by true events"  and has a taste somewhat resembling a cross between orange Kool-aid and Sunny D.  

A neon abyss so opaque you can see your soul reflecting into it

Next up, we have the classic Tintin lunar adventure comics from Belgian author HERGE.  My earliest memories of these stories stem not from the books, but from the animated series "The Adventures of Tintin" on HBO during the early 90s.  Despite being written nearly a decade before Humans actually started traveling to space, the books depict a surprisingly accurate portrayal of space travel and moving around on the moon in reduced gravity, predicting an "Apollo 13"-like emergency involving deficiency of on-board oxygen and scientific espionage by competing foreign powers in a type of "space race" for lunar mineral resources.

Snack Time!  Maybe it's just a side effect of spending most of my childhood vacation time driving through the south, but I was under the impression that Moon pie's were pretty common and easy to find.  You have no idea how much of a pain in the ass it was to find some of these.  I had to go to over 8 stores before I finally found some in the back corner of a gas station.  Two of store managers I asked had never even HEARD of them before.  I've never actually had a Moon pie before so I figured today would be an appropriate a time as any.  I'm not usually a fan of anything with marshmallow in it, but these are pretty good.  Arguably better than most Hostess products.

Now we get to the real "meat and potatoes" of my day.  "From the Earth to the Moon" was a 12-part miniseries produced by Tom Hanks for HBO in 1998.  It serves as a dramatization of the early US space program from the events of Russia sending the first man into space in 1961 to the final Apollo 17 lunar mission in 1972.  I remember watching every episode live as it premiered back in 1998 and having it firmly solidify my lifelong obsession with space.  Each episode stands on its own and explores different aspects of the Apollo program from a wide variety of perspectives.  The writing and acting is excellent overall with a stellar cast of familiar character actors like Kevin Pollak, Dave Foley and Cary Elwes.  One of my favorite standout performances is from Stephen Root (better known as Milton from Office Space and Bill from King of the Hill) as NASA director Christopher Kraft.

Though unconnected, the individual episodes tell the story of the Apollo program in roughly chronological order not only from the perspectives of the astronauts, but from their families, various NASA employees, the engineers who designed the spacecraft and even the press.  Although some of the CGI effects are now awkwardly dated, you'd be hard pressed to find a better representation of the Apollo program.  

Snack Time number 2!  I'm sure that anyone who has ever been inside a museum gift-shop is familiar with the (in)famous freeze-dried "Astronaut" ice cream: the strange, chalky styrofoam-like treat that melts in your mouth and tastes like ice cream if it were body temperature.  The mint-chocolate chip variety I was able to find was a refreshing change from the typical "Neapolitan" style you typically see.  

 I choose to cap my evening with Al Reinert's 1989 documentary "For All Mankind".  Made to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the first moon-landing, "For All Mankind" documents the voyages of the only 24 men to ever escape the orbit of the Earth using only the actual footage recorded during the missions and the words of the men themselves explaining their feelings and experiences.  Highlights include explaining how they went to the bathroom in space, driving around in the lunar rovers, the remote-controlled recording of Apollo 17 leaving the moon for the last time and David Scott using a hammer and feather to prove Galileo was correct in theorizing that all objects drop at the same speed in a vacuum.  

This concludes my day of celebration for the 45th anniversary of the first moon landing.  Humanity has proven that it can escape the bounds of Earth and explore other worlds.  Hopefully within our lifetimes, we can do it again.

 Adam Young, July 20th 2014