Power Rangers provides a lame excuse for nostalgia

Since so many people, like me, are desperate to cling to their childhood, I figured I'd alert people of this.

Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers is back! Yes, folks, the 1990s bastion of gratuitous violence and poor special effects has returned. Nickelodeon has comissioned new episodes of the series, and old episodes to air on Nicktoons. Plus, it will also release new toys as tie-ins to the series.

Like a lot of kids, Power Rangers defined my existence between 1994 and 1996 or so. My mother and I went to the local lake with my late godmother and her children (all boys) in the summer of 1994, and they were obsessed with the series. They watched videos of the series all night long, and I became obsessed. I think, much as mother loved my godmother, she still kind of holds it against her for introducing me to the money sucking empire that was Power Rangers (and, in my opinion, rightfully so)!

I had so many toys connected to the series, it was outrageous. I can say that I had nearly every single toy featured on this website. I was always fascinated with the command center playset, which allowed for you to morph your voice like Zordon. To be honest, I still have the Spin Fighters set, complete with the Power Ranger-themed Thunderdome, and I've broken it out as recently as a year ago.

My favorite Power Rangers memories, however, revolve around the movie (which is on YouTube, by the way). My mom was always diligent about entering me in any contest our local Fox Kids affiliate put on, and one day, we got a call saying that I won tickets to a free advance screening of the movie.

The kicker? The screening was on my 6th birthday, June 27, 1995! I felt like the coolest, and luckiest kid ever. Since my parents were at home preparing for my birthday party, my aunt from Cleveland and my cousins went to the screening, and I was dressed as the White Ranger. I won't lie, it still remains one of my favorite days of my life, as pathetic as that sounds.

Later that summer, on vacation to the Mall of America, we stayed in Duluth, Minn. My parents surprised me by taking me to a late-night showing of the movie, and it was again, a great day. To this day, every time I hear Van Halen's "Dreams," I automatically associate it with the closing scene of the movie.

Wow, that was long-winded. Anyway, the point is, I know that I will probably watch every single rerun of MMPR that I catch on Nicktoons. Today, I realize how ridiculous the show was, yet, due to pure nostalgia and my desire to still be 6 years old, I'll still tune in.

How many Power Rangers toys did you all have? Favorite Ranger or villain? Any other awesome memories attached to the series, or did you spend all of your parents' money on some other popular culture craze?


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