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?


Face-palming Lord Zedd thanks you for your time.

Social networks and live blogs make television personal, part 2

Yesterday, I posted part one of my story about the connection between social networks and television. Here is part two of my story.

Coletta feels that the fusion of television and Internet communities will allow for better viewer feedback on the content they are watching. “People were very passive ... we have so much more power today,” he said. He cites the recent example of “Chuck” fans creating uproar over the romantic entanglements between the main characters.

As a result of the episode plots, the show’s creators had to assure the fans that they were not going to completely jeopardize the characters’ relationships. “It’s bringing creators and fans closer together. Like, I remember with Joss Whedon, girls in class would know everything he did or said.”

However, as Miller points out, it’s not just those behind the show who can be overwhelmed by social networks and live blogging. “You need to find just the right amount of population,” she said. “If you have too many people, you have repetition, like on Twitter.”

Repetition is a major problem on social networks; in a fast-moving chat or feed, users will have the same reaction to an event. For last year’s Video Music Awards, MTV set up their own Twitter monitoring device to see Tweets about the show, and there was a major spike in Tweets chiding Kanye West for famously interrupting Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech.

Additionally, too many users can spoil the fun, as was the case for the Oscars, when the massive influx of visitors to Oh No They Didn’t caused the servers to frequently crash.

Miller also believes that difficulty may arise when attempting to merge television audiences and Internet users. “I feel like my attention is diverted from the show to my computer, the discussion can be so compelling.”

Is social networking a hindrance to peoples’ social lives, or does it help? Opinions may differ. Miller wonders if the affect of Internet discussions on a person’s life is overstated. “Are you really being social when talking on the Internet, or are you just as shut off from the world than without it? You may have real discussion, but not ‘perform’ for a group of people in a social setting,” she said.

Coletta, however, would liken the experience to social situations. “Everyone’s interested in this stuff,” he said. “You’d talk about [television] with your friend on the end of the couch the same as you do online.” He feels that because the people posting on social networks and blogs about shows, especially live ones, are just average television fans, they are relatable to users.

Citing a popular “LOST” site created by Britain’s Sky channel, Coletta explains, “They build these communities, they’re just a couple of guys sitting around. They’re probably not making money, but it’s what they like to do.”

Do you agree or disagree, or do you have other thoughts about this trend? Leave a comment!

Social networks and live blogs make television personal

The lines between television and the Internet have blurred in recent years, and with the rise of social networking and live blogging, that change is accelerated.

Social network Web sites such as Twitter and online communities such as LiveJournal’s entertainment and celebrity gossip page Oh No They Didn’t allow for strangers all over the world to connect and discuss television shows and events live, as they unfold on the screen.

Dr. Montana Miller, a popular culture professor at Bowling Green State University, says that social networks and Internet communities are gaining popularity because they can help create bonds that would not have occurred in real life.

“It offers companionship,” she said. “With communities, there’s a sense that you’re watching with friends. In chats I read, many users say ‘I’m so glad to be watching with you,’ or ‘I didn’t use to enjoy these evens until I was talking to you guys.’”

Miller’s analysis is reflected on sites like Oh No They Didn’t, which hosts discussion posts for every major award show aired on television, in which users can discuss the winners, losers and shocking moments. For the Oscars earlier this month, four discussion posts were made, with members creating over 20,000 comments on the show throughout the evening. “Entertainment Weekly” offers live blogging pages for major award shows as well, showing that major media outlets, and not just smaller Web sites and blogs, are connecting televised events with Internet content.

As Miller noted, users do express their happiness for finding the groups so they can express their feelings about television events frequently viewed by individuals at home. On a “Saturday Night Live” discussion post (another Oh No They Didn’t staple), user “eeagle” wrote, “[sic] this episode was epic and i glad i got to spend it with you guys!” User “kerfuffleboat” found that the posts are worthwhile and enjoyable for the virtual company they supply. “[Sic] I missed the last two posts here and I was actively sad about not being around for them. idk [I don’t know] if that's pathetic or if it means ~we've all bonded.~ I'll go with the latter!”

“For those who are interested in a show, you can watch it at home and not think twice,” said Dr. Chuck Coletta, a colleague of Miller’s in the popular culture department at BGSU. “With fan communities online, people who are really interested in a show, they may be the only ones in their towns who are interested. People want to connect, so they Google [a show], and people find each other.”

Coletta argues that shows such as “LOST” allow for long-term blogging projects that can allow users to develop complex theories for shows, and they can feel a bigger attachment to the show and the show’s fans. “’LOST’ is the best example, it’s intricate and fast,” he said. “TV and the computer are going to be one thing, with running comments during the show, and LOST live blogs give users all the control now.”

Miller also sees award shows as common discussion fodder, as well as reality shows. “The sites I watch discuss ‘Jon and Kate Plus 8’ and 16 and Pregnant,’ and I’m surprised so many people watch them.”




What does everyone think of social networking and television? Do you enjoy it, or do you find it distracting and uninteresting? Is it changing television, or just a passing fad? Leave a comment with your thoughts!


Part two of my story is posted here, so be sure to check it out!