Season 4, Episode 41: Where In The World Is Zeo Ranger 5?

"Where In The World Is Zeo Ranger 5?
Episode 41
Air Date: November 6th, 1996

Well, this episode involved some plot movement as Gasket kidnaps Tommy but besides that the episode isn't that eventful by itself. I mean it's nice to see Prince Gasket plotting and coming up with better plans already than Louie Kaboom's tenure as ruler of the Machine Empire but the monster of the week plot felt a bit too superfluous as in not needed. It was suspenseful enough with Jason and Katherine trying find his whereabouts after just randomly disappearing.

One thing I did enjoy was seeing Jason as leader again temporally as who better to lead the team in Tommy's absence than the original red ranger turned Gold Ranger! :) Anyway, Cruel Chrome, design wise was cool but my goodness I couldn't take him seriously as a villain. I mean all he did was spray the rangers with water...yes....sprayed them with water and they act like they were so weak and paralyzed by his toxic vapors.  I mean what was the budget on this episode??? O_o Couldn't they have made that attack look a little more devastating or at least threatening??? O_o The zord battle was decent though, features the Super Zeo Zords and Pyramidas again. That Zeo Ultrazord really is massive and impressive just towering over monsters the size of a building.

But honestly the best part of the episode is the ending when it's revealed Tommy's mind is being altered and that the Tommy they find may not be the one they know. I also liked how the console sparked and took damage from them losing the signal followed by seeing Tommy in a dark room with a spotlight over him as we see a machine over his head as he cries out in pain. It's a disturbing visual and kind of gives me X-Files vibes. It's an awesome cliffhanger to an otherwise filler episode. I mean it's a great set up for the next pair of episodes but the monster of the week plot really was weak and I couldn't take it seriously. Then again this is Power Rangers, why am I taking it so seriously??? O_o

Final Morph: C