Season 3, Episode 10: Wizard For a Day

"Wizard For A Day"
Episode 10
Air Date: September 20th, 1995

Eh!!! The same problem I have with Adam I have with Rocky! Here, Rocky has to switch places with his Science teacher, Mr. Wilton, for a day so they both can experience what it's like to be in each other's shoes. But the problem is, once again, we don't know who Rocky is yet. Yes, he's the Red Ranger but we don't know him as an individual person outside of his ranger powers.  Because of that, I'm not really invested in Rocky's storyline this episode and when things like his messing up as a teacher or losing his books happen, we're suppose to care but we don't. It's funny because Mr. Wilton has WAAAYYY more defined character attributes like being hot tempered and overly strict toward his students. Now his part in the story feels more natural, mostly because of the actor's performance, even if at times it is over the top. But hey it's Power Rangers. I suppose their scene in the park was nice but I felt more bad for Mr. Wilton than Rocky because in one episode we know who Mr. Wilton is, we don't even know what kind of person Rocky is yet.

Meanwhile with what Rocky is going through, Rita and Lord Zedd let Rito switch places with them for a day since her thinks it's an easy job being Emperor; to which Rita and Lord Zedd laugh off.  Rito is hilarious in this role, sure he is incompetent but there's something just so charming and funny about the character. So when Rito wants to make a monster and Finster decides not to listen to him; to Rita and Lord Zedd's amusement, Rito decides to attack to Rocky in the park with him and Mr. Wilton. Though I don't understand why the Tengas confuse Mr. Wilton for Rocky! Do they not know who the Red Ranger looks like?? O_o Sheesh! Rocky morphs into his ninja form and fights the Tengas until the other rangers are contacted by Zordon, morph and arrive in their ninja forms as well. As Rito appears, he accidentally turns Mr. Wilton into the monster of the week, Marvo the Meanie, and has him attack the rangers. In the process, he turns 5 of the rangers into chemicals in tubs, leaving Rocky to save them and teleport away.

Meanwhile, at the Command Center, when Alpha is having trouble bringing the rangers back, they are alerted to Marvo heading for the city. Rocky uses what he's learned as a science teacher to mix the chemical to create the accurate formula to help save the rangers and bring them back to normal. As the rangers head back into action and prepare to fight Marvo, Rito, incompetently, uses Zedd and Rita's staffs to make him grow. They summon their Ninja zord and eventually form the Ninja Mega Falconzord. Rocky, feeling guilty about Mr. Wilton, uses his Ape Ninja Zord to finish off the monster on his own. I would get into the epilogue of the episode but it would force me to talk about Bulk and Skull and I don't WANNA!! So, "Wizard for a Day" is a mediocre episode focusing on a character that has yet to have a personality. I liked the plot with Rito being Emperor for a day so that saves the episode from being a complete disaster.

Final Morph: C-