Season 6, Episode 19: Invasion of the Body Switcher

"Invasion of the Body Switcher"
Episode 19
Air Date: September 26, 1998

Lol, this episode is always nostalgic and hilarious at the same time!!! With each viewing I just enjoy it for so many reasons.  I LOVE seeing Astronema being so proactive in her battle against the rangers, so much so that in this episode she makes a monster disguise herself as Ashley so she can infiltrate the Megaship was just brilliant!!! That's why I love the villains so much this season, they are so good when they come to their plans and how they excellently execute them.  When Astronema summons the Body Switcher and has him turn her into one of the rangers, in this case Ashley, the episode is a fun ride full of really intense and hilarious gags. From Ashley getting kidnapped right behind Cassie to Astronema as Ashley getting hit into the stomach accidentally by one of the Quantrons, this episode is one of the show's most genuinely humorous episodes and you can tell that Melody Perkins and especially Tracy Lynn Cruz.

I love the scenes of watching Astronema as Ashley roaming around the Megaship wrecking havoc from blasting D.E.C.A. to capturing most of the rangers.  But my favorite moment is when we get a glimpse of humanity from Astronema for the first time when Alpha gives her Ashley's present for her birthday.  We see bits of pieces of who Astronema really is underneath all those years of evil.  Really well done and more nice foreshadowing of the eventual reveal of who she is. But I also enjoy seeing Melody Perkins play Ashley as we get to see Ashley cleverly escape her captivity by using Elgar's predictable stupidity to have him help her tie her loose.  Lol Then I also love the gag of Elgar capturing the real Astronema and thinking she's Ashley. lol Probably the most genuinely funny use of Elgar so far.

But the best part is when Astronema tricks Andros into thinking there's a monster attack and after hilariously falling to the ground, trying to destroy Andros behind his back but Ashley coming to save the day.  Of course, Ashley continues to be more clear by showing why she is the real Ashley asking Astronema a question only she would know.  It is a really good episode for Ashley as well showing how resourceful she is under pressure.  I don't think I could see Cassie doing that which just shows how different the two are.  After Andros also cleverly figures out how to reveal the real Ashley to the rangers, the team regroups as Astronema summons Body Switcher.

"I wouldn't want to be a Power Ranger anayway!"

Ha!! It's funny because......anyway, the rangers battle Body Switcher until Astronema returns to the Dark Fortress to make him grow.  The rangers call on their Mega Vehicles to form the Mega Voyager to defeat him in battle; ultimately destroying him.  Back at the Megaship, Ashley reveals herself tot he other rangers, showing them she is back to normal....just as Andros sneaks away to a hidden chamber where someone....or something is being monitored by computers....who and what this could be??? We'll find out!!! But very fun episode as it was funny and immensely enjoyable; especially thanks to the both actresses, Tracy Lynn Cruz and Melody Perkins playing each other to humorously well.

Final Morph: B+