Season 9, Episode 5: A Blue Streak

"A Blue Streak"
Episode 5
Air Date: March 3rd, 2001

For the first Lucas centered episode,  meh, this wasn't bad.  I guess I should talk about Michael Copon's performance.....but there's really not much to talk about.  The episode doesn't really develop Lucas besides him learning how to be a competent driver in the 21st Century.  Honestly, why would Jen, Trip and Katie let Lucas behind the wheel of a car and not let Wes know that Lucas was a championship driver??? Also, why would We let Lucas drive without a modern day license???  Of course, after some speeding, the two get stopped and an officer just hands Lucas a ticket.....ummmm, you mean after ALL those violations, including driving with a license, he doesn't get arrested??? Also, why the hell would Wes mention Lucs running a red light in FRONT OF the officer??? -_-  Anyway, Lucas must get a license and it's up to Wes to teach him the rules of the road....great!!! O_o  Meanwhile, Ransik is trying to figure out how to gain true power over the humans when Nadira mentions money and Ransil encourages her to steal all the money in the city.  Nadira then frees another mutant from the cyro-prison, Mantamobile, and uses him to transform two random cars into her wheels for her stealing cash from various locations.  She manages to find a loading truck full of money as her, Mantamobile, and a bunch of Cyclobots attack it.

Meanwhile, Lucas and Wes are waiting for Lucas' turn for his driving test when the instructor named Mr. Picketts.  The guy is clearly one of those dorky, strict types as even when Lucas moves the car just a little he freaks out! O_O Anyway, as Lucas pulls over and is about to pass his driving exam, he sees Nadira, Mantamobile and the Cyclobots driving away from another heist as he puts the petal to the metal and chases after them.  Gotta say, this is MUCH more entertaining than watching Vipra in her Vipari being chased by the rangers last season.  As they go down an alley, Mantamobile blasts Lucas and Mr. Picketts as the car crashes into some boxes.  Hmmmm....I wonder if Lucas still passed!? o_o :P  Anyway, as Wes and Lucas head back to tell the other rangers, Trip reveals yet another case that has been storing new weapons for the rangers.  He uses his Chrono morpher to make them bigger and makes the Vector Cycles.  Hmmmm, neat! :)  As Nadira continues her crime spree, she and her forces are ambushed by the rangers as they ride toward her on their cycles.  The rangers use their Vector Cycles to dispatch them with Jen even doing an awesome, if not dodgy looking stunt, to stop Mantamobile and the Cyclobots as Wes stops Nadira herself on his.  As Nadira escapes, Mantamobile decides to handle the rangers on his own and summons more Cyclobots.

This Sentai action footage is just awesome, especially seeing the different aspects of the Time Force Rangers/Timeranger powers, like the V-weapons, Chrono Saber being ignited to blast Cyclobots, not to mention Lucas and Wes doing some time defying/quick time moves.  We are also introduced to the combined weapons blaster of this season as Circuit tells the rangers to form the Vortex Blaster.  The thing is pretty huge and actually looks awesome!  But Manta proves to be tougher than the rangers thought as he reveals his mutant DNA and forces himself to grow.  The rangers request Circuit to summon the Time Flyers as they are sent from the future to the present....or is it the past??? O_o  Anyway, they use both Mode Blue and Mode Red as usual before summoning the Time Force Megazord Saber to finish Mantamobile off.  After being knocked out of the megzord when they fly back to the future, the ranger briefly question why the zords have to go back all the time and Trip quickly mentions they don't have the equipment to refuel the megazord in the past, present, whatever! O_o  Anyway, the episode ends with a hilarious bit of Lucas going back to get his license....to Mr. Picketts's humorous horror! All and all, "A Blue Streak" wasn't bad, the action and plot were entertaining enough, even if Lucas is coming off rather....bland....O_o

Final Morph: B-