Season 11, Episode 8: Nowhere To Grow

"Nowhere to Grow"
Episode 8
Air Date: March 29th, 2003

If this episode has anything going for it after a solid three parter is that the writers are continuing to establish more of the supporting cast than our main heroes.  Specifically Cam, who has been a rather hesitant ally of the rangers.  He's clearly smart and a master of being the technological expert of the team but something seemed to be driving him to be harsh towards the rangers quite often this season.  Even putting them down after a major loss after facing off with the Thunder Rangers for the first time.  It just seemed Cam seemed so douchey toward the rangers even when it didn't call for it. So what's this guy's deal??? Well it turns out, Cam is just jealous and resentful of the Wind Rangers' calling and wanting to do more than aiding them behind a camera.  We get a touching moment this episode where Cam's father reveals why Cam is better suited behind the scenes instead in the line of fire aka why his dad chose Shane, Tori and Dustin to be rangers but not him.  Turns out, Cam's mother dying request was for Cam not to be trained in the ways of the ninja to be kept out of harm's way.  We see this in a fight scene during Cam going out of his way to prove himself despite his father's wishes not to interfere in one of the rangers' missions.  You can clearly see that Cam's tech skills aren't the only ones he has at his disposal as he fights off a group of Kelzacks on his own....to Shane's immediate shock and confusion before helping him finish them off.

Honestly, this is a wonderful development because it makes Cam feel WAAAAYYYY more fleshed out as a character than this one note douchebag we've had so far this season.  He kinda reminds of Billy's character arc in Zeo as the technical adviser next to Alpha but much more capable of handling himself in a fight because of his longevity and experience as a ranger prior to that role.  It just makes Cam's attitude driven personality make more sense as well as him kind of sympathetic as he is just trying to be more of an asset to the team after feeling denied of a calling because of something his parents decided before his mother died.  Other than that, this is a pretty disposable episode in terms of plot.  Zurgane unleashes a flower based plant monster called Florabundacus.  What I did at least enjoy about the plot was how it began with the lead three fooling around at night before following some Kelzacks into a trap they set up for the rangers.  We don't get alot of night scenes, let alone night fights on Power Rangers, so it's always refreshing to see one on this show. :)  It kinda of reminded be of that one excellent fight sequence during last season's "Lionheart" where each ranger was being introduced with their different set of animal skills while fighting off an Org on the city roof tops of Turtle Cove.  Ohhhhh and by the way, what's the name of the city the rangers are in any way??? Did I miss it or something while re-watching this season again???  Is it "Reef Side"??? No!  That's "Dino Thunder" next season! Baaahhhh, help, someone!!! lol

But everything else about the plot is generic and full of this season's sometimes unnecessary hijnks with the villains; especially when Marah and Kapri masquerade (poorly I might add! -_-) as two botanists after capturing the Sensei's botanist friend at his greenhouse.  I just love how Tori immediately notices them through their obvious bubbling behavior and how many more scenes do we have to watch Lothor make himself as well as his crew of evil space ninjas look like idiots.  It's getting kind of redundant, repetitive and very unfunny! -_-  Anyway, when Tori and Dustin escape their captivity and face off against the monster, it's up to Shane to save them from the massive vines taking off the area they are in.  The three fight off the monster; leading to another zord battle where the rangers use the Storm Megazord to defeat it once and for all like all the other one offs so far.  Overall, besides Cam's breakout character development this episode, "Nowhere To Grow" is typical Power Rangers episode but leaves enough at the end that makes you hopeful of what more Cam might given to do this season besides sending the zords and making new weapons for the Wind Rangers....hmmmmm...;)

Final Morph: C+