Season 11, Episode 24: Tongue and Cheek

"Tongue and Cheek"
Episode 24
Air Date: July, 26th 2003

I'm surprised by how much I truly enjoyed the hell out of this episode!!! I mean....I'm starting to realize the episodes that focus on Dustin really are becoming the most enjoyable aspect and even the heart of the season.  I truly LOVE how this episode not only showcases another aspect of Dustin's personality as well as insecurities but introduces a storyline we haven't seen on this show to this extent before.  When some new business owner tries to force Kellly into selling her shop, a group of thugs come that night to wreck it.  Luckily, Dustin is there and morphs into the Yellow Ranger to stop them; to Kelly's gracious thanks.  But unfortunately, the mini save that night becomes a HUGE headline and suddenly Dustin is in the spotlight more than the other rangers.  After the Sensei warns Dustin about using his ranger powers for everyday situation, Shane and Dustin head out to his newest competition when a high profile photographer is there but things get hairy when Marah and Kapri...sigh...once again...decide to go after the rangers and Lothor just lets them do it! Sigh....

Oh the monster's name you say??? Well, Slob Goblin of course....-_-....Yeah, he licks people and turns them into stamps......sigh.....only on Power Rangers I swear.  So while Shane does his thing on the ramp, Dustin spots Slob Goblin attacking innocent people near by and springs into action by morphing and facing off against the monster.  When he summons some Kelzacks for help, suddenly the entire crowd, including the photographer, go watch Dustin fight them off.  While Dustin tries to tell them to run away. they just cheer him, on until he gives into the praise and poses while fighting them off.  When Slob (oh god! O_O) and the Kelzacks retreat, the crowd picks up Dustin to congratulate him....only Shane views this and it clearly shocked as well as upset. -_-  After things die down, Dustin tries to apologize to Shane and when Shane gets in his face about his sudden change in behavior in giving into fame, we finally see why Dustin is so wrapped up in it.  Dustin wants to feel like he "matters", "taken seriously" and "stand out" among the other rangers instead of treated like the joke of the team.  It's here, where the episode really came together for me and honestly became one of my favorites of the season.  Not only well acted but showcasing how realistic and so relateable these characters are as teens (maybe more so than any other team of rangers we've had thus far!) O_O  Which is a real sentiment to not only the cast but the writers this season for making us believe and like these characters so much because they feel like real people and not just the perfect do-gooders the original team was like as well as others.

Anyway, Blake and Hunter get permission from the Sensei to use their Ninja powers to visit their adoptive grandmother since it's been a while since they've seen her and she leaves so far away.  Kapri and Marah use this as a way to capture the Thunder Rangers by one of them disguising as their grandmother after Slob Goblin turns her into a stamp.  Yeah! O_o  Of course what follows is a surprising hilarious gag with Hunter and Blake realizing she's a fake based on her noise and Marah not being able to hold in her laughter. After fighting off some Kelzacks, Hunter and Blake prepare to morph but unfortunately  the monster arrives to turn them into stamps. Sigh....Back at Ninja Ops, Shane and Dustin get into it again about his selfish behavior and I really admire how Shane keeps bringing up how earlier in the season he tried going solo but the Power Rangers gig is about being a team.  Very nice continuity from "No "I" In Team". :)  Suddenly, Slob Goblin attacks and Dustin heads off to fight him solo, leaving Tori and Shane to join him since he can't do it alone.  Doesn't stop him from trying tho, in another hilarious moment where he can't help but outdo Shane during the morph call.  While Dustin and Shane fight, Tori tries to break them up but inadvertently gets captured by the monster.  With Tori's life in danger, Dustin finally realizes his new attitude has gone too far and both Shane and Dustin to team up against it by...performing the dumbest ninja fight move I have ever seen!!! O_o  Shane just skiing on Dustin as they slash him with their swords...I just....O_O  Anyway, after the three defeat the monster, he grows (Lothor pointing out the redundancy of how his idiot nieces didn't see that coming! lol); leading the 3 to call on their zords for help.  While having trouble against Slob (eh!), Cam arrives with his Samurai Star Megazord to form the Samurai Storm Megazord to finally defeat the monster for good! The episode ends with things going back to normal with Dustin keeping the lesson he learned in fame and being a lone hero.

Final Morph: A+