Season 22, Episode 17: World Famous! (In New Zealand)

"World Famous! (In New Zealand)"

Episode 17

Air Date: November 14th, 2015

WOW! If there is one thing this episode is, is that it is rather rare and unique for us to discover a new ranger like this and it makes for a rather compelling story for the person who surprisingly ends up bonding to the purple energem.  When Chase gets news of an eccentric adventurer spotting and taking pictures of Sledge's space pods in New Zealand, the rangers decide to take a trip there but of course, spend sometime having fun by exploring all the New Zealand attractions.  I have to say, the show has NEVER been so tongue-in-cheek about its filming location like it has this season. LOL  Anyway, after meeting Albert, the bizarre explorer who seems more off the wall than an actual person who may have saw something real, the rangers decide to go off on their own and see if they can find any sightings themselves where Albert took the photos.  Soon a thief steals the bike of a young woman and the rangers quickly jump into action trying to stop him.  But surprisingly, when they catch up to the thief, he has already been stopped by....a Purple Ranger!  Who turns out to be Albert! WOW! After taking on Sledge's latest monster, Meteor and some Vivix, the rangers talk to Albert about joining the team, even make their own obstacle course to train him.  More shockingly, Albert is very athletic and fit for his age as he proceeds to outmatch the rangers during their workout.  LOL

When asked where he found his energem and how he bonded to it, Albert tells them about a girl who was lost on a mountain that he went up to go save.  In saving her, the purple energem revealed itself in the vast wind and snow by bonding to Albert at that moment.  Once again, it makes sense given what we know about what it takes to bond with an energem.  Tho I find it puzzling when Albert can't seem to assist the rangers during a fight as he is too scared to fight monsters.  Turns out ole Bert is a fraud and has never done the incredible things he told people, especially faking having one eye with the eye patch. lol  But it doesn speak volumes about even if someone is worthy to be a ranger, their fate really is their own and it may not be their path.  Albert is overall, a very likable character and while "off", he manages to form a quick bond with the rangers that feels very sweet as well as authentic.  I really liked him bonding with Tyler too and him opening up about his dad.  It helps push that story along while building on new character dynamics nicely.

On the villains side, Wrench resurrects two previously destroyed monsters, Ice Age and Sting Rage, to help Meteor in his fight against the rangers.  When they injure Tyler, Albert quickly leads them into a trap and manages to free Tyler.  Back in the city, the rangers face off against Meteor and end up using the Pachy zord to form the Ankylo-Pachy Formation of the Dino Charge Megazord.  Basically it now has a hammer and wrecking ball for hands now!  Only on Power Rangers! :P  With Albert gaining his courage back thanks to Tyler but wanting to obviously stay in New Zealand to still help the people of his town, Keeper arrives to some how break the bond between Albert and the purple energem....cause he can just do that??? O_o  And he just teleports away! Ummmmmm, wouldn't it have been more convenient to teleport the rangers back as well??? Seriously, what is Keeper's backstory and how did he become the keeper of the energems!?? Sigh.... But overall, this was a pretty strong episode once again that is both entertaining, funny and enjoyable!

Final Morph: A-