Well after a slight delay because Nick can’t get their sh*t together and share the entire episode on their website since he has been doing renovations from his seo company, here’s my review of “Game Plan”. I figured I’d just share some short thoughts on moments as I usually do, but with a shortened vibe as this episode is most likely no longer on your minds. I will say that this episode was rather original for a Power Rangers plot and I really liked that. The monster’s threat, actions and Sentai translation were very original and I think that was fantastic. The episode actually had some funny moments in unexpected places as well. Let’s look back a bit, shall we?
Game Goblin: First let’s talk about the little version of Game Goblin. Sometimes you have to wonder who makes the decisions on what they spend their money on over in New Zealand, haha. I mean the little guy was pretty cute and the idea that he lead the players of the game deeper and deeper into more addicting levels was pretty genius as it powered up his more monstrous form. I do have to say however that his mini-voice was terribly grating on the ears, but of course it was. I think that was the point.
When he finally transformed into his larger form after sucking the Rangers into the game it was pretty cool what Sentai monster they chose to use. This monster was based on a lawnmower in Ninninger and instead of making an episode where Preston accidentally makes a magic lawnmower, we got an original episode where a goblin sucks the Rangers into a video game!
Now, what made this video game even cooler was that the Game Goblin got even more powerful as people on the outside continued to play the game and level up! What doomed the Rangers inside even further was that the best player on the outside was one of their own, Preston!
The Evil Rangers: One of the powers of Game Goblin was being able to use his leveled up attacks to turn the Rangers evil for short periods of time. Nothing is cooler than a Power Ranger turning evil, even for a short period of time, and attacking their friends. It also gives the actors an opportunity to take their characters to a whole new level.
My favorite part of this episode was seeing Peter Sudarso take Preston to a dark place and attack his friends! If you’ve seen this episode then I’m sure that you join me in loving Preston’s change in voice and demeanor as he attacked his friends and turned to the dark side for just a few moments. It was rather, epic!
Green Levi: In order to stop the teenagers from playing the video game Mick got an idea to make them think that if you continued to play it would actually turn you completely ugly and green! So, he dressed Levi up in a mop wig and painted his skin green! Levi put on quite the performance and it worked! Of course, teenagers are naturally fickle and all of them stopped playing immediately.
One of my favorite moments came later was when Levi asked why Mick couldn’t have done this himself and Mick revealed because it was funnier to watch him do it instead. God love Mick!
Snatch Yo Wig: I was happy to see another administrator introduced at Summer Cove High School; and what better than an eccentric lady with a beehive? Mrs. Bell seemed like a pretty stern lady and also seemed to take no nonsense from Victor and Monty and that made me like her, even more, when she made sure that Victor didn’t get his game back. But nothing was funnier than seeing Victor’s awful plan go awry when her wig was snatched with a shriek. It was a rare moment for me to laugh at Victor and Monty but this scene worked for me. Poor Mrs. Bell, but this moment was pretty hilarious!
Victor & Monty: Get ready to clutch your pearls because there were actually two moments when I laughed at Victor and Monty this episode. I know, what is happening? But, perhaps it’s more of a Mrs. Finch moment? Mrs. Finch is having her teaching moment and the students behind her are cleverly playing the video game as she has her back turned. As she turns back to face them they all quickly put their games away so she can’t see them. This hilariously lasts a few times until she finally becomes wise to them and makes them put the games away.
But for some strange reason, Victor stays in complete frozen stance smiling with his fist under his chin. What was pretty funny about this moment was that Victor had a post of himself in front of him so that he could continue playing even if she was looking directly at him.
First of all, I wasn’t expecting that and when she took the poster away I really actually laughed at this moment. Strange, I know.
As I said earlier, I actually enjoyed this episode more than others because it was filled with comedy that actually landed and had an original story than any other Power Rangers episode in this Neo-Saban Era. I wish that we could get more original ideas like this that not only strays away from the Sentai source material but also strays away from norm Power Rangers plot-lines!
Thanks for reading! Until next time!