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Power Rangers: Turbo (often abbreviated as PRT, and often simply called Turbo) was a television show based on the Japanese Super Sentai television series Gekisou Sentai CarRanger featuring the fifth generation of the Power Rangers.
The series is the follow up to Power Rangers: Zeo and the continuation of the storyline begun in the film, Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie, in which the former Zeo Rangers Tommy (V — Red), Adam (IV — Green), Tanya (II — Yellow), and Kat (I — Pink) are joined by Justin, the twelve-year-old new Blue Ranger (who replaces an injured Rocky), in the quest to stop Divatox, a barbaric but beautiful space pirate, from unleashing the evil of her demonic fiancé, Maligore, upon the universe. The power of the Zeo Crystal and the Zeo Zords are not strong enough to withstand this new evil, so Zordon and Alpha 5 assist the Rangers in creating the new Turbo Powers, which also give the Rangers new Turbo Zords.
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Production history
The production of Power Rangers: Turbo was controversial on numerous levels and is generally considered to be the jump the shark moment for the series. The series was launched with a theatrical movie Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie, which was given a limited theatrical release and failed miserably to transition the Power Rangers from the Zeo season to Turbo as the film offered no explanation for the sudden change in costumes or powers. The film also saw the departure of Steve Cardenas from the Power Rangers franchise. Cardenas was injured while performing a stunt towards the end of Power Rangers: Zeo and as a result, had to leave the series.
The departure of Cardenas led to what is considered the most controversial moment of the history of the Power Rangers franchise; as Fox executives forced Saban to add a child actor to the cast as Cardenas's replacement. Blake Foster was cast as Justin Stewart, the new Blue Turbo Power Ranger as a ploy to bring new young viewers to the show, since the core of the show's young viewership were now in their teens. The move backfired horribly, as the character failed to bring in new viewers and alienated a large portion of the existing older audience of the show.
Also there were the problems with the cast: two of the main actors on the show, Jason David Frank and Catherine Sutherland allegedly wanted to leave the show and pursue other projects (Sutherland claims this is untrue on her part). Both agreed to short-term contracts for 18 episodes, which would give the show's producers enough time to cast and introduce replacements for their characters. Another problem was the pregnancy of Hilary Shepard Turner, who played head Power Ranger: Turbo villain Divatox in Turbo: A Power Ranger Movie. For the bulk of the season, Carol Hoyt, who also played Dimitria would play Divatox until Turner could resume the role towards the end of the series. As she resumed the role of Divatox, Hoyt continued on with her role as Dimitria.
Finally there was the problem of how to handle the source material for the show's fight and Zord footage. The 20th incarnation of the Super Sentai series, CarRanger spoofed the long-running Super Sentai formula and featured a lot of physical comedy and slapstick humor as the series progressed. This created problems for the writing team at Saban, who were divided between those who wanted to gut CarRanger down to the bare essentials so they could go with a more serious apocalyptic storyline and those who felt that they should embrace the over-the-top campiness of the source material. This chaos was increased when longtime Power Rangers writer, Doug Sloan, left the series early in the show's run. The series progressed for 18 episodes before longtime Power Rangers writer, Judd Lynn (who was the main supporter of going the direction of making "Turbo" a comedy-centric series), was given the job as head writer.
When it came time to phase out Jason David Frank and Catherine Sutherland, it was decided to phase the entire original cast out sans Blake Foster, resulting in Johnny Yong Bosch and Nakia Burrise leaving the series as well. Zordon and Alpha 5 were also phased out and replaced with Dimitria (played by Carol Hoyt, upon the return of Hilary Shepard Turner) and the jive-talking robot Alpha 6 (both characters were also unpopular with viewers). New cast members were hired to take over the now open Ranger slots and the VRV Master, a character from CarRanger who only made a few scattered appearances was made into a recurring sixth Ranger called the Phantom Ranger.
Ultimately by the end of the series' run, the ratings were down as the series began to prepare for yet another relaunching since the CarRanger footage had run out. Blake Foster was let go (which explains his character's Justin's choosing to stay on Earth with his dad while the other Rangers went into space) and the series ended with the four rookie Power Rangers, now powerless, Zord-less, and with only a damaged Alpha 6 to guide them, borrowing a NASADA space shuttle and heading off into space to continue their fight against Divatox.
The entire Power Rangers series would have likely been cancelled had it not been for the following season, Power Rangers in Space, which proved very popular with fans and introduced several plot devices and storylines never before seen in a Power Rangers series, including what could be the greatest ending to a Power Rangers season of all time.
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Synopsis
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After the defeat of Maligore, the older Turbo Rangers graduate from high school and resume their normal lives, but are attacked once again by a vengeful Divatox and her forces and an endless supply of detonators and monsters that threaten the citizens of Angel Grove.
A new twist into the story involves Zordon and Alpha 5 returning to Zordon's home planet of Eltar, thereby relinquishing the mentorship of the Rangers to the spectral Dimitria of Inquiris (who is suggested to be Divatox's long-lost twin sister) and the street-talking Alpha 6.
The Rangers are then joined by Blue Senturion, an intergalactic police robot who brings with him the "Millennium Message", a pivotal story arc which foretells the later events of Power Rangers in Space. The four older Turbo Rangers are then retired from duty, "Passing the Torch" to four new Rangers - T.J., Carlos, Ashley, and Cassie, while Justin remains as the Blue Turbo Ranger.
The mysterious Phantom Ranger, whose identity is never revealed and whose powers originate from Eltar, arrives on Earth in the nick of time. Divatox's brother General Havoc arrives, bringing with him a new Space Base for his sister and a Metallosaurus Zord (a tyrannosaurus-like robot with a long tail). The Phantom, who becomes Cassie's love interest, gives the Turbo Rangers new Rescue Zords, and the Rangers later manage to retrieve the Turbo Zords as well.
However, the end of the series brings tragedy and devastation as the Rescue Megazord is self-destructed on T.J.'s command in a failed attempt to destroy Goldgoyle, the Turbo Megazord is destroyed in the same battle, and the Command Center is blown up by Divatox's minions.
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Rangers
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Allies
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Villains
Main article: Villains in Power Rangers: Turbo
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Arsenal
Turbo Morphers: Wrist-mounted devices modelled after an automatic transmission gear panel. The Rangers would call out "Shift Into Turbo", activate the Morphers by inserting and turning a special key, than proceed to proclaim the following phrases. Please note that the phrases listed below were only used by the original Turbo Ranger team, and were discarded once the senior Turbo Rangers recruited their replacements.
"Red Lightning Turbo Power!"
"Mountain Blaster Turbo Power!"
"Desert Thunder Turbo Power!"
"Wind Chaser Turbo Power!"
Auto Blaster: Standard Ranger firearm. It could open up to reveal a turbine that increased its power.
Turbo Sword: A sword carried by each Ranger. The handle could be pulled back for an extra power boost.
Turbo Navigator: Handheld GPS that can track enemies and power sources. It can be converted into a blaster for use in battle.
Turbo Robotic Arsenal Mobilizer (R.A.M.): Combination of Turbo Weapons, forms a racecar and transforms into a blaster.
Turbo Lightning Sword: Red Ranger's personal weapon.
Turbo Thunder Cannon: Green Ranger's personal weapon.
Turbo Hand Blasters: Blue Ranger's personal weapons.
Turbo Star Chargers: Yellow Ranger's personal weapons functioned similarly to knuckle-dusters, and would produce sparks upon striking an enemy.
Turbo Wind Fire: Pink Ranger's personal bow-like weapon could fire energy from each of its four barrels.
Turbine Laser: Weapon that can move by itself and be mounted on Storm Blaster.
Turbo Carts: Go carts equipped with lasers for Ranger use.
Senturion Synergizer: Personal sidearm of the Blue Senturion, has a blaster mode and a baton mode.
Senturion Cycle: Personal transport of the Blue Senturion.
Lightning Cruiser: A sentient 1996 Chevrolet Camaro piloted by the Red Turbo Ranger that featured flight capabilities.
Storm Blaster: A sentient jeep commandeered by the Blue Turbo Ranger.
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Zords
The Turbozords were cars that could change their size given to the Turbo Rangers along with their new Turbo Ranger powers in Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie. The Robo Racer was the Blue Senturion's Zord that he brought with him from his home planet. The Phantom Ranger brought Artillatron and the Rescuezords to the Turbo Rangers on his visit to Earth, as well.
Red Lightning Turbozord (Tommy/T.J)
Mountain Blaster Turbozord (Justin)
Desert Thunder Turbozord (Adam/Carlos)
Dune Star Turbozord (Tanya/Ashley)
Wind Chaser Turbozord (Kat/Cassie)
Robo Racer (Blue Senturion)
Artillatron (Phantom Ranger)
Lightning Fire Tamer Rescuezord (T.J)
Siren Blaster Rescuezord (Justin)
Thunder Loader Rescuezord (Carlos)
Star Racer Rescuezord (Ashley)
Wind Rescue Rescuezord (Cassie)
The Red Lightning and Mountain Blaster Turbozords could combine with the Thunder Loader, Star Racer, and Wind Rescue Rescuezords to form the Rescue Turbo Megazord.
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Episode List
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Trivia
Back when Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie was being conceived, the original idea was to have Billy Cranston create the Turbo Powers, but that changed once David Yost left the series on bad terms. To this day, Turbo stands as the only Power Rangers series with no official origin of its powers, though rumors exist that a scene was filmed where Billy is revealed to be the creator of the Turbo powers that was cut from the film following Yost's departure from the franchise.
It was the only Power Ranger series (so far) to feature a child who could morph into a Ranger, though the concept of a "Kid Ranger" was the basis for Gosei Sentai Dairanger's KibaRanger (the White Power Ranger) and Chouriki Sentai Ohrangers King Ranger (the Zeo Gold Ranger). It was never explained how he could grow to the height of the other Turbo Rangers.
Kat is the only Ranger to retain her color for three different Power Rangers series. (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers through Power Rangers: Turbo).
Power Rangers: Turbo was the first series to feature villains from a movie that had no previous ties to the show.
This statement may be interpreted as untrue as in the movie, Divatox made a quick (late night) call to Rita Repulsa who seemed to be an old, but disgruntled friend who tried to warn the pirate of the Rangers
It was the second series to feature a main villain who appeared in Power Rangers and not Super Sentai. However, Divatox may be inspired by the Zonnette character from CarRanger.
It was the second series to switch Rangers midway through the season.
It was the first series to feature a Ranger (the Phantom Ranger) who did not have their own Morphing sequence, presumably as he didn't have an identity.
It was the last series to feature a Ranger shouting a particular phrase during a morphing sequence until Power Rangers: Ninja Storm.
It was the only series to feature a villain's base located underwater.
It was the first series to feature an Asian-American as the Pink Ranger. This would also be repeated in S.P.D. with the A-Squad Pink Ranger.
It was the first series to have a female Caucasian Yellow Ranger.
It was the first series to feature a Latino Power Ranger (Carlos Vallertes, the second Green Turbo Ranger). This would be repeated in Power Rangers: Wild Force with Danny Delgado, the Black Bison Ranger. However, the actors Ricardo Medina, Jr., who portrayed Cole Evans, and Jessica Rey, who portrayed Alyssa Enrile, are also of Hispanic descent (Medina is Puerto Rican and Rey has mixed Asian and Hispanic ancestry), but they did not portray outwardly Latino characters as Jack Guzman had as Delgado.
It should be noted that the Phantom Ranger was not considered a Ranger in Turbos Super Sentai counterpart, CarRanger (in which his equivalent, the VRV Master, showed up to give the team new mecha and later to save their alien mentor), but IS considered a Power Ranger in Turbo. This is the only time such a change has occurred.
It was the last season since Mighty Morphin where each core Ranger got a humanoid Zord (the Rescuezords), previously being the Shogunzords (MMPR), the Battle Borgs (MMAR) and the Super Zeo Zords (Zeo). However, the trend picked up again with Power Rangers: Mystic Force and the Mystic Titans. In Power Rangers in Space, only Andros received a humanoid zord.
Power Rangers: Turbo featured a teaser before the opening credits. (Note: the MMPR series also featured a teaser. Now each PR series has gone back to this method since PRTF).
This is the first Power Ranger series to have a character in the side of good not referred to as a "Ranger" (the Blue Senturion) pilot a Zord (the Robo Racer). This would happen again with Magna Defender and his Torozord in Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy.
This series marks Tracy Lynn Cruz's return to the Power Rangers Universe. She had previously appeared in the MMPR episode "I'm Dreaming Of A White Ranger", portraying a minor character.
This is the first series at the time to feature a Megazord that was not made up of animals as it was in the previous two series.
This is the second series to include two morphers to morph into the Ranger (first being Power Rangers: Zeo).
This is the first series in which the Rangers coin a new morphing phrase, from "It's Morphin' Time" to "Shift into Turbo!".
This is the first series to not have an Ultrazord of any type. This trend continued until Power Rangers: Ninja Storm and was continued after that.
Hillary Shepard Turner was missing after the Turbo film until a little after half of the Turbo season as Divatox. She was replaced by Carol Hoyt (who portrayed Dimitria) as Divatox due to a pregnancy. Turner reprised her role as Divatox in the second half of the season.
This was the last series that used the same communicator beep (with the tune to the original theme song "Go, Go, Power Rangers") since the first season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
Alex Dodd would only be credited once for his role as the Phantom Ranger's voice, and it wouldn't be until the following season, Power Rangers in Space, in the episode "The Delta Discovery".
During the production of Turbo, a spin-off involving Bulk and Skull becoming owners of a hotel was planned, but failed when presented to test audiences. It never went into full production. Because the pilot was being shot and produced at the same time as Turbo, Bulk and Skull were transformed into chimpanzees and Paul Schrier and Jason Narvy merely did voice acting as the chimps.
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