Power Rangers RPM

Power Rangers RPM (Racing Performance Machines) is the seventeenth season of the American children's television series Power Rangers, which uses footage, costumes, and other props from the Super Sentai series. In the case of RPM, the season was an adaptation of Engine Sentai Go-onger, the thirty-second installment of the series.

Power Rangers RPM
GenreAction-adventure
Science fiction
Cyberpunk
Dystopian fiction
Created byHaim Saban
Toei Company
Eddie Guzelian
Based onEngine Sentai Go-onger
by Toei Company
Developed byABC
The Walt Disney Company
Saban Capital Group
Toei Company
Directed byMike Smith
Jonathan Brough
Vanessa Alexander
Charlie Haskell
Peter Salmon
StarringSee "Cast"
Narrated byOlivia Tennet
Theme music composerBrad Hamilton
Composer(s)Leigh Roberts
Wayne Jones
William J. Sullivan
Country of originUnited States
New Zealand
Japan
No. of episodes32 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)Koichi Sakamoto
Eddie Guzelian
Judd Lynn
Producer(s)Sally Campbell
Charles Knight
Jackie Marchand
Production location(s)Auckland, New Zealand
Kyoto, Japan, & Tokyo, Japan
Running time22 minutes
Production company(s)BVS Entertainment
Renaissance Atlantic Entertainment
Toei Company, Ltd.
Ranger Productions, Ltd.
DistributorDisney-ABC Domestic Television
Disney-ABC International Television
Release
Original networkABC (ABC Kids)
Picture format480i
720p (HDTV)
Original releaseMarch 7 (2009-03-07) –
December 26, 2009 (2009-12-26)
Chronology
Preceded byPower Rangers Jungle Fury
Followed byMighty Morphin Power Rangers (Re-version)
Power Rangers Samurai

The season was the third and final to air on ABC stations, premiering March 7, 2009 on ABC Kids. Due to the low ratings of the preceding season, Jungle Fury, RPM was also the final season to be produced and distributed by Disney and Renaissance-Atlantic Entertainment,[1] putting the series on a two-year hiatus until the premiere of Power Rangers Samurai in 2011. The 2019 - 2020 series, Power Rangers Beast Morphers is its direct sequel.

Story

An AI computer virus named Venjix takes over all of the Earth's computers, creates an army of robot "Grinder" droids and destroys or enslaves almost all of humanity. Only the city of Corinth remains, protected by an almost impenetrable force field from the toxic atmosphere of the wasteland outside. Venjix tries various plans to destroy Corinth and Doctor K's RPM Power Rangers fight to protect it.

In 2011, the Power Rangers Samurai movie, "Clash of the Red Rangers", which was a crossover with RPM, establishes that the season is set in an alternate universe.

In 2019 - 2020 series, Power Rangers Beast Morphers reveals that Venjix is alive, and reborn as Evox.

Production

Australian actor Eka Darville, who previously starred in series three of Blue Water High, was reported to have a role in September 2008 in what was then unknown as RPM or Racing Performance Machines which began production in September 2008 in New Zealand.[2][3] Heidi Kathy Bradhurt had been cast as an extra,[4] but her profile initially listed her as the Yellow Ranger, named "Kayla," whose name and actress had since been changed to "Summer" played by Rose McIver. Daniel Ewing had been reported in November 2008 to be playing a major character named "Dillon," revealed to be the Black Ranger.[5] Other cast members include Murray Keane in the role of "Benny",[6] Charlie McDermott voicing "General Crunch",[7] and Jason Hoyte as a guest role named "Mr. McAllistair".[8]

An article of The New Zealand Herald reported that Power Rangers RPM was to be the final season of the Power Rangers series. Production manager Sally Campbell stated in an interview "...at this stage we will not be shooting another season".[9] A September 1, 2009, revision to Disney A to Z: The Official Encyclopedia by Disney's head archivist Dave Smith states that production of new episodes of Power Rangers ceased in 2009.[10] A re-version of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers began broadcasting in early 2010 instead. However, in mid-2010, Haim Saban bought the Power Rangers franchise back from Disney[11] and production was restarted during that year for a 2011 series.[12]

RPM has been said to be the "darkest" compared to other Power Rangers incarnations and to be aimed at older audiences. Jungle Fury (which was said to have low ratings) was originally set to be the final season, but obligations with Bandai forced Disney to produce one more season. RPM is said to pay homage to Mad Max and The Terminator.[13]

Cast and characters
Main article: List of Power Rangers RPM characters

RPM Rangers

  • Eka Darville as Scott Truman, Ranger Operator Series Red.
  • Ari Boyland as Flynn McAllistair, Ranger Operator Series Blue.
  • Rose McIver as Summer Landsdown, Ranger Operator Series Yellow.
  • Milo Cawthorne as Ziggy Grover, Ranger Operator Series Green.
  • Dan Ewing as Dillon, Ranger Operator Series Black.
  • Mike Ginn as Gem, Ranger Operator Series Gold.
  • Li Ming Hu as Gemma, Ranger Operator Series Silver.

Allies

  • Olivia Tennet as Doctor K, mentor to the Rangers and creator of the RPM powers.
  • James Gaylyn as Colonel Mason Truman, Scott's father.
  • Damien Avery as Colonel Hicks
  • Mia Koning as Vasquez
  • Murray Keane as Benny

Villains

Episodes
Main article: List of Power Rangers RPM episodes

References
  1. "The Darkest Season of 'Power Rangers' Was Also Its Best". Inverse. Retrieved 2018-10-02.
  2. Labi, Sharon (2008-09-07). "Craig Wing, Angry Anderson and crew in council elections | The Daily Telegraph". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2008-09-07.
  3. "In Production". The New Zealand Film and Video Technicians' Guild. Archived from the original on 2006-08-13. Retrieved 2008-09-09.
  4. "Now Casting - Heidi Kathy Bradhurt Resume". Retrieved 2008-09-28.
  5. "NIDA student scores starring role". Inside Film. 2008-10-28. Archived from the original on 2008-11-06. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
  6. "Murray   Keane Details". Retrieved 2009-01-17.
  7. "Actor Biography: Charlie McDermott: Johnson & Laird" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-01-17.
  8. "Jason Hoyte - Karen Kay Management". Archived from the original on 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2009-01-17.
  9. Eriksen, Alanah (March 6, 2009). "'Power Rangers' defeated". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
  10. "Supplement to Disney A to Z: The Official Encyclopedia" (pdf). 2009-09-01. p. 87. Retrieved 2009-09-26.
  11. "CORRECTING and REPLACING PHOTOS Bandai America Powers up Like It's 1993; Brings Back Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in New Toy Line". Business Wire. October 1, 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
  12. Abrams, Rachel (September 22, 2010). "'Rangers' revamps". Variety. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
  13. "The Darkest Season of 'Power Rangers' Was Also Its Best". Inverse. Retrieved 2018-10-01.
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