Power Rangers Dino Super Charge: Gone Fishin Review

This Power Rangers Dino Super Charge Review contains spoilers.

Power Rangers Dino Super Charge Episode 10

Why does it matter Riley has a brother? I posed myself this question while watching this weeks episode. Did he need to be there? Couldn’t Kendall have gotten swallowed up by the Titano Zord? Why bring back Riley’s brother who’s barely shown up since the second episode of Dino Charge? Besides the obvious that every Chip Lynn season focuses on family issues, I think it’s just to fill out the world.

In Power Rangers we never learn much about the characters families outside of maybe the Red Ranger. That shouldn’t be that important, right? After all, we’re not watching Power Rangers because we love family dramas, we want to see teenagers kick some ass! But having the family is important. It grounds the show and its characters. Even if they don’t have a family, it still defines them. By having Matt show up again, we are shown (but thankfully not told) that Riley’s life continues outside of being a Ranger. It’s a little easy for the Rangers social lives to get lost in the constant battles of the world, so it’s nice to see Riley taking a day to hang with his brother. He even brings his new friends along, trying to intermix the two worlds.

The lesson of Riley and Matt’s plot, that people have fun in different ways, was fairly weak but it’s just nice to see them interacting. When Riley is desperate to save his brother, you feel their bond in how he cries out, “It’s morphin’ time!”  Will we ever see Matt again? Probably not, but at least his appearance made Riley feel like more of a person then Erin’s did for Shelby last week.

Speaking of family, Tyler’s dad is back! Tyler’s reaction to seeing his dad was practically nonexistent and they didn’t even get a moment to try and catch up during the episode. It’s only at the end do we learn they can’t be together until Heckyl is defeated. What? Seriously, Power Rangers, this was kind of ironically hilarious when it was done in VR Troopers twenty years ago but now it’s just frustrating.

Speaking of frustrating, everything Keeper does in this episode. Yeah, that’s all I got. I’ve said it all before. Dude just shows up out of nowhere to save the Rangers. Why? Is it because all he cares about is the Energems? If that’s the case, that’s a great bit of set up here, but that doesn’t excuse his lack of presence in the show.

The ending with Singe and Heckyl getting into a brief tussle was a welcome addition, but Singe’s whole appearance up to now felt more like “footage reasons” then actually moving the plot along. Sure, he’s got his big master, but he didn’t feel quite integrated into the overall story since he showed up. Oh well, at least the villain plots will finally get moving after this… Right?

Where the episode really shines is the small moments. Seeing the team hang out at the lake is a nice little slice of life. Koda continues to be adorable and fun loving while Chase and Shelby’s friendship has truly solidified. I didn’t touch on it last week, but how awesome is it that the two went from Chase trying to hit on her to now being best buddies. It’s been subtle, but the development is all there. Look at that, a male character hitting on a woman, not getting a positive response back, and then the two become friends! I approve heartily.

Oh yeah, the Silver Ranger is an alien! Oh yes. Yes. Yes. YES. It’s no secret I’ve wanted Power Rangers to play with its universe and giving us a new alien race is a step in the right direction. I doubt it will be any we’ve seen before, but a fan can dream.

So yeah, not much to say about this episode. It was aggressively there. Didn’t do anything outright wrong like last week but didn’t make much of an impression either.  The stage does seem set something for big, but I’d settle for a story with some more emotional depth.

Stray Thoughts 

– I’ve never gone fishing, but does catching boots really happen that much?

– Maybe Keeper on showed up because he thought there was cake.

– “Time for a royal headbutt!” Oh my god. Philip is a treasure.

– Oh my god, the circle zoom in at the end. Flawless.

Shamus Kelley wonders if Matt knows about Riley’s old boyfriend. Follow him on Twitter!