Power Rangers Halloween Episodes: Worst to Best

Isn’t every episode of Power Rangers basically a Halloween episode? I mean there are monsters aplenty and the main characters wear special outfits to hide their identities. Okay well, on the top of all that Power Rangers has had a ton of Halloween episodes over it’s nearly twenty-five year run and we’re here to rank them.

Now in putting together this list I quickly realized that some of Power Rangers more famous “Halloween” episodes actually have nothing to do with the holiday. Oh sure, they might feature a vampire or a rapping pumpkin monster but they aren’t actually set on Halloween itself or even at a Halloween themed event. I guess that helps for reruns but come on, give us Halloween!

Also, a lot of these episodes didn’t even air around Halloween. One aired in August! Another in November! Oh well, we won’t hold that against them. Otherwise this list would be nothing but clip shows.

This list will only include actual episodes of the show and no direct to VHS specials. Sorry, Lord Zedd’s Monster Heads.

Power Rangers Operation Overdrive

“Ronny on Empty Parts 1 and 2”

Okay, this one barely even qualifies as a Halloween episode. The Halloween celebrations going on throughout the two parts are mostly just there to set up the reveal of Mack being a robot. Which was done in the absolutely most hand fisted way possible. Mack, dressed up as a robot, does “the robot”. Mr. Hartford and Spencer look at each other, clearly indicating something is up. Way to blow your mystery, guys.

Power Rangers Super Samurai

“Trickster Treat”

This episode…. I…. I can never decide if it’s one of the greatest episodes of Power Rangers or the worst. It’s an episode composed of nothing but stock footage from the Japanese season Shinkenger and fight scenes from previous Super Samurai outings. It’s lazy of course, but the fact they managed to cobble together twenty minutes of footage out of nothing is kind of admirable in a weird way.

further reading – Tales From the Cryptkeeper: The Essential Episodes

But hey, Jayden claims ownership of Halloween. “Samurai Rangers, Halloween is ours!” Can you do that? Does being a samurai leader give you the qualifications to just steal Halloween? 

Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel

“Monster Mix-Up”

The only thing really going for this episode is the singing pumpkins, which to be fair are great. Other than that this one keeps it light with Halloween. Oh sure, the Rangers are dressed up but it’s more of an excuse to have them switch bodies with monsters. It’s fun to see but isn’t exactly helped by them recycling many of the plot elements used in ‘Trick or Trial’, which you’ll find higher on this list.

Power Rangers Megaforce

“Raising Spirits”

The first of many clip shows on this list, it’s amazing how many times Saban Brands has been able to work the clip show format around the holidays. Here the Rangers are shown clips of past monster battles for no reason, but at least we get to see the team dressed up in wacky outfits. Trust me, when this aired this was a HUGE deal to see the Rangers in ANYTHING different from their usual civilian outfits.

Power Rangers Ninja Steel

“Grave Robber”

While not a clip show this is another instance of the series using a Halloween special to burn a lot of Sentai footage. The Rangers get a Halloween board game and decide to play it before heading out for trick or treating.

The episode is fine enough (especially for Ninja Steel) but it does raise a question. Do teenagers, especially ones who look like they’re twenty-five, still go trick or treating? I always thought the beginning of high school was the cut off point.

You know what? These kids save the universe every day. They can have some candy.

Power Rangers Dino Super Charge

“Trick or Trial”

Another clip show which has a great idea it can’t exactly carry home. The Rangers are put on trial for their crimes… against monsters! How awesome is that, especially on Halloween where humans don the disguise of monsters. It could have been a fantastic exploration of the morality of destroying monsters and how the Rangers basically take the law into their own hands.

Sadly that didn’t happen but we did have an intergalactic commercial for a monster lawyer. So you know, small victories. Plus Tyler’s deadbeat dad showed up just in time for Halloween! Uh… thanks?

Power Rangers Beast Morphers

“Hypnotic Halloween”

This one is just plain fun. Seeing characters we love run around in costumes is always a highlight of these Halloween episodes and the Beast Morphers cast is clearly having a blast. When a spell actually makes them THINK they’re the characters they dressed up as, that just makes it a pure delight. Zoey especially as that viking should be cheesy but she inhabits it so well you can’t help but smile.

Power Rangers Dino Charge

“The Ghostest With The Mostest”

So this episode is basically a whodunit mystery… on Halloween! That’s awesome! The mystery isn’t easy to figure out, especially for Power Rangers, but all the clues are right there for you. The real highlight of this episode is Kendall, who gets hilariously into interrogating the Rangers. It almost seems out of character but Claire Blackwelder is clearly having so much fun with the episode you can’t help but love it. 

Power Rangers Samurai

“Party Monsters”

An episode of Power Rangers Samurai so high on the list?! I know, I know, but go with me here. This is the best Samurai episode. Yeah, it’s a clip show, but it does something so rare on Power Rangers and gives us a glimpse into what it’s like to be a monster of the day. They actually carve Jack O’ Lanterns of the Rangers because that’s what they find scary!

further reading: The Scariest Episodes of The Real Ghostbusters

All the monsters are partying it up in the afterlife (well that got dark quickly) and relaying tales of being destroyed by the Rangers. It’s really all worth it for the jokes about the Rangers finishing every battle with a turn and pose, which the monsters interpret as mocking them.

Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers Season 1

“Trick or Treat”

I’d rank this one higher but it has nothing to actually do with Halloween (although Skull’s outfit has a sweet Les Mis reference so points there.) No, it’s actually about a game show that just happens to be Halloween themed. A game show that, apparently, is the most popular game show in America. Uh huh, sure. Keep telling yourself that, Kim.

further reading: The Craziest Episodes of the Beetlejuice Animated Series

Still, the episode does feature Pumpkin Rapper and those rhymes are the freshest.

Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers Season 2

“Zedd’s Monster Mash”

Okay, so apparently trick or treating happens in Angel Grove at about 2:30PM in the afternoon. Sure, okay, that’s how life works I guess.  At least the episode features more actual Halloween events (remember when Power Rangers could regularly afford tons of extras?) and Putties tricking Tommy in the cleverest way possible, as adoring fans!

further reading: Extreme Ghostbusters is Much Better Than You Remember

I mean come on, if you were a Power Ranger wouldn’t you heartily chuckle inside as you lead around little kids dressed as the Power Rangers?

Power Rangers Turbo

“Carlos and the Count”

As a character Carlos kinda sucks but this is probably his best episode and that’s because he’s turned into a vampire! Okay, mostly joking there. It is really sweet to see him get into watching monster monsters with Justin. I always interpreted Carlos as Justin’s surrogate big brother, taking him under his wing and being a good role model.

further reading: The Most Bizarre Appearances by Horror Icons in Other Media

Plus, it’s just a fun little monster episode. The Rangers have to keep Carlos as a vampire at bay with all the usual methods. Sadly it’s mostly cured by Alpha with a random antidote. What antidote don’t they have in the Power Chamber? Come on, I wanted to see Justin stake the hell out of Carlos! 

What? He could have done it in morphed form. Right?

Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers Season 1

“Life’s A Masquerade”

The OG Halloween episode gets about ten billion points for actually featuring the most Halloween aspects of all these episodes. A full Halloween party! All the Rangers dressed up in outfits. A Halloween themed monster. Alpha getting to go out into society and totally macking on girls. This episode has everything!

further reading: The Essential Episodes of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers

Although it also makes us question what happened with Alpha and those girls. Did they discover what he really was? Where did they go? Did Alpha have to call a cab in the morning? These aren’t the kinds of questions that I usually expect out of a Power Rangers Halloween episode but they’ll be haunting me for the rest of time.

Power Rangers Zeo

“It Came From Angel Grove”

This makes the top of the list, even if it isn’t technically set on Halloween, because it’s the only one that even approaches scary. Yeah, all the monster movie riffs are silly but tell me Adam’s reaction to Rita and Zedd isn’t chilling. Adam truly believes the Machine Empire took over the Earth and that hangs like a dark cloud over the whole episode. Yeah yeah, it’s all a dream but whatever. It’s a Halloweenish episode so I’ll allow it to pull out all the stops in order to be as scary as possible.

further reading: Ranking Every Power Rangers Season

Johnny Young Bosch really sells the whole thing and grounds the silly scenes of the cast dressed up in wacky oufits. I mean come on; he totally says the name, “Zordonicus” without cracking up. That takes skill.

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Shamus Kelley is a pop culture/television writer and official Power Rangers expert. Follow him on Twitter! Read more articles by him here!