Power Rangers Ninja Steel Episode 18 Review: The Adventures of Redbot

This Power Rangers Ninja Steel review contains spoilers.

Power Rangers Ninja Steel Episode 18

This is without a doubt one of the most apathetic episodes of Power Rangers I’ve ever seen. It’s aggressively there. It has nothing to say about the characters, the world, or even an actual moral.

“Telling fibs even for fun gets you in trouble.”

But if you do one heroic thing all that’s forgiven and everyone wants your autograph! Ninja Steel can’t even get a “don’t tell lies” moral right.

Plus, it’s totally hilarious to leave two civilians frozen and use them as coat racks rght? Yes, let’s point and laugh at Victor and Monty’s misery. Again. Sure, Victor and Monty told some lies. If they were socially ostracized for it that would make sense and be fine but to leave them frozen on purpose? That’s just cruel and once again makes the Rangers (and now Mick) look like the bullies. 

You can also save your “but the MMPR Rangers were bullies to Bulk and Skull” nonsense argument. Bulk and Skull, at least in season one, were actual bullies. They made fun of and attempted to physically intimidate the Rangers. The fact Jason and the others attempted to push back a little made total sense there. Not here. 

What is wrong with this show? For the past eighteen episodes I have struggled to understand what is going on with Power Rangers on TV. Why is this level of writing accepted? Stripping away any expectations about wanting a shared universe, world building, or even comparing this to other seasons of Power Rangers, Ninja Steel is horrible. It’s a series I could never imagine showing to a fellow nerd or god forbid a child because it insults the intellgience of the viewer and it can’t teach a moral to save its life.

I know in my past reviews I’ve been avoiding pointing the fingers at anyone but it’s becoming increasingly hard to not wonder what the hell is happening behind the scenes.

Why is Ninja Steel, the flagship of the franchise, allowed to just keep plodding along? Does no one checking these scripts notice these giant errors? This sub preschool level writing? The problems with all the morals?

I don’t understand. It makes no sense to me, unless Saban Brands truly believe kids/the fans are stupid and will watch anything so they don’t have to try. I don’t want to believe that’s the case. I know the whole cast, crew, and the writers put a lot of effort into making this series. Getting any show on air takes a series of miracles to pull off.

But something is wrong. This kind of nonsensical episode should not have been approved. More should be expected from a series that’s been on the air for nearly twenty-five years. There should be a higher standard of quality. 

If the series was the only piece of media Power Rangers was releasing to the world I might understand. I’d still be giving it bad reviews but I’d just assume Saban Brands didn’t know any better and they just weren’t watching their competition. It’s pretty much what I assumed around the time of Samurai and Megaforce, when they were the only major Power Rangers media being released (sorry Papercutz comics).

Now? Saban Brands knows what a good story is. Every month those Boom Comics, the best stories Power Rangers has seen in years, get approved. Power Rangers Hyperforce is a thing (even if it already has some issues. Reusing the name Jack, really?) The movie was astounding and defied all expectations.

So no, I don’t understand. I don’t understand how episodes like this can get made unless someone is just fine with Ninja Steel being the loss leader of the franchise. If that’s the case, some major shakeups need to happen behind the scenes because an episode like this is completely unacceptable.

Please help me understand why this is happening, Saban Brands. There has to be a good reason for this… right?

Shamus Kelley would watch a whole show of Victor and Monty as entertainment agents. Follow him on Twitter!