Power Rangers Zeo

Power Rangers: Zeo (often abbreviated as PRZ, and often simply called Zeo) is the fourth season of the Power Rangers franchise that is a continuation of the television series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, that aired in 1996. It is based on the Super Sentai series Chouriki Sentai Ohranger. Power Rangers: Zeo is the first series in Power Rangers that is part of the annual Ranger suit change to match the annual change of the Super Sentai series. The next series is Turbo.

Production
Following the release of Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: The Movie, Saban had to deal with a general decline in the brand's popularity. While ratings for Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers were still solid during the show's third season, consistently ranking #1 in its weekday timeslot, they nevertheless fell from the show's first two seasons. Combined with declining merchandise sales, Saban was faced with the the threat of Power Rangers losing its phenomenon status.

With the fear of a continued decline, it was eventually decided that a major shakeup in the status quo was necessary. According to then-president of Saban's children entertainment division, Peter Dang, a wide number of options were considered, including the killing off major characters before a cosmetic change was settled upon to match the source footage of 'Chōriki Sentai Ohranger. ' This allowed a completely new range of merchandise to be released while cutting costs thanks to more Sentai footage being used, which had become less common during the show's second and third seasons.

While early ratings for the show were high, maintaining the #1 ranking, they eventually faltered and the show struggled to beat out fellow Fox Kids shows Goosebumps and even sister-series Big Bad Beetleborgs. Saban then brought back Austin St. John in the role of Jason, hoping that the return of one of the original core five rangers would bring back older viewers.

Synopsis
One fateful day, Master Vile used the Orb of Doom to reverse the rotation of Earth and turn back time, reverting the Rangers into powerless children (although they retained their memories). While the Alien Rangers and a restored Billy defended the Earth, the children went to different points in time to retrieve a piece of the Zeo Crystal, which was shattered and scattered throughout time by the Rangers themselves. Upon their return, the Zeo Crystal was reassembled, and its power was used to restore the planet back to normal.

Their victory did not last long. Rito and Goldar infiltrated the Command Center and stole the Crystal, just before the explosive device they had planted earlier went off, leaving the Command Center in ruins, and the Rangers without a headquarters. While searching through the wreckage, the Rangers found the Zeo Crystal, apparently dropped by the two villains, and then fell into the underground Power Chamber, their new base of operations, where Zordon and Alpha-5 retreated to during the explosion.

While celebrating the defeat of the Power Rangers, Zedd's palace is attacked by the Machine Empire, who wants to take over the Earth as well, causing Zedd, Rita, and the rest to evacuate and head for the M-51 galaxy to live with Master Vile. Using the power of the Zeo Crystal, Tommy, Kat, Rocky, Tanya and Adam became the Zeo Rangers, Earth's only hope against the Machine Empire.

Mondo's plan to divide and conquer was working, and for the Rangers to succeed, they needed help from the Gold Ranger, Trey, who travels to planets where evil needs to be defeated. With the Golden Power in danger of being lost, they were given to former Red Ranger Jason, who joined the team as the sixth Zeo Ranger until it was time to return the powers to Trey. Shortly after Trey reclaimed his powers, Rita and Zedd returned and blew up the Machine Empire's leaders, ending the threat they posed to Earth.

However, the void left by the destruction of the Royal House of Gadgetry along with Rita and Zedd taking a vacation lead to a new villain's arrival in the next season.

Rangers

 * Main article:Zeo Rangers





Allies

 * Zordon: An old powerful sage from Eltar; Mentor and creator of the Power Rangers.
 * Alpha 5: Robot assistant of Zordon.
 * Billy Cranston: Former Blue Ranger, now aids the team as their technical adviser. He left Earth to be cured of his rapid aging on Aquitar, deciding to live there.
 * Cestria and the Aquitian Rangers: Aliens from Aquitar.

Civilians

 * Bulk and Skull: Two former bullies, turned junior cops then detectives hired by Lt. Stone.
 * Ernie, owner of the Angel Grove Youth Center.
 * Lieutenant/Detective Jerome Stone: A Police Officer who was fired because of Bulk and Skull's behavior as overeager junior officers. He turned to the detective agency and started his own detective office.
 * Shawn, former boyfriend of Tanya, though the two as well as Adam agreed to be friends.
 * Veronica, Shawn's temporary girlfriend.
 * David Trueheart, Tommy's brother.
 * Emily: Ernie's new waitress and Jason's love interest.

Villains

 * Machine Empire
 * King Mondo: King of the Machine Empire
 * Queen Machina: Queen of the Machine Empire
 * Prince Sprocket: King Mondo's second and youngest son.
 * Klank & Orbus: Mondo's two henchbots go down to Earth to supervise many of the Machine Empire's attacks. Klank will hurl Orbus at it, energizing it and making it grow.
 * Prince Gasket: King Mondo's first and oldest son. He brainwashes Tommy later in the series and makes him think he is king.
 * Archerina: Prince Gasket's wife.
 * Cogs: Footsoldiers of the Machine Empire


 * Lord Zedd &amp; Rita Repulsa: The Power Rangers first villains, retreated from the moon since the invasion of the Machine Empire.
 * Louie Kaboom: Zedd and Rita's monster sent to destroy the Machine Empire but failed.
 * Goldar: Rita and Zedd's henchmen who lost his memory and worked for Bulk and Skull. Goldar eventually regained his memory and returned to Rita and Lord Zedd.
 * Rito Revolto: Rita's brother who lost his memory and worked for Bulk and Skull. Rito eventually regained his memory and returned to Rita and Lord Zedd.
 * Finster: Rita's monster maker and inventor.
 * Squatt:
 * Baboo:
 * Tenga Warriors: Zedd and Rita's Footsoldiers.


 * List of Monsters

Arsenal
Main Article: Arsenal (Zeo)


 * Zeonizers: Morphers that harness the energy of the Zeo Crystal, and are used to pilot the Zeo Zords.
 * Zeo Power Weapons: An assortment of weapons used by the Zeo Rangers, combined to form the Zeo Blaster.
 * Pink Power Disc: Zeo Ranger 1 Pink's weapon.
 * Yellow Power Double Clubs: Zeo Ranger 2 Yellow's weapon.
 * Blue Power Axes: Zeo Ranger 3 Blue's weapon.
 * Green Power Hatchets: Zeo Ranger 4 Green's weapon.
 * Red Power Sword: Zeo Ranger 5 Red's weapon.
 * Defender Wheel: Giant wheel that a Ranger can enter and send spinning at an enemy.
 * Zeo Jet Cycles: Five vehicles used for off-road transportation when the teleporter is down.
 * Zeo Laser Pistol/Blade: Standard Zeo Ranger weapons, serve as a laser gun or saber.
 * Super Zeo Gems: Powerful Artifacts that work similarly to the Zeo sub-crystals; Used to summon Super Zeozords.
 * Zeo Cannon: Powerful cannon that draws power from all the Zeo Rangers.
 * Golden Power Staff: Weapon of the Gold Ranger, used to morph as well as for hand-to-hand combat and laser blasts.

Evil Zords

 * Serpentera

VHS/DVD Releases

 * Power Rangers Zeo: Zeo Quest
 * "A Zeo Beginning, Part 1 & 2
 * It Came From Angel Grove
 * Power Rangers: Holiday Specials
 * "A Season to Remember"
 * Power Rangers Zeo (Complete Season) [German RC2]
 * Power Rangers: From Mighty Morphin to Lost Galaxy
 * Power Rangers Zeo: Volume One