Masked Rider

Masked Rider was a good tv show. It was on FOX Kids Saturday mornings and later in syndication. The premise for the series was unique, which had an alien prince (Dex) coming to Earth to protect from invading forces. The series was a spin off to the first Power Rangers show, but this show was more serious and I liked that. Too bad it's gone now.

This is another vehicle in Saban's Super Sentai roster and it's one I feel has ridden under the radar. I have heard of the Karmen Rider franchise and was excited when it was finally riding into the states. Once I saw this show, I'll admit my feelings about the show we're sort of mixed, not to say I didn't like it I did, it's just this presentation of Karmen Rider wasn't quite what I had in mind.

The plotline is good if not totally unique, here it's something a little different once more sort of Power Rangers doing "Starman" (well kind of), having an alien come down to Earth to defend us against an evil alien threat that threatens us while learning to live among us. The show is somewhat formatted in the sitcomish format which may put off some Super Sentai fans, I'll admit seeing a Super Sentai show in this format did seem out of place. But if you give the show time it does sink in and it sort of works, as here it goes for a more lighthearted tone.

The music is decent if not the most memorable which is one of the bugs (no pun intended) in the shows system, though that theme song is actually a decent listen as it has a heroic tune which fits.

Characters are pretty good like the supporting characters the stepbrother and sister. Both have good personas from the energetic enthusiastic little brother and the older sister that is a little more down to earth, though the only disappointment in the show is both don't have enough to really do in the show. I personally thought somewhere along the line both would have armor of their own but sadly that never happened. This other girl whom is kind of hot whom served as a bit of a comic relief as she was a person on the shallow side seeking a quick track to popularity which always of course fell flat in the end, though there is a little growth in her character latter on as she does learn to pursue something bigger mainly life itself. Even like that Dax and she became a couple somewhere along the line.

The parents are solid they're a likable mom and dad that are down to earth people but have their quarks mainly the dad the most. I really like the family unit which was unique before it now has become common place as we see the family unit is multi-racial which I thought was interesting showing what the concept family is really about that it's really a collection of individuals that care for one another.

But most importantly Karmen Rider himself Dax played by T.J. Roberts is a solid protagonist, he's likeable despite highly intelligent he is inexperienced with our world and its customs, which makes sense as he is an alien after all. I like that we see some character development with this character which at the time for most super sentai wasn't common place, but I always like that because it really makes the character feel human which makes them a bit more interesting and reminds us these are people that can live and die.

The villains are decent, like Count Dregon whom looks like Destro from "G.I. Joe" is the typical vain take over the world type but nothing wrong with that as he has colorful schemes which of course most of the time get foiled by Dax/Karmen Rider. Really like the designs of the alien monsters whom are mainly based on insects which are cool though for people that aren't insect fans it would come off kind of creepy.

Of course, like in all the Super Sentai shows we're in it for the action and it's got some good action. I really like the Karman Rider power suit which is cool looking as it sort of look like a Grasshopper but on the pleasant side, I wanted a suit like that. Even the weapons are cool like his cane sword which powers up to create a power blast or to apply the finishing move.

However, it's the vehicles he rides that are really cool from that red car but my favorite which is the bike, they each have unique weapons and abilities and both have an A.I. much like K.I.T.T. from "Knight Rider" but that's a different story. The action is a little different because it's a mix of both martial arts action and vehicular action.

The martial arts choreography is very good from Karmen Rider's battle sequence to even Dax dally battle with the insectoids sicked on him. T.J. Roberts of course is a martial artist and it was cook in those sequences seeing some of his skill come into play, it's too bad he never got to be an action star.

However, this insect in flight does run into a bit of turbulence. Some bits of humor I'll admit I found kind of lame even by kid and sitcom standards, there are some jokes which I cringe more than laugh but that's just how it with humor sometimes there are hits and misses. But also, the show at times feels like the show takes its eyes off the road a little where it sometimes feels uneven like it can't decide whether it's a family sitcom or Super Sentai. This is a little quibble but didn't care for Ferbis, it's was one of those take it or leave it characters, is sort of useful as it's used as a way of contacting his home planet though with Dax's telepathic powers it's shouldn't be necessary, by it's nature the creature was really just a gimmick just to fill empty space.

Overall, the show is good for what it is, as I said before it's one of my least favorite entries in Saban's Super Sentai roster and it's one of those mixed bag kind of TV shows. But I still had fun with it for what it is, though it is one of those shows you may want to watch only when your in the right mood. If you're a fan of the Super Sentai shows from Saban, it's at least worth a test drive.

Rating: 3 stars

Dex, prince of the planet Edenoi, is part of a rebel group to free it from the evil rule of Count Dregon, his uncle who was banished for his misdeeds. The rebels are at the point of victory, however, King Lexian, the true ruler of Edenoi and Dex's grandfather, tells them that the evil Count plans to conquer Earth and enslave the planet's inhabitants to replenish his army. Dex is sent to Earth, and lands in the town of Leawood, where he is cared for by the Stewart family, who also know his secret as Masked Rider.

Yeah, this show is good, but I admit it did have its flaws. Created by Saban as another attempt to capitalize on the success they had Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (the one before it, VR Troopers, which mashed various series from the Metal Hero series, would be in its second and final season shortly before it premiered). Taking stock footage and elements from Kamen Rider Black RX, all well as movies Kamen Rider ZO and Kamen Rider J, this series takes the same formula MMPR and VR Troopers has done: use Japanese stock footage alongside American footage to create a entirely different show. In fact, Masked Rider would first appear in the three part Season 3 premiere of the former, however, when Masked Rider became a show, Saban decided to retcon the events of the series and have the hero based in his own universe. Another thing it copies is its use of comic relief characters. We have Patsy and Herbie, who serves as the show's Bulk and Skull, and then there's Ferbus, whom some fans call the worst character, as he is only there to cause most of the hijinks ( be it getting a trio of Maggots into a food fight or catching two burglars hired by Nefaria to kidnap him).

The episodes sometimes deal with issues like Power Rangers does. One episode involves Albie being bullied into a challenge at the arcade, which Dex accepts, with another episode having the kids start a clean up program, which echoes back to the MMPR episode Teamwork. While the episodes are neat, and have some original concepts, they still feel too silly due to Ferbus' antics. Also, Dex does spew some one-liners during battle, and they can be either funny or groan inducing. This series only got 40 episodes before being axed due to being a commercial flop (and it didn't help that the toys did not sell like MMPR's did), but this is an interesting adaptation that, despite its flaws, is a neat curiosity.

I was subjected to this and other cheesy shows int he same genre thanks to having to be around younger kids at the time. I remember groaning and moaning and wishing for a quick, painless death when this was on. The dialog was cheesy, the plots were absurd, the villains looked as real as Pam Anderson's chest.

Granted, TJ Roberts was a skilled martial artist. Martial arts training DOES NOT equal thespian skills. If he ever decided to try acting again, I hope it is after some lessons.

Another Saban attack unleashed on an unsuspecting viewing audience. ICK!

When this show went on the air, I had become absolutely sick of power rangers and was looking for some kind of new Saturday morning cartoon to watch while I ate my giant bowl of cereal.

Masked Rider went on the air in 1995 and I absolutely was disappointed. I was a kid and I forgave the god awful production values, but the original pilot episode was decent. Afterwards, the show became even more annoying than (dare I say it) Power Rangers and ALL of its spin offs.

They introduced some retard pseudo-furby type character named "Ferbus" which was supposed to be funny. He would often get into "wacky" situations around the house where he'd try to cook when Dex was out fighting or something. It was plain awful. I never found him funny.

The villian, while had an actual purpose to destroy the hero (unlike the enemies in Power Rangers) looked awfully fake and really distracted from the plotlines.

(Some of you may think that I have put an unusual amount of effort into this review for a Saturday Cartoon, but I remember being really disappointed as a kid when I saw this show so that's why I'm here)

Back to the point. The stories were terrible. The effects were terrible. The characters were terrible. The show was terrible. Even when I was a kid I thought this was crap. Catch a real Saturday morning classic like X-Men or the newer Spider-Man. Do not lay your bare eyes on an episode of this groin grabbingly terrible show.

1.5/10.