V.R. Troopers

It boggles the mind when you think of what executive meeting was behind the creation of this one. "Hey, I've got an idea - let's do Power Rangers with a slashed-in-half budget!" That doesn't sound like such a good idea to me - mainly because it ISN'T a good idea.

Here's your premise - two guys and a girl go around fighting a decadent capitalist who moonlights as the evil Virtual Reality Warlord "Grimlord". They also like to take out his entire army in every episode (goons with such incredible names as Fist-bot and General Eye-bar. Obviously they didn't have the imaginative "Transformers" authors when they came up with the names). It's not such a hard task, as a mop and a bar of soap would be more effective at world domination than Grimlord and his minions.

As one might expect from this type of show, the characterization of our three "heroes" is slightly optimistic. I'm currently 20 years old, coming on 21 - which isn't too far off the age of the three VR Troopers in this "TV Gem". I enjoy singing in my band, going to rock clubs, going to the pub, sitting in front of the tele and listening to a bit of music - which is pretty typical, I'd say. Whereas Ryan, Kaitlin and J.B. have full time jobs, and enjoy going to the Dojo and beating up bad guys in order to save the world in their FREE TIME. Right. If someone asked me whether I wanted to become a VR Trooper, the first question would be "How much?" and the second would be "who's covering for me at the week-end?". As the VR troopers a) seem not to get paid at all (despite the fact that their students debts will still be BLOODY high) and b) drop whatever they're doing 24/7 to go off and play with Grimlord, they must be insane.

Of course, you could argue the fact that without them, the world would be in danger. However, you would be ignoring the fact that no matter how many times Grimlord's army shoots at anything, they never hit the target. So we're really in no danger. And for an Evil Warlord, Grimlord's really not that evil. It seems to never have occurred to the guy that as his army is completely incapable of making the slightest dent on the teen-age heroes when in costume, killing them in their sleep would be the easiest option. After all, Grimlord knows exactly who the VR Troopers actually are, in a bizarre plot point. How long do you think Bruce Wayne would have lasted if the Joker knew who he was? Not too long, really.

While all those issues are slightly silly, there are some aspects of the show that are nothing short of annoying. In a few examples:

1) The way the scene of a fight will shift from a rock face to open land to a forest to a lake and back to the bloody rock face again.

2) When in costume, the VR Troopers compensate for the fact that we can't see their lips by nodding their heads around inanely. It looks ridiculous, and if I talked to one of them, I would point and laugh.

3) The dog. It talks. Strange really, as the motion that the dog makes whilst talking looks incredibly like the motion that a normal dog makes when chewing on something. And the words are (of course) completely out of sinc. Also, the dog's favourite insult is blowing a rasberry at someone. This is obviously achieved by filming the dog putting it's tongue out, and playing it in reverse. And they do that on a regular basis. It's not funny, it's annoying.

4) "Forces of darkness, empower me. Take me back to my virtual reality." Every damn episode. Anyone with a basic education in English could tell whoever wrote that that the second line is a few syllables too long. But Hell, "poetic license". Or in this case "complete-absence-of-poetry license".

5) The features of the programme that were SUPPOSED to be amusing were anything but. For instance - that newspaper editor.

HOWEVER - after all this, this show has perhaps the highest recommendation I could possibly give. And why, you ask? It's one of the funniest things I've seen in my life! It goes into the same bracket as "The Final Countdown" by Europe - things that are so bad, they're brilliant! Forget that it's attempting to be serious, and you will enjoy it as much as "Blackadder", "Fawlty Towers", or any great sit-com which you enjoy.

If you can, watch the episode with "The Doggy Rap" in it. Conclusive proof that not only can white men and women NOT rap, but some black men can't either.

Not to mention the fact that the "actress" playing Kaitlin is very attractive. I'm a red blooded male, after all.

VR Troopers was okay...suprisingly, it's counterpart is actually 3 unrelated Metal Hero Shows. Not to mention, they were all 80s shows. So trying to tie in together 3 unrelated shows that were all out-dated 80s footages was some effot there. However, if Saban was trying to pull something like this. I'd prefer he adapt something like Blue SWAT or the Rescue Mission Series, like Winspector or Solbrain. On second thought...nevermind...one, look how Beetleborgs turned out and it's too little too late for using early 90s Japanese footage for this Millenium. That and Saban is no longer in the toku-adapt business any more, that's Disney's department now.

VR Troopers was 1 of many cashing in projects by the Saban & Levi money factory. The stars of this show fought a slightly more realistic but still, far too melodramatic battle against some of the most extravagant cardboard boxes ever made.

Of course, not just the enemies were made of cardboard, true to the success-formula of power rangers, fortresses, vehicles and anything else you can't find anywhere else in the human world were made for a few nickles, and merchandised for thousands and thousands of dollars.

So my conclusion is pretty much my title, because even though it was lame... it wasn't as lame as the Power Rangers.

I'm rediscovering this show and just watched some videos of the two main dudes who are still funny as hell and overall awesome, happy to see them still doing interviews together.

Evidently this was made to sell toys and for a Power Rangers clone it was a great watch for kids. The only thing I remember baffled me even at age 5 is how badly the dog's speech was executed.

Regardless, good stuff, creative visuals, fun enemies and epic practical fight scenes, good humor, really solid for a mid-90s thing aimed at kids. I don't get why some people are overly critical now just because like most things, it doesn't hold up over 20 years later.

It was a fun watch.

As with most things featuring a young girl just for her looks she's probably still the most searched cast member but trust me, you don't need her drama in your life. Look up the dudes instead, they're still awesome and with a great sense of humor.

This show is another one of Saban's Super Sentai Line Up, it's also one that is kind of under the radar as well as another guilty pleasure in my book. Not to say this show is really underrated it was a hit which did have an amount of popularity if not quite as much as "Power Rangers" but as time went on it's been sort of forgotten. Yeah, this show isn't perfect there is a hole or two even inconsistences in the story line and even characters aren't very deep. But this is a show where none of that really matters because it's one you just turn your brain off and have fun

And like any super sentai show were in it really for one reason only and that's the action which this show is powered up with. I really like the premise of the show which is really unique, for one thing this is more sci-fi orendented where "Power Rangers" is more on the sci-fi/fantasy side. The plot line I think is pretty nifty you can say this is mix of "Power Rangers" and "Ready Player One" (which strangely this show predates kind of). Dimensional beings from another dimention are going to infiltrate our world though the world of Virtual Reality. It makes sense that VR technology is somewhat a central focus since in the 90's VR was the newest technology which was just emerging and just taking it's steps, it's true that it did fade out and go into hibernation for a long while but then reemerge and now became common place.

The music tracks are pretty good or decent though not memorable which is one bug this show gets, not to say the music is bad it's not but it could have been better as there is hardly one tune I remember. The theme song that is decent that's strangely kind of catchy if repedative.

Characters are solid, really like Ryan Steele as he is heroic in every way, he's got some sharp charisma, but also the actor himself is a martial artist so his skill is top notch, it's a shame that this guy never became an action star as he's capable but oh well. What I like about his character is he's relentless and determined as his character has a developing plotline which was something that came into "Power Rangers" latter on, through out his war against Grim Lord he is looking for his lost father. Which I like I find it touching, trying to save a family member but also helped in rounding out the motive as is it's not just the cleche save the world kind.

J.B. played also by an actor with martial arts training, shame he also didn't do more. He's sort of like Billy from Power Rangers as he sort of the technical one of the group, I really like that he's a guy that is into technology and computer science which I can emphasize with because I'm into that stuff but also he keeps himself physically fit with his martial arts training, which shows just because you're a geek or nerd doesn't me you can be in shape and on a side note physical exercise really do help the thinking process.

Katlin she's also a really solid character, she sort of the scout of the bunch as she is a reporter for her newspaper which give her some vital information that what's going on. Her martial arts skill isn't really on the same level as the other too, but she's good enough to hold her own against danger.

For comic relief it's really the boss Woody and the talking dog Jeb. Woody is almost the ideal boss a lot of us would like, as he's friendly and helpful to the employees, and despite not looking the role he really does manage the newspaper well. I also like that he's a bit of a man child or child like as he does all kinds of fun and crazy things in and out of the office, I won't say what they are you have to see them for yourself but it just goes to show this guy is never boring and also how you can actually have fun at work.

Jeb is also a lot of fun, really like the voice which sound like actor Jack Nicolson. I really like how he always has some smart-ass remarks or just clever quips. He's also a hunger dog as he just like to eat and a bit on the mischievous side as he gets into some trouble intentionally or involuntarily. But he is supportive of the group there are sometimes where he actually is useful.

The main villain Grimlord is solid, really like the design of him as he looks like Pruneface from "Dick Tracy" Both his face and the voice with it just says evil all over. As he a ruthless power monger that wants to break out of the virtual dimension and conquer our realm reality.

The only character I really don't like is Percy, this guy is just a poor mans Steve Urkel as he is just franking annoying and unfunny. Let alone has no business really working at a newspaper.

Other than that, everything else is fine. I really like the designs of the robots which make them memorable along with the fights, their sort of like the Decepticons from "Transformers" as each of them are unique looking and have a speicality. Really love the design of the power suits for the Troopers, each of them are unique and have different capabilities, from Ryan steels suit which is awesome looking as it's a humanoid form but has the blue and red colors on different sides, his is more on speed and agility as it has the capability of going fast but also that lighting hand command which is just awesome as he uses it as his finisher for the enemies.

Though my favorite suit is J.B.'s which is very technologically based which is really cool and fits his characters as he is technical. Really like that device he has on his belt, which can send enemies or both Caitlin and himself to other battle ground. Though my favorite weapon is the lighting lance which predates the double light saber from "Star Wars". Really love how that weapon, how both ends just light up and cut down any of the robots that come his way.

The action is great, the fight chirography is spot in along with the effects and pyrotechnics which as usual with any super sentai show has as many explossions as a Michael Bay movie. What really makes the fights unique is that there is a bit of strategy involved not to say there wasn't any strategy in the fights in Power Rangers but most of the time it was just simply beating the crap out of the monster and blowing it away. Here the fights are almost a bit evenly matched as each of their opponents are armed with a certain specialty the troopers have to find a way to counterattack against their attacks and deceptive tactics. Even in the reality realm when they have to deal with the cannon fodder robots the Scuds whom have interesting gold masks with slanted eyes and a permanent smile or what resembles one, though really daft black body suits and capes. I like that they're not that easy as opposed to the Putties from "Power Rangers" whom anyone could beat easy. It seems like the Scuds have some fighting skill which is why it shows how the Troopers have to work just as hard outside their suits. But also taking the Scuds out isn't that easy as they always have to come together to be vaporized, why the heck the Scuds can't touch each other is anyone's guess, differences in electrical field for each one maybe.

And in most of the battles each of the troopers aren't really together that much which I'll admit that's one bug in the shows system it would have been cool seeing all three of them fight together, though it could be helped due to technical issues. But this helps in contributing to the show's uniqueness where "Power Rangers" is based on group action this show is based on individual action. Which also puts in a jeopardy factor as they their sometimes in a jam they can't always rely on the other to help, that's something they have to do themselves most of the time.

Personally, I would love a revival of this show maybe even have it on the silver screen, with today's technology it can be done with it we can put a little more depth into things. Like the existence of Grimlord and his forces, make them beings from another dimetion that infiltrated the world of virtual reality or something. Some depth on Ryan's Dad and the Professor to how they discovered the beings and maybe see both of them were the first VR Troopers protecting us over the years; let alone how the professor became a computer program. Better yet, we could have a comic book series adaptation from Boom Studios (or IDW since Hasbro has bought the rights to Saban) it would fit we would have a super sentai comic block going on as this series could be along side the current "Power Rangers" comic series; and heck if that happens then we could have a potential crossover on our hands, it's a thought to consider anyway.

If you're a "Power Rangers" or Super Sentai fan, then this vintage classic like any good VR game is worth viewing as its virtual powered fun.

Rating: 3 stars