Power Rangers Zeo

Power Rangers Zeo (often abbreviated as PRZ, and often simply called Zeo) is the fourth season of the Power Rangers franchise. It originally aired in 1996, and is based on the Super Sentai series Chouriki Sentai Ohranger. Zeo introduced all-new Ranger costumes for the first time, a pattern that would repeat each subsequent season, in keeping with the Super Sentai source material. Zeo also introduced robotic villains and monsters to the franchise, a pattern that would later continue with Power Rangers RPM.

Prior to the series premiere, 32 non-canonical Zeo Serial shorts were each shown in place of the "Today on Power Rangers" segments during the last run of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Season 3 and Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers.

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 time slot, they nevertheless fell from the show's first two seasons. Combined with declining merchandise sales, Saban was faced with 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 possibility of killing off major characters. Producers eventually settled on cosmetic changes (and a few casting changes), to match the source footage of 'Chōriki Sentai Ohranger. 'This allowed a completely new range of merchandise to be released while cutting costs. Sentai footage could be heavily used again as it had early in the series' run. [1][2][3][4] [5]

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 five rangers would bring back older viewers.

Synopsis

 * "I am very proud of all of you. As Power Rangers, you have served your planet well. But the Power Rangers as you have known them are gone forever. In their place has emerged a new, and more advanced, fighting force. You have now become the Power Rangers Zeo, the next level in the fight against Evil!"
 * ―Zordon[src]

Picking up where Mighty Morphin Power Rangers had left off, one fateful day, Master Vile used his 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 of Aquitar and a restored Billy Cranston 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 (except for Aisha, who sent back her new friend Tanya in her place), the Zeo Crystal was reassembled, and its power was used to restore the planet back to normal. Their victory did not last long. Rito Revolto 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 find the Zeo Crystal, apparently dropped by the two villains, and then fall into the underground Power Chamber, their new base of operations where Zordon and Alpha 5 retreated to during the explosion. Up on the moon, Lord Zedd's Moon Palace is attacked by the Machine Empire, who wants to take over the Earth and do not want any competition.

As Lord Zedd, Rita Repulsa, and their minions flee for their lives, the power of the Zeo Crystal is harnessed and given to Tommy, Kat, Rocky, Adam, and Tanya. They are now the Power Rangers Zeo, Earth's only hope against the Machine Empire. With new weapons and a new Zeo Megazord, the Rangers are able to fend of the mechanized menaces of King Mondo, Queen Machina, and their son Prince Sprocket.

During their battles, a strange new Power Ranger in a shining gold uniform is spotted, helping them and vanishing without warning. Though several red herrings as to his identity are dropped, the Gold Ranger is revealed to be a new ally, Trey of Triforia, who is on a mission to help fight evil throughout the galaxy. When Mondo's attempts to destroy him causes his Gold Powers to become unstable, Trey requests that a new host be found for them. Fortunately, an old friend is willing to take up the mantle: Jason Lee Scott, the original Red Power Ranger.

Fed up with his losses, King Mondo unearths the legendary Damocles Sword and fights the Zeo Rangers himself, but he falls to the power of the Super Zeo Megazord and is destroyed. In Mondo's absence, the Machine Empire suffers through a shift in power. Looking to overthrow the Empire from within, Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd send their servant Louie Kaboom into the Machine Moon Base, but he defies his masters and rules the Empire himself instead. Louie is later killed by Mondo's estranged son Prince Gasket, who with his wife Archerina attempts to retake his denied birthright as the ruler of the Machine Empire. However, Gasket's plans are quickly dashed when a fully-repaired King Mondo returns to the throne.

Meanwhile, Jason's life-force is weakening due to the Gold Powers being incompatible with humans, and the Rangers must find a way to restore them to Trey before they and Jason are lost forever. The situation is only made worse when Zedd's and Mondo's forces begin competing to steal away the Gold Powers first, but the Rangers are able to restore them to their rightful owner, and Trey repays the favor by using the Gold Powers to defeat a giant King Mondo... by turning himself and his friends into giant Power Rangers! Mondo later receives one final insult to injury when Zedd and Rita give him a gift-wrapped bomb as a "peace offering", which blows him and his servants into scrap.