Power Rangers Zeo, Volume One

This compilation of 25 episodes from the 1996 fourth season of the never-ending U.S./Japanese Power Rangers franchise features the chintzier production values of yesteryear—i.e., very little CGI, and the "Zords" (robot animals used by the Power Rangers) are clearly puppet miniatures. Believe it or not, some fans actually find those subpar qualities to be this cheesy enterprise's primary charm (in one episode here, the heroes learn about something called the "Internet"). Zeo finds the suspiciously mature-looking "high school" Power Ranger kids facing a new foe: the Machine Empire, led by a royal family of robots described as so evil they were expelled from an association of villains. But they're an exceptionally goofy dynasty of darkness, silly even by series standards, and the metallic King Mondo remains jovial and upbeat even when his minions (most of whom wear what look like C3PO masks) are defeated repeatedly by the Rangers. Guest mecha-monsters are on the level of a top-hatted, punning man-piano called Fortissimodo (which features an Amadeus gag). The infectious sense of dumb fun is underlined by cast gags and bloopers over the closing credits. In one, an actor mispronounces "service" as "cervix," and that's about as “racy” as the show gets. Collections already Powered up will find the time-tested fan base wanting to revisit this classic. Recommended. Aud: P. (C. Cassady)