Recap: Power Rangers Beast Morphers, Episode 17 – “Being famous can really mess things up sometimes.”

Recap: Power Rangers Beast Morphers, Episode 17 – Ranger Reveal

The Rangers are at the local news station where Zoey’s mom is about to interview popular movie actress Nikki Rev. But Nikki calls with some bad news. Zoey’s mom Muriel announces to the gathered fans that Nikki has canceled the interview and will not be coming today.

Just then, Vargoyle arrives and the fans scatter. But Muriel’s cameraman also runs off, dropping the camera which continues rolling as the Rangers morph and take on Vargoyle.

Vargoyle shows off his newly acquired Beast Powers. But Vargoyle has to retreat after a while as he runs out of Morph X. The Rangers head back to GBHQ.

Muriel and her cameraman hurry out to grab the camera. Muriel believes the camera was able to record the Rangers morphing and thinks this can be the big scoop that will take her career to the next level. The memory card is damaged, but the cameraman says he can fix it before the 6pm news.

Muriel calls Zoey to the studio to tell her about her huge scoop. Zoey tries to dissuade her mother from revealing the Rangers’ identities, but Mama Muriel insists this will be major news.

Muriel’s news director says Nikki Rev has just called to reschedule the interview, but Muriel tells him about the Ranger bombshell and they prepare for the exclusive on the evening news.

Over in the Cyber Dimension, Vargoyle explains that his Memory Pulsator will allow Evox to obtain all the Morph X he will need to return to the real world and take over the Morphing Grid.

Blaze and Roxy come in and say Vargoyle is just a mouse. They say they have their own plan, but it’s really just the Memory Pulsator which Vargoyle was able to steal from them and have Scrozzle build first.

Evox thinks Vargoyle is smart enough to carry out the plan if he was clever enough to steal it in the first place.

Over at Riptide, Zoey tells the others about her mom exposing them tonight. Devon and Steel have no problem getting famous. Ravi says they have to tell his mother, but Zoey wants to solve this on her own to avoid her own mother getting in trouble.

Meanwhile, Ben and Betty accidentally expose Nikki Rev who is in disguise and just wanting to enjoy a smoothie in peace. Everyone in the gym swarms around her, so the Rangers help her escape the mob by getting her into a GB unmarked vehicle.

The Rangers decide that if their identity becomes public, their instant popularity will prevent them from doing their jobs.

Just then, Commander Shaw calls the Rangers as Shockatron arrives as well as a Gigadrone on the way. Devon, Ravi and Zoey deal with Shockatron while Nate and Steel take on the Gigadrone. The bros need Devon’s help, however, so he hurries over.

Meanwhile, Vargoyle sets up his Memory Pulsator on the transmitter of the news station as it is almost time for the 6pm news.

Ravi and Zoey hurry over to the station. Mama Muriel is intent on doing the big reveal. But the news director needs someone to interview Nikki Rev. Zoey volunteers and with Mama Muriel’s recommendation, the news director gives her the green light.

Devon, Nate and Steel arrive and Zoey tells them she has a plan.

Nikki Rev tells Zoey that she only allows to be interviewed by professionals, but since Zoey and the others saved her earlier, she owes them a favor.

The 6pm news begins and Zoey starts the live interview. Zoey’s leading questions gets Nikki to explain how sometimes fame can be very difficult. That prompts Mama Muriel to rethink her decision to expose the Rangers.

The Rangers hold their breaths as Mama Muriel goes on the air. But instead of revealing the Rangers’ identities, she explains that even though this would be the biggest moment of her career, the identities of the Power Rangers should be protected so the Rangers can protect the city.

Later, Mama Muriel thanks Zoey for helping her see the light. The news director compliments Mama Muriel for her on-air move and says they are getting positive calls raving about her being a reporter with integrity.

Meanwhile, Vargoyle has Scrozzle working overtime to prepare the “final destruction” of Grid Battleforce.

Episode Thoughts

Definitely an above average episode. It was full of action and drama that helped everything feel much more dynamic and interesting than the usual.

With the Rangers identity part of the plot, it was done a good way with the show using Zoey’s mother and the idea of fame to explain why it would be a bad thing if it happened. That the climax of the episode was not a zord battle, but Mama Muriel’s decision on whether or not to reveal the Rangers’ identity was very refreshing and different. And in one of the few positive comparisons to Go-Busters, similar to the atypical formula the original Sentai season also used for their episodes.

The lesson of the episode being about a “reporter with integrity” was also very timely considering our current world today, yes? lol

Vargoyle’s plan, meanwhile, is definitely more than either Blaze or Roxy have done in 15 episodes. I kind of wish Vargoyle had been a bigger presence earlier on so as to really set him up to be possibly this half of the season’s Big Bad. I remember mentioning back when Scrozzle first mentioned Vargoyle that I expected he would be a Big Bad this half of the season or next. So we’ll see how it all develops.

Overall, this was definitely one of the strongest episodes of the season. Interesting, engaging, exciting. It was all business without unnecessary sidetracks. Yet it was still dynamic and fast-faced. Which has definitely not been the norm all season.