Of course, by the 3rd volume of this series, you've figured out that nothing's different at the heart of this series, it's just a variation on the theme. Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive features Rangers from several unlikely occupations, such as stuntman and racecar driver, that were no doubt chosen for their kid-friendliness. They were brought together by a rich benefactor this time, and their Zords (the giant robots they pilot) are construction themed. Okay, it's probably supposed to be an exploration theme, but one of them is a dump truck, and at one point they make use of a cement cannon. I'm sticking with construction.
This series takes the Rangers to many different locations around the world. In this DVD, they find themselves in various locations in South America. Bad guys are the varied assortment you'd expect in this series. Some are rather interesting looking: one guy, called a Fearcat, looked like an Aztec sculpture, and another one looked like a Chinese dragon. Of course, there are plenty of goofier looking monsters to fill things out, but the selection here is pretty interesting.
You won't have too much trouble catching up at this point in the series. Plotlines are pretty linear and everyone spends some time recapping past events in each episode. There are several villains in this Power Rangers series, which is only a minor point of confusion. Villains and Power Rangers alike are after the same thing: a crown and several missing jewels. What exactly they all need them for is a little more difficult to figure out at this point in the series though.
A major event for this series shows up in the first two episodes on this DVD. Tyzonn, an alien being who can turn into a metallic liquid, finds his relationship with the Power Rangers at a turning point. To avoid spoilers, I'll just say that this is a pretty major event for the series.
Overall, this is campy, predictable stuff here. Power Rangers hasn't turned into Shakespeare since the last time I watched it years ago. In fact, it's pretty much remained exactly the same. With the flashy costumes and wire-fu martial arts action, it'll be entertaining for some younger kids. The bonus features on this DVD are pretty self-explanatory: the Rangers introduce their Zords and what they do, and then there is a Ranger Reserve Training Course. The training course quizzes you on things that happened during the series, and then has you play some action games with the DVD remote. It's a cute bonus, and it's nice to see content created just as an extra for the DVDs. For the older crowd, Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive is good for a few laughs a la Mystery Science Theater 3000, but that's about all.
