Forget Jason And Tommy, The Best Red Ranger Came From A Criminally Underrated Power Rangers Season

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Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue

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Custom image of Jason and Tommy in Power Rangers Custom image by Simone Ashmoore

One of the most underrated Power Rangers seasons also gave the show its best Red Ranger. Picking the best Red Ranger in the franchise is difficult, especially because every Power Rangers fan has their own criterion and experiences with the show. That said, some aspects universally apply to every Red Ranger regardless of the season they appeared in. For example, the ideal Red Ranger must be a great leader and be ready to face whatever scenario comes at them.

It’s easy to associate the figure of the Red Ranger with the character of Jason, the first Red Ranger in the Power Rangers TV show chronology. Granted, Jason’s character would set the tone for pretty much every other Red Ranger that came after him. However, as time went on, the Power Rangers character started to become more complex and three-dimensional. As a result, the bar for Red Rangers was raised even higher. Fortunately, Power Rangers would still see a lot of great Red Rangers after the Zordon Era, the best of whom was arguably Carter Grayson.

Carter Grayson Was The Textbook Red Ranger In Lightspeed Rescue

Lightspeed Rescue’s Carter Was Everything A Red Ranger Should Be

A firefighter and natural leader, Carter Grayson was as Red Ranger as someone could get. While he was very skillful and one of the best fighters on the team, he was also incredibly smart and a good strategist. Carter also knew how to put his team above himself, always valuing the safety of his crew no matter the circumstances. While Carter Grayson did learn a lot during his time as a Power Ranger, he was all but ready to be a Red Ranger from the moment he was given the morpher.

Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue Team

Character

Color

Carter Grayson

Red Ranger

Dana Mitchell

Pink Ranger

Joel Rawlings

Green Ranger

Chad Lee

Blue Ranger

Kelsey Winslow

Yellow Ranger

Ryan Mitchell

Titanium Ranger

Lightspeed Rescue’s team was very different from those of most Power Rangers seasons from the 1990s. Instead of kids recruited by an intergalactic being, the Lightspeed Rangers were all highly trained adults from the most physically demanding jobs. Carter was already used to putting his life on the line for others every day, meaning he was already a superhero even before he became a Power Ranger. Even though none of the Lightspeed Rangers knew each other before they were picked, they quickly bonded and always respected Carter as their leader.

Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue Doesn’t Get The Love It Deserves

Lightspeed Rescue Came Out Between Two Fan-Favorite Seasons

Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue is among the most underrated seasons in the franchise. Released between two classics – 1999’s Lost Galaxy and 2001’s Time ForceLightspeed Rescue was a season of transition and marked a departure from the show’s old formula. Even though Lost Galaxy was technically the first post-Zordon show, it still had a lot of connections to the previous seasons, including the return of the Astro Megaship and Leo being from Angel Grove.

The core Power Rangers SPD Rangers, the Lightspeed Yellow Ranger, and the core RPM Rangers

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Lightspeed Rescue had virtually no connections to previous Power Rangers seasons, the only exception being the crossover episode with Lost Galaxy. Having adult, more serious characters working for the government also made Lightspeed Rescue feel very different from the usual Power Rangers show, which may explain why it never became as popular as seasons like Mighty Morphin or In Space. Still, those differences are what made Lightspeed Rescue such a special season. Between compelling characters like Carter, a great theme song, and a somewhat serious take on what Power Rangers should be, Lightspeed Rescue is an early 2000s classic.

Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue (2000)

Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue is a television series that premiered in 2000, serving as the eighth season of the Power Rangers franchise. The show follows a team of five rescue workers who become superheroes known as the Lightspeed Rescue Power Rangers, tasked with saving the world from demonic forces led by the evil Diabolico.

Cast Michael Chaturantabut , Sean Cw Johnson , Alison MacInnis , Keith Robinson , Sasha Williams , Rhett Fisher

Release Date February 12, 2000

Seasons 1

Streaming Service(s) pluto tv , The Roku Channel

Writers Judd Lynn , Jackie Marchand

Directors Ryuta Tasaki , Koichi Sakamoto , Jonathan Tzachor

Creator(s) Haim Saban , Shuki Levy

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