Season One: Episodes Five: Different Drum.

                                      Different Drum.

       Cover your ears (unless you are hearing impaired). 

Sentai Notes:

    The episode, "I Can See! I Can See!" features a subplot of a boy and a girl, who deal with having a crush on each other, as the backdrop of the arrival of Dora Goblin. He sets up a party with Tottobatto and Bukkubakku cooking up a meal, while the Golems dance to his music, just like with Gnarly Gnome and the putties, and Squat and Bamboo. He also has a great many weapons, most of which didn't appear in Power Rangers:  The thing with Gnarly Gnome getting invisible in one scene is a weakness of his Sentai counterpart. If he puts his boots on the wrong feet, he will lose his ability to hide. There is no counterpart for Melissa in the original show. 

Strategy Notes: 

    Not much to comment on. Rita sends in Gnarly Gnome to once again lure the Power Rangers out for a trap. What she failed to take account is Melissa, who can't even hear the music, thus was never under the spell, and she derailed the plan by bringing the Power Rangers over. That also allows the Rangers to morph within her hearing them. 

   Upon arrival, they face the monster in a hand to hand fight, then combine their weapons for the Power Blaster, and then use the Zords. The one time Gnarly Gnome does any strategy is when he plays his accordion, and create the illusion that the Megazord is in the city. That works briefly and soon he is defeated. 

Biblical and Mythological Homage: 

    In Zyuranger, Gnarly Gnome is called Dora Goblin. In European folklore, goblins are mischievous beings who like to steal and enchant things. Considering the bald head, long ears, and hooky nose, there is a bit of subtle anti-Semitism in the appearances of goblins, as if they are treated as a stand-ins for Jews (Harry Potter is guilty of this by having goblins operate as bankers).  In the context of Sentai, Dora Goblin doesn't match up, which explains why he is renamed here. Gnomes are similar to Goblins, though often depicted as friendlier and more communal with nature. Gnomes have also become inspiration for the garden decorations you may see, which explains his appearances and the rake used as a weapon. 

    The plot of the episode and the use of Gnarly Gnome is practically like that of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. In this German tale, he is commissioned by a city to lead away the mice using his music. However, when the promised reward isn't granted to him, he gets even by using his music to lead away the children. This is where we get the expression, "pay the piper." 

     Melissa's deafness as the Chekhov's gun trope in this episode is an inverse to a scene from Homer's Odyssey. There is a point where Odysseus sails by the Island of Sirens, where he makes his men clog their ears with wax to not hear the singing, yet he himself gets to hear them. They have him tied to a mast and he is tempted to sail to the Sirens, but the men won't hear the singing or his request. In Power Rangers, Melissa is the sole person to not hear the Pied Piper like Gnarly Gnome's music, whereas he friends are instantly under the spell. 

Misc. Notes:

   There's beer brewing place in Cincinnati called "Gnarly Gnome". The mascot doesn't resemble the Power Rangers monster, but I can't help but wonder how many of its costumers are Power Ranger buffs. I haven't found any connection between the place and the monster, so it must be a coincidence.   

   Kimberly is leading an aerobics dance class today. 

   Billy and Ernie become those pervy guys who watch the girls move around briefly, until Billy trips and winds up on the tray that rolls around and winds up on the floor. Despite being friends with him and a fellow Power Ranger, Kim turns into a mean girl by using her sass normally reserved for Bulk and Skull on Billy: "Let me let you in on a little secret, this is not the way to meet girls." A far cry from the Kim we all know and love. 

     In contrast, Melissa teaches Billy to dance at the end of the episode. And suddenly Billy is a dancing master. 

   Trini and Jason are arm wrestling, which seems odd considering the previous episode had Jason benching 1010. After all that iron pumping, plus some time of recovery, Jason would defeat Trini's thin arm easily. 

    You can tell the Sentai footage from the original American footage easily. Notice the girls aren't in the same frame as the bad guys after they arrive in the cave? 

     After Kimberly tells Jason he incorrectly gave a message in sign language, you'll notice the boom mike visible on the top of the screen. Oops!   

    There are Gnomes in Zyuranger, who get introduced later. They are allies to the Rangers, taking form of a kid and his grandpa. 

Thoughts. 

     What an episode! I mentioned some of the goofs in the episode, but they seem to enhance the humor rather than detract from it. While we're on the subject, let's bring up the incorrect names. The Black Ranger now has a "Cosmic Canon", the Pink Ranger has "Battle Bow", Yellow has "Dino Daggers", and Blue has "Mighty Mace." Then, when the Megazord is combined, the Red Ranger calls for the "Mega Sword." I like how they included Melissa as someone who is deaf and signs to the Power Rangers. But, one thing of note, Zordon and Alpha don't appear in the episode. For the first time, we see the Power Rangers handle another one of Rita's attacks without being summoned to the Command Center. Considering how Melissa did the summoning, it would be redundant to have it all told by Zordon. 

    Gnarly Gnome is one of the weirdest of the monsters due to the fact he has no wicked intent, other than play music to lure in teenage girls (with the ease of a sex predator luring girls into the sex slave trade) so they could dance for Rita. The last reference is about what summarizes the ability to rope in that many girls while playing a polka with his accordion, making the Power Rangers something of a rescue force, like in The Sound of Freedom. Sadly, in real life, even deaf girls get put into this, and a great many girls come out scarred physically and mentally. Also, there's no giant robot to help the good guys in the real life example. 

    The episode also shows us Billy interacting with girls, and a wish fulfilment for geeks. He watches the girls from afar with Ernie, showing how some of the guys considered less desirable due to looks (glasses, clothes, weight), and how they attempt to get their attention by making moves. Billy stumbles in and comedy ensures, as expected. I still think it odd, and mean, that Kimberly tells a hurt Billy it's not the way to meet girls. What makes it a wish fulfilment is the fact the jock Jason, who would have had all those girls rubbing his biceps and offering him their numbers, doesn't wind up with anyone. He even attempts to do sign language, only to mess up and cause Kimberly and Melissa to laugh. Yet, Melissa dances with Billy, becoming the first of many girls he sees. How many of us who lacked biceps, were made to dress a certain way in public, or had troubles interacting with others, wished we could have girls come to us and become our dates. How many boys watching this in 1993 wound up disappointed in high school when nothing of the sort happened.