The Demo Site

originally posted November 26, 2005

by Fenix84

This is the response that many Power Rangers fans have received, from other fans, whenever they dared to apply a bit of critical thought to the show. It's a statement that is both hypocrital and offensive. One thing that I've noticed in PR fandom, as well as other fandoms, is that analysis and deeper thought is often looked down upon.

I'm not kidding. You can have every episode on tape, collect all the toys, write 30-part fanfic epics, go to conventions dressed up in homemade costumes, and wear a morpher 24/7. It's all good. You're just a fan, and other fans will praise you for your devotion. But if you go on Rangerboard and explain why the show's stories are going downhill, or point out the logical errors, some other fans will jump on you for "taking things too seriously." It's just a kid's show. Shut up, you're just a "superfan."

Now why is analyzing the show and being critical of it at times a bad thing? How is it taking a "kid's show" anymore seriously than the other types of fans I mentioned above? It's not.

The people who post negative reviews of PR episodes, who try to find a way to make sense of this fictional universe (and get annoyed when it doesn't), are still fans. Instead of (or in addition to) writing fanfics or buying toys, they express their devotion to the show by posting about the direction it's going in, or how well continuity is being respected. It's extremely hypocrital for other fans, who have probably been teased or harassed in the past for liking PR (if they even dared to publicly admit it), to insult other fans for putting some more thought into the show.

Also, trying to dismiss logical and storytelling flaws because "it's just a kid's show" is pretty insulting to PR. Some of the recent entries in this blog have already explained that "kid's shows" don't have to be stupid, and ONLY cater to little, undiscerning children. What kids want, and what the older fans want, are not always mutually exclusive. Using the kid's show excuse belittles PR. It ignores the progress the show has made over the years in terms of writing and maturity level. I like to think that PR has grown into something more than "just" a kid's show. PR has shown before that it can be well-written and dramatic. Why should we all be satisfied when it isn't? Shouldn't we want the show to keep up the good work it's done in the past, and even become better?

If you don't like somebody's opinion of the show, or you don't care about the details as much as they do, that's fine. If you want to debate them over certain facts they talked about in their post, that's okay too. But don't treat them like they're nerd's nerds. Don't act like they don't have the right to post what they think. They're fans, just like you. Their thoughts matter just as much.