Last time, we got a rushed epic battle that was entertaining enough to not be a mess. What little subplot there is didn't detract from the episode as a whole, so it's worth one's time. Hopefully this episode won't go against that good will, but I doubt it.
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So we start with the group in Ms. Appleby's class, with Skull filming Bulk, for some video project in the class. We get more of the expected shenanigans from the duo, before Trini steps up to present her video. "Pollution Problems in Angel Grove".
Oh, wonderful. From that video and the episode title, I can tell what direction this episode is going...
Of course, the video is just pictures of nature and polluted areas with Trini going on about how important saving the environment is and blah blahbity blah. Afterwards, Trini offers to form the titular Clean-Up Club to take clean up areas in Angel Grove, and naturally, the other Rangers agree to join up. Because you're not a real hero unless you're environmentally conscious!
Naturally, since the plot of this episode is bad, Rita is in her petty mode, as she decides to send Scorpina and Goldar with a monster named Polluticorn to make a mess of the planet. And yes, that is the name of the monster this week. Which is a shame, because it actually looks pretty cool.
We cut to the Juice Bar, where a Recycling Drive is taking place. I have no idea what that is, but it sounds cheesy. We see Jason and Zack acting like fools while crushing pop cans. No idea why two actual martial artists need to make goofy, over-the-top kung-fu noises while crushing cans, but whatever, it's probably the only mildly amusing thing that'll happen in this episode. Billy is painting recycling bins (which he has to use organic paint for, of course), and Kimberly's arranging the recycling cans. Afterwards, it's off to the park to clean up! Because that's what the Clean-Up Club is for!
It's good that I'm typing this out. If I was actually reading this review aloud, I'd probably gag every time I said "Clean-Up Club".
Oh, and Bulk and Skull get Ernie to film them working out. Normally, Bulk overacting like a loon would bring a smile to my face, but here, not so much.
We move to the park where.....I'm sorry, there is no way anyone would litter a park that much. For God's sake, there's a tire! Who dumps a tire in a park?! And if someone did, I'm sure someone would've picked it up by now! Suspension of disbelief is gone and I'm not even halfway through this episode. Oh, and to make it worse, according to Billy, the soil in the area is "completely polluted". I know Billy is such a supergenius that Wile E. Coyote has a shrine to him, but I would really like to know how he figured this out just from dumping some dirt into a vial. So we get a montage of the group cleaning the place up, and of course the group has to dance around and do tons of somersaults and cartwheels while doing so. They might as well just stop and say to the camera "Hey kids, do boring menial work to save the environment and you can be just as cool as us!" The group leaves as Rita continues to plot.
Bulk and Skull suddenly appear where the various garbage bags are, so Bulk can take all the credit for their work. Bulk, of course, trips and falls into the bags, leaving Skull to save him while the camera continues to record. I have a feeling this'll be important later.
Further along, the group is attacked by Putties. Despite the episode so far being a piece of crap, I consider this to be an example of just how far the Rangers have come in terms of fighting abilities. Consider the fact that they went from being completely reliant on their powers, to relying more on their environment than their fighting abilities, to being able to take on a few Putties without their powers, to now being able to take on a full group of Putties and kick ass. Even Billy, the former weakest member of the group, actually looks like a fighter here. They take down the Putties, which leaves ample time for Polluticorn to show up. The group immediately morphs.
Soon after the Rangers get smacked around a bit, Goldar and Scorpina show up. Surprisingly, Polluticorn tells them to let him fight the Rangers alone. Even more surprisingly, he doesn't take any damage from them and just keeps beating them down. Damn, for a monster with such a lame name, Polluticorn is pretty awesome.
Zordon gets the Rangers to teleport to the Command Center to regroup, where he explains Rita's oh so brilliant plan of polluting the Earth. Oh no, she is so evil. How dare she. We get a dumb bit with Alpha tripping over readout papers which leads Billy to discover that Polluticorn's weak spot is...wait for it...his horn! Your resident supergenius, ladies and gentlemen! Polluticorn is seen destroying the Angel Grove Recycling Plant (Oh no!), so the Rangers morph again and head there.
Jason decides to take on Polluticorn solo while the others fight Goldar and Scorpina. Which turns out to be a terrible idea, as the Rangers get their asses kicked. Way to show off your leadership skills, Jay. After one of the most one-sided fights since the Knasty Knight episode, Jason summons the Dragon Shield and cuts off Polluticorn's horn. Rita gets pissed and makes Polluticorn grow, so the group summon the DinoZords and form the MegaZord. By the way, why isn't Jason wearing the Dragon Shield anymore?
Of course, since Polluticorn can fly, he quickly gains the advantage over the MegaZord. For about 10 seconds, anyway, as they summon the Power Sword and finish him off like all the others. Another headache for poor Rita.
Back at the Juice Bar, the Rangers watch a report on the battle they just had. I like how, in every one of these fights seemingly, somehow, no bystanders were harmed. I guess the Rangers are just that good. Of course, the group leaves to do more recycling, and Bulk and Skull enter, still trying to paint Bulk as a good guy. I wonder if Saban had any idea how the character would turn out within a few seasons?...nah, probably not. More pratfalls into stacked cans and bottles before we move back to the school.
In Ms. Appleby's class, we see Bulk and Skull's re-edited video, which, naturally, makes Bulk look like a gigantic prick. All the negative things in the film are kept, while the good parts are edited to sound worse than they are. By the end, everyone, including Ms. Appleby, is laughing. Bulk chases Skull out of the classroom as the group laughs and the episode ends.
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I would hate this episode if I could give it enough thought. But the really weird thing is, I distinctly remember this one from my youth. Particularly Jason and Zack acting like fools while crushing cans, and the Polluticorn. Not really sure why. Basically, it's yet another message-heavy episode with just barely enough fighting to be considered Power Rangers. The fights themselves were short and not entertaining. Not even Bulk and Skull could make this one interesting. It's not a bad episode in the sense that it makes me want to hurt something, but it is bad in the sense that I can't bring myself to care about it. Just don't bother with this one.
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It's a shame that a decent-looking monster like Polluticorn had to be wasted in an episode like this one.
And because I'm an idiot and forgot to include it last time, here's Jason with the Dragon Shield.
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