Summary

• Original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers set the foundation for the franchise, establishing the rules and structure for future series.
• Despite changes and improvements over 30 years, the historical status of the original series makes it the best.
• Best series find a balance between appealing to kids with zany villains and adults with storylines and character development.

The Power Rangers franchise has played a special role in many childhoods across multiple generations, but the best Power Rangers series stand out among the 30 years of the franchise. When it first arrived, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was a brand-new concept in the U.S. television market, and for years, those responsible had a tough time convincing their bosses that it was a good investment. No one believed that the show based on the Japanese franchise Super Sentai would skyrocket into success, but with millions of dollars in revenue coming in from merchandise alone, they decided to keep the ball rolling.

Over the years, with changes in ownership and adapting new storylines, not all series did well. The best Power Rangers series seem to find the sweet spot in appealing to kids with zany villains and big fight sequences, while still appealing to adults with serial stories and dramatic storyline shifts. These shows often made different changes, including adding dinos, going into space, and changing the lineup multiple times. The Power Rangers were teens who gained the powers to save the world, while also coming to with who they were as young adults. This helped each series mean something to different parts of society at different times throughout its history.

22 Power Rangers: Megaforce

(2013 - 2014)

For the twentieth anniversary of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Power Rangers: Megaforce pulled out all the stops. It adapts a Sentai series that allows the new team of Power Rangers to draw on the powers of every other Power Rangers series, and even those that don't exist yet in in the timeline of the show, which should make them the most powerful ever.

That final battle was great, but the lead-up to it is what falls flat, which is why it's rare for anyone to call Megaforce the best Power Rangers series.

Even with all of that power, the team is still outmatched by the villains of the season, which creates the occasion for the biggest team-up in history, bringing back of tons of previous teams for appearances in a massive battle. That final battle was great, but the lead-up to it is what falls flat, which is why it's rare for anyone to call Megaforce the best Power Rangers series.

21 Power Rangers Samurai

(2011 - 2012)

Every Power Rangers series sees Rangers chosen for the job by a mentor or the power of fate. Power Rangers Samurai sees the characters at the center of the story inherit their abilities from their ancestors. While it's still fate for them to fight bad guys, their samurai skills and weapons are family heirlooms.

The two seasons made a poor decision when the Red Ranger lost his position. That's a big sticking point for fans, and while his sister Lauren comes out of hiding to lead the team, it pushes Jayden's growth aside. The audience has spent the season getting to know Jayden, not Lauren. The good point was Lauren is the first female Red Ranger, but the story let her down since she didn't know her team at all and only had a few episodes with them.

20 Power Rangers Ninja Steel

(2017 - 2018)

In a bit of a meta move, the Power Rangers become the focus of a broadcast throughout space in Power Rangers Ninja Steel. That's because the evil alien being intent on getting their power (in this case, ninja stars), runs an intergalactic game show that involves monster battles. The game show provided a fresh angle for Power Rangers, but, for some reason, the series just didn't land the same way as the best Power Rangers series did.

Kids and adults alike didn't seem to connect with the characters in this iteration as well despite all of the separate aspects the season had going for it.

There's even an attempt to serialize the story more with a family at the center of the team instead of relying solely on the monster-of-the-week format. Kids and adults alike didn't seem to connect with the characters in this iteration as well despite all of the separate aspects the season had going for it.

19 Power Rangers Operation Overdrive

(2007)

Indiana Jones meets Power Rangers sounds like a good idea on paper. Unfortunately, in execution, it didn't work out compared to the best Power Rangers series. The match didn't entirely fit as well as expected.

This version of the team is put together by a man making sure ancient relics are kept out of the hands of the bad guys. Each member has a unique skill set they bring, but their big personalities also cause a lot of friction. There are also nonsensical aspects of the series like one of them discovering they are an android instead of a human and a tragic alien love story playing out in the background. There was a lot going on, even by the standard of every Power Rangers series, and it was a lot to keep track of.

18 Power Rangers Dino Charge

(2015 - 2016)

Dinosaurs are always a popular theme when it comes to the best Power Rangers seasons, likely because that's how the franchise got its start in the U.S. This season not only called back to that with dinosaurs as guardians of the powerful Energems, but it also made a Power Rangers villain responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs on Earth in the first place.

This incarnation didn't fit in with the already established continuity of the franchise, and it also featured a fascinating villain. Sledge wasn't working for an evil empire like so many villains before him. Instead, he was a bounty hunter who became obsessed with the Energems himself, which led to him targeting Earth. While the series is certainly a good Power Rangers show, it just didn't have the same punch the best seasons did.

17 Power Rangers Wild Force

(2002 - 2003)

While the best Power Rangers seasons strive to be different from the others, this team had a unique twist in that the Rangers were actually chosen by the animals that acted as their zords. They also, for the first time in the franchise, could call on the power of multiple zords, something that would become prevalent in later seasons of the show.

The season went heavy on mythology as the group of Rangers trained and saved the world from the Animarium, a floating island hidden from outsiders. It also went heavy on drama as the villain of the series was responsible for the deaths of the Red Ranger's parents. The season had a great mix of character development, mythology, and drama all around, but for some children, the more soap opera aspects of the show weren't as interesting for them.

16 Power Rangers Jungle Fury

(2008)

Power Rangers Jungle Fury was inspired by the animal spirits used to model fighting styles in different forms of martial arts. Each character had their own distinct fighting style inspired by their own "animal spirit" as a result, though they could call on others as well. While every season of the franchise has had a distinct look, the fighting style also gave this season a distinctly different way of fighting.

That wasn't the only change-up to the series though. One change for the better, and one that definitely made the show more fun, was that the mentor was someone who fought alongside the team, and he was a laid-back manager of a pizza place. RJ is one of the best mentors the franchise has ever had. It made the show have a completely different feel, which might be part of what made it so enjoyable.

15 Power Rangers Beast Morphers

(2019 - 2020)

Power Rangers Beast Morphers is the first series produced by the entertainment company owned by Hasbro, Inc. In the near future of the current timeline in the franchise, Carol Harbor used the Morphin Grid to develop a substance, Morph-X, that provided clean energy to the city. To protect the city, scientists then combined Morph-X with animal DNA to create Beast Morphers Power Rangers.

It also featured one of the most anticipated crossovers in Power Rangers, a link back to the darkest season: Power Rangers R.P.M. and its Venjix virus.

The season used the idea of virtual reality as well as classic Power Rangers elements to create a unique story. It also featured one of the most anticipated crossovers in Power Rangers, a link back to the darkest season: Power Rangers R.P.M. and its Venjix virus. It's once that link is revealed that the series really gets interesting. The best Power Rangers seasons, after all, are not those that stand completely alone, but those that link up to the legacy of the franchise.

14 Power Rangers Ninja Storm

(2003)

Power Rangers Ninja Storm was the first full-length season produced when Disney acquired the franchise. Production moved to New Zealand, making for great scenery for the series. The story followed a group of students at a Ninja Academy who ended up becoming Power Rangers because they were the only students left after everyone else was kidnapped. That's a unique concept for the show because the series had always chosen the Rangers instead of the Rangers being a matter of convenience.

Of course, this group proved themselves over and over again. At the time, Power Rangers seasons weren't shying away from dark topics or life lessons, while still making the story fun for kids. Ninja Storm was lighter with its humor, incorporating even more misunderstandings between characters. It created a bit of a shift for the series.

13 Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue

(2000)

Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue premiered in 1997 and took on a very different spin from the Power Rangers series that came before it. In this show, the team made their roles as Rangers public knowledge. These roles were also their jobs, not something the Rangers did in addition to their everyday lives.

A government organization called Lightspeed Rescue taps into the Morphin Grid to develop Power Ranger morphers and powers. They recruit four civilians with different areas of expertise (and the Captain's daughter) to protect Mariner Bay from demons. The show had a very different feel since this was the first season that saw being a Power Ranger as a job instead of a potential heroic calling and secret life. The team wasn't chosen by an alien being or fate, but instead by the government.