Built For Speed

Original Airdate: 5-06-1997

The episode begins with perhaps the most baffling cold open ever, as a fight erupts over a girl at a 1950s diner. Credits.

We return from the credits to learn that the whole thing is apparently some sort of show sponsored by the local radio station and being directed by Tanya. Because people are always saying, "Man, what I really want to see is teenagers from the '50s whaling on each other, and I would totally listen to the radio station that brought my dream to life." Some guys argue about who should win their fake fight. In the space-sub, this disagreement somehow inspires Divatox to plant a bomb, and to have a monster called the Demon Racer plant it.

In an insane twist, the dispute between fake gangs as to who should win a fake fight has somehow escalated into a drag race challenge between the two gangleaders. Adam shows up to point out the insanity of having a deadly drag race to determine who wins a fake fight. The fake greasers take Adam's words to heart....until he leaves, and then the race is back on. Down at the juice bar, they talk to some more fake '50s gang members, and ChimpBulk and ChimpSkull overhear. They also decide to go to the drag race because they assume the Power Rangers will be there and will be able to help them.

The Rangers are summoned to the Power Chamber, which means that my brief respite from Alpha 6 has ended. Anyway, they've somehow found that Divatox has planted a bomb. Alpha 6 claims, "Like she's going to put one past us." Yeah, like she did last fucking episode. Shut up, Alpha 6. The Demon Racer plants his bomb, and Adam is on the case. He makes chase in his mighty go-kart, which, well, is faintly ridiculous. He catches up to the Racer Demon who has apparently acquired some sort of Mad Max-esque truck. Racer Demon proposes that if Adam beats Racer Demon in a race, he'll give Adam the location of the bomb. Adam accepts the challenge, and defeats Racer Demon, managing to accidentally cause the monster to run into a concrete barrier and explode.

In the space-sub of love, Divatox is pissed that her monster couldn't even make it to second act. Porto, however, thought ahead, and packed a spare. The rest of the Rangers go on yet another bomb hunt. Then they learn that there's another Racer Demon, and they morph and go fight it in footage that doesn't exactly blend well with the American footage, unless Angel Grove has an industrial park staffed exclusively by Japanese people.

Meanwhile, preparations for the drag race are continuing, as ChimpBulk and ChimpSkull stow away ala Speed Racer in order to get the Power Rangers to recognize them as Bulk and Skull. Adam tracks down the bomb...and it's in one of the drag racers. Didn't I already do this episode?

Anyway, Divatox decides to fire her mighty torpedoes of Giant-Size at Racer Demon because, well, sales of the Turbo Megazord have been lagging. Adam has other plans, however, and distracts the giant monster with his go-kart. I miss the zords. Adam shoots a missile from his go-kart and blasts the Racer Demon.

At dead man's curve, the fake greasers have now lost themselves completely in their roles as '50s hoodlums and are about to race. I'm pretty sure this episode was designed to warn kids against the dangers of method acting.

The Racer Demon is still alive, however, and the Rangers finally, finally, finally call out the Turbo Megazord. Racer Demon puts up a good fight, but even he cannot stop the mighty spin-out finished. Thus passes Racer Demon, breaker of go-karts. Then Alpha reminds then that still haven't found the detonator. Dimitria gives the Rangers a clue to the location of the bomb, but apparently can't tell them straight out, because that would make her useful.

The drag race begins, and it's apparently chicken with a cliff. To their credit, neither driver backs down and they both go headlong over the edge of the cliff. But then the Turbo Megazord shows up and catches the cars. Adam beams over to the one with the bomb in it and throws it out of the car in the nick of time. Their failure prompts Divatox's goons to take a nice, relaxing steam, as monsters are wont to do in times of stress.

The drag racers learn an important lesson about working together and not drag racing or something, Lt. Stone shows up to pick up ChimpBulk and ChimpSkull. Inevitably, his car gets stolen by the mischievious pair. All present laugh at his misfortune. Show Over!