If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

It’s morphin’ time! How to watch Power Rangers in release and chronological order

Want to get started on watching Power Rangers? Here's how to do it!

Promotional image featuring Power Rangers Team
Joshua Lapin-Bertone
Features by Joshua Lapin-Bertone, Contributing writer
Published on

Popverse's top stories of the day

It’s morphin time!

Since their debut in 1993, the Power Rangers have entertained millions across the globe. The franchise follows a group of teenagers who use their great powers to defend Earth from monsters and aliens. Using footage from Japanese Super Sentai programs, Power Rangers was an unexpected hit that nobody saw coming . The original series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was originally meant to be 40 episodes, but the franchise has grown into one of the longest-running superhero shows.

With over 30 years of shows, multiple movies, and a successful comic book franchise, how do you navigate it all? Don’t worry, Popverse is here to help. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about watching Power Rangers in release and chronological order.

Are you ready to get to the action?

How to watch Power Rangers in release order

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers season 2 cast photo
Image credit: Saban Entertainment

How to watch Power Rangers in chronological order?

Power Rangers Dino Charge
Image credit: Saban Capital Group

You might be wondering where all of these shows fit in. Don’t worry, Power Rangers continuity is fairly simple. While some productions take place in alternate timelines, most Power Rangers television shows and movies are set in the same universe. How can you tell which shows are canon and which aren’t? Just follow this handy breakdown, and you should have no trouble navigating Power Rangers continuity.

The Original Television Timeline

This is the primary Power Rangers timeline. It includes the original television series, and all the shows that followed it. This is the saga that has been running since 1993.

  • Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (145 episodes, 1993-1995)/Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Re-Version (32 episodes, 2010)
  • Lord Zedd's Monster Heads: The Greatest Villains of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1995 direct-to-video special)
  • The Good, the Bad, and the Stupid!: The Misadventures of Bulk And Skull (1995 direct-to-video special)
  • Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers (10 episodes, 1996)
  • Power Rangers Zeo (50 episodes, 1996)
  • Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie (1997 theatrical film)
  • Power Rangers Turbo (45 episodes, 1997)
  • Power Rangers in Space (43 episodes, 1998)
  • Power Rangers Lost Galaxy (45 episodes, 1999)
  • Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue (40 episodes, 2000)
  • Power Rangers Time Force (40 episodes, 2001)
  • Power Rangers Wild Force (40 episodes, 2002)
  • Power Rangers Ninja Storm (38 episodes, 2003)
  • Power Rangers Dino Thunder (38 episodes, 2004)
  • Power Rangers S.P.D. (38 episodes, 2005)
  • Power Rangers Mystic Force (32 episodes, 2006)
  • Power Rangers Operation Overdrive (32 episodes, 2007)
  • Power Rangers Jungle Fury (32 episodes, 2008)
  • Power Rangers RPM (32 episodes, 2009)
  • Power Rangers Samurai (23 episodes, 2011)
  • Power Rangers Super Samurai (22 episodes, 2012)
  • Power Rangers Megaforce (22 episodes, 2013)
  • Power Rangers Super Megaforce (20 episodes, 2014)
  • Power Rangers Dino Charge (22 episodes, 2015)
  • Power Rangers Dino Super Charge (22 episodes, 2016)
  • Power Rangers Ninja Steel (22 episodes, 2017)
  • Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel (22 episodes, 2018)
  • Power Rangers Beast Morphers (44 episodes, 2019-2020)
  • Power Rangers Dino Fury (44 episodes, 2021-2022)
  • Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always (2023 streaming special)
  • Power Rangers Cosmic Fury (ongoing series, 2023-present)
The 1995 Film

The 1995 theatrical film takes place in its own universe, separate from the continuity of the television series. However, the movie can be considered a loose sequel to the first two seasons of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. If you want to watch the first two seasons before viewing the 1995 film, it will help you understand the characters and concepts. However, the movie is not canon to the television series.

  • Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995 theatrical film)
The 2017 Film

In 2017 Lionsgate released Power Rangers. The theatrical film took inspiration from the first season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, using many of the show’s characters and concepts. However, the film was a complete reboot, taking place in its own continuity.

  • Power Rangers (2017 theatrical film)
The Netflix Reboot

Netflix is currently working with Hasbro to produce a Power Rangers film. The movie, announced in 2020, will be a reboot of the franchise. The film is currently slated for 2025.

  • Untitled Netflix Power Rangers film (TBA)
Continuity Oddities

There are some Power Ranger projects that don’t fit in to any sort of canon. We’ve labeled these productions ‘Continuity Oddities.’ Here is a brief rundown of them, and why they’re outside of continuity.

  • Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Official Fan Club Video (1994 direct-to-video special) – A special VHS that was mailed out to members of the Power Rangers fan club. The special is notable for providing Zordon and Rita’s backstory, giving viewers information that wasn’t in the main series. However, the special broke the fourth wall, with the Rangers addressing viewers in faux behind-the-scenes talking head interviews.
  • Alpha’s Magical Christmas (1994 direct-to-video special) – This is one of the weirdest pieces of Power Rangers media ever produced. When Alpha 5 bemoans being lonely on Christmas, Zordon teleports a group of children to the Command Center to sing Christmas carols with him. Tommy is still the Green Ranger, but Rocky, Adam, and Aisha briefly appear. This is a timeline contradiction since they were introduced after Tommy had become the White Ranger. This and other oddities have caused Power Ranger fans to exile the special from continuity.
  • Power Rangers Funniest Moments (1998 television special) – This was a humorous clip show hosted by Johnny Yong Bosch. It featured clips, outtakes, and behind-the-scenes footage. As such, it’s not an official part of Power Rangers canon.
  • Power Rangers: The Lost Episode (1999 television special) – This was a fun television special which featured the previously unreleased Mighty Morphin Power Rangers pilot. The original pilot was notable for featuring Audri Dubois as Trini Kwan. Other fun differences include Zordon being named Zoltar, and the Rangers hanging out at a bowling alley. Since this is an earlier draft of ‘Day of the Dumpster’ (the aired pilot), this special is obviously not canon.
  • Power Rangers Legacy Wars: Street Fighter Showdown (2017 short film) – This short exists in an interesting place. The 2017 internet film was released to promote the Street Fighter characters being added to the mobile game Power Rangers Legacy Wars. The game is meant to take place in the same continuity as the 2017 Power Rangers film. So, Street Fighter Showdown takes place in the same universe as the 2017 movie? Not so fast. The short features Jason Daivd Frank reprising his role as Tommy Oliver, and Ciara Hana reprising her role as Gia Moran. They are clearly playing the versions of their characters from the television universe, which don’t fit in with the theatrical film’s continuity. This project is one of those things where we aren’t supposed to think about continuity too much.

Where do the Boom Studios comics fit in?

Cropped image from Power Rangers Cover
Image credit: Boom! Studios

Boom Studios has done so much to expand the Power Rangers universe that it’s hard to fit all their contributions into one section. In 2016 Boom Studios began publishing Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, a comic book series based on the franchise. The popularity of the title led to Boom publishing many spin-offs, resulting in a successful line of Power Rangers comics.

The Boom Studios Universe

The Boom Studios comics take place in their own universe, which is a slight mirror of the television universe. One key difference is the time period. While early seasons of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers take place in the 90s’, the comic books take place in the present day. We see the Angel Grove teens using social media and cell phones. In addition, the storyline goes in some directions that deviate from later seasons of the television show.

Here is a breakdown of how to read each of these comics in chronological order. If you want to read them while watching the television show, we’ve placed the episodes on the timeline in parenthesis. (While the comics take place in their own reality, their universe strongly resembles the early seasons of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers)

The Power Rangers Reddit and Rovang.org were invaluable resources for putting this timeline together…

Note: Some of the comics, such as the Coinless saga, take place across multiple realities. To simplify things, we’ve placed everything on a single timeline. Some of these comics take place in multiple eras. In most cases, we’ve classified them based on where the bulk of the action took place.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 25th Anniversary Special and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 30th Anniversary Special jump all over the timeline with each page.

Saban’s Power Rangers: Aftershock is continuation of the 2017 film. As such, it's not canon to the other Boom Studios Power Rangers comics.

Crossovers

These comics are crossovers that take place during nebulous points in the timeline. Since they deal with characters from other franchises, the events are ignored in the main Power Rangers series. Placing them in the timeline can be tricky. For example, Justice League/Mighty Morphin Power Rangers features the Dinozords during the Lord Zedd era, resulting in continuity spaghetti. It’s best to approach these with fun and ignore chronological discrepancies.

What about the Power/Rangers short film?

Power/Rangers 2015 still
Image credit: Adi Shankar Productions

In 2015 Adi Shankar Productions released Power/Rangers, a short fan film that reimagined the Power Rangers franchise in a more adult direction. The provocative film contained references to sex, gun violence, suicide, and more. It was notable for including James Van Der Beek and Katee Sackhoff as the Red and Pink Ranger. Carla Perez, who portrayed Rita Repulsa in MMPR’s American footage, reprised her villainous role for the fan film. Although the film generated a lot of internet buzz, we’re leaving it off our watch order list because it’s an unofficial fan project.

Is Power Rangers a direct adaptation of Super Sentai?

Super Sentai Zyuranger promo image
Image credit: Toei Company

The relationship between Power Rangers and Super Sentai is interesting. Power Rangers is not an English dub or a remake of Super Sentai. Power Rangers takes combat footage from Super Sentai and edits it to tell their own story. Original footage is filmed with American actors to serve as a framing sequence for the story. Likewise, Sentai footage of Rangers unmasked is edited out to preserve the illusion that the American actors are behind the armor.

If you’re ever curious about how the process works, I would recommend watching an episode of Power Rangers and Super Sentai back-to-back, so you can see how the footage is repurposed. Try the pilot episode of Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger, ‘The Birth.’ Then watch the premiere of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, ‘Day of the Dumpster,’ which uses footage from the Zyuranger pilot. It’s a fascinating viewing experience.

Are all the Power Rangers shows set in the same continuity?

Power Rangers Forever Red crossover
Image credit: BVS Entertainment

The Power Rangers television shows are all set in the same universe, but continuity isn’t always strictly observed. Early incarnations of the franchise would feature tighter continuity between each series, but that was abandoned in later seasons. For example, the roster seen in Power Rangers Zeo carries over when Power Rangers Turbo begins (with the exception of Rocky DeSantos). In contrast, later productions like Power Rangers Samurai would feature new rangers, new villains, a new mentor, and new Zords, with nothing carrying over from Power Rangers RPM.

There have been occasional reunion shows, which bring together various members of older Power Ranger teams. These crossovers dance around continuity, with some Rangers using powers that they should no longer have access to. For example, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers season 3 ended with the destruction of the original power coins. Despite this, Jason Lee Scott was still able to use it in the Power Rangers Wild Force reunion episode ‘Forever Red.’ It’s best not to think about this stuff too hard.

Are the Power Ranger movies set in the same continuity as the television shows?

Power Rangers 2017 film promo image
Image credit: Lionsgate Films

There have been three theatrical Power Rangers films, and each one is set in a different continuity. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie was released in June 1995, shortly after the second season of the television series had concluded. The film picks up where the second season left off, with Tommy Oliver leading the team as the White Ranger. Over the course of the film, the Rangers gain new ninja themed powers and Zords.

A few months later Mighty Morphin Power Rangers season 3 premiered, ignoring the events of the film, and giving a new origin for the Rangers’ ninja powers. (As a kid this broke my brain, and served as my introduction to the concept of canon)

To sum it up, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie is set in an alternate timeline which is similar to the television series.

Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie was a direct continuation of the television franchise. The 1997 film served as a bridge between Power Rangers Zeo and Power Rangers Turbo. In fact, you can almost think of it as an extended pilot for Power Rangers Turbo. The Rangers get new powers, new Zords, and encounter a new enemy named Divatox. As of this writing, Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie is the only film that shares a continuity with the television franchise.

The 2017 film Power Rangers is a reboot of the franchise, set in its own continuity. The movie uses characters and concepts from the first season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, but reimagines the story for modern audiences. Boom Studios released a few tie-in comics (see the Boom Studios section of this guide). Power Rangers: Legacy Wars was a mobile game set in the same universe as the 2017 film. The video game was popular enough to spawn a short film tie-in, Power Rangers: Legacy Wars – Street Fighter Showdown. This short featured Jason David Frank reprising his role as Tommy Oliver, even though this wasn’t canon to the television franchise.

Have the Power Rangers crossed over with other television shows?

Power Rangers meet the Ninja Turtles
Image credit: Saban Entertainment

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers season 3 began with a three-episode arc titled ‘A Friend in Need.’ The storyline finds the Power Rangers journeying to the planet Edoni, where they help a hero named Masked Rider take on the villainous Count Dregon. These episodes served as a backdoor pilot for Masked Rider, a Saban produced television series that utilized footage from the Japanese show Kamen Black Rider RX.

Does this mean that Masked Rider and Power Rangers take place in the same continuity? Not so fast…

One week after ‘A Friend in Need’ aired, Masked Rider premiered on Fox Kids’, and it completely ignored the events of the Power Rangers three-parter.

(This Popverse writer was a child when this happened, and the decision to ignore Power Rangers confused me)

In 1998 the Power Rangers had an unusual crossover with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation was a live-action series that aired on Fox Kids. The series is notable for introducing Venus de Milo, a female Ninja Turtle. Like Power Rangers, the series was produced by Saban Entertainment, opening the door to crossovers.

The crossover took place in two episodes of Power Rangers in Space, ‘Save Our Ship’ and ‘Shell Shocked.’ So yes, Power Rangers takes place in the same universe as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, unfortunately it’s a version of the Turtles that most fans try to forget.

In 2017 Lionsgate released a short film titled Power Rangers Legacy Wars – Street Fighter Showdown. The short featured the Street Fighter characters Ryu and Chun-Li fighting alongside Power Rangers Tommy Oliver and Gia Moran. This was meant to tie in with the Power Rangers Legacy Wars mobile game. The continuity is dubious.

The crossover took place in two episodes of Power Rangers in Space, ‘Save Our Ship’ and ‘Shell Shocked.’ So yes, Power Rangers takes place in the same universe as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, unfortunately it’s a version of the Turtles that most fans try to forget.

The Boom Studios comics have featured crossovers with the DC Universe, Godzilla, and a more popular incarnation of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. For more on the continuity of the Boom Studios comics, please refer to that section of the guide.

Where can I watch Power Rangers?

Power Rangers Samurai
Image credit: Saban Capital Group

You don’t need Zordon’s Viewing Globe to watch the Power Rangers, but you will need a few streaming services. As of this writing, Netflix is the streaming home for the latest series, Power Rangers Cosmic Fury. In addition, Netflix also has Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Power Rangers Dino Fury, Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel, Power Rangers Beast Morphers, and the television special Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always. Netflix is also developing a Power Rangers continuity reboot for 2025. The rest of the Power Rangers television series can currently be streamed for free on Pluto TV. Please note, some of these titles might wind up on different streaming services as licenses expire.

Now you have everything you need to start your Power Rangers journey! May the power protect you!

Want to know what's coming up next in pop culture? Check out Popverse's guides to:

And if you're looking for specific franchises or genres, we've also got lists for the:

Finally, if you're a fan of superheroes and not specific to just Marvel or DC, we have overall guides to:

Joshua Lapin-Bertone

Joshua Lapin-Bertone: Joshua is a pop culture writer specializing in comic book media. His work has appeared on the official DC Comics website, the DC Universe subscription service, HBO Max promotional videos, the Batman Universe fansite, and more. In between traveling around the country to cover various comic conventions, Joshua resides in Florida where he binges superhero television and reads obscure comics from yesteryear.

Comments

Want to join the discussion? Please activate your account first.
Visit Reedpop ID if you need to resend the confirmation email.

View Comments (0)

Find out how we conduct our review by reading our review policy

Related Topics

More Features

Elphaba And Glinda In Wicked Part 1

Movie musicals based on stage musicals like Wicked and Les Misérables are missing the point of musical theater

Watch the official Dragon Ball DAIMA panel from NYCC 2024!

Creature Commandos at NYCC '24: The weirdest, wildest & Weasel-est moments from DC & Max's James Gunn-led panel

Yellowstone, Landman and more: Let's see other studios use the Taylor Sheridan formula

How the Star Trek V: The Final Frontier campfire scene encapsulated and inspired everything we love about the Marvel Studios movies & TV shows

Yellowstone: John Dutton's fate, Kevin Costner's exit, and season 5's biggest surprise revealed

Watch Blumhouse's full BlumFest 2024 panel from NYCC with Mike Flanagan, Allison Williams, and more!

Dune: Prophecy isn't just a Bene Gesserit origin story. It's essential viewing before Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Three