This article is about an episode in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. |
Orchestral Maneuvers in the Park is the fifteenth episode of the second season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
Synopsis[]
When Zack's cousin Curtis brings his trumpet for a jazz festival, Lord Zedd has his Putties steal it. With Curtis in despair, he turned the trumpet into the monstrous Trumpet Top who he plans to have cast illusions powerful enough that the Power Rangers will wear themselves out and Zedd can easily finish them off.
Plot[]
Trini and Zack are hanging out at the Juice Bar when Curtis walks in. Curtis asks them if they are going to the Jazz Festival the following day. Zack suggests that Curtis play his trumpet, but Curtis can't because his trumpet is somewhere between St. Louis and Angel Grove. Zack tells Curtis that he will loan him their uncle's trumpet, with Curtis' promise that he will take good care of it, as their Uncle Ed was a famous musician.
Watching, Lord Zedd gets the idea to cast a spell on the trumpet, that will cause the Rangers to battle previously defeated monsters, who are not there. Once exhausted, Lord Zedd will send down a real monster.
The following day, Zack, Kimberly, and Billy are walking through the park, headed for the Jazz Festival with Zack's trumpet. They run into Bulk and Skull, who are hauling cement as part of their latest scheme to uncover the identities of the Power Rangers. Lord Zedd is watching the park when he orders the Putties to "do it now." When the Power Rangers hear that trumpet, he gloats, they shall fall under his spell. Lord Zedd laughs.
Kimberly, Billy, and Zack continue on their way, until they are attack by Zedd's Putties. During the fight, one Putty places a spell on the trumpet, which Zack had laid on the ground. The three Rangers defeat the Putties, questioning the motive behind the attack, but decide to continue on to the Youth Center, where they give Curtis the trumpet. Meanwhile, Bulk explains his plan (again) to Skull, which was inspired by Cinderella: to make a cement cast of the Power Rangers' footprints so they can see if any civilians' feet match. Bulk then leaves Skull to do the grunt-work.
Back at the Youth Center, the Jazz concert is a success. However, Curtis unknowingly sprays the magic dust Zedd's Putty snuck into his trumpet, as a blue light on the Rangers during the performance. The dust's spell successfully works on the Rangers without their knowledge, first giving them each a small headache. In his lair, Lord Zedd congratulates his Putties for succeeding at something (for once). He also announces he will create a new monster as the next part of his plan. While the Rangers congratulate Curtis for his performance, a Putty secretly teleports the trumpet outdoors. Zedd transforms the instrument into Trumpet Top.
As the Rangers search outside for Zack's trumpet, they see Grumble Bee appear before them. The Rangers morph; Trumpet Top, pleased that his Grumble Bee hallucination has fooled them, creates illusions of Saliguana, Fighting Flea, Soccadillo, Rhinoblaster, Mantis, Stag Beetle, and Slippery Shark. At the Command Center, Alpha 5 and Zordon learn about the Rangers' battle, with Zordon explaining the monsters only exist in the Rangers' minds. Bulk and Skull find the Rangers fighting at the Beach. While confused to see the heroes fighting nothing, they realize that they've found the perfect opportunity to get casts of the Rangers' feet. They decide to wait until the "fight" is over.
Alpha teleports the Power Rangers to the Command Center, allowing Bulk and Skull to carry out their plan. The Rangers ask Zordon why they were teleported away mid-battle. Zordon responds by showing them Trumpet Top on the Viewing Globe, explaining the monster has used magic to make the Rangers see illusions of their old enemies. He tells the Rangers the only way to break the spell is to destroy Trumpet Top.
As the Rangers teleport back into battle, Zedd, aware that they now know the truth, throws one of his Growth Bombs at Trumpet Top. The Rangers summon their Thunderzords, immediately combining them into the Thunder Megazord. Trumpet Top attacks the Rangers with its flame breath, causing the Thunder Saber to fly from the Thunder Megazord's hand into Trumpet Top's grip. Trumpet Top lands a few successful strikes, but the Megazord charges the Saber remotely with electricity, zapping Trumpet Top enough for the sword to fly back into the robot's hand. The Rangers then summon more lightning into the Thunder Saber, powering the sword with enough energy to destroy Trumpet Top with a single slash. In his Moon Palace, Zedd scolds Goldar, Baboo and Squatt for his plan's failure.
At the Youth Center, the Rangers, now unmorphed, surprise a dejected Curtis with the trumpet. Jason tells Curtis a kid found it in the hallway, "joking" that the kid had seen a Power Ranger leave it there. Bulk and Skull, with their faces covered in concrete, lumber in with a cast of the Rangers' footprints, demanding that everyone line up to see if their feet fit. Zack has Richie (who's working behind the bar), play music, causing dozens of kids to bump past Bulk and Skull to reach the dance floor. Bulk and Skull manage to save the cast from falling, but ironically a congratulatory pat on the back from Skull causes Bulk to drop it, and the cast smashes into pieces on the floor. As they try to put it back together, Kimberly tells them that maybe it's better if the world doesn't learn the Rangers' identities. Zack agrees, joking, "Yeah, I mean it's nothing to go to pieces over."
Cast[]
- Austin St. John as Jason Lee Scott (Mighty Morphin Red Ranger)
- Paul F. Rosenthal as Jason Lee Scott (Morphed Dialogue)
- Walter Jones as Zack Taylor (Mighty Morphin Black Ranger)
- David Yost as Billy Cranston (Mighty Morphin Blue Ranger)
- Thuy Trang as Trini Kwan (Mighty Morphin Yellow Ranger)
- Amy Jo Johnson as Kimberly Ann Hart (Mighty Morphin Pink Ranger)
- Jason David Frank as Tommy Oliver (credit only)
- Paul Schrier as Farkas "Bulk" Bulkmeier
- Jason Narvy as Eugene "Skull" Skullovitch
- Richard Genelle as Ernie
- Maurice Mendoza as Richie
- Joel Rogers as Curtis Taylor and Zack Taylor (Morphed Voice)
- David Fielding as Zordon (face)
- Robert L. Manahan as Zordon (voice)
- Romy J. Sharf as Alpha 5
- Richard Steven Horvitz as Alpha 5 (voice) (as Richard Wood)
- Ed Neil as Lord Zedd
- Robert Axelrod as Lord Zedd (voice)
- Danny Wayne Stallcup as Goldar
- Kerrigan Mahan as Goldar (voice) (as Ryan O'Flannigan)
- Michael J. Sorich as Squatt (voice)
- Dave Mallow as Baboo (voice), Trumpet Top (voice), and Grumble Bee (voice) (as Colin Phillips)
- John C. Hyke as Saliguana (voice)
- Rebecca Forstadt as Fighting Flea (voice)
- Brianne Siddall as Soccadillo (voice)
- Richard Epcar as Rhinoblaster (voice)
- Wendee Lee as Stag Beetle (voice)
- Steve Kramer as Slippery Shark (voice)
- Barbara Goodson as the Mantis (voice)
Song[]
Errors[]
- Despite Zedd claiming he would use Trumpet Top to create illusions of his monsters, all but two of them (Saliguana and Stag Beetle) were created by Finster for Rita.
- Jason vanishes when the camera cuts to the Rangers reacting to Curtis' announcement that his trumpet was missing.
- Saliguana spoke with a female-like voice in this episode despite being male in his original episode.
- When Trini kicks the Saliguana as the Stag Beetle and Slippery Shark appear, upon a closer look, her foot does not make contact with him.
- The scene where Trumpet Top is created is repeated for when he grows.
- Also the platform used to make him look like he grew is visible.
- Skull appears to have more concrete on him, despite Bulk splatting only a little amount on him.
- Right before the Red Dragon Thunderzord transformed into Warrior Mode, RyuRanger can be seen on its head.
Notes[]
- This episode aired the same day as VR Troopers episode 16, A Dirty Trick.
- The title of the episode is a reference to the 80s synth-pop band Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark.
- Jason David Frank (Tommy) does not appear in this episode, although he is still credited in the opening.
- Trumpet Top calls up illusions of Grumble Bee, Saliguana, Fighting Flea, Soccadillo, Rhinoblaster, the Mantis, the Stag Beetle, and Slippery Shark. They were all Zyu2 monsters.
- This is the first episode where a non Zyu2 monster uses one of Zedd’s Growth Bombs, and to not use it in American footage.
See Also[]
- Ep. 12: Drunk on Tofu - Super Sentai counterpart in Dairanger. See comparison page.
External Links[]
References[]
Footnotes[]