Hollywood Demons Recap for The Dark Side of Power Rangers

 

This week’s episode of Hollywood Demons is titled The Dark Side of Power Rangers. It opens with Ciara Hana, the season seventeen yellow Power Ranger discussing how she loved the show and how it was a huge part of her life.

Fans are interviewed about their love on the show, while Dr. Drew Pinksy talks about how the actors had to be on at all times. We then get footage of people involved in the show talking about the dark side of the fame and franchise.

 

Haim Saban was the brainchild behind Power Rangers, Inspector Gadget and many other shows. He was inspired by a show in Japan and thought a live action show for children would be a hit in America. While people initially laughed him out of the room, it soon became the hit we all know and love. It was considered a mix of ‘Saved By the Bell, High School Musical and Transformers.’

The show was low budget in the beginning, with lots of stuntmen and gymnasts to do the stunts.

We get to know the OG rangers. No one realized in the beginning that the Yellow Ranger was Asian and the Black Ranger was Black until an assistant pointed it out.

The Yellow Ranger was supposed to be a woman named Audri DuBois, but she left after the pilot. She talks about her marital arts career and the audition process. She was to sign a contract by the next morning and if they were late turning it in, they would be fired.

This was pre-email and cell phone, so they had no one to go over the contract with them leading to them making very little money in the beginning.

Audri signed it and hoped for the best, not knowing that they would be worked to the bone. Amy Jo Johnson, who played Kimberly, would cry from the experience, while other people would get heatstroke. Audri wanted to get him help but the people shooting said that the show must go on since it was the pilot. She was not happy with this, especially when they offered someone $100 to take over.

Fox bought the rights to the show, so Audri negotiated for more money so she could afford to do the show. Since they could not work out a deal, she ended up leaving.

Thuy Trang would end up taking over the role of Trini.

In the beginning, many of the people did their own stunts, leading to many injuries.

The first season got millions of viewers, and the Power Rangers were heroes to many. It was also a cultural phenomenon, mentioned in shows like the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Friends.

Fans would try to imitate the actions on the show, which led to a lot of controversy, injuries and even death. This led to the actors doing PSAs to teach fantasy from reality.

The show would then make a ton of money on merchandising and the toys would constantly be sold out.

Despite the success, the actors were not bringing home much money. After season two, several actors, including Thuy, Austin St. John (Jason) and Walter Jones (Zach) tried to negotiate, with Truy even talking at an event about how they weren’t making much money. This caused them to get fired from the show and replaced by new actors. This sent a massive message to the remaining cast members.

The new Rangers were told and told they could be replaced at any time….and Nakia Burrise, who played the new Yellow Ranger, found out when an open casting call took place without anyone’s knowledge. She would go on to become a substitute teacher to supplement her income.

Walter would go on to do other jobs but was often typecast as Zach.

 

Many actors would end up in legal trouble, including Austin, who was involved in COVID fraud. Others would end up murdering people.

Jason Faunt, the season nine Red Ranger, talks about how he took over the role.  At this time, the show went union, so many of the rules were changed, including the use of stunt doubles and how long people were allowed to work. He shows off his memorabilia and talks about how he was replaced by Ricardo Medina Jr, who ended up being problematic. He also had a troubled childhood, leading to many issues.

A woman named Rachel who dated Ricardo talks about meeting him and how things seemed wonderful but then went south. The two would reconnect and open an animal ranch. Things would again go south with him acting antisocial and violent. She would try to end their business partnership, causing him to go crazy and threaten the animals.

She would have her brother to help have Ricardo evicted….but it would lead to a fatal night and her brother being killed, allegedly by Ricardo. The story Ricardo told was that Josh was harassing him and his girlfriend and was acting in self-defense…..with a sword

Ironically, Ricardo was also on the show as a villain, using a sword.

The fans would defend Ricardo and even send him money in jail so that they can help him. He would soon be released until further evidence was connected.

Dr. Drew would look at the evidence and explain how a lot of it was not consistent with the story that was being told.

Ricardo would eventually be charged with murder, but spent six years in prison for a manslaughter charge he got due to a plea deal…..only to be released on parole after three years.

 

Another Red Ranger, played by Pua Magasiva, was the first Pacific Islander on the show. He would die by suicide in 2019. He would be charged with domestic violence and often had issues with drinking. However, he only wanted to be seen as a hero.

 

The Green Ranger would be introduced in 1993, played by Jason David Frank. Fans know him as Tommy….the evil Ranger turned good. Fans loved him and he soon became a favorite with the fans.

Nicole, who was Jason’s sister-in-law, speaks out about him and his life. He had a tough childhood, but despite it all, tried to make the best of things. He and his brother Erik would bond and do everything together.

Nicole talks about going to Jason’s wedding in Vegas and how he was raising a young family, just like she was doing with Erik. She talks about how he went on the show and became an international sensation.

People who watched the show loved the Kimberly/Tommy love story and he would also become the eye candy for the girls watching.

Since Tommy was so popular on the show, they wrote a special role for him once the Green Ranger was written off.

The Power Rangers Movie would also become a huge hit.

Jason would also do anything he could for fans, going as far as to visit them in the hospital, send them toys and spend time with them….all on his own without any publicity. He would also stay on the show as long as possible because he loved his fans and never wanted to let them down.

Erik would go on the show as Tommy’s brother. There was hope for him to be the next White Ranger, but it was not to be.  Jason would remain on the show.

Erik would struggle in his career and in 2001 he would die by suicide.

Jason’s wife Tammie talks about their relationship and how close they were. She remembers Jason learning about Erik’s death and how it took a toll on him.

During this same year, Thuy would die in a car accident. One of her friends who was in the accident with her talks about what happened and how she was paralyzed from the neck down. The driver survived.

People began to wonder if there was a curse on the show, but Dr. Drew thinks it was a case of young people getting thrust in the spotlight too fast.

Jason would eventually leave the show for a bit and opened a dojo. He went back due to fan demand.

In 2002, all the Red Rangers would come back for a reunion special.

Jason would become the Black Rangers and star in 225 episodes total.

The series finale would reunite all the Power Rangers, including Jason…..intimdating everyone and leaving them in awe. He would forever be the face of the series, going on to do conventions and find ways to interact with the fans. He would never leave until he met every single fan and everyone left happy.

Jason would even talk to fans personally and help them through mental health issues, even saving a few of them from taking their own lives. He would do what he could to save everyone since he could not save his brother. He wanted so badly to save everyone.

At one convention in 2017, there was someone named Mathew Stirling who was planning to kill Jason at Comic Con. He felt he was evil and wanted to get rid of him…..claiming to be the Punisher. He claimed Jason was a cocaine addict and wanted him to die because he was a drug dealer and not a Power Ranger.

Mathew was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Jason told fans he was fine and refused to talk about the incident.

Jason and a friend would go on to make Legend of the White Dragon in honor of Erik. It was supposed to be a darker, more serious role. He took things so seriously and would soon withdraw from everything….including his friends, his wife and the Power Rangers franchise.

Tammie alleges that Jason would have many affairs and leave her in 2022. She would file for divorce to get his attention.

Many of is co-workers would see him at Power Morphicon and worry about his demeanor.  He would tell Jason F that he was struggling and feeling like a burden. He would post positive messages on social media and planned on meeting fans in November 2022.

On November 18, 2022, Tammie talked about being with Jason that night and how she went to go get food…and went back to a locked door. She had forgotten her key and Jason would no t answer. The hotel would let her in, and she would find out that he died by suicide.

Everyone recalls getting the news and how it impacted their lives. Fans were also left in a state of shock.

Jeff Pruitt, who worked with Jason, talked about some of Jason’s struggles in the beginning with a friend who was dealing with drugs. He knew back then Jason talked about suicide and how Jeff would help him through his dark times.

Others talk about how Jason was struggling due to loss and abuse. He also had bipolar disorder. His meds would also take an effect on his body, possibly causing addiction and eventual suicide.

He never sought help out of embarrassment, as per Tammie.

His death had a huge impact on the lives of many.

 

Tammie started Jason Frank’s Be A Legend in Jason’s honor.