This was recorded a loooong while ago, but then Tyler started a full-time job and things got weird. Tyler, Eric, Ryland, Tom (y3k) and Jadan chime in as we break down the topics of two weeks ago.

Tonight:

-Does ANYONE still care about MMPRv2?

-New guests for PMC

-Dragon Knight. It won an Emmy. Eew.

-Casting has begun (and is probably now almost over) for PR2011

-Eric has awful taste in music.

John Tellegen, a longtime writer for Power Rangers, agreed to do an e-mail interview with us, since timing and whatnot wouldn't allow him to actually have a phone chat on the show. Tellegen started out on the show as a writer's assistant with Ninja Storm, started writing episodes with the widely-enjoyed "Shane's Karma" two-parter and the rest from there was history. Tellegen stayed with the show for seven seasons. Enjoy!

How did you first end up writing for Power Rangers?

I wrote a feature film that Doug Sloan read. From there he hired me as the writer's assistant for Ninja Storm. I pitched the story for "Shane's Karma" and the rest is history. Doug is still a good friend of mine, and a great guy. He launched my career.

As someone with one of the longest tenures on the writing staff, what appealed to you about writing it?

As any writer will tell you, your first paid writing gig is the hardest to land. I was very excited for the opportunity. I think the best thing about Rangers is the fact that almost anything can happen - it's fantasy. A format like Rangers opens all the doors of possibility.

Inversely, what do you think about the show and its writing appeals to others?

I can only guess, but it seems to me that Rangers in some way helped spark the "superhero" craze that we are living in now. For many kids, Power Rangers is their entry point. Beyond that, who knows what makes anything a hit.

Jackie and Greg had mentioned the production staff weren't allowed furniture during the Kalish years, to encourage activity rather than sitting around. Did the writer's room finally get chairs after Bruce left?

Not sure - I never heard that. But I can say that I always had a chair of some sort. Did Bruce ever confirm this? Funny.

What was your favorite episode to write?

Jeez, I wrote close to 50 and helped (as we all did) on countless others. Over the years, the tone changed because of different showrunners and notes from Disney (make it funnier, now it's too funny, make it scarier, now make it more exciting, wait, why isn't it funny anymore?)... Even though it wasn't well received by many on RB, the first draft of Ocean Alert was hilarious and a blast to write. I even stuck a review on my refrigerator that referred to me as "Craptacular" -- It's become part of my lexicon.

What was your favorite episode you didn't write?

I wrote an episode of RPM that never made it to camera. It was a heartfelt Flynn story. There were a few reasons why it was hijacked - I don't want to get into specifics - but it's unfortunate. You guys would have liked it.

Saban PR would often continue a cast or seasonal premise and adapt the next Sentai as a continuation. If you could have continued a cast or seasonal premise beyond its source footage, which one would you have picked?

Interesting question. When you do a new season every year with new characters etc., you run over some of the same ground - the first episodes are spent meeting the characters, getting them powers, setting up the premise, etc. It's hard though to bridge seasons because the source footage could go from dinosaurs to space - not impossible, but tricky. I think my favorite cast was the Ninja Storm crew - though I liked SPD a lot as well. I thought it would be cool to do a whole season using our favorite actors/characters from the previous seasons. Almost like a dream team season. Never happened.

Were there even discussions about adapting Shinkenger, or was the
writing always on the wall for the entire year?

The writing was on the wall every year! Then we would get the word that we were doing another season. We never knew until the last hour. Always remember that the fate of our favorite shows on any network rests on a spreadsheet on the desk of a businessman or woman in an office we will never see. You just keep working until the axe falls.

Via Anime Expo's official site, the PR representation at AX just got crazier. As you read this, Tyler is working on ways to get out there, and most certainly will try. It's not going to be easy and it's not going to be cheap. Airfare will run about $300. Supplies, hotel, etc. drive things up. If you'd like to join the fight to get Rangercast On Location @ Anime Expo, donate a dollar or two with that nifty little Paypal button up there in the corner. We don't ask much. We'd love you for it.

I'm sure all of you are waiting for RC121 with bated breath. But exam season kind of has priority. As of... an hour or so after this post, Tyler will have just one final left, so 121 and 122 will follow in short order. Stay tuned.

It occurred to me earlier this week that there hasn't been a new RC promo in like a year and a half. So I wrote one up and did it. Those of you with podcasts of your own or those who just like my sexy, sexy voice, feel free to use this however you see fit.

From the New Zealand Herald (via Rangerboard) comes word that PR is canceled. Granted, the article contains a fair bit of Cowboy BeBop At His Computer, but it appears to be the real deal.

Seventeen years, 700-some episodes is a good run for any show. Now, the desperate among us may wonder if this is just the end of Ranger Productions and the NZ era. That may very well be the case, but prepare for these 32 episodes of RPM to be the last hurrah for a while.

And speaking of which, talk about timing. RPM premieres in Eastern time in about five hours. All this and more in Rangercast Episode 113: The Bittersweet Symphony, coming soon to a podcast feed near you.

The repair place said I should have my precious lappy back tomorrow-ish Saturday?....Sunday? Eventually? Yay.

Also, Rangercast kind of needs money. $10 Libsyn bills, new equipment, con trips... All of it weighs heavily on my bank account and my credit card. Ergo, I'm going to be auctioning off some of my stuff in the near future to help the cause. And because I'm not a total money-grubbing ass, a portion of the proceeds will be directed to WTMD, a Towson, Md.-based public (and online!) radio station. If you feel like donating directly via Paypal, the same applies.

Tyler is having some computer trouble, so the next episode of Rangercast is temporarily on hold. No, we don't know when we'll be back. Fate willing, sometime soon.

Yes, that JF finale stuff is still coming. We haven't had the chance to record yet, with everybody being everywhere and doing stuff these days. But we will! So hang tight, guys. We have no intention of resting on our laurels.

Also, I'm in the planning stages for the holiday show. Trying to do something fun like we've done in the past.

Hey yeah, RC100 is a pain in the ass to edit. I'm about...eh 60% done I'd say. Give me a few more days.

As for the charity giveaway, I'll record the drawing and you'll find out then. But thanks to everyone who gave. You guys rock, and I'll be making the $200 donation to ACS in the next couple days.

I got swamped with work from various sources and won't be able to get a show out this week. If you saw my to-do list, trust me, you'd believe me. But check back next weekend for twice the episode discussion and some pretty awesome news!

Oh hey, this is Rangercast, the first and most prolific Power Rangers podcast on the web.  We do news, reviews, discussions, rants, con reports, all sorts of stuff.  We just moved to libsyn so we just have episode 60 up here so far, but you can check out our other 59 episodes, most of them at least, at right here. Enjoy!