In the 1990s, many ridiculous and extreme things took the world by storm. Comic characters got a lot more pockets and blades thanks to Rob Liefeld, the X Games began, and, in 1993, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers began its unstoppable franchise on TV.
While the show itself was cheap and got to go on thanks to the use of recycled footage from Japan’s Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger project, members of its initial group have managed to stand the test of time. Even today, people know Jason Lee Scott, Zack Taylor, Billy Cranston, Trini Kwan, Kimberly Hart, Tommy Oliver, and the rest, but not everyone recalls what happened to the people who brought these monster fighting teenagers “with attitude” to life and will largely do so again on the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always anniversary special debuting on Netflix tomorrow. Ultimately, it’s complicated and at times sad.
Jason David Frank (Tommy)
While Tommy Oliver was not in the premiere of the show way back in 1993, he did come into the picture before the first season concluded during a multi-part storyline where he was first evil before becoming good, and the original team’s leader. Frank would reprise the role in feature films and several other iterations of the franchise while making convention appearances, but was struggling behind the scenes in recent years with mental health issues. This culminated in his suicide last year and, in the wake of his death, his widow attributed part of the reason for the incident to him being the one to find his stepdaughter after she died.
Walter Emanuel Jones (Zack)
Jones played Zack Taylor on the show and was the show’s first Black ranger. In the time since the initial show ended he has appeared in projects like Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 and Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, albeit in insignificant roles. His most recent film was the House Party remake where he cameoed as himself, and, while Jones, Thuy Trang, and Amy Jo Johnson had to wear suits on the original show which were coded to Jones and Trang’s races and Johnson’s gender, respectively, he has in recent years disputed the idea this was deliberate. According to him, it was nothing more than awkward coincidence.
David Yost (Billy)
While David Yost’s Billy Cranston (who, contrary to myth, is not named for actor Bryan Cranston) will be appearing in the coming Netflix special, Yost’s connection to the franchise used to be tenuous and was at one point completely shattered. He alleged in interviews he left because he was bullied by the production crew for being gay and later said he experienced a psychiatric episode after an attempt at so-called “conversion therapy.” Now, he says he is glad he is open and his experiences have helped others who are in similarly hard spots and he often auctions off items online and gives the proceeds to worthy charities all over the place.
Amy Jo Johnson (Kimberly)
Johnson was one of the show’s stars who initially left and got replaced with another actress and character before the original run concluded. Her Kimberly Hart was the most sarcastic and witty of the original team and after leaving due to pursue other opportunities and over concerns about low pay, Johnson later said in interviews she had nightmares about the show but accepted what it means to people. Since being on the show, she has directed some projects and had a non-speaking cameo in the 2017 Power Rangers film. Johnson declined to appear in the Netflix reboot and says it was for personal reasons and not due to the pay.
Austin St. John (Jason)
The arguable rival to Jason David Frank’s Tommy Oliver for leadership of the team, Austin St. John’s Jason Scott was another one of the characters who was written out of the show alongside Kwan, Hart, and Taylor during its original run. After leaving the show, St. John found work as a paramedic while reprising his role as Jason on multiple other Ranger projects. His non-film work got him into trouble with an indictment last year alleging he stole over $400,000 from the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program, and, while he has pled not guilty, if convicted alongside others alleged to be co-conspirators, he could get years in prison.
Thuy Trang (Kwan)
Trang’s Trini Kwan may have insultingly been the yellow ranger on the show, but she was an actual trained martial artist in real life and was considered one of the smartest members of the group. After leaving the show, she had plans to appear in a number of other projects, but tragically, her life — which began as a refugee after the Vietnam War — ended on a California highway just before the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. The vehicle she was traveling in with fellow actress Angela Rockwood flipped multiple times before plunging down a bank and into a rock face. Kwan died while in transit to the hospital. She is fondly remembered by her surviving co-stars, and in the coming special, martial artist and Asian actress Charlie Kersh will be portraying Kwan’s daughter Minh as tribute.
It is clear the show does not have the same spirit today. However, it continues to inspire and move new and old fans and it’s clear even the darkest cloud can contain a silver lining and provide hope to those in need. If you want to watch once more, the original run of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is available to stream now on Netflix.
