Comedy site Funny or Die has released the first of at least two parts of a video series titled Mystic Cosmic Patrol, a parody series preying on the nostalgia and cheesiness of those who loved Power Rangers.
Founded in 2007 by Will Ferrell and his Anchorman/Talladega Nights/Step Brothers director Adam McKay, Funny or Die has been an outlet for all sorts of comedic videos and short series for a decade. The sheer amount of videos that the site uploads have led to a shaky hit and miss ratio, but the popularity that some of their best efforts have afforded them has allowed the creative minds to branch out and take some chances. While not all of their videos may work, there's ambition in their work that is appreciated.
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Their latest video series, titled Mystic Cosmic Patrol, is a raunchier, more comedic and self-referential take on nostalgic kids show Power Rangers. The first episode, seven minutes in length, has the titular group up against a formidable and rancid foe in an anthropomorphic and bacteria-based toilet. Sent there by the evil Ratina (this parody's version of Rita Rapusla), the cosmic patrol are interrupted from an argument over the transformation of their faithful robot (their version of Alpha) into Martini-Bot. The toilet is looking to take on the team for their lack of good aim when using him, a deadly and dirty Power-Tron, to challenge the Cosmic Patrol.
Honestly, the parody of Mystic Cosmic Patrol is not much more outlandish than the original Power Rangers, which has always earned its charm from an inherent over-the-top, bizarrely creative tone. This is certainly a little more over the top then the original series, but the tone and lack of budget remain intact. It's hard to discern the line between parody and straight lack of trying, and Mystic Cosmic Patrol only slightly blurs the difference. The team has all of the same archetypes but with some deviation; for example, the Pink Ranger is a heavy-set man, and the attractive blonde female lead is a drunk.
Unfortunately, there's not a lot of laughs to be had in the video, other than the initial novelty of how cheap the production budget for the videos are. Beyond that, there are a lack of actual jokes in the video that are concerning for what is supposed to amount to be a parody, as any kind of humor comes from the recognition of the Power Rangers archetypes that they are lightly satirizing. Hopefully the payoff from the future videos in the series will make Mystic Cosmic Patrol a more enjoyable experience.
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Source: Funny or Die