You know, looking back at these old 1994 shows makes me realize just how fast time really moves, which is exactly what Emperor Gorganus is trying to exploit in this third episode. This episode, titled “How Time Flies,” shows the big bad villain getting frustrated because his plans are taking too long, so he sends down a robed monster called the Sorcerer to speed up time on Earth. The way the show handles this is pure nineties cheese. You have seasons changing in seconds and the four Beverly Hills kids getting completely thrown off their game while that glowing snot blob, Nimbar, tries to keep their portal stable. It reminds me of those long, hot summer days back in school when you wished the clock would move faster, except here it is causing pure madness for the Galactic Sentinels.
The heart of the story focuses heavily on Swinton, the youngest and brightest nerd of the group. Because the portal is collapsing from the time warp, the older teens get cut off, leaving Swinton to use his brain to figure out the source of the acceleration. I can respect a story that gives the underdog his moment to shine. When they finally team up to fight the Sorcerer, the production value looks like it cost about ten dollars. They are jumping around in those tight spandex outfits, reusing the exact same action footage just to stretch out the runtime. They eventually have to form their big giant warrior, Nitron, to handle business, and the battle actually gets a bit interesting with the Sorcerer teleporting around and dodging their hits.
Honestly, watching this today makes me laugh because it is just so ridiculously low budget compared to Power Rangers. The actors spend half the time bickering like real spoiled children, which actually feels more authentic than the perfect heroes you usually see on television. It is a goofy piece of television history, but the lesson about Swinton stepping up when time was running out is a good little reminder that everyone has a role to play when things get hectic. If you can look past the rubber monster masks and the cheap looking sets, it is a fun trip down memory lane that does not take itself too seriously.
