Beetleborgs: Difference between revisions

[[File:beetleborgs.jpg|frame|Just three typical, average kids.]]

 

 

Unlike ''Power Rangers'', this show made little attempt to be serious, being more light-hearted and comical (meaning that it makes even the early seasons of ''Power Rangers'' look like a Sam Peckinpah film). It also had a storyline completely different from its Japanese counteparts. It even aimed to a younger demographic, evidenced by the heroes [[Kid Appeal Character|being 9-10 years old]].

It starred three typical all-American kids: Drew McCormick, his sister Jo, and their [[Black Best Friend|best friend]] Roland Williams, whose family owns the local comic shop, where they spend most of their time. On a dare from some bullies, they go inside the local "[[Haunted House]]." Once inside, they free Flabber, a wacky ghost with Elvis Presley's hair, Jay Leno's chin, Liberace's wardrobe, and all just generally filtered through [[The Joker]], who had been imprisoned in the pipe organ. Flabber cannot thank the kids enough, so he offers to grant a wish for them. The three young comic book fans know what they want, and that is to be able to transform into their favorite superheroes, ''The Big Bad Beetleborgs''. Flabber grants their wish, and the children are given the power to turn into the heroes, but now that the heroes exist in the real world, [[Be Careful What You Wish For|the villains from the comic book likewise come to life]] [[Nice Job Breaking It, Hero|to spread chaos]] (via the [[Monster of the Week]]).

 

 

The second season had an exchange of villains and subsequently an exchange of costumes, with a new ally in the artist who created the comics and his evil brother working for the new bad guys. Slightly [[Darker and Edgier]] but nothing too shocking. The show remained relatively popular, but like ''[[Power Rangers]]'' the source footage eventually ran out. Unlike ''Rangers'', there was no follow-up series to adapt (well technically there was, but it was drastically different from the previous ''B-Fighter'' shows and was somehow even more kid-friendly than ''Beetleborgs'').

* [[Headless Horseman]]: In "Headless Over Heels", the Headless Horseman had an encounter with Wolfgang in the old country and allergies to him is what made him lose his head. When he arrives in Charterville looking for his head, he thought Wolfgang had it and tried to claim it back (or take the head of the other Hillhurst monsters). It turns out that Little Ghoul had his head which she used for bowling and ended up giving it back. Bolts were attached to the head to keep it from falling off again.

* [[Henshin Hero]]

* [[Invisibility]]: Josh, [[Visible Invisibility|complete with outline]]

* [[Japanese Beetle Brothers]], rounded out by a ladybug

* [[No Ending]]

* [[The Nth Doctor]]: Jo again, via magical mishap. Replacing the only girl with someone who looks nothing like her? Then do what Beetleborgs did, and say that a spell was placed on Jo which caused her to look and sound different, and then a ''second'' spell makes [[Muggles]] see her old self, but ''not'' the main characters (or viewer.) That's a smooth save right there.

*** As Drew's ''sister,'' it's hard to get rid of one without getting rid of the other, unless you went ''way'' too dark for this [[Lighter and Softer]] series and had her die - not gonna happen. It's far from the strangest magical mishap the show's ever had.

* [[Powered Armor]]

* [[Product Placement]]: Subversion. In the episode "It's a Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad World", take a look at the "Fountain Don't" bottles. They're like Mountain Dew.

* [[Psycho Rangers]]: The Mantrons

* [[Super Speed|Runs Like Nobody Can]]: Roland

* [[Scratch Damage]]: An unusual example if you think too hard about it. When Nukus appeared, the Beetleborgs stood no chance against him. Between their defeat and acquiring their Metallix powers, they learned a spell that let them turned into beetles, which they once used around Nukus. They had to distract him, so they bit his foot...making him yelp out in pain. I've never known a character who could shrug off laser blasts, but had a weakness to bug bites.

** This may have been due to it being a sneak attack, as oppose to the battle where he knew attacks was coming and blocked them.

* [[Spiritual Successor]]: Originally Saban planned to adapt ''B-Fighter'' into a third season of ''[[VR Troopers]]'', but they decided to start from scratch instead with a new Americanized adaptation of the ''[[Metal Heroes]]'' franchise.

* [[So Last Season]]: The change to Metallix

* [[Transformation Sequence]]

* [[Van Helsing Hate Crime]]: a preteen [[Vampire Hunter]] who sets his sights on Count Fangula.

* [[What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?]]: Josh didn't even get that much. No mecha, no signature weapon, he didn't even get a Sonic Laser. All he had was a [[Iron Man|repulsor blast type weapon in his hands]], and ''that'' was added by US production because there was little for him originally. His toy actually ''did'' get a Sonic Laser, but instead of a weapon of his own, he came with the Thunder Stinger, which, in-show, is only used by the Blue Stinger Borg's [[Super Mode]]. (Well, and [[Prop Recycling|a Machine Empire general. And Dr. K with some modification.]]) Of course, since Kabuto was a mere weapons salesman who actually ''gave'' the B-Fighters the Beet Ingram, this actually makes sense, but Americans had no way of knowing that. Still didn't get a toy of his Beetle Bonder though. Josh was a cool kid, but the White Blaster Borg was pretty much the most boring [[Sixth Ranger]] power set ever.

* [[Xtreme Kool Letterz]]: Metallix.