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VR Troopers: Difference between revisions
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VRT's suits were a vast departure from those of [[Power Rangers]] and the like: instead of [[Clothes Make the Superman|suiting up a human]], the Troopers were actually transformed into robot forms that were created from scratch in virtual reality. If damaged in Trooper form, they had to be repaired as machines before they could return to human form.
The show has a rather interesting production history, to say the least: originally a vehicle for [[Mighty Morphin Power Rangers|Jason David Frank]], an unaired pilot was both shot and sold to several stations, who proceeded to buy it due to the popularity of Power Rangers , but at the last minute Saban decided to bring JDF back to PR, which meant that the starring role had to be recast with Brad Hawkins (who was originally set to play the White Ranger in the second season of ''Mighty Morphin''), although the show by that point was deemed highly unsalvageable and was filmed only for contractual obligations with the TV stations who had already bought the series. To the surprise of many, the first season was actually quite successful and a second season was soon green-lighted by Saban. However, during the second season all the ''Metalder'' action footage ran out and Saban was forced to use footage from a third and drastically different (and much older) show for the Ryan Steele segments. Eventually all the remaining ''Spielban'' footage, as well most of the ''Shaider'' footage, were used up too.
Saban picked up the rights to a fourth ''Metal Hero'' series ''[[Juukou B-Fighter]]'', but rather than risk alienating the show's fan-base by changing the entire team's costumes and motifs like they did with ''[[Power Rangers Zeo]]'', they decided to start fresh with a new Americanized version, ''[[Beetleborgs]]'', resulting in the cancellation of ''VR Troopers''.
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* [[Brainwashed and Crazy]]: Red Python, Dark Heart.
* [[Butt Monkey]]: Percy, courtesy of Jeb.
* [[By the Power of Greyskull]]: "Trooper Transform! [[Punctuated!
* [[Calling Your Attacks]]: Every weapon or tool was activated by saying "[gadget name] command, now!" Even returning to human form was "Retro-form command, now!"
* [[Catch Phrase]]: Woody: "What an ideeeeee-a!", Ryan and JB: "See Ya!"
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* [[Luke, I Am Your Father]]: When we finally got to meet the famous Tyler Steele, we didn't know it was him at first.
* [[Made of Iron|Made of Steele]]: ...and in that arc, he really earns his last name. ''Ouch.''
* [[Matter Replicator]]: Apparently the Virtual World works like this.
* [[Monster of the Week]]: In the first season, the goons seen in Grimlord's court were ''all'' monsters who'd eventually get to be the monster of an episode. Since stock footage was used for some villains' base scenes, previously defeated monsters were often right there to greet Grimlord as he arrived, just like last week... and some would do battle again, with or without their past demises [[Hand Wave|Handwaved]]. Many monsters were seen multiple times, with his personal favorites kept into the second season. (Most egregious example: Air Striker. This helicopter-based monster was sent nearly every episode, destroyed nearly every episode, and always came back for more.) Of course, given the fact that they're computer-generated creations, he can simply recreate any monster he likes.
* [[Mooks]]: The Skugs. With the ability to shapeshift, they frequently approached in the form of civilians. Karl Ziktor's female assistants were Skugs, and so was his main underling, Strickland (who acted like a Skug while looking human if no one who wasn't already in the know was around. Creepy.) As Skugs are often destroyed, there have in fact been many assistants and Stricklands. In Season 1, they're upgraded to Ultra Skugs, and female Mooks called Vixens added.
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* [[Stock Footage]]: Both footage from its ''[[Metal Heroes]]'' forebears and internally-reused footage.
* [[Strictly Formula]]: Ryan talks about his dad ---> The Troopers are having a normal day ---> Jeb does something to Percy ---> Grimlord hatches a plan ---> The Troopers fight Skugs, and then go to deal with the [[Monster of the Week]] ---> Ryan is separated from the others due to footage restraints ---> Monster killed ---> Grimlord declares vengeance and shakes his fist ---> Jeb does something to Percy ---> Ryan sums up the episode. This is usually how episodes go.
* [[Stunt Double]]: When the actors are oddly dressed in '80s clothing for certain scenes in an episode, anticipate the show using footage of the Japanese actors as this in the very next shot.
* [[Technology Marches On]]: Obviously, some of the Virtual Reality concepts are dated, but one noticeable instance has Ryan commenting on how it would be great if the team could communicate while still far away. Professor Hart gives them Gameboy-looking communicators, but if the show was set in modern times, this could have easily been solved by a cell phone. Even though they had cell phones back then, the batteries were unreliable.
* [[Token Trio]]: The three protagonists, duh.
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* [[Transformation Trinket]]: The Virtualizer pendants worn by the Troopers.
* [[Villain with Good Publicity]]: Ziktor. Good enough to keep people from suspecting he's Grimlord, at least. He's still disliked for his polluting ways.
* [[Virtual Worlds]]
* [[Where the Hell Is Springfield?|Where the Hell Is Crossworld City?]]
* [[Zeerust]]: The show was made when Virtual Reality was the "Wave of the Future." Now, at least in the form it's seen in the show, it's more of an artifact that anything else.
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