(Photo Credit: Shout! Factory / Saban Brands)
The Power Rangers franchise is easily one of the biggest successes in the history of children’s entertainment, going from concept to cultural phenomenon in lightning speed. For 30 seasons, the series ran across a succession of networks and inspired four feature-length films. This includes a cinematic reboot in 2017. There’s yet another reboot on the horizon for Disney+.
The series was the brainchild of Haim Saban, who became fascinated with the Super Sentai subgenre while in Japan. It took Saban the better part of a decade to get his idea for an adapted Super Sentai show on the air. Despite the reservations of both American and Japanese television executives, Power Rangers proved a big success.
Best Power Rangers series as of March 2026
There is considerable debate among fans as to which seasons of the Power Rangers are the best. Further complicating the question is the fact that very few of the shows could honestly be called bad. However, there are some series which are generally agreed to be the best, even if the exact ranking may differ. The following list compiles those seasons in chronological order.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1993)
In a small California town, five teenagers are chosen by Zordon to become the Power Rangers. They’re tasked with defending Earth from the evil Rita Repulsa and her army of monsters. Armed with (mostly) dinosaur-themed powers — Yellow gets the indomitable Saber-Tooth Tiger — and massive mechanical Zords, they balance saving the world with surviving high school.
Mighty Morphin was unlike anything that had been seen before. This was the series that created the formula for the Rangers series to come. And as plenty of us remember, this was the series that became a full-blown global pop culture phenomenon. Of course, beyond ushering in a new wave of live-action superhero action, what really carries the series is the cast. The chemistry between the Rangers gives the show its heart, grounding all the monster-of-the-week madness in something genuinely watchable. And while later seasons would refine and expand the universe, there’s something undeniably iconic about this original lineup.
Power Rangers Zeo (1996)
A direct continuation of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Power Rangers Zeo picks up after the events of the original series, with the Rangers gaining new powers tied to the mysterious Zeo Crystal. As a new threat rises in the form of the Machine Empire, the team must adapt to stronger enemies, upgraded technology, and a slightly more mature world around them.
It may not always get the same level of recognition as its predecessor, but Zeo deserves credit for proving the series could continue beyond its original premise. The team is also tight. It’s a confident next step, and for a lot of fans, an underrated favorite.
Power Rangers In Space (1998)
The Alliance of Evil had seemingly triumphed in their efforts to conquer Earth. Beyond capturing the Power Rangers’ mentor, Zordon, they destroyed the team’s Zords. Despite this, four of the now powerless Rangers chased after Zordon in a borrowed shuttle, though they had little idea what challenges awaited them.
Enter Andros, the Red Space Ranger and another pupil of Zordon. Though initially skeptical of the Rangers from Earth, Andros realized he would not be able to rescue Zordon alone. He gave the former Turbo Rangers Astro Morphers, reviving the line of Space Rangers. Thus began a new age with a new team, protecting Earth while seeking to rescue Zordon.
Power Rangers In Space represented a quantum leap in the series mythology. While the Rangers had traveled to other worlds before, their adventures were largely confined to Earth. Beyond the expanded setting, Power Rangers in Space was defined by more complex writing. The serialized story required viewers to keep up with an ongoing plot and to watch the episodes in a set order. This indicated a growing maturity that mimicked that of the audience, who had grown into young adulthood watching the series.
Lightspeed Rescue (2000)
We know we might be a little delusional for adding this to our entry picks, but there’s something to be said for this series for doing something different, even if it might not make peak-tier on every fan’s list. Plus, its theme song was a flat-out banger. Based on Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoFive, this was the first time we saw adults in these roles, trained first responders defending the Earth against an army of demons.
This entry is slightly underrated and doesn’t show up on best-of lists as often as we’d like. Still, this is a solid series. The audience score sits comfortably in “good,” and we have to hand it to them for finding a way to mature the series without losing what we love about it. These five rangers were recruited for their specific skill sets, which makes everything feel a little more realistic. And as first responders, they’re not just saving the world in high-stakes battles — they’re also rescuing people from burning buildings. From feats big to small, this team is one of our favorites. Also, Carter Grayson as Red. ’Nuff said.
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Time Force (2001)
A gang of criminals led by the mutant Ransik escaped from prison in the year 3000. In the process, they killed Time Force Ranger Alex Drake and traveled back in time to the year 2001. They were hotly pursued by a team of four Time Force Rangers, led by Jennifer Scotts – the fiancée of Alex Drake.
Upon arrival in 2001, the Time Rangers learned their Morphers were DNA locked and none of them could transform without their leader. This required them to find one of Alex’s ancestors, whose DNA would be close enough to work. They found Wesley Collins, a socialite who coincidentally was the spitting image of Alex Drake. Taking on the mantle of the Red Time Force Ranger, Wesley joined the future heroes in trying to recapture Ransik and restore the timeline.
Power Rangers: Time Force marked another highwater mark for the franchise’s writing. Beyond having a serialized story, the plot drew deeply upon the physics and consequences of time travel. The heroes had to deal not only with the changes the villains made but also the morality of the changes they made, accidentally and intentionally.
Additionally, Power Rangers: Time Force had a surprisingly mature love triangle centering around Wesley, Alex and Jennifer. While initially dismissive of Wesley, Jennifer found herself falling for the newbie Ranger as he grew into a hero. Conversely, Alex (who was eventually resurrected by one paradox) became a colder, more demanding figure. This sort of emotionally complex storyline helped solidify this series of Power Rangers as something young adults could enjoy unashamedly.
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Dino Thunder (2004)
Power Rangers: Dino Thunder was something of a return to form for the franchise. This was most clearly represented by the switch back to dinosaurs as a power source for the Rangers. However, the series was also a continued evolution of the core concept, with characters who actually grew as the series progressed.
The action is initiated by a new villain called Mesogog; a dinosaur man who wishes to destroy humanity and give Earth back to the dinosaurs. When his monstrous creations start to menace the town of Reefside, California, it falls to a new team of three teenagers with attitude to save the world. They do this with the aid of the Dino Gems, which were being researched by their science teacher, “Dr. O.” Little do they know that Dr. O is Tommy Oliver; a former Power Ranger.
Dino Thunder continued the trend of more complex characterization that began with earlier series. For instance, Conner McKnight, the new Red Ranger, starts the show as a sexist jock. As the show goes on, he slowly learns to treat everyone with respect. However, Dino Thunder also honored the roots of the Power Rangers and the theme of legacy. This was best represented by Jason David Frank‘s return as Tommy Oliver and his mentoring a new White Ranger who also ran the risk of being corrupted by his powers.
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Power Rangers: SPD (2005)
By the year 2025 in the reality of Power Rangers, Earth had openly made contact with alien beings and allowed them to live on Earth. Unfortunately, there were alien criminals and despots who saw Earth as ripe for the plucking. To deal with these threats to humanity, Space Patrol Delta (SPD) was formed.
When the A-Squad of SPD is sent to fight the invading Troobian Empire, a new B-Squad is activated to defend Earth. However, due to the Delta Morphers’ DNA locks, the SPD takes the unusual move of recruiting two thieves who are the children of former SPD Rangers. This leads to a fractured team of Power Rangers, made up of former criminals and cadets from the SPD Academy.
Power Rangers: SPD was a controversial series for a number of reasons. Chief among them were the pure science-fiction setting and a scaling back of the serialized storylines. Purists were also upset by the larger cast and the recruitment of criminals into the team. However, many fans appreciated the redemption theme and found the idea of the Rangers as police officers rather than vigilantes a novel twist on the classic formula.
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Power Rangers: RPM (2009)
In a not-so-distant future, artificial intelligence has taken over the Earth. An army of robots created by the sentient computer virus Venjix has destroyed or enslaved most of humanity. Only the free city of Corinth remains, with the rest of Earth now a toxic wasteland. Defending Corinth is a new team of Power Rangers, backed by technology designed by the mysterious Doctor K.
Power Rangers: RPM was another divergence from the usual formula. Indeed, the entire series had to be retroactively declared to take place in another dimension. However, the post-apocalyptic setting and strong character development helped save the franchise after several years of stagnation.
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Dino Charge (2015)
Maybe one of our favorites, Dino Charge feels like a return to form for the franchise. Built around the discovery of powerful Energems scattered across the Earth, a new team of Rangers is assembled to keep them out of the hands of intergalactic bounty hunters. With dinosaur-themed powers (a classic for a reason), the series is refreshingly adventurous, and the risks make for a good payoff. The bump in acting, stunts, storylines, and villains also helps make this one of the better series in the franchise. We’re not saying it’s the absolute best of the whole series, but it’s certainly is in the running for the best of the New Saban era.
Power Rangers Cosmic Fury (2023)
The only modern entry we can recommend without too much hesitation is Cosmic Fury, which is technically the third season of Dino Fury. You don’t really need that connection to feel it wrapping something up. Picking up with a more serialized, space-faring story, the Rangers take the fight beyond Earth as they face off against one of the franchise’s most persistent threats.
There’s a real sense that the show knows it’s closing a chapter. Netflix originally offered 20 episodes, but Hasbro ultimately opted for 10. You can feel a bit of that compression — there are moments where it’s clearly trying to squeeze everything in — but it also does a solid job of trimming the excess. In doing so, it draws on threads from previous seasons while still landing an ending that feels intentional and gives us a good nostalgic gut punch. It’s not perfect, but it’s done with the consideration modern Power Rangers hasn’t always been. It’s as solid as we could hope for a send-off. At least for now, that is.
How we chose the Best Power Ranger Series
Two key factors were considered in composing this list of the Best Power Rangers Series. The first was what effect the series had upon developing the franchise as a whole. The second factor, conversely, was whether the series successfully attempted something new that redefined the conventions of what came before.
