Power Rangers Ninja Storm producer speaks out.

[Jason]

Okay so it's another Power Rangers thread (but I'm not the only who starts them ). Anyway, Douglas Sloan the much despised Executive Producer on Power Rangers Ninja Storm recently visited AFPR to answer questions and boy was flamed by the so called Power Ranger fans.
Anyway for the other PR fans here are some of the comments he posted in a kind of Question and Answer session: (some of the comments/questions by fans have been reworded since they were like full paragraphs each, however the answers are his direct quotes).
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PR Fans:
Power Rangers Ninja Storm is awful, you have ruined the show !

If you hate the show that much, why do you watch it? I don't get it.
And why do you continue to personally attack me? You guys don't like the show, you don't like the characters, or the storylines, and you definitely don't like me. It bums me out, cause I used to like talking to fans and answering questions about the show, past present and future. This experience has pretty much killed it for me.
It's a drag, cause some of you have intelligent things to say. But at this point it's not worth wading through all the attitude. Anyway, enough bitching and moaning. Enjoy the show, or don't. Good luck to you.

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PR Fans:
Why do the Rangers in Power Rangers Ninja Storm have such awful sounding slang ?

Come to an X games or a Supercross Race or a Surfing comp in CA, where the show is set, and you will hear nothing but people who talk like these guys do. We do action sports movies and shows. This is our milieu. "Johnny Tsunami", "Motocrossed", SK8. So we know the crowd. I race MX every weekend, so I'm around it all the time. Trust me, this is pretty right on.

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PR Fans:
Why are some of the jokes in Power Rangers Ninja Storm so bad ?

The kids laugh. What can I say. They also want more slime and goop jokes. Be glad we're trying to steer clear of that. Humor is subjective. You don't like it? Sorry. What can I tell you. We do the best we can.

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PR Fans:
Why is the dubbing so bad in some scenes ?

Growing pains. You know how technically hard this show is better than anyone. It's a nightmare. We had to change composers already, bring in a new ADR person. It's really tough. But it'll get there. I promise.

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PR Fans:
But surely the bad dubbing must really distract the kids when they are watching ?

You're wrong. The kids don't notice. We just tested an early ep with some definite ADR glitches. They didn't care at all. You guys care because you are all good friends of Scott Page. I am too. I love the guy. We play music once a month, I played on his album. He's great. The bottom line is, with ADR, if you watch the first MMPR eps, it was awful there too. The NZ folks are getting up to speed. It is getting better every week. Give it a chance. PR is technically one of the most complex shows there are. So much goes into it. You have to give people time. There's a learning curve.

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PR fans:
You not going to like this but Ann Austen is an awful writer who consistently makes bad episodes. Will Jackie Marchand be writing more episodes ?

You're right. Not happy to hear that. But you have to understand something. All episodes, good or bad, come through Ann and I. We are the final stop before the show airs. So no matter what writer you think you like or don't like, it probably isn't all their fault, or all to their credit. Jackie is a great writer. I agree. So is Ann. She is an award winning writer and one of the original Fox execs responsible for MMPR ever getting on the air. Without her there might not even have been a Power Rangers.

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PR Fans:
Why is Ninja Storm so different to past seasons when Jonathen Tzachor was producer ?

I'll grant you, it's definitely different. I'm not going to slam Jonathan's show. He did what he did. We do what we do. We're different people, working for very different people. All we can do is try to make the show work the best we know how for the kids that are our core audience. Ann and I have had a lot of success away from the show appealing to that group. Regardless of what the older people might think, we know what we're doing when it comes to the little ones. (And because ratings dipped one week during national pre emptions due to war coverage, doesn't mean the kids aren't watching it.)

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PR Fans:
Is it true you wanted to start fresh with continuity this season ?

You're asking me about continuity from one season to the next? I assume that the feeling you all have is that because of the whole urban legend thing, we are completely discounting all prior incarnations of the show. Remember, I got my start on this show. I've written and directed a ton of them. Why would I discount it. I love the old shows. LOVE THEM. I think we all just wanted to start fresh. Did it kill the show? I mean seriously, did it?

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PR Fans:
Why didn't you hire any American actors to work on the show ?

It's a New Zealand Production and a non SAG show now. Most American actors are SAG.

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PR Fans:
Why did ABC refuse to air "Snip it, Snip it Good" ?

All I can tell you is that completely agree with them pulling it. There was stuff in there that, considering world events, needed to come out. It was a shame, but I stand behind the decision.

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PR Fans:
Will there be a Wild Force teamup ?

Sorry, no plans for a team up this year. Too tough with the flights to NZ and all. But next year is a different story.

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PR Fans:
So does that mean you'll be changing casts again for the next season ?

Not necessarily. No decision yet on that. We'll no more toward the end of May. If it is a new cast, then for sure we'll consider the team up. Providing we can get the actors to come back from Australia and Canada. You want to have all or none. i would love to keep all of the cast, to be honest. It's the only group I've ever had on any show or movie where every one of them still likes each other and still wants to hang out all the time. They are amazing. Really nice guys and girls. I'd love to do another season with them.

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PR Fans:
Lothor seemed to just show up out of nowhere. Will we ever find out his backstory ?

All will be revealed soon. Look for eps 16 through 18 to explain a lot. It'll all become clear as the season progresses. I promise you. Before the summer it'll all be out in the open.

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PR Fans:
Why are all the villains in Ninja Storm so goofy ? It would be nice if we had one of villains act
serious like Zedd, Ransik, Master Org.

I really liked Zedd as well. But remember, he had Rita, Goldar and Rito as afoil. They were goofy as hell. I guess your point is that the main guy should be really menacing. We'll definitely take it into account for next year.

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PR Fans:
Next season we'll see Power Rangers reach 500 episodes. Are there any special plans for this episode ?

We're thinking about it already. Nothing in stone yet.

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General Comments about the anti Power Rangers stuff going around:

I don't get where all the anger and venom comes from. We're only trying to make a show that kids will respond to and enjoy. I know my 5 year old God son, Hunter, loves it. So for me, I'm doing my job.
I know there are those of you who really love the oldshow, who grew with it. The problem is that we really do have to find an equalground to serve our young audience and still make it interesting for you guys.
We do the best we can. if we don't succeed sometimes, i apologize for that. We do try. That's all anyone can do.
We're doing everything in our power to make the show better every day. We're not perfect, but we're trying. Hopefully you'll all be able to find something that you're into. If not, there's always the remote.

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[Voltron]

"Power Ranger fans have intelligent things to say"
I can't imagine that in this day and age. Originally the show was pretty cool ONLY because it was so mindless. The show has become a joke now. I heard the word "Ninja" in the title and knew that they were going to ruin it some how. Way to go butt face, no one can ruin a story with Ninjas; but you managed to do so. This guy should be paddled till his ass bleeds.

[That Matt Guy]

The only thing the show needs is Bulk and Skull.

[GK Punk]

Originally Posted by Matthew138

The only thing the show needs is Bulk and Skull.

[Shellfox]

500, better not be some cheese cop out, granted not having the past seasons makes it hard, but it better be up near Forever Red in memorably, like Having Bulk, Skull and Drangon Zord killing Cam and/Or some thing that resmbles Circit

[Jason]

Well he confirmed that Ninja Storm will be only 38 episodes (shortest ever PR season) and that he was writing the final episodes right now and then he'll be started on the next series (based on Abaranger). The title for the new series will be announced in June at the New York toy fair.
Mr. Sloan also recently visited PRC and made a post there where he said the following to PR fans:

Since this morning I have been getting tons of E-mails from great fans like yourselves who want to offer advice and words of encouragement. I really appreciate that, and please know, I always have time for you. You are the ones who were there in the beginning when this goofy kids show took over the planet, and you have stuck with it. You have to remember one thing...I am a fan as well. So are Ann, and Jackie and our whole staff. We love Power Rangers, care about it, want it to be the best it can be. We do what we think is right. The bottom line with this business is that you can't please everyone. There are those who will hate it no matter what we do, cause it's not their vision of what the show should be. For that, I am sorry. There was a great episode of Seinfeld where Elaine was the only one who hated "The English Patient", the movie that won all those Oscars that year. I always look at that and laugh, cause it tells you the bottom line is, you can never get all of them. Someone ain't gonna like what you do! That's what's so great about it, though! I love the passion for the show, positive or negative. It means someone cares. So rather than saying to these few people..."I don't come into Burger King and tell you how to cook the fries", I listen and try to understand.

Anyway, hope this finds you all well, and looking forward to what we have coming up. It's going to get better every week. I promise. For those of you who don't like the show, maybe this means it's gonna get worse...I don't know. Have a great day, you guys.

He kind of made a good point about how some people will always hate the show no matter what, which is a shame I guess, since they won't ever get to see how great it is.

[That Matt Guy]

Once again: BRING BACK BULK AND SKULL!

[Shellfox]

I hated todays ep, all fight no story (yet had it been a turtle ep it would be a dream come true)