We all know the Power Rangers, five teenagers with attitude that were selected by Zordon to defend Earth from Rita. Power Rangers has lasted for over 20 years with 800 episodes and counting, making it one of the longest running kids show on TV. 

Back in the 90’s, other TV productions studios wanted to jump on the bandwagon with their own show with kids fighting monsters and living their everyday lives.  USA networks did just that and in 1994 Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills premiered.

Like Power Rangers, the Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters were selected by an alien named Nimbar. They also had a command center and they too “morphed.” When I use the term "morph" think along the lines of Justin during the Turbo Rangers days. 

Unlike the Power Rangers, the Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters were summoned when their tattoos started glowing and a portal would open up for them to travel to their command center.  Also, while both Zordon and Nimbar were aliens, Nimbar was a glowing blob while Zordon was a floating head.

 

Tattooed Teenage Aliens Fighters premiered in 1994 and left the air in 1995.  It lasted 1 whole season with 40 episodes, thus making it a one season wonder and a show most people don’t remember today.

Nimbar selected four teenagers from Beverly Hills to become the Galactic Sentinels.  Each teenager was assigned a different sentinel and color. There was Laurie who became the Scorpio Sentinel in the green suit, Gordon who became the Taurus Sentinel in the black suit, Drew who became the Centaur Sentinel in the purple suit and last but not least Swinton who became the Apollo Sentinel in the Yellow Suit.  Each of them had a tattoo placed on them by Nimbar (which I remind you is a blob) by stretching a tentacle out of nowhere and touching their arm. Of course, as a teenager would be, they are happy about getting a tattoo, only to be told it would only appear once they are summoned. Yes you read that correctly, they were summoned by a flashing tattoo.

Once summoned, a portal would be opened by Nimbar for them to come to the command center and find out what the danger of the day was. Remember when I said think of Justin morphing from Turbo Rangers?  Here is why.  For the Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters to morph they stand a top what they called a Transo Disc and call out the name of the Sentinel.  When morphed they look nothing like their high school selves but a bunch of body builders in spandex suits, which made the fight scenes that much more ridiculous.

The fights were ridiculous on this show.  You can tell it was a low budget production when the fight scenes came on.  It was literally the same set used for each fight with cheap cardboard standees for the city skyline.

Each fight always started by Gorganus, the main villain, sending a monster to earth to destroy it.

The Sentinels would do battle and almost lose until they called upon Knightron the Ultimate Sentinel.  This same formula was used for all the shows.

No matter how campy the show was, it has always been one of my favorite shows.  Like I stated before, it is one that many don’t remember since it was on for only a short period of time. 

Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters does have enough of a following to allow for a DVD release in 2013 of the entire series, which I proudly own.

It may not be Power Rangers but gosh darn it I still love it just the same.  Also it helps that it has a catchy title track.