This article is about a/an episode in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

Day of the Dumpster (pilot)
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Episode 1x00
Air date May 22, 1999
Written by Tony Oliver
Directed by Strathford Hamilton
Episode Guide
	next Day of the Dumpster

Plot

Five teenagers, who hang out in an average bowling alley, and occasionally use their karate skills to fend off a gang of mean bullies, are summoned to save the world by an intergalactic being named Zoltar. He gives them the power to become Power Rangers, and to call upon giant dinosaur robots called Droids to combat the forces of space witch Rita Repulsa.

Synopsis

The teens are hanging out at the bowling alley. Billy gives Trini some tips on getting a strike. Zack and Jason are clowning around, then turn their attention to Kimberly. The bowling ball slips out of her hands and onto a plate, getting food all over a nearby thug. The thug approaches Kimberly, and demands some form of payment, and Kimberly objects. A fight ensues, and Trini lays the thug out on the floor. Zack shows Bulk some of his moves, just before kicking him down. Jason takes over, and sends Bulk flying down the lane. Strike! Kimberly flips out, and sends the girl thug reeling. Even Billy gets in on the action, with a nice punch to the gut.

Meanwhile, on the moon, two astronauts open a mysterious container. The container holds Rita Repulsa, and she is now free. She wastes no time in attacking Earth. Zoltar senses that Rita has returned, and tells Alpha to initiate plan B. Alpha locates five worthy candidates to become Power Rangers, and teleports them to the Command Center. Zoltar explains to them the situation, and what they must do to defend Earth, giving them Transmorphers.

The teens aren't convinced, and they leave the Command Center. Rita sees them, and sends down Putties, who easily defeat the Rangers. Seeing it as their only escape, the Rangers pull out their Transmorphers. They are transformed for the first time into Power Rangers! They are teleported to downtown Angel Grove, where they fight an army of Putties. The monster Flyguy is transformed into a giant, and is accompanied by Goldar. The Rangers call on the Megazord, and destroy Flyguy, as Goldar flees the battle. Dino-mite! The Rangers celebrate their first victory back at the Command Center. A legend is born...

Guest Stars

• Audri DuBois as Trini. The character is different to the Trini Kwan that appeared in the TV show.
• David Fielding as Zoltar

Notes

• The first scene of the episode features a brief part of the song "Higher Ground" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, which was removed in the aired version. Ironically, this song would end up on the soundtrack for MMPR: The Movie two years later.
• Footage cut for The Lost Episode that appeared in the pilot includes numerous punches and kicks to the bad guys' heads - during the bully fight at the bowling alley, the unmorphed Putty fight, and the morphed Sentai Putty fight. The Sentai head-shots didn't end up appearing in the normal aired version of "Day of the Dumpster" either.
• Billy wears different glasses in this episode. They are the same glasses found in the picture on the back of the first five MMPR original VHS releases as well as some of the original posters released.
• Paul Schrier, who'll go on to play Bulk on the show for many years, has a small role as an unnamed bully with very wild hair.
• The only scene (aside from Sentai footage) from this pilot to make it into the final version of "Day Of The Dumpster" is the explosion in the desert when Rita fires at the teens as they walk away from the Command Center. Also, a close-up shot of the two confused Putties ends up appearing in "Foul Play In The Sky."
• When the teens are morphing the Zyurangers can be seen holding the glowing morphers in the background
• When Alpha 5 briefly informed the teenagers on Zoltar and his own backstory, Zack jokingly claimed he was a Ninja Turtle.
• The TV in the bowling alley shows an episode of Samurai Pizza Cats, an anime dubbed by Saban.

Goofs

• Goldar is supposed to be down on Earth, however when the scene cuts to Rita's moon base he can clearly be seen behind Rita who is about to throw her wand to Earth, which makes Goldar and Flyguy grow.

Location

• Bowling Alley
• Moon
• Moon Palace
• Command Center
• Angel Grove Desert
• Angel Grove City