History WesternAnimation / AdventuresOfTheGalaxyRangers

To elaborate on the OpeningNarration: The peaceful aliens represent several planets who are endangered by [[TheEmpire The Crown Empire]], an interplanetary dictatorship headed by the tyrannical Queen of the Crown. Thanks to the hyperdrive, Earth begins to interact with alien worlds and colonize distant planets, which leads to a culture that resembles a futuristic version of TheWildWest. Unfortunately, it also leads to danger from spacegoing outlaws, as well as The Crown Empire, which wants to enslave every race it encounters--especially the human race. The crimefighting organization BETA (the [[FunWithAcronyms Bureau of Extra-Terrestrial Affairs]]) is formed to protect Earth from these threats. BETA's best-known agents are the Galaxy Rangers, four fearless "space cowboys" (well, [[TheSmurfettePrinciple one]] of them's a cow''girl'') who each have different powers provided by [[AppliedPhlebotinum Series Five brain implants]]. The Rangers are {{cyborg}} team leader '''Zachary Foxx''', shapeshifting CowboyCop '''Shane Gooseman''', [[PsychicPowers psychic]] ActionGirl '''Niko''', and [[DeadpanSnarker wisecracking]] TechnoWizard '''Walter "Doc" Hartford'''. More information about the Rangers, and their friends and enemies, is available at the [[Characters/AdventuresOfTheGalaxyRangers character sheet]].

This critically acclaimed 1986 series was the first of three animated {{Space Western}}s to air in America during the late [[TheEighties 1980s]]. [[note]]The others being ''WesternAnimation/{{Bravestarr}}'' and ''Anime/SaberRiderAndTheStarSheriffs'' (both premiering in 1987, a year after ''Rangers''), though one could argue that ''WesternAnimation/{{Silverhawks}}'' (1986) could be a Space Western as well.[[/note]]

This critically acclaimed 1986 series was the first of three animated {{Space Western}}s to air in America during the late [[TheEighties 1980s]] [[note]]The others being ''WesternAnimation/{{Bravestarr}}'' and ''Anime/SaberRiderAndTheStarSheriffs'' (both premiering in 1987, a year after ''Rangers''), though one could argue that ''WesternAnimation/{{Silverhawks}}'' (1986) could be a Space Western as well[[/note]].

* TalkingToHimself: Henry Mandell did an amazing amount of voices, especially for secondary characters. The Screen Actors Guild had rules for overtime, but being as Henry was the creator's brother...

* NamesTheSame: ''Galaxy Rangers'' is the international distribution name for ''Series/KyoryuSentaiZyuranger'', as can be seen in the closing credits of its American adaptation ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers''.
** The Andorians, who have no relation to the blue guys from ''Franchise/StarTrek''.
** The Kiwis are neither a hairy-skinned fruit, a funny-looking bird, nor are they from UsefulNotes/NewZealand.

* DuelingShows: ''Galaxy Rangers'' beat its SpaceWestern competitors, ''WesternAnimation/{{Bravestarr}}'' and ''Anime/SaberRiderAndTheStarSheriffs'', to the American airwaves by a year--not that it made any difference in the ratings.

* BountyHunter

* CharacterFocus: Atypically for the era, the show made a habit of it. "Phoenix" centers on Zachary, and only introduces the other three Rangers with a single line of dialogue each at the end. "Galaxy Stranger" is a love letter to Creator/ClintEastwood movies, focused exclusively on Shane. "Ariel" delves into Niko's background. The final episode, "Heartbeat" is a prolonged AwesomeMoment for Doc.

* CharacterFocus: Atypically for the era, the show made a habit of it. "Phoenix" centers on Zachary, and only introduces the other three Rangers with a single line of dialogue each at the end. "Galaxy Stranger" is a love letter to ClintEastwood movies, focused exclusively on Shane. "Ariel" delves into Niko's background. The final episode, "Heartbeat" is a prolonged AwesomeMoment for Doc.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Shane resembles ClintEastwood, Doc resembles Billy Dee Williams, the Queen resembles the Queen from ''Disney/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs'', Eve Weiner resembles {{Madonna}}, and Q-Ball resembles Paul Shaffer, DavidLetterman's bandleader.

* MasterComputer: The Heart of Tarkon. Atypically for the trope, the device is benevolent; it runs the planet's defenses.

This critically acclaimed 1986 series was the first of three animated {{Space Western}}s to air in America during the late [[TheEighties 1980s]] [[note]]The others being ''WesternAnimation/{{Bravestarr}}'' and ''Anime/SaberRiderAndTheStarSheriffs'' (both premiering in 1987, a year after the Galaxy Rangers); though one could argue that ''WesternAnimation/{{Silverhawks}}'' (1986) could be a Space Western as well[[/note]].

This critically acclaimed 1986 series was the first of three animated {{Space Western}}s to air in America during the late [[TheEighties 1980s]] [[note]](The others being BraveStarr and SaberRiderAndTheStarSheriffs (both premiering in 1987, a year after the Galaxy Rangers); though one could argue the SilverHawks (1986) could be a Space Western as well.). [[/note]]

This critically acclaimed 1986 series was the first of three animated {{Space Western}}s to air in America during the late [[TheEighties 1980s]][[note]]The others being [[Bravestarr Brave Starr]] and [[Anime:SaberRiderandtheStarSherriffs Saber Rider]] (both premiering in 1987, a year after the Galaxy Rangers); though one could argue the [[Silverhawks Silver Hawks]] (1986) could be a Space Western as well.[[/note]].

This critically acclaimed 1986 series was the first of three animated {{Space Western}}s to air in America during the late [[TheEighties 1980s]][[note]]The others being [[Bravestarr Bravestarr]] and [[SaberRiderandtheStarSherriffs Saber Rider]] (both premiering in 1987, a year after the Galaxy Rangers); though one could argue the [[Silverhawks Silverhawks]] (1986) could be a Space Western as well.[[/note]].

This critically acclaimed 1986 series was the first of three animated {{Space Western}}s to air in America during the late [[TheEighties 1980s]][[note]]The others being [[Bravestarr]] and [[Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs]] (both premiering in 1987, a year after the Galaxy Rangers); though one could argue the Silverhawks (1986) could be a Space Western as well.[[/note]].

This critically acclaimed 1986 series was the first of three animated {{Space Western}}s to air in America during the late [[TheEighties 1980s]].

* AngstWhatAngst: For a guy who is supposedly obsessed with saving his wife from her FateWorseThanDeath, Zachary Foxx spends most of the show going about his business with a just-another-day-at-the-office-attitude, with just about everyone from Zachary to the show's own ''writers'' forgetting about the subplot of his wife.

* Angst?WhatAngst?: For a guy who is supposedly obsessed with saving his wife from her FateWorseThanDeath, Zachary Foxx spends most of the show going about his business with a just-another-day-at-the-office-attitude, with just about everyone from Zachary to the show's own ''writers'' forgetting about the subplot of his wife.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Compared to its contemporaies like ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse'' and ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats'', and even rival SpaceWestern series like ''WesternAnimation/{{BraveStarr}}'' and ''Anime/{{Saber Rider|AndTheStarSheriffs}}''. Several of the writers had backgrounds in horror writing, and the lack of a toy company's backing allowed for greater creative freedom. Many of the critic reviews for the series point out the contrast in tone from other cartoons of the era. See WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids on [[YMMV/AdventuresOfTheGalaxyRangers the YMMV page]].

For a kid-oriented AnimatedSeries from TheEighties that had a breakdancing robot in it, ''Galaxy Rangers'' has earned a surprising amount of respect from adult fans. The show was sophisticated for an American AnimatedSeries of its time, and between the involvement of TMSEntertainment and the epic storylines, it had an {{Animesque}} feel that few of its competitors could match. Even now, it still has a solid fanbase.

* AnimationBump: Mandell [[ExploitedTrope cleverly exploited this Trope]]. He had access to three {{TMS}} animation teams: the expensive and high-quality "A" team [[note]]Telecom Animation Film, which spent most of their time with Creator/{{Disney}} and on ''Anime/{{Little Nemo|Adventures in Slumberland}}'' during this period[[/note]], the "B" team that balanced price and quality [[note]]{{AIC}} of ''TenchiMuyo'' fame, under TMS's contract[[/note]], and the "C" team that was cheapest at the expense of quality [[note]]MizoPlanning in Korea, as this and the ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales'' episode "Catch As Cash Can Part 3" were some of the first things that TMS shipped off to Korea under their contract[[/note]]. Mandell handed out the {{Drama Bomb}}s and MythArc-critical episodes to the "A" team, the moderate quality episodes to the "B" team, and the episodes of questionable merit to the "C" team.

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: While many of the AbsenteeActor episodes were deliberate, some of it was to shoot around ''[[WesternAnimation/{{Thundercats}} [=ThunderCats=]]]'' and ''DirtyDancing''.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Compared to its contemporaies like ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse'' and ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats'', and even rival SpaceWestern series like ''WesternAnimation/{{BraveStarr}}'' and ''Anime/{{Saber Rider|AndTheStarSheriffs}}''. Several of the writers had backgrounds in horror writing, and the lack of a toy company's backing allowed for greater creative freedom. Many of the critic reviews for the series point out the contrast in tone from other cartoons of the era. See WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids

* DarkerAndEdgier: Compared to its contemporaies like ''HeMan'' and ''WesternAnimation/{{Thundercats}}'', and even rival SpaceWestern series like ''WesternAnimation/{{BraveStarr}}'' and ''Anime/{{Saber Rider|AndTheStarSheriffs}}''. Several of the writers had backgrounds in horror writing, and the lack of a toy company's backing allowed for greater creative freedom. Many of the critic reviews for the series point out the contrast in tone from other cartoons of the era. See WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids