History WesternAnimation / AdventuresOfTheGalaxyRangers

* HeroesWantRedheads: Goose and Niko, [[DependingOnTheArtist when the colorists remember she's a redhead]] (she often appears to be a brunette). Not that he's [[ChickMagnet exclusive in his affections]], as he and RoguesGallery member Daisy O'Mega were pretty shameless in "Renegade Rangers."
** Shane's not the only one with a thing for redheads. Eliza was also auburn-haired.
*** More likely Niko is probably meant to be a brunette with the occasional red headed shading being a gaff - most of the advertising and promotional material portrays her as a brunette and in one episode when Niko, jealous over blonde Princess Maia flirting with Goose, asks him if he could ever really love a woman like that, Goose teases Niko by replying "I like brunettes."

* 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]]Creator/{{AIC}} of ''Anime/TenchiMuyo'' fame, under TMS's contract[[/note]] and the "C" team that was cheapest at the expense of quality.[[note]]Creator/MizoPlanning in Korea, as this and the ''WesternAnimation/{{DuckTales|1987}}'' 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.

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* OffModel: See the Animation Bump entry for more information.

* {{Revival}}: In 2011 ''Galaxy Rangers''' current co-owners, Entertainment One, attempted to bring the show back, hiring artist Grant Gould to do some character designs. While the revival attempt never got out of development hell, you can see Gould's designs [[https://www.deviantart.com/grantgoboom/gallery/34595659/Galaxy-Rangers here]].

->''"Rangers Are Forever!"''

->''"Rangers Ride Forever!"''

* AbsenteeActor: Atypically for cartoons from TheEighties, there are several episodes in which one or more of the Rangers don't appear--and at least one ("Mothmoose") in which none of them appear. Sometimes used for dramatic tension, like in "Mistwalker" where a different Ranger's skills would have been better suited to the job, but the one(s) present need to get creative. Most of the time, this was deliberate.

* PlotTailoredToTheParty: They loved this one. Most of the time, there were ways for the team to show off their skills; computers to hack, something to be scanned psychically, something to hit, and the captain to keep things coordinated. Of course, they subverted it just as often with their fondness for AbsenteeActor, when the remaining crew would find the situation more complicated due to their fellow Ranger being out of the picture.

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: While many of the AbsenteeActor episodes were deliberate, some of it was to shoot around ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats1985'' and ''Film/DirtyDancing''.

* HumansAreWarriors: The Andorians are mathematicians and scientists, Kiwi are more farmers than fighters. And while Kirwin defends itself with a planetary defense shield, Earth is shown to be ''armed to the teeth.'' Even with LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters, virtually ''all'' the military were humans.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: On the DVD extras, Robert Mandell estimates that the series had ''390'' different characters designed for it. At least a dozen were {{Recurring Character}}s.

* RecurringCharacter: See LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters.

* TitleScream
* TrainingFromHell: Wolf Den, birthplace of the Supertroopers--a bunch of ArtificialHuman {{Tykebomb}}s, designed for the purpose of killing any aliens that come across Earth. Involved things like being shot at by giant mechas with live ammo, the {{Morally Ambiguous Doctorate}}s using them as test subjects for experimental combat drugs, and one's [[SociopathicSoldier "fellow" Troopers]] were more than happy to weed the "weak" from the ranks themselves. Oh, and they didn't much care about little things like "casualties." This was ''before'' Senator Whiner dosed the lot with PsychoSerum.

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 [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen 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 [[TheLeader 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]].

* ExtyYearsFromNow: The story begins in 2086, exactly 100 years after the show premiered.

* BadassMustache: Doc and Commander Walsh both have them, but since Walsh's mustache is a handlebar, he wins. Lazarus Slade has one, too.

* MindRape: For a mid-80's "kids show," they loved this onr. The Psychocrypt, Po Sensation Doll, Mindnet, "dream maker," and one of the Scarecrow's abilities all fell into shades of this one.

* StockSuperpowers: The Supertroopers were genetically engineered to have these.

* AmplifierArtifact: The Series 5 implants don't give the Rangers their abilities; they just crank what they already have to [[UpToEleven insane levels]]. Likewise, starstones crank up the abilities of magic users like the Queen and Mogul.

* 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 SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome for Doc.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Compared to its contemporaies like ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983'' and ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats1985'', and even rival SpaceWestern series like ''WesternAnimation/{{BraveStarr}}'' and ''Anime/{{Saber Rider|AndTheStarSheriffs}}''. Several of the writers had backgrounds in horror writing, and as with many shows that aired in FirstRunSyndication, the writing had more 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]].

* DVDCommentary: On the American box sets, key episodes have commentary from Robert Mandell, his brother (and voice actor on the show) Henry, and story editor Christopher Rowley.

* IHaveYouNowMyPretty: A gender-inverted version shows up in "Psychocrypt." The Queen is ''delighted'' to have Zachary in her clutches. The most innocent interpretation says she "merely" {{Mind Rape}}d him. The DVDCommentary and {{Fanon}}...yeah.

* TheMagnificentSevenSamurai: Accroding to [[WordOfGod Robert Mandell]], this was the inspiration for Waldo and Zozo seeking help from Earth, and therefore the entire premise. "The Magnificent Kiwi" is an additional, episode-length ShoutOut to the trope.

* MerchandiseDriven: Subverted. While the producers were always aware how toyetic the project was, ''Galaxy Rangers'' didn't get a toy deal until it had already gone into production, and the action figures were released only overseas for reasons detailed in GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff and PeripheryDemographic on [[YMMV/AdventuresOfTheGalaxyRangers the YMMV page]].
* MindRape: [[WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids For a mid-80's "kids show," they loved this one]]. The Psychocrypt, Po Sensation Doll, Mindnet, "dream maker," and one of the Scarecrow's abilities all fell into shades of this one.

* {{Revival}}: In 2011 ''Galaxy Rangers''' current co-owners, Entertainment One, attempted to bring the show back, hiring artist Grant Gould to do some character designs. While the revival attempt never got out of DevelopmentHell, you can see Gould's designs [[https://www.deviantart.com/grantgoboom/gallery/34595659/Galaxy-Rangers here]].

* SurprisinglyEliteCannonFodder: The Series 5 team, despite their heroic reputation on frontier worlds, are ''not'' respected by the politicians and top brass on Earth. The {{Fanon}} loves to play it up to DudeWheresMyRespect levels.

* VillainousCrush: The evil Queen of the Crown, albeit one-sided on her part, towards Zachary. Even WordOfGod commented there was some S&M vibes in how she was gloating towards him.

* {{Mondegreen}}: One of the two songs featured in the closing credits, "Rangers Ride Forever", is frequently mistitled "Rangers Are Forever" by fans.

* AnimatedSeries

* AppliedPhlebotinum

* CasualDangerDialog

* ColorCodedForYourConvenience

* GravitySucks

* SpaceOpera
* SpacePirates
* SpacePolice

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: The writing staff was extremely clever at giving just enough hints about some BackStory elements (such as mass genocide) to induce FridgeHorror. It also pulled a subtle, but striking hint that Shane... "took one for the team" to distract the lovely Daisy O'Mega in "Renegade Rangers." Go [[Radar/AdventuresOfTheGalaxyRangers here]] for more examples.

* MentalFusion: The Rangers can use Niko's PsychicPowers to [[AllYourPowersCombined combine their mental energy]] into an impenetrable shield or a devastating power blast.

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

* ThePowerOfRock: The soundtrack, in all of its prog-rock glory, is one of the [[EarWorm most memorable aspects]]. John van Tonregen and Peter Wetzler were behind it, and included singers Myles Hunter and Steve Overland. InUniverse, "Battle of the Bandits" used it.

* NeverSayDie: ''Very'' averted. The very first episode shows us people getting cut down by ''Franchise/GIJoe'' lasers, and Zachary is mercilessly gunned down and paralyzed. Characters fear for their lives and openly acknowledge corpses, and the early plot involves mashing humans down into LifeEnergy.

* {{Revival}}: In 2011 ''Galaxy Rangers''' current co-owners, Entertainment One, attempted to bring the show back, hiring artist Grant Gould to do some character designs. While the revival attempt never got out of DevelopmentHell, you can see Gould's designs [[http://grantgould.blogspot.com/2012/01/galaxy-rangers.html here]].

* ShoutOut: Too many to list, but here's a prominent one: Shane Gooseman is presumably named after the main character of ''{{Shane}}''. Also, Walter "Doc" Hartford's talking (mechanical) horse [[Series/MisterEd calls him "Wilbur."]]

* CultSoundtrack: When Koch was compiling the DVD release and asking for extras, the fan list clogged with requests ''begging'' for a soundtrack.

* 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.