[[TheEighties Lots and lots.]] According to Eddie Guzelian, he intentionally wanted to "rip off" many of the references to ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'' and ''Film/MadMax''. Of note, we have:
* Col. Truman's aides are named [[Film/{{Aliens}} Hicks and Vasquez]].
** And the Marmite Twins' plan in "Prisoners" is basically to "[[KillItWithFire vaporize (the Venjix factory) from sub-orbit]]", a line paraphrased from Ripley's playbook.
* Dillon has a [[Film/ForAFewDollarsMore locket that plays music]]. All he's missing is a poncho.
* From the first episode, one Grinder apparently survives Dillon's rampage, hobbling for a few steps before collapsing to reveal that half of it is gone. [[Franchise/RoboCop Apparently its designers also gave us the ED-209.]]
* Ziggy's outfit during the pilot and flashbacks was clearly inspired by [[Anime/CowboyBebop Spike Spiegel]]. They even got the hair right.
* Ziggy's last lines during the 'interrogation' in episode 2 include "[[Film/{{Titanic 1997}} she lives on now, only in my memories.]]"
* Summer was almost forced to marry a man named [[Series/{{Mash}} Chaz Winchester IV]].
* Dr. K is a [[Manga/DeathNote socially awkward genius who, for the first several episodes, is seen and heard only through a computer screen where she's represented by a single letter and uses voice-altering technology. Not to mention her diabetic sweet tooth.]]
** The computer screen thing sounds like a shout out to Series/GoGoSentaiBoukenger's Mr Voice, who also turned out to be a genius teenage girl.
** And of course the two guys chained-together and yanking each other around happens as well.
* Between graduation and Corinth, Flynn joins some aborigine people as part of a Peace Corps-like group, and ends up with some [[Film/{{Braveheart}} familiar-looking facepaint]].
* Flashback montages of Flynn from that same period were firing by [[Film/ShaunOfTheDead awfully]] [[Film/HotFuzz fast]].
* The leader's name is [[Comicbook/XMen Scott, and he's the more heroic type]], whereas [[ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} the guy with the metal implanted all over his body (Dillon) is the brooding bad boy who steals the spotlight like whoa.]] Bonus points for having them butt heads over their vehicles.
** Don't forget Dillon searching for hints to his missing memories by heading out to find a location in the middle of nowhere, its location plucked from his subconscious...
** And "In And Out" actually had Dr K uttering "Scott, Summer..."
* It's a bit of a stretch, but the MOTW from "Blitz", being a MadScientist who speaks in CreepyMonotone and gives Dillon the codename [[LawOfAliennames D44]], reminded anime fans a lot of [[Manga/SgtFrog Kururu]].
* Summer [[Franchise/KamenRider jumps off her motorcycle and does a slow-motion flying kick attack, hitting the enemy in the process]].
** Probably unintentional, but Ziggy is shown doing Old Gen-esque henshin poses in "Not So Simple".
* During Flynn and Gemma's [[HardWorkMontage assembly of the Road Attack Zord]], the background music [[SuspiciouslySimilarSong sounds awfully like]] Music/{{Aha}}'s "Take On Me".
** Between that scene and her lugging a tub of popcorn around in "Heroes Among Us," you sure we aren't talking about ''Film/RealGenius''?
* From 'Ancient History', Dr K evades capture using the [[LostInACrowd strategy employed]] at the climax of ''Film/ThreeAmigos'', with a bit from the Agents of Film/TheMatrix thrown in.
* In 'Run Ziggy Run', an episode centering around the local mafia and the debt Ziggy owes them, the important B-plot revolves around Tenaya working with the Scorpion Cartel to steal a briefcase, [[Film/PulpFiction the contents of which are unknown, but which cast a golden glow whenever someone opens it]].
* Fresno Bob is named after a character mentioned exactly once in ''Film/EscapeFromNewYork''.
** Tenaya 7 also uses dirty diplomacy to decide who should lead after Venjix was thought dead. "No one attacks till this hits the ground." [[Film/EscapeFromLA Then she proceeds to attack Shifter and Crunch before it does.]]
* Tenaya 7 is fast becoming the queen of this trope. As if picking the alias [[WesternAnimation/{{Ben 10}} 'Tenaya Sevinson']] in her debut wasn't enough of an indication.
** After her debut, she gains the ability to [[Series/TheAddamsFamily de-attach her hand]] and have it do recon/run missions.
** Her "calling card" is the same tune used by a one [[Series/TheWire Omar Little]], it's even used in the same chilling way.
** In "Ranger Yellow pt 1" we hear her going [[WesternAnimation/WackyRaces 'oh, drat' and then 'double drat']] towards the end of the scene.
** In "Three's A Crowd": [[WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes "Looks like it's Megazord season." * blam* ]]
** Tenaya executes [[Franchise/StreetFighter the Frankensteiner]] in "Key To The Past", [[spoiler:which is appropriate as this is the week where she's revealed to be a brainwashed [[TheDragon Dragon]] much like Cammy was. Which might also explain her braids.]]
* During the search for the new Green Ranger, the judging panel consisted of [[Series/AmericanIdol an African-American, a female, and someone from the British Isles.]]
* In one episode, when soldiers are blasting away at Sawbot V2, Scott tells them to stop, going word for word, "[[Franchise/StarWars That armor's too strong for blasters!]]"
* In "End Game", the music playing [[spoiler:when all the hybrids in Corinth are activated]] sounds like the "Terminator on the Rampage" theme from ''Series/TerminatorTheSarahConnorChronicles''.
** Also Episode 17, Prisoners, had the following conversation:
-->'''Summer:''' It's moving too fast.
-->'''Dillon:''' Not for me.
-->'''Summer:''' How are you reading that?
-->'''Dillon:''' [[Franchise/{{Terminator}} I am a machine.]]
* And then, in 'Ranger Red', after the briefing Marcus Truman gives to his team, there is this:
-->'''Marcus:''' Questions?
-->'''Scott:''' But sir, what's our exit plan? How do we get our birds home once the city shields are raised?
-->(explosion and rocks falling from the ceiling)
-->'''Marcus:''' What's the matter, little brother? [[Franchise/StarshipTroopers You want to live forever?]]
* Black-suited handlers in a secret institute dedicated to churning out {{Tykebomb}}s... [[{{Series/Firefly}} all that's missing are the blue gloves.]]
* Ziggy is greeted in the prison cafeteria with the following:
-->'''Ronin:''' Ziggy! You've got a lot of nerve showing your face in the city, [[Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack after what you pulled]].
* Venjix's plan from "In Or Out" looks very similar to [[Film/{{Spaceballs}} the one used in a certain Mel Brooks spoof]].
* In "The Road to Corinth", Ziggy yells, "I'm running the Venjix Barricade... in broad daylight... with, uh, [[Literature/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory Willy Wonka]] at the wheel!"
* Flux [[Film/TheAdventuresOfBuckarooBanzaiAcrossThe8thDimension overthruster]]? [[Franchise/BackToTheFuture Flux capacitor]]?
* The [[Series/EngineSentaiGoOnger GO-ONGER van.]]