If there was ever a venerable children’s franchise that refused to die, Power Rangers may just be the one. What started in 1993 has now spawned a two decade long authorization of fun television programming, movies, video games, and countless action figures – and I have been with them every single step of the way. It’s been several months since I’ve penned an editorial for CliqueClack, but having Power Rangers back on my flat screen has rather reinvigorated me.

That’s right, ladies and gentlemen … I’m back.

Power Rangers Dino Charge premiered on Nickelodeon on Saturday afternoon though if you’re a fan like me, chances are you probably watched the premiere episode one week early on Nick.com. At any rate, the first installment really set the tone for Dino Charge and based upon what was shown, fans and casual viewers are in for a ride. Instead of the typical totalitarian villain bent on conquering the planet, Power Rangers Dino Charge concerns Sledge, a vile intergalactic bounty hunter on the hunt for the Energems. Who could blame him? All powerful gems with endless energies aren’t exactly available on EBay or Amazon.com. However, there to oppose him are the Power Rangers, who in this series harness the dynamisms and strengths of the ancient dinosaurs.

As has become the norm of the Power Rangers series, the sole mission of our favorite spandex clad heroes is to keep the planet safe and they are armed with an incredible arsenal to help them do so. This season features the usual line up of five rangers – just like previous seasons – but instead of three young men and two young women, there is only one young lady this time. That’s actually pretty interesting considering that’s how it usually is in the Japanese program that the show is adapted from.

However, that’s not the only significant change. Anyone that reads my editorials knows that I’m a big supporter of diversity on television. And by big, I mean colossal. This is why it pleases me to see a team of ethnically diverse superheroes this season. We have Brennan Mejia, a talented and athletically fit Mexican actor portraying Tyler, the Red Ranger and leader of the team. We also have Yoshua Sudarso, a gifted Idonesian actor portraying Koda, the Blue Ranger – the one Ranger that I always used to be on the playground as a child. But perhaps most notable is the fact that fans of the series have now been treated to an African-American Pink Ranger, the first time this has ever happened in Power Rangers history.

Consider my mind blown.

As Shelby, the Pink Ranger, Camille Hyde brings a certain warmth to the role. Now, I know some enthusiasts probably don’t want to make such a big deal about diversity in a program that’s typically aimed towards children. However, the fact of the matter is that it is now 2015. The world is colorful. I commend the brains behind Dino Charge for choosing a cast of capable young actors that children will not only be able to look up to, but see themselves in. I personally feel that there is something to be said of the fact that the first episode predominately featured both the Red Ranger and Pink Ranger in leading roles. In fact, they were the only two Rangers given the chance to change – ahem, morph – into their superhero counterparts to take down a monster wreaking havoc. I have but one word for this – Awesome!

Perchance the same thing can be said about the writing of the show as well. I noticed a massive improvement in the script over the last season of the series, Megaforce. When watching Megaforce, I often found myself confused and unnerved by numerous plot holes and unanswered questions. However, Dino Charge seems to have a solid plot. The pilot episode did a hell of a job setting up the season and establishing the mythology for the show. It was a full ten minutes before the main cast members were even introduced – and the Green Ranger, one of the core members of the team, didn’t even make an appearance in the episode. That’s a bold move by Power Ranger standards. Heck, that’s a bold move by television standards period.

My only real complaint is that I feel Nickelodeon should have just aired the second episode after the first. I think a one hour premiere would have been more effective. However, if suspense is what they were looking to create then they have certainly done well. Make no doubt about it, I will definitely be tuning in next Saturday.

After all, if history is any indication, these Rangers are here to stay.

Hey, there! Keep up with writer Jaylen Christie by following him on Twitter @thesuperflynerd! Tweet him! He’ll tweet you back!

Scintillating is the word when it comes to Lifetime’s Devious Maids. Now in its sophomore season, the entertaining soapy sudser about resilient and resourceful Latina maids working for the rich and snobbish A-list of Beverly Hills is arguably one of the network’s most talked about shows – and for that matter, perhaps one of its most ethnically diverse. Don’t believe me? Just tune in for yourself. Go ahead. Try it!

Ask anyone who knows me and they’ll tell you that I am a firm advocate for more, um, color on the airwaves. What can I say? I’m an equal opportunity television junkie. With that being said, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Devious Maids is one of my favorite programs. Not only is the writing spot on and the mystery intriguing, but the talented cast boasts some of the most ethnically diverse faces on television today. This season introduced a brand new family of characters to this mix – the Millers, a super wealthy yet super dysfunctional African-American household with a crap ton of issues.

Needless to say, I was definitely intrigued.

If you haven’t been watching this season of Devious Maids, then you need to jump on board. The Millers have proven their staying power and have enough interest to keep viewers glued to the screen. For those who watch religiously, you know what I’m talking about. For those who haven’t been tuning in, shame on you. Let me bring you up to speed…

The head of this new household is Kenneth Miller, a wealthy gentleman who has suffered a stroke and is now bound to a wheelchair. His wife is Didi. She’s half his age … and did I mention she’s a former stripper? Priceless! Didi clashes regularly with Lucinda, Kenneth’s daughter whose own daughter was taken away from her when Kenneth forced her to give her up for adoption. Then there’s Reggie, Kenneth’s nephew who also happens to be a lawyer and a certified gold digger. It was recently revealed that Reggie is playing all of them by manipulating poor Kenneth into unwillingly handing over to him the family fortune, kicking Lucinda out of the house and instigating a divorce between Kenneth and Didi. Fortunately, as the last episode revealed, their resident maid – the lovable and religious Rosie Falta, played wonderfully by the capable Dania Ramirez, is on to him.

Sounds interesting, right? While there may be some people of color out there who will claim that this is stereotypical, I would encourage those same individuals to examine the show’s other principle storylines with its Caucasian characters and their own dysfunctional families. For starters, there’s Evelyn Powell (my favorite character) who is cheating on her husband with his bodyguard. Genevieve Delatour (the hilarious Susan Lucci) recently tried to set her maid Zoila up with a male prostitute. Spence Westmore (Grant Show) has a borderline psychotic nephew who just tried to poison him with a cleaning solution. Oh, and Opal Sinclaire (Joanna P. Adler) is a murderer.

See? Drama for everyone!

The Millers are compelling in that the writers have been able to cook up something for each of them to do in every episode this season. That’s a real testament to the creative team behind this program … who also happened to be the minds behind another hit soap that ran on ABC for eight straight seasons. Anyone ever heard of Desperate Housewives?

Back in its heyday, that program was a powerhouse for ABC and introduced its own African-American family during its uneven second season. Despite being headed by four time Emmy Award winner Alfre Woodard, that storyline was universally panned by critics. I think it’s safe to say that the creative team behind Devious Maids, including Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry and former Desperate Housewife Eva Longoria, have learned from that disaster.

So, will the Millers be back next season? I certainly hope so. The cast is certainly talented enough. Tiffany Hines has been a real joy to watch as Didi, and Kimberly Hebert Gregory has successfully managed to make viewers laugh and shed a few tears as Lucinda. Both actresses have good chemistry with one another and with Ramirez who has shared scenes with them both. My only complaint is that the Millers have been somewhat isolated from the other households. I’d love to see them interact with Evelyn or Genevieve. Perchance that can be rectified next season. A fellow can dream, right?

According to Variety, the show drew three million viewers for the finale of its first season last year which was a 50 percent increase from its debut episode. It seems to be the perfect summer show. If Devious Maids get picked up for season three, maybe we’ll be seeing more of the Millers. Who knows? Maybe we’ll get Japanese characters or perhaps a family from India? I’m all for it!

After all, everyone can be a little devious, right?

Keep up with writer Jaylen Christie by following him on Twitter @thesuperflynerd!

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It has often been said that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Some people tend to debate this. However, if you ask me, I think it’s factual. This age old adage was proven true when just last weekend The Best Man Holiday, a sequel 13 years in the making, opened with a nice and dandy 30.1 million dollars. This may not come as a shocker to some people. After all, openings in the 30 million dollar range are pretty typical nowadays. However, how many films can you name with an all African-American cast that have opened with these numbers?

Ladies and gentlemen, let’s talk. I don’t know about you, but The Best Man Holiday was a must see event for me, and apparently, for other individuals as well – namely African-American movie goers. According to reports on Entertainment Weekly, on its first day in theaters, the film was successful in beating Thor: The Dark World which is rather impressive. Would you like to know something else impressive? Thor, being a justifiable blockbuster — which I enjoyed by the way — is playing in over 8,000 theaters. The Best Man Holiday came close to beating it … and is only playing in 2,024 theaters. What can I say? Black folks like a good movie!

It definitely didn’t hurt that the film makes use of the talents of Taye Diggs, Sanaa Lathan, Morris Chestnut and Nia Long — actors and actresses that may be household names in Black homes, but indifferent names in the homes of others. Sure, there’s Terrence Howard, but he may just be the only cast member to have achieved mainstream status. Now, before I go jumping to conclusions regarding the film’s audience, let me first say that I could very well be wrong. Perhaps it isn’t just African-Americans that are flocking to the cinemas. Perchance these kinds of movies appeal to a wider audience. There has definitely been an upsurge in the release of movies with casts of color. In addition to The Best Man Holiday, this year saw the release of Peeples, Baggage Claim, The Butler, 12 Years a Slave, 42, and Tyler Perry’s Temptation, and before the new year arrives, two additional movies with Black leads will be released – Black Nativity starring Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson, and Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas.

Forget the color orange. Clearly 2013 is the new black!

But is this a rarity? Try as I might, I simply cannot remember the last time there was an abundance of films with leads that look just like me. I’m not saying that I’m offended. I’m merely making an observation. When it comes to the team of fantastic writers here at CliqueClack, I’m probably one of the ones known for starting a damn debate. And that’s fine. Nevertheless, I’ll be good and keep my mouth shut for this editorial. However, I do feel that there should be more films depicting more people of color — Blacks, Asians, Hispanics, you name it.

In my opinion there have been positive strides on television. Lifetime’s wonderfully wicked Devious Maids featuring five talented Latina actresses — including the gorgeous and very talented Roselyn Sanchez — was appointment television for me, and Mindy Kaling is doing fantastic on her Fox sitcom. The same can be said about Dani Pudi on NBC’s Community, Kerry Washington on ABC’s Scandal, Sofia Vergara on ABC’s Modern Family and Reshma Shetty on USA’s Royal Pains.  I just think we need more movies with colorful casts — but I’ll certainly settle for quality over quantity. I mean, let’s keep it real – A Madea Christmas isn’t going to be Oscar worthy … or worth the price of admission either for that matter. However, if there’s one thing you can count on it’s that Black folks will support it.

Could this be because we’re under-served in cinemas? Some theorists in Hollywood have argued that point. I’ll leave that up for debate. However, the fact of the matter is we like movies and typically tend to support the ones that we’re in since they tend to be few and far between. I own over 500 Blu Rays and DVD. I’m frequently at my local AMC. For the season of Lent, my pastor challenged me to give up going to the movies. Needless to say, I failed … horrendously. What I’m trying to say is that we will pay money to see a movie. This was undoubtedly proven with The Best Man Holiday which not only received an “A+” from CinemaScore, but featured an audience that was 87 percent African-American during its opening weekend. Universal Pictures has taken notice.

It was recently announced that Universal has ordered a third installment of The Best Man series and the cast is expected to return. When that movie is released, I would like to see it accompanied by a slew of other motion pictures featuring casts from a variety of different ethnic groups. Isn’t variety the spice of life? In my opinion, it is and I would like to see more of it on the silver screen. Besides, The Best Man Holiday has now given more colorful audiences a foot in the door.

Perchance we can kick it down with the other foot.

Hey, you! Enjoy what you read? Follow the author, Jaylen Christie, on Twitter @thesuperflynerd! 

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Whew, the past two weeks have been rather busy for me, but rest assured, I’m back with a new installment of Clacking in Color in addition to some good news! During those two eventful weeks, I discovered a new television show, one to fill the void left by Desperate Housewives — ABC’s hit primetime drama Scandal! Now, I bet I know what you’re thinking: Really, Jaylen? That show is now in its second season! Well, pipe down. I know that. However, I had a little preconceived hostility before hopping on board.

You see, the reason why I never was so gung-ho about giving Scandal a try was because I kind of saw it as the reason why one of my favorite TV shows was canceled. It’s no secret that Shonda Rhimes is a powerhouse screenwriter and producer. As an African-American writer, I respect her drive. She’s a strong sistah’. However, it can be pretty tough work balancing three different TV shows — Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice and Scandal … at least that’s my opinion. Now, I may be wrong, but the way I saw it was that Scandal had a little something to do with Private Practice ending.

Alright, Scandal lovers, put your weapons down and go with me on this. I always felt as though Private Practice was the bald-headed stepchild of the three programs that Rhimes created, and I believe that the more that she invested into Scandal, the less attention she gave to Private Practice. If anyone remembers correctly, Private Practice, a sunny spin-off of Grey’s Anatomy, used to air right after Grey’s went off. Once Scandal arrived on the scene, the show was booted to Tuesdays to make way for the new program. That ain’t right, folks. It ain’t right at all.

While I’m happy to know that Scandal is gaining a loyal fan following — something that makes me smile knowing that Kerry Washington, a beautiful and talented African-American woman is the lead — it still doesn’t erase the fact that it could have been the reason why one of my favorite shows is no longer with us. Ladies and gentlemen, I loved Private Practice. As a matter of fact, the very first Clacking in Color was about Audra McDonald, one of the show’s actresses. Scandal is the culprit here … and that, my friends, is the reason why I refused to give it a try. However, now I’ve seen the light … and I’m starting to go a little blind.

I’m not going to sit here and say that Scandal is the best thing on television right now, but I am enjoying it … even if the characters talk too damn fast. My question is why in the world it took so long to get on the air. I recently wrote about how the current TV season boasts a few more racially diverse faces, but I do believe that Scandal is the only primetime drama to feature a Black woman as the lead. What gives?

If Facebook and Twitter is any indication, viewers can’t seem to get enough of the program. I can’t tell you how many times I see statuses and updates about the show which means that a lot of people are watching. Perhaps it also means that we’ll soon see more minorities featured as the leads in their own respective shows. One can only hope.

When the series finale of Private Practice aired last month, I was pretty upset. However, all good things come to an end, right? I’ll admit that I was kind of worried about finding a new TV show to follow, but it helps to know that Scandal is on the air. I’ll admit that it hasn’t hooked me like Desperate Housewives did, but I am willing to give it a try. Surprisingly, in an ironic twist of fate, it is kind of filling the void left by Private Practice. Hmph.

Hmph. Now ain’t that scandalous!

Do you enjoy reading Clacking in Color? Jaylen sure as hell hopes so. Keep up with his opinions and ponderings by following him on Twitter @thesuperflynerd!

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Alright, old school Destiny’s Child fans. This one is for you.

Say what you will about Michelle Williams, but I think that the chick is awesome. I’ve always had a thing for Williams. Perhaps it’s because I’ve always seen her as a bit of the underdog of the group. Oh, how I remember when she was brought on way back in the early 2000’s as one of the replacements for two of the group’s original members. If anyone can remember correctly, it was Beyonce who was doing all of the singing back then. Williams didn’t really get a chance to shine until she was given the opportunity to display her vocal talents — usually being tasked with singing the bridge of such hits as “Survivor” and my personal favorite, “Bootylicious.”

Now, I’m not even going to front — her voice is a little different from Beyonce and Kelly’s which is fine by me. Hell, this column is about diversity, you know. Michelle Williams has the kind of sultry raspy voice that could do wonders for uplifting inspirational songs or entertaining jazz numbers. In my humble opinion, her turn on “Stand Up for Love” eclipsed both Beyonce and Kelly’s verses. Still, that doesn’t seem to keep the haters from talking negatively about her.

Last week, I wrote a column on Hispanic actress Justina Machado and how it pays to be an actor and not a celebrity. I mentioned how celebrities can attract a crap ton of negative attention even when they’ve done absolutely nothing wrong. Well, I think this is what may have happened with Michelle Williams. When you’re in the spotlight as much as she was during her Destiny’s Child era, sometimes you can get disapproving attention from downbeat fans … or even unruly singers such as Keyshia Cole who took to Twitter to negatively bash Williams for her performance during the Super Bowl.

Who the hell is she to talk?

I mean, seriously: Was that tweet necessary? Maybe she was drunk. Perhaps she was high. Or both. Either way, the comment was uncalled for and I feel it kind of reinforces this negative stereotype of women being catty … especially women of color. I’m looking at you, Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey! As for the remaining Williams bashers — ya’ll ’bout to get off my dawg. She was on stage. We weren’t. She got paid a crap ton of cash. We didn’t. Hmm … next paragraph.

Growing up, I used to have aspirations of making it big in Hollywood, but now, when I hear stories like Cole’s negative tweet, I rethink those aspirations. You have to have tough skin to be a performer and I’m sure Williams does. It’s nice to know that her fans rallied in her defense. What people need to realize is that everyone is different. Clearly the woman has talent if Beyonce chose her to be in the group. So, what’s the big deal anyway? Instead of hating, shouldn’t we just give Williams her props? If you won’t then I certainly will. Way to go, Michelle! It was great to see you back on stage! Now go cash that damn check, sistah.

And let me hold twenty dollars.

Do you enjoy reading Clacking in Color? Jaylen sure as hell hopes so. Keep up with his opinions and ponderings by following him on Twitter @thesuperflynerd!

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You know, one of the things that I enjoy about watching television is discovering hidden gems — actors and actresses that possess immense talent but, for some bizarre reason, aren’t the stars of their own programs. I think we’ve all seen these capable individuals pop up in sitcoms or dramas, and we wonder to ourselves who, what, when, and where the hell they came from. Well, this week’s Clacking in Color is about one of those enigmatic performers — Justina Machado.

I shrugged it off thinking to myself that I’d never see her again, that Machado was just one of those many struggling artists trying to climb out of the deep dark abyss of non-recognition. However, I was pleasantly surprised and equally pleased to see her pop up in Private Practice as Dr. Sam Bennett’s new main squeeze — a pity he dumped her in the final episode of the series though. Nevertheless, she did leave a lasting impression.

Perchance that’s a testament to her talent. Heck, I’d like to think so.

I distinctly remember the scene of Machado nearly kicking down Teri Hatcher’s door in Desperate Housewives in order to find her missing husband and, I quote, ring his neck like a chicken. Hell, I thought the lady was serious. Also, did anyone see Machado tell off KaDee Strickland’s Charlotte in Private Practice? Now, how awesome was that?

I don’t know how it is to be an actor or actress in Hollywood. I’m not sure I want to know. I imagine it must be challenging. In fact, I don’t even think that’s the proper word. Maybe traumatic is. However, it’s nice to know that Machado is making a name for herself. She’s clearly getting steady work and in this economy, that’s a good thing. It’s moments like these where I wish I was a successful screenwriter and show runner a la Shonda Rhimes. If I were, I’d cast Machado as a lead character in a drama. I think that would be cool. Yet I digress.

Maybe there’s some good to flying under the radar. After all, the gossip columnists aren’t all over you and you can also avoid negative attention. Who wouldn’t want that? I always said that if I made it to Hollywood, I’d want to be an actor and not a celebrity. There is a definite difference. That’s what Machado is — an actress and not a celebrity.

And there ain’t a damn thing wrong with that.

Do you enjoy reading Clacking in Color? Jaylen sure as hell hopes so. Keep up with his opinions and ponderings by following him on Twitter @thesuperflynerd!

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When it comes to popular talk shows, most people probably think about Oprah. I suppose that shouldn’t be too surprising considering that she was practically the goddess of broadcast journalism. However, with Oprah’s highly successful show now defunct and her network still vying to be a top contender, it seems a new inquisitive vixen is on the rise, and you won’t believe who it is — Wendy Williams.

“How you doin’?”

I damn sure do.

Now, there’s something you wouldn’t have gotten on Oprah! Nevertheless, it’s nice to know that Williams has risen above all of that. After all, the private lives of people should be just that — private. Somehow, someway, Williams was able to take her budding celebrity status and land in a couple of films and television shows before settling on becoming a talk show host. As a college student, I remember giving her show a try when it first premiered and I recall it being a little shaky at first … but now it’s gained a loyal following. In addition to it running on BET, where it’s been for over a year now, it is now also running on Centric. Way to go, Wendy!

It’s nice to know that the woman — yes, she is a woman despite the rumors of her being a man — has some kind of drive. I was raised to be a hard worker. People that are lazy do absolutely nothing for me … so Abigail, if you’re reading this, please stop asking me to be your boyfriend. I digress.

Quite frankly, I admire Williams’ work ethic. Heck, she’s working just as hard as multitasking celebrity Steve Harvey, if not more so. It seems her hard work has paid off tremendously. Williams has garnered a bevy of racially diverse celebrity guests including Kevin Hart of BET’s new The Real Husbands of Hollywood, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Kenan Thompson, Kim Coles, Raven-Symone and my celebrity crush Vanessa Williams … who still refuses to return my phone calls.

When I was younger, I used to have dreams of becoming an award-winning journalist and actor. I recall wanting to be interviewed on The Rosie O’Donnell Show. Those dreams are still alive. However since Rosie seems to be done with TV, I now have hopes of appearing on Wendy. Now, how awesome would that be?

“How you doin’?”

Do you enjoy reading Clacking in Color? Jaylen sure as hell hopes so. Keep up with all things ethnically diverse by following him on Twitter @thesuperflynerd! You’ll be glad you did!

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Whenever I hear the word “ratched” — a slang term that essentially means pathetic or awful — I tend to think of bad reality television shows. Oh, who am I kidding? Every reality TV show is pretty bad. It’s a shame, really. Try as I might, I just can’t seem to get into them. I just feel that if I wanted to be subjected to trash, I could easily visit the local dump … or schedule a casual date with Lindsay Lohan. Okay, that wasn’t nice. I take that one back.

Anyway, I think you guys get my point. Reality TV equals rubbish. So, imagine my joy at discovering that the folks at BET Networks have teamed up with funnyman Kevin Hart to put together a reality show that is fundamentally a spoof of other reality shows. Can you say genius? Ladies and gentlemen, I can’t tell you how much I am looking forward to the debut of The Real Husbands of Hollywood tonight (Tuesday) at 10. How awesome is that title? And speaking of awesome, did you hear about the show’s cast? Prepare to laugh, people.

In addition to capable comedian Hart, we’ll also be treated to the antics of JB Smoove, Duane Martin, Boris Kodjoe (whom I have taken the liberty to christen Black Woman Kryptonite), Nick Cannon and R&B singer Robin Thicke … the token White guy whom I’m very pleased to know signed up for this kind of lunacy. All of these dudes will be portraying heightened versions of themselves and I think it’s going to be hilarious! Hell, just watching the previews is an indication of how genius this is. I think it’s awesome!

Oh, and by the way, did I say I believe this show is going to be awesome?

Guys, I feel as though America is suffering from an epidemic … and it has nothing to do with that dreaded flu nonsense. Quite frankly, I think that Hollywood is running out of ideas. Shoot, the fact that they’re rebooting Beverly Hills Cop as a TV series is proof enough for me. If it isn’t a reboot or a revamp of an old television program, then it’s another new reality series – and an abysmal one at that. Just why in the world do we subject ourselves to such nonsense? How do we grow and gain enlightenment from seeing people backstab, connive, lie, cheat, and for lack of a better term, act utterly ratched?

Somehow, some way, VH1 has found success by reinforcing negative stereotypes of African-Americans in its plethora of tacky reality series. I won’t get into that now. I’m typing this column on an empty stomach and ya’ boy just doesn’t have the strength today. With that being said, let’s get back on topic, shall we?

With reality television shows so abundantly prevalent, it was only a matter of time before someone got the bright idea to spoof them. I’m just pleased to know that the person is Kevin Hart. One of the stars of the movie adaptation of Steve Harvey’s bestselling Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, Hart has certainly earned his place in Hollywood. The man is funny. Period. I’m just interested in seeing how his costars fare.

One of the preview clips that I saw showed Duane Martin threatening to beat his real-life wife, Tisha Campbell-Martin of Martin fame. She didn’t look the least bit frightened. In fact, her exact words were, “I wish a ni%#a would.” I’d insert an LOL here, but that would be bad journalism. I also laughed out loud at a clip of Robin Thicke being bitch-slapped … which is apparently a running gag on the show. According to TV Guide, Mariah Carey will also be making a cameo appearance since, you know, she’s married to Nick Cannon.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the biggest fan of BET. I just believe the network has a lot of serious growing to do. However, I will give credit where credit is due. It does seem as if they are trying to make some positive strides. Having The Real Husbands of Hollywood in their lineup should help. If it’s done properly, it may just end up being exceedingly clever and downright hysterical.

And if not, well, I guess we’ll just have to settle for it being ratched.

Do you enjoy reading Clacking in Color? Jaylen sure as hell hopes so. Keep up with his opinions and ponderings  by following him on Twitter @thesuperflynerd!

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Generally speaking, the month of January usually brings new blissful beginnings. For me, this year, it just brought a whole lot of damn nostalgia. And so it was that I spent the dawn of the new year looking at classic episodes of Power Rangers ... you know, that corny kids show about rainbow colored superheroes fighting to protect the planet against monsters and what not. Ah, it was like I died and went to nerdtopia. Anyone that has read my writing can glean that I’m a die hard fan of the Power Rangers. That’s about as well known as Lindsay Lohan’s inability to regain her career. Still, what some people don’t know is that my love of the Rangers extends far beyond their first few seasons of the popular Mighty Morphin’ era.

On the contrary, I was a huge fan of the Zeo season as well. For this week’s Clacking in Color, I’d like to focus on one of my favorite Power Rangers — no, not Trini … although she was pretty awesome — but Tanya, the cool chocolate skinned sistah’ played by the beautiful Nakia Burrise. I was in the fourth grade when Zeo aired on Fox Kids, and even though I’ve already graduated from college with a journalism degree, I can still remember the lasting impression that Tanya left in the series and in my heart. Go get your Kleenex. It’s gonna be one of those editorials.

You see, Tanya was the Ranger that would shoot first and ask questions later. And why should she ask them first? Monsters were destroying the damn city. To borrow a line from a popular YouTube video, “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” Heck, I loved Tanya. Not only could the chick wear yellow well, but she was unafraid of any of the evil cybernetic creeps that King Mondo would throw her way. Plus, the fact that she somehow knew karate in her first outing as Zeo Ranger II — without being trained — is cool. Maybe it was instincts. Or perchance the writers didn’t have enough time to show her training. You be the judge.

The way she yelled her battle cry when she morphed — “Zeo Ranger Two: Yellow!” sent chills down my spine. Here was a woman that didn’t mind defending the entire planet against a diabolical machine empire. Don’t get it twisted now — the other Zeo Rangers were pretty fantastic as well. Rocky, the Blue Zeo Ranger, was my homie, but let’s keep it real — Tanya had all of the swag.

And for that matter, she was also packing the toaster.

I digress. Spending my New Years watching the Tanya-centric episodes on Netflix was really a treat. It was nice to take a trip back down memory lane, and even more fun to re-experience a character that was truly awesome. Burrise frequently appears at Power Ranger conventions in California. Perhaps I’ll save up to attend one some day. Tommy may have been the leader, but Tanya was the one who took care of business … free of charge.

Now, that’s a chick worth having on your team!

Do you enjoy reading Clacking in Color? Jaylen sure as hell hopes so! Feel free to follow him on Twitter @thesuperflynerd to keep up with all things diverse on television!

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Say what you will about Showtime’s Dexter but I find myself strangely captivated by its dark and creepy tale about a serial killer that murders other serial killers. Isn’t that clever? Sure, it’s a little gory … and by a little I mean a lot, but it does boast some good writing. Well, at least it did. If you ask me, I think Dexter’s beginning to suffer from being on the air too long. For me, the show died when they killed off Rita … but I won’t get into that. Instead, I want to focus on the Dexter of yesteryear and would like to talk about a character that’s dear to my heart — bad ass detective James Doakes.

Alright, Dexter fans. Let’s do this. Hitch a ride in my DeLorean for a blast to the past. Let’s take this week’s Clacking in Color back to seasons one and two of Dexter when Doakes, who was played by actor Erik King, was alive and kicking. Surely I can’t be the only one that remembers him. Heck, the man was awesome and managed to keep the show a hell of a lot fresher than Dexter’s victims. For those of you who don’t remember who this character was, Doakes was a thorn in Dexter’s side, a real pain in the ass. He was the only one at that damn police station who knew that Dexter was odd … which, in my book, makes him the only character with an ounce of sense.

I don’t know about you, but when I think of Dexter, I always go back to those first two glorious seasons. It just seems as if the writing was as sharp as the butcher knife Dexter keeps in his back pocket. Every character was clearly defined and had a definite purpose. Aside from Doakes being the resident African-American — which added even more color to a show that already features such strong minorities — he really helped infuse the program with a touch of intrigue and excitement. Plus his scenes with Dexter always seemed to crackle with anticipation.

Make no doubt about it, King and Michael C. Hall had a definite chemistry, a nice ebb and flow if that makes any sense. Yet, despite the fact that I liked Doakes, I always found myself rooting for Dexter. Lord, what does that say about me? I shudder to think. Nevertheless, aside from Doakes being blunt and mean to practically anyone that entered his orbit, he did have one thing that I did like — swag. The man had a confidence that radiated. Or maybe it was an arrogance.

Pity they killed him off, eh?

Perhaps it’s time for Dexter to do the same.

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