Re: Café Corner
Yes PR is repetitive, but there are far better ways to make it interesting than going dark and gritty. Dino Thunder started along the right lines with the White Ranger saga (plus it included some subtle but ingenious fan service) and Jungle Fury also had a decent arc that often broke out of the traditional format, particularly towards the end of the series.
The Rangers are superheroes, and I think a reboot should be treated the same as any superhero film. The tone of the 2012 Avengers or Pacific Rim would work perfectly for most series of Power Rangers; engaging and with good character development (not to mention how it skilfully balances a whole team) but balanced with spectacular action. There doesn't need to be excessive blood or anything to make it interesting.
But I also don't think the short is in the spirit of Power Rangers. The only morphed fight is nothing like a fight is in the show, Rita's actions are interchangeable with any shapeshifter (something I don't remember her explicitly being), there's no reason for Rocky's betrayal, in the opening the rangers would never go into battle with actual guns...the list goes on. The Power Ranger elements that were actually used aren't anything that was unique to or special about the show (except Tommy and Kimberley's romance). It could have been a dark reboot of any silly kids show.
I also think it's a shame that it takes something as hideous as this to raise public interest in Power Rangers.