I kind of have my thoughts on Katherine Hillard and how I ended up disliking her for some time, even if as a character she was a pretty likable person. So what's the big deal? First and foremost, she became the replacement of Kimberly Hart whose relationship with Tommy Oliver kept the show going for some time. Why Amy Jo Johnson left the show is something I'd like to know. So because of that, I felt like the whole show tumbled down, losing the famous match-up and it did happen.When? In Zeo, thanks to some immediate bad writing, Kimberly Hart dumps Tommy Oliver for another guy with a Dear John letter, which really was a frustration (that just wasn't like Kimberly Hart for a start). It was probably due to the fact the actress Amy Jo Johnson didn't show up at all so the writers came up with a rush script. Still, they could have just kept Tommy Oliver and Kimberly Hart in a long distance relationship. I felt like her relationship with Tommy Oliver was a bit forced, plus I disliked the fact that one episode of Zeo featured her as Tommy Oliver's wife in the future and NO future episode contradicts it. In Turbo, the relationship continued but fans are left to assume the fate of it, when she left the set and the other four members found new successors.
So far, I believe that while her existence was necessary to keep the series going but that Dear John letter may have caused her to go underrated. However, jump the shark as it was with her kind of forced relationship with Tommy Oliver (sadly, Amy Jo Johnson never came back so my favorite couple disappeared), the events that happened here concerning a change in relationship can happen. After all, life isn't perfect at all and they were but teenagers back then. :-P
Amy Jo Johnson left the show to pursue other projects, and she's had some big roles since then. I do agree that Kat's relationship with Tommy was a bit forced, but the character herself was a descent character. As for what happened with her relationship with Tommy, nothing contradict's it in the future but in Dino Thunder she's never seen with Tommy, so I kind of doubt the Christmas episode of her being Tommy's wife was really cannon with the series.
ReplyDelete@Mr. Smith- I wonder why the dear John letter came to existence. That was ONE serious flaw of writing. So I think Tommy never ended up with Kat nor Kim in Dino Thunder.
ReplyDeleteCatherine Sutherland in a interview on uncensored radio that that she was supposed to be Tommy's wife on Power Rangers Dino, but because Catherine Sutherland is union, they couldn't come to terms money wise.
DeleteAmit Bhaumik confirmed that there was talk of bringing back Amy Jo Johnson to play Kimberly, as Tommy's wife, in Forever Red. Other insiders have said for years that one of the producers had reached out to her, but she had declined.
DeleteFor what I recall the first part was said about Katherine not Kimberly
DeleteI think the only reason was that they knew Amy Jo Johnson wasn't going to comeback because she had already got some starring roles in a couple movies, so they wanted to end it right then and there. The Dear John letter and the following romance with Tommy and Kat was definitely the low point of Zeo.
ReplyDelete@Mr. Smith-You know, I agree. It was all too sudden. I also watched PR because of the Tommy-Kimberly chemistry. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteI love the relationship between Kimberly and Tommy as well. I grew up on it. The episodes that showed how much they cared for each other were the sweet moments on Power Rangers. It made the show more realistic. I HATED..HATED..HATED..WHEN Kimberly left the show. I actually cried on that episode! I felt like it killed the show for me because one of the two last original characters was leaving. I realize that Kat was probably a decent character on the show, but I COULD NOT bring myself to accept her as Kimberly's replacement. All these years later I still can't watch Power Rangers Zeo or Turbo because she doesn't fit. She also was forced into a relationship with Tommy. I would have preferred if him and Kimberly had kept their long distance relationship going. It seems to me like the writers stuck him with Kat so that there would be some sort of physical "relationship" on the show. More like a default. I didn't become a fan of the show again until Power Rangers in Space. I don't like Kat, never have and probably/more than likely NEVER will.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone, I loved Tommy and Kim together and thought the Tommy and Kat relationship was forced also she seemed like a bad Kim reject that did not fit. If she would have had her own identity and a different ranger or non ranger then she would not be such a disliked character.
ReplyDeleteDidn't have a problem with Kat. It was obvious from the start that Kat and Tommy would probably end up together. I guess I'm the only one that didn't really see their relationship as forced. I liked both Kim and Kat. Great pink rangers.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I didn't see the Tommy and Kat relationship as forced. Maybe at the beginning with the whole Kat flirting with Tommy thing, but the actual relationship in Zeo was sweet. In some ways I found the relationship between the pair more mature than the one of Kim and Tommy.
ReplyDeleteHow was it more mature Jay West when Kat was obsessed with Tommy and Tommy was interested in other things. A mature relationship involves two people acting frowning up which is what Tommy and Kim did. What was so childish and puppy love about being in love and showing it by spending time together, fixing things, buying things, kissing and holding hands, doing combos, etc. Kat and Tommy were forced because Tommy the star needed a love interest present and not off screen. Kat was nice but their relationship was stale and boring with no substance. He asked her out the same way he tried to ask out Kim It was not obvious who thinks a person who fawned over someone else's boyfriend would end up dating them. Not a good lesson for children. It made her come off as a stalker and obsessed. The relationship was one sided. So how was that cute? Clearly bad writing ruined her character and made her the most hated on power rangers.
ReplyDeleteI meant grown up instead of frowning.
DeleteHonestly while Kim/Tommy relationship was decent, I never saw them the same way as other shippers did.
DeleteWhike initially Katherine may have seen forced, in a lot if ways I preferred her to Kim as a Ranger and a person. She did want to solace Tommy by helping him find another. It was mature in the sense while the didn't do the same things as Kim, it still feels like they support and care for each other like a couple would. Katherine seemed to he her own person, with fears, frustrations, etc and not just a Kim replacement.
I hated Kat Hillard. Kimberly was the best. In my version of the show, Kim stays on the team because she and Alpha 5 are like mother and child - they cannot be separated. So Kat goes in Kim's place to train for the Pan Globals. =D I loved Tommy and Kim together and thought the Tommy and Kat relationship was forced also she seemed like a bad Kim ripoff that did not fit in AT ALL. If she would have had her own identity and a different ranger or non ranger then she would not be such a disliked character.
ReplyDeleteI too love the relationship between Kimberly and Tommy as well. I grew up on it. The episodes that showed how much they cared for each other were the sweet moments on Power Rangers. It made the show more realistic. Although I didn't know Amy Jo or that she wanted to move forward with her acting career, I too hated hated HATED when Kimberly left the show. I actually cried on that episode and refuse to watch clips of it even to this day! I felt like it killed the show for me, because one of the two last original characters was leaving. I realize that Kat was probably a decent character on the show, but I cannot bring myself to accept her as Kimberly's replacement but really is more of a stand-in. All these years later I still can't watch most Power Rangers Zeo (except for Rock a Bye Power Rangers and a small amount of others) because she doesn't fit. She also was forced into a relationship with Tommy. I would have preferred if him and Kimberly had kept their long distance relationship going. It seems to me like the writers stuck him with Kat so that there would be some sort of physical "relationship" on the show. More like a default. Bottom line is, although I LOVE Catherine Sutherland as a person and as an actress, I don't like Kat Hillard, never have and probably/more than likely NEVER will.
Katherine is the pink ranger she care's for tommy
ReplyDeleteIt really wasn't a good look to children to have Kat end up with Tommy after originally trying to come between Kim and Tommy. Very bad look
ReplyDeleteThe last we ever see Amy returning as Kimberly without being a ranger again in Turbo before she disappeared without a trace. Her character as a pink ranger also appears in Legendary Battle with Tommy she doesn't speak to him anymore, Grind Connection, & Once & Always same thing we never heard her voice again saying Tommy. The Remake in 2017 shouldn't have taken place in this year it features Amy and late Jason. Amy cries for Jason who died and doesn't know why he was committed suicide well since Amy left that's her reason.
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