Power Rangers Jungle Fury

For over 10,000 years, a spirit of pure evil known as Dai Shi has been locked away and safely guarded by the Pai Zhuq - The Order of the Claw - a secretive Kung Fu clan. The Pai Zhuq select their three top members, Jarrod, Theo Martin, and Lily Chilman, to become the new guardians of Dai Shi. Jarrod's arrogant and bullying nature leads to him being excluded and a rookie named Casey Rhodes is chosen instead. During the initiation ceremony, Jarrod returns and attacks Master Mao, inadvertently breaking the vessel containing Dai Shi's essence as he does so. The freed Dai Shi kills Master Mao and takes over Jarrod's body. The new guardians travel to the city of Ocean Bluff to seek their new master and find him to be a man named Robert "RJ" James - chef and owner of Jungle Karma Pizza. After testing the guardians, RJ grants them the powers and abilities of Jungle Fury Power Rangers - making them Earth's only hope to stop Dai Shi - who along with his Lieutenant Camille, henchmen Scorch and Snapper, and an army of undead Rinshi warriors is attempting to take over the world and allow animals to rule over humans. Initially, RJ acts only as Sensei and trainer to the Power Rangers, but as the series progresses he joins their ranks as the Jungle Fury Purple Wolf Ranger. During this time, they are also joined by Dominic "Dom" Hargan who studied with RJ, and Fran - originally a customer then an employee of Jungle Karma Pizza. Dominic joins as the White Rhino Power Ranger, and Fran is enlisted to watch the monitors and advise of Rinshi attacks while RJ is with the other Power Rangers. Eventually, Camille is targeted by Scorch and Snapper who are jealous of her popularity with Dai Shi - although, in reality, it is Jarrod's own human spirit fighting against Dai Shi she is attracted to. As a result, she turns against both them and Dai Shi, enabling Jarrod to throw off its spirit control, and the two join the Power Rangers who use their animal spirits finally to defeat Dai Shi and its forces. In the epilogue, a more mature and responsible Jarrod goes back to the Pai Zhuq to begin his training again, followed by Camille who later returns as a Power Ranger in her own right. Lily, Theo, and RJ remain at Jungle Karma Pizza. Dominic and Fran backpack around the world and Casey becomes a teacher at the Pai Zhuq - with Jarrod and Camille among his students. == Cast and characters ==

Jungle Fury Rangers • Jason Smith as Casey Rhodes, the Jungle Fury Red Ranger • Anna Hutchison as Lily Chilman, the Jungle Fury Yellow Ranger. • Nikolai Nikolaeff as Dominic "Dom" Hargan, the Jungle Fury White Rhino Ranger. Jungle Fury Spirit Rangers • Bruce Allpress as Master Phant, the Green Elephant Spirit Ranger. • Oliver Driver as Master Swoop, the Black Bat Spirit Ranger. • Paul Gittins as Master Finn, the Aqua Shark Spirit Ranger. Supporting characters • Sarah Thomson as Fran • Kelson Henderson as the voice of Flit • Nathaniel Lees as Master Mao • Michelle Langstone As Master Guin • Stig Eldred as Master Rilla • Andrew Laing as Master Lope Villains • Bede Skinner as Jarrod/Dai Shi • Holly Shanahan as Camille • Geoff Dolan as the voice of Dai Shi • Cameron Rhodes as the voice of Carnisoar • Elisabeth Easther as the voice of Jellica • Derek Judge as the voice of Grizzaka • Mark Wright as the voice of Scorch • Richard Simpson as the voice of Snapper • Jared Turner as the voice of Whiger == Production ==

The show's writing staff was impacted by the 2007-08 Writers Guild of America strike. The show's regular writers, including Jackie Marchand and John Tellegen, were on strike. Showrunner Bruce Kalish remained on set in Auckland at Disney's behest, but did not do any writing or offer any input on the production while the strike continued. During this time, Disney enlisted former series writer Judd Lynn, who was at the time not a WGA member, to write episodes under a pseudonym. Lynn noted that crew members privately thanked him for making sure the production could continue. "Our crew was anywhere from 90 to 130 people, and all those people faced unemployment because of, in this case, a handful of people who were striking in Los Angeles," he said. "It seemed a little unbalanced." Disney would call on him again in 2009 to helm Power Rangers RPM after the dismissal of showrunner Eddie Guzelian. == Episodes ==