Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills

Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills
Opening Title Card
Format	Action-Adventure
Created by	Jim Fisher Jim Staahl
Starring	Leslie Danon Richard Nason K. Jill Sorgen Rugg Williams
Voices of	Glenn Shadix Ed Gilbert David L. Lander
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	40
Production
Running time	27 minutes
Production company(s)	DIC Entertainment
Broadcast
Original channel	USA Network
Original run	October 3, 1994 – December 8, 1994

Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters From Beverly Hills is an original live-action series which was released by DIC Entertainment and aired on the USA Network during the 1994-1995 season. The show was a low budget attempt to emulate the success of Saban's Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.^[1]

1 Synopsis
2 Characters
3 Episode list
4 Online Episodes
5 Broadcasters
6 References
7 External links

Synopsis

The show was set in Beverly Hills, California. The four central characters of the show were teens selected by a blob-like brain alien named Nimbar to fight off the monsters sent by evil Emperor Gorganus. Gorganus is intent on conquering Earth because it is the focal point for a network of "Power Portals" that would facilitate conquest of the galaxy. In the first episode Nimbar recruits the four high school students and with a touch by his "finger" gives them each a tattoo, based on a constellation in the celestial sphere. When their tattoos flash, this means Nimbar needs them and a power portal appears that they can pass through to enter his chamber. Nimbar is the Head Protector of the Power Portals. As such, he served as a Zordon-like ally.

The teens could then stand atop platforms called "Transo Discs" and transform into "Galactic Sentinels" with super powers. When they put their hands together in an interlocking square they form the ultimate Galactic Sentinel called Knightron.

In one episode, there was a replacement for Laurie when she was injured badly by Predaraptor. He is known as Orion in sentinel mode, his true form. His civilian name was unknown in his duration on Earth. But when Nimbar pronounced his name in an utteration of slurs and gurgles, he stated with a sneer "Just call me Rick." He was played by Kevin Castro, who also played Tanker in the related series Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad.

Another episode had Zsa Zsa Gabor as a guest star.

They frequently could be seen in a coffee shop owned by Drew's aunt. This was probably an attempt to emulate Ernie's Juice Bar/Youth Center from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

One interesting difference between the two shows is that in this show, people noted they were missing. When Drew's aunt confronted her about this and Drew revealed her secret, she brought her to a psychiatrist to help with her "delusions." It also differed from similar shows in that the heroes were not good friends and in that they sometimes had trouble getting along.

The show also featured at least one episode that made a jab at the "monster of the day" convention by showing how tactically unsound the practice is for conquering a planet. Gorganus went on vacation in that episode. His chief henchman Lechner tried to conquer Earth in his absence, and when the monster he sent was about to be destroyed, he recalled it and sent another moments later. The heroes were nearly defeated until the main villain returned and re-implemented the "monster of the day" formula.

It should be noted that the Galactic Sentinels must not reveal their true identity to anyone. In the event that someone happens to follow them through a power portal, they will end up be subjected to the Memory Fader once the monster that Emperor Gorganus sends is defeated.

Characters

Galactic Sentinels

The Galactic Sentinels are champions of Nimbar who can be summoned to him when the tattoos bestowed upon them flashes:

Laurie Foster (played by Leslie Danon) - Smart, sensible and very organized. She became the leader of the squad with the power of Scorpio. As Scorpio, she had light green armor. Her primary weapon was a slim bladed sword.

Gordon Henley (played by Richard Nason) - The typical blond prep brown-noser and social member of the group. He became Taurus, donning a black outfit. He held a staff as his weapon.

Drew Vincent (played by K. Jill Sorgen) - Drew was the smart tough girl who worked at the coffee shop the kids regularly hung out in. She becomes Centaur, wearing the purple outfit. She used a battle axe as her weapon.

Swinton Sawyer (played by Rugg Williams) - Swinton was the brains of the group, he wore glasses and was African-American unlike the other teens. He wore a yellow suit and held the power of Apollo. His weapon was a small unnamed double-bladed weapon.

Rick (played by Kevin Castro) - In one episode, Rick is an alien in human form and former warrior for Nimbar. He was cold, distant, and after being the sole survivor of his destroyed planet, he was full of anger toward Nimbar and the other guardians. He held the power of Orion which he used on the fourth transo disc when Laurie was unable to fight. His name was too complicated for humans to speak so he insisted that Nimbar call him "Rick." His suit is silver and his fellow Sentinels were Leo, Draco and Ursa whom were badly defeated by Predaraptor.

Knightron - A powerful knight who is the combination of any four Galactic Sentinels. He is the Ultimate Galactic Sentinel that wields a sword and a shield. However, Knightron's power is "finite," and the Galactic Sentinels are only to form him as a last resort. Knightron never actually spoke in any of the installments, and the name of the stuntman who wore the armor was never revealed in the credits.

NOTE: Drew's tattoo is not the symbol for Centaur, but Sagittarius. Similarly, Swinton's symbol is not for Apollo, but Aquarius. It is most likely a mistake made by the creators. As in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the teens were also bound to rules: 1) they could not reveal their identities as Galactic Sentinels to anyone, and 2) They could not escalate a battle unless Gorganus forced them to.

Villains

Emperor Gorganus (voiced by Ed Gilbert) - The primary antagonist of the series and ruler of the planet Meleculah. Emperor Gorganus is intent on conquering Earth because it is the focal point for a network of "Power Portals" that would facilitate conquest of the galaxy. He views the battles between his monsters and the Galactic Sentinels through a microscope-like device.
- Lechner (voiced by David Lander) - Emperor Gorganus' pet bird and henchman. He tends to irritate Emperor Gorganus with inquiries and questions yet grovels and reacts with statements when Emperor Gorganus threatens him. Emperor Gorganus tends to use Lechner as his scapegoat.

Monsters

These are monstrous mercenaries with various abilities that Emperor Gorganus sends to Earth for various tasks. Emperor Gorganus can reconstruct his monsters if they are destroyed, modify the monsters' powers, strengthen them, or even transfer the powers of one monster into another. The following monsters have been used:

Ninjabot - Skilled in the martial arts, this samurai robot was the first to do battle with the Galactic Sentinels. Although he is not entirely loyal to Emperor Gorganus, Ninjabot is sworn by oath never to speak a lie. Ninjabot is featured in the episodes "In the Beginning," "The Spy" (which was actually an illusion), and "Winner Take All."

Neuragula - A walking brain monster that has the special ability of mind control. He is called upon by Emperor Gorganus for tasks such as taking over the minds of his adversaries, implanting false information in the brain, and draining knowledge. In battle, he can fire energy pellets from his body, generate force fields (an attack used only once), and create deadly sound waves to immobilize his enemies. It has been stated that Neuragula concentrates his powers on two parts of his brain. He is featured in "The Note," "The Quitter," "The Brain Drain," "Deja Vu," and "Penny For Your Thoughts."

The Sorcerer - This masked wizard is known for his deception. He has several unique uses to Emperor Gorganus, such pushing time forward at an accelerated rate, putting his enemies to sleep, and transmitting alien life forms. He is often called upon for tasks meant to discover the Galactic Sentinels' hidden identities. In combat, the Sorcerer's powers come from his wand, which at times will transform into a sword. He can also teleport to evade attacks. The Sorcerer is featured in "How Time Flies," "Mind Games," Nightmare on Rodeo Drive," "The Leech," and "Ghost Warrior."

Voldak - An electricity elemental knight. His encounters with Earth involve tasks such as overloading the planet's electrical-grid, creating chaotic thunderstorms, or altering the ion flow of electrical units. These missions have had strange effects on the galactic sentinels, such as causing their bodies to switch places, or sending them to a parallel universe on Earth. Voldak is featured in "Switch," "Trust," "The Glitch," "The Imposter," and "The Last People on Earth."

Slaygar - Slaygar is a toxic waste monster. On Earth, he can unleash deadly toxins from his mouth, as well as absorb the planet's atmosphere. Slaygar's only known weak spot is behind his ear, which is uniquely located at the base of his stomach. He is featured in "Perceptions," "The Opiate From the Future," "Ozone O-Mio," and "Primal Scream."

Octodroid - Although this squid-like monster is considered one of Emperor Gorganus' less competent mercenaries, he has several deadly attacks in battle. The first one being his tentacle grab, which involves extending his arms (it's been stated that he has over 30) and apprehending his enemies, leaving them completely immobilizes. His next attack is his salt feeder, which can drain the moisture out of a living being to the point of death. The last attack is his stinger, which takes on the appearance of a flamethrower. Octodroid is featured in "Three Cheats to the Wind," "The Cover-Up," and "The Monster Among Us."

Isolus - This heavily-armed ice demon has the ability to freeze an entire planet over in sub-zero temperatures. In combat her ice-themed attacks can freeze her enemies in place, leaving completely immobilized. Only Knightron has had the strength to break free of her ice coating. Isolus is Emperor Gorganus' only female mercenary. Isolus is featured in "The Spy," "The Y Files," "Gordon Cries Wolf," and "Take Two Galactic Sentinels and Call Nimbar in the Morning."

Culebra - This cobra monster is known for his aggressive behavior as well as the ability to unleash fire from his body. His powers are generally stronger during the daytime when the sun is at its peak. However, they can be modified to work at night as well. Culebra is featured in "The Rat," "Bully for You," "The Chocolate War," and "Emperor for a Day."

Predaraptor - This dinosaur-like beast is known for his brute force, and was the monster primarily responsible for the destruction of Orion's home planet. In battle, his signature attack is a powerful beam emission, which is preceded by a glow above his head. Like Slaygar, Predaraptor is stated to have a primary weak spot. In this case, it is the spinal cord in the back of the neck. He is featured in "The Universal Hitchhiker," "Mr. Popularity," and "Beverly Hills 902-Oblivion."

Snake Trooper - This rookie snake-like warrior is not known to possess any special abilities, except perhaps his quick wit. To make up for this, Emperor Gorganus implanted a memory-enhancing chip in his brain. This would enable him to recognize and counter every move his enemies make. The Snake Trooper is the only monster to ever overpower Knightron because of the memory-enhancing chip. He is featured in "The Psychiatrist" Pt. 1 and "The Psychiatrist" Pt. 2.

Other characters

Nimbar (voiced by Glenn Shadix) - Nimbar is a gelatinous blob with high intelligence that calls the teens together, controls and retains their powers and opens portals to and from Earth at will. Nimbar is the Head Protector of the Power Portals and he grants his soldiers tattoos with which to communicate and open portals near simply by swiping an arm-like extension over their wrist. He has failed in the past to protect a world from Gorganus and will stop at nothing to insure Earth does not meet the same fate.

Diane Henley (played by Dani Douthette) - Gordon's mother and the Mayor of Beverly Hills. In "The Ghost Warrior," she temporarily learns that Gordon is Taurus until the Memory Fader is used on her after the Sorcerer's defeat.

Nicole Nash (played by Janna Lowell) - Drew's aunt who is a movie star. She also owns the Coffee House where the Galactic Sentinels hang out.

Roland Sawyer (played by Charles Walker) - Swinton's father. In "Mind Games," he planned to transfer Swinton to Billwood Academy.

Sam (played by Jeff Doucette) - The manager of the Coffee House that Nicole owns.

Pixel (voiced by Debi Derryberry) - An alien from Hunab Ku that appeared in "The Opiate from the Future." Her kind has the ability to predict the future and must be in a light source in order to communicate with anyone. Emperor Gorganus had captured her in order to predict his future until Pixel tricked Lechner into letting her out. The Galactic Sentinels rescue her from Slaygar as she tells them to form Knightron. When asked by the Galactic Sentinels if they will be able to defeat Emperor Gorganus, her predictions come up as yes and no. After Slaygar is defeated, Nimbar uses his technology to warp the rock that Pixel is in back to Hunab Ku.

Dr. Bradford Clamtin (played by Beans Morocco) - A psychiatrist who appeared in the two-part episode "The Psychiatrist. He was called in by Nicole Nash to do some therapy on Drew when it is claimed that Drew has compulsive lying syndrome. He does discover the truth about the Galactic Sentinels during their fight with Snake Trooper. Before he can start his new book about his encounters, Drew subjects him to the Memory Fader causing Dr. Bradford Clamtin to forget what he has seen and being called in by Nicole Nash.

Episode list

In the Beginning.... - Emperor Gorganus makes his plans to conquer Earth and sends Ninjabot to attack Earth. Nimbar selects four teens to be his champions and become Galactic Sentinels.
The Note - Drew writes a note to make Gordon think Laurie likes him to prove he just follows rules. Meanwhile, Emperor Gorganus sends Neuragula to Earth.
How Time Flies - Emperor Gorganus sends the Sorcerer to speed up time on Earth which causes some problems for the Galactic Sentinels.
Switch - The Galactic Sentinels accidentally switch genders, changing bodies and lives during their fight with Voldek.
Perceptions - Swinton gets advice from everyone on how to talk to a pretty girl. Meanwhile, Emperor Gorganus sends Slaygar to pollute the Earth.
Three Cheats to the Wind - Drew works on her essay of Les Misérables. Meanwhile, Emperor Gorganus sends Octodroid to change the Earth's freshwater into saltwater.
The Quitter - Neuragala uses his powers to turn Laurie into a selfish brat causing her to quit the Galactic Sentinels leaving the others powerless to stop Neuragala.
Commitments - Drew and Gordon pose as a couple when they use the bracelet belonging to Gordon's mom to save the world.
Mind Games - The Galactic Sentinels bring the Sorcerer's wand which causes Nimbar to act strangely and causes him to disband the Galactic Sentinels. Meanwhile, Swinton tells the others that his parents plan on transferring him to the Billwood Academy.
The Spy - Emperor Gorganus sends Isolus to Earth disguised as a foreign exchange student named Ilse Lang.
The Brain Drain - Gorganus Sends Neurecula to drain the minds of the people on Earth.
A Nightmare on Rodeo Drive - Emperor Gorganus sends the Sorcerer to bring the nightmares of the Galactic Sentinels to life.
The Rat - Gordon ends up having his mind transmogrified into Swinton's mouse Darwin upon going through the Power Portal with it at the same time. Meanwhile, Emperor Gorganus sends Culebra to raise Earth's temperature.
The Cover-Up - Emperor Gorganus sends Octodroid to capture a Galactic Sentinel. He manages to successfully capture Swinton and now the others have to find a way to rescue him while trying to cover-up where Swinton is to his father.
Bully For You - An attempt to restore Swinton's confidence by disguising Gordon as Culebra backfires when the real Culebrea appears and almost destroys the Galactic Sentinels.
Trust - Laurie, Gordon, and Swinton read from Drew's diary when it comes to her family life. Meanwhile, Emperor Gorganus sends Voldek to knock out Earth's electrical grid.
The Y Files - Two government agents arrive in Beverly Hills and consider it as Ground Zero for all extraterrestrial sightings. Meanwhile, Emperor Gorganus sends Isolus to Earth's desert in order to plunge the Earth into the next Ice Age.
The Chocolate War - Thanks to Emperor Gorganus and Culebra, a friendly competition gets out of hand and threatens the ability of the Galactic Sentinels to form Knightron.
The Monster Among Us - Gordon misses out on the date of a lifetime as Emperor Gorganus and Octodroid replaces Taurus with a look-alike android.
The Universal Hitchhiker - Drew learns a lesson in believing in others when she redeems a fallen Sentinel call Orion that ends up saving the Galactic Sentinels from Predaraptor.
Deja Vu - The Galactic Sentinels have to live a party life over and over until they get it right and destroy Neuragula who has trapped them in a time loop.
The Ghost Warrior - Emperor Gorganus sends the Sorcerer to Earth disguised as Taurus in order to make a public appearance in a plot to lure out the Galactic Sentinels.
The Opiate from the Future - Emperor Gorganus sends Slaygar to capture Pixel, an alien from Hunab Ku whose kind can predict the future. When the Galactic Sentinels rescue Pixel, the Galactic Sentinels hope to use Pixel in their advantage during their fight against Emperor Gorganus.
The Leech - The Sorcerer places a Mind Leech onto Drew in order to find out the identities of the Galactic Sentinels. The Mind Leech ends up causing a personality change in Drew.
Gordon Cries Wolf - Gordon's white lie gets him in trouble when he ends up involving Laurie when he overhears that a student named Brad is going to ask her out and then diss her. Meanwhile, Emperor Gorganus sends an upgraded Isolus to destroy the Galactic Sentinels.
Penny for Your Thoughts - Laurie believes she has the ability to read minds as a Residual Effect from portalling. But what she hears isn't nice and is on the verge of tearing the team apart when they discover the false thoughts were planted by Neuragula.
Turncoat - Given an opportunity to save Earth forever from Emperor Gorganus, the Galactic Sentinels learn they cannot pass along their problems to somebody else.
Mr. Popularity - After being hit by Wish Dust emitted from Predaraptor's tail, Swinton discovers he should be careful what he wishes for...it might come true...especially if Emperor Gorganus can use it to destroy the Galactic Sentinels.
Winner Takes All - The teens decide to be friends, only to learn friendship has its pitfalls, when Earth is at stake when Emperor Gorganus sends Ninjabot to challenge the Galactic Sentinels.
Beverly Hills 902-Oblivion - The Galactic Sentinels must defend the homefront when it is discovered a Bal Darian Portal Torpedo has been portaled back to the Coffeehouse with them following their fight with Predaraptor.
Ozone O-Mio - Emperor Gorganus sends Slaygar to suck up the Earth's ozone layer while Gordon is busy sucking up to Swinton's father.
The Glitch - While fighting Voldek, the Power Portal develops a malfunction which sends the Galactic Sentinels to some very strange parallel universes where someone else is the Mayor of Beverly Hills.
Emperor for a Day - Swinton tries to take a test that would get him into college. Meanwhile, Emperor Gorganus goes on vacation and Lecher watches over the place while Emperor Gorganus is away. Lechner almost succeeds in driving Nimbar to the breaking point with Culebra's appearing and disappearing from Earth.
The Impostor - Aunt Nicole's soap opera "Storm and Stress" bases a new character on Drew, and Laurie lands the role. Laurie begins to emulate Drew in an attempt to "get in character." Drew's resentment at this threatens to destroy the Sentinels' team unity when Emperor Gorganus sends Voldek to Earth.
Take Two Galactic Sentinels and Call Nimbar in the Morning - The common cold almost causes the destruction of the Earth when it sweeps through the ranks of the Galactic Sentinels, ultimately afflicting even Nimbar. Meanwhile, Emperor Gorganus sends Isolus to reverse Earth's temperatures.
The Last People on Earth - Gordon tries to find the guy who ripped him off with the fake CD Player. Meanwhile, Emperor Gorganus gives Voldek a Lifeform Compressor in order to collect the people of Earth.
The Primal Scream - Emperor Gorganus attempts to activate a Portal Jammer which will defeat Nimbar. Drew, Swinton and Gordon race the clock to reverse a galactic virus which is de-evolving Laurie into a deranged monster while fighting Slaygar at the same time.
The Psychiatrist Pt. 1 - The Galactic Sentinels face discovery, when Drew has to meet with a psychiatrist named Dr. Bradford Clamtin who wants to institutionalize her! Meanwhile, Emperor Gorganus installs a memory-enhancing chip into Snake Trooper so that he can anticipate the Galactic Sentinels' every move.
The Psychiatrist Pt. 2 - Dr. Bradford Clamtin discovers the truth about the Galactic Sentinels as Snake Trooper begins it's next attack.
It's a Gorganus Life - On Christmas, Drew is anxious to see It's a Wonderful Life and Nimbar plans to teach the Galactic Sentinels a lesson by placing them in a hologram to show what would happen if Emperor Gorganus had conquered Earth. Emperor Gorganus takes the opportunity to reprogram the hologram so that he can have an advantage when he fights the Galactic Sentinels.

Online Episodes

As of March 2008, DIC Entertainment has added the series to their online programming for US users. Fans were able to watch episodes straight from DIC's KEWL Cartoons website, until the site began redirecting to Jaroo (where the show is unavailable).

Broadcasters

The series originally aired on USA Network.

Starting September 26, 2011, the program became a part of Cookie Jar's weekday morning "This is for Kids" programming block on the digital subchannel This TV.

References

^ The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present. Ballantine Books. 2003. pp. 935. ISBN 0-345-45542-8.