Top 5 Power Rangers Actresses Who Need to Play a Lifetime Movie Villainess (At Least Once)

Today is a big anniversary in the world of Power Rangers; it was 31 years ago today the whole phenomenon began. From the moment that the dumpster was opened, the Power Rangers franchise became a huge hit that has transcended generations. Most of us who have watched the MMPR, Zeo, and Turbo years have offspring who have enjoyed the current incarnations. It's absolutely amazing.

What's also amazing is how a lot of the women of Power Rangers have branched out. One of the biggest recent examples is Rose McIver, who played Summer Landsdowne, the Yellow RPM Ranger. She's since starred on the CW series, iZombie, and currently stars on the CBS series, Ghosts. Adelaide Kane, who played villainess Tenaya 7 on that same RPM season, went on to do Reign and Once Upon a Time, and of course, Amy Jo Johnson--one of the first women to set that bar--is an absolute success story in her own right.

We have also see the women of Power Rangers in Lifetime films as well. Anna Hutchinson (Jungle Fury) appeared in Secrets in the Lake, and I remember they teased her as the villainess of the film (slight spoiler alert: she wasn't). However, Cerina Vincent (Maya from Lost Galaxy) did do the Lifetime villainess thing once in The Work Wife, and is actually a Lifetime film veteran. Quite a few PR actresses have done their share of Lifetime films, but we have yet to see them really cause chaos on Lifetime as villainesses. That needs to be rectified. There are quite a few PR actresses I really want to see in that evil role, but I've whittled it down to five who really need to do this, and I hope to see it for myself.

They are as follows:

5. Jacqueline Scislowski

This isn't the first time Jacqueline Scislowski (Zoey Reeves from Beast Morphers) has been on this type of list. She's on my list of LT film actressess who need to play their first villainous role, and I repeat: she would be so golden as a villainess in a Lifetime film. I could see Scislowski playing a queen bee type character, or a sinister young social climber, either way, it would be absolutely epic.

Scislowski has only done two Lifetime films, and they've both had villainesses. Cheer Camp Killer had two, and Killer Competition featured Lifetime regular Cristine Prosperi in an evil role. It's been a minute since she's been on Lifetime, but one thing I have noticed is that the third time's the charm. By that, I mean actresses who debut on Lifetime usually play heroines twice before crossing the dark side in a third film. So by that law of averages, Scislowski's next Lifetime film should be the moment she shines in a deliciously evil role.

4. Melody Perkins

You know, one of the most underrated stories in Power Rangers history has to be Karone. We all know that story; Karone was the sister of Red Ranger Andros from In Space, but she was abducted and brainwashed into becoming the season's evil Big Bad, Astronema. How well I remember Astronema; I was 13 when In Space aired, and I absolutely loved Astronema--especially the different hairstyles and colors, and that outfit, WOW! Of course, the epic "Countdown to Destruction" grand finale saw Karone finally freed from the evil control, and she would return in Lost Galaxy as that season's second Pink Ranger.

Karone/Astronema was played brilliantly by Melody Perkins, who has never done a Lifetime film. However, I could see Perkins as a villainess in a Lifetime film; she would be so amazing in that role. If In Space showed us anything, it's that Perkins plays the baddie role very well, and I honestly think she could do it very well on Lifetime for sure.

3. Hilary Shepard

We all loved Divatox, didn't we? We still do! Divatox was so ruthless, stunning, and so over-the-top, and we were all here for it! Divatox debuted in Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie, and continued her role as the Big Bad on the Turbo TV season. Hilary Shepard originated the role in the film, but the first half of the TV season saw Carol Hoyt as Divatox, as well as Dimitria--who replaced Zordon as the Rangers' sage. Shepard return to playing Divatox in the latter half of the Turbo season, and she also continued the role sporadically on In Space.

Shepard's my inspiration for finally writing this piece after having it in my mind for close to a year. I saw her in the film, A Husband for Christmas, which had to have aired on Lifetime at some point, mainly because Shepard was also with a lot of the same cast members we usually see in David DeCoteau's LT films, mainly Vivica A. Fox and Helene Udy. Shepard worked with that group a lot in these films, usually in small roles, but sadly, she's never been a villainess in one. She was close twice: the film I just mentioned saw Shepard in a bit of a heel role, complete with that same Divatox aura that we all love, and one of the LT films saw Shepard as the mother of the film's villain, but we only see her for about a minute. Hilary Shepard really needs to do the Lifetime villainess thing; I could see her as an evil authority figure of some sort, or those over-the-top evil mother-in-laws who appear in the online text stories. Shepard definitely needs a villainous spotlight on Lifetime.

2. Amy Jo Johnson

Even now, 31 years to the day later, I consider Amy Jo Johnson one of the gold standards when it comes to the women of Power Rangers. It's a mantle she shares with someone who was taken from us far too soon, the late, great Thuy Trang. Kimberly and Trini were the ultimate "girl power" duo, and they hold that mantle, that pedestal, by a wide margin. Among the many things that Johnson's done since showing out as the OG Pink Ranger is a few Lifetime films, more notably Fatal Trust. She's also done the villainess thing a few times; she was a recurring antagonist on Wildfire, and the screenshot features Kimberly's brief time in the evil spotlight in the Turbo film.

I would love to see Amy Jo Johnson in another Lifetime film in a deliciously sinister role. I know she can do it. The way she acted out Kimberly's possessed state in that Turbo film was absolutely epic, and I could see Johnson absolutely shine in a darkly maniacal villainess role on Lifetime. I hope that happens soon!

1. Catherine Sutherland

You would think that on a list like this, I'd have Amy Jo Johnson top it. Those who know me and know my adoration for villainesses should not be surprised to see Catherine Sutherland at #1. I was 10 when Catherine Sutherland made her debut as Katherine Hillard, originally appearing as a villainess in league with Rita Repulsa, and I still remember how much I loved seeing evil Kat in action. I hadn't heard of Lifetime at that time, because I didn't have cable, but if I had, I would have definitely known that Kat would be a perfect fit for that network for sure.

We know the story with Kat, she was freed from Rita's spell and eventually replaced Kimberly as the Pink Ranger. Even so, while Katherine Hillard is a true Big Damn Good, Catherine Sutherland, even now, screams "Lifetime movie villainess." She would be so spectacular as an evil stepmother; I can honestly see Sutherland playing that type of villainess on Lifetime, and really putting her all into it. I'm serious, I would absolutely love to see Catherine Sutherland as a twisted, cold-blooded villainess on Lifetime. This needs to happen!

Any thoughts on my list? Feel free to comment below, and click the heart and the subscribe button for more of my stories!