This week: From an exhausting bench press scene to the Gold Ranger reveal, Dark Jason, and Forever Red, Austin shares what was really happening behind the camera.

Comedian, podcaster, and lifelong Mighty Morphin Power Rangers fan Clayton Thomas arrived with a very specific plan: show Austin St. John his favorite Jason moments and finally ask what was happening behind the scenes.

For CT, these were not simply memorable television scenes. They were childhood moments that shaped his love of entertainment and followed him into adulthood.

For Austin, watching them again unlocked memories involving an unexpectedly exhausting bench press, a very flashy Gold Ranger suit, freezing water, real stunt falls, and one Megazord confession that CT was not emotionally prepared to hear.

CT began with “A Pressing Engagement,” the episode where Jason attempts to break Angel Grove’s bench press record before fighting King Sphinx alone.

The scene makes it appear that Jason completes more than 1,000 repetitions, gets interrupted, fights a monster, and then returns to finish the challenge.

The actual bar weighed about 85 pounds, which initially annoyed Austin. He was benching more than 300 pounds at the time and felt ridiculous pretending the lighter weight was nearly impossible to lift.

Then the cameras kept resetting.

Lighting changes, technical problems, missed dialogue, and extra takes meant Austin continued lifting long after the scene should have ended. The crew began by spraying him with water to create sweat. Eventually, they no longer needed to.

Looking back, Austin sees the episode as a lesson in determination. Jason failed to finish the first time, faced another challenge while already exhausted, and still returned to complete what he started.

CT vividly remembers watching the episode where the mysterious Gold Ranger finally removed his sunglasses and revealed Jason.

He was ten years old, home alone after school, and screamed loudly enough to concern the neighbors.

Austin’s return was originally planned for 17 episodes, along with an appearance in Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie. Walking back onto the set felt strange because the Command Center, cast, and show had all changed since his departure.

Jason, however, was still Jason.

He remained the calm leader who preferred to walk softly and carry a very large stick. The difference was that Tommy was now the Red Ranger, while Jason returned as the powerful new member of the team.

Austin was initially unsure about moving from red into white, black, and gold. That changed when he saw the complete Gold Ranger costume.

The gold armor, black spandex, and elaborate detailing won him over immediately. The heavy trench coat used to conceal his identity in the desert was considerably less enjoyable.

Austin’s Gold Ranger story ended when the powers began damaging Jason, forcing him to return them to Trey of Triforia.

CT remembered being frustrated. Jason had finally returned, only to surrender the powers and leave again after 17 episodes.

Austin believes the limited amount of existing Gold Ranger footage may have influenced that decision, but he could not confirm what was happening inside production. He only knew what he had signed to film.

He did have one lingering complaint about Jason’s original run.

Zack, Billy, Tommy, Trini, and Kimberly all seemed to receive romantic storylines. Jason spent most of his time solving problems and leading the team.

Jason finally walked into the sunset with Emily after losing the Gold Ranger powers. As Austin pointed out, it took roughly 87 episodes for anyone to give the original Red Ranger a love interest.

Austin returned again for Turbo, where Jason and Kimberly were transformed into darker versions of themselves.

The movie gave him an opportunity to play Jason with anger, ego, and resentment. Evil twisted the qualities that had previously made Jason a hero. His confidence became arrogance, while his strength became something he used to threaten his friends.

Austin loved it.

The elaborate sets and larger film budget also created experiences he had never encountered during the original series.

One fight appeared to send Jason tumbling into a volcano. In reality, Austin flipped into a shallow pit filled with crash pads before visual effects transformed it into a fiery drop.

Another sequence required Austin and Amy Jo Johnson to spend hours in a large water tank. The water initially seemed manageable, but both actors became painfully cold after filming in it for an extended period.

The movie was uncomfortable, physical, and completely different from the television production. For Austin, that was part of what made it exciting.

When Austin was asked to return for Forever Red, he was working in emergency services on the East Coast.

The producers told him the episode would unite ten Red Rangers. Austin’s immediate reaction was confusion.

He traded shifts, returned to Los Angeles, and filmed the special over several days. The experience allowed him to meet actors who had continued the franchise and see how each one had developed a different version of the Red Ranger.

Austin still believes Forever Red could work as a full movie, especially as a tribute to Jason David Frank and the larger legacy the franchise created.

A later Dino-themed team-up gave him another chance to return as Jason, but the biggest surprise came after CT asked about filming scenes inside the Megazord.

Austin had to break the news carefully.

Those scenes relied on existing Japanese footage or other performers. Despite leading the team and calling on the Tyrannosaurus countless times, Austin never physically stepped onto a Megazord set.

CT may never fully recover from that revelation.

Which Jason moment would you want to watch with Austin? Share it in the comments, then watch the whole video here to see CT revisit the scenes that made him a lifelong Red Ranger fan.