Just watched the Power Metal episode of Metal Evolution. Overall it was a fun watch, mainly because watching Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray, Hammerfall, Ross the Boss, etc talk on screen about the genre's beginnings and influences is really fucking cool. While I found Dunn's claim that the genre's appeal lies mainly from the European festival season kind of bizarre, it's definitely true that it truly shines in a live setting with like minded sing-songy fans. I'm pretty sure my top 5 concert experiences ever are all Power Metal shows due to the awesome comraderie. After sitting through the muck of the last 2 or 3 episodes, it was nice to see some sychronized headbanging and fist pumping.
I really enjoyed them bringing up the use of metal "cliches" as a good thing in power metal, for it is all that is good in life. More muscles, leather, chains, and dragons please. Also, only one comment in the whole episode about it being "girly", melodic, and your girlfriend possibly liking it, which I'll take as a win. Leave the hall, shmuck.
I would have liked a few comments on US Power Metal scene, which was largely ignored aside from Manowar. No Iced Earth, Jag Panzer, Omen, etc. Still, I'll take what I can get.