Seems normal to me, maybe he just got paid.

Constantly checking water levels" sounds like overkill. I just top mine off when I walk by, it takes two seconds. Seems like making a simple process way more complicated than it needs to be.

Check the IP rating before you buy, a lot of those tools aren't sealed for real dust. I've had good luck with Johnson levels, they seem to hold up better in messy shops. Just blow it out with air at lunch and end of day, that usually keeps it going.

I read somewhere that the filler arcs gave more screen time to the outer senshi, which I liked. @taylor.sean, some of it dragged but I mean, the extra character stuff was nice. Maybe it's just me but I'd miss some of those weird monster-of-the-day episodes.

That part about your friend almost quitting over pip errors is so real. It's like when you try to follow a "simple" recipe and spend more time finding weird ingredients than actually cooking. Starting with something visual that gives quick wins just makes sense for keeping people from getting overwhelmed right away.