We're now on the home stretch for season one; can it end with a bang, or a whimper?
Green Isn't Your Color
Written by Meghan McCarthy
The dynamic between Rarity and Fluttershy is rarely touched upon in the series - the only other time I can think of is Fake It 'Til You Make It - so seeing them together is a nice breath of fresh air. It works out in the episode that Rarity wants her friend to be a success, but Fluttershy is afraid of disappointing her. It's simple, but effective. You feel sympathetic for Rarity when she doesn't get to work with Photo Finish, and for Fluttershy over the pressure surrounding her fame. It stills works out in the end when they're honest about their secrets.
However, it does feel weaker than Meghan's previous efforts. For one thing, Spike's crush on Rarity is a pointless subplot that goes nowhere in the episode, though him showing no pain with the pins on his back is funny, except maybe for Twilight blurting out that he has a crush on Rarity.
Speaking of whom, why doesn't Twilight act like an in-between for Rarity and Fluttershy rather than listening to Pinkie's advice? Come to think of it, Pinkie barely had much of a point in the episode to begin with, so why is she constantly stalking Twilight just because of a promise? Doesn't she have better things to do? I mean, she's later seen at Sugarcube Corner making cupcakes, so what's the point?
The last issue is minor, but I'll mention it regardless? How is it that Bon Bon and her friend (that isn't Lyra) not know who Rarity was? She's the bearer of the Element of Generosity, for goodness' sake! But despite the problems with the pacing (which kinda feel like they're there to fill time), this is an episode you might want to check out.
However, it does feel weaker than Meghan's previous efforts. For one thing, Spike's crush on Rarity is a pointless subplot that goes nowhere in the episode, though him showing no pain with the pins on his back is funny, except maybe for Twilight blurting out that he has a crush on Rarity.
Speaking of whom, why doesn't Twilight act like an in-between for Rarity and Fluttershy rather than listening to Pinkie's advice? Come to think of it, Pinkie barely had much of a point in the episode to begin with, so why is she constantly stalking Twilight just because of a promise? Doesn't she have better things to do? I mean, she's later seen at Sugarcube Corner making cupcakes, so what's the point?
The last issue is minor, but I'll mention it regardless? How is it that Bon Bon and her friend (that isn't Lyra) not know who Rarity was? She's the bearer of the Element of Generosity, for goodness' sake! But despite the problems with the pacing (which kinda feel like they're there to fill time), this is an episode you might want to check out.
Rating: Good (8/10)
Over a Barrel
Written by Dave Polsky
Well, Dave Polsky's back again with more controversy. Unlike Feeling Pinkie Keen, I'm not going to delve into the problems in full detail out of risk for backlash, so instead, I'll review the episode on its own merits.
Even for the first season of the show, it's rather odd that a train would be pulled by a group of stallions instead of driving in the cab. I'm surprised they managed to get it to stop without getting themselves hurt! I will say, however, that it's funny that Applejack treats Bloomberg the tree like a baby moments after telling Rarity otherwise. What's not so funny - at least, right now - is Fluttershy wanting to become a tree, especially if you consider what almost happened to her six seasons down the road.
The message is a powerful one, even now, about being rational and reasonable with one another, and looking at both sides. The settlers of Appleloosa need to use land in order to survive, but the buffalo need it because it's sacred stampede ground. It's a gray area, something which was a nice touch. Even nicer is that Rainbow Dash was caring for the buffalo tribe's needs, unlike future episodes where either she was a cruel bully (28 Pranks Later) or an incompetent idiot putting others' lives at risk (Non-Compete Clause).
That being said, Pinkie does make things worse by reprising her sharing song that triggers the fight... which is actually way funnier and over-the-top than it should be, leading to a compromise from both parties. On the whole, good episode and a good watch.
Even for the first season of the show, it's rather odd that a train would be pulled by a group of stallions instead of driving in the cab. I'm surprised they managed to get it to stop without getting themselves hurt! I will say, however, that it's funny that Applejack treats Bloomberg the tree like a baby moments after telling Rarity otherwise. What's not so funny - at least, right now - is Fluttershy wanting to become a tree, especially if you consider what almost happened to her six seasons down the road.
The message is a powerful one, even now, about being rational and reasonable with one another, and looking at both sides. The settlers of Appleloosa need to use land in order to survive, but the buffalo need it because it's sacred stampede ground. It's a gray area, something which was a nice touch. Even nicer is that Rainbow Dash was caring for the buffalo tribe's needs, unlike future episodes where either she was a cruel bully (28 Pranks Later) or an incompetent idiot putting others' lives at risk (Non-Compete Clause).
That being said, Pinkie does make things worse by reprising her sharing song that triggers the fight... which is actually way funnier and over-the-top than it should be, leading to a compromise from both parties. On the whole, good episode and a good watch.
Rating: Good (8/10)
A Bird in the Hoof
Written by Charlotte Fullerton
So this episode was basically 22 minutes of Fluttershy trying to care for a sick bird... and not much else. The only other things of note are Rainbow Dash trying to get a guard to laugh which eventually gets a payoff at the end with Philomena tickling their noses, and Celestia gaining a bit of a cheeky side by tricking Mr. Cake into pouring tea into her cup. Though the latter has nothing to do with the episode itself, it is actually rather amusing.
But other than that, the episode's full of nothing. I could watch this episode ten times over and still find nothing worth noting.
But other than that, the episode's full of nothing. I could watch this episode ten times over and still find nothing worth noting.
Rating: Bad (1/10)
The Cutie Mark Chronicles
Written by M. A. Larson
Oh, I'm not gonna make many friends with this one...!
Alright, before everyone goes after me with death threats, I want to say that I get why people would like this episode. It shows how the Mane Six got their cutie marks, and I respect that people like that. But this episode just rubs me the wrong way.
The first problem is the story... if there was any to begin with. In fact, the moment the Crusaders ask Applejack as to how she got her cutie mark, the story comes to a grinding halt, meaning that instead of going straight to Rainbow Dash, we (and the Crusaders) are forced to see the Mane Six's cutie mark stories. Absolutely, they're meant to be cute, but there's an even bigger problem...
Fluttershy's flashback is the only one to involve Rainbow Dash directly, and that means you figure out how the Mane Six ended up getting their cutie marks before they and the Crusaders do, so any attempt at tension is dead. This isn't helped that by then, Sonic Rainboom had aired, and even if you didn't watch the episode beforehand, the outcome is still obvious.
The Crusaders feel like they drew the short end of the stick; they don't really feel like characters at all and come off as one-note plot devices. Heck, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle feel practically interchangeable with each other, with only Scootaloo having any personality to draw from. But even then, she doesn't feel interesting.
The ending is a complete anticlimax. Yes, I know it's meant to be heartwarming, but it instead comes of as patronizing and a slap in the face, as if it's treating the audience like they're stupid. And again, we already knew they got their cutie marks because of Rainbow Dash! If you're going to write an origin story, don't make the outcome obvious! I think airing this episode that far into the season really brings it down as a whole. If it had aired far earlier, and with Sonic Rainboom being given a few tweaks, then this could've been okay.
Something my friend Mike brought up is that in the aforementioned Sonic Rainboom, Rainbow Dash said she can't do one, even though we saw her do one in this episode! Either A) this is a plot hole, B) Rainbow Dash forgot despite it being the reason she got her cutie mark, or C) she was lying. It almost feels as if Larson couldn't hold continuity between the episodes.
So yeah. I'm sorry, but I don't like this episode at all. The outcome is painfully obvious, the story non-existent, and it almost feels as if it was written as an afterthought when it came to giving the main cast a backstory.
At least the Mane Six look cute as fillies.
Alright, before everyone goes after me with death threats, I want to say that I get why people would like this episode. It shows how the Mane Six got their cutie marks, and I respect that people like that. But this episode just rubs me the wrong way.
The first problem is the story... if there was any to begin with. In fact, the moment the Crusaders ask Applejack as to how she got her cutie mark, the story comes to a grinding halt, meaning that instead of going straight to Rainbow Dash, we (and the Crusaders) are forced to see the Mane Six's cutie mark stories. Absolutely, they're meant to be cute, but there's an even bigger problem...
Fluttershy's flashback is the only one to involve Rainbow Dash directly, and that means you figure out how the Mane Six ended up getting their cutie marks before they and the Crusaders do, so any attempt at tension is dead. This isn't helped that by then, Sonic Rainboom had aired, and even if you didn't watch the episode beforehand, the outcome is still obvious.
The Crusaders feel like they drew the short end of the stick; they don't really feel like characters at all and come off as one-note plot devices. Heck, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle feel practically interchangeable with each other, with only Scootaloo having any personality to draw from. But even then, she doesn't feel interesting.
The ending is a complete anticlimax. Yes, I know it's meant to be heartwarming, but it instead comes of as patronizing and a slap in the face, as if it's treating the audience like they're stupid. And again, we already knew they got their cutie marks because of Rainbow Dash! If you're going to write an origin story, don't make the outcome obvious! I think airing this episode that far into the season really brings it down as a whole. If it had aired far earlier, and with Sonic Rainboom being given a few tweaks, then this could've been okay.
Something my friend Mike brought up is that in the aforementioned Sonic Rainboom, Rainbow Dash said she can't do one, even though we saw her do one in this episode! Either A) this is a plot hole, B) Rainbow Dash forgot despite it being the reason she got her cutie mark, or C) she was lying. It almost feels as if Larson couldn't hold continuity between the episodes.
So yeah. I'm sorry, but I don't like this episode at all. The outcome is painfully obvious, the story non-existent, and it almost feels as if it was written as an afterthought when it came to giving the main cast a backstory.
At least the Mane Six look cute as fillies.
Rating: Terrible (0/10)
Owl's Well That Ends Well
Written by Cindy Morrow
Yet another of season one's more controversial episodes, and one that most people dislike? If you were to ask me, though? I thought it was alright, and compared to the last episode where the story felt like an afterthought, here, there's a complete story taking place.
The conflict Spike goes through is relatable; he takes pride in being Twilight's number one assistant, and at the start, it's clear he appreciates the attention the Mane Six give him. But when Owlicious comes into the picture by helping Twilight with a wayward scroll, Spike feels threatened and believes Twilight doesn't love him anymore. But how is it that the Mane Six suddenly swoon over him? Sure, it's brief and it's sort of an allegory for a newborn baby, but it feels jarring and apart from fueling Spike's jealousy, adds nothing to the story.
That being said, Spike did come off a bit petty in trying to make Owlicious bad. Don't get me wrong; he did have a reason for it, but I seriously doubt a child would resort to this extreme to make their baby sibling look bad in front of the parents. Still, it at least adds up to the moral pretty well; don't be selfish or let jealousy rule over common sense.
So, is it really one of season one's worst? I don't think so. There are issues like Twilight not taking notice of Spike overreacting (though she does apologize for it, but still) and Spike getting showered with praise coming off as a bit forced, but it's far from unwatchable and Spike and Owlicious do have good moments together in future episodes. That said, this isn't one of those episodes I'd rewatch that often, except maybe for some humorous moments.
The conflict Spike goes through is relatable; he takes pride in being Twilight's number one assistant, and at the start, it's clear he appreciates the attention the Mane Six give him. But when Owlicious comes into the picture by helping Twilight with a wayward scroll, Spike feels threatened and believes Twilight doesn't love him anymore. But how is it that the Mane Six suddenly swoon over him? Sure, it's brief and it's sort of an allegory for a newborn baby, but it feels jarring and apart from fueling Spike's jealousy, adds nothing to the story.
That being said, Spike did come off a bit petty in trying to make Owlicious bad. Don't get me wrong; he did have a reason for it, but I seriously doubt a child would resort to this extreme to make their baby sibling look bad in front of the parents. Still, it at least adds up to the moral pretty well; don't be selfish or let jealousy rule over common sense.
So, is it really one of season one's worst? I don't think so. There are issues like Twilight not taking notice of Spike overreacting (though she does apologize for it, but still) and Spike getting showered with praise coming off as a bit forced, but it's far from unwatchable and Spike and Owlicious do have good moments together in future episodes. That said, this isn't one of those episodes I'd rewatch that often, except maybe for some humorous moments.
Rating: Okay (6/10)
Party of One
Written by Meghan McCarthy
So now we've reached the penultimate episode of the season, and said by many to be one of the show's funniest episodes. You get that feeling straight away with Pinkie's telegram song, especially as she gets exhausted towards the end. It becomes something of a brick joke when she sends written invitations for Gummy's after-birthday party. Which becomes something of a brick joke when the Mane Six celebrate it as well at the end.
I don't talk about animation or voice acting anymore because they're a standard in the medium by now, but here is where they're at their best. Whether it be the expressions made by Pinkie when she slowly loses it at her "party", her disguises like the haystack in a coat and glasses, or the Mane Six when coming up with excuses to avoid the after-birthday party - especially Applejack's, who's known to be a bad liar - the animation shines through with every scene.
And remember when I said that My Little Pony: The Movie was Andrea Libman's best performance as Pinkie? Well, this is her second best at the fake party scene; she must've had a lot of fun with Pinkie coming up with all of those voices for her "new friends"! Disturbing, yet funny all at once. And who doesn't enjoy the moment she interrogated Spike and he comes up with confessions she didn't ask for?
This is yet another of season one's best episodes. The humor shines throughout, the visuals are some of the funniest of the show, it's overall a great episode.
I don't talk about animation or voice acting anymore because they're a standard in the medium by now, but here is where they're at their best. Whether it be the expressions made by Pinkie when she slowly loses it at her "party", her disguises like the haystack in a coat and glasses, or the Mane Six when coming up with excuses to avoid the after-birthday party - especially Applejack's, who's known to be a bad liar - the animation shines through with every scene.
And remember when I said that My Little Pony: The Movie was Andrea Libman's best performance as Pinkie? Well, this is her second best at the fake party scene; she must've had a lot of fun with Pinkie coming up with all of those voices for her "new friends"! Disturbing, yet funny all at once. And who doesn't enjoy the moment she interrogated Spike and he comes up with confessions she didn't ask for?
This is yet another of season one's best episodes. The humor shines throughout, the visuals are some of the funniest of the show, it's overall a great episode.
Rating: Excellent (10/10)
The Best Night Ever
Written by Amy Keating Rogers
So this season's been something of a mixed bag up to this point, but can the finale end things on a high note? Well... not really. But it's not a bad episode either. It felt less like a grand finale and more like a generic, run of the mill mid-season episode.
The premise is very simple - each of the Mane Six is hoping for an amazing night; Twilight to spend time with Princess Celestia, Fluttershy to meet with the animals, Applejack to sell some of her apple treats, Rarity to fall for Prince Blueblood, Rainbow Dash to hang out with the Wonderbolts, and Pinkie to have fun. Twilight's the only one to get her dream... sort of, but the others (excluding Rarity) resort to extreme measures to get what they hoped for, but it all lands in disaster.
The song at the end of the first act does a good job in showing off their excitement in going to the Gala, and one of the show's best songs. The other two are both fun yet random, especially given that it's Pinkie Pie we're talking about.
I really felt sorry for Rarity there. She wanted to be with the prince of her dreams, but he turned out to be a royal prick and treated her like garbage the whole night. The final straw is when he uses her as a shield to protect himself from Applejack's cake, and in a fury, Rarity covers Blueblood with it in retaliation. That makes it all the more satisfying to see him get punished for treating a lady in a not-so-gentleman-like manner. So there's two morals to take from it, one's in general, and the other based off of Rarity's experience:
The premise is very simple - each of the Mane Six is hoping for an amazing night; Twilight to spend time with Princess Celestia, Fluttershy to meet with the animals, Applejack to sell some of her apple treats, Rarity to fall for Prince Blueblood, Rainbow Dash to hang out with the Wonderbolts, and Pinkie to have fun. Twilight's the only one to get her dream... sort of, but the others (excluding Rarity) resort to extreme measures to get what they hoped for, but it all lands in disaster.
The song at the end of the first act does a good job in showing off their excitement in going to the Gala, and one of the show's best songs. The other two are both fun yet random, especially given that it's Pinkie Pie we're talking about.
I really felt sorry for Rarity there. She wanted to be with the prince of her dreams, but he turned out to be a royal prick and treated her like garbage the whole night. The final straw is when he uses her as a shield to protect himself from Applejack's cake, and in a fury, Rarity covers Blueblood with it in retaliation. That makes it all the more satisfying to see him get punished for treating a lady in a not-so-gentleman-like manner. So there's two morals to take from it, one's in general, and the other based off of Rarity's experience:
- Don't hold high expectations, thinking everything will turn out great in the end. (Something the Thomas fandom should take notice of!)
- Never get your hopes up when you meet someone who admire.
Rating: Good (7/10)
Final Season Ranking: Okay (6/10)
Final Season Ranking: Okay (6/10)
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