Thomas & Friends Season 22: Week 4

The United Kingdom may be taking a temporary break from season 22, but that doesn't mean there aren't episodes from Down Under that I've yet to review, so I'll be covering the remainder in blocks of five, with Kangaroo Christmas being a solo review. So let's start by reviewing the episodes that aired alongside the first fifteen in Australia!

Thomas and the Dragon

Written by Davey Moore

I've been critical that some of the international based episodes put culture before story, but in the case of Thomas and the Dragon, it implements culture within the story and does so brilliantly.

Here, I felt that Thomas' inquisitive nature worked well because he's used to New Years being celebrated in winter rather than spring, but there's more to him than that when he's terrified at the thought of bringing a dragon to the celebrations. I've seen a lot of people complain that it goes against him picking up the Chinese Dragon in season three, but of course, I've kept in mind that he's had a history of being scared in the past like Ghost Train, so I can let it slide.

Also, Yong Bao is just a delight to see. Although he's a kind, helpful engine, he's not above playing cheeky jokes on Thomas when he startles him just by saying "boo". Twice. And because of that, he's suddenly become more charming than Ashima has ever been.

Hong-Mei too had a great moment when she came up alongside Thomas when he thought a chicken was talking to him. Seriously, how can you not laugh at anything with a chicken in it? Chickens are so stupid it's funny. Well, that depends on how you define them as "stupid".

It was also cool to see what a lion at a Chinese New Year celebration is. No, it's not a dragon - the actual dragon is a puppet controlled by multiple people - but the lion is two people in costume. All in all, there's really nothing wrong I found with the episode. It feels like traditional Thomas storytelling with culture weaved into it quite naturally. It's a winner in my books.

Rating: Excellent

Samson and the Fireworks

Written by Lee Pressman

Samson has had a very mixed reception among the fandom, much like Philip, and whilst the latter has received some great character development that many fans ignore, the former remained largely stagnant, not helped by his sporadic appearances since season 18.

Thankfully though, this episode managed to do Samson justice. Him being scared of fireworks is something I can relate to; this past fourth of July, I was pretty much disturbed by the noise of fireworks even though I didn't mind them when I was younger. I suppose with age, tastes can change.

What really makes the episode is Samson's interactions with Bradford, especially when the latter has a deadpan reaction to Samson's fright and when Bradford shows a gentler side in encouraging Samson to follow the fireworks to Ulfstead Castle. Some fans have been wanting to see the two together since Bradford's debut in season 20, and now they finally got their wish.

What no one expected, I bet, was Cyril's return to CGI. I like how he emerges from and disappears into the fog, and demonstrates the use of a fog detonator in between.. That was brilliant.

There were two issues with the Nia bit; one, how did she not hit the fog detonator before Samson did? And two (this has nothing to do with the episode, but I'll mention it anyway), she's been given very little since her debut in Big World! Big Adventures!, so Rebecca seems to overshadow her when it comes to roles. I hope they do more with Nia in the future; she's too great a character to get this treatment.

Despite that, it's a great episode, Samson's best to date, and it's something fans young and old can enjoy.

Rating: Excellent

Runaway Truck

Written by Davey Moore

I really like the way the episode starts by cutting straight to the chase. Literally. There's no exposition as to why Lei is running away; the first minute establishes everything we need to know. Lei's a runaway, Yong Bao is chasing him, and Thomas happens to be in the way and wants to help.

As a matter of fact, the episode is very well paced and implements culture into the story very well. And I like Yong Bao more than I initially thought; he's upset with Thomas for messing up his heroic plan, but he doesn't get angry about it. He even willingly helps Thomas in doing an engine variation of tai chi with Lei.

Speaking of, I liked how in Big World! Big Adventures!, we see the foreign trucks be something other than troublesome - African trucks like music, and Brazilian trucks are super friendly to one another. Lei looks to be a friendly truck as well; he doesn't even get upset when he's knocked off the tracks. I'm surprised he's still in service despite having many accidents!

It's especially interesting to see an incident being caused by human error; some railway employees are performing tai chi in the signalbox, but one of them is out of sync, much to the annoyance of (I presume) the lead signalman. Little things like that much the world feel much more alive.

Runaway Truck might just be one of the best international episodes so far. There's really nothing majorly wrong with it, though as much as there are some visual errors like the runaround track appearing to be longer than it really was, they're little issues that aren't worth freaking out over. And the messages about learning from mistakes and practice paying off were brilliant.

Rating: Excellent

Rosie is Red

Written by Davey Moore

Well, that one's sparked a fanbase frenzy...! Not going to go in full depth on that because I'd rather focus on the episode on its own merits.

And the episode is absolutely fantastic. Then again, many of the Sodor-based stories have been fantastic, but they're practically overshadowed by the international stories which, ironically, have very little in terms of substance. Not thirty seconds in, I knew the episode was taking risks; not just the implication of two workmen being LGBT - though I'd love it if that was the case, plus it's a very sweet moment between them - but the idea of there being a romance-based story in a series about talking trains.

Ironically though, it's Sir Topham Hatt who's the true star of the episode. He wants to show how much he loves his wife by giving her a pet cat, and he needs help from Rosie and Thomas at Vicarstown. It really gives Topham more depth to his character than being a clown constantly tripping over because "hurdy hurr", and it makes you sympathize with him more.

Thomas and Rosie also shone very well; the former because he's given more character than simply being curious about the world around him, and the latter because girls can most likely relate to her when they feel like they've been rejected by the guy who stood up for her. Though to be fair on Thomas' end, teasing from Bill, Ben, Diesel and Gordon did not help him any. I'm glad that he and Rosie chose to stay friends, and if this is a series were the entire cast is LGBTQ+ - or more specifically, asexual (lack of sexual attraction to anyone of either gender) - then I'm all for it.

So was the episode worth having a meltdown over? No, it wasn't. It's an episode meant to be for kids, and we should think about that more often. It's very superb and has a good message about misunderstandings, plus Percy's comment about sharing love every day rings true. If only all people had the same mindset...!

Rating: Excellent

Thomas' Animal Ark

Written by Lee Pressman

There are a lot of sweet episodes in the series, this one included.

I like how one of the zookeepers at the Animal Park on Edward's branchline is given a name, Headkeeper Jack. It makes Sodor feel a lot more alive with human characters being given some personalities, and the voice he got in the UK dub makes him sound gentle and soft spoken. And the monkey in his arms is adorable. Maybe he's the animal Jack is the closest to?

And whilst Sir Topham is given comedy moments, they don't come off as annoying; he falls off his ladder because Thomas startled him unintentionally, he takes credit for Henry's idea of using the Steamworks as a temporary sanctuary for the animals (nice to know Henry hasn't been forgotten), and has a deadpan reaction to an ostrich stealing his hat.

Speaking of, the episode has an extended ending with James and the ostrich egg. At first, he was annoyed by the idea of babysitting birds, but by the time the egg hatches and a baby ostrich comes out, he's changed his tone completely. It really is nice that they're giving more to James than having him constantly going around saying "I'm red; don't I look splendid?"

Interestingly enough, this is the only Sodor based story this season where Thomas takes the lead role. This makes season 22 the most Thomas-centric since 10 and 13, both of which had him star in thirteen episodes, but 13 is greater in terms of percentage (do the math). Meanwhile, 22 has him star in fourteen, the most episodes in any season. But this is probably one of his better roles in the season; you have to admire how determined he was to help the animals find warmth. It was also surprising that they referenced Trusty Trunky when it came to the snowdrift, and that episode was forgettable at best.

So apparently, this could be Lee Pressman's last season as it's been confirmed he's written four episodes for the season. It'll be a shame because he was perhaps the current team's most undervalued writer. A Shed for Edward, Henry in the Dark, and Dowager Hatt's Busy Day were among his best episodes, and he gave some brilliant development to Diesel's character as well. I think it's safe to say he wanted to go out big, and so far, he's done that pretty well.

Rating: Excellent

Thomas & Friends Season 22: Week 3

So the first week of season 22 turned out surprisingly good, but the second week was lackluster at best with a strong finish. But how will the third week stack up?

School of Duck

Written by Lee Pressman

Interestingly enough, despite that this is the 11th episode of the season (or 16th, depending on where you come from), this was technically the first episode of the season we saw in whole (I don't count Thomas and the Dragon because it was a preview clip for the season), albeit in Italian. And it's a brilliant one at that.

The story very much reminds me of Thomas, Percy and Old Slowcoach from season five, as well as the penultimate Railway Series book Thomas and Victoria. With the former, it did suffer from having a short run time, meaning there wasn't enough time to develop the story. And in the latter, whilst Victoria looked like she had potential as a character, she did kind of have a flat personality - the fact that she was introduced so late into the book series didn't help her any.

Fortunately, School of Duck manages to have a story work within the allotted time, and all of the plot points are tied up very well. And even if Dexter is stuck in one place (for now, I believe), I think he'll be a fun character whenever he turns up; maybe we'll get some insight into his past? And yes, it's so nice to hear Mark Moraghan voicing him; glad to know he's still part of the franchise, and I can't wait to see him as Mr. Evans the signalman.

Duck also had a great role; it's nice to show more shades of his personality besides going on about the Great Western Railway. He was very inventive in working around Dexter's problem with his broken wheels, and even willing to put his pride aside to help others. It's perhaps his best starring role since All at Sea, which, coincidentally, also expanded more on his character.

However minor their roles were, Daisy, Reg, Hannah, and Gordon really shined. Daisy's fussiness about children riding her, Reg's eccentricity with scrap, Hannah's excitability about going fast, and Gordon's refusal to give up one of his coaches (seriously, that part always makes me laugh) - it's nice to show how diverse Sodor is. Reg trying to play the broken trombone was funny, especially when it turned into a brick joke at the end by becoming a flower pot next to Dexter. Little things really do make a huge difference.

I do say this quite a lot in my season 22 reviews, but it's the strength of the characters that pull the Sodor episodes through, something that some international episodes (especially the India episodes) lacked. School of Duck is yet another contender for season 22's best, and there's only one rating it can truly get.

Rating: Excellent

Tiger Trouble

Written by Becky Overton

The more I think about this episode, the more I feel it's similar to Thomas in the Wild, only based in India. However, it's marginally better because it has more plot and interesting characters, especially Rajiv and Shankar; seriously, someone make an episode with those two as the stars!

But that doesn't mean I like the episode. They're adding more comedy to the episodes, but this episode is one where it's completely out of place with the theme they're trying to convey! Tigers being hunted as a trophy is a serious issue, and if you make a joke about it, it'll destroy the message you want to tell. Next time there's an episode with a serious issue - keep the comedy and the message apart!

Also, and this is nitpicking but I'll mention it anyway, when do hunters capture tigers with nets? They're something you'd use to capture rabbits! I understand why they can't use guns in a kids' show, but it makes the issue feel far too sanitized.

There's other problems; Shankar doesn't mention poaching until the episode decides he can, and how did Rajiv not suspect that he was taking tiger hunters from the start? Maybe the conflat with the cage covered in a tarpaulin would've been a clue? Yes, I know that if he knew what was happening from the start, there wouldn't be a story, but even for an arrogant engine, Rajiv would at least have some common sense on display! And why would a pair of hunters pose as tourists? The whole thing just feels disjointed.

And that's all we're getting from Thomas' trip to India; four episodes, and not one episode could leave me consistently entertained. Tiger Trouble sums up everything wrong with the India saga - characters shunted into the background to revolve around Thomas (only here, it's not as prominent), dull and uninteresting stories, and themes which feel like they were pulled from out of the arse.

Rating: Bad

Seeing is Believing

Written by Andrew Brenner

After Journey Beyond Sodor, I was hoping to see the engines introduced in it again in the show to see how they'd interact with Sodor. Well, it seems I got my wish with Merlin in Seeing is Believing. Not as great as many of the Sodor-based stories this season, but it's still a good episode in its own way.

I like how Merlin's eccentricity and thinking he can turn invisible becomes a driving plot point in the story. Many of the engines are impressed by this "feat", but Percy wants to see him for real. I don't think the plot would've worked with any other character (maybe except for Philip).

And I really like how, unlike Three Steam Engines Gruff, Trevor actually had his own part to play. He's gained a new whistle which later comes to play when Percy thinks he's come across the invisible engine, ironically not realizing he's actually speaking to Merlin. But that's what hurts the episode for me; the ending just feels rushed and incomplete, as if we don't know if Percy found out he'd actually spoke to Merlin. This is one of those episodes where the seven-minute runtime doesn't do the episode justice.

I do wish I had more to say, but there's not a whole lot to talk about there. It's nice seeing Merlin again, even more so that Hugh Bonneville is still voicing him, but the rushed ending kinda left me feeling a bit empty in the end. And the scene at the Blue Mountain Quarry makes me learn for more appearances by the Skarloey engines. They've got a lot of storytelling potential, even within the current format, and it's a shame they're constantly denied the opportunity.

Rating: Good

Apology Impossible

Written by Becky Overton

I was pretty certain that after the stories based in India, Becky Overton would feel much more at home Sodor. But this episode makes me feel like she doesn't understand the Sodor universe either, and considering she also gave us The Beast of Sodor and Wild Water Rescue, that's a shame.

The biggest sticking point is James being a jerk to Philip for an accident the box cab didn't cause at Brendam. I thought we were past James being arrogant about his paintwork, but instead, he's a jerk to Philip for the sake of being a jerk. I get that James is proud and vain, but you'd think after episodes like All in Vain and The Fastest Red Engine on Sodor he'd have matured a little more.

It does say a lot that Philip is more sensible than an engine who's at least seventy years old, and it is great to see him stand up to James for being rude, and you'd expect him to try and push him out of the way to let the other engines go past, right?

Nope! He reverses to let James pass and let Sir Topham Hatt do the scolding. That ending is what ruined the episode as a whole. We could've had a great message about standing up to bullies, but instead, it basically says we shouldn't stand up to bullies, and given the state of the world, that is a terrible message to tell preschool children.

Here's what I'd have done; have Spencer be the one picking on Philip (since they haven't interacted much) and have Edward scold Spencer for being rude, further expanding on the blue engine's relationship with Philip. Then when Philip and Spencer confront each other again, the boxcab calls out Spencer for his rudeness and demands an apology from him, which Spencer does. Some would say Gordon should be in the role, but I don't agree, considering his humility at the end of Philip's Number.

This could've been a decent episode and Becky Overton had a chance to redeem herself, but because of the unfortunate implications, I've pretty much given up on her altogether. This is the worst Sodor-based story of the season, and quite possibly one of the worst episodes ever made in the Brenner era, and that says a lot.

Rating: Terrible

The Water Wheel

Written by Davey Moore

Considering what happened back in Number One Engine, you'd expect Thomas to remember that taking shortcuts would only get him into trouble. But instead, it felt as though his character was once again written to suit the narrative. Why couldn't they have used Hong Mei for the lead role? Since her debut in the aforementioned Number One Engine, she felt... rather flat in terms of character. So did An An and Yin-Long, come to think of it. A story with those three would've been much more interesting! But once again, it's always Thomas...

As for the story, how does it relate to the message about conserving water? What we saw was Thomas delivering a water wheel and learning about bamboo being used to build things. Choose one story and stick with it! With School of Duck, at least it related to recycling, one of United Nations' global goals, and The Water Wheel... doesn't.

I'll be fair to this episode and say that the antics with the runaway water wheel are rather funny, but it does get a little tiring after a minute, almost like it's being used to fill up the runtime. If you had to make an episode about conserving water, why not have Thomas and/or Hong Mei (preferably the latter) disobey orders about staying in the sheds due to a water shortage and land in trouble? Then you get the Chinese Diesel from the movie (why did they bother rendering her if she'll never be used again?) rescue them and the blue engines get their tanks refilled with a water wheel; that would've A) ensured Hong Mei had a bit of character on display, B) related to a global goal, and C) given us a good story in the process.

Whilst I enjoyed the China episodes more than the India episodes even though they were generally hit or miss, this one was definitely a miss for me. Sure, there's comedy, but it felt like it came before story. It was basically a rehashing of Emily Saves the World, only not as interesting. Better luck next time, Davey Moore.

Rating: Bad

Week two had a very poor start but a strong finish. Week three started with a bang but ended in a whimper. Week two had the worst written episode of the entire series (Thomas Goes to Bollywood), but week three presented one of the worst morals the show has ever spewed (Apology Impossible). So no; week three wasn't much of an improvement over week two.

Thomas & Friends Season 22: Week 2

So far season 22 seems to be doing way better than what people were fearing! We've had three Sodor-based stories introducing newbie Rebecca, and a story each based in China and India. For this week's batch, we've only got one Sodor based story and four set around the Eastern region of the world and Oceania. How will it stack up?

Thomas Goes to Bollywood

Written by Becky Overton

Oh dear... This was the first episode this season that I strongly disliked. Whilst Trusty Trunky (ironically, also set in India) was rather dull, Thomas Goes to Bollywood is a different beast altogether.

I'm not beating around the bush when I say that this episode emphasizes the problem with the international-based stories; because Thomas is forced into the spotlight and take the lead role every time, the international characters aren't treated like actual characters the audience can care about. And even when Thomas is the one we're meant to care about, he's more often than not extremely one-note and uninteresting. Why can't they just write him like an arrogant jerk and have him learn a lesson the hard way? Just because he's the hero, it doesn't mean he isn't immune to making mistakes.

This could've worked so much better if it was Rajiv in the lead role; from what we've seen, he's arrogant and proud, and wanting to be in a movie would work much better for him. And then maybe he'd learn that fame isn't everything? Nope! It's Thomas in the spotlight because he's the main character, and he's the one kids should care about.

Now I would talk about the story... but there isn't any to speak of. It just shows kids that Bollywood is a thing. So what? Is that what they come to watch the show for? Trusty Trunky worked better despite being mediocre by implementing culture into the story, but Thomas Goes to Bollywood puts culture before story, which not a good idea when it comes to writing. And because culture came first, it makes the episode boring. The fact that very much everyone in the story doesn't have much character to speak of makes it worse.

I have not seen a seven minute episode this degrading since season 12's Push Me, Pull You. Based on her writings in season 19, I don't think Becky Overton is a bad writer, but this not an episode I'll be re-watching any time soon. It's the worst of the Brenner era since Three Steam Engines Gruff and Emily in the Middle. Not as frustrating as either episode, but from a story telling perspective, Thomas Goes to Bollywood is an all new low.

Rating: Atrocious

Thomas in the Wild

Written by Davey Moore

Like Thomas Goes to Bollywood, Thomas in the Wild puts culture before story. Unlike Bollywood, however, there is some bit of a story going on and more character present, but even then, it's not enough to completely save the episode.

It was nice to see An An and Yin-Long interact with Thomas again, especially when they get annoyed by him stopping when he thinks he sees a black and white panda, but how did he manage to forget what they looked like after being told what they looked like - twice? Yeah, it's a three-strikes plot in play here. They first come across a red panda, an Asian black bear, and then two baby pandas and their mother.

To be fair, though, if it had been any of the Chinese engines in the lead, it might make them look a bit stupid, so it has some advantage of putting Thomas in the forefront. However, for the most part, there is very little I can talk about here. It's a pretty boring episode salvaged slightly by adorable baby pandas. And is it just me, or does the film crew leader look a bit like a certain Mr. Attenborough?

Rating: Bad

Thomas and the Monkey Palace

Written by Becky Overton

So the last two episodes did little to impress me, but was this better than either of them? Well... sort of, but the bar wasn't really set high to start with.

For a start, there's more of a conflict happening; there's a coconut shortage at the Indian railway station (really; they couldn't give it the name of an actual Indian railway station?), and so Thomas is sent to pick up a truck load of coconuts but gets distracted by the monkey palace and loses the coconuts when startled by a monkey. Yeah, it does sound like a Barlow era script, only there's one strike as opposed to three.

Yet despite having more happening, it's still a typical "Thomas-national" episode with little happening. There are funny moments like the "raining coconuts" comment, and the monkeys are pretty cute, especially the one who steals Thomas' driver's hat, but for the most part, again, there isn't a lot to say.

Rating: Bad

An Engine of Many Colors

Written by Michael White

Now we're talking! After three painfully tedious international episodes, we're finally back to familiar territory... and, apparently, back in season 21!

Yes, this episode is another one that takes place after The Fastest Red Engine on Sodor, much like A Shed for Edward. Of course, An Engine of Many Colors is essentially the latter episode taken from James' point of view during his time at the Steamworks. Mostly during the bit where Philip chatters to Edward during their first night together at Wellsworth. In fact, you could make an entire special with those episodes alone!

This is one of those episodes where the fantasy sequences make sense; James had been involved in a bad crash and was worried at the prospect of losing his red paint for another color - blue, green and silver, in that order. Each time, he likes it and shows off, which results in him crashing, but we never see it. However, we can bet it was horrifying based on James' reactions alone. Even though it's just a dream, the child mistaking James in his blue livery for Edward was rather cute; a call back to when Henry in his old shape and blue, and then being mistaken for Gordon, perhaps?

There isn't much story going on besides James dreaming about being in a different color, but it is funny how he thinks being in a new color enhances his usefulness - blue for speed, green for strength, and silver for, I'm guessing, being special. At least in his mind. And it's funny how the Duke and Duchess don't even react to James and the coaches spinning in the air. In fact, it's that dream which makes James realize that his ego and stubbornness may get him into trouble again, and he even apologizes for his carelessness in the end.

And whilst I fan fanservice annoying at worst (see New Crane on the Dock, for example), the reference to James and the Coaches worked quite well as James remembered when he caused trouble after getting his red paint for the first time. But in the end, he's forgiven and given a new coat of red paint after he's repaired. Not a whole lot more I can say; it's a crazy but fun episode and fit James' character well.

Rating: Excellent

Outback Thomas

Written by Tim Bain

The international episodes of week two were disappointing, to say the least, so imagine how surprised I was when this turned out to be really good!

Shane is such a fun character; he's very laid back, has a good sense of humor, and the slang he uses in his dialogue is funny. Like Yong Bao and Rajiv before him, Shane's got the sense of charisma Ashima wished she had. Plus, Shane Jacobson does a great job in voicing him, and I've never heard of the guy before!

Thomas' role in the episode makes sense here; he's way outside his comfort zone on Sodor, and it's funny when he keeps messing up the details Shane described during the first tour, hilariously half-steaming his excuses. Though it may not have been as funny if he didn't have Aubrey and Aiden to play off against.

But perhaps the episode's greatest strength is that an actual Aussie wrote the episode. The India and China episodes were written by British writers, so why not let writers from those respective countries tackle those episodes? For a first timer, Tim Bain really understands his own culture very well.

For the most part, there's not really a lot to talk about. It's a typical episode about telling lies and landing into trouble because of it, but it worked very well for the setting and that's all that matters. Oh, and a crocodile riding the train? This I ought to see some time!

Rating: Good

It's safe to say that week two was a step down from the previous week; whilst two episodes were really good (both written by newbies), the first three felt very half-baked at implementing culture into the story... what little there was, at least. Still, I'm hoping week three will turn out better, especially when it comes to a certain returnee from last year...!

Thomas & Friends Season 22: Week 1

It's finally here. After months' worth of strife, worry, arguing, and overall fandom controversy in general, we finally begin the twenty-second season of Thomas and Friends. Was it really worth the controversy, or were the fans being petty about nothing?

As a note before we begin, every episode of season 22 is going to have these, so I'll get that out of the way so as not to bog down every other review; the opening bit of Thomas talking to the audience is redundant. I'm sort of indifferent to the bit where Thomas talks about the episode's message to the audience - nice to reference older episodes, by the way! - but you could easily remove those bits, leaving a seven-minute episode and therefore lose nothing. I mean, isn't one of the goals to have a faster pacing? Why not have a segment about the workings of international railways or a retelling of a classic Railway Series story? (Yes, I've heard Mark Moraghan is staying on as Mr. Evans to replace the late Ben Forster; I bet Mark will do a great job in his own miniseries.) Along with the music videos, they might work better to fill out eleven minutes.

Now then, onto the episodes themselves!

Number One Engine

Written by Davey Moore

Isn't that fitting; the first episode of the season is appropriately called Number One Engine. Something I'll get out of the way is that for the overseas episodes, there will be five episodes based in China, and four episodes each in Australia and India. The other half of the season is based on Sodor. Now let's talk about the episode itself.

It's kind of a coincidence that the last season ended with a racing episode, and this season began with one as well. I'll admit this is nothing new for the series, but this time around, Thomas has a different reason to race Hong-Mei - he wants to prove he's the number one engine, and is encouraged by An An and Yin-Long (the green Chinese coaches) to take a shortcut with disastrous consequences.

Speaking of whom, I thought Hong-Mei made a positive first impression as a character. She looks like someone the writers could have fun writing for, and I would love to see how she and Yong Bao (who's suddenly gained more personality and charisma than Ashima ever had) interact when Thomas isn't visiting. Heck, Hong-Mei even apologizes for causing Thomas' accident when a stone flies out of her trucks.

But the characters who stood out to me the most were An An and Yin-Long. When Thomas boasts about flying over the moon (in a reference to The Great Race and E.T.), the coaches laugh and call him out for exaggerating. And when he derails, they apologize for encouraging him to take the shortcut.

An An and Yin-Long are quite a contrast to Annie and Clarabel, who prevent Thomas from doing stupid things and landing in trouble... most of the time. An An and Yin-Long, however, encourage Thomas to try and beat Hong-Mei using the shortcut, but it doesn't work and they end up derailing. It's also nice that Hong-Mei stopped to help Thomas and the coaches out of their situation; helping others is more important than winning, and sometimes, two number ones is better than just one.

I'll admit the episode is rather character-driven, but I still think it's a good start to what looks to be an interesting season. Although Thomas is our narrator, they don't overshadow the story and let the visuals tell the story for us. Though I do think the narrator should be phased out altogether...

Rating: Good

Forever and Ever

Written by Andrew Brenner

How about that? After being absent from season 21, Andrew Brenner is back on the writing team! During seasons 19 and 20, his writing felt very inconsistent at times; not that it was bad (unless we're talking about The Other Side of the Mountain and Three Steam Engines Gruff), but he seemed to lose his way at times. So how does Forever and Ever, after being absent a season, stack up?

Put simply, it's controversial, to say the least. Not the sort of fandom controversy like we got in The Other Side of the Mountain or Rocky Rescue. I mean, this is legitimate controversy. It's been interpreted by many fans as an "attack the critics" episode we get from Teen Titans Go! or My Little Pony's Fame and Misfortune. I don't really see it as one, frankly, but I get why it would rub some people the wrong way; keep in mind that the episode was written long before the fandom outcry blew up online. The intention behind Forever and Ever is to address those on the autism spectrum who've had to deal with changes in their lives. Parents being divorced, one of them dying, friends moving away, etc. And they did that brilliantly... for the most part.

Having moved state last year, I can tell you that the episode's theme (as well as Nia's position) is very personal for me. In California, house rentals are more expensive than they are in Oregon, and given that my father is now in his early fifties, he was rather desperate to move up north, as was my mother. I went along with it mostly cause the weather would be cooler, though it did mean leaving a lot of my close friends from California behind. I've accepted that I'll still have close contact with them online and have made new friends in Oregon; I haven't looked back since.

Onto the episode itself; I personally think Gordon was in character here; he's an engine who isn't fond of change and isn't shy about making his stance clear in the likes of Henry Gets the Express and, as much as it's terrible, Edward Strikes Out. His overreaction to Henry moving to Vicarstown (at least we know where he's going to sleep now) is over the top and fun to watch, especially when others like Annie, Clarabel and Paxton react to his tantrum. And of course, Sir Topham will have none of Gordon's pettiness; I love it when he does his job as a railway controller and not acting like an over the top buffoon. That is something we need to see more often.

As mentioned earlier, Nia's position is relatable. She's adjusted to life on Sodor in a surprisingly quick time, and even though she misses her friends back in Africa, Nia knows they're with her in spirit. The twist at the end where she teases Gordon alongside Thomas was very unexpected and funny; again, some will be rubbed the wrong way about this, but Thomas has had issues with Gordon in the past, though he could've been a little more sensitive about his situation.

Another surprising thing was that besides the episode title, there was no narration throughout the episode. It had to rely on character dialogue throughout the seven minutes, again, proving my point that a narrator these days isn't really needed. But as for the new engine at the end? As a certain drummer for the Beatles once said, "that's another story." Overall, it's a controversial episode in the series, but I personally didn't have any major gripes besides Henry moving to Vicarstown feeling like an afterthought. I think some fans need to chill out once in a while.

Rating: Excellent

Confusion Without Delay

Written by Davey Moore

Well, what do you know; I guess we might have one of the best episodes of the entire show! Confusion Without Delay is a fantastic episode from start to finish. I could end my review right there and leave it at that, but that would sound unprofessional.

First off the list is Rebecca the Bulleid engine; it's only her debut story, but already I love her. Her livery is very Sunset Shimmer-esque, but personality wise, she reminds me of Minuette from My Little Pony's Amending Fences. She's eager to please her peers and fit in, especially after hearing how great they are. My friend Mike (Rarityfan1992) suspected she might be voiced by Lucy Montgomery, but as it turns out, it's Rachael Miller (who voiced one of the rally cars in Big World! Big Adventures!) voicing Rebecca instead. And she does a fantastic job of it.

It's really funny how whenever Rebecca unintentionally gets in the way, she has a lot of characters to play off against like Diesel; both he and Rebecca come off as Literal Minded by calling each other "Diesel I Think You'll Find" and "Rebecca By The Way", respectively (though it could be sarcasm from both ends). And yes, it was great to see Flying Scotsman again, especially when Rebecca stands up for Gordon and leaves the famous engine in shock.

And although Gordon's role is minor compared to the previous episode, he still served his role quite nicely. He's still trying to get used to changes (he's wary of Rebecca from the start) and gets annoyed by Scotsman's teasing. But when she stands up for him and knocks Scotsman's ego down a peg, Gordon changes his tune and thinks having Rebecca as an express partner might not be so bad after all.

The moral itself shines as well by emphasizing how important timetables are on a railway and how they must be followed. Rebecca was worried about running late, and so she arrives early so as not to upset Sir Topham - ironically, she does just that and even flusters him when trying to say "confusion and delay". Again, it's moments like these which make you like him. It's also another personal theme for me; when I head to college, there's an hourly bus service and I want to arrive as early as I can to avoid running late. It's most frustrating if you have to wait for an hour just to get where you want to go, believe me!

All in all, it's a contender for season 22's best (I wonder how they'll top it?) and I want more of Rebecca. Shame that they keep glossing over Henry's departure to Vicarstown with Rosie; that could be a great story for the future! Oh yeah, and James being cut off from using the turntable deserves its own mention; what is it with him and turntables anyway?

Rating: Excellent

Trusty Trunky

Written by Becky Overton

As much as I liked the previous three episodes, this one seemed rather... eh. There was a bit of awkward pacing in the last three episodes, but here, it seemed a lot more obvious. I'm not kidding; it takes around forty seconds before Narrator Thomas speaks up and the plot begins.

Not only that, Ashima's still just as bland as she was in The Great Race. You could swap her out with any of the other Indian engines and nothing would change; she's style over substance. It's rather hilarious how Rajiv (the one who didn't speak in TGR) has suddenly gained more personality in this episode than Ashima ever had in two years. Not an original personality, I admit, but the "crown" on his funny does give a reason for his arrogance, plus it's funny when he gets fussy about almost being splashed, and when earlier, Thomas says his crown will get an extra polish for helping him.

Then there's the rescue performed by Trusty Trunky the elephant. Many fans took it out of context to something I don't want to delve into, but it does show that animals are smarter than humans give credit for, and plus, she was using her body to help Thomas out of the jam he was in and gives him a washdown.

Overall, there isn't really much to say. It's so far one of season 22's weakest episodes, and the slower pacing turns me off slightly.

Rating: Okay

What Rebecca Does

Written by Davey Moore

Well, there's an episode that sparked some mild controversy online! Well, it's pretty mild compared to other "issues" within the fandom, but that's not what I'm here to talk about. If Forever and Ever and Confusion Without Delay are part of Rebecca's saga, then What Rebecca Does is part three. And it's pretty much the best of the trilogy. Heck, it may possibly be the best of season 22 to date! Sure, it's early to call it, but who knows?

Like her last outing, Rebecca's situation is very relatable for kids when she meets with Belle, Marion and Harvey. They have things that make them stand out and it makes Rebecca feel envious, hence the fantasy she has - though how does she know of Diesel 10's existence if he hasn't been around since 2013? But of course, Marion helps set Rebecca straight (as does Thomas) that it's her friendly demeanor that makes her special, especially after she compliments Daisy after the green railcar complains. Oh, and the workman who accidentally ends up in Marion's shovel deserves to be mentioned.

Although this bit is minor, it really is great to see Duck and Emily being friendly with one another, especially after the "joke" in Duck and the Slip Coaches. I do kinda wish it was Mark Huckerby and Nick Ostler writing it as their way of saying sorry, but maybe I shouldn't complain there. But please make an episode with them as the main characters!

The Steamworks bit is really interesting with Kevin willing to help Rebecca feel more special whilst Victor stands there whilst a workman is likely thinking "this is so stupid." And then Rebecca feels down before Marion and Thomas help cheer her up that she's special for what she is, not what she wants to do. Sure, it's similar to Best Engine Ever - my all time favorite episode of the show; this and Daisy's Perfect Christmas have stiff competition - but it works just as well for Rebecca's character.

I love the episode from start to finish; it's another one that I have no complaints about. Oh yeah, and Bill and Ben have changed voices since Jonathan Broadbent left the cast. I'll miss the Brummie accents he gave our favorite tank engine twins, but I suppose the new voices will take getting used to, and if a future episode is anything to go by, we may see more of them yet!

Rating: Excellent

So with the first week of season 22 done, is it worth all the controversy being thrown its way? Quite frankly, no, it isn't. I think it's down to bad promotion that's getting fans riled up. Maybe if Mattel and United Nations didn't force agendas into our faces, there wouldn't be as much controversy surrounding the franchise in its current standing. For the record, you can blame that on the current political climate!

Still, I'll continue reviewing the current season for the sake of supporting the writing staff, and I wish them luck in making the most of this situation. Something tells me they'll need it for season 23...

MLP Episode 824: Father Knows Beast

Here we go; the penultimate episode of season eight is here! Season seven's penultimate episode, Uncommon Bond, was a total let down, but let's see how Father Knows Beast stacks up!

This review contains spoilers; viewer discretion is advised.

Father Knows Beast

Written by Josh Haber

Everyone's been asking this question for years; what are Spike's parents like? Why did they abandon him? How did he end up living with ponies rather than dragons? This episode answers... none of them, sadly. Well, they sort of answer the first two questions, but it's mostly Sludge talking out of his ass.

In fact, starting with the second act, it becomes obvious that he's lying about being Spike's father... and the little purple dragon doesn't notice from the start. Considering what he witnessed in the past, you'd think he'd learn not to be so gullible.

That being said, the episode does have its own merits. After Sludge crashes into Ponyville, we see a montage of the Mane Six and Spike caring for him, helping him to get better. Even if he comes off as a despicable jerk in the end, the montage still has funny moments like him going off to drink some apple cider and having the Wonderbolts fly him.

And that's not even mentioning the song about being a "real" dragon is pretty good. I don't know why, but I got vibes of Monsters, Inc. from listening to it.

It's also nice to expand more on Spike and Smolder's friendship; some ship them, but I see them more as brother and sister if Molt Down (also by Haber) is anything to go by. Having lived in Ponyville for a while, Smolder is understandably disgusted by Sludge's behavior, and even helps Spike in sending him packing. Between her, Ocellus, and Gallus, it's now hard for me to decide which of the Young Six is my second favorite.

Final Thoughts

Apparently, the next season of Friendship is Magic could be the last ever, and if that's the case, it's probably for the best because there's only so long a show can last - just look at The Simpsons. I don't know if it's true or not, but if it is, then it was enjoyable while it lasted.

Overall, I don't think Father Knows Beast is one of season eight's strongest, but it's still a good, enjoyable episode in the end and the lesson Spike learned was a useful one for kids to learn. That said, it is a sign that the series might be creatively stagnant and needs to end soon.

And in case anybody is asking; yes, I am going to be reviewing School Raze, but I'll be doing it in video format like I did with School Daze. I plan to have the review out around the time the episode officially airs in North America, around the time they've caught up with Australia. One thing I will say at this point; there's a lot working against School Raze...!

Rating: Good

MLP Episode 823: Sounds of Silence

Shh... Do you hear that? No, it's not the winds of change, but it's the Sounds of Silence.

This review contains spoilers; viewer discretion is advised.

Sounds of Silence

Written by Gregory Bonsignore

To be honest, compared to most other episodes that feature a guest star (Stranger Than Fan Fiction, Pinkie Pride, The Perfect Pear, for example), Sounds of Silence isn't really that interesting. Not to say that the episode is bad - far from it, in fact! - but my biggest issue with the episode comes down to the story. It's pretty thin on the ground and it's down to the characters and theme to give it more structure.

Luckily, however, the characters do shine. Although Applejack has had her "off" moments during season eight, her character was done justice here. It's pretty obvious she wants to help the Kirin overcome their silence, and for once, doesn't act irrationally and stupid. After speaking with Autumn Blaze, Applejack understands how to fix the issue with the Kirin's silence.

For Fluttershy, some may see her being frightened of going to the Kirin's village a step back in character development, but I don't agree if that's the case. It's an area she and Applejack have never gone before, so it's understandable that Fluttershy would be scared. No matter how brave you are when it comes to an unfamiliar environment, chances are you will feel scared.

Autumn Blaze was... fine, I suppose. Not a character I'd put in my personal Top 10, but she was well written and voiced brilliantly by Rachel Bloom (I'd never heard of her prior to the fact she was voicing in ML). And yeah, her backstory, though not entirely original, was pretty good, but the song was great.

Something I'd like to see in season nine is one of the Kirin showing up at the School of Friendship. Because the species is largely unknown to many, it would be interesting to see how the Young Six react to seeing a Kirin for the first time. There's a lot of story telling potential with that!

The ending itself was also fine, as was the theme about dealing with arguments rationally, and hopefully that's as far as they go with the theme. But with the Kirin realizing anger is a part of them, what would happen if things were to escalate? What if they are unable to deal with a disagreement and end up taking it out on others, eventually leading to those they lashed out towards lashing out on others, leading to war? Yes, I'm taking it to an extreme level, but the writers need to be careful when it comes to messages about dealing with personal anger.

Final Thoughts

Although the plot is very thin on the ground, the characters and theme do their best to make up for that, but there's only so far you can take a slow-paced story with characters and themes as a crutch. Sounds of Silence is watchable and enjoyable at its best, but nothing really special; I do think there are better episodes with stronger and better-paced stories in this season.

Rating: Okay

MLP Episode 822: What Lies Beneath

It's time to find out What Lies Beneath the next episode of season eight!

This review contains spoilers; viewer discretion is advised.

What Lies Beneath

Written by Michael Vogel

Mike Vogel's last script, The Mean 6, was a major catastrophe in which literally nothing happened. Honestly, you could skip that episode and lose nothing. So imagine how surprising it was that the next episode he wrote turned out to be another season eight's best.

Even more so that it was the Young Six getting the main spotlight focus like in The Hearth's Warming Club. Most of the time, they're practically secondary characters, reacting to what's happening and/or driving the story in which they aren't the main focus, like Molt Down.

Here, we get to see a little more of what they're like individually. Gallus is claustrophobic, Silverstream has fears of the Storm King returning, Yona doesn't like spiders until she befriends the group, Smolder doesn't want to be mocked for liking tea parties, and Ocellus is unable to escape her tribe's terrible past.

And this may sound contentious, but the Young Six as a group have become more relatable characters than the Mane Six have as of late; not that they're bad characters, but lately, the writers have had a tendency not to write for the Mane Six very well. Whilst they write Fluttershy and (for the most part) Rarity really well, the others tend to suffer from solely having a few traits flanderized or being put in situations that no longer fit their current characters.

With the Young Six, they've only been around for one season, and yet despite being different, they still care for one another, and it proves in the third act that Sandbar would rather be with his friends than follow illusions of Rarity and Rainbow Dash to "save" Equestria. And the ending with Cozy Glow implies there's something sinister going on.

If there was an issue I had, it's that they didn't really put any emphasis on Yona's fear of water as shown in Non-Compete Clause. It would've been nice to call back on that, even if the earlier episode was terrible, but then again, it might not have worked with the episode as it stands.

Final Thoughts

This was a great Young Six focused episode, and surprising considering Mike Vogel wrote this. Whilst this might rank among his best, it's also ironic that it came right after his worst script. Again, this could be down to the fact that the Mane Six are characters we've known for eight years and the Young Six we've known for a little over half a year. However, if this episode and Friendship University are anything to go by, it's almost as if the writers are building up to something great (as long as they don't use that Villain Redemption Trope)...

Rating: Excellent

MLP Episode 821: A Rockhoof and a Hard Place

We're now onto the home stretch; just a few more episodes, and season eight will come to a close. But first, we're now stuck between A Rockhoof and a Hard Place.

This review contains spoilers; viewer discretion is advised.

A Rockhoof and a Hard Place

Written by Kaita Mpambara

Between Shadow Play and Friendship University, I found it disappointing and confusing that the Pillars weren't given any major focus. The former implied we'd explore how they'd adapt to modern Equestria, and yet School Daze focused on something completely unrelated (mind you, I still consider it a brilliant episode). Fortunately, we got to see more of Star Swirl in Friendship University, and now here, we explore what the Pillars have been up to lately.

Well, sort of. Whilst Rockhoof is the main focus, Flash Magnus, Mistmane, Somnambula, and Mage Meadowbrook do get a brief look in to show the audience what they've been up to since being freed from limbo (and Stygian gets a mention as well). It would've been nice to see how they ended up in their current positions, but I suppose it might not have been interesting to the target audience. That being said, it does tie up to the episode's message brilliantly.

As well as that, it makes you feel more for Rockhoof struggling to find his place in modern Equestria. But every time he tries to do something, he messes up and feels more and more frustrated. Eventually, it's to the point he wants to become a statue, which feels like a very subtle allegory for suicide. Though I'm not sure if that was the intent or simply my interpretation of it.

The great thing about the episode isn't just Rockhoof himself as a character (before this episode, he was fine, but just seemed kinda there), but Yona as well. Seriously, with every appearance she makes since the premiere, I love her more. Even though Rockhoof doesn't know his own strength, it doesn't bother Yona any. In fact, she even writes an essay about him to try and convince him not to become a statue.

It was also unexpected to see General Seaspray make a return after the season premiere. And even though this has nothing to do with the actual episode, it's nice to see them expanding the hippogriffs' culture, as well as a funny lampshading of them needing to use ships.

Final Thoughts

This is yet another fantastic episode in season eight. It was great to expand more on Rockhoof's character, as well as Yona's, and the theme and story are brilliant. There's honestly very little to complain about here.

The thing we can take from this is that everyone has a purpose in life. Sure, any show could do this, but Rockhoof was one of the few characters... No, he's the one character who could've worked for this theme, and suddenly, he's become more likable and charismatic than Sunburst has ever been. If this was anypony else, however, then the story wouldn't have been as good.

Rating: Excellent

MLP Episode 820: The Washouts

Another early airing, another review. It's The Washouts!

This review contains spoilers; viewer discretion is advised.

The Washouts

Written by Nick Confalone

Ever since Wonderbolts Academy aired in late 2012, Lightning Dust has had a bit of a cult following among the fandom, many hoping she'd make a return. I honestly couldn't see why, and could've cared less if she never came back. Now, Lightning Dust has made her return, and it's... okay. Which is disappointing to say the least.

The first sign of the episode having problems is Rainbow Dash eavesdropping on Scootaloo's Rainbow Dash club meeting. Why does she do that for every meeting? That's extremely disturbing when you actually think about that, and it puts their relationship in a different light. It doesn't help that it's in the same episode where Dash saves Scootaloo from potentially getting killed, and it leads to the ending scene of the episode...

Which brings me onto the Scootaloo club meeting. I don't like it, especially the fact that Scootaloo and Twilight are eavesdropping on Rainbow Dash at the end, which sends off a toxic message for children. Again, it doesn't help that it's in the same episode along with a far better message (which I'll get to).

And then there's the meeting with Lightning Dust. How in the name of Celestia did Scootaloo not remember who Lightning Dust was?! I know this doesn't have much bearing on the plot, but Parental Glideance explicitly stated that Scootaloo knew who Lightning Dust was and her actions. So why she would ignore what Rainbow Dash told her rather than be wary of Lightning Dust just raises a lot of questions, but not as many questions surrounding their sister-like relationship.

That being said, it was surprising that Lightning Dust declared that she and Rainbow Dash were forever rivals, and even more so that this was from the same writer who "wrote" (and I use it loosely, of course) Forgotten Friendship. But that doesn't mean Confalone is any less my least favorite writer in the show.

Not only that, the lesson Scootaloo learned at the end about Lightning Dust being a toxic influence was very well done, even if the execution was sloppy at points. Having seen Big World! Big Adventures!, it's nice to know that kids' shows are willing to warn their audience the dangers about toxic friendship, and the consequences it can have on your real friends. Those who are willing to give up everything for you and help you learn from your mistakes.

Final Thoughts

This is a very difficult one for me to rank; on one hand, there's a solid theme about bad influences and it completely avoids my most despised trope, but on the other, Rainbow Dash's character is inconsistent at points and the message about eavesdropping was really bad. So overall, it's a below average episode. The writers need to be really careful in the future as to how they portray their themes in episodes, lest we end up with unfortunate implications down the road.

Rating: Okay (just barely)

MLP Episode 819: Road to Friendship

It's high time we traveled with Starlight and Trixie on the Road to Friendship for the next review!

This review contains spoilers; viewer discretion is advised.

Road to Friendship

Written by Josh Haber

It's safe to say that I've been pretty hard on episodes with Starlight and Trixie as the leads. No Second Prances very much turned Twilight into the antithesis of herself, and whilst the main plot for All Bottled Up was great, the subplot with the Mane Six was awful. This episode, thankfully, avoids both problems.

Twilight only appears in the cold open with Cadance and Flurry Heart, and seeing her do their foalhood dance with the former (with the latter on top) is adorably funny, especially Starlight and Trixie's reaction. And whilst the subplot is about a Saddle Arabian pony offering the two mares a new caravan, it tied up very nicely with the main plot. Oh yeah, and there's a moment of hypocritical humor with Starlight and Trixie breaking into song.

Now that it's out of the way, I can talk about the episode proper. I can understand how stressful it must've been for Starlight and Trixie when it comes to traveling - after the song, at least. Supplies don't really grow on trees, and there's only so much you can do with what you have.

What makes it more stressful is how cramped Trixie's caravan is. Because she's packed so much stuff, they barely have enough room to move around in. And it's funny to how she reacts to Starlight's loud snoring. Not only that, the next day shows just how much they're getting on one another's nerves, the final straw being when Starlight trades Trixie's caravan for the bigger one, much to the latter's fury.

And it's only after their falling out that Starlight realized how petty they'd been when she encounters two mail ponies from earlier and returns Trixie's caravan to her. Also, I'm pretty sure Kelly and Kathleen were improvising in the studio when it was recorded. There's no way it was scripted.

Of course, if I had to pick a nit, the phrase "Great and Powerful" got old really quick. I get it; Trixie uses it as part of her act, but it almost feels like it's her whole personality, especially in an episode that showed there was more to her than that. I'm not saying they should get rid of that entirely, but rather, they should use it a little more sparingly.

Final Thoughts

After a really dull outing from Gillian Berrow, it was up to Josh Haber to bring things back on track again, and he did so too. Brilliantly. (Oh, and that Somnambula stallion in the trunk? He deserves his own mention.) To date, this is Trixie's best episode, but then again, there isn't much competition for that title. I'm just hoping this is the jumping off point, not the culmination, of the work done to develop her character.

Season eight is now on its home stretch with five episodes before the finale. Surely nothing could go wrong as the season draws to a close... right?

Rating: Good

MLP Episode 818: The End in Friend

After a rocky start to the second half of season eight, it looks as though the season's back on its hooves again. Can The End in Friend continue that streak?

This review contains spoilers; viewer discretion is advised.

The End in Friend

Written by Gillian M. Berrow

Well... no, not really. I'm not saying the episode didn't try, but the plot Gillian went for is so stock there's not a whole lot you can do to make it feel new.

Simply put, this feels a lot like A Royal Problem, only with Rarity and Rainbow Dash in Celestia and Luna's place, and Starlight not being as involved for at least half the story. The theme about teamwork is good, but it's been done before and kind of shoved down the audience's throats. Even Twilight trying to make excuses for Rarity and Rainbow Dash's bickering doesn't feel interesting.

And whilst it was better handled than Non-Compete Clause, that's not really saying much as the episode still goes all out in making Rainbow Dash and Rarity look petty. We've seen the former get manicures before, but it feels like it was forgotten about despite the references to Sonic Rainboom and Rarity Investigates!.

Final Thoughts

I apologize for the review being short, but there's honestly very little for me to say what I haven't already. I know that some episodes earlier this season didn't have the most original ideas either, but they were usually let off the hook because they had qualities to make up for that, and The End in Friend... doesn't. Sure, there are funny moments, but even they feel cliched at points. It's painfully mediocre all the way through, and it pains me to rank a Gillian Berrow script as low as I did.

Rating: Bad

MLP Episode 817: Friendship University

It's time to head down to Friendship University for the next review!

This review contains spoilers; viewer discretion is advised.

Friendship University

Written by Chris "Doc" Wyatt & Kevin Burke

Star Swirl the Bearded has gained a rather mixed reputation among fans given his portrayal in Shadow Play, but I didn't have any issues with it. If anything, I like how it made him a more interesting character; he's stubborn, proud, and doesn't know when he makes a mistake. So I was hoping season eight would further develop him as a character.

Well... this episode did to some extent, but this was mostly a Twilight/Rarity episode - perhaps the first ever in the entire series. (Look Before You Sleep isn't counted since Applejack was thrown into the mix.) Not only that, it's the first Flim and Flam episode without Applejack appearing in any capacity, though she is mentioned indirectly.

That being said, Twilight holding a grudge against Flim and Flam is perfectly justified considering she witnessed the events of The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000, but their other appearances? Most likely Applejack told her about these. Despite having a solid reason to hold a grudge, again, this still doesn't excuse Twilight's character in previous episodes like Marks for Effort.

Still, this plays really well into Star Swirl's character. He's learning about the new Equestria around him, and is still learning about friendship along the way. Him not knowing Flim and Flam as well as Twilight does also worked really well, showing that despite his wisdom, Star Swirl is not a perfect character; even he can be gullible at times. If that's what they were trying to portray with Edward, they messed it up badly.

And that leads me onto the theme; yeah, it is obvious that Flim and Flam have still learned nothing from past experiences, but I do think it's a relevant theme considering the controversy surrounding Butch Hartman and his Kickstarter campaign for the OAXIS streaming service, describing it as a Christain network. Not to mention the political scandals regarding... you know who.

Now, if I may go off on a tangent for a bit; several months prior to the episode airing, the Restore the Magic campaign gave big news that the Lady prop featured in Thomas and the Magic Railroad had been found and there was a GoFundMe campaign to buy the model and restore it to its former glory. But it turned out that the buyers of the model had run off with the money, leaving the prop to potentially be scrapped when they could've simply built a new model from the ground up with less money than it took to build it. I know it's old news, but I wanted to bring it up because of how it relates to the episode's theme.

Back to Friendship University as an episode; if there was something disappointing about it, it was Chancellor Neighsay disappearing after he approves of Friendship University. Don't get me wrong; his role in their was really good, and it further proves my point that not all antagonists are meant to be redeemed. But when Friendship University was revealed to be a scam, we don't know how he would've reacted to that. Maybe they're setting something up for the finale...?

Another complaint I have has nothing to do with the episode, but I'll mention it anyway. In Shadow Play, we see the Pillars and Stygian return from limbo, but between that episode and Friendship University, we don't really see how they handle modern-day Equestria, almost making their return feel like an afterthought, Yeah, this has happened in past seasons, but with season eight, it's honestly rather jarring.

Final Thoughts

This is the third episode in a row that even for a show that's almost eight years old, Friendship is Magic can still learn new tricks. Where else do you see an episode with Flim and Flam featuring Twilight and Rarity working against them? Add Star Swirl to the mix, it almost looks as though they're building up to something grand for the finale.

Rating: Excellent

MLP Episode 816: The Hearth's Warming Club

Another week, another review. Let's head on down to The Hearth's Warming Club for the next episode!

The Hearth's Warming Club

Written by Brian Hohlfeld

You know, I think it's a missed opportunity to have it air on July 28, cause then we would've had a "Christmas in July"-type special. That aside, this is the fourth overall Chirstmas-themed episode of the series (with a 44 minute special planned for the holidays, a first for the series, in fact!), but how does it stack up against the previous three?

I love it. Even more so that we're given more bonding amongst the Young Six, and that we especially get their different perspectives on how they celebrate the holidays. Each story they tell really showcases their individual characters, unlike something like The Mane Six where most of the characters are interchangeable with each other.

Here, we can tell that Smolder has a twisted sense of humor, Sandbar makes boring things seem exciting, and that Yona and Silverstream take pride in their own respective heritages for different reasons. My favorite was Ocellus', especially with how literally she and the Changelings take Twilight's instructions on how Hearth's Warming is celebrated. That was hilarious!

Yet the real standout character here was Gallus; the reason he pulled that prank was because he didn't want to be alone on Hearth's Warming. To him, his new friends are perhaps the closest he's ever had to a real family, despite their differences. Yona might be my personal favorite of the Young Six, but Gallus is without a doubt the most layered and comes in a close second for me (Smolder is third, for the record).

It was also great that Twilight actually displayed some common sense by asking the students one on one for their perspective of the situation (even if we don't see it), though it is also laughable considering her behavior in previous episodes like Marks for Effort. Just because she was well-written here, that doesn't make her any less hypocritical.

Final Thoughts

Since School Daze aired back in March, I thought it set the bar too high for season eight. But The Hearth's Warming Club almost looks as if it could knock it off its perch. Almost. The theme is amazing (no one deserves to be alone on the holidays), the story is brilliant, and the Young Six really shine every time they appear in an episode, good or bad. There's honestly little to complain about.

That being said, it's kind of sad that people aren't thinking very highly of season eight. Yes, we got some duds like The Mean Six, Non-Compete Clause, and Yakity-Sax, but those duds don't mean the season overall is bad. Especially not with gems like Molt Down, Surf and/or Turf, Horse Play, and this one. There's only eight episodes and a finale to go, so the only direction season eight can go at this point is up.

Rating: Excellent

MLP Episode 815: A Matter of Principals

After a two month hiatus, barring a pair of not-so-Summer Surprises that July, we're back to reviewing the eighth season of My Little Pony, starting with A Matter of Principals.

This review contains spoilers for those who did not see the episode in Australia; viewer discretion is advised.

When Discord joined Starlight's group in To Where and Back Again, I always found that strange since the two had never interacted up to that point. You could argue that they met offscreen, but I don't think it holds enough water for me to believe that. So now that we got Discord and Starlight starring in their own episode, how does it hold up?

I will start by saying it is a vast improvement over Nicole Dubuc's previous script, as well as the last two episodes, one of which was the absolute worst the season had to offer at this point. A Matter of Principals is definitely the improvement that Yakity-Sax wished it was.

One of the greatest strengths of the episode is Discord's character; he still wants to make friends but hates being left out, largely in part due to his trickster nature. It's a habit he just can't break, and it drives Starlight up the wall when she tries to run the School of Friendship the way Twilight normally would. And who could blame her? (Starlight, that is.) That being said, it does say a lot that Starlight owed Discord an apology for ignoring his feelings of jealousy, considering that he's a trickster who normally causes more trouble than her or anypony else.

Discord's attempts at bringing in substitute teachers to "help" Starlight were rather out the blue, but still very funny - seriously, who has a tree for a teacher?! That being said, it does lampshade a problem that's been brewing since School Daze; who's in charge of the School of Friendship whilst Twilight and company are out and about doing other things? It does feel like Twilight doesn't always think her plans through, however well intended they are. Perhaps Neighsay was right after all?

Another issue the episode raises is that Starlight somehow knows about Spitfire. (Trixie and Maud I can understand.) How did the two meet, and how did Spitfire get convinced to be a teacher at the school when she has an academy of her own to run? I know it's not a major plot hole in the episode itself, but it still raises questions.

Final Thoughts

Nicole Dubuc is back on form, as is season eight - let's hope it stays that way this time! I was hoping for a Starlight and Discord episode, and thankfully, she managed to deliver, and then some. Their characters make sense, the third act is one of the funniest of the show, and the twist at the end was rather unexpected.

One thing I will ask for the writers; just don't make the Young Six afterthoughts for future episodes. Please. They have a lot of potential to be great characters, and it'd be a damned shame if they don't live up to it!

Rating: Excellent

MLP Episode 814: Yakity-Sax

(Yes, I know it's officially episode 18, but some people tend to review episodes based on airdate order rather than production order, so that's what I'm going with.)

As a part of Discovery Family's Summer Surprises for 2018, we got the "new" Equestria Girls "special" Rollercoaster of Friendship which... I'm not reviewing ever because it's simply not worth it, especially if I was repeating what I've already said. And now, we have a season eight episode airing ahead of the second half. This one being Yakity-Sax.

It's safe to say that Pinkie Pie has been getting a fair amount of criticism from people - like myself - for how poorly written she's become as of late. Heck, the last time she felt like a genuine character was when she called out Twilight for doing something stupid in The Movie (even thought Twilight still seems to lack proper judgement these days, but I digress). Still, I was hoping that after the disappointment that was The Mean Six, the writers would pick up steam from there.

Unfortunately, they didn't. What makes it worse is that Pinkie is once again portrayed as an idiot, not even showing concern for her friends' activities and playing that damned yovidaphone in such a bad manner! Seriously, it's just grating to listen to, especially in the first act; it's awfully unlistenable.

This is honestly becoming a serious problem with season eight; character development being thrown out of the window for the sake of a story. Sure, they've done really well with Fluttershy, Rarity and Spike for the most part - heck, even Starlight has had some great moments - but rewriting Rainbow Dash, Applejack (Non-Compete Clause), Twilight (Marks for Effort), and Pinkie Pie (The Maud Couple, and now this episode) to suit your story is a sign of flanderization; exaggerating their flaws in the worst way possible.

This is still the main reason I'm glad that Edward, Henry, and (possibly) Toby are being written out of the Steam Team. When they were part of the team, Edward and Toby were often made to be incompetent when they're supposed to be engines that know better, and the less said about Henry's treatment, the better.

Back to Yakity-Sax; I'd talk about the story... but I don't need to. Why? Because it drags, especially in the second and third acts, and it completely lacks heart and substance. The most that happens is Pinkie moving to Yakyakistan when she realizes she isn't good at... whatever instrument she was playing, I don't care. But that's it. It's also pointless in the long run since she'll be back in Ponyville by the next episode.

Which brings me onto the moral. Being supportive for your friends is nice, but how does the lesson impact Pinkie as a character? She's still a bad player and learns nothing, which leads to some rather mixed messages and the episode's intended message to fall flat on its face. Maybe if the Mane Six turned to Yona to help Pinkie learn how to play that weird bagpipe contraption, that could've worked a lot better, and Pinkie would've also learned not to be afraid to ask for help.

Instead, this just raises questions as to why the Young Six, as characters, are being severely underused by the writers. I know that the Mane Six are the lead characters and made the show what it is, but there have been episodes (To Change a Changeling, The Break Up Break Down) that didn't have any of them make an appearance. Heck, they gave big focus to the likes of Big Mac, Zecora, and even Princess Celestia, so why not the Young Six?

Final Thoughts

Pinkie Pie is quickly becoming one of my least favorite characters of the show. Sure, she's had a lot of great moments in the past, but her poorly-written roles are building up at an alarming rate. Yakity-Sax is just another contender for one of season eight's worst; a dragged-out story with nothing interesting happening and a mixed message at the end make it a chore to sit through. At least the rest of the Mane Six had some character there; not that it actually saves the episode...

Rating: Bad