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[ILOVEVHS]

 

 

 

 

Must've made a wrong turn at Albuquerque.

[Captain Sorzo]

Thoughts on Bats!:

 

Spoiler

Huh. This episode featured one of the only songs in the series I didn't care for. I didn't hate it or anything, it was just...there, which is rather disappointing given the bar Ingram has set for himself. I might like it more after listening to it a few times, but on the first viewing it didn't seem like there was much of a melody at all, just dialogue performed in singing voices, almost to the point that it didn't actually feel like a song. I'll admit to not being familiar with the work that inspired the song, but I don't know a thing about Sondheim and still feel that Art of the Dress is among the show's very best. I honestly enjoyed the two seconds of Pinkie singing "Fruitbat Roundup" more than the song proper. At least it helped set up the initial conflict.

The rest of the episode was good, though not great. Too much of the running time was spent trying to build up suspense, something that, for me at least, just doesn't work in this show (the frightening kind of suspense, anyway; suspense in terms of dramatic tension is still manageable).

The characters themselves were written well, though. Dashie's cider obsession was a bit overblown, but it was funny the first several times and an enjoyable reference to a previous episode. I do like the idea of her having a problem. AJ shined the most for a change, and her comment about the loss of her entire orchard being the least of her problems compared to getting Fluttershy back was a very nice moment.

Twilight didn't show much in the personality department and was basically there to cast spells and nothing else, which is rather unfortunate, both because it doesn't offer meaningful characterization and because I'm generally not a fan of plots that are resolved by magic. Once again, Rarity didn't have much of a role (a trend that will finally be broken next week!!!), but made up for it with some funny moments. I liked her hazmat suit, while her telling Fluttershy to "do stop being a vampire bat" was hands down the funniest line in the episode. Spike was just there for the sake of being there, but the episode actually poked fun at that, so it's not an issue this time.

One issue I have with the plot was the resolution. Why would Fluttershy be frozen by her own reflection? That would only work if she was constantly in Stare mode, and even then only if one takes a rather liberal interpretation of the ability. It's gone from a manifestation of inner strength and courage to a cheap plot device, which is a shame.

Was the leaning tree with the giant apple a reference to the Christmas tree in A Charlie Brown Christmas? Awesome touch if so and one of the funniest parts of the episode.

I suppose I liked this one more than Power Ponies, but not to the point that it deserves a higher tier rating.

Overall Episode Rating: Good

[ILOVEVHS]

I've gotten to the point where I don't give a shit about ponies anymore. Nowadays, it's Adventure Time and Regular Show.

[Captain Sorzo]

Rarity returns in the morning.

 

HYPE

[Captain Sorzo]

Thoughts on Rarity Takes Manehattan:

 

Spoiler

My only nitpicks are a few minor logical gaps (When did Rarity find the time to arrange a private showing of the musical? If said showing was her compensation for the commissioned work, wouldn't she be passing off the work to someone who wouldn't be paid, at least in full?) and the lack of acknowledgement that Rarity's friends were in the wrong as well, as they promised throughout the episode to be there for her yet wanted to go off and have fun when push actually came to shove.

Everything else was very well done. Tabitha St. Germain provided yet another reminder of why she is far and away my favorite actress in the show. The songs, though a bit heavy-handed and not as good as Becoming Popular and certainly not Art of the Dress, were still enjoyable and worked well with the overarching themes of both the episode and Rarity's character as a whole. After mulling over her previous episodes, particularly Sweet and Elite, I found it quite interesting that Rarity embodies a romantic ideal of what high society should be, one that, though far from the actual state of things, is still shown to be attainable and not a mere delusion. It was rewarding to see this episode continue that trend. The humor, while downplayed, was still mostly enjoyable, though Pinkie's antics at the beginning caused me to roll my eyes a bit. Hopefully we'll start to see more of her character next week.

The scene in which Rarity breaks down and lashes out at the others was particularly well done. It managed to be believable, with both sides being in the wrong and yet understandable and ultimately relatable. It managed to somehow be both subtle and over the top in a way that suited Rarity's character without harming the scene.

Prior to this episode, I didn't think Polsky would ever produce something of this complexity, at least for FiM. Though he showed signs of it in Too Many Pinkie Pies, his last outing remains the worst episode of the season and I generally associate him more with slapstick comedy than meaningful characterization. Despite my reservations, he pulled the episode off quite nicely, delivering the level of quality needed to prevent the first Rarity episode in ages from being disappointing. Best pony is back, and the show is better for it.

I'd say Rarity Takes Manehattan is tied with Flight to the Finish for best episode of the season. Tellingly, those have been the only episodes that have gone with the tried and true slice-of-life approach rather than experimenting with gimmicks. Though I feel experimentation is necessary in the long run to avoid stagnation, it's important that the writers remember what made the show so successful to begin with.

Overall Episode Rating: Great

[ILOVEVHS]

Seeing that title makes me think of Rarity as Jason.

[quirkybear]

Thoughts on Bats!:

 

Spoiler

Huh. This episode featured one of the only songs in the series I didn't care for. I didn't hate it or anything, it was just...there, which is rather disappointing given the bar Ingram has set for himself. I might like it more after listening to it a few times, but on the first viewing it didn't seem like there was much of a melody at all, just dialogue performed in singing voices, almost to the point that it didn't actually feel like a song. I'll admit to not being familiar with the work that inspired the song, but I don't know a thing about Sondheim and still feel that Art of the Dress is among the show's very best. I honestly enjoyed the two seconds of Pinkie singing "Fruitbat Roundup" more than the song proper. At least it helped set up the initial conflict.

The rest of the episode was good, though not great. Too much of the running time was spent trying to build up suspense, something that, for me at least, just doesn't work in this show (the frightening kind of suspense, anyway; suspense in terms of dramatic tension is still manageable).

The characters themselves were written well, though. Dashie's cider obsession was a bit overblown, but it was funny the first several times and an enjoyable reference to a previous episode. I do like the idea of her having a problem. AJ shined the most for a change, and her comment about the loss of her entire orchard being the least of her problems compared to getting Fluttershy back was a very nice moment.

Twilight didn't show much in the personality department and was basically there to cast spells and nothing else, which is rather unfortunate, both because it doesn't offer meaningful characterization and because I'm generally not a fan of plots that are resolved by magic. Once again, Rarity didn't have much of a role (a trend that will finally be broken next week!!!), but made up for it with some funny moments. I liked her hazmat suit, while her telling Fluttershy to "do stop being a vampire bat" was hands down the funniest line in the episode. Spike was just there for the sake of being there, but the episode actually poked fun at that, so it's not an issue this time.

One issue I have with the plot was the resolution. Why would Fluttershy be frozen by her own reflection? That would only work if she was constantly in Stare mode, and even then only if one takes a rather liberal interpretation of the ability. It's gone from a manifestation of inner strength and courage to a cheap plot device, which is a shame.

Was the leaning tree with the giant apple a reference to the Christmas tree in A Charlie Brown Christmas? Awesome touch if so and one of the funniest parts of the episode.

I suppose I liked this one more than Power Ponies, but not to the point that it deserves a higher tier rating.

Overall Episode Rating: Good

 

 

I thought the episode was cute for young audiences. They copied a little from Bunnicula, which is a favorite book I read while growing up. It's about a vampire rabbit who sucks the juice from vegetables. I still love MLP, but I still think they are stretching the characters a bit. Their songs are also still creative to a certain degree, and I happen to like Scootaloo's episode about her being flightless. This song was great in my opinion. I also enjoyed the Manehattan episode, but I think Rarity still should have stayed in Manehatten with the designer pony she met. It would give the incentive for episodes in different areas until Rarity returns to her boutique.

 

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=mBkRL7_9Pko

[furrykef]

You forgot the /quote tag, quirkybear, or you misplaced it.

[quirkybear]

=_= Only I would....

 

Edit: I just placed the response in with the quote. That was awkward.

[Captain Sorzo]

Thoughts on Pinkie Apple Pie:

Spoiler

 

Bleh. I really don't have much to say about this one. Loved the song, but thought the rest of the episode suffered from poor writing. There were a few humorous moments, but everyone's characterization felt weak. On top of that, Pinkie's alleged relation to the Apple family, even if true, is so remote that it's hard to care about the core conflict. Hands down the worst episode of the season thus far, though to be fair it's far from the worst the show has ever put out.

 

Overall Episode Rating: Mediocre

 

Thoughts on Rainbow Falls:

 

Spoiler

Wonderful episode this week. While I still consider Flight to the Finish and Rarity Takes Manehattan to be the best episodes of the season due to their thematic complexity, Rainbow Falls handily takes the third spot. It was also easily the funniest episode of the season so far; I had a grin plastered on my face the entire time. The core conflict and characterization of Rainbow Dash were also very well done.

One thing that surprises me is the excellent pacing of the episode. Most episodes of the season that use all of the Mane 6 have failed to give more than one or two meaningful roles, yet here each of them is allowed to do something unique, however minor, even while the episode spends time with quite a few different side characters. Speaking of whom...

Snowflake (or Bulk Biceps, if you prefer) managed to become one of my favorite background characters after his appearances in Hurricane Fluttershy and Wonderbolt Academy, and it's nice that the writers chose to expand upon him. Spitfire managed to function well as an antagonist without being one-dimensional, as she actually learned from her mistake and was willing to admit it. And of course, Derpy returned. I'll admit that I cheered out loud.

I was more or less on board with the theories that the spool of thread Rarity received was connected to her key and this episode effectively confirmed them. Having the Mane 6 not only learn lessons but inspire others to follow in their footsteps (or hoofsteps; whatever) is a nice way of demonstrating how far they've come as characters. It's also a clever means of blending an adventure arc with the slice-of-life stories that are the show's bread and butter.

Overall Episode Rating: Great

[Captain Sorzo]

Thoughts on Three's a Crowd:

 

Spoiler

The last third was a little underwhelming, there was questionable pacing (Cadance doesn't even appear until the second half), and the plot nothing to speak of in its own right (though it might well be setting something up for later in the season).

But I don't care.

This week's episode was pure fun, even moreso than Rainbow Falls. There was a constant flow of humor for most its duration, and all of it was spot on. Though Discord of course stole the show, it was Pinkie who surprised me the most. For the first time all season, she felt right, a wonderful return to form for someone who I once considered the second best character in the show.

The song wasn't what I was expecting and likely won't be something I'll find myself listening to on its own all that often, but it was very well suited to Discord and had me laughing the whole way through. No complaints there.

While I'm not sure how evenly the writing duties were split, this episode indicates that Ed Valentine's strong writing for Flight to the Finish wasn't a fluke. For someone with a rather questionable resume going into FiM, he's shaping up to be one of the show's best writers.

Overall Episode Rating: Great

[ILOVEVHS]

DISCORD AGAIN?!

GODAMMIT SORZO, I FINALLY QUIT MLP!

[GamemasterAnthony]

Could someone get VHS a Valium, please?

 

I was just surprised DeLancie had a musical number in that.

 

BTW, just out of curiosity I decided to pick up some decks of that MLP:FiM TCG...

 

SPIKE:  Oh, I see!

 

*FACEPALM*  God I hate that joke...

 

Rather an interesting little game.  Anyone want details?

[ILOVEVHS]

DISCORD FUCKING SINGS?!?!

[GamemasterAnthony]

*wonders how VHS will react to Weird Al's appearance on MLP now*

[ILOVEVHS]

*wonders how VHS will react to Weird Al's appearance on MLP now*

WEIRD AL YANKOVIC ON THE SAME SERIES AS PINKIE PIE?!

[GamemasterAnthony]

*nods*  Most recent episode.  Plays a pony named Cheese Sandwich.  Wrote AND sung songs in that.

[ILOVEVHS]

*nods*  Most recent episode.  Plays a pony named Cheese Sandwich.  Wrote AND sung songs in that.

VICTORY SCREEEECH!

[Captain Sorzo]

According to the credits, it looks like Weird Al wasn't involved in writing any of the songs.

 

Thoughts on Pinkie Pride:

 

Spoiler

Yet another thoroughly enjoyable episode. As far as musicals go, it's nowhere near the bar set by Magical Mystery Cure (which, to be fair, is an unreasonably high standard, one I doubt Ingram will manage to surpass anytime soon), but the songs were still enjoyable in their own right, with the opening number and the one in which Pinkie reminisces standing out the most.

Cheese Sandwich was a very fun character, one that thankfully was not one-dimensional or ultimately made out to be a jerk. Though I've heard a number of his songs, I'm not all that familiar with Weird Al, so I'm sure there were a number of visual references that went over my head. That said, he turned in a great guest performance and lived up to the hype.

I commented last week that Three's a Crowd saw a return to form for Pinkie. While I still stand by that assertion, I was referring entirely to entertainment value. As an actual character, this is the first time she truly shined all season. While the Smile song will doubtless always remain Pinkie's finest hour, this episode had some of the best characterization she's had in the show's entire run.

Derpy was everywhere in this episode, which is always fun. Though I loved her prominence in Rainbow Falls, it's nice to have those "Where's Waldo" type scenes again.

Boneless is best chicken. Sorry, Scoots.

Overall Episode Rating: Great

That's an unprecedented three Greats in a row. I fear next week will break the trend, however, despite being a Rarity episode. The premise sounds rather worrisome.

[Captain Sorzo]

Incoming Rarity episode with troublesome premise involving love triangles.