Episode review: "Simple Ways" (S4E13)

Has Rarity been taking sight lessons from Derpy?

Good heavens, we've got to the half-way point of Season 4 of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic already! Time flies when you're having fun, I suppose. Anyway, this week's episode had a suspiciously Valentiney feel to its synopsis, unsurprising given its air date. The writer was Josh Haber, who was responsible for the fun but slightly offbeat "Castle Mane-ia". Would he do a good job with this new ep? After the break, we'll find out the answer!

This was a Rarity/Applejack episode, the first one of those we've had since "Look Before You Sleep" right back in the early days. That time, Twilight was heavily involved too, but for this episode the rest of the Mane Six played only bit parts. Actually, an awful lot of ponies played bit parts: Granny Smith was present and correct, as were Mayor Mare, Snowflake (oh all right, Bulk Biceps), Big Mac, the CMC and even Dinky. I'm not sure they were all necessary, especially as they took up time that we could have done with nearer the end of the episode.

The main guest pony was Rarity's latest love interest, Trenderhoof. I can't say I was a huge fan of his, as he was a bit of a pain – but then I suppose I wasn't supposed to be. I was a little bit surprised that Rarity got quite so obsessed with him (to the extent of having a lock of his mane in a jar!) after the debacle with Prince Blueblood, but hay ho. It was interesting to see Spike's reaction to all this as well – especially one priceless sideways glance across the fourth wall which really made the first half worthwhile.

This is somehow really, really disturbing

I wasn't all that gripped by the underlying storyline, which was somewhat clichéd. Female is obsessed by male, who is himself obsessed with a different female, who herself doesn't like him. In all honesty, that seems disappointing for My Little Pony, a show which is all about its strong female characters. I know it's canon that Rarity is the way she is, but even so. And honestly, guys, did you have to go quite that far along the shipping lanes with those AJ close-ups? This was a little uncomfortably close to a "for the bronies" ep in that regard.

The best thing about this episode was Tabitha St. Germain. We were told months ago that this ep "broke Tabitha", and now we realised just why. It must take a phenomenal amount of skill to do what she did in giving Rarity a ridiculous fake country accent while still keeping her very much Rarity. The later scenes, including "Apple Jewel", were absolutely hilarious throughout, and actually drag up my final score a bit from the rather mediocre rating it was heading for throughout the first half.

Apart from the supporting cast I've already mentioned, there was yet another piece of blatant Derpying. "Unappreciated?" Really? Not by the fandom, she's not! I can't help wondering if that line was intended as some sort of subtle dig at someone in high places. Probably it wasn't and I'm just overanalysing in the way that so many bronies do. We didn't get a song, but we did get Trenderhoof's poem with its all-too-predictable (but still amusing) non-rhyme in the last line! Oh, and props to the artists for those lovely "pencil-effect" flipchart drawings.

Aunt and Uncle Orange would have come in handy here

I did like the moral that this episode came up with. Okay, it's not the most original message in the world, but being the person you are, rather than the person you think others want you to be, is certainly a laudable aim. All in all, then, this was a moderate episode that I think would have been straightforward filler had it not been for Rarity's increasingly ludicrous attempts to be a country pony. ("Come on, farm thing!") Trenderhoof was just too dull to deserve a second chance, I'm afraid.

Best quote: Rarity: "I love being covered in mud!"

Yays

• Tabitha St. Germain's genius turn as Country Rarity, y'all
• Good to look at, especially those pencil drawings
• A solid, if slightly unoriginal, moral at the end
• Spike's sideways glance at the camera

Neighs

• The pacing seemed a little off: the last third felt rushed
• Trenderhoof really wasn't a very interesting semi-antagonist
• The underlying plot was not exactly the most original
• Was this one really made mainly for six-year-olds?

7/10