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| Remember when 'Shy couldn't control the Stare? Now she can take it across species! |
It was pretty good! The body-swap thing is hardly new, but it was handled in a generally fun and interesting way here. And before I go any further, I'm going to mention some terminology specific to this episode. "Fluttershy" and "BunnyShy" are her normal and transformed forms respectively. Similarly with "Angel" and "MareAngel". Not perhaps the most brilliant piece of naming I've ever come up with in my writing, but I hope it will serve for this post.
The relationship between Fluttershy and Angel hasn't really been explored since way back in S2. In "Putting Your Hoof Down", Angel was the worst he's ever been, actually striking Fluttershy at one point in a move that brought the hatred of an entire fandom down upon him. I've always thought it a shame that many fans haven't appreciated the many other moments where it's made quite clear that he does truly care about – perhaps even love – his equine carer.
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| "No, Angel, of course I'm not going to mail you to Vanhoover" |
I appreciated that both parties had some fair points in their complaints. It appeared to me that Fluttershy was somewhat neglecting Angel – given his very fair point that he wasn't able to talk to any other pony. On the other hand, Angel was being a bit needy, and his trick with the carrot extract didn't help his case. I don't know whether it was deliberate, but when the two went off to talk to Zecora there were definite overtones of a relationship counselling meeting.
The "walk a mile in the other guy's shoes" potion allowed us to bask in the glory that was Andrea Libman's voice acting for MareAngel. I'm not a VA, but I would imagine that speaking as a totally different male character who just happens to have temporarily inherited your usual female character's body and voice box is really hard to pull off. Well, she managed it. It was a tour de force, and when I come to rewatch this episode it will undoubtedly be the highlight.
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| "The cure you seek can now be seen: I've made a pot of purest Green!" |
The comedy in this episode was partly due to MareAngel's cynical take on Fluttershy's animal sanctuary work and partly due to the way the animals themselves interacted with him, with the real Fluttershy, with Dr Fauna and with each other. (As an aside, has it ever really been clarified where Fluttershy's responsibilities end and the vet's begin?) It was undoubtedly an amusing episode, even before we got to MareAngel's (possibly sincere, possibly not) line for the FlutterCord shippers!
Apart from a little unevenness and the aforementioned doubt over whether this wouldn't have been resolved earlier, the only significant problem I had with "She Talks to Angel" was the too-convenient way Fluttershy resolved the predator-prey relationship. The cold open made me wonder whether we were going to get a really thoughtful, mature exploration of this subject – especially since we've seen Fluttershy feed fish to ferrets way back in "Dragonshy". But no. I'm not keen on telling children that obligate carnivores will be okay with veggie diets.
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| So... can all animals talk to each other, just not to (most) ponies? |
All in all, I was fairly pleased with "She Talks to Angel". It was funny while not descending into pure slapstick, it provided a better look at the animal sanctuary than "Fluttershy Leans In", it explored a fairly serious topic quite well, and it made a reasonable way for Fluttershy's arc to end, assuming this is indeed her final full-on focus episode. It didn't feel all that special, hence the three-star rating (though it's an upper-end one), and if it hadn't been a Fluttersode I might not rewatch it much, but I'm happy.
Best line: Well, it had to be, didn't it? MareAngel: "...I wanna marry Discord."
Best moment: BunnyShy's epic trek through the Everfree Forest
Worst moment: Fluttershy asking carnivores to be vegetarian
Yays
- Truly spectacular voice acting from Andrea Libman
- A slightly more serious take on the body-swap plot than I was expecting
- Not a bad look at the animal sanctuary (with one big exception)
- A decent way for Fluttershy's "life's purpose" arc to end
- The group dynamics at the sanctuary were a bit vague
- I wasn't impressed by Fluttershy making carnivores turn vegetarian
- Not sure I quite buy that this issue has never come up before
"...the longest-standing writer on Friendship is Magic today..."
ReplyDeleteActually, that's not true; Josh Haber wrote for Castle Mane-ia in season four, the third episode for said season. He's also written for Sparkle's Seven and Student Counsel in this season, plus a few others that have yet to be released in America.
However, in fairness, since he become more prominent during seasons five and six, it's kinda easy to forget he also wrote for the fourth.
You are quite right! Thank you for the correction; I'll edit that now. :)
DeletePretty good episode, not as good as last week's but miles better than some of the second half of season nine episodes. Also am I the only one who thinks Bunnyshy facial expression when doing the stare looks a lot like Karl Pilkington from the Ricky Gervais show? As for Fluttershy making carnivores eat vegan food, it really grinds my gears, I know people want to be vegans but forcing animals to do the same is just out of order. Anyway I give this one a 7/10.
ReplyDeleteI don't watch Ricky Gervais, so can't answer that. And the vegan thing just seems out of character for Fluttershy. She surely wouldn't be so naive.
DeleteI'm not keen on telling children that obligate carnivores will be okay with veggie diets.
ReplyDeleteYeah, this is my biggest misgiving with the episode. Plenty of people already think you can feed dogs or cats vegan diets, and they are all wrong and also animal abusers. :')
I mean, there are plenty of herbivorous pets someone could have if they don't want to deal with meat. Like... rabbits! ;)
Delete(As an aside, it took me a minute to recognise the word "herbivores" in the episode. I keep forgetting you guys drop the H.)
Hhhherbivores are creatures that eat people named Herbert. :V
Deletere: Your above comment on Fluttershy's naivete, I blame the sanctuary, since it required her acting out of character to be built in the first place. It's just like, a magnet for bad ideas.
There's a vet in the local paper who actually advocates a mostly vegetarian diet for dogs. =/ They are omnivorous, but I suspect cutting out meat altogether is problematic. Cats, on the other hand, do have to have significant amounts of meat.
ReplyDeleteI suppose it might work for dogs, at least, with a very careful balance of supplements, but I can't see any situation in which making a cat vegetarian would be acceptable. I mean, if you don't want a carnivorous pet, why would you choose to have a cat in the first place?
DeleteRegarding the rhyming: No points for using "do/you" twice in a row in the beginning, but major respect for not just one ABAB rhyme but two in a row (right before they leave her hut). I haven't watched all the episodes with Zecora, but that struck me as an extra level the writers don't normally go to.
ReplyDeleteJust went back to watch that, and yes, the ABAB double is rather impressive. So an extra non-existent point to the episode for that!
DeleteFirst off, I'd wish to apologize for this late posting (Due to the frantic nature of Hurricane Dorian and all). But having seen this episode, it reminds me of an attempt to do 'Freaky Friday' in under twenty-two minutes. While Angel Bunny was never my favorite character given his spoiled nature, I will admit when he does show genuine care to the one pony he can speak to it shows (Like how exhausted Fluttershy was while inhabiting Angel's body trying to find a cure for their condition). True Angel nearly destroyed Fluttershy's sanctuary (Even possibly joking about Fluttershy 'marrying' Discord, which I think is his interpretation of her spending more time with Discord than with Angel), but Fluttershy had a lesson to learn to such as making a harder effort to make time for 'all' her friends even between all her responsibilities (Course can you blame her since she also helps run a school?).
ReplyDeleteThis episode may not be perfect as the previous episode (Such as the questionable tactic of predators doing a 'herbivore' diet), but I admit there are some fun moments like Libman's 'Angel' portrayal through Fluttershy and the morals both characters learn does add some closure on this chemistry the two have had.
I really, really don't think any apology is necessary for delays due to a hurricane! But anyway, cheers for the mini-review! I'll add it to the TRR post. :)
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