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| Some nice attention to detail from the animators on the O&O accessories |
Well... this wasn't a terrible episode, but it was a bit disappointing. Its main problem was one we've seen much too often in the last couple of years: main character regression to suit the story, rather than a story being written around said character as she is now. Rarity's fall this time wasn't as bad as Rainbow Dash's in "2, 4, 6, Greaaat" or Twilight's in "A Trivial Pursuit", but it was there all the same, and irritatingly so. I'd be disappointed with that in ponyfic, let alone from a professional.
This could have been a really great episode. The setup was a very interesting one that faces most people at some time or another: what happens when the best friend you've hung out with for years makes another close friend and seems to have less time for you? This is just the sort of territory that a really accomplished Friendship is Magic episode could have explored in a mature and complex way. "Amending Fences", although about something else, had the sort of feel I'm getting at.
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| Quite a few duplicates in that heap – shades of S1/S2! |
Josh Haber's episodes are usually quite funny, and this one was no exception. The recurring jokes in the gem cave and with the fainting couch(es) were amusing, and Derpy's panicked shutter-lowering as Rarity's huge apology box approached may not have been very professional but was very understandable! It was also fun to see (in the montage) Spike assessing gems by licking them. The dialogue itself was largely a little flat and lacking in humour, though.
This is certainly going to be one of my shorter episode reviews, because there really isn't a lot more to say here. "Dragon Dropped" is another episode that would probably have fitted a lot more comfortably in the first three seasons, although Twilight's cameo role as wise counsellor of friendship (and unwilling couch collector!) might have had to change a bit. There's enough here for a fairly high two-star score, but in my book it's definitely a step down from last week, even on the fun front where Haber can excel.
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| Lyra and Bon-Bon in the background sharing a glass :) |
Best moment: Rarity's Mane-iac costume
Worst moment: A pretty uninspired final scene
Yays
- An interesting concept with real relevance for many people
- Nice to see everyone bearing some of the blame
- Some nice touches of humour here and there
- That interesting concept wasn't really satisfyingly explored
- Rarity was really pretty annoying much of the time
- Spike and Gabby had their off moments, too
- Twilight felt a little shoe-horned in
This episode was quite unique for me as it was the first one I went into it 100% blind as I watch the Chinese airing to avoid being spoiled. As for the episode itself? I thought it was ok but it may of work better if this was season three or four episodes I don't know maybe replace this one with Spike at your Service. I did enjoy the running gag of Rarity dragging the other Mane six to replace Spike however. Also Lyra and Bonbon sharing a milkshake the plot thickens! In the end I give this a 7/10. Not bad but not great either.
ReplyDeleteFor me, this episode was meant to answer the question as to whether the whole 'Sparity' relationship deal still stands or if 'Spabby' is suddenly the new trend. Ever since Day One of this series, Spike's always had this crush on Rarity to the point he wears T-Shirts dedicated to his feelings. Out of all the girls in the Mane Six he spends the most time with, besides Twilight Sparkle of course, is the fashionista to whom he was willing to go on Gem collecting if only to spend more time with her. We've seen him try to acknowledge his feelings for her many times in the past, but the series has always left us wondering as to whether or not Rarity ever truly 'knew' how Spike felt about her or if she just didn't feel the same way. The thing with this episode is that it decides to determine what would happen if their fortunes were reversed if it's suddenly 'Rarity' who misses all the attention Spike gives when a new player is added into the mix.
ReplyDeleteWhile I won't say that this episode was 'terrible' by any means, there were a few funny moments, for me the premise of this episode was something I've already seen before. Indeed it shows this regression in Rarity when suddenly she goes through selfish means, monopolizing Spike's time with Gabby, a friendship I almost never expected, just so she can have the attention on her. But to be fair, we get to see that she truly does appreciate Spike's time helping her with her errands even if they were content with just being friends. As for the subject of Spike and Gabby as new besties, the more I think about their chemistry the more I see that they do have a few things in common: They were both outcasts amongst their own kind for acting differently, they both work with mailing papers (Amazing Spike didn't think to work for the Post Office with Derpy Hooves), they are the kind of species who don't get cutie marks, and I will admit the times they spend together are rather cute.
Could this episode have been a little deeper in the feels instead of just regulated to overuse of comedic timing? Absolutely! This is a relatable issue for some couples, even the platonic ones, who feel insecure when their best friend suddenly has interest in other people and the spending more time with said subject that they seem to neglect the other partner. And the one moment when Spike feels depressed when Gabby catches him playing that 'D&D' style game with Rarity, as part of her attempts to spend more time with Spike, and she leaves him upon being tricked (Spike wrote that he was tired after two big trips Rarity organized, so the confusion is understandable) it reminded me of how I felt when I was dumped prior to two relationships (Still hurts to this day).
While I wish the episode could've been 'slightly' better, for me it was just one of Haber's "okay" kind of episodes. While I still don't share the same feeling that a Spike-Rarity couple is probably not going to be what we hope, I do believe in the story of how an unlikely relationship can still be made beyond a friendship (Seems it tends to work for "other" shows). While I admit the episode does have some funny moments (Though some is a bit overdone) unless you were looking for an episode with deep morals, you're not going to find all of it here.
Very okay, you hit all the nails on their respective heads. :B
ReplyDeleteI think I enjoyed this episode quite a bit more than you, if only because I kept imagining Spike screaming "Begone, Thot!" to Rarity at all times.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm gonna be one to really like Dragon Dropped. I *love* this episode and rank it as the best of both 9B so far and all Rarity-centric episodes to date.
ReplyDelete