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| "Rarity, do y'all realise what we're startin' here?" |
Written by Charlotte Fullerton
3 Dec 2010
My original rating: N/A
IMDB score: 7.4
The one with Truth or Dare.
Thoughts: Another new writer joins the team – in fact, only two more would be added during S1. This is an episode that in the past was widely disliked for being "too girly", and I wasn't a huge fan. Now? I like it rather more. It's the real kick-off for the long-running Applejack v Rarity sparkiness, for a start. (Though AJ using "y'all" in the singular still sounds odd.) I like the little scientific bit about why being inside that tree in a thunderstorm is okay. Twilight's wide-eyed enthusiasm about the slumber party is really cute, plus we get an early, pre-fandom Parental Bonus in her book's title. Twi also introduces us all to the legend of the Headless Horse. Although not Rarity's first "Oh. It. Is. On" (that was "Boast Busters") this is the one most people remember, thanks to the funny pillow fight sequence. The other three Mane Sixers don't appear at all. I'd classify this episode as simply nice – a gentle, domestic story with plenty of warmth, something that S1 often did pretty darn well.
Choice quote: Rarity: "It is a ghost story. They're all made up."
New rating: ★★★
Next up is "Bridle Gossip", another popular "gateway drug" to FiM as a whole. It's a very long time since I've seen it, so I have no idea how it'll hit me now.
This is one of those episodes whose impact typically comes later, after you've gotten used to the show and go back to rewatch. I certainly fell into the trap of discounting it at first because too girly. :B
ReplyDeleteThis is one of those episodes whose impact typically comes later
DeleteDefinitely. I suspect I'll find that "Call of the Cutie" also falls into that category when I reach that episode.
Conversely - and perhaps this is one of the occasions when watching as an increasingly intrigued parent, rather than an animation fan, made a difference - I took to both this one and that one straight away, and was very impressed here with the way the central relationship dynamic was portrayed. Twilight playing along with the book and then snapping straight back into character when each task is complete remains a joy, her frustration yelling at the two idiots is justified, the jokes are still funny, the hug at the end is beautiful. I still have a massive soft spot for this.
Delete(Though why Twilight had that dress to hand in the first place would be an interesting story...)
Really? I'm honestly baffled by the idea that this and "Call of the Cutie" were discounted by fans early on. I enjoyed both from the get-go; indeed, for the first half of the season, they're easily among the standout attractions. Such character work has always been the show's main draw for me, and these two have it.
DeleteWhile this wasn't a big favorite of mine in Season 1, the episode itself is memorable in how it established the whole 'Rarijack' shipping that would eventually become so popular in the fandom (Also would make me wonder why Applejack didn't end up with Rarity in the series finale). The premise itself is rather simple: On a rainy night, Twilight throws together a slumber party in her house (Which, as she explains, is protected by a magical lightning rod) and includes her two best friends, yet their contrasting personalities almost ruins Twilight's first outing. In a way, it's almost a wonder how ponies like A.J. and Rarity can stand being in the same room. We got the fashionista pony who not only doesn't like mud on her hooves but feels everything needs to be done a certain way, whereas Applejack feels the need to just get it over and done with (Like just eating the s'mores instead of admiring it like art). While Rarity during Season 1 can be a tough pill to swallow at times and comes off as rather annoying, Applejack is not so much a saint either being that she wasn't exactly understanding to Rarity either. And while some say Twilight was seemingly oblivious to what was going on initially, it is adorkable how she relied on her book to understand the concepts of sleepovers and we can see she is just 'trying' to make this whole thing work.
ReplyDeleteNow regardless of how folks feel about the episode overall, this episode is notable for it's memorable moments. From seeing Applejack in a dress (Which I'll admit is rather cute), the pillow fight, Applejack and Rarity fighting over the sheets (Which I can relate to), the Headless Horseman story, there's that one moment folks call a take-away from this episode. While this wouldn't be the last episode where we see two friends bicker, which would extend far beyond Season 1 (In some cases, to our annoyance), for me this was one of those banter episodes that is actually fun to watch proving how the classic 'Farm Girl and Fashionista' pairing works out. To give it credit, not only is this episode smart about pointing out having Twilight living in a tree in the middle of a storm and the justification as to why it's safe, but they also point out the reason behind 'why' there was this big storm in the early going and not for the sake of plot convenience.
I know, right? AJ may have ended up with Rainbow Dash, but did they ever sleep together in canon? I rest my case, Your Honor.
Delete