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| Fluttershy's face here is almost preminiscent [sic] of the late seasons! |
Written by M. A. Larson
22 Oct 2011
My original rating: N/A
IMDB score: 8.7
The one with Paper Bag Derpy.
Thoughts: For the first time, we see the Princess Luna design we all got used to. Here, unsurprisingly, she's a bit uneven – but that fits with her personality, so it works. The ROYAL CANTERLOT VOICE gets a bit tiring with so much use, but her "Huzzah!" stuff is fun and the scene with Fluttershy is amusing. It's nice that Luna is properly rehabilitated by the end. I'd forgotten how much Zecora there was in this episode; it's one of her most prominent roles. I enjoyed Spike cosplaying as a dragon, and of course we first hear the name Starswirl the Bearded. Pipsqueak and his Amazing Changing Accent has long been the cause of much mirth in the UK fandom. What I don't like so much about this episode is Pinkie's rather stupid behaviour; even allowing for her knowing she was being stupid, she made Luna miserable and almost caused total disaster. She's not a fool and should have realised earlier. Rainbow Dash didn't help, either, beginning her often poor record during early-mid S2, though her Shadowbolt costume was nice. Many fans put this ep near the top of their S2 lists. I don't, for the reasons just stated – but overall it's a good one and it's right at the top of the three-star band.
Choice quote: Luna: "What is this 'fun' thou speakest of?"
New rating: ★★★
Next up is "Sisterhooves Social", which I've never quite adored as so much of the fandom does. Mind you, I've warmed up to it in recent years, so it could do quite well.
Wow, I'm surprised the antics got such a negative reaction out of you. :O I've always considered this to be one of the best and most important episodes of the show's entire run, not to mention proof the writers can actually do amazing shit (Luna's characterization) when they put their minds to it. It amazes me now when I find the odd S1 fic that thought maybe Luna would be a little old-fashioned when she came back; there weren't many.
ReplyDeleteWithout Pinkie (especially) and Rainbow, this one would have been a mid-high four. The Luna stuff (barring that slightly excessive RCV) was absolutely fine. But I found Pinkie immensely aggravating here, even bearing in mind it's early S2.
DeleteMind you, we have somewhat different approaches to this part of the series' run, given that I'd watch "Lesson Zero" over this without too much thought and you... probably wouldn't. :P
This is a rather good episode in my book, and Pinkie didn't bother me that much. I'm not sure she was even aware of how everyone's fear was affecting Luna. For her, it's just part of how to do the holiday, and if Luna is the master of ceremonies, she should know how it works, right?
ReplyDeleteZecora was great in this, and not only Derpy's costume (what did she think she was dressing as anyway, groceries?), but sticking her face in the chocolate fountain. This was so full of great little touches that it's a fun one to rewatch.
And Rainbow Dash was a snot in this because Rainbow Dash is a snot, period.
I'm definitely a little out of the ordinary in rating this one so (relatively) low... but then I do notice its IMDb score is 8.7, which puts it behind quite a few other episodes in the late S1/early S2 run.
Deletebut sticking her face in the chocolate fountain
Something she does again in S4. :)
As for Rainbow, I find her more annoying in this part of S2 than anywhere else in the show's run. There are individual episodes where I feel she's worse, especially in the last couple of years, but in S2 I don't like her much until well into the second half of the season.
This was the episode where we would realize that Princess Luna was not going to be a one shot character, but her return meant things were going to be different. No longer were we going to see the design she came in following the defeat of Nightmare Moon in the Season 1 premier and for the longest time we just assumed that during her absence she developed a bit of a growth spurt in an attempt to catch up with her sister. But in a way, what we see her go through, trying to take part in a holiday initially based on her 'Nightmare Moon' ordeal and trying to socialize with the townspeople who seem downright scared of her (Though partly because of her 'Canterlot Voice'), it's no wonder why she was feeling so depressed that she nearly cancelled the holiday out of spite. We've all had this one person trying to adjust to a time where everything they've known is gone and trying to connect with a more modern period is a bigger struggle than we give it credit for. Yet it seems out of most of the Mane Six actually trying to reach out to Luna and encourage her to have fun, it was none other than Twilight Sparkle (Whose only real struggle was getting ponies to recognize she was dressed as one of Equestria's greatest heroes, though that is debated when we actually 'see' him).
ReplyDeleteBut anyways, as the show's first 'Halloween-centered' episode it was a load of good fun. True it had it's hiccups like Pinkie Pie initially causing ponies to be scared of Luna, which while I understand 'why' the show did this it would've been nice if they had Pinkie not being so 'ridonculous' just for comic relief. True we don't get to see Rarity during this entire episode, with little to no explanation as to why (Though I do believe there was some concept work on that notion), but otherwise most of the girls do get to shine (And I will admit Fluttershy's moments were 'slightly' funny). In the end, it was all about reintroducing Princess Luna into the series itself and eventually overtime it would be astounding how she wins the most polls for being 'Best Princess' mostly because of her sentimental journey post-reformation. True this episode may not be everyone's cup of tea, but to me it was still a fun episode for the season just the same.