Read it Later story count: 95 (-1)
Words read this week: 25,292
As trailed last week, a low word count this time round, but still the usual five stories under review. Without further ado, let's get to them:
Strong to the Finnich by KnightMysterio
Late Delivery by WaywardSon
Quod Timeo by Figments
Letter Never Sent by Rambling Writer
To Be Remembered by MrSpartan
★: 0 | ★★: 1 | ★★★: 3 | ★★★★: 1 | ★★★★★: 0
Note: I use a skewed rating system. A fic I enjoy an average amount scores two stars.
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| "Why no, of course we fans didn't take anything here to heart!" |
My original rating: ★★★★
IMDb score: 7.8
Thoughts: Perhaps the most controversial episode in the show's entire run, mostly for M. A. Larson's unhappiness about what went out with his name on it, but also partly for the way the ponies themelves behave in-ep. The first is a real issue for me. The second? Less so.¹ I do think it's dated a little bit, in that you only get the full impact if you were in at Peak Fandom and recognise some of the specific dramas being poked at,² and those are far less common in today's quieter fandom. It's also arguable that it went back to the "hi there, bronies" well too often, when "Slice of Life" (especially) and "Stranger than Fan Fiction" had already been there. But as someone who was there, do I still find it funny? Yes, and on occasion hilarious. Do I find it mean-spirited towards this fandom? No, not especially. I still feel a few of those jabs were actually needed. I appreciate Starlight being the voice of reason, Toola Roola was a nice surprise, and after growing on me a lot "Flawless" is now one of my favourite songs. The way Larson was treated will always rankle, Spike's unexplained absence is odd and the townsponies being jerks towards the Mane Six for so long is pretty out-of-character for Ponyville – but the episode as it appears on-screen was an entertaining ride in 2017, and for me at least it's still that way today. As I've said, it has dated a little, so it's losing a bit from its score. Not much, though, and it's still a top-end three.
¹ Reading the EqD comments is interesting: a slanted source of course, but most commenters liked the episode in 2017.
² I'm damn sure the mass "Yee-ha!" from the Sweet Apple Admirers is a nudge to the fandom (over)doing "Fun! Fun! Fun!"
Choice quote: Pearly Stitch: "Twilight was better before she had wings!"
New rating: ★★★
Next
time, we'll be back to a slightly less controversial episode – and one with Spike very much present – when "Triple Threat" hoves into view. Join me then!
Words read this week: 41,260
By some miracle, it's actually been both mild and dry (well, largely dry) on the day I'm writing this intro. That means I managed to spend a little time sitting outdoors reading ponyfic, the first time I've been able to do that this year. With a coat on and the sun out, plus shelter from the wind, it was pleasant. Anyway, it's back to the usual setup this week, with no particular theme involved.
Arbitrary by RunicTreetops
A Moonlit Storm by SilverNotes
Pinkie Pegasus by Lets Do This
Dying to Get There by Titanium Dragon
Winona by Obsequiosity
★: 0 | ★★: 2 | ★★★: 2 | ★★★★: 1 | ★★★★★: 0
Note: I use a skewed rating system. A fic I enjoy an average amount scores two stars.
Over in the intro to his latest Monday Musings post, Ghost Mike takes a look at the viewing-hour numbers Netflix put out in December for the first half of 2023, with special reference to the various bits of G4 and G5 My Little Pony in the figures. There's too much to get your teeth into there for me to summarise sensibly, and I'm not any kind of aficionado when it comes to this industry-stat stuff anyway, so I'd recommend reading Mike's post for yourself. But one little nugget: S1 of Friendship is Magic is (just) inside the top 500 shows in watch hours. Four years after FiM ended. Makes you think.
Read it Later story count: 96 (-2)
Words read this week: 30,382
Welcome to the Silly Edition! In spite of its name, this does not in fact mean that all today's fics are silly, although some of them do qualify. I simply chose five stories that have the word "silly" in the title. I'd never heard of any of the fics before, and indeed I didn't know several of their authors, so it was a bit of a leap in the dark. Let's see how it turned out, shall we?
Silly Little Filly by EnderBlaze
Silly Assumptions by Owlor
On the Very Silly Origins of Alicorns by GroaningGreyAgony
Silly Little Things by ForgottenExistance
Silly Filly by ValenceBond
★: 1 | ★★: 3 | ★★★: 1 | ★★★★: 0 | ★★★★★: 0
Note: I use a skewed rating system. A fic I enjoy an average amount scores two stars.
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| Candles on hay bales don't strike me as especially safe... |
My original rating: ★★★★
IMDb score: 9.5
Thoughts: Well, here we go. A sizeable chunk of the fandom applies the "Best Episode Ever" tag to this, and on this occasion its IMDb score probably doesn't lie. I'm not going to be all perverse and say I hate it, as no: I also think it's a very fine ep. Having it air six weeks earlier in Australia than the US made it very hard to avoid spoilers, and many (including me) viewed and reviewed earlier than August. It can be hard to recall now, but at this point the idea of finding out about the Apple parents was a huge deal, given there'd been speculation about them for years and years. The expectation was a lot to live up to – but it managed. A lovely story with organic progression, thoughtful and sympathetic characterisation, excellent world-building, a nice guest turn from William Shatner of all people, that very fine song (with a reprise in the end credits!) and some really appealing visuals. But the writing made it great, something you couldn't always take for granted by S7. Yeah, okay fandom, you win. This episode can have a five now.
Choice quote: Goldie Delicious: "Now that's how you make an entrance... or is it an exit?"
New rating: ★★★★★
Next
time, it'll be "Fame and Misfortune", an episode some people loved and others hated. I was in the former camp, finding it much more funny than cringy. That may or may not change. As ever, we shall see!
At least here in the UK it does; I can't speak for anywhere else. The Worcester Shires meet on Saturday had no fewer than 18 attendees (albeit not all at once) which is very close to our all-time record – not bad considering we've been running for more than ten years! I've also noticed a couple of people discussing starting up local meets in other places.
As someone said on Discord, there was a bit of a feeling that with the end of Friendship is Magic and G4 as a whole, plus the underwhelming response to G5 (apart maybe from the original film), interest in ponymeets might start to show a clear decline. That doesn't in fact seem to be the case, and I for one am very happy about that. Long may this continue!
Words read this week: 30,409
It's blustery and grey outside in a rather typical early February sort of way as I write these words, so it's definitely a good day to be indoors and writing about MLP fanfiction. This week I'm back to the core Ponyfic Roundup approach: picking five short stories that look as if I might find them interesting and, well, reviewing them. Here goes...
A Story About You by CrispySparrow
Assassination Manifestation by TCC56
Lack of Faith by Tennis Match Fan
Stopping Distances by Mica
Daring Do: The Opera by AlexTFish
★: 0 | ★★: 1 | ★★★: 3 | ★★★★: 1 | ★★★★★: 0
Note: I use a skewed rating system. A fic I enjoy an average amount scores two stars.
There aren't many truly big firsts left in the world of My Little Pony conventions, but I think this one qualifies. This year's GalaCon will see the first ever con appearance from none other than Ponyphonic! They of course are behind some of the best known songs in our fandom, from "The Moon Rises" to "Lullaby for a Princess". Even though I won't be going to GalaCon myself, I am delighted for those who are. Very exciting news!
