Episode review: S8E06: "Surf and/or Turf"

Okay, no need for an actual review this week. Ten stars!

We had a new writer for Friendship is Magic this week: Brian Hohlfeld. Although new to this show, he's certainly no newbie when it comes to writing for animated series, having been heavily involved in the creation of Transformers: Rescue Bots along with a certain Nicole Dubuc. After last week's flawed but still generally pretty fun "Grannies Gone Wild", what would "Surf and/or Turf" bring us?

The answer was: the same sort of thing again, but better! This episode was not perfect, but I nevertheless enjoyed it more than anything else since the S7 finale, and of normal episodes since "Once Upon a Zeppelin". Although there were no Equus-shaking threats, it was very entertaining and I'll certainly be re-watching it for fun. I would be more than happy for Hohlfeld to write more episodes for the show, and I hope he already has.

This episode followed the template of "Tanks for the Memories" in the way it addressed a difficult issue (separated parents) without actually making the fact canon. Although I'm lucky enough not to have dealt with this issue in childhood myself, I thought the ep did a reasonably good job. Of course it was simplified and idealised – but that's Equestria (and its environs) for you. Terramar's parents were slightly reserved towards each other: "You're looking well" is a fairly neutral opening.

So... what if that necklace ever breaks?

Talking of Terramar, I liked the guy. You could argue that he shouldn't have had to be told that he didn't need to choose mum or dad, but I don't know... at one point, he tells the Crusaders, "I have to choose soon. Every other griff my age already knows where they belong," which suggests that (perhaps for cultural reasons) it is generally expected that he'll make a decision and stick to it. (No idea where that would leave the unchosen parent.)

Oh yeah, the Crusaders. :P The CMC had a pretty good time of it in this episode. Yes, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo behaved in a pretty childish fashion when they had their argument, but I don't think that's unrealistic. After all, did you stop having silly arguments with your friends the moment you got past puberty? Thought not. Apple Bloom got to be the voice of reason this time, though that did mean her role in this episode was a tad on the light side.

Twilight, as the fillies' chaperone, was very much in motherly mode, which I suspect comes from all those Twilight Time sessions – she really does seem to take an interest in what the CMC get up to. It was interesting to watch her (well animated) expressions whenever one of the youngsters said something interesting or cute or both. It's a bit of a shame we didn't get to hear Twi's screeching – though we didn't hear Big Mac's turkey call either.

It's so amazing, look around at all the happy sights and sounds...

I quite liked what this episode did with the hippogriffs/seaponies and Mt Aris. Their "Glad to be a Hippogriff Day" celebration was only mildly amusing, but the screeching was great fun; I think *hippogriff screech* may be my new favourite non-speech vocalisation. Below the waves, Seaquestria was very nicely realised – naturally it looked a bit different from the movie version, but it was instantly recognisable.

Harmonizing Heights I didn't find quite so interesting (sorry, Sweetie!) though I'd love to know what legend Terramar was going to quote before he was cut off. Admittedly I'm biased here, because Best Filly Scootaloo's sheer joy at the closeness of swimming to flying was a massive thwack in the feels. It's a while since I've beamed so broadly at a scene. I wonder how Twilight felt, as the only creature there who knows what it's like to acquire the power of flight?

We even got a song, "Your Heart is in Two Worlds", whose lyrics were written by Hohlfeld. He did a pretty good job, and I enjoyed the song greatly; it's certainly more of a favourite in the "battle song" category than the Big Mac/Sugar Belle one from last year. Add to that lots of colourful animation and I can largely overlook the fact that (as with several other eps down the years) the whole problem could have been avoided with a well-placed word long before. It was just fun.

Interesting that Terramar called her "Miss Sparkle", not "Princess"

Best quote: Scootaloo: "When in doubt, chart it out!" (Twilight's influence, surely)

Yays

• A generally quite successful way of tackling a non-TV-Y subject
• Scootaloo "flying" is the most adorable thing I've seen in ages
• A really enjoyable song with satisfying lyrics
• Twilight's "research" vacation and cute giggles
• Lots to see and learn about Terramar and the hippogriffs

Neighs

• A little on the Idiot Plot side
• Apple Bloom was something of a third wheel

★★★★