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S2E23: "Ponyville Confidential"
Written by M. A. Larson
31 Mar 2012
My original rating: N/A
IMDb score: 8.1
The one with Spike's disgusting cucumber-eating habits
Thoughts: This time we have an amusing slice of Ponyville life, though it does require a bit of disbelief-suspension that a normally conscientious teacher like Cheerilee would appoint Diamond Tiara as the school newspaper editor. And not do any checking up, given DT's foibles. Still, the whole CMC/Gabby Gums thing is fun, and it generally manages to stay the right side of the line in terms of cynicism ("Fame and Misfortune" years later was perhaps another matter). I like that several revelations from the Foal Free Press, such as the Mayor's pink mane, were remembered in later episodes. I would have thought "Ponyville: The Early Years" would be very popular in a local paper, though! Although this is a Crusaders episode at heart, Rarity rather steals quite a few of the scenes she's in; it's clear Tabitha St. Germain was having a wonderful time! Featherweight doesn't really have a great deal of presence, as I suppose his name would suggest, but I do like the way that Diamond's instruction to "document everything" comes back to bite her in the end. The section where the CMC are being shunned is a little harsh perhaps, especially Twilight's forcefield, though Big Mac getting to talk for once is a nice touch. Good pacing, as you'd expect from a Larson episode. I'm going to be generous and shade this episode just over the line into the fours, partly because Rarity's supporting role is just so much fun.
Choice quote: Rarity: "I'll destroy her!"
New rating: ★★★★
Next up is "MMMystery on the Friendship Express", which has long resided firmly in the lower echelons of Pinkie episodes for me. Maybe I'll have softened towards it. As ever, wait and see!
Firstly, what on earth is going on with the site layout? Even as I'm typing this out, the links at the bottom of the page are a horrendous formatting mess.
ReplyDeleteSecondly... again, I have to differ on you. And for another Larson episode, no less. (There are exceptions, of course, but I always seem to have a problem with his eps in one form or another).
For one thing, the "willing suspension of disbelief" is a bit much for me. Especially since the plot would make a bit more sense if it was a normal newspaper staff and not a school paper, it makes the otherwise-fine arc of the story look really... I'm going to be diplomatic and say "odd", though I've stronger language in mind when I say it.
As one example of such: there have often been times in the show (this ep being an example) where Cheerilee is portrayed as incompetent, not so much as a characterization issue as largely for the plot to work or for a point to be made. Frankly, I find the lack of in-universe explanation for it (e.g. say that Filthy Rich has Cheerilee under his hoof so DT can do whatever she likes without repercussion) irritating. Like, she leaves them to their own devices, and to me it's transparently because the plot would collapse in five minutes if she didn't. That sort of obvious and distracting thing makes it harder for me to invest in a particular episode's premise, to say nothing of the events depicted therein (seriously, how does Cheerilee not notice this whole mess until the very end?).
Secondly, I think the cynicism in this episode is excessive. DT is wrong for her editorial approach and is rightly called out for such, but she's far from the only problem here. No one calls out the equally problematic adult audience who lap this stuff up, and the fact that the Main Six are among them makes them look, frankly, like awful hypocrites (Twilight exempted, because she states early on that she does have a problem with it).
The scene in the spa and the scene in Sugar Cube Corner with the Main Six both put the hypocrisy up on display, and I find it unedifying to watch, especially around the whole privacy issue.
And, frankly, pairing it with the "entire town shuns the CMC" scenes feels like way too blatant hypocrisy. (Rarity for one comes off at her worst here, outright saying the "Maybe they deserve..." line after every single one of her friends has already been targeted and lamented the discovery in the news. What the hell, Rarity?
It's honestly the closest I've come to understanding why some people hate her character, and her part in the turnaround scenes with Sweetie Belle doesn't fully mitigate it for me because it looks like what it is: she and the others don't care until it affects them personally. Give Twilight a medal for being the only one to see a problem with this, but I'm annoyed she's the only one who clears such a measly bar in the first place.
(To be fair, the scenes with Sweetie Belle are well done, especially the one where Rarity asks her point-blank if writing nasty stories is what she wants to do. If that had been the main thrust of the episode, I'd feel more charitable towards it).
Lastly, I just find it really problematic that no one takes the Sweetie-Belle-Rarity route and sits down to explain to the CMCs why what they were doing was wrong. No, they go straight to instant shunning. Overlooking the fact that the townsfolk were lapping this stuff up in the first place, it's grossly immature behaviour. Rainbow, Fluttershy/Angel, and maybe Spike I can understand, but Applejack? Big McIntosh? Twilight? Give me back that medal.
(Moved to another post due to character limit).
ReplyDeleteI sound like I hate this episode; ultimately, I don't. I can watch it fine, and the curve of the arc tends to the right anti-gossip moral. Besides, some of the stuff is pretty fun to watch (I personally love the Sweetie Belle subplot with Rarity, and the fact that DT is being used in more interesting ways than "Stock Schoolyard Bully" is a welcome change of pace). Plus there are some fun gags, such as the "Namby-Pamby" editor gag and DT's channelling of J. Jonah Jamesson and Citizen Kane at various points. Not forgetting the CMCs themselves and the criticism of gutter press ethics (even if it feels out of place in an Equestrian setting).
But as with a few other Larson episodes, this is definitely on the "flawed" pile for me. Two stars, maybe three if I'm feeling generous.
I don't think we're actually as far apart as all that. I only just made this a four, and it could easily have been a three on another day. So really a 3.5-star episode. Your last sentence suggests that, at least sometimes, this is a 2.5-star episode for you.
DeleteThis isn't an episode I generally think about. It's okay, but not super memorable. But you are 100% right about Tabitha's performance here, Rarity was completely amazing.
ReplyDeleteI don't think about it that much either, but that's largely because it follows my all-time favourite and so the only way is down!
DeleteDon't forget that this episode is essentially what gave us Anon-A-Miss. That alone should sink it to a one-star.
ReplyDeleteI actually quite liked that comic. Reading the review now, I think it's fair to say my views have changed somewhat -- though I don't hate it as much as most of the fandom. Point and laugh, folks:
Deletehttp://louderyay.blogspot.com/2015/01/comic-review-equestria-girls-holiday.html
Another one for me, like TSSCS6K, where the episode is just so much fun that I'm happy to overlook the logic and character flaws. The rapid fire gag rate makes for very easy watching.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's a very good summary. Easy watching sums it up.
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