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| Glimmy gets points from me for this one |
S6E06: "No Second Prances"
My original rating: ★★★★
IMDb score: 7.8
Thoughts: This is an odd one, in that I was surprised to discover I'd rated this four stars in 2016. It's had a rather mixed reputation since then, and I'd got it into my head that I felt like that first time round. Turns out I didn't – but in many ways, I do now! Trixie is back for the first time since S3, while this is also the episode that created the "Starlight tries to do everything with magic" meme. The two bond quickly, and it's fun to see the seeds of the partnership they'd have built by the time of "Road to Friendship" two seasons later. The scenes with these two are the ep's best. Unfortunately Twilight is frankly a pain until near the end. She lets her past antagonism with Trixie get the better of her to the extent of trying to undermine Starlight's friend-making – not very becoming of the Princess of Friendship. Celestia's presence at the awkward dinner party is somewhat pointless too, though maybe worth it for Cranky's closing question. But despite being a fun episode with an exciting if morally pretty iffy stage stunt to end up with, this has a few too many flaws for me to let it keep its four, so it's going down a notch this time. It's a highish three still, though.
Choice quote: Starlight: "Great. Thanks for asking in a completely not creepy way."
New rating: ★★★
Next
time, it'll be "Newbie Dash", an episode which has a somewhat poor reputation, but which (again) I gave four stars to in 2016. Was I being too generous? We'll soon see!
I never liked this one much. I at least understand Twilight's initial reluctance to accept Trixie as Starlight's friend, and also appreciate her willingness to acknowledge Starlight's argument about why she should be able to choose Trixie. But then Twilight goes off character, and especially the dinner party was so awkward, and I felt like it was really disrespectful to the attendees. It doesn't help that Best Pony got treated poorly there, but it seemed unfair to Cranky and Vinyl as well. I came out of this one just feeling uncomfortable, not amused.
ReplyDeleteTwilight is the only major character issue for me, and I'm surprised it didn't bother me first time around, forgiving as I usually am. Enough to drop it one star, but despite the dinner party being just plain odd, no further. For me.
DeleteGood timing, I just watched this earlier so I'd be ready for you possibly posting on it soon. Slipped my mind that would be this evening! As they say, it's better to be lucky than good.
ReplyDeleteThis episode was never one I liked, but it wasn't until returning to it here that I was able to pinpoint why, for two key reasons. One is the Twilight-centric issue you cite, though I blame Josh Haber, not Twilight (yes, Nick Confalone technically wrote the script, but come on, Haber's story editor, plus this episode has his Starlight Is My Creator's Pet fingerprints all over it). It really it just a 22-minute coda to the brushed-aside forgiving of a nuclear terrorist that ended Season 5, and while in isolation, Twilight still being a little cold to Trixie is fine (lord knows Trixie shouldn't ever be close buds with the Mane 6), there's simply no universe in which Starlight should be forgiven as equally as Trixie, let alone more easily. And no amount of the fact that Twilight fought Starlight for longer and learned more about her character can change that. Besides, while Twilight did hesitate to accept Trixie’s apology in “Magic Duel”, she did accept it sincerely, there’s no debate there. Jossing that is blatant deliberate ignorance of what came before so Haber can set up his version of Trixie as a recurring character and further cement his Creator’s Pet status for Starlight. It’s repulsive, frankly.
[While I don't feel Trixie is a better character here then before, at least not as overwhelmingly as most viewers, I will concede that, when Starlight's Creator Pet problems aren't in focus, she can be enjoyable. She'd be more enjoyable if she wasn't defined by "a fellow ex-villain friend for Starlight" nearly every time she appears – and she never appears without Starlight – and the "she's lazy while Starlight's responsible" crutch tires fast. But she does work.]
Speaking of, the second issue is Starlight herself. Look, I don't hate her, parts of her work throughout these last four seasons, mostly when they don't connect her to her Season 5 incarnation. But when the episode is constantly lampshading her past deeds and passing them off as a joke (forget taste issues, it gets boring and lazy), and making her magically overpowered for whatever plot or gag purposes fit the moment (No, Haber, Starlight didn't magically mind-control her town, it was psychological manipulation – that does not translate into having a "must-talk" spell handy for Big Mac), one's patience runs thin. And then, when Twilight is being insufferable later on, I actually feel for her frustration at not being trusted! Yet as that's gotten at via such blatant contrivances, it's no merit. The list goes on and on, and you don't want to hear it; if you don't already agree or see the reasoning, more points won't change that.
Also, it's nowhere near as severe as Season 9, but more then a few mere or derp faces pop up here, and rarely to the episode's benefit.
The episode's not a total washout. The cameos by the friends Twilight invites, Cranky especially, are funny, though Celestia is oddly miffed beyond reason. The Mane 5 scenes are gotten through with enough energy that the pattern doesn't distract, so the ones not powering Starlight up (Dash a little, but mostly Rarity and Fluttershy) work. The episode's pacing and structure is pretty solid, so it's never tedious the way "The Crystalling" was. And, on the few occasions the above problems aren't being openly discussed by Starlight and Trixie, they do have a solid rapport, and it sets them up well for better outings, of largely still iffy ones. I can see why one would want to make them friends. Just… not this way.
Next week is… "Newbie Dash"? And, looking ahead, not a solid episode until "The Saddle Row Review" three weeks down the line. Oh boy…
I like a lot more about reformed Starlight than I dislike, so I'm afraid for as long as you stay with me on this rewatch journey you're going to see me being happier about her portrayal than you are a fair bit of the time! But you know that already, of course.
DeleteI actually meant to mention (negatively) Starlight's spell on Big Mac. That one did make me uncomfortable.
And honestly, if you don't like "A Hearth's Warming Tail", and to be fair you wouldn't be alone in that, you're not going to like my review. Because it got a five first time around, and if it gets below a high four this time I will be amazed. :P
"I like a lot more about reformed Starlight than I dislike, so I'm afraid for as long as you stay with me on this rewatch journey"
DeleteDon't expect to see me around much, then. My views on reformed-Starlight are unprintable.
That's a pity, as I always welcome your comments even when I don't feel the same way, but I wouldn't dream of asking you to stick around for something you won't enjoy. Naturally you're always welcome here. And who knows, maybe in the far future I'll be doing a re--rewatch and staying again with S1! :P
DeleteStarting again, even...
DeleteFor the record, I was planning to bow out come the later Seasons Eight and Nine regardless, as I simply lose enthusiasm around that point. And I'll doubtless skip a few episodes prior to that, if only because it seems fairer to people who still enjoy them. With rare exceptions, I don't like to rag on things other people enjoy. "If you can't say anything nice," and all that.
DeleteThought I might as well make that clear early on, given how controversial Season Six can be. I'm interested in seeing how the next episode holds up, though, so we'll see how it goes.
Yep, I pretty much agree with all of that, Mike. My succinct version would be: "Great concept, bad execution."
DeleteAs for Starlight and her redemption... same. I don't mind that she could be forgiven and befriended, it just should have taken longer and been more interesting. Low ★★★