My Little Repeats 208: "Frenemies"

A visually inventive episode in the way you can't take for granted by this point

S9E08: "Frenemies"

18 May 2019

My original rating: ★★★★★

IMDb score: 8.9

The one with straw dolls

Thoughts: IMDb ratings are even less use than usual by this point in Friendship is Magic, but there's no doubting that "Frenemies" was very well received in 2019. I was interested to see whether it held up now we know the truth about "Grogar". For the most part, I think it does, as the main storyline is about the Legion of Doom. They're all good, funny but with that edge of darkness, and they combined to provide a really great song in "Better Way to be Bad". The episode was well paced, too, with even the Rusty Bucket sections not really letting things flag. As I've noted before, in G1 it was North Star, not Gusty, who took the Bell, but that's minor here. You know what? I'm going to be generous and say this is a 4.5-star episode still. And as I don't give half stars? It's keeping that five. This may or may not be the last perfect rating I give for FiM, of course!

Choice quote: Tirek: "Welcome back, baby!"

New rating: ★★★★★

Next up will be "Sweet and Smoky", which is a Fluttershy-heavy episode and therefore extremely important. The two go together. But will it be extremely good? At some point, we shall find out!

My Little Repeats 207: "She's All Yak"

Spike, you're getting very big-headed

S9E07: "She's All Yak"

11 May 2019

My original rating: ★★

IMDb score: 7.0

The one with sprouts

Thoughts: Looking back, people had very mixed reactions to this episode, but I came down on the more negative side and still do. The YonaBar (friend)ship comes out of nowhere, but it's fine in itself, while the American pronunciation of "fete" merely needs getting used to. A bigger problem is that the whole "fitting right in" thing involves a yak being told she needs to be more, well, pony despite the whole point of the renamed Amity Ball being to include other creatures. This is pretty uncomfortable stuff, all the more for this show, and Rarity written as supporting it is deeply disappointing. It's a relief that the moral returns to not trying to be something you aren't. The song is rather dull and uninteresting to the extent I've already forgotten it again. A few amusing moments, such as Spike's DJ act, but very predictable stuff and I can't see a reason to change the two-star rating.

Choice quote: Rarity: "By Celestia, I think she's got it."

New rating: ★★

Next up will be "Frenemies"! This episode was widely seen as a highlight of S9 back in 2019, but will it hold up now that we know how the storyline ends? We'll see!

My Little Repeats 206: "Common Ground"

"Hay! We need those baskets for our game!"

S9E06: "Common Ground"

4 May 2019

My original rating: ★★★

IMDb score: 7.6

The one with stats galore

Thoughts: Patton Oswalt returns as Quibble Pants, but in a rather surprisingly thoughtful (all the more so given it's a Josh Haber episode) and domestic way. Oswalt's real-life wife and daughter play similar roles here. The chronology is weird: Wind Sprint's dad (whose fate is never revealed) "was a great [buckball] player", yet buckball has only been around for about ten minutes. Clear Sky is the voice of reason here, though less dull than that might make her sound. Everything's a bit predictable, but it's often sweet and generally holds the interest fairly well. Also, it's nice to have a family that isn't quite the kids-cartoon-standard nuclear one. Snips and Snails were amusing. Wind's VA is not a pro, but for once it works. I think this keeps its three.

Choice quote: Quibble Pants: "I'm not even 100% sure what bucking is."

New rating: ★★★

After this will come "She's All Yak", which I cannot say I adored the first time around. I'll try to get that done soon, because the episode after that is a different matter!

My Little Repeats 205: "The Point of No Return"

"Oh yes, I love giving out our residents' addresses to total strangers!"

S9E05: "The Point of No Return"

27 April 2019

My original rating: ★★★

IMDb score: 7.7

The one with the G1 Star Swirl figure

Thoughts: The highish IMDb rating for what Wikipedia – and basically nobody else – insists is the 200th episode of FiM does rather baffle me. It's not a total basket case, but I don't see how it can be said to be really good, even if it does open with a Derpy speaking role. Still, I'm sure someone out there loves it! The whole "Overdue!" thing is just a rehash of "Tardy!" from way back in "Lesson Zero", just not as smoothly executed. The episode is pretty much a one-joke affair, and not a particularly diverting one at that. Nice to see Moondancer again. Dusty Pages is probably the most entertaining character in the ep, and Twilight's sudden realisation about imperfection doesn't convince. Going down to two stars, I'm afraid!

Choice quote: Spike: "You realise that [smelling books] might be a you thing?"

New rating: ★★

Next on the list is "Common Ground". This episode has a reasonable reputation with friends who've seen it, and I recall finding it fairly good, although not amazing. We'll see whether I still do.

My Little Repeats 204: "Sparkle's Seven"

Rarity may actually look more concerning than Rainbow here...

S9E04: "Sparkle's Seven"

20 April 2019

My original rating: ★★★★

IMDb score: 8.6

The one with geese

Thoughts: The 200th episode of FiM was a great success at the time. Even Ghost Mike loved it, which is pretty rare for this late in the series. Certainly it's a good deal better than a lot of eps in Seasons 8 and 9, even if it can't match the utter hilarity of the 100th episode. "Sparkle's Seven" does well by the titular group of friends, it's solidly paced and it looks great. I particularly note its good dialogue, too: this isn't always the later show's strongest suit. I still don't much like the meme faces (Dr Ian Malcolm applies) and the Sibling Supreme stuff was a tiny bit forced, even if it did a job. The floor trap was somewhat mean-spirited, but it did give us that lovely (if short) Fluttershy and Spike chat. Zephyr was funny in his appalling way. But this ep was just nice, as well as being one of Spike's best episodes. I'm probably being overly generous here, but I'm just about letting "Sparkle's Seven" keep its four.

Choice quote: Spike: "You've been practising that speech, haven't you?"

New rating: ★★★★

Next up will be "The Point of No Return". Again, I don't care what Wikipedia says on the matter, that is not episode 200, but ep 201. I wasn't particularly impressed by it back in 2019, but I'll go in with the usual open mind.

My Little Repeats 203: "Uprooted"

Admittedly Terramar here looks to be growing out of his mum's head – but hay, seaponies, right?

S9E03: "Uprooted"

13 April 2019

My original rating: ★★★ (just)

IMDb score: 6.7

The one with sapling headphones

Thoughts: The students were frequently the highlight of Season 8, but I didn't get that from this episode. After the intro recalling "What Lies Beneath" (oh joy, more cruelty towards Gallus) I felt Nicole Dubuc's ep was often slow and felt stretched to fill its 22 minutes, and some of the conflict felt forced. I'm still not sure how I feel about the "New Tree" being canonically seen in the G5 film! The permission slip montage is overlong and fairly dull, though it was nice to see Terramar again for a few moments. The song was okay but not much more, and the visuals were fairly nice but not amazing. A few good lines, but not enough. All in all, a bit of a re-run of "Castle Sweet Castle" from S5, but not as good. This is being nudged down to a two-star rating.

Choice quote: Silverstream: "It's impressionism!"

New rating: ★★

Next up will be "Sparkle's Seven", which I am going to count as the 200th episode whatever Wikipedia says. It was definitely promoted as such at the time, so calling it 199 out of an arbitrary decision not to count "Best Gift Ever" can get in the sea. I quite liked the ep in 2019.

My Little Repeats 202: "The Beginning of the End, part 2"

Real artists' "bad" drawings are always much too good!

S9E02: "The Beginning of the End, part 2"

6 April 2019

My original rating: ★★★★ (for both parts)

IMDb score: 8.7

The one with extreme forestry

Thoughts: The IMDb scores for this are quite something. Yes, I know they're not exactly reliable, but they're not nothing either. Plenty of people genuinely loved this episode, and I really liked it at the time. Rainbow is upset by the idea of Spike and Starlight being under Sombra's spell, but omits a certain other orange character beginning with S. Starswirl (hay, another one!) produces lore about Everfree out of nowhere; handy. Discord turns up from nowhere – well, maybe – and throws himself in front of Fluttershy as Sombra fires at her. At the time it was quite an affecting moment when it appeared Discord had no magic, though it didn't make much sense even before he admitted the truth that he'd lose to a straightforward OP unicorn. Sombra just standing around while Discord monologues is a bit eye-rolling too. The final Legion of Doom scene is quite fun, but again lessened by what we now know about Grogar. This one's also being bumped down to a three, but a lesser three than the first part.

Choice quote: Rarity: "Show me the muddy!"

New rating: ★★★

Next up will be "Uprooted", which I found underwhelming in 2019 despite its Student Six focus. It scraped a three. Will it maintain that in 2026? Only one way to find out...

My Little Repeats 201: "The Beginning of the End, part 1"

"It was North Star, you fools, not Gusty!"

S9E01: "The Beginning of the End, part 1"

6 April 2019

My original rating: ★★★★ (for both parts)

IMDb score: 8.6

The one with Protectors of Equestria!

Thoughts: And we're back! As, indeed are the Lady Writers, in a very welcome reprise. Celestia and Luna spring their retirement on the Manes. Rainbow rather bluntly reminds Twilight that the Princesses "almost never help". The Legion of Doom takes shape, though knowing now that Grogar is, well, not Grogar can't help but be disappointing. (His eyebrows may be the giveaway...) Sombra conquering the Crystal Empire is dark stuff, though. I loved seeing the Elements of Harmony again, and glad they got to have one last Rainbow of Light before being destroyed. I can't help but bump this down to a high three now I know Grogar was a fake-out, but it was still a solid start to the show's final season.

Choice quote: Twilight: "Twilighting? You... you made me a verb?"

New rating: ★★★

Next up, shockingly enough, will be "The Beginning of the End, part 2". I hope that news doesn't disappoint you too much. :P

Ponyfic Roundup 574

Read it Later story count: 89 (nc)

Words read this week: 14,693

Time for another Ponyfic Roundup, which brings us to the magical land of Equestria, a place which increasingly looks like a nicer option, given... let's just say, given everything. So yes, a better spot for one to live in. Except for the monsters, I suppose. And the corrupting. And the thousand-year exiles. And the cult leaders. And... oh, you get the idea. Anyway, here are today's five stories:

The Lizard of Ot by Baal Bunny
The One Who Wasn't Meant to Die by Sir Hat
Catching Fluttershy by Jubilancy
What Could've Been by Boltstrike58
Shadow Pasts and Shining Futures by TheAspiringWriter93

★: 0 | ★★: 3 | ★★★: 1 | ★★★★: 1 | ★★★★★: 0
Note: I use a skewed rating system. A fic I enjoy an average amount scores two stars.

Ponyfic Roundup 573

Read it Later story count: 89 (-2)

Words read this week: 17,052

All right, off we go again! I hope you all appreciated my last post being something other than a Ponyfic Roundup. You see, I can still do it! In a couple of weeks' time I shall say goodbye for a bit for Easter, but I'm here for now. Anyway, without further adieu [sic] I shall provide you with the slate for today:

Luck of the Lyrish by Timaeus
A Lesson Never Learned by Workard
Just Look at This Baby by FrontSevens
My Lil Scoots by Hawaiian Summer Splash
There's Something in the Woods by HoofBitingActionOverload

★: 0 | ★★: 3 | ★★★: 2 | ★★★★: 0 | ★★★★★: 0
Note: I use a skewed rating system. A fic I enjoy an average amount scores two stars.

My Little Repeats 200.5: the post-S8 shorts

Yes, this is just an excuse to post a pic featuring a hedgehog

Post-S8 FiM shorts

11 Dec 2019 to 26 Feb 2019

My original rating: N/A

IMDb score: N/A

The one(s) with Twilight's fear of ladybirds

Thoughts: At a suggestion from Ghost Mike, herewith a very brief look at the eight shorts that filled the S8-S9 hiatus. In order, we have: "Triple Pony Dare", which is fairly amusing but suffers a bit from shrill Pinkie. "The Great Escape Room", which is less fun and inventive than it ought to have been. "Mystery Voice", which is entertaining but relies on an out-of-nowhere AJ ability. "Rarity's Biggest Fan", which has the unicorn rather exploiting Spike. "Ail-icorn", which is silly but funny, with a worrying ending! "Teacher of the Month", which is full of Best Pony and so glorious almost by definition. "Starlight the Hypnotist", which doesn't do much beyond that sudden ladybird/bug fear. And "Sundae, Sundae, Sundae", which suits Pinkie better and has a cameo from Minty! Overall? At 2-3 minutes, they're quick fun, and although variable in quality they did keep the FiM train ticking over.

Choice quote: Fluttershy: "I don't know. Not even I speak sound effect."

New rating: ★★★ (just)

And now we really are finished with S8! Next time, it will be – quite literally – "The Beginning of the End". Or at least the first half of it...

Ponyfic Roundup 572

Read it Later story count: 91 (nc)

Words read this week: 21,226

Just to let everyone know, if – if – all goes well I will be restarting "My Little Repeats" at some point during the next week. I've decided to write a single post covering the shorts that appeared between S8 and S9 of Friendship is Magic, at least if I can find them all in good nick online. After that it will be back to the main business of the final season of the show. As for today? The slate is:

Only Now by LunaUsesCaps
Applemania by Leafdoggy
Thank You, Doctor by The Wizard of Words
The Jerk That Time Forgot by King of Beggars
Singing to the Moon by uSea

★: 0 | ★★: 1 | ★★★: 3 | ★★★★: 1 | ★★★★★: 0
Note: I use a skewed rating system. A fic I enjoy an average amount scores two stars.

Ponyfic Roundup 571

Read it Later story count: 91 (nc)

Words read this week: 6,782

Here we go again with another phenomenal five-fic festival. As I trailed last week, these are all very short as I didn't have a whole week to get through them. And you know what else is very short? This introduction! The stories are:

Friends Forever by Wrangle Wolfe
Mercy by TheNocturnalLoner
There Are Many Gravities by shortskirtsandexplosions
Thankful by LadyKimba
One Night by Mirta

★: 0 | ★★: 4 | ★★★: 1 | ★★★★: 0 | ★★★★★: 0
Note: I use a skewed rating system. A fic I enjoy an average amount scores two stars.

Ponyfic Roundup 570: Spotlight on Mothering, Someday

Read it Later story count: 91 (-1)

Words read this week: 47,674

All right, two days late I know, but at least I've recovered enough to actually write this review now! These things are always easier if I like the fic, since then I only have the problem of not letting the review run away from me. This is shaping up to be an exceptionally boring intro para, so let's move on...

Mothering, Someday by Impossible Numbers
Twilight Velvet and Derpy
G4; Drama/Slice of Life; 48k words; May 2020; Everyone

Mare's Day, a tribute to motherhood. Twilight Velvet is the ordinary mother of an extraordinary family; Derpy is the opposite. They normally wouldn't cross paths, but in a town where an outsider can become Princess of Friendship, anything's possible.

Twilight Velvet is off to Ponyville to see her daughter, but she's nervous. She hasn't seen Twily since her coronation, and for reasons she's arranged to take flowers that her daughter will then give to her for Mare's Day. But before that, she encounters a certain wall-eyed grey mare, who she is desperate to avoid telling she's the princess's mother. The two talk and bond and feel their way and learn and don't learn and hint and infer and... well, and eventually they meet Derpy's daughters, who are very different indeed. From each other, and from their mum. This is a story all about insecurities, but despite that it's written in an assured way that isn't afraid to dwell on apparently small domesticities. My favourite thing here, though, is how Derpy is written: I hate the "Derpy is dim" approach, and IN absolutely does not fall into that trap. An excellent, if sometimes deliberately awkward, read about families and their rough edges. A very solid four. ★★★★

As you'd expect, spoilers lie in wait beyond this point!

My Little Repeats 200: "Spring Breakdown"

EqG Special: "Spring Breakdown"

30 Mar 2019

My original rating: ★★

IMDb score: 6.7

The one with Applejack being seasick a lot

Thoughts: I can put it off no longer. Herewith a thankfully short rewatch review of possibly the most tedious piece of animation ever released in the G4 era. For a start, Ragamuffin. Yes, I know we eventually found out his accent was a put-on, but my how we suffered before then. A potentially fun story about a storm and a tropical island and Equestria became an utter chore. Basically nothing happened for the first half, beyond Rainbow Dash being annoying, and then only little things happened for the second half. Trixie was amusing, the parrot was fun, and er... The ending might have been interesting, but we now know that it never went anywhere. It avoids a one-star rating simply because "All Good" is a pretty solid song. A huge disappointment from Nick Confalone.

Choice quote: Fluttershy: Is the sea monster okay in the story?

New rating: ★★ (just)

Ah, thank Celestia that's over. Next up, it's back to Friendship is Magic and the very last season of the show. "The Beginning of the End, part 1" will be the first rewatch in that sub-series, and I hope it won't be almost two months until I get there this time!

Ponyfic Roundup 569: Shining Armor Edition

Read it Later story count: 92 (nc)

Words read this week: 19,001

I do intend to post things that aren't Ponyfic Roundup soon, honest! For now, though: I thought I'd try something a little bit different this week and concentrate on a single character rather than a genre. Shining Armor came out of the hat, so to speak, and so he's the one who gets the spotlight shone on him today. Will the stories be as shiny as Shiny? Let's see.

Ménage à - Quoi?! by Noir de Plume
The Phoenix Festival by Trick Question
This Love is Forever by RachWrites
'Til Touchdown Brings Me Down Again by Petrichord
The First Death of Twilight Sparkle by naturalbornderpy

★: 0 | ★★: 2 | ★★★: 2 | ★★★★: 1 | ★★★★★: 0
Note: I use a skewed rating system. A fic I enjoy an average amount scores two stars.

Ponyfic Roundup 568: Horror Edition

Read it Later story count: 92 (+1)

Words read this week: 19,470

This week's edition of Ponyfic Roundup is a bit of a horror story. Well, to be precise, five [Horror] stories! I don't have a lot to say up here today, which is probably the opposite of horror for most of you, so let's get to the fic list:

The Well by BlueColton
We Three Kings by journeyman
Attachment by marmalado
Help by Dominion of Decay
The Thing Behind My Eyes by Ltreaxiose

★: 0 | ★★: 2 | ★★★: 2 | ★★★★: 1 | ★★★★★: 0
Note: I use a skewed rating system. A fic I enjoy an average amount scores two stars.

Ponyfic Roundup 567: Drama Edition

Read it Later story count: 91 (nc)

Words read this week: 24,585

After the detour away from MLP a few days ago, it's back to ponyfic now. Today I'm reviewing five stories which have the [Drama] genre tag. All of them short, because that's just what I've got time for mostly, but at least my weekly word count total looks a bit more reasonable than it usually has of late. I'm writing this info before having read the fics, so I'm working in the dark as much as anyone else at this point! Anyway, here we go:

No Pony Else Was In The Room Where It Happened. . . by Matthias Unidostres
Everyone Lives by Lets Do This
More Precious Than Silver or Gold by Georg
Red Apples by billymorph
Rehearsal by Petrichord

★: 0 | ★★: 1 | ★★★: 3 | ★★★★: 1 | ★★★★★: 0
Note: I use a skewed rating system. A fic I enjoy an average amount scores two stars.

Ponyfic Roundup 566: Comedy Edition

Read it Later story count: 91 (nc)

Words read this week: 11,646

Before anyone asks – if they're strange enough to be waiting for it – no, I haven't forgotten that I need to watch "Spring Breakdown" before too much longer. I wish I could! For now, though, it's (I hope) time to have a good laugh! Five fics with the [Comedy] genre tag on the block today, and here they are:

Twilight's Almost Last Nightmare Night by Anotherrandom
Chaos Theory by cerealkiller78
Spring Fever by Takarashi282
We Learned Something Obsolete by Lise
Hungry Games by lunabrony

★: 1 | ★★: 2 | ★★★: 2 | ★★★★: 0 | ★★★★★: 0
Note: I use a skewed rating system. A fic I enjoy an average amount scores two stars.

Ponyfic Roundup 565

Read it Later story count: 90 (-1)

Words read this week: 20,155

After yesterday's exciting UK PonyCon news, it's time to get back to the ponyfic world, so here's number 565 in a series of 565... so far! I wish I could think of something interesting about that number, but "it's a palindrome" is really pretty dull and I can't do any better. So let's move on to the story list:

The Dusty Trail by unicorncob
Breezing to New Heights by Shaslan
Father's Pride in a Daughter's Stride by sweeT2010Tooth
Thanks, Mom by Oroboro
Chapter One by Estee

★: 0 | ★★: 2 | ★★★: 1 | ★★★★: 2 | ★★★★★: 0
Note: I use a skewed rating system. A fic I enjoy an average amount scores two stars.