Text Review Roundup: A New Generation (part 2)

Off we go with part 2 of TRR! This time I'm looking at text-based reviews from within the fandom. It's worth noting that reviewers can change their minds – an example is Mike Cartoon Pony, who I know has warmed to the film somewhat since he first saw it – but for the most part I'm going on their main review, not separate posts they may have added afterwards. If the main review itself has been updated, as for example Mike's has, that will be taken somewhat into account.

Apologies to several reviewers for my savage cutting of their reviews. ANG prompted a fair number of long reviews – for example, Jarvy Jared's, Mike Cartoon Pony's and TheDragonWarlock's each weigh in at around 7,000 words when all's said and done – and it's just not possible to do more than give the tiniest flavour in a TRR-sized bite. Please bear that in mind as you read.

Interestingly, the fandom reviewers seem less strongly agreed on ANG's high quality than the general reviewers did. There are a couple of outright negative reviews in this bunch, whereas you'd have to search quite hard to find more than moderate criticism in the non-fandom assessments. Since this post goes on a bit, I'll shove it behind a page break.

Text Review Roundup: A New Generation (part 1)

Finally, I'm getting back to A New Generation, and today it's the first part of Text Review Roundup. The second part on (I hope but daren't actually promise) Monday will cover some of the fandom reviews – not all, as I'm bound to miss some – but today it's the turn of reviews from outside the MLP fandom itself.

There aren't a huge number of these, partly because the interest was somewhat limited (maybe because ANG didn't get a cinema release*) and partly because several of those that were published are paywalled. This is a bigger issue now than it was in 2017 for the G4 movie, and frankly if people want to hide their content unless I pay to read it, I don't see why I should give their reviewers free publicity. I'm looking at you, New York Times.
* Okay, technically it did. But not in the UK or US

Right, that's that little whinge out of the way, and in fact there are still a reasonable number of reviews once you count non-fandom blogs. Remember, I'm not just covering general, professional media today. Anyway, here we go. Click on the publication name to go directly to the review page.

BeautifulBallad – very positive (graded A; "a winning addition to the My Little Pony Family [...] “Gonna Be My Day”, sung by Hudgens’ Sunny, was the clear standout song [...] Whether you are someone with kids, someone without kids, or a kid yourself, this movie is an overall good time.")

CGMagazine – mostly positive ("My Little Pony: A New Generation works well as both a continuation of the nine-season series and as the launching point for the next. [...] While the computer-generated graphics lack some character of the previous generation’s animation, it still looks great and has its own charm [but] the ultimate conclusion felt a little quick")

FSM Media – very positive ("The movie is adorable and really funny and not in that cheesy kind of funny that a lot of kids’ movies peddle. [...] The animation is on another level [...] a great movie with a great message")

KPCC – kind-of positive ("I don't know if I respect what this movie is doing, but I appreciate the absurdity with which they do it.")

Mama's Geeky – very positive ("incredible cast [and the] animation [is] gorgeous [though] the plot is predictable [...] some moments are going to hit you right in your heart until you cry. This movie has something for everypony, and is the standout family film of the year!")

Movie Mom – mostly positive (graded B; "candy colors, poppy music, gentle humor, warm-hearted lessons about friendship, and basically a way to sell merchandise [...] I prefer [G4's] flat, 2D-style animation to this movie’s 3D CGI modeling [and] the characters and messages of the film are likely to raise some parental eyebrows and perhaps some hackles as well [but] the only message here is the real magic of trust, understanding, cooperation, and generosity.")

Plugged In – positive ("Unity and friendship is definitely the clarion call here [...] a sweet little film filled with bouncy musical tunes, delightfully cute characters and truly funny moments")

Pretty in Baby Food – positive (rated B+; "My Little Pony: A New Generation surprised me, and I was not prepared to like it as much as I did. [...] it is Kimiko Glenn as Izzy and Ken Jeong as Sprout who are the standouts [and the animation is] spectacular")

Skwigly – mixed ("the plot tries to pack in too many characters [...] The animation though is really well made [...] Young fans of the previous shows might enjoy what this new generation of characters has to offer, but it didn't quite cross the finishing line as someone who is not the biggest fan of My Little Pony.")

South China Morning Post – fairly positive (rated 3/5; "While the film is not Pixar-level brilliant, A New Generation doesn’t fall flat either [...] never gets too preachy [...] lively pop tunes that don’t really stick but are fun while they last [...] comfortably in the middle")

Variety – fairly positive ("retains its predecessors' lively, spirited drive centered on friendship, empowerment and magic [...] layered, smart subtext to the narrative, despite it following a predictable path [though notably disappointing are] no consequences for those in power positions who’ve defrauded the public [and] the third act climax gets unnecessarily tied up in itself [but nevertheless] with its resonant sentiments on conquering fear, obliterating bigotry and bravely facing adversity, the toon finds its strength and emotional draw.")

With Ashley And Company – very positive ("a colorful, fun adventure [...] vivid colors, big musical numbers, and plenty of adventure [...] Friendship is still working magic in Equestria and it is as strong as ever.")

Text Review Roundup: the G5 trailer

 *blows the dust off this tag* It's been a while, hasn't it? The last Text Review Roundup I posted was for the FiM finale back in October 2019. I wasn't sure at that point whether I'd ever compile another one, but the trailer for A New Generation has provoked a number of text-based reactions. Not a huge number, but at least enough for a Roundup. I do have to chop them for TRR, and Mike's in particular (being by far the longest and most detailed piece) suffers more than most in that regard, but I'll do my best to summarise them here.

DrakeyC – positive ("A lot of the jokes landed, the characters were engaging and likeable, and the animation is fun. It was a little off in places [...] but then so was G4 at first [...] doing its own separate thing [to G4]")

Jade Dawn – positive ("I'm actually really warming up to the animation, the characters seem pretty charming and the jokes land pretty well...yeah, I'm cautiously optimistic about this. And Izzy is adorable.")

Louder Yay – broadly positive ("The animation looks absolutely fine [...] characters seem okay [...] I'm still on the fence [about the G4 link. The film looks like being] an entertaining diversion with moderately cute characters and a lot of colour.")

Mike Cartoon Pony – mixed ("Izzy seems to be a character that works; everything in the [first part of the film] looks passably entertaining; having a prologue with Sunny as a child is obvious but brilliant [...] aspects of the visuals do work, and are impressive, especially for what I'm sure is not a budget above $20 million [but t]he stench of being hip and relatable to little kids is hard to waft off [and] were it not for the brand name, this film wouldn't hold anyone's attention for long")

My Little Scribbler – mildly positive ("Right away, the characters and animation looks really good [...] movie looks fun [but] I do have some concerns about how this show will fit into MLP:FiM [...] I assume all [my] questions will be answered in the movie, but if it doesn't, I might be disappointed.")

Pop Goes the Darke Raven – mixed ("To be fair this has the potential to be a rather good series. It has potential to be the start of a great thing. As long as we stick an asterisk to it [...] this is simply Modern Human World with ponies [...] The hyper real animation style of the movie is… A bit concerning. Apparently Equestria wasn't the only one that lost its magic.") 

Present Perfect – broadly positive ("there's definitely going to be a lot of the standard Hollywood sass and smarm in place of character traits [but] The trailer made me laugh a number of times, and, well, mostly it just comes down to Izzy. She's clearly best pony. [...] I'm still a little bit put off by the Filly Funtasia character designs, but [I'm now] used to them.")

Rescue Sunstreak – positive ("I had the worst gut feeling it was going to be unwatchable, and I went from that, to excited to see what G5 brings us.")

Text Review Roundup: "The Last Problem"

And also the last Text Review Roundup – for some considerable while, at least. (I don't do TRRs for the Equestria Girls specials, so "Holidays Unwrapped" won't get one.) Even if I do end up resurrecting this feature for G5, I may tweak it a little – in particular, removing my one/two-word value judgements and letting reviewers' words speak for themselves. (Of course, which words I choose to quote will still be subjective!)

Anyway, how did "The Last Problem" fare? I'll be honest, the first time I skimmed a few reviewers' thoughts, I hit on the negative ones and thought they were representative. I'm therefore having to revise my opinion on that even as I write up this TRR. That said, the praise was certainly not universal, and in a few cases maybe it's hard to separate the reviewer's praise for the episode with their praise for the series. My own mixed view was below the average.

Bubble Blabber – positive (rated 9/10; "Seeing Twilight, Spike, and everyone else as aging adults is strange and instantly makes me feel nostalgic, which is exactly what I want in a final episode [...] the show treated this like how a finale should be treated: not being afraid to finalize arcs, fulfill fans wishes, and put a capstone on characters journeys as they move on and grow older.")

Cuddlepug – very positive (graded A; "wraps everything up in a way that “The Ending of the End” wasn't able to do [...] gives us the answers we wanted and ties everything together neatly [...] Seeing all the characters years on, looking tired but still conversing as good friends, is rewarding")

Dark Qiviut – very positive ("The moral is excellent in concept and better than excellent in execution [...The song is] emotional, hopeful, and beautiful [...] A magnificent cap to a great, successful show!")

DrakeyC – positive ("much better [than eps 24/25] I laughed very frequently [...] I liked the grown-up designs for the cast [...] all the ships are canon and they have kids and I don't care how much pandering it is, I ate it up and want seconds. And the final song was great, great seeing all the cast, and very touching and warm.")

Dramamaster829 – broadly positive ("I did felt my heart-strings tugged seeing the way this episode was written out. Sure we got to see the typical ‘Anything can and will go wrong’ coronation that still works out [and] the introduction of Luster Dawn was random [but] overall the ending with the book closing as a nod to how the show started… That hit me hard.")

JDPrime22 – very positive (rated 10/10; "God, I cried. [...] Pinkie married Cheese Sandwich and had a kid. I cried. Applejack was wearing Granny Smith's scarf. I cried. The ponies we grew up loving and laughing with are finally older and living their lives. I cried. [...] Phenomenal finale.")

Louder Yay – mixed (rated 3/5; "If you consider this thing simply as an episode of an animated children's show, then I don't think it's especially impressive [...] However. However. It's not "simply" any such thing, not to me [...] I'm not at all fond of [all the shipping, but the song] really fitted for me [and] The very end of "The Last Problem" brings us easily the epilogue's best moments.")

Mike Cartoon Pony – very negative ("if you think Spike’s future design is the worst issue, you haven’t seen anything yet [... The flashback stuff is] typical lightweight Season 9 fluff [...] a catchall bucket marked “it’s a fun Epilogue, indulge your reckless side normally kept tampered, FiM staff”. The end result is like stepping forth into somebody else’s migraine [...] I stand by this Epilogue being Canon In Name Only [...] the fanservice moments are not things fans need, even if they think they do")

MLEEP Reviews – very positive (rated 10/10; "an emotional final farewell to the series with our final song of the season as well as the entirety of the series [...] man was it a powerhouse of a final farewell")

Present Perfect – mixed ("That was... okay. [...] The final sequence with the song was fantastic, my friend and I were literally just shouting at the screen the things which we were seeing [...] I hate two of the ships they canonized [...] the last few minutes of The Final Problem were even a fitting and perhaps beautiful finale for MLP:FiM, but overall? As an episode? It was just okay.")

SuperPinkBrony12 – positive ("The Last Problem I'm willing to give it an A+ just on account of how well it wrapped things up, maybe it's not what some of us would've preferred but all things considered I don't think we could've asked for a much better send off than that.")

The Railfan Brony – extremely negative (rated Atrocious; "Literally the first thing I said after watching it was, "that's it?" I'm not even joking [...] I genuinely feel sorry for the voice actors and animators that all of their amazing talent was wasted on this.")

TheDragonWarlock – positive (rated 9/10; "falls a little short of being perfect. It comes damn close to it though [...] It's got a great story, the characters are all well written, its has a fantastic song, and a moral that everyone can relate to and learn [...] sends the show off on a very high note.")

Text Review Roundup: "The Ending of the End"

As I've said already, the end of the show certainly doesn't seem to have reduced my workload here any. :D This time, I'm getting TRR updated to nearly the end of the series. As one or two people have pointed out, some reviewers did cover both "The Ending of the End" and "The Last Question" in the same review, but I think they're different enough to split. This means I'll have to make more value judgements than usual, so please do comment below if you think I've misrepresented your views.

Also, many reviewers wrote a lot about the finale, and I'm simply not going to include 500-word summaries, so inevitably I'm having to simplify greatly here. Please do read the full reviews to understand the reviewers' feelings. Anyway, the text-based folks gave it a decidedly mixed reaction. It does feel strange that (along with the oft-cheery MLEEP) it was Present Perfect and me who liked this one more than anybody else did! Even we disliked the Grogar twist, though, which was absolutely not well received.

Cuddlepug – mixed (graded B-; "[The Grogar = Discord] twist doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense [...] and Discord's motivation is, frankly, an insult to the audience [...] this sours what is actually quite a decent episode overall [...] t's big, it's bold and it's certainly exciting.")

Dark Qiviut – mildly positive ("[Making Spike Friendship Ambassador is] Small, but powerful and extraordinarily sweet [but] Discord being Grogar is a poorly-written, overcomplicated twist [...] Ending of the End's okay. I like it, but like A Canterlot Wedding, it could've done much better.")

DrakeyC – somewhat negative ("The Grogar-Discord twist was terrible [and] raises a lot of questions [...] Twilight's shattered self-confidence was totally forced [...] The racism subplot, and by association the Windigos, was stupid and pointless [...] but there were a lot of great things in this episode. The final battle [...] everyone [coming] together as one nation to fight the trio [...] the powered-up designs for Cozy Glow and Chrysalis [but] Overall, Episodes 24 and 25 were a disappoint")

Dramamaster829 – broadly positive ("I could not get over the fact that the whole time Grogar was Discord in disguise [but] Much of the sequences within this first part alone were amazing [and] the final confrontation against Tirek, Chrysalis and Cozy Glow [was] probably bigger than the Season 4 finale. [...] If the show had chosen to end with this Two-Parter alone, it would’ve been a satisfying ending.")

JDPrime22 – positive (rated 8.5/10; "What. The. Hell. Discord. [...] I really did enjoy the rest of this first part [...] REALLY enjoyed part two [...] Discord somewhat redeemed himself, and the fight scenes are just SOOOOO GOOOOOD. [...] And better yet, we didn't forgive the villains!")

Louder Yay – generally very positive (rated 4/5; "There were a lot of enjoyable bits in "The Ending of the End" – and I do mean a lot – but they weren't always smoothly connected. [...] I'm still more than a bit annoyed about Grogar not being real [but] I really liked Starlight's battle with Chrysalis [and we later got] the Rainbow of Light! :D [...] I loved the final scene in Donut Joe's [except for] a weak "everypony laughs" ending.")

Mike Cartoon Pony – mixed ("character moments don’t really deliver, so all the audience investment comes from prior episodes. For most viewers, that’ll be enough, these episodes are quite the thriller [...] enjoyable in spurts but really rickety and wobbly when you think about what's going on for even a second [...] You know the Grogar twist has pissed a lot of people off when even DrWolf can’t mount a defence for it.")

MLEEP Reviews – very positive (rated 10/10; "the most epic battle of good versus evil that has ever been while bringing an perfectly fitting end for our legion of villains as well as the dawn of a new era as the Princess Of Friendship herself officially becomes Equestria's new ruler")

Present Perfect – mostly very positive ("I’m mad because Grogar was so cool, and so menacing and so powerful, and I was really looking forward to finding out what his master plan was [but] by the end of part 1, they had topped Twilight’s Kingdom in terms of epicness [and] THEY DID A PINKY AND THE BRAIN REFERENCE. [...] it’s actually a strong conclusion for the School of Friendship [...] It’s not the best episode of the show’s entire run, but it might be top three?")

SuperPinkBrony12 – rather negative ("very clunky in its set up, Part 1 especially suffers from how horribly they wrote Discord [...] Part 2 tried to pick up the pieces and make them fit back in but did so in a very half hearted way, padding out the run time")

The Railfan Brony – negative (rated Bad; "[Grogar being Discord was] hooves down, the stupidest plot twist this show has ever spewed [... The villains] end up being turned into a statue. Thank goodness [...] takes every grand finale cliche, smashes them all up and throws the remains into the hotel swimming pool. It's a completely underwhelming anticlimax")

TheDragonWarlock – negative (rated 4/10; "For wasting so much potential, ramping up a lot of hype without delivering it, and failing to do what should've been the final season's last battle justice, it deserves a low score for what it did. There's nothing I hate more then wasted potential for a good story, and this finale not only squandered potential, it stomped over it and spat on it.")

Text Review Roundup: "The Big Mac Question"

I am returnèd from UK PonyCon. I loved it. But if you know anything much about me, then you probably knew I was going to say that. I'll inflict a multi-part con report on you in due course, but for now it's time to get back to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. As far as Text Review Roundup is concerned, the show has a little life left in it yet! Since I didn't get the TRR for "The Big Mac Question" done before I left for the con, here it is.

The written reviewers generally liked this episode, and in many cases they liked it quite a lot, which was nice considering that it was the final "regular" ep before the end of the show's run. It was really only DrakeyC among the regular TRR crew who found it underwhelming. I liked this episode a little bit more than the average, but not by a huge margin.

Cuddlepug – mostly positive (graded B; "delivers some of the more heart-warming scenes of Friendship is Magic [...] Where the episode doesn't quite work is in the random, 'mockumentary'-style scenes [...] However, the episode pulls things back with its fantastic [final scenes]")

Dark Qiviut – extremely positive (graded A+; "The Big Mac Question is really funny, really cute, and really heartwarming. Vogel and Haber tackled all of the emotions at exactly the right time and provided a magnificent cap to several arcs, some of which date back to the first season. This is the new-best Season 9 episode and one of the ten best of the series.")

DrakeyC – mixed ("The CMC's antics [in the third act] were hilarious, Mrs Cake was fine. [However, while] the third act is well-handled and written well and everything comes together nicely[,] on an emotional level, I don't care [...] because [Big Mac and Sugar Belle's] relationship has had no development.)
NB: DrakeyC missed the background LyraBon moment because of stream lag.

Dramamaster829 – mildly positive ("From start to finish, I actually found myself enjoying this episode far more than I was prepared for. [...] While [considering the marriage's effect on AJ] would've made for a more dramatic story than what we got, in the end I was satisfied with what we did get.")

Fiendstorm – very positive (graded A; "I freaking love the cold open [...] a great example of a flashback episode [...] The ending to this episode is probably the most touching [...] a gem of an episode.")

JDPrime22 – very positive (rated 10/10; "I loved this episode. Very cute. Very funny. Very fitting to see off these two characters with a marriage, and to tie it into arguably one of the best episodes of the entire series (Perfect Pear) was absolutely beautiful.")

Louder Yay – very positive (rated 4/5; "I really enjoyed this episode, and there really wasn't much I can fault it on. [...] Discord was at his most Discord-y [...] We've followed Lyra and Bon Bon since S1, and I'm sure that's why [their] moment felt entirely right: not forced, but an organic continuation of the last few years.")

Mike Cartoon Pony – positive ("easily the best episode since “She Talks to Angel” [despite] a plot setup you can see coming from a mile away [...] As for the episode’s sweet final few minutes, it’s all perfectly constructed [...] decent-but-not-great comedy")

MLEEP Reviews – very positive (rated 10/10; "one of the most heartwarming and romantic episodes that I've ever seen throughout the series these past nine years")

Present Perfect – fairly positive ("they finally did an episode with a romance theme and got the message right [...] Discord’s apple gambit was highly entertaining, and the “I thought we were just saying each others’ names” gag was hilarious [but] it’s a retread of all the other SugarMac episodes [and] just left me wishing those had been better. ")

SuperPinkBrony12 – broadly positive ("while everyone is mostly in character and the story does the comedy of errors plot nicely, there are a few minor details that get in the way [...] The CMC's plot also feels like a little bit of a stretch [...] Still, for the first time since "The Summer Sun Setback" we have an episode that is not only fun to watch but also has an enjoyable plot and character moments")

The Railfan Brony – very positive (rated Excellent; "too many funny moments to list [...] I also like how the episode's structure plays out [and Mac and Belle] talking things out before the proposal is one of the best moments of the entire show [...] It's funny, sweet, charming, and has a great ending and moral.")

TheDragonWarlock – broadly positive (rated 8.5/10; "While certainly not one of my all time favorites, this episode was a lot of fun overall. It's a great way to end the SugarMac story arc on a sweet and romantic note. The characters, barring Discord, are all good and well written")

Text Review Roundup: "Growing Up is Hard to Do"

TRR time again. This is the last week I'm certain to be able to get one done for a while. I'll try to get next week's up on Thursday, but if I don't manage that then it may have to wait owing to UK PonyCon. As for the episode, the text-based reviewers gave it a mixed reception, although nobody thought it was utterly worthless and, conversely, nobody proclaimed it an all-time classic. I was maybe very slightly kinder than the average towards this one.

Cuddlepug – mixed (graded C; "an entertaining enough episode of Friendship is Magic, but it can't help but come across as something of a missed opportunity [...] it's an episode that doesn't really feature any form of growing up")

Dark Qiviut – no review this week

DrakeyC – largely negative ("The highlight of this episode is the adult CMC. [...] A pity that such great adult designs are being utilized for such a bad episode. I was bored out of my skull [...] The entire second and third acts of this episode felt like padding")

Dramamaster829 – mildly positive ("While it's not the most complex CMC episode in the entire series, for all it's simplicity I actually did enjoy the story [...] a relatable topic")

JDPrime22 – very positive (rated 9/10; "surprising way to see these characters off [...] Honestly, this was the most relatable lesson. I really enjoyed this one.)

Louder Yay – mildly positive (rated 3/5; "wasn't exactly the most complex of eps [...] but it didn't really do anything that felt egregiously out of place [...] I confess that I didn't really warm to [Spur and Biscuit]: they were rather bland and forgettable [...] superior filler [...] Although it did share one of S9's repeating weaknesses – character regression to fit a particular story – in this case the CMC's lack of maturity didn't seem as out of place as, say, Rainbow's in "2, 4, 6, Greaaat"")

Mike Cartoon Pony – mixed ("It’s just there, not lingering in the mind and only sticking out due to being a poor showing for [the CMC's] last outing. [...] There are plenty of nice touches along the way [and] the song is a catchy, fun one [but] the story after the transformation feels tacked on to the concept of the CMC ageing for the episode, like they didn’t know what to do with that setup. [...] Just a pity Ed Valentine returned for an episode as ultimately flavourless as this.")

MLEEP Reviews – positive (rated 8.5/10; "while having a concept that other shows in kids' entertainment have done before [this episode] still managed to be a pretty great experience which is sure to generate a wave of new creativity among the fandom")

Present Perfect – broadly positive ("The new [CMC] designs were fantastic, and the VA work was awesome. [...] entertaining background gags [...] The only notable downside I can find is that they were really heavy-handed with the whole grownup thing [...] The song wasn't bad, either!")

SuperPinkBrony12 – rather negative ("it's just really predictable and suffers from a lot of continuity errors and character regression. This kind of plot is something I would've expected out of the CMC back in Season 1 or Season 2, not Season 9 [...] All of this could've been fixed if Ed Valentine had anyone tell him what was going on, but for some reason no one did. [At least] it doesn't do anything offensively or majorily bad")

The Railfan Brony – mildly positive (rated Good; "It was... adequate, to say the least. [...] At this point, [the CMC] should be teenagers during their final years of grade school, and yet they're talked down to like it's season one or two. [but they] were enjoyable throughout [...] It's tolerable, that's good enough for me.")

TheDragonWarlock – mixed (rated 6.5/10; "a rather odd episode to have so late into the series, especially the final few episodes of FiM [... This] isn't necessarily a bad episode, but compared to most CMC episode the past few seasons, it feels like a drop off; especially after The Last Crusade. [...] some enjoyable bits such as the song being decent and it has some cute visual gags [but the ep] could've been so much more.")

Text Review Roundup: "Daring Doubt"

Okey-dokey-lokey, let's get back to actual ponies on this blog, rather than just photos of trains with a pony stuck in the corner. (Though I don't promise never to post such pics here again!) I'll keep doing this up to episode 23, but though I will do TRR for the final three episodes it'll be a little bit delayed because of UK PonyCon. Given they're all being shown on the same day on DF, I'll also have to think about how to handle that. Right then, back to "Daring Doubt", and...

...once again there was quite a wide spread of views among the written-word reviewers. This time, however, the balance of opinion was tilted heavily towards the negative. The writing and continuity were widely criticised, as was the reformation of Caballeron and Ahuizotl, which a number of reviewers saw as forced. Fluttershy was mostly popular, but even here there were dissenting voices. My own verdict was middling, though part of my frustration was personal, in that I'd wanted a FS/RD adventure for years but didn't really get it.

Cuddlepug – quite positive (graded B-; "surprised me in all the right ways [...] One could argue that the episode is wrapped up a little too neatly by the end, but I think the solution of listening to both sides of the story during conflict is a valuable one")

Dark Qiviut – generally very positive ("During the entire expedition, [Fluttershy] stayed true to her embodied Element of Harmony [and] Daring Doubt is a shining example of giving Dash negative traits without making her out of character or miserable [but] Daring Doubt doesn't adequately explain why Ahuizotl acted so violent this whole time. [Even so,] rough edges aside, it's nicely done.")

DrakeyC – negative ("this episode was meh right up until the third act, when it got insultingly STUPID. [...] At least past Daring Do eps were watchable. This one is just a shitty redemption fic, how apt given its premise.")

Dramamaster829 – mildly positive ("This episode was about the search for truth. [... Fluttershy] made the effort to reach out to [Caballeron's party], offering a hoof in kindness [...] True fans are tired of the whole redemption shtick, that eventually there's going to be a chance to uncover two sides of a story only to realize that one half is truly that bad [though] I still consider it a fun episode.")

JDPrime22 – mostly positive (rated 8/10; "This was a fun episode. Not my favorite Daring Do adventure [...] but an enjoyable sendoff for Daring and her crew. ")

Louder Yay – slightly negative (rated 2/5; "an immensely frustrating episode, not short on fun little moments and nice visual design, but faring less well when it came to coherence and continuity [...] the first act was really rather fun [and] I enjoyed the way [Fluttershy] behaved on the expedition [but I disliked the] episode's cavalier disregard for continuity and, frankly, common sense in the resolution.")

Mike Cartoon Pony – slightly negative ("the cracks in its construction show far more then past Daring Do episodes [...] The action and adventuring [...] is decent, but merely competent when compared to examples of past episodes. [...] The more I unpack the episode’s plot, the more contrivances pop up [though] Fluttershy is balanced well [as is Rainbow. This] isn’t an abysmal episode, even if it’s the weakest Daring Do episode without much thought [and there's Dubuc's] awful habit of writing stories that don’t fit in with those before she joined the show")

MLEEP Reviews – generally negative (rated 5/10; "a half-assed rehash of Season 7's "Daring Done" [...] the same tired lesson of 'there are two sides to every story' [...] ended up ruining the continuity of two of the best villains that we ever had during the Daring Do adventures [...] extremely average")

Present Perfect – rather negative ("Fluttershy working her epic kindness abilities [...] Redemption was maybe not something I ever wanted for Caballeron, but it fits with the show’s themes. [But] not only is redemption for [Ahuizotl] not something I, personally, wanted, it’s a bad idea. Or at least, it was mishandled to an extreme degree here [...] This is not a redemption story: this is a retcon.")

SuperPinkBrony12 – negative ("a little too much of a stretch to be believable [...] I don't really recall anyone wanting [Caballeron or Ahuizotl] to reform, so why did Nicole Dubuc decide to do it? [...] Daring Do is definitely in top form [but] Fluttershy comes across as an idiot for trusting [the villains], and reforming both villains feels like a huge contrivance to make her right. ")

The Railfan Brony – extremely negative (rated Atrocious; "Seriously, what this episode is telling me is that Dr. Caballeron, one of Daring Do's greatest archenemies, is misunderstood? [...] They even double down on that godawful twist by calling Ahuizotl misunderstood [...] The continuity overall with past episodes is just a mess [...] when the only character that's actually well written is Fluttershy [...] then you really have a problem.")

TheDragonWarlock – very negative (rated 2.5/10; "a pity that despite such a concept that sounded so promising, this episode dropped the ball. [...] seriously no way at all Fluttershy should be this gullible [...] writing is subpar for the most part [...] the action is pretty decent [but] the villains are given terrible redemptions, the plot itself is filled with holes, and the moral itself is botched.")

Text Review Roundup: "A Horse Shoe-In"

I'm off to look at (and ride on) steam trains again tomorrow, but before I go I'll let you have the TRR for last Saturday's episode. As happened last week, the text-based reviewers had a wide spread of opinions, although there were more in favour than against. Much of it seemed to depend on what each reviewer thought of StarTrix as a team. I was perhaps very slightly above average in my assessment.

Cuddlepug – positive (graded B; "another strong episode [and when Starlight tells Trixie the truth the] exchange is one of the most heated in the history of the show and makes you feel genuinely bad for Trixie .")

Dark Qiviut – very positive ("SG has (once again) a fantastic appearance [...] does a fantastic job reintroducing the Vice Headmare occupation without contradicting continuity [...] Ariel Shepherd-Oppenhein did a splendid job in her Pony debut and executed a very solid, very good episode")

DrakeyC – positive ("kind of a repeat of "What About Discord" with a dash of "All Bottled Up" [...] The final result is kinda obvious in hindsight, but only because it really is a perfect resolution to the story arcs of Starlight and her friends [...] dependant on how much tolerance you have for Trixie being Trixie. And I have a very high tolerance for that so I found this hilarious and fun.")

Dramamaster829 – positive ("While I did admit that going in I wasn't so sure how this episode would turn out, especially with a new writer on board, I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome we received. I'd say this would be considered a guilty pleasure episode for me especially for folks who can relate to the situation Starlight and Trixie are involved in.")

JDPrime22 – positive (rated 9/10; "This was fun. Starlight was insanely adorable. Trixie was obnoxious for a bit, but she came around after Starlight yelled at her. I really do love how we're getting some closing episodes before the grand finale.")

Louder Yay – positive (rated 4/5; "quite frankly [Ariel Shepherd-Oppenheim] did better than one or two much more experienced FiM writers have managed this season [...] Starlight certainly learned a friendship lesson – but this one was also a leadership lesson [and though] I simply couldn't believe that Trixie would be capable of the spell she cast to bring part of [Froggy Bottom Bogg] into the classroom [this was still] an entertaining and interesting episode")

Mike Cartoon Pony – positive ("one’s surface-level enjoyment for this episode is likely to be somewhat inversely proportional to how irritating they find Trixie here [...] Sheperd-Oppenhelm gets the universe of FiM really well, better then most current writers [...] a really well-thought out ending [...] Trixie being an irritable butt throughout is only a minor problem.")

MLEEP Reviews – mixed (rated 6.5/10; "great that the show staff are using as many of the classic and fan favorite characters [but] basically a lazy rehash of one of the sequences from Season 8's "A Matter Of Principals" [though] definitely a little better than 'Student Counsel'")

Present Perfect – positive ("The Terrible and Incompetent Trixie is 257% amazing and can carry any episode she’s in all by herself. [...] this was maybe not an all-time, top-tier, 100% amazing classic episode, but it was really fun [though] we’re getting our first actual hints of “This is the Starlight and Friends Twenty-Two Minute Drama Hour now”, which much of the fandom has been afraid of since season six")

SuperPinkBrony12 – very negative ("basically a rehash of "All Bottled Up" and "A Matter of Principals", a bad mix that sees Trixie sink to a new low she is unlikely to recover from! [...] if this is the last we ever see of the school until then, it's not a good end note at all!")

The Railfan Brony – extremely negative (rated Terrible; "a huge problem with Starlight/Trixie episodes [is that b]oth ponies bring out the worst in each other post-redemption. [...] I almost feel like there was no thought was put into [the ending] whatsoever [...] Rehashed story elements, fanservice for the sake of fanservice, and apathy towards potentially toxic implications down the road.")

TheDragonWarlock – fairly positive (rated 7.5/10; "for Starlight's final episode of the series, it's certainly a pretty good way to send her off. Starlight is handled well, the minor characters are fun, and brings some closure to Starlight as she begins her new career [though] Trixie ultimately is living proof of one thing; with friends like you, who needs enemies?")

Text Review Roundup: "Dragon Dropped"

I'll write separately about this soon, but the announcement that the final three episodes (ever!) of Friendship is Magic will be shown on Saturday, 12th October means that the end will happen during UK PonyCon weekend. We'd all better stock up on tissues... anyway, that's for another post, so right now it's off to TRR to see what the text-based reviewers thought of "Dragon Dropped".

The general reception for this episode was all over the place, with no real consensus at all. Several reviewers did feel that the ep didn't do anything really new, and others lamented the lack of a definitive resolution to the Sparity plotline – which, after all, began in the very first episode of the show. The comedy was generally appreciated, however. For a change, my assessment was below the average.

Cuddlepug – very positive (graded A-; "will resonate with a lot of people, no matter what age you are [...] poignant [...] that Friendship is Magic touches on [changing friendships] in its final season is fitting... and a little melancholic.")

Dark Qiviut – extremely positive ("Like in ["Sonic Rainboom"], Rarity’s bad side here was thoroughly explored while not making her unlikeable or out of character [... Gabby and Spike] show excellent chemistry [...] Rarity’s best episode of the show. If it’s her last, a phenomenal conclusion.")

DrakeyC – negative ("I want to care [about the resolution] but it's so trite and rushed that it comes off as kinda insincere [...] we get no closure on Sparity at all, no change in their relationship, no real development from either of them.")

Dramamaster829 – mixed ("While I won't say that this episode was 'terrible' by any means, there were a few funny moments, for me the premise of this episode was something I've already seen before.")

JDPrime22 – very positive (rated 9/10; "I really did enjoy this one. It shows us that Spike isn't just subjugated to Rarity's beck and call. And yeah, Rarity was a little out of line here and there, but [...s]he learned her lesson and Gabby was still as awesome as ever.")

Louder Yay – slightly negative (rated 2/5; "main character regression to suit the story, rather than a story being written around said character as she is now. [...] This is just the sort of territory that a really accomplished Friendship is Magic episode could have explored in a mature and complex way [though the ep was at least] quite funny")

Mike Cartoon Pony – mixed ("another Season 9 episode that not only reflects very poorly on the growth and maturity of a long-time character, but also writes them unappealingly in some aspects (though to a much less damaging degree then “2, 4, 6, Greaaat” [...a] decently funny one with some neat recurring gags, undermined, like some previous episodes, by recursive character writing")

MLEEP Reviews – largely positive (rated 8/10; "quite an entertaining case of the classic 'love triangle' situation even if it's a plot that we have seen countless times before")

Present Perfect – underwhelmed ("It wasn’t great, it wasn’t bad, it just was. Though as someone in stream said, Rarity’s last episode was this? [...] we haven’t really gotten any resolution [to Sparity] It was fun. It just wasn’t an episode about anything I particularly care about")

SuperPinkBrony12 – underwhelmed ("Rarity still remains a character I'm not entirely sure if [Haber] knows how to write properly [...] a lot of scenes that just feel like filler [...] feels like an eleven minute episode stretched into [22.]")

The Railfan Brony – very negative (rated Terrible; "just a stereotypical "someone gets jealous when their close friend hangs out with someone else" plot [...] so boring and cliched that you'll end up forgetting about it six hours after watching it.")

TheDragonWarlock – fairly positive (rated 8/10; "I think it manages to handle the jealous story line good, albeit rather predictable [...] The comedy itself is also good [but i]t does suffer from some questionable writing for both Rarity and Spike.")

Text Review Roundup: "She Talks to Angel"

I haven't really got anything interesting about my life to say here, and even though that doesn't usually stop me from rabbiting on, this time let's get straight to the meat. The text-based reviewers tended to feel that "She Talks to Angel" was a decent episode, though as always there were some exceptions. The "veggie carnivores" thing didn't exercise that many people, though I moaned about it while Dark Qiviut defended it, partly on the grounds that Equestria isn't Earth.

I was bang in the middle of the pack this time, and my positive but not gushing verdict was a common one. I will, however, (ab)use my editorial position here to make it quite clear that some of us did want to see Angel again! Several reviewers stated or implied that nobody did (though I didn't quote all of them) and I wish to place it on record that an Angel episode that wasn't "Putting Your Hoof Down" has been something I've hoped to see for years. So there. :P

Cuddlepug – mixed (graded C+; "It's all nonsense, but it is entertaining nonsense all the same [...] comes across like an alternate universe slice of fan-fiction [...]  fine, I guess, and decently entertaining, but I struggle to understand quite why it exists.")

Dark Qiviut – mostly positive ("There's some to dislike [such as some of Zecora's recklessness], but a lot to like. She Talks to Angel resolves Angel's jerkiness from PYHD, intertwines the animal sanctuary quite well, and is the second-best Fluttershy episode of the show. ")

DrakeyC – very positive ("so much fun, so much humor. I can't even... [...] comedy gold [...] My only critique would be that Zecora REALLY should have told the two what her potion did [...] If this is our last Fluttershy episode (and it probably is), this is a great one to go out on.")

Dramamaster829 – mildly positive ("This episode may not be perfect as the previous episode (Such as the questionable tactic of predators doing a 'herbivore' diet), but I admit there are some fun moments like Libman's 'Angel' portrayal [...] does add some closure on this chemistry the two have had.")

JDPrime22 – positive (rated 8/10; "probably the last time we ever get to see this little rabbit. WOOHOO! [...] this episode was pretty entertaining. From the get-go, the showrunners remind why we all hate Angel.")

Louder Yay – positive (rated 3/5; "[I didn't like] the too-convenient way Fluttershy resolved the predator-prey relationship [but the ep was] funny while not descending into pure slapstick, it provided a better look at the animal sanctuary than "Fluttershy Leans In", it explored a fairly serious topic quite well, and it made a reasonable way for Fluttershy's arc to end [though] It didn't feel all that special")

Mike Cartoon Pony – positive ("one of the show’s funniest in a while [...] The protracted first act means the rest of the episode is slightly rushed [but] If [Andrea Libman's voice acting here appeals] a lot, you’re in for a real good time. Otherwise, you have a solid, funny episode, just perhaps not a keeper for the ages.")

MLEEP Reviews – positive (rated 9/10; "always great to have [Zecora] on screen [...] if you can manage to get through all of the scenes involving Angel Bunny acting like the biggest asshole in all of Equestria, you'll find that you might actually enjoy 'She Talks To Angel'")

Present Perfect – positive ("Andrea Libman gives maybe the best vocal performance of anyone in this entire show’s run [...] Angel learning about what Fluttershy does first-hand was a really strong character arc [...] Not perfect, but I much prefer episodes that are flawed in the outset than in the finale.")

SuperPinkBrony12 – fairly positive ("definitely funny, particularly when Angel is in Fluttershy's body and acting all sassy. But Angel is unbelievably selfish in this episode [...] Twilight and Spike's cameo doesn't really contribute [much] feels like they only put [Zecora] into the episode because they knew fans wanted to see her again")

The Railfan Brony – positive (rated Excellent; "Despite the stock storyline and moral, it felt quite fresh and it's all I could really ask for. As a matter of fact, Fluttershy has been the true highlight of season nine as far as I'm concerned.")

TheDragonWarlock – mixed (rated 6.5/10; "She Talks to Angel is pretty much the same thing as [A Royal Problem] really nothing new brought to the table [...and Zecora was] reduced to a mere plot point [...] the comedy portion does help liven it up a bit [...] For what it is, this episode is a serviceable enough one, but nothing that amazing.")

Text Review Roundup: "The Summer Sun Setback"

Well, it had to happen. I wasn't quite careful enough, and I've been hit by a big spoiler from the S9 finale. I'm not going to reveal it on here until the episode airs on Discovery Family, of course, but suffice it to say that this isn't the sort of spoiler you forget. Happily, it hasn't made me want to run away screaming and never think of Friendship is Magic again. But enough of that now. Let's get on to an episode we (probably) all have seen.

There was general consensus that "The Summer Sun Setback" was a considerable improvement on the previous two episodes. The Railfan Brony strongly disliked it, but he was the only one of the slate here who did. Most of the reviewers had their reservations, but in general they weren't enough to keep the overall assessment from tipping decisively positive. I probably liked this very slightly more than the average.

Cuddlepug – positive (graded B+; "an ambitious episode that covers two parallel and interweaving storylines with great results [...] sharp writing throughout, good characterisation for everyone and meaningful plot developments")

Dark Qiviut – very positive (There are a lot of really nice, little details here. [...] the Terrible Trio at their most competent [...] Suffice it to say, I love it. One of the best of the season.")
No blog review, so this is from a comment Dark Qiviut left on mine.

DrakeyC – positive ("This was a really solid episode. I love Twilight's character development [and] the final "twist" with the Celebration, and all the villain stuff is great too. Overall just very entertaining plot and character stuff")

Dramamaster829 – positive ("After the past several weeks of enduring episodes that were either 'just' okay or downright awful, for me this episode was the saving grace for the show. Is it perfect? No [but] I'd like to think [Discord] was testing the princess in the most unusual way [...] an episode with a ton of heart.")
No blog review, so this is from a comment Dramamaster829 left on mine.

JDPrime22 – very positive (rated 10/10; "Where the hell was THIS Twilight through the second half of the season? [...] Absolutely phenomenal episode!")

Louder Yay – very positive (rated 4/5; "a vastly more likeable Twilight Sparkle [...and the villains'] group dynamic remains very enjoyable [... Discord] didn't actually do very much [but the hints of tribalism were] intriguing [and] FiM seems to be back on track.")

Mike Cartoon Pony – positive ("Well, what do you know, this episode delivers on not one, but many things I said just last episode we were in dire need of by this point. [...] at no point this season, or before it, was the change that led to [Twilight] being such a panicky mess ever addressed [but t]he pace proceeds quickly while keeping everything lively and engaging.")

MLEEP Reviews – very positive (rated 10/10; "Doc Harris has done an amazing job in bringing [Grogar] to life for a new generation [while] Twilight has finally learnt to take things smoothly [...] not only an amazing episode but [...] just the rebound that Season 9 of My Little Pony needed")

Present Perfect – cautiously positive ("It’s certainly not bad. Probably not even ‘meh’! There were a lot of bits to like, I’m just not sure how much they cohere into a whole. [...] Twilight’s proclamation at the end was also a pleasant surprise")

SuperPinkBrony12 – largely positive ("Discord's inclusion feels the slightest bit out of place [and] I also find it just the slightest bit irksome that apparently word hasn't gotten out that Cozy Glow is a traitor [but] This feels like a better take on the B plot of "Between Dark and Dawn" that is also sharing a plot with the sequel of "Frenemies" [and] there's so much this episode does right")

The Railfan Brony – very negative (rated Terrible; "feels less like character development and more like an attempt at excusing Twilight's behavior in the [earlier] episodes [...] nothing new here in regard to the story or the theme [...] it's terrible, plain and simple.")

TheDragonWarlock – positive (rated 8/10; "Twilight herself is a massive improvement from the last few times [and] Chrysalis really feels like she shines [and though Discord] felt a little bit pointless [...] the characters are written likable, it has a solid enough plot going for itself, and for once Twilight shows some leadership skills")

Text Review Roundup: "A Trivial Pursuit"

It's just hit me that, assuming there are no post-season specials, we're now into the final ten TRRs. It's not exactly of world-shaking importance, but I'm going to miss these things when they're gone. It's far too early to say whether they might be back for G5 – but even if I do return to them then, they'll certainly never be quite the same. That said, G5 will never be quite the same. Maybe it'll be like your favourite Doctor from Doctor Who. (Nine for me.)

Anyway, "A Trivial Pursuit" got a mixed reaction, though the average was on the negative side of neutral. Most reviewers still found it more enjoyable than "2, 4, 6, Greaaat", but a number were unimpressed with Twilight's characterisation. There were exceptions in both directions: Dark Qiviut was happier with Twilight's portrayal, while SuperPinkBrony12 and The Railfan Brony were appalled by the whole thing, talking in terms of its being the worst episode of the entire show.

Cuddlepug – negative (graded C-; "continues the mediocre trend of episodes so far in the second half of Friendship is Magic's final season [...] the Princess of Friendship [is] more than happy to walk over one of her best friends in order to get what she wants")

Dark Qiviut – mixed ("The best part, bar none, is Twilight's arc [...] Combined with a well-paced story, A Trivial Pursuit brought Season 9 back on track after 2, 4, 6, Greaaat derailed its streak. However, it's weaker than the worst episode of Season 9A, Going to Seed"

DrakeyC – fairly negative ("This had me afraid it was gonna be another round of "Ponk is horribly mischaracterized", but actually no, they were fine for Pinkie, it was Twilight that got on nerves [...] this episode is pretty bad on account of how awful Twilight is to everypony, not just Pinkie.")

Dramamaster829 – mixed ("Sure the episode has a few laughs, some subtle shout outs to the series, and fans of 'Trivia' games can vouch for this, but at the same time there's only so much 'Twilighting' we can take and she was a bit of a jerk at times.")
No blog review, so this is from a comment Dramamaster829 left on mine.

JDPrime22 – mixed (rated 7/10; "Honestly, Twilight needed to grow up in this one. Yeah, the episode was super entertaining, and Twilight's faces are to die for, but... she's literally going to run Equestria in, like, one month.")

Louder Yay – mixed (rated 2/5; " a long way from being a classic episode, unless you're very forgiving about Twilight's characterisation, but it was often an entertaining one..")

Mike Cartoon Pony – mixed ("would work far better in a cartoon with more edge and less sentiment then MLP [...] amusing, though your enjoyment on it will depend on how much a character being an uncharacteristic jerk bothers you.")

MLEEP Reviews – mixed (rated 7.5/10; "an episode that was made solely for those die hard fans of My Little Pony who are obsessed with every single little detail in the series and while having its good moments of humor among a majority of the cast still suffers from an extremely thin plot")

Present Perfect – rather negative ("Not nearly as rage-inducing as 2, 4, 6, of course. [...] Just Twilight acting like a dick, and tons and tons of ship names for some reason. Seriously, what was up with that? Sunburst couldn’t save it.")

SuperPinkBrony12 – spectacularly negative ("oh boy do we have one doozy of a bad episode on our hands! This might just be a contender for the worst episode of the entire show [...] Twilight's performance here is the absolute worst her character's ever been written, I don't even think flanderization describes it properly, this is straight up character assassination territory.")

The Railfan Brony – spectacularly negative (rated Atrocious; "the lesson I got from Jerkass Twilight's behavior is that "you can bully your friends and they'll still come back to help you". That is one of the most disgusting lessons this show has taught, especially for one targeted at little girls! [...] Fuck this episode. It should be sent down to Tartarus and locked up in the deepest, darkest cave so human eyes can never look at it again. It is that awful, and it has officially earned the title for the worst ever episode of the entire series.")

TheDragonWarlock – negative (rated 4/10; "Twilighting [...] a retread of another episode earlier this season, [and] using a tiresome joke again for the plot. [...] One thing I'll grant this episode is that the cast of side characters we have is big and they're all enjoyable in their own way [...] Pinkie is written enjoyably here [but the episode is] a bore and a bit of a mess.")

Text Review Roundup: "2, 4, 6, Greaaat"

You know, for a dead fandom this one seems to be keeping me very busy. Getting ready for UK PonyCon in October (tickets running short already – buy yours now!), working on this blog, reading fanfic, writing fanfic, helping arrange meetups, playing Pocket Ponies, watching Tales from late G1... yeah, I don't think I'm going to be stuck for things to do when the S9 finale has come and gone!

That's still a little way off, though, so let's see what the text-based reviewers made of "2, 4, 6, Greaaat". And... yeah. No reviewer liked it, not a single one. MLEEP is usually among the most positive and so it was again – but this time, even that only meant a "mixed". That was as good as it got. Rainbow Dash's portrayal was the most unpopular since "Non-Compete Clause", with which this ep was frequently compared.

Talking of which: SuperPinkBrony12, new this time, called this "a poor man's version of Non-Compete Clause". Ouch.

Cuddlepug – very negative (graded D-; "an utterly skippable episode, and one I would encourage people to avoid, lest they wish to raise an eyebrow over why Rainbow Dash would act like such an immature jerk this late in the game.")

Dark Qiviut – very negative ("Smolder had one of her best outings of the season [and a few other little pluses, but t]he rest of this episode was just a colossal train wreck [... and there's one of Twilight's] most out-of-character moments of the whole series."

DrakeyC – largely negative ("I like [that] the students hold Rainbow accountable [but] it is very condescending of the episode to portray Rainbow as so totally in the wrong and everyone else in the right. [...] A frustratingly annoying episode.")

Dramamaster829 – negative ("It's like watching 1/2 of an Adam Sandler movie where he spends the whole time acting like a selfish-jerk with no reason to sympathize with his character")
Note: no blog at time of writing, so this is from a comment Dramamaster829 left on my review.

JDPrime22 – negative (rated 6/10; "Not only is Rainbow a huge ASS throughout the entire episode, all the growth she's displayed as a character (you know, being LOYAL and all) is completely thrown out the window, and for what?")

Louder Yay – largely negative (rated 2/5; "if it hadn't picked up markedly in the last third, it might even have skirted close to a one-star rating [...] a terrible disappointment.")

Mike Cartoon Pony – largely negative ("[Much of] the episode until the last six minutes is a painful exercise in watching Rainbow not even attempt to disguise her disinterest in her assigned task and put no effort into it [...] neat stuff at the margins [but] an anaemic, frustrating episode")

MLEEP Reviews – mixed (rated 6.5/10; "while having great side characters and humor [the episode] pretty much went exactly the way that I envisioned with how far back of a regression they could take with Rainbow Dash's character")

Present Perfect – very negative ("for all that the message here is great, the actual execution of it was abysmal [...] I really hated this one; it is, at best, horribly misaimed.")

SuperPinkBrony12 – negative ("a poor man's version of "Non-Compete Clause [...] Never once does [Dash] try to care, and yet she also doesn't try to talk to Twilight about how she's feeling. And why did Twilight feel the need to put Rainbow into this kind of lesson? [...] Smolder shouldn't be the only sane creature in the room.")

The Railfan Brony – very negative (rated Terrible; "There's nothing "great" about this episode, especially as it's another episode with Rainbow Dash acting like an idiot.")

TheDragonWarlock – extremely negative (rated 1.5/10; "Everything about this episode is poorly thought out and poorly executed. The concept is not only a bad idea, but the results are even worse. The writing is dreadful; especially for Rainbow. [...] easily the worst episode for Rainbow I've ever had the misfortune of watching.")

Text Review Roundup: "The Last Laugh"

I haven't forgotten about "Sunset's Backstage Pass", and it will get a review – although almost certainly a mini-review. I just haven't got round to it yet. The truth is that EqG doesn't generally mean enough to me for its stuff to get the same scale of coverage as FiM on this blog, with a few exceptions such as the actual feature films. But please feel free to remind me if I haven't put up that mini-review by this time next week.

Back to FiM now, and it's high time TRR woke from hibernation to begin its last half-season! (Possibly not the last ever, but the last for quite some while; G5 is a long way off...) As always, I'll be happy to hear about any other text-based reviewers, so that I can include them in future TRR editions. I am not interested in those who just post a couple of lines and then direct people to a 15-minute YouTube review, as that's exactly what TRR isn't for.

We have anything but a full slate of text-based reviewers this time, I suspect partly because of the clash with the final BronyCon. Looking at those who did post their opinions, you'll see that "The Last Laugh" was not an episode where there was any sort of consensus. The closest we got was the broad agreement that Pinkie was well written. Beyond that? Reviewers didn't agree about the comedy, didn't agree about Weird Al's value, didn't agree about the song... you get the idea.

I was in the middle of the pack once again. This is getting to be a habit!

Cuddlepug – mixed (graded C; "a fine episode, but one that could have been far deeper [...] a shame more wasn't done with the concept")

Dramamaster829 – mixed ("Though the majority of the story’s plot is as bland as a backdrop for ‘Rainbow Roadtrip’, the bits that Cheese and Pinkie share somewhat make up for the grey atmosphere.")

JDPrime22 – positive (rated 9/10; "certainly an unexpected twist this time around, but still awesome")

Louder Yay – mildly positive (rated 3/5; "on first viewing I thought it was really poor [and Weird Al] only got to be fun and silly and wacky in the final third [...] What improved my assessment second time around was that I knew where the episode was going – and I do like the moral here [...] I also warmed to Sans Smirk.")

Mike Cartoon Pony – mixed ("Shrug-worthy, not bad or weak, but very bland [...] the characters are undeniably written well [but it's] technically proficient but dull. [...] And for an episode featuring Weird Al Yankovic, that’s a crippling issue.")

MLEEP Reviews – positive (rated 9/10; "managed to turn what felt like a role reversal situation of a rehash and supply some great comedy not only from Pinkie Pie herself but also [Weird Al]")

Present Perfect – positive ("The Fox Brothers have at last redeemed themselves. I haven’t seen Pinkie Pie written this well since Amy Keating Rogers left the show. [...] For an episode about being unable to laugh, this was really funny [and] Sans Smirk was an interesting character [although the song] definitely pales in comparison to basically anything else you can compare it to.")

The Railfan Brony – negative (rated Bad; "rehashes Pinkie Pride, only based in a factory and none of the humor or charm [...] Pinkie was fairly well-written like a genuine friend who wants to help, and Cheese Sandwich was also pretty sympathetic [but] The Last Laugh is creatively bankrupt.")

TheDragonWarlock – positive (rated 9/10; "easily Pinkie's best episode in a long time [...] While [Cheese is] sadly not bringing too many of the laughs this time, he's still enjoyable as a whole and I liked the little character he did get [...] The comedy is excellent [as is the song] a great way to send Pinkie off on a high note")

Text Review Roundup: Rainbow Roadtrip

You'll have noticed that I've skipped Ponyfic Roundup this week. This is to allow me to catch up with reviews of Rainbow Roadtrip and "Sunset's Backstage Pass" (the latter is likely to appear here on Monday). The Cloptimist points out that the EqG special hasn't aired in the US yet, so in fact that will wait. Either way, I'll be returning to fanfic next Wednesday instead. And now this:

Yes, it's Text Review Roundup time. Quite a few of the regular text-based reviewers didn't write up their thoughts for this one, but enough did to make a TRR worthwhile. It's fair to say that nobody listed here was exactly blown away by Rainbow Roadtrip, although the balance of opinion was on the positive side of neutral. The slow pacing was a common complaint (with the notable exception of DrakeyC) but the character moments were more appreciated.

Dark Qiviut – broadly positive ("way too long [to get going] and the lack of humor makes this plot develop bland and way too simple [plus] songs aren't the best [but] Everyone's in character [and it's] so wholesome [...] charming, heartfelt, and warm [...] a very pleasant surprise")

DrakeyC – positive ("a fun little thing [...] felt kinda like a Gen 1 adventure [...] intro song was fine, the mayor's song was awful, last song was fine. Ending was FEELS CENTRAL [...] basically an hour-long episode, but it was a very good episode [...] didn't feel padded or dragged to fill its run time")

JDPrime22 – positive (rated 9/10; "a pleasant surprise! [...] Though the animation isn't as smooth as the movie, it's still welcome nonetheless [...] music was also top-notch [but the special] tends to drag on a bit")

Louder Yay – fairly positive (rated 3/5; "A very good, Pony-appropriate moral [with] Some nicely varied guest characters [and] Attractive animation [but] Pedestrian pacing [and] Songs a notch below the show's best")

Mike Cartoon Pony – broadly positive ("special might be a bit of a misnomer [and it's] indecently long [but it] meets its simple but nuanced goals really, really well [and has] writing with no lapses or inconsistencies that acquits itself and its characters really well")

MLEEP Reviews – largely positive (rated 8/10; "a very slow burn [and] may be targeted for a much younger audience [than the 2017 film, but] I am so glad to see that [Kerfuffle] being an amputee wasn't made into a big deal [...] a sweet but fun story with some beautiful animation and memorable new characters")

Present Perfect – mixed ("seeing the squishy ToonBoom animation on the small screen [...] was weird [...] heavily G3-inspired [...] pretty much every pony introduced in this special is the best pony ever. Except Barley and Pickle [... the Mayor's song was] a really good song, oh my god [...] the plot was pretty dull overall")

The Railfan Brony – negative (rated Bad; "doesn't even feel at all like a special [...] just drags on [...] The theme about helping others does work out, however [but the special] felt as colorless as Hope Hollow [despite some good character moments]")

TheDragonWarlock – broadly negative (rated 5/10; "Although the characters, new and Mane 6, end up being well written, has a solid premise, and some world building, it can't save the special with its abysmal pacing, lack of comedy, and plot holes making it end up as gray and dull as Hope Hollow itself")

Text Review Roundup: "Between Dark and Dawn"

Zack Warner (aka The Railfan Brony) commented last week to alert me to Scyph's review of "The Last Crusade". It's an interesting and quite in-depth review that takes a fairly critical line on the theme of "This episode could have been so much more". Unfortunately Scyph doesn't seem to be a regular MLP reviewer, otherwise I'd have added them to the TRR roster.

Here we go with the final TRR of the first half of S9. I'll be doing one for "Rainbow Roadtrip", and the show people may decide that counts as an episode as "Best Gift Ever" did, but it's going to be a bit different from the usual 22-minute instalments nevertheless. After that, there'll be a few weeks of hiatus. I'll probably kick off "Sounds of 2012" during that period. I'll get round to the latest Equestria Girls special at some point, too, though I keep forgetting it exists which maybe isn't the best sign.

As far as "Between Dark and Dawn" went, the text-based reviewers were a pretty mixed bag. A couple really liked it, two reviewers really disliked it, but everyone else was somewhere in the middle or slightly above. There was general agreement that the song was good – even The Railfan Brony said that in his otherwise very negative review, leaving Present Perfect as the only reviewer here who actively disliked it. Most reviewers also considered the Twilight secondary plot to be somewhat dull. I was again in the main pack but near the back of it.

Cuddlepug – mildly positive (graded B-; "great song [...] enjoyable, even if it ultimately fails to say very much")

Dark Qiviut – very positive ("Great humor, great characterization, and great heart [...] The little details add extra shape")

DrakeyC – mostly positive ("a fun episode, love the sisterly dynamic between Celestia and Luna, and they gave us lots of fun moments. And we got a SISTERS SONG [but] Where this episode really didn't work was the B plot")

Dramamaster829 – positive ("the side plot [was] forgettable [but] a sweet and endearing tale featuring two soon-to-be former rulers of Equestria")

JDPrime22 – positive (rated 9/10; "This episode was a blast! Aside from Fancy Pants not stating early on that the princesses relied on the Canterlot Gala Committee [...] this episode was great")

Lightening McQueen – positive ("great [...] Twilight sounded a bit stubborn not wanting Fancy Pants' help [...] the song "Lotta Little Things" was so lovely")

Louder Yay – mixed (rated 3/5; " It was odd, and in both good and bad ways [...] a Celestia/Luna duet and boy was it entertaining [...] A nice way of doing the old "Luna doesn't understand modern life" trope [but] Twilight really should not need to learn yet again how to delegate")

Mike Cartoon Pony – mixed ("enjoyable in the moment but leaves a borderline-incomprehensible impression once it has wrapped, not helped by the quality frequently veering back and forth between cloud-breaking highs and trench-deep lows")

MLEEP Reviews – positive (rated 9/10; "hammy playfulness [but the secondary plot] got old really fast [...] still a fun-filled and heartwarming road trip")

Present Perfect – very negative ("Neither Celestia nor Luna has gotten any real respect since about season two [...] Why do I feel like the plot is a mishmash of numerous other, better episodes? [...] I just hope I never see this again, it’s one of the worst episodes of the show’s run.")

The Railfan Brony – very negative (rated Atrocious; "The only good aspect about this episode is Celestia and Luna's duet [but it's] one of the most abysmally written episodes of the entire series [...] retreading old ground [...] unfortunate implications, and an uninteresting end result")

TheDragonWarlock – positive (rated 9/10; "The writing is great with solid characterization, the comedy is just as good, and it manages to take a concept that sounds cliche and make it work very well [though it] does suffer some issues like Fancy Pants still being a jerk")

Text Review Roundup: "The Last Crusade"

Time for today's TRR. Before going any further, I ought to mention that The Railfan Brony quite frequently refers to episodes of Thomas [the Tank Engine] and Friends. I haven't watched that show since the days when Ringo Starr was the narrator, so I never pick out those phrases to include here. If you do know Thomas, you might find it interesting to read TRB's reviews and note those passages yourself.

Anyway, "The Last Crusade" was generally well received, with only one featured reviewer actively disliking the ep – though in all fairness I must say that I know of at least three other people who were distinctly unimpressed. Two were Soge and Griffin, whose thoughts you can read in my review's comments, and a third is someone who as far as I know hasn't mentioned their view publicly and so will remain unnamed here.

Aunts Lofty and Holiday gained widespread praise and were often considered the best things in the episode. However, quite a few reviewers had reservations when it came to the portrayal of Scootaloo's parents. I was irritated by this more than some reviewers, which meant my overall assessment was a little more negative than the average, though still a long way from being damning.

Cuddlepug – very positive (graded A; "emotionally fraught [...] you'd be forgiven for shedding a tear or two [...] During Pride, [Scootaloo's aunts are] especially welcome. [...] You couldn't have asked for a more satisfying end to [the CMCs'] story.")

Dark Qiviut – very positive ("I love Last Crusade! Not my favorite of the series, but my favorite of the season thus far, and I argue (barely) the best of the season, too.")
Not a full review, for reasons outlined here

DrakeyC – positive ("cool they did it [Scoot's aunts] I very much appreciate the episode thoroughly disproves Scootabuse [...] stock CMC comical filly antics")

Dramamaster829 – broadly positive ("[The episode proves] how important [the CMCs'] friendship is to the show [Scoot's parents'] communication skills are lackluster [...] I think [Rainbow Dash] was just thrown in just for appearances [Scoot's aunts] were very engaging characters with awesome chemistry")

JDPrime22 – fairly positive (rated 8/10; Why [Scootaloo] didn't even mention [her parents] once over the past NINE SEASONS is beyond me [...] this message was fairly strong, her parents letting Scootaloo decide for herself [...] Oh, and Diamond Tiara exists again, remember her?")

Lightening McQueen – positive ("very good, but also emotional [...] helped me fully realise that there is nothing wrong with some people being gay, and it is fine to show gay couples in kids' media [...] happy with how everything worked out in the end")

Louder Yay – positive with substantial reservations (rated 3/5; "I'm not sure I can fully reconcile [this and "Parental Glideance"] I liked that little observation [about the CMC's cutie marks] As with one or two other Dubuc episodes, there's a slight lack of coherence to this one [but] the aunts have annoyed a whole bunch of people who needed to be annoyed, and that counts for something :D")

Mike Cartoon Pony – largely positive ("a swansong to the CMC [...] Snap Shutter and Mane Allgood are not presented in the most positive light [...] Holiday and Lofty are wonderful characters, absolute sweethearts [the second act is] mostly just pushing the plot on autopilot [...] has to settle for being "good" rather then the show masterpiece it might have been")

MLEEP Reviews – very positive (rated 9/10; "so great to finally meet Scootaloo's family at last [...] I absolutely love how it's Scootaloo's aunts that are the ones that help the CMC realize the solution to the conflict")

Present Perfect – positive ("I love how much personality they crammed into [Scootaloo's aunts] part of me wants to slam this episode for being nothing but “hey, kids!” moments [but the episode was] done tastefully and with style")

The Railfan Brony – negative (rated Terrible; "It's nice to see [Scoot] hype [her parents] up as cool [and her aunts are] very progressive in a kid's show [but the episode] very much goes for the "Status Quo is God" trope, which is one of the worst [and] the end result is really frustrating")

TheDragonWarlock – positive (rated 9/10; "may arguably be the best Cutie Mark Crusader episode [...] brings some nice closure [though] the way [her parents] try to get Scootaloo to come to terms with the big move is well...cold [...] It really is a great way to end the CMC though")