500 posts, wow!

S5E5 Tanks for the Memories

I think this episode was fantastic really. Probably one of the best Rainbow Dash ones. I thought the episode was mature, showing how Rainbow Dash went through the 5 stages of grief (though fortunately enough a death didn't need to happen in order to make this lesson come through) and honestly this was a good lesson to put in for a kids. The song was pleasant too. All in all great, and not hurtful on anyone's character.

S5E6 Appleloosa's Most Wanted

This one sat oddly with me. I didn't think it was necessarily bad, and the concept itself wasn't bad and was good to be explored. In fact, it looks like a good chunk of this season is about, or is going to be about "Cutie Mark magic" so this is fine. But the was a bit off for me. The CMC were fine, but I don't know, something about the pony of focus and how his talent seemed to be more so getting laughed at. I know I wouldn't have wanted to be in his shoes. I don't know, it just didn't work for me, despite understanding the lesson. Not bad, but not one I'd probably think too well of.

S5E7 Make New Friends But Keep Discord

This one marks the first episode that I didn't see until this point of an episode rewatch, so it was my first knowledge of it. And that's going to continue for quite a bit, though I'll say the episodes I started a first time. This one however, wow. This one was... something. I'm finding myself getting real sick and tired of Discord's shenanigans, especially with Celestia enabling him. Hell I'm starting to to think Celestia on the show is insane. That last moment too felt like a diet version of the Best Night Ever, and honestly, that sucked. It really felt like it tried to heavily force the same special moment from BNE, and it just didn't work, because it didn't have the same episode development with the characters. It just had Discord doing what he always does. In fact, honestly that felt, if anything, like it was just shitting on the original gala episode. And with the bulk of the episode, like I said, Discord's shit is really getting tiring. My tolerance of him is really getting low, and it's becoming more and more questioned what the point of him is. The Smooze was forced in, and I never thought I'd find myself wishing for the G1 smooze instead. At least I finally got over seeing that "joke" where Rarity is naked, that always bothered me for quite a bit, and I feel like at the very least I can put that aside. But I didn't know this gets counted off as an episode where the Mane 5 get Worfed for something stupid when it was completely unnecessary. And then Celestia not being able to use her magic. This episode was definitely one I could have gone without seeing this one.

(04-09-2017, 02:42 PM)Rares Wrote: S5E7 Make New Friends But Keep Discord

This one marks the first episode that I didn't see until this point of an episode rewatch, so it was my first knowledge of it. And that's going to continue for quite a bit, though I'll say the episodes I started a first time. This one however, wow. This one was... something. I'm finding myself getting real sick and tired of Discord's shenanigans, especially with Celestia enabling him. Hell I'm starting to to think Celestia on the show is insane. That last moment too felt like a diet version of the Best Night Ever, and honestly, that sucked. It really felt like it tried to heavily force the same special moment from BNE, and it just didn't work, because it didn't have the same episode development with the characters. It just had Discord doing what he always does. In fact, honestly that felt, if anything, like it was just shitting on the original gala episode. And with the bulk of the episode, like I said, Discord's shit is really getting tiring. My tolerance of him is really getting low, and it's becoming more and more questioned what the point of him is. The Smooze was forced in, and I never thought I'd find myself wishing for the G1 smooze instead. At least I finally got over seeing that "joke" where Rarity is naked, that always bothered me for quite a bit, and I feel like at the very least I can put that aside. But I didn't know this gets counted off as an episode where the Mane 5 get Worfed for something stupid when it was completely unnecessary. And then Celestia not being able to use her magic. This episode was definitely one I could have gone without seeing this one.

I mainly like the ep because Maud and Tree Hugger. I generally find Discord's antics amusing, then again I'm easy to please.

So Maud/10.

(04-09-2017, 03:48 PM)Pacifist Wrote: I mainly like the ep because Maud and Tree Hugger. I generally find Discord's antics amusing, then again I'm easy to please.

So Maud/10.

If it's any consolation, Maud's "You're the most basic of jokes" was a redeeming moment for the episode for me.

(04-09-2017, 04:09 PM)Rares Wrote:

(04-09-2017, 03:48 PM)Pacifist Wrote: I mainly like the ep because Maud and Tree Hugger. I generally find Discord's antics amusing, then again I'm easy to please.

So Maud/10.

If it's any consolation, Maud's "You're the most basic of jokes" was a redeeming moment for the episode for me.

*flutteryay*

(04-09-2017, 04:09 PM)Rares Wrote: If it's any consolation, Maud's "You're the most basic of jokes" was a redeeming moment for the episode for me.

Indeed, best line of the episode, possibly of the season.

Overall, I have to agree with your impressions of this episode, Discord, and the show's Celestia. Discord never should have been released, and when the M6 had to return the elements to the Tree of Harmony, they should have nuked Discord before doing so. Now they're all at his mercy, and we've seen in Twilight's Kingdom just what that gets you. What do they think is going to happen 100 years down the line when he's without his "friend?" Show Celestia is a fool, Discord is a loose cannon, and this episode did indeed feel like a discounted Best Night Ever.

That said, I did kind of like the Schmooze.

(04-09-2017, 04:59 PM)Gentian Wrote: Overall, I have to agree with your impressions of this episode, Discord, and the show's Celestia. Discord never should have been released, and when the M6 had to return the elements to the Tree of Harmony, they should have nuked Discord before doing so. Now they're all at his mercy, and we've seen in Twilight's Kingdom just what that gets you. What do they think is going to happen 100 years down the line when he's without his "friend?" Show Celestia is a fool, Discord is a loose cannon, and this episode did indeed feel like a discounted Best Night Ever.

Yeah really, this whole bit with Discord is just getting worse and worse, and how they're tolerating him blows my mind. And while it made sense in Best Night Ever, Show Celestia's idea of "fun" for this gala put a lot of ponies in danger. Just not a good idea.

Yeah, the plot was pretty bad. But Bloom got to attend this one and get a pretty dress. Even if she and her friends weren't written especially flatteringly for how they've matured up to this point, getting to see her there always puts a smile on my face. I like it a lot.

Also, on Apploosa's Most Wanted, I adore it. Apple Bloom was written sweetly in it, with enough focus on her deeply understanding nature, figuring out his problem before the other two did, and also being the first to see that he's a good guy. Easy for me to see it that way, anyway, really highlights her sweet heart from that perspective. It was a happy outcome for him, because it was what he's destined to do, and that's what matters. I can even appreciate how it showed her adventurous nature as something of a flaw, until it all worked out perfectly as it often does. It's not perfect or even maybe technically good; most of the characters were pretty silly, though not especially ooc. But I love it

S5E8 The Lost Treasure of Griffinstone

Another one I didn't see. This one I find interesting because while I thought the episode itself was fine and rather entertaining, on a larger scale, I don't think this episode is good, due to the whole map bit. First I'll talk about the episode, then the map bit. I don't think the episode itself was bad, like I said. I thought Rainbow and Pinkie had some good bits, and Gilda was nice to see again. I felt like it was okay for Gilda to be redeemed because she was already established as a friend prior, unlike someone like, say, Suri, a character who honestly I hope never shows up again because of the impact of the lesson it has with Rarity Takes Manehattan. Anyway, about the episode, showing more of the griffins and their land, I thought that was interesting. Truthfully, although there was that moment with the idol there, that really felt crammed in for the sake of that "choice" for Gilda, and it would have been better to not have it at all.

Now, on to the concept of the map. At this point in time, I've seen two: This one, and Spice Up Your Life. Honestly, I dislike this episode format very much, and think it does a bit of harm on the show. I think the best thing the show has going for it, at least that I enjoy besides Rari, is the Mane 6 bonding periods, and although on paper it seems like this would actually help that, it really doesn't. It ticks off by seeming like the episode will be about the bonding of the two ponies as they go away somewhere to go do something... but that really doesn't happen. In this episode, and Spice Up Your Life, it felt as if Rainbow and Pinkie, and then Rarity and Pinkie, didn't have that essential bonding moment, they just kinda did their own thing and reconnected for the end. Sure they helped someone else, but what about Mane 6 bonding? While I would prefer to see more Mane 6 episodes, I can understand how this would be deemed difficult to fit them all in one, but why make it feel like they're kind of doing their own thing for these map episodes? They're supposed to be "ambassadors of friendship" but it doesn't quite come off fully as that. More so tourists who help people. I hope this dynamic improves with the others, because as it stands I don't quite approve of this new format.