Hiya! I usually like to spend Saturdays almost exclusively in Show Discussion, but given I didn't get the chance to do that this Saturday, I felt like I needed to do something to keep the rust away

I decided to write up a review for one of my personal favorites, which is also one that is horribly underrated, "A Dog and Pony Show"

It starts off with Rarity in the boutique, adding a couple of finishing touches to an ensemble she's working on. She's carefully putting each gem in place, until she's finally finished (and out of gems.)

Then, out of nowhere, Sapphire Shores, A.K.A. "The Pony of Pop" bursts in and sends my lovely waifu into shock, due to being in the presence of a celebrity of Ms. Shores' caliber.

They babble about for a bit, Rarity (looking so cute as she did this, by the way) shaking in awe. Sapphire pops the big question, and if I can recall, it went something like this -

So, once that's out of the way and we get serious again, Rarity shows her the jewel-encrusted ensemble she had been working on earlier, pleasing Ms. Shores (Yay!)

Then, her celebrity clientele asks for 5 more of the same thing, each using a different gem.

Celebrities, man. Can't please 'em.

Anyway, to make matters worse, she's out of gems.

So, she rallies the troops (if you can call a horny baby dragon "the troops") and sets out to get more gems so she can complete Miss Shores' order.

She has a successful day finding gems (and Spike's day was a success, anyway, getting to spend time with that goddess of a mare She's mine, though, Spike. Don't forget that.) and is about ready to head out, when all of a sudden:

BAM!

This dude shows up.

Now, I know his name is "Rover" from the MLP Wiki, but we'll just call him "Champion RD92"

Anyway, Rarity find this little fancy doo-dad of a gem in a tree, and there was Champ, single and ready to flamingle.

Rarity starts backing up, saying "I'm sorry, but ghostie is my one true love ( ) " but Champ starts being persistent.

Finally, after all is said and done, they take Rarity down in their little hole to find them some gems.

Spike, having witnessed the whole thing and failed to save my lovely waifu (another reason why Rarighost > Sparity), runs back to get the rest of the mane 6, flailing his arms like Kermit the Frog.

The rest instantly begin assuming the worst is going to happen to Rarity, just because she's so much more feminine than they are, those bastards.

Champion RD92 and his gang of merry men make all of the holes they've dug impossible to get through, dealing quite a beating to the remane 5 while doing so.

Finally, Spike asks himself "What would ghostie do?" and pulls the gem Rarity had given him earlier out of her own kind and giving nature, and does the same with a fishing rod and uses it to send them into a flying frenzy down some tunnel, worrying about Rarity the whole way.

All the while, Rarity was just screwing with them, with the famous lines "I'm not whining, I am complaining," "You want to hear whining? THHHHHIIIIISSSSS IS WHINING!!," etc., etc. Ultimately, she became their queen, because she's that fabulous

So, a few manly Spike scenes later, they "rescued" Rarity and got all of those gems. Damn, Rarity is amazing.

Anyway, now that story time is over, it's time to get serious with the actual review.

GEMS:

• Rarity She was amazing this episode. She was very witty in both a clever and humorous way, giving the best of both worlds. She also proved what a stereotype breaking character she is by managing to fend for herself in a dangerous situation. Most ponies as feminine as her would wait to be rescued, sort of like that manly Spike scene. Instead, she began using her wits and charm to outsmart her obviously intellectually-challenged opponents. This episode puts one of her most intriguing aspects in the limelight; that being that, while being as feminine as she is, she's still able to take care of herself and maintain a good-heart through it all.
  
• Humor/Dialogue. This episode was very humorous. The "Manly Spike" scene is one of the most hilarious moments in the whole series in my opinion, but there was also the equally funny lines Rarity had as she was pestering the Diamond Dogs into submission. Need I remind you of what those lines are? They're almost her signature saying by this point
  
• Pacing. This episode had a very nice flow, from Ms. Shores placing her order to the gem hunting trip/kidnapping to the "rescue" to Rarity's scenes, everything transitioned nicely while being engaging to the viewer all the same.
  

DIRT:

• Although it was a key component to this episode, and should be recognized as such, the remane 5's doubts of Rarity being able to fend for herself weren't really that good. It came across as pitying and stereotyping her to me, and I didn't like that. Of course, this isn't as much a criticism to the episode as much as it is something that bothered me.
  

"A Dog and Pony Show" Overall Rating:

:D :D /5

One of the best episodes of the series, and something I'd be able to watch over and over again.

(God, I love that mare )