Yeah, my thoughts exactly on the story and moral.

Remember in Spike at your Service when we had moments like Rainbow Dash discussing her fan fiction novel and Rarity being all sarcastic? I liked it because I like giving characters little moments that are unrelated to the plot to give them more life outside the episodes' plots and to give their friendship a little more depth outside of just saying supporting words all the time.

This episode feels like it stretched that idea into a whole episode. It just takes so long to get anywhere and could have used more comedic energy or framed its character moments more interestingly.

Also how did you feel about Applejack in this episode? Did her doing things so inefficiently strike you as odd for such a practical-minded character?

The moral is the one thing unambiguously love about this episode. I feel that scenarios like "stuck in a routine you didn't realize was costing you" and "having an outside eye take a look and give advice" are one of the few that can have practical benefit adults. It feels less schmaltzy and more real than stuff like "your friends have your backs" or "giving a gift is not a competition, it shows you care".

I think its crazy that such an apple tycoon would have not thought of adding those water pipes till now. i wonder how many apple trees she has...

Yeah, my thoughts exactly on the story and moral.

 

Remember in Spike at your Service when we had moments like Rainbow Dash discussing her fan fiction novel and Rarity being all sarcastic? I liked it because I like giving characters little moments that are unrelated to the plot to give them more life outside the episodes' plots and to give their friendship a little more depth outside of just saying supporting words all the time.

 

This episode feels like it stretched that idea into a whole episode. It just takes so long to get anywhere and could have used more comedic energy or framed its character moments more interestingly.

 

Also how did you feel about Applejack in this episode? Did her doing things so inefficiently strike you as odd for such a practical-minded character?

 

The moral is the one thing unambiguously love about this episode. I feel that scenarios like "stuck in a routine you didn't realize was costing you" and "having an outside eye take a look and give advice" are one of the few that can have practical benefit adults. It feels less schmaltzy and more real than stuff like "your friends have your backs" or "giving a gift is not a competition, it shows you care".

As far as Applejack goes, I didn't really even take it as much of a reflection on her. Even in the moment, it just felt like an exaggerated example to get the point across, like a sketch in which Sherlock Holmes does everything like Sherlock Holmes, except notice that the next clue is right behind him, just so the audience can feel smart about seeing it first.

In spite of the episode being drawn out, pedestrian, and dull, yeah, I'll still give it the moral itself. If Neal Dusedau really is to blame, I'll point out that he seemed to try to lay out a relatable moral in a step by step process in his last two episodes as well. He just doesn't seem to have the energy or the inspiration to make it as palpable (or interesting) as the shows better examples of that.

I think its crazy that such an apple tycoon would have not thought of adding those water pipes till now. i wonder how many apple trees she has...

I'm wondering if we're ever going to see those again, come to think of it.