Davoo

Many may feel bothered that the mane six--omitting Twilight--were being too obnoxiously xenophobic, but you know at some point we have to get used to the reality that having characters with flaws will necessarily include them all doing flawed things, sometimes without even much justification or excuse. I notice how it's kind of funny that, right from the beginning, Twilight is being almost as ignorant as the other five, in her offhanded rejection of the concept of 'curses' and her dismissal of the 'natural remedy' book and any other source of information that she had preemptively banned from consideration. The idea that 'curses' are fake and 'magic' is real is a weirdly fascinating concept for this mythology to tackle, and I completely forgot about it. Maybe it's something that could be explored more thoroughly in Equestrian worldbuilding Hey, "Friendship is magic"... "magic is real, curses are trickery"... could 'curses' theoretically be embodied by insincere niceness and inauthentic relationships? Speaking of Equestrian fantasy concepts I'd forgotten about; they speak of 'another land' or wherever where the foliage grows and the weather changes by itself. So... our world, in other words? The realistic, earth-like world? ...with talking Zebras whatever shut up. Regardless that's a pretty massive, potentially delicious can of beans that the writers started to open up there, and as far as I remember it hasn't been referenced since. I started writing a fanfic, once, where Twilight is being flown far away from Equestrian borders on a royal mission, further out than anypony had been able to map out before, and then her flyers were attacked with machine guns and she is put in a little prison cell. Turns out Equestria is all just one tiny remote inner-region of Cuba. And so then, like, Twilight escapes, gets to the coastline, uses her magic to befriend the sea life and speed-dolphins her way to Florida, where she then meets Rush Limbaugh. They talk for a little while, and Twiley pulls off a hearing spell to cure Rush's deafness, making him very much grateful for her. And so then what would happen would be like, he has Twilight on his show the next day. He has her sitting on his lap behind the microphone, and says, "Good morning ladies and gentlemen. I know we don't have guests on this show very often, and that when we do, it's with an incredible guest. I have sitting in my lap this moment a small unicorn. That's a horse with a horn and magical capabilities, for those of you in Rio Linda." And so then they have lengthy discussions about society and the organization of intelligence, and the balance of free will and safety, and many other important matters. Eventually reporters and scientists would start going to Equestria to learn about it, and within a few years millions would start campaigning that Princess Celestia become the supreme leader of the human race as well--her being the angelically pure, noble and caring executive that the USSR and every other communist society so badly needed, and James Madison said couldn't exist among man. And so then, like, a few decades go by and everypony (we'd start referring to other humans as 'everypony', given the dominance of pony culture by this time) would start to get uncontent with Celestial command and start a revolution for no good reason. ...okay so what was I talking about? Oh yeah Bridle Gossip and the mane six acting weird about it. All I can say now is I need to go watch the "Cherokee Hair" episode of South Park to balance out this episode's take on how to react to the unknown. I mean, how could any of them have been certain Zecora's stew was actually going to help them? Or that she had their interests in mind? Would you take medicine from and overall trust someone you just met just because they're not going to kill you and eat you? I think Disney's Tarzan gets it more-or-less right: don't be a closed-off, closed-minded rejector of everything unknown, but also don't just trust anyone without knowing who they are, especially if they draw red X's of your location on a map and chuckle.

Well I don't have much to say about this episode. One thing I find notable about it is how particularly youthful Rarity sounds and acts here. In human form, she is always (always) depicted as older than the other five, and I know that it's because her voice actress is at least fifteen years older than the other three, but I wish more people kept in mind that Rarity is supposed to be just about the same age as everyone else. Secondly, just a really minor observation, in the 8:26 mark, Applejack makes a befuddled look, that I believe is the exact face Apple Bloom made one other time. Just something I thought was interesting.

I love that montage near the beginning where the mane six are at their homes getting ready. If Dash's color-coded "sky mark" she leaves behind her flight trail wasn't enough to convince you that this show is heavily influenced by the Powerpuff Girls (not to mention how some of the same people are involved in it), that scene should leave no more doubt. This episode is a decent example of one thing I find to be kind of annoying in FiM--and it's something that seemed to mostly be a problem in the first season--the characters being cast for the job awkwardly. Like, out of all the ponies in Equestria to deal with this dragon, why are only these six the ones for the job? But this isn't the best case, just wait a few episodes and we'll get to one. It's still always so great to watch how this show can very realistically take a break from its pressing plot matters and have a scene or two with just the characters talking about irrelevant stuff. Animated characters don't get any more natural and realistic-feeling. It actually really reminds me of South Park. Thispisode (one word) also seems to have set out the goal of demonstrating how five of the characters react to the shortcomings of the sixth. >Dash is completely impatient and unapproving >AJ is trying to be supportive and compromising; working around Fluttershy's feeble psyche, or warmly encouraging her >Twilight is roughly inbetween Rainbow and AJ >Rarity seems to be mostly--and Pinkie seems to be completely--impartial to it. They see what Flutters is doing, but don't seem to mind very much, they're more preoccupied with generally having a good time with their friends on the hike One last thing; I always felt that Fluttershy's speech at the end was the slightest bit awkward. I dunno exactly why, but something about it always makes me cringe just a liiiiittle bit. Maybe it's too abrupt, undramatic, disjointed and realistic? Well I guess that was the point, so you got me there. I think Dash was pretty tolerant for the most part. She seemed to be the most focused on the mission, uttering the smallest amount of 'casual talk' in the episode; here they were trying to save Equestria, and Fluttershy was being an incredibly tough burden. But, after getting annoyed and face-palming, and trying her best to help Flutters up the cliff, she quickly resigns to herself and waits. She's not being as patient as AJ and Twilight, but she's not getting mad or really protesting. And toward the end, she asks, "Are you still sure it was a good idea to bring Fluttershy along with us?" Which is a great, legitimate question, because it's obvious Fluttershy doesn't want to be there, so wouldn't it have been best to leave her behind if she was going to stiffen up the whole way up? But still, she went along with the program and continued to try to work with Flutters for the rest of that scene. So again I really don't think Dash's attitude in this episode was anywhere near 'contempt', it was just the exact same skepticism and frustration that Twilight and Applejack had, and she was simply being more upfront about it.

Trixie is such a hilarious character. Following the precedent set by the previous episode, this episode is impressive in that it shows a character already knowing a lesson (don't show off) before it begins, then learning the expanded thesis of that lesson by the end. I notice how this is one of the first episodes in which we see just what Rainbow Dash is capable of. Didn't Dash, AJ, Spike and Rarity kind of jump to judgement on Trixie? She was just performing. I'd like to say, watching this a second time and letting it sink in, that I no longer hate Snips and Snails. But yeah, how can you not hate those two characters? At least in this episode? Okay here's what it is; if either their faces looked less stupid, or their voices were less annoyingly stupid, they'd be fine. But having both is too overwhelming. That's what makes Derpy a much more enjoyable (and lot less offensive!) character; she's a lot more toned back and subtle. Snips and Snails remind me of those two 'twins' characters from Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen. I'm a little annoyed whenever some character says "[noun] is the most [adjective] in all of Ponyville! No, in all of Equestria!" How often do you say "that's the most [adjective] [noun] in all of [state/province]! No, in all of [country]!"? One thing this episode does that I find annoying is a bad habit the show mostly had in the first season: employing the mane six in a kind of awkward, gimmicky way. Like, out of all the ponies who could try to show up Trixie, it's just those three?

I love this episode; despite being so quiet and actually kind of boring, it might be one of the best yet made so far. (I'll have to see. That's one reason why I'm going back to re-watch them all). As it goes on, FiM has developed many--possibly dozens--of outstanding qualities and selling points that make it entertaining and satisfying to watch, and Griffon the Brush Off puts several of those qualities on full display for the first time. First of all, it's the first episode to wind back, cool down, give story more-or-less a nap, and take some time to just have the characters be the characters. Anyone who follows the skits, reviews and editorials of Doug Walker knows how much he likes a show that can focus on how the characters work off of one another. I clocked it: the actual story and conflict of this episode doesn't begin until the 7:21 mark. Before that, it's all just character development. And it's very enjoyable, very relaxed, and best of all; it's believable. It makes a lot of sense that Dash and Pinkie would be united through the social trope of "pranking", being an act both comedic and mischievous. Which leads me directly to the second great, new pro-quality this episode introduced to the show: Lessons that treat the audience with respect. So you're writing for a little girl's cartoon (bronies don't exist yet), and you're assigned to write an episode about pranking. Yawn, you could write that one in your sleep: the character starts doing pranks, slowly gets out of control, then has to learn how to restrain herself. Right? That's how any cartoon would do it, right? Wrong! The first time watching this one, I sat there in stunning astonishment as Pinks and Bowdash underwent their comedic campaign with the deliberate and active condition of not hurting anyone or anyone's feelings. What is this?? Characters already knowing some of the basic moral lessons before the episode started?? But... that would imply that you think the kids watching your show have a brain or something. So, if they didn't go in for hammering in that overdone lesson, what are they going to do now? Oh, this new character gets introduced, and she's a friend of Rainbow Dash's. Ah, so now, Pinkie Pie is going to get all jealous about it, and spend the rest of the episode getting more and more irrational until she realizes in the end that she's been enviou--THE IDEA OF JEALOUSY IS BROUGHT UP RIGHT AWAY, and Pinkie immediately contemplates that possibility. I mean, holy bananas, MLP:FiM writers, how much intelligence can you fit into one episode? I know this isn't exactly groundbreaking philosophy or fully adult, deep, complex emotional introspection or anything, but it's just really refreshing to see some actual effort put into the moral of a cartoon. The third really great quality of the show that first got off the ground in this episode was the much richer, better character development of Pinkie Pie. Before this episode, we'd pretty much never seen Pinkie really upset at anything. She was the perpetual comic relief those first four episodes. If FiM had been in the hands of the average teleplay writer, she would have been a 1-dimensional prat-falling squeak toy, stayed a 1-dimensional prat-falling squeak toy, and never become anything but a 1-dimensional prat-falling squeak toy. But once again, the standard operating procedure of bull crap cartoon cliches was violated as Pinkamena Diane Pie in this episode began expressing emotions other than 'happy'. She would later go on to become developed even further in later episodes; especially in Party of One and especially especially in A Friend in Deed. But Griffon the Brush Off is where we got our first taste. Oh, and anyone who speculates that Gilda was hanging around Dashie for reasons beyond 'just hanging out', well... yeah, I kind of have to agree. Well obviously it'll never OFFICIALLY be like that, but just from the way Gilda acts around Rainbow for most of the episode, it's pretty hard to deny. I'd say that the idea wasn't even present in the writers' and animators' minds; it just subconsciously snuck its way in there. I swear I've never written, never read and never intend to read any fan fiction of this, I just think the subtlety of the animation and writing backs it up. ~.^

I'd say "probably", it'll definitely take a good number of years to go by before I can say for certain. But since "yes" was the closest answer available, that's what I went with. Pretty much anyone will have to agre that it's at least the best animation of any made-for-TV western cartoon yet made

Okay who here actually watched the first two episodes first, and then kept going roughly in order? I know I didn't; I kind of burn myself out if I try to watch a show brand new in order.

So I am continuing my 2013 plan/schedule of re-watching every MLP episode once every four days between now and the beginning of '14, in order to get through this MASSIVE hiatus in anticipation of season four. Also, because I haven't re-watched most of the episodes anyway. You can follow along with me down the list if you like. Today's episode was this one. You know what makes Friendship is Magic such a successful show? Of course you do. It's not that the characters are rich, deep and likeable lovable, it's not that the animation, sound design and overall production are the best of any TV-cartoon made in all of history (seriously; it's like an old Fleicher brothers cartoon), it's that the show has struck an emotional chord with so many people. Something about it just resonates with millions of people; makes them cry, makes them laugh out of nowhere for no particular reason; maybe even makes them a better person. Lately I've been working with my family business totally full time, and have become about equally as important a provider for my family as my dad, sometimes working Saturdays. And business is tight and (seemingly) everything is so expensive, so I don't have much money rationed off for me personally like it used to be last year. And I've also taken up my own separate career goals at home, into which I have been pouring almost all of my spare time--I'll probably get back to work on them as soon as I finish writing this message--and so I've often found myself staying up past midnight prying my eyes open, then to get up at 6 or 7 am the next morning. And actually I've been quite awesomely happy; I like getting dirty from work every day, I love staying up all night, I love pushing myself and making things; even in the knowledge that statistically I'm most likely going to fail for a while (or forever), I've really enjoyed living more than I ever have. THIS is the state of life Jefferson meant by the word 'happiness'. Yet despite all that, for some reason, about two hours ago, out of nowhere, I suddenly felt in the dumps. I became senselessly angry to myself over literally nothing, then became really sad and stayed that way as I was heading home. I knew that today was scheduled to watch another FiM episode, so I was really looking forward to watching it because I was hoping it'd make me feel better. And so what episode just so happened to be lined up to watch? The one about Apple Jack working too hard and being a prideful idiot not asking for help and taking on too much responsibility. I swear I did not plan this. I dunno; watching it I was telling myself that I'm not making the same mistakes that AJ was making. And technically speaking, I was correcting. But I dunno, maybe I really do have a problem with that. Just over a year ago, I was such a wretchedly lazy, underachieving dead weight, that maybe I'm overcompensating. That's another thing that makes FiM arguably the best made-for-TV western cartoon yet made; the lessons and values are actually a little advanced, pretty mature, and make you think. Or at least, this one made me think. http://youtu.be/QPoTGyWT0Cg

So yeah this episode was pretty good. Good with the characters, but the premise was still pretty corny. Faust has great character designs, great broad ideas, obviously fantastic production abilities, but just 'okay' story execution.

That can be looked at as separation, or it can be looked on as inclusion. I think the people who thought the term up and popularized it where thinking "hey, I want to call you a brony, but you're not male, therefore not a brother, therefore not a 'bro', therefore cannot be a brony. Let's make a new term just for you that means pretty much the exact same thing, so that you can be part of this!" But still, the reason it still doesn't catch on is because one stupid name is enough.

Indeed, anyone who wants to stake the claim that the show's writing has become weaker in recent times... go back and watch episode 2 again. The way they overcome the challenges is so cheesy. You know that the five of them represent the five elements really early on (if not instantly). Yet the episode has a two minute explanation speech. The Crystal Empire episode had an even more haphazard narrative, but it didn't have nearly this much facepalm-inducing corniness. But this episode still has the characters, animation and underlying personality that I love about the show, so keep in mind I still really like it. It just has a lot of annoyances, and I felt the need to bring them up because I think people are starting to glorify the first season over the third, only because it was the first episodes they saw; and not for the actual content of the program. Anyway, like I said before, I'm on a schedule to go back and re-watch every episode over the course of the year. If I watch one every four days, that should drop me off right around the end of the year, when season four will hopefully begin.

They'll have to jin up some made-up stuff to make it as culture-neutral as they have before. "Eggs and rabbits day!" Or maybe they'll surprise us and go the opposite direction. "In Ponyville, we believe in the Easter Bunny. He died for our sins in that helicopter crash."

They're not supposed to 'have' ages, because that's how abstract cartoon characters work. The question is; how do their characters translate into modern society? People who all have full-time jobs and/or are engaged in careers would be in their early 20's at youngest. So that's where I pin them. It's really easy to think of Rarity as the oldest, on account that she's voiced by a 50-something year old. So what I do during Rarity scenes is try to imagine that she's a young woman trying to sound mature, that helps get me in the right frame of mind. Because practically, she's no older than the other five.

I was really looking forward to seeing the pilot again, given that so many people now look back on it thinking, "aw yeah, the show was better back then; it's weaker now". I dunno. I feel that it's just the result of bent expectations. Watching this episode, all you can compare it to is the previous MLP generations. The newer episodes, well, you can compare to this. I think the way they introduce the characters is fantastic, the music, the pacing, the animation, and the general production value are as good as they always are. But at the same time, the broad strokes of the narrative are pretty haphazard. See what I realized was that I hardly go back and re-watch episodes. So what I'm doing is watching every episode again between today and the season four premiere. Watching one episode every four days will be right on time to next January. So in four days, I'll watch part 2.