The only things that saved this episode from being a complete clunker were the characterizations of the Cutie Mark Crusaders and the pets. They were all brilliant, and Hell's Angel was both caring and conniving. He knew Spike's plan and didn't buy it one bit.
Keep Calm and Flutter On probably sets up a major future story arc while Sidekicks is an everyday episode for laughs. Thus it's a bit of an apple and orange comparison. With that said, this is one of the best Spike episodes, WAY better than Spike at Your Service.
