Baykush

Nowhere near as hilarious as Party Pooped (which is the funniest episode of the show imo) but still pretty good, the yaks were and still are the weakest element of their episodes but I liked them a little better here, and even if their traditions and all that weren't interesting for me, Pinkie Pie's reactions and attempts to blend in made those scenes interesting enough just like everypony's reactions to how they were destroying everything in Party Pooped made them less annoying. It was fun and entertaining, but it could've been better and I didn't like so much how the moral was presented. It's nice to have an episode that isn't trying to stand out though, I feel like almost all of the episodes this season are trying a bit too hard and even if it has worked out most of the time it gets a little exhausting.

This episode is why I don't read synopsis, the map calling Starlight? She switching the royal sisters' cutie marks? Yeah, I wouldn't have any faith in an episode like that to work out as well as it did, but the writers pulled it off wonderfully. I think this is what "Do Princesses Dream Of Magic Sheep?" should've been, something with a conflict that isn't forced, and that even though it has some obvious fanservice it makes it work in the story. I want to write my thoughts but I feel it'd take me a lot of time and I don't feel up to it at the moment, I'll just say it's a definitive 10/10, best episode of the season and one of the best of the show.

This episode could've benefited a lot from having AJ being less mean about her opinions, and I mean a lot (like, literally), it's funny because I even though I liked it a lot despite its flaws I was expecting people here to hate it more. Anyway, here's what I liked and disliked about the episode: What I liked: It has a really interesting premise, Applejack judging a fashion show because Rarity thought it'd be a good idea? That's very interesting and her reasoning does make a lot of sense. The lesson, it's very interesting and something both kids and adults can struggle with. I think Rainbow Dash would've been a better candidate to learn that lesson, specially because AJ does have tact to say things (unlike RD, which is why I don't agree when people say she should be the element of honesty), but it's actually more interesting to see this side of Applejack. The comedy was great, Pinkie didn't have much of a point to be here except make funny things happen, and I don't care because without it the episode would've been harder to watch. My favorite part was when she said "Applejack told me to distract you for an hour" all of the sudden, specially because we didn't see that happening. It's nice to see Photo Finish and Hoity Toity back, I found it kind of odd how they just liked everything the designers made but they were a lot of fun to watch regardless. The designers were also a lot of fun, although none of them were very memorable characters. I loved when AJ told the valley girl one "I don't think that word means what you think it means". I actually can see why Applejack started acting the way she did, with very little knowledge about fashion and suddenly finding her opinion to be helpful (even if it wasn't), I can see why she'd get carried away. I think she took it a bit too far, but it was still good at first. What I didn't like: That scene when one of the designers was talking about how much work she put into making that feather hat and then AJ came and not only told her it sucked, but literally destroyed it herself... that was painful to watch, of all ponies AJ should appreciate hard work, and even if she didn't she wouldn't just destroy it like that. I was actually accepting her behavior until that point but that scene was terrible, and she was already being kind of terrible and kept being like that afterwards. Rarity should've told AJ right from the start that she shouldn't be so rude, the conflict could've still happened but it would feel more natural and less set up to fail from the beginning. How Rarity had to get that random other pony to make her point, it was a very simplistic way to solve that conflict and it kind of came out of nowhere.

Between the forced "first crush" romance (I can hear Lauren Faust's ghost crying just by writing that), how cliché it was, all the cringeworthy moments and references that were already outdated in 2012 with a story that was already outdated in the early 2000's (Shrek anyone?) I should hate this episode, and to be fair I do think it deserves the hate it's getting, but I won't lie, it was a lot of fun It's not something I'm going to be watching again anytime soon, in fact I'll give it the Fluttershy Leans In treatment of avoiding watching it again so that my first impression doesn't get damaged, but I did enjoy it more than I should have.

I’m not sure I can handle these new episodes coming out so fast, normally just one a week is enough for me and I like giving them time to know how I feel about them. Anyway, I watched all 3 I hadn’t watched yesterday, and it’s probably for the better with this episode because while I enjoyed it there just isn’t much to it to think about, there are some great things here and there and some very obvious flaws which I didn’t mind that much, and I want to leave it like that. What I liked: Fluttershy, she was easily the best element of this episode. She was very confident, she knew when to tell people "no" and did it with authority while still being the kind pony she's always been, and I specially loved the little speeches she gave so full of passion, those were hilarious and even the characters acknowledged the situation itself was kind of funny, which was a nice touch. I liked how they gave her a small goal, even if it just lasted for this episode alone. I always see people complaining Fluttershy has no goals and I don't think there's anything bad with being happy with how your life already is, but her motivation to build the sanctuary didn't come out of nowhere and it was nice to see her take action. I liked the veterinary and how she had a very genuine friendship with Fluttershy. What I didn't like: How "in your face" it was at times the fact that Fluttershy has developed so much, the scenes when she's thanking her friends for her new confidence and when her friends are acknowledging it end up being very expository and distracting, not to mention unnecessary. Fluttershy has shown a lot of times since season 5 she is confident, there's no need to keep mentioning that anymore, we get it. If you noticed all the elements I liked have to do with Fluttershy, and that's because almost everything else is either meh or bad, specially the three construction ponies. I understand they aren't experts in animals, but they also seem very incompetent in their own fields and very selfish. There was no misunderstanding, there would've been if they hadn't been jerks, specially because Fluttershy's "vision" was very vague (which is understandable since she's never built anything before) and she was being very oblivious to how the other ponies didn't understand what she wanted. But no, basically she was right all along and there was nothing for her to learn here. Also, who the hell thinks a Canterlot fashion designer would be of any help in an animal sanctuary? Really Rarity? There was no real conflict and there was no tension or anything. Overall the episode was cute and enjoyable, but that's it. It has a lot of very obvious flaws that keep it from being as great as it could've been, and I get the feeling those flaws will keep getting worse and more distracting the more I think about them. It was pleasant to watch so I'll just leave it like that and move on to the next episodes.

I can't believe I forgot to say this, but the fact that Maud kind of indirectly helped Starlight enslave the village might be one of the funniest thing I've seen in a while. I love that Starlight allows the humor to get a bit darker and meaner without it feeling out of place, and it was as brilliantly hilarious as it was awful TELL NO PONY!

I don't know, I guess my impression of this episode is mostly positive but I have mixed feelings about it. Aside from one element that I thought was excellent i feel like almost every other element makes me feel confused, because I'm not sure if they were good or if they were bad. Anyway, here's what I loved, disliked and have mixed feelings about in the episode: What I loved: Maud and Starlight, they make this episode and they're the reason my impression of it is more positive than neutral. It was very impressive how much chemistry they shared, because it not only felt very genuine but for Starlight it was also very casual. They didn't become instant best friends, they didn't share a tragic past, they weren't enemies first, they didn't help save Equestria, they sort of just met and happened to get along, which is very refreshing for her. Sure, Starlight did relate her struggle to Maud's at some point but imo it was the weakest part of their friendship. Starlight excitedly yet awkwardly screaming she liked kites was the best part. The dialogue. I'll give the writers credit, the dialogue this season has been really good and memorable. My favorite quote is "See. I was hoping you'd tell me while I pretended to remember". The moral, or at least one of the morals, "even if you have the best intentions you might be hurting someone you love without realizing it". I think that's a very mature lesson for both kids and adults, and it was very understandable the way it was presented. What I have mixed feelings about: The comedy. First thing's first, this is a Nick Confalone episode staring Pinkie Pie, you'd think she'd be the center of the comedy or at least have some funny moments, but most of the time I didn't find her funny, if anything she was kind of annoying (specially with that scream at the beginning). The episode still had some very good comedy aside from Pinkie, but (and this is a weird thing to say) it kind of worked against it at some points. It just felt like the episode sometimes forgot to be funny and then became funny again out of nowhere, and sometimes the times in which the jokes were placed weren't the best to me. For example, when Maud said "this way" while she was confronting Pinkie, it was funny but out of place. Pinkie Pie. I did understand her motivations and I think it's very cool that we're getting to see this side of hers that isn't so good, but she was made very unlikable and annoying at some points, and as I said before, the comedy surrounding her wasn't the best so it was very hard to enjoy watching her. I'm not sure if I respect or hate that the writer did that to her. Maud. I loved both Maud and Starlight together, but individually I have some problems with both. I understand that Maud still wants to connect with other ponies and it's very cool they're giving her the opportunity to do so, but I think the episode pushed a little too hard the "she was lacking something in her life and that something was a friend" narrative. First of all, she decided she would move to Ponyville if she made a friend, but Pinkie was already there, wouldn't it make more sense for her to go to Ponyville because she wants to be with her sister? And also how she suddenly started saying ponies constantly judged her... I know, it's not bad to give her more depth, but it just seemed like a way to force her friendship with Starlight in instead of revealing more about Maud, and as I said before what made Starlight and Maud work so well as friends was how casual their friendship was. Aside from that she was great, I specially loved her reactions when Pinkie was planning more activities for her and Starlight to do. Another episode with Starlight. I really liked her but, and I can't believe I'm saying this, I'm getting tired of seeing her so much. What I disliked: While I liked Starlight in this episode it's a little distracting how she keeps messing up stuff right after having an episode about her not needing more friendship lessons. Also, even if Pinkie was being annoying Starlight almost never seemed to act like they were friends to begin with. This is an episode I need to re-watch in order to know how I actually feel about it, but in case I don't like it in the end the Maud-Starlight interaction saves it from being too bad, and in case I end up liking it then it'd just make it better.

This episode is one of the reasons I don't like to know the titles or the synopsis of the episodes before watching them. I accidentally read part of the title in a youtube thumbnail and just seeing it had "Flurry" in it immediately made me lower my expectations for this episode, and it's really unfair because it was actually really good, more than it had any right to be. What I liked. I still think the baby looks hideous but she was actually kind of adorable and enjoyable in this episode because of her personality. I loved how she played with the bears, how she attempted to wink but failed and how she was reasonable enough to deduce the twins needed to share, but not enough to know that breaking the toy in half wasn't gonna do it. It might be a little unrealistic but hey, it's a candy-colored horses cartoon and they actually try to make it as realistic as that can get. Twilight is BAE, need I say more? She also was ok in this episode, not great but I liked her. Spike was very well-written, like Lesson Zero well-written. Sarcastic, funny, and the voice of reason. The subplot with Cadance and Shining Armor was better than I thought it would be. It didn't do much to develop them but it gave them pretty funny moments, specially because of how they didn't seem to know what was going on half of the time. Shining Armor's friend was great and I hope we get to see more of him, I like how he wasn't the annoyingly oblivious to good taste stereotype, but how he knew that art was subjective and was proud to see the effects it had on Shining Armor and Cadence. It was nice to see Cheerilee and the nurse again. "Honestly all your friends have very similar names", "Is this art or a mistake?", "I'll just write it...with my mouth". This season has some very memorable quotes and dialog already and we're only three episodes in. I liked the way Twilight yelled at Flurry Heart and then realized she had messed up, it was a very realistic reaction even for the princess of friendship herself. I also liked how she had to pay for the consequences of her actions, for the most part. Pinkie Pie's crazy organizational skills are back! Sorry Twi, but Rainbow was right, she is more organized than you are. The apology cakes were a very nice touch. The moral was fine enough to stand on its own, despite having had similar lessons in the show before. This episode was hilarious all the time. What I didn't like. Why the hell couldn't Twilight keep up with Flurry Heart? It makes no sense. While I liked the subplot, I didn't like the reason Shining Armor and Cadence decided to suddenly ask Twilight to take care of Flurry Heart. I think writing about this episode made me like it more, it's definitely one of the best slice-of-life the show has ever done. I think I'm changing my vote from "I like it" to "I love it".

They already tried to do that with Tanks for The Memories, but they didn't know how to make the symbolism actually make sense in the story, and considering the show's limitations they will have to resort to symbolism. You have to be very careful to do something like that, and maybe a very good writer could pull it off, but I don't think it's something the show should tackle.

To be fair it's better to have her like that than to have her be the generic bully she always was.

That's entirely subjective, but to me it was decent and actually very enjoyable when I first watched it. It has its nice moments, does a good job introducing the characters and the world, and I adore that little speech Twilight gives when she realizes the mane 5 are her friends, as cheesy as it is. My personal least favorite is Tanks for The Memories, it just got me in all the wrong ways and became unbearable to watch.

There are and have always been 6 elements, adding a seventh one would make things more complicated, would be unnecessary, and at this point the elements aren't even relevant anymore. She doesn't need one.

Too early to make that judgement. Celestial Advice was a very good episode that kept surprising me, but while All Bottled-Up was good it had some moments that didn't feel very clever in hindsight.

For Pinkie I think pictures of her family, the mane 6, Gummy and probably Cheese Sandwich would make a good mirror.