bigbertha

1. Mysterious Mare Do Well- Not my favorite Rainbow Dash episode, but it's certainly up there. It's really funny and has some nice introspection for Rainbow (9/10) 2. A Hearth's Warming Tale- Luna's Future aside, all of the songs are great and I like how Snowfall's story ties into Starlight's (7/10) 3. The Parent Map- It has a heavily flawed story, but it also has some of the best (and wittiest) dialogue of the modern seasons so it's always entertaining (7/10) 4. Apple Family Reunion- This is a very simple episode, but I think it works here because it is very charming and fun to watch (7/10) 5. Frenemies- The villains sometimes have good chemistry, but other times they're very boring together. It's a mixed episode (6/10) 6. Look Before You Sleep- There are a few charming and fun moments, but Rarity and Applejack bickering like little kids does not make for entertaining television (4/10) 7. Lost Treasure of Griffonstone- Gilda's reformation is insanely rushed and Pinkie acts like Pinkie. Yay (3/10) 8. Hard to Say Anything- I usually like cringe comedy, but this episode gets it so wrong. It goes from funny into creepy every time and that Justin Bieber parody was dated even when the episode first came out. Add on to that the CMC acting strangely childishly for season 7 and Big Mac actually going along with them, and you've got a disaster of an episode (2/10) 9. Rarity Takes Manehattan- While this isn't as annoying as Hard to Say Anything or Lost Treasures of Griffonstone, this is the episode I get the least out of. The song is decent, but everything else sucks. The pacing ruins any kind of drama, it's not funny, and Coco makes the already rushed episode even worse. At least Hard to Say Anything has a few kinda funny gags. This episode has nothing aside from a song that still goes on for too long and gets really overshadowed by Rarity's other songs (1/10)

1. Wonderbolts Academy- One of the best episodes of the show. Rainbow's conflict is really engaging, Lightning Dust is a great foil, and there's even some good comedy with Pinkie's appearances that don't outstay their welcome (10/10) 2. Make New Friends But Keep Discord- This has some of the best comedy of the show. I usually don't like Discord episodes, but there's such a great energy to this one and the jokes are so great and so numerous that the story problems barely hurt it (9/10) 3. Newbie Dash- I actually really like this episode. I think it works for the same reason Mysterious Mare Do Well works. It has her do bad stuff, but she does that stuff for very relatable reasons that give her more depth. There's also some good cringe comedy that doesn't distract from the point of the episode like in something like Brotherhooves Social. The ending is a problem since it doesn't directly resolve Rainbow's conflict, but I think it implies enough to not ruin the episode (8/10) 4. Dragonshy- The first good episode. There's nothing particularly special about this one, but I think it does everything decently well. I like the comedy, the chemistry between the mane six, and Fluttershy standing up to the dragon is a great moment (7/10) 5. May the Best Pet Win- It has its entertaining moments and the song is great, but I feel like this one's trying a bit too hard to be cool and the structure of the 2nd and 3rd acts are too repetitive (6/10) 6. Horse Play- I really don't like Celestia's characterization, but everything aside from her is pretty good. There's some good comedy and the lesson is a good one (6/10) 7. She's All Yak- Incredibly mediocre. The story is boring, the characters are boring, and the comedy isn't funny (4/10) 8. Bats- This episode seems to want me to side with Fluttershy, but Applejack has a legitimate problem that isn't properly solved. Just having a fence around the trees will not solve anything and if there is a more permanent solution, it's not mentioned in the episode or emphasized nearly enough. And even aside from that the comedy isn't very good and the way Fluttershy becomes a bat is really dumb (2/10) 9. Parental Glidance- The worst episode of the show. The moral is the worst (and most dangerous) that the show has ever put out, the "comedy" is really obnoxious, and oh my god is the story so bad that I have no idea how this episode even got made. What an absolute train wreck (0/10)

1. Sleepless in Ponyville- Scootaloo makes a great protagonist and her conflict with Dash is really interesting (9/10) 2. The Cutie Pox- There isn't much to this episode, but it's fun enough for what it is (6/10) 3. Power Ponies- I like the idea and there are couple fun moments, but most of the episode is pretty meh (5/10) 4. Common Ground- It's a nice premise and Patton Oswalt does a good job, but the story itself is very bland and not executed in an interesting or fun way (5/10) 5. Forever Filly- One of the least interesting episodes of the show (5/10) 6. Surf and/or Turf- The conflict with Terramar is so underdeveloped. I have no idea why the spat between Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle is here since it only serves as an excuse to fill time that could've been spent developing Terramar (4/10) 7. Boast Busters- Trixie is a little fun, but she's more annoying. Just like everything else about this episode (3/10) 8. No Second Prances- This whole story is a big mess and is a very good case for people who don't like Starlight (3/10) 9. Appleoosa's Most Wanted- It completely butchers and misses the point of cutie marks while being incredibly boring (1/10)

1. Flight to the Finish- Solid drama combined with a great song. I really like how this episode handles Scootaloo's flight (7/10) 2. Sisterhooves Social- A fantastic Rarity performance is brought down by the sister dynamic feeling very one-sided (7/10) 3. Gauntlet of Fire- It's a fun episode, but it lacks emotional depth (7/10) 4. Magic Duel- It's a very shallow story, which is a big problem because of how stakes it is, but it's still entertaining to watch (6/10) 5. Point of No Return- Funnier than I was expecting, but it is another Twilight freaking out episode and the moral is too heavy handed (6/10) 6. Grannies Gone Wild- Extremely repetitive structure combined with largely dull jokes. But I guess there are a couple decent gags (5/10) 7. Fluttershy Leans In- Fluttershy's goal of wanting to build an animal sanctuary has never been built up and ends before I can get invested, Fluttershy is incredibly boring, and her views are never challenged (3/10) 8. Griffon the Brush-Off- The entire episode is about the moral and Gilda, the worst parts of this episode. Sure, Pinkie is portrayed really well and there are some good jokes, but when the core of the episode is broken, the episode as a whole is broken (3/10) 9. Tanks For the Memories- Hibernation does not equal death. Not even as a metaphor. And besides, Tank comes back in a couple episodes so any stakes the episode could've had are completely gone in retrospect (2/10)

1. Bloom and Gloom- Great moral alongside some really entertaining and interesting dream sequences. This is one of the few highlights of season 5 (8/10) 2. Fake it 'Till You Make It- While there are story problems that hold this episode back, it's still pretty funny (7/10) 3. Sparkle's Seven- It's fun enough to watch, but it doesn't really go far enough in either the comedy or emotion to be anything special (7/10) 4. Luna Eclipsed- Pinkie sucks, but everything else is pretty good (6/10) 5. One Bad Apple- I really don't find the moral to be that bad. Later in life, kids will learn more of the nuances of bullying, but for the moment I think that just learning to always go to authority figures first is fine. And aside from that, the episode is fine. It's not great aside from the song, but it's fun enough (6/10) 6. On Your Marks- It's watchable... That's about it (6/10) 7. Rock Solid Friendship- I really like the stuff with Maud and Starlight, but just like Luna Eclipsed, Pinkie ruins it. Except this is season 7 Pinkie which is way worse than season 2 Pinkie (5/10) 8. Applebuck Season- A repetitive structure combined with pretty lackluster comedy makes a really mediocre episode (4/10) 9. Daring Don't- It's Read it And Weep but worse (3/10)

1. Lesson Zero- Still my favorite episode of the show. The tension, the animation, the voice acting, and just everything is absolutely perfect (10/10) 2. Too Many Pinkie Pies- This episode is just hilarious. This was back when Pinkie could actually hold an episode on her own and she does a great job doing that (9/10) 3. The Maud Couple- The first half sucks but the second half is really great (7/10) 4. A Flurry of Emotions- One of the best season 7 episodes because it actually has jokes that work and because Flurry Heart is cute (7/10) 5. Castle-Mania- It has its moments, but not enough to be fully enjoyable (6/10) 6. The Ticket Master- Kinda like The Maud Couple except the first half isn't as bad and the second half isn't nearly as good (5/10) 7. Castle Sweet Castle- It's not that bad, but it's pretty boring (5/10) 8. Uprooted- It's a rip off of Castle Sweet Castle except this episode is even more boring (4/10) 9. Gift of the Maud Pie- This is one of my least favorite Rarity appearances. She's just so exaggerated and it doesn't help that Pinkie is really annoying too (4/10)

5/10 I think the first 3 seasons are pretty good, but everything else is mostly mediocre.

The "Rarity Investigates" styled ones. Those are the only shorts that made my laugh out loud multiple times.

That's only a problem in that one scene with Rainbow and Rarity gushing about how great it would be if they had slaves, and personally I find that scene so tone deaf it's funny.

Spike at Your Service's characterization of Spike may have been equally bad to A Trivial Problem's characterization of Twilight, but at least Spike at Your Service was really funny.

Just like almost every other newer episode, this one seems way more interested in hitting plot points than making the episode actually entertaining. That is what I'd say is the biggest problem with most newer MLP episodes. I can get over some wonky characterization and a messy story (to an extent) as long as the episode is fun to watch. Episodes like Bridle Gossip, Swarm of the Century, Feeling Pinkie Keen, MMMystery, and Spike at Your Service have gotten away with some pretty big problems because of their entertainment value. But since so many newer episodes are so boring, I can't ignore their bad characterization and bad stories. And even if the stories are fine, I still can't enjoy the episodes because of how boring they are. This episode is a prime example of that. None of the jokes are funny, the structure is incredibly repetitive, and Rainbow apparently doesn't see the importance in cheerleading, a statement I wouldn't have even bought in season 1. Score: 4/10

-Hard Reset -Passion and Reason -Don't Want Perfection -The entire Flash Sentry Papers series -The Bodyguard AU from Monochromatic -Twilight Sparkle vs. Bride-Zilla -Naked Singularity -Let Me Complain, Dear -Lost Cities -Au Naturel -Best Friends, Forever and Super Best Friends, Forever -The Compromise -Princess Celestia Hates Tea -Whom the Princesses Would Destory -Watch! Watch!

.out.of.character. is a masterpiece though it's not a traditional creepypasta. It's more of a deconstruction of pony creepypastas.

Yeah despite how much I like season 3, Magical Mystery Cure is a mess. It's the first example of the show rushing to a conclusion without enough build up. Twilight was not originally supposed to ascend that early into the series and it shows. The staff tried to shove some progression into season 3 with The Crystal Empire and Magic Duel to an extent, but it still comes off as unnatural because it's clear she wasn't supposed to ascend for a while. Having Celestia show different sides of her personality is fine, but at this point she feels like a completely different character. Instead of working off the foundation set by the early seasons, I feel like the staff are wiping the slate clean and starting fresh with her. Between Dark and Dawn is the worst example. One of my big problems with the newer stuff is how unfocused it is. The show doesn't want to abandon its roots so there's still a lot of slice of life stuff, but it also wants to do story arcs. This has caused problems in every season since season 3. Season 3 rushed Twilight's ascension. Season 4 ignored Twilight's ascension for most of the season. Season 5 ignored Starlight for most of the season and explained nothing about the Cutie Map. Season 6 also ignored Starlight for most of the season. Season 7 started the pillar arc halfway through and only characterized one of the pillars past one basic trait. Season 8 barely characterized the Student Six past basic tropes and ignored Neighsay and Cozy for most of the season. And while season 9 is definitely doing the best so far at actually addressing its story arcs, it's too little too late. And that's just the seasons failing at their current arcs. The pillars got one followup episode in season 8 that just hand waved away most of them without giving them any more personality. The Student Six are still as basic as ever. Nobody cares about the Cutie Map anymore. And the School of Friendship is being shoved off to Starlight to make room for a new arc of the Main Six being put in charge of Equestria, something that has not been built up to in the slightest. The staff is so obsessed with throwing in new ideas that they ignore what they've already established. Why not have another flash back episode with the Main Six? What was the dynamic in Ponyville before Twilight showed up? Let's check in with Gilda and see how Griffonstone is doing. Let's check in on Diamond Tiara. Let's look at Pinkie Sense again. How about Discord's past? Or Celestia and Luna's? Are there more Zebras than Zecora? How about another look into Equestria's past, maybe picking up where Hearth's Warming Eve left off? We still don't know that much about Starlight's past. The Crystal Empire is still shrouded in mystery. Dark magic completely vanished after The Crystal Empire aside from one bit in Princess Twilight Sparkle. Why can't we explore different kinds of magic like that dark magic and get some material out of that? I'm sure it'd be more interesting than the pointless, underdeveloped new additions we've been getting. And that's not even getting into the slice of life stuff.

-I have no idea why people dislike Flurry Heart. She's just a cute baby and she doesn't need to be anything more. I've heard arguments that she messes with alicorn lore, but that makes no sense. It's simple genetics. -Putting Your Hoof Down is decent -The Cutie Re-Mark is one of my favorite finales -Season 3 is the best looking season -Season 3 in general is really solid and my 2nd favorite season -I like Fake It Till' You Make It -I hate what the show has been doing with Celestia recently -The show isn't good overall

-Feeling Pinkie Keen -Over a Barrel -The Best Night Ever -Hearth's Warming Eve (this episode is incredibly underrated) -It's About Time -MMMMystery on the Friendship Express -Too Many Pinkie Pies -Spike at Your Service (a lot of the comedy comes from laughing at the episode, but there are still a lot of unironically great jokes) -Simple Ways -Make New Friends But Keep Discord -The One Where Pinkie Pie Knows -The Break Up Breakdown -Road to Friendship

Not really. Sure, the amount of meaningless and/or bland schlock has increased over the years, but I can't think of a season where there wasn't at least two really great songs. The only exception is season 7. Combined with not having a lot of songs, the songs are okay at best and incredibly annoying at worst. And I'd say season 1 is the only season where I like every song in it.

- "But that rainbow one kicked me!" - "Twilight Sparkle. I mean seriously, I can't even work with that." - "Leave me alone! I want to be alone! I want to wallow in...whatever it is that ponies are supposed to wallow in! Do ponies wallow in pity? Oh, listen to me! I don't even know what I'm supposed to wallow in! I'm so PATHETIC!" - Twilight: "Now what do we do?" Fluttershy: "Uh, panic?" Rainbow Dash: "That's your answer for everything!" - "It needs to be about 20% cooler" (it's an overused line now but in context it's a really funny joke) - "Exiled! I supposed technically I'd have to move away to live in exile ... Where would I go? And what would I pack? Oh, it's going to take me forever to do all of that packing. What are you supposed to pack when you go into exile? You're supposed to pack ... warm?" - Pinkie: "What if she exploded? And then...and then exploded again?!" Spike: "Can you do that? Can you explode twice?" - Sweetie Belle: "Um, that doesn't look like a table." Scootaloo: "We were making a table?" Apple Bloom: "Somepony needs to put this thing out of its misery." - "I'll write to you when you're banished, unless I'm banished to somewhere there's no post office. Then you'll have to write to me. Deal?" - "You'd never guess, but when I was little I was very shy." - Spike: "But the store is called "Quills and Sofas"! You only sell two things!" Store Owner: "Sorry, Junior. All out of quills until Monday... Need a sofa?" - "Make sense? Oh, what fun is there in making sense?" - "Look out! Here comes Tom!" - "Congratulations, Spike. You're the new Rainbow Dash." - “Um...I'm just wondering if it's okay if I hold you down against your will for a little bit?” - "She even comes with her own notebook and quill for when you want to pretend she's doing her homework!" - "'Tis a lie! Thy backside is whole and ungobbled, thou ungrateful whelp!" - "It's time for me to do what I do best — lecture her!" - "You see? We are apple pie!" - Apple Bloom: "Sacrebleu! Plus de marques de cutie! [gasps] Qu'est-ce que c'est? Je parle français?" Applejack: "My sister's speakin' in fancy!" - Rainbow: "All right! Now these games will determine which one of you has the most important qualities I'm looking for in a pet. Speed! Agility! Guts! Style! Coolness! Awesomeness! And radicalness!" Twilight: "Aren't those all the same thing?" Rainbow: "You would think that, Twilight. And that's why you would never qualify to be my pet." - "Buses and baby carriages are always careening down this hill. Where's an out-of-control vehicle when you need one?" - (after opening a jar of peanut butter) Rainbow: "Would you say I was amazing?" Amethyst Star: "Aren't you milking this a bit?" Rainbow: "Please, just answer the question. Was I or was I not amazing?" Amethyst Star: "Oh, you're amazing, all right. An amazingly—" Rainbow: "Oh, look!!" *flies off* - "I'm not giving him cake! I'm assaulting him with cake!" - "I mean, these babies just won't listen to reason - and don't even get me started on their taste in stand-up comedy!" - Smart Cookie: "Wouldn't it have been easier to use the door, Chancellor?" Chancellor Puddinghead: "Maybe for you, Smart Cookie. But I am a chancellor. I was elected because I know how to think outside the box. Which means I can also think inside the chimney. Can you think inside a chimney?" Smart Cookie: "I-" Chancellor Puddinghead: "I didn't think so." - "Oh my gosh! Hold on to your hooves! I am just about to be brilliant!!" - "I got a news flash for you Cookie. The Earth is round. There is no up or down." - Private Pansy: "Well, I don't hate you...I actually hate Commander Hurricane a lot more than I hate you guys." Smart Cookie/Clover the Clever: [giggling] Private Pansy: "Actually, I don't really hate her. I just really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really dislike her." - "Only an hour? Hmph, we can pull that off in a second!" - "I'm running out of ways to make diamonds sound bad!" - "You are not scientifically possible!" - Twilight: "Oh, look! According to this one, the Cakes are breaking up!" Mrs. Cake: "We are?!" - "Fine! I'm guilty! I wear false eyelashes!... Oh, and I took a bite out of the cake, too." - "Why does life have to be so ironic?!" - Applejack: I want to thank you for your help. I couldn't have done it without you. Spike: Don't mention it, Applejack. It was my pleasure, really." - "Your freakouts are so epic, you sing whole freakout arias about freaking out." - Rainbow Dash: "Rarity, you look ridiculous..." Rarity: "I am going to ignore that comment out of my desire to help you." - Discord: "This is the most basic of jokes!" Maud: "You're the most basic of jokes." - "Pretty much all I can do is look at something and tell you if it's clothes or not. This chair? Not clothes." - "If you're going to make words, at least make them fabulous." - Applejack: "Looks like you got a little aggressive with your friendship lessons, Rainbow Dash." Rainbow: What can I say? When I learn something, I learn it hard." - "I learned the spell years ago when I needed to make copies of a certain... manifesto." - Starlight: "Hey, Pharynx. I know when we first met, it didn't go so well." Pharynx: "I put you in a bag. I thought it went great." - Spike: "If you need some pointers, let me know. I've been on my fair share of missions." Twilight: "You've been on one, Spike." Spike: "And that's my fair share." - Starlight Glimmer: "So we can't hold the books?" "Raspberry Latte": [laughing] "No!" Sunburst: "Can you hold the books?" "Minty Mocha": "No." Starlight Glimmer: "So nopony can read the books?" - "Why couldn't we have been sent to stop a war or something?!" - "For a formerly friendless immortal despot, you're pretty cynical." - "Spike – Love is about spying in the bushes." - "Sir McBigguns, meet Skellinore. She's a Level 18 Bone Warrior in Squizard's mage army, but only to pay off skeleton student loan debts." - Discord: "Spike, she's an imaginary one-dimensional paper cutout skeleton." Spike: "Well, nopony's perfect." - "I have a lot of experience telling ponies that I have experience with the dangerous creatures of Everfree Forest!" There are probably other great quotes, but I don't remember them.

This is how Pinkie being annoying should always be portrayed. Her voice is tolerable, she's not insanely over the top, and she learns her lesson. Speaking of which, the moral isn't as bad as I remember it being. Pinkie apologizes for being so annoying the Cranky and makes up for it. She isn't rewarded just for doing one nice thing, she's rewarded because she realizes what she was doing was wrong and learns to not be so invasive. The rest of the episode is pretty good. The song is great of course, but aside from that Pinkie is generally fun to watch and there's a good sprinkling of jokes. Score: 7/10

This episode is fine. It can get boring and I don't know why we needed to see the Cakes ask so many ponies if they can babysit, but some good humor, a a neat horror segment, and a sweet ending keep it from being as bad as it could've been. And even when the episode is boring, it's not that boring. Score: 6/10

If this was season 4 or 5 then definitely for at least one of them, but not anymore. Now it's just missed potential.