Why the Hate?

[Live Forever 316]

Hello, everypony. I'm Dancingwithtwilight, and I have one question to ask you: Why the hate?

 

This will be a discussion thread for hated episodes, where I will defend them. Feel free to defend them if you'd like to, too.

 

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But before I can defend an episode, I need to ask why bronies hate them. Let us begin.

 

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The reason I thought of this thread was because I saw a lot of hatred towards Magical Mystery Cure. I'd like to know, in much detail, why do you hate it if you do?

[Frostgage 7,977]

I don't hate it, although it is one of my least favorite episodes. The biggest reason is probably the musical nature of the episode. I didn't think such an important episode should be a musical, and I also didn't really like most of the songs. It also felt rushed, as Twilight becoming a princess kind of came out of nowhere. If the entire season had been leading up to it, I would've been fine with everything happening in one episode.

 

For the record, I have no problem with Twilight becoming a princess. In fact, I love it. It's just the reasons above that made me dislike the episode.

[pony.colin 156]

Meh, I don't have an episode that I could seriously say I hated.  The worst would be disliked at best, and I can't even recall which one I disliked the most.

 

If talking about Magical Mystery Cure, @@Frostgage,  mentions a few of the things I found to also be a bit jarring.  Pacing of the episode seemed unusual and the problem was crammed quickly in with a resolution that also quickly wrapped itself up too.  The show felt more like a musical (I don't have anything against musicals, I just found out to be unusual for the series), this coupled wit the fact it was the closer episode for Season 3, of which I knew was going to be short, but sort of whiplashed itself all over the place in order to speed up Twilicornication.  For a closer episode for a season (I know a short one), it just felt so rushed and out the door.

 

Although it's quite fun to poke that episode and ask, Celestia, where exactly did you get all this footage of Twilight's life? You've been watching over Twilight's life from the very beginning, every aspect of her life? Really? Do you have cameras placed all over Equestria to monitor everypony's lives? (That's totally not creepy at all, YOU ARE BEING MONITORED BY THE CSA CELESTIAL SECURITY AGENCY, DO NOT BE ALARMED, smile and wave, everything is fine in Liberal paradise)

[Shanks 10,816]

I hate Magical Mystery Cure because the episode introduced a concept being twilicorn which it built up as extremely important but as the season finale in a season which otherwise had nothing to do with it besides vague hints about "destiny" that are left way way open interpretation. And it did so rather poorly in an extremely rushed episode that made no sense whatsoever, it amounted to Twilight ascending to pony godhood because she was a good teachers pet who made some friends? The songs weren't bad but the problem is they felt like filler, the cutie mark switching idea was a good one but its execution was sloppy and again felt like filler. The whole episode just felt like a mere formality for the coronation scene at the end.

 

And I think it was way too soon, the whole thing felt jarring and all of the things I mentioned here including a few other things really did not help matters. I was hoping season 4 would answer a lot of the unanswered questions but with the exception of the premiere and finale not much was really said. I also felt that Magical Mystery Cure was an insult to a great character and the show in general by putting Twilight dangerously close to Mary Sue territory by making her way too powerful way too quickly. I am now neutral on this matter but the bad taste in my mouth from the season 3 finale still hasn't left me yet and while the season 4 finale was awesome season 4 in general was meh for reasons mostly unrelated to that with a few good episodes as general exceptions.

 

Ironically the whole twilicorn matter did make me realize how much I actually like Twilight even if I didn't like it and am still not completely sold on it, Season 5 does hold some promise though and I will be sitting back in wait and see mode as to how they will handle this matter in season 5. Twilight is tied with Rainbow Dash and Luna for my 2nd favorite pony so while it is too late to go back on the whole thing it is not too late to actually make it work and I want it to work.

[Henny Penny Benny 936]

Personally, I don't get all the hate for Games Ponies Play. Not my favorite episode, but I enjoyed it. I never understood why so many people are so adamantly opposed to it.

[Shanks 10,816]

Personally, I don't get all the hate for Games Ponies Play. Not my favorite episode, but I enjoyed it. I never understood why so many people are so adamantly opposed to it.

I don't either, I thought that episode was hilarious.

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

With the hate for Magical Mystery Cure, I can at least understand but respectfully disagree. If there's an episode that I think gets over hated, it's Equestria Games. Most of the criticism I've seen seems to be people using their disappointment of the episode not focusing on the games as a reason to hate the episode, ignoring the fact that it has a great moral, and some of the best Spike moments.

[Espurr 449]

I don't hate any of them. In fact I looked at the hateful comments and I'm like, what are you guys talking about? I loved these episodes!

 But in Magical Mystery cure, I missed the episode on TV and saw it online and I thought it was a fan made episode. It was not and I was surprised to see that. I still liked it. Yes we didn't see much on the Equestria games. But I still liked it. Yeah, Spike gets pushed around in some episodes. That's still no reason to hate them.

 

I just can't find a reason to hate them.

 

Meh, I don't have an episode that I could seriously say I hated.  The worst would be disliked at best, and I can't even recall which one I disliked the most.

 

If talking about Magical Mystery Cure, @@Frostgage,  mentions a few of the things I found to also be a bit jarring.  Pacing of the episode seemed unusual and the problem was crammed quickly in with a resolution that also quickly wrapped itself up too.  The show felt more like a musical (I don't have anything against musicals, I just found out to be unusual for the series), this coupled wit the fact it was the closer episode for Season 3, of which I knew was going to be short, but sort of whiplashed itself all over the place in order to speed up Twilicornication.  For a closer episode for a season (I know a short one), it just felt so rushed and out the door.

 

Although it's quite fun to poke that episode and ask, Celestia, where exactly did you get all this footage of Twilight's life? You've been watching over Twilight's life from the very beginning, every aspect of her life? Really? Do you have cameras placed all over Equestria to monitor everypony's lives? (That's totally not creepy at all, YOU ARE BEING MONITORED BY THE CSA CELESTIAL SECURITY AGENCY, DO NOT BE ALARMED, smile and wave, everything is fine in Liberal paradise)

You are right. If this Celestia is watching you thing applies to Twilight, it probably applies to everyone. Just think about all the possibilities! Or try not to.

[hip-indeed 304]

I absolutely adore Magical Mystery Cure and don't really comprehend why or even HOW any remote fan of the show could possibly dislike it, except for the obvious 'purple horse gets wings wowee' bit.  Here's why:

 

 - The episode is chock full of excellent songs.

 - It rises beyond the big problem of always feeling very "rushed" faced by most the two-part season openers/closers (and even 'big deal' mid-season one-parters like Magic Duel and Keep Calm & Flutter On) by having the action move very swiftly and seamlessly as a musical.

 - It has one of the coolest episode concepts ever of the switched cutiemarks, and I feel it executed that idea quite well.

 - Celestia sings, and her voice is absolutely gorgeous.

 - The fancy clipshow alongside said song was enough to very nearly bring tears to my eyes, and was very fitting for a final episode sequence (kinda wish they saved such a thing for that).  If it had been I'd probably STILL be bawling over it.  In a good way.

 - When all's said and done, the inevitable princessification was handled much better than it could have been.

 - And last but not least, Derpy was seen for the first time after the big fiasco about her assumedly become 100% removed forever by Hasbro, even if only in a tiny cameo.

 

So basically no, I don't even dislike MMC at all.  In fact I adore it; I'd probably even put it in my top 15-20 episodes at least, maybe even top 10, but I'd really have to think on that.

 

Wanna know episodes I actually don't like, though?

 

 - Baby cakes.  Obnoxious crying and 'stinky poop lines' don't fit in my little pony show I watch to feel warm and happy and clean inside.

 - Bird in the Hoof.  Not a bad episode but this gross-looking literally-dying bird just clashes with the show's style (and I'm talking about a show that's variable enough in style from the cute to the weird that eps like Party of One are totally fine).

 - Every Spike episode except for Just for Sidekicks.  They're boring and terribly written compared to all other episodes, and they focus on a character who SHOULD be written with wit and lots of likability for any little boys that might happen to be watching the show, but sadly he almost never is.

 

Not that many (there are a couple more but it'd take too much text to get into why I'm not a fan of them and it's kind of nitpicking anyway); overall I love this show but nothing's perfect!  I will say that I do appreciate your gusto about defending even the 'bad' eps though; I think this community could use more positivity and optimism especially right now, but also keep in mind that criticism isn't the enemy and it can help things improve!  (critics who are JERKS are the enemy.)

Edited July 26, 2014 by hip-indeed

[Live Forever 316]

I don't hate it, although it is one of my least favorite episodes. The biggest reason is probably the musical nature of the episode. I didn't think such an important episode should be a musical, and I also didn't really like most of the songs. It also felt rushed, as Twilight becoming a princess kind of came out of nowhere. If the entire season had been leading up to it, I would've been fine with everything happening in one episode.

 

For the record, I have no problem with Twilight becoming a princess. In fact, I love it. It's just the reasons above that made me dislike the episode.

 

First off, I thank you for not hating on the princesshood. It seems to be hated for all the wrong reasons.

 

What is wrong with an important episode being a musical? MLP itself has done this multiple times (Crystal Empire; Pinkie Pride; etc). In fact, the fact it is a musical probably helps it. A popular rumor was that before they decided on a musical, it was a two-parter. Why did they change the length just because of some extra songs? It's pretty obvious, actually.

 

You see, in a television show or a movie, a musical tends to wrap-up certain lengthy moments quickly (Grease; Little Shop of Horrors; etc). I wouldn't recommend any of these movies to the average person unless you like technical-positive movies, but the High School Musical movies are the perfect example. In one song, Getcha Head in the Game, the characters go through the entire self-doubt of Troy Bolton, which without a musical number, could last very long. Magical Mystery Cure does this to create a compelling episode that is shorter than most masterpieces the show has created. Every single song wraps-up a certain moment that could have been longer without these songs.

 

And to address the sudden Alicornation, think really hard about it. What happens in the Friendship is Magic pilot? Nightmare Moon comes out of about nowhere and breaks the tension. What happens in A Canterlot Wedding? Cadance is a changeling, a creature never mentioned before. In fact, this is the biggest weakness in MLP. The show has an amazing dynamic that differs from most, but this dynamic isn't set for the best of world-building.

 

The first time this went wrong was the second episode "Elements of Harmony." A manticore comes out of nowhere, it is never explained, and we never see it again. Same thing for the serpent. Back to A Canterlot Wedding, the changelings come out of nowhere, we get little explanation, and barely ever make another appearance.

 

Meh, I don't have an episode that I could seriously say I hated.  The worst would be disliked at best, and I can't even recall which one I disliked the most.

 

If talking about Magical Mystery Cure, @@Frostgage,  mentions a few of the things I found to also be a bit jarring.  Pacing of the episode seemed unusual and the problem was crammed quickly in with a resolution that also quickly wrapped itself up too.  The show felt more like a musical (I don't have anything against musicals, I just found out to be unusual for the series), this coupled wit the fact it was the closer episode for Season 3, of which I knew was going to be short, but sort of whiplashed itself all over the place in order to speed up Twilicornication.  For a closer episode for a season (I know a short one), it just felt so rushed and out the door.

 

Although it's quite fun to poke that episode and ask, Celestia, where exactly did you get all this footage of Twilight's life? You've been watching over Twilight's life from the very beginning, every aspect of her life? Really? Do you have cameras placed all over Equestria to monitor everypony's lives? (That's totally not creepy at all, YOU ARE BEING MONITORED BY THE CSA CELESTIAL SECURITY AGENCY, DO NOT BE ALARMED, smile and wave, everything is fine in Liberal paradise)

 

First of all, I suggest reading what I told Frostgage. It pretty much defends against your problems.

 

Second, I really have no argument for the footage thing. Although it is pretty funny when you think about it.

 

I hate Magical Mystery Cure because the episode introduced a concept being twilicorn which it built up as extremely important but as the season finale in a season which otherwise had nothing to do with it besides vague hints about "destiny" that are left way way open interpretation. And it did so rather poorly in an extremely rushed episode that made no sense whatsoever, it amounted to Twilight ascending to pony godhood because she was a good teachers pet who made some friends? The songs weren't bad but the problem is they felt like filler, the cutie mark switching idea was a good one but its execution was sloppy and again felt like filler. The whole episode just felt like a mere formality for the coronation scene at the end.

 

And I think it was way too soon, the whole thing felt jarring and all of the things I mentioned here including a few other things really did not help matters. I was hoping season 4 would answer a lot of the unanswered questions but with the exception of the premiere and finale not much was really said. I also felt that Magical Mystery Cure was an insult to a great character and the show in general by putting Twilight dangerously close to Mary Sue territory by making her way too powerful way too quickly. I am now neutral on this matter but the bad taste in my mouth from the season 3 finale still hasn't left me yet and while the season 4 finale was awesome season 4 in general was meh for reasons mostly unrelated to that with a few good episodes as general exceptions.

 

Ironically the whole twilicorn matter did make me realize how much I actually like Twilight even if I didn't like it and am still not completely sold on it, Season 5 does hold some promise though and I will be sitting back in wait and see mode as to how they will handle this matter in season 5. Twilight is tied with Rainbow Dash and Luna for my 2nd favorite pony so while it is too late to go back on the whole thing it is not too late to actually make it work and I want it to work.

 

Again, my reply to Frostgage can apply here.

 

About the destiny hints, it doesn't work well, I agree. However, rewatching for those hints makes you realize how brilliant it is. And when you said they almost made Twilight a Mary Sue, it doesn't make sense. There was no sign of being overpowered because those powers weren't used at all.

 

Personally, I don't get all the hate for Games Ponies Play. Not my favorite episode, but I enjoyed it. I never understood why so many people are so adamantly opposed to it.

 

I don't either, I thought that episode was hilarious.

 

I'm guessing it's the anti-climatic ending, and how the characters are oblivious to what's going on the whole time. It is enjoyable for me, though, thanks to the comedy. I mean Rainbow Dash flinging to the glass and sliding down? Hilarious!

I don't hate any of them. In fact I looked at the hateful comments and I'm like, what are you guys talking about? I loved these episodes!

 But in Magical Mystery cure, I missed the episode on TV and saw it online and I thought it was a fan made episode. It was not and I was surprised to see that. I still liked it. Yes we didn't see much on the Equestria games. But I still liked it. Yeah, Spike gets pushed around in some episodes. That's still no reason to hate them.

 

I just can't find a reason to hate them.

 

You are right. If this Celestia is watching you thing applies to Twilight, it probably applies to everyone. Just think about all the possibilities! Or try not to.

 

This is something to agree with. So much.

 

I absolutely adore Magical Mystery Cure and don't really comprehend why or even HOW any remote fan of the show could possibly dislike it, except for the obvious 'purple horse gets wings wowee' bit.  Here's why:

 

 - The episode is chock full of excellent songs.

 - It rises beyond the big problem of always feeling very "rushed" faced by most the two-part season openers/closers (and even 'big deal' mid-season one-parters like Magic Duel and Keep Calm & Flutter On) by having the action move very swiftly and seamlessly as a musical.

 - It has one of the coolest episode concepts ever of the switched cutiemarks, and I feel it executed that idea quite well.

 - Celestia sings, and her voice is absolutely gorgeous.

 - The fancy clipshow alongside said song was enough to very nearly bring tears to my eyes, and was very fitting for a final episode sequence (kinda wish they saved such a thing for that).  If it had been I'd probably STILL be bawling over it.  In a good way.

 - When all's said and done, the inevitable princessification was handled much better than it could have been.

 - And last but not least, Derpy was seen for the first time after the big fiasco about her assumedly become 100% removed forever by Hasbro, even if only in a tiny cameo.

 

So basically no, I don't even dislike MMC at all.  In fact I adore it; I'd probably even put it in my top 15-20 episodes at least, maybe even top 10, but I'd really have to think on that.

 

Wanna know episodes I actually don't like, though?

 

 - Baby cakes.  Obnoxious crying and 'stinky poop lines' don't fit in my little pony show I watch to feel warm and happy and clean inside.

 - Bird in the Hoof.  Not a bad episode but this gross-looking literally-dying bird just clashes with the show's style (and I'm talking about a show that's variable enough in style from the cute to the weird that eps like Party of One are totally fine).

 - Every Spike episode except for Just for Sidekicks.  They're boring and terribly written compared to all other episodes, and they focus on a character who SHOULD be written with wit and lots of likability for any little boys that might happen to be watching the show, but sadly he almost never is.

 

Not that many (there are a couple more but it'd take too much text to get into why I'm not a fan of them and it's kind of nitpicking anyway); overall I love this show but nothing's perfect!  I will say that I do appreciate your gusto about defending even the 'bad' eps though; I think this community could use more positivity and optimism especially right now, but also keep in mind that criticism isn't the enemy and it can help things improve!  (critics who are JERKS are the enemy.)

 

Wow. Both of these posts rock. For this one, I agree. Even with Just for Sidekicks. You know, Equestria Games wasn't bad, though.

 

----

And so ends this question. I do respect if you didn't like change (which surprisingly, only one person had a problem with), because some people want things to stay the same. However, it can be done worse (see Life of Brian, Family Guy).

 

----

 

Next on my list, why do people hate the episode It's About Time?

Edited July 26, 2014 by Dancingwithtwilight

[Shanks 10,816]

About the destiny hints, it doesn't work well, I agree. However, rewatching for those hints makes you realize how brilliant it is. And when you said they almost made Twilight a Mary Sue, it doesn't make sense. There was no sign of being overpowered because those powers weren't used at all.

True, but due to the rather blatant wish fulfillment nature of it (you know Hasbro pretty much shoved it down the writers throats) along with other reasons there was a very high risk of her becoming a Mary Sue due to this reason. We still don't know the full extent of her power boost yet so she is not completely out of the woods yet but there is some hope.

 

 

I suppose I will bring up a few more episodes I hated while I am here first starting with Rainbow Falls. Spitfire was unbelievably out of character, Soarin being a clumsy doofus just dosen't make sense I mean how the frag did he become a Wonderbolt if that is the case? And it strikes me as incredibly unbelievable that Rainbow Dash is so good that they want her over Soarin. Fluttershy being in the games is out of character because Fluttershy dosen't have a single competitive bone in her body, she dosen't like flying that much and there are other pegasi in Ponyville that are far more suited. Bulk Biceps being a lousy flier is a huge contradiction of his depiction in Wonderbolt Academy, while he didn't have a major role in that episode the fact that he made it in Wonderbolt Academy shows that he is a skilled flier yet Rainbow Falls depicts him as completely incompetent.

 

Then there is somepony to remember me which is the worst episode of season 4 which is something I never ever thought I would say about an Applejack episode. Hasn't the writer of that episode ever heard of plot development or subtly? It is believable for Applejack to be overprotective but neither the plot nor any of Applejack's past behavior have given any reason for it to be that ridiculously over the top over than for the sake of humor which falls flat in large because the extent of it makes it extremely out of character for Applejack. We all know it is Rarity who is the drama queen so the episode would have been far better as a Rarity and Sweetie Belle episode. You mess up an episode starring my favorite pony and I am going to be pissed.

[hip-indeed 304]

.... People hate "It's About Time"?  I thought everyone loved that episode.  It's one of those tried and true episodes to get your friends potentially interested in the show by showing them how un-"What They Thought MLP Was" it can be.  And, it gave us Snake-Twi and Ponies In Skintight Rubber Ninja Suits!  Plus, we get two of the best life lessons the show has EVER given, both in one episode; Don't make yourself crazy with worry under any circumstance, and DO NOT overdo it on the ice cream!

[Shanks 10,816]

Don't make yourself crazy with worry under any circumstance, and DO NOT overdo it on the ice cream!

I have heard some people criticize it as an unnecessary re hash of Lesson Zero but I don't think that is entirely accurate or fair. They both have the huge similarity of Twilight having an OCD freak out but other than that the freak outs happened for different reasons. Lesson Zero because Twiligtht didn't have a friendship report so felt she needed to create one because she was "tardy" and It's About Time because of her obsession with something allegedly bad happening. Out of the two I like Lesson Zero a bit better but did like them both.

[hip-indeed 304]

I have heard some people criticize it as an unnecessary re hash of Lesson Zero but I don't think that is entirely accurate or fair. They both have the huge similarity of Twilight having an OCD freak out but other than that the freak outs happened for different reasons. Lesson Zero because Twiligtht didn't have a friendship report so felt she needed to create one because she was "tardy" and It's About Time because of her obsession with something allegedly bad happening. Out of the two I like Lesson Zero a bit better but did like them both.

 

"Worry" and "stress" are such massive, all-encompassing topics and great ones to go with life-lessons for people of any age that they could make 20 eps about it and I wouldn't feel like it'd be overkill.  And they're quite different types of worry; feeling you missed something important and worrying yourself to death over it vs. realizing that 'some event in the near future might suck a lot' and losing sleep over it.  Both very good separate lessons to teach and they both came out in the same season anyway so I doubt it was ever meant to be a 'rehash' anyway.

 

Yeah though, I doubt anyone would disagree that Lesson Zero was the superior of the two and one of the best eps in the series' history.  Still though that's like saying Pinkie Pride isn't a superb episode just because Friend In Deed came first, had a similar base concept of "pinkie feels that she has failed at one of the things she lives for", and is a beloved episode.. and we all know THAT ain't true.

[Snowbrezze 100]

i don't hate any of the eps

my fav song from magical mystery cure is

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0RTd5XvOeQ

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,162]

While there are certainly episodes I don't like, the only episode that come close to hating would be "Twilight Time." I mean...it seems like the premise of that episode was built around awkwardness; and I usually don't like awkward situation in media. >_<

 

I mean the episode has some nice parts and a strong moral, but the episode just felt...awkward. >_<

[pony.colin 156]

First off, I thank you for not hating on the princesshood. It seems to be hated for all the wrong reasons.

 

What is wrong with an important episode being a musical? MLP itself has done this multiple times (Crystal Empire; Pinkie Pride; etc). In fact, the fact it is a musical probably helps it. A popular rumor was that before they decided on a musical, it was a two-parter. Why did they change the length just because of some extra songs? It's pretty obvious, actually.

 

You see, in a television show or a movie, a musical tends to wrap-up certain lengthy moments quickly (Grease; Little Shop of Horrors; etc). I wouldn't recommend any of these movies to the average person unless you like technical-positive movies, but the High School Musical movies are the perfect example. In one song, Getcha Head in the Game, the characters go through the entire self-doubt of Troy Bolton, which without a musical number, could last very long. 

Magical Mystery Cure does this to create a compelling episode that is shorter than most masterpieces the show has created. Every single song wraps-up a certain moment that could have been longer without these songs.

 

And to address the sudden Alicornation, think really hard about it. What happens in the Friendship is Magic pilot? Nightmare Moon comes out of about nowhere and breaks the tension. What happens in A Canterlot Wedding? Cadance is a changeling, a creature never mentioned before. In fact, this is the biggest weakness in MLP. The show has an amazing dynamic that differs from most, but this dynamic isn't set for the best of world-building.

 

The first time this went wrong was the second episode "Elements of Harmony." A manticore comes out of nowhere, it is never explained, and we never see it again. Same thing for the serpent. Back to A Canterlot Wedding, the changelings come out of nowhere, we get little explanation, and barely ever make another appearance.

 

Well if you want a discussion:

 

- I didn't feel the musical theme worked well.  But to address other things first, I probably would have enjoyed a two parter, I felt that would have helped the pacing a bit more and placed things in great perspective (but I have doubts that rumor is real).   Crystal Empire; Pinkie Pride don't feel like musicals to me because, they don't have as many songs as MMC, but also because, Pinkie randomly breaking out into song doesn't sound that out of ordinary really. 

 

- EarthBendingPony explains some of the other feelings I had towards the episode. The thing is, I kept asking why "are they constantly breaking out into song?" It just seemed so weird, (it being done 2 - 3 times is okay.  It being done 7 times suddenly becomes more noticeable, of course that's the intention). It was with me, "must you break out into song to state the situation or say the problem was solved?" but whatever.  The songs were good though, I'll give that prop to Daniel Ingram and Steffan Andrews. 

 

- A musical felt like it wasn't really taking the problem in the episode really seriously I felt, it was a bit weird on how quickly it wrapped itself up. And yes, I would have liked it to be lengthy, not a short musical number wrap up.  And yes, I'll take back what I said about musicals, I probably don't watch musicals because I don't find them interesting, sorry. 

- the real reason I probably disliked that episode more is because it left a bit of a sour taste to remind me that seasons 3 was going to be short, and that my expectation of what I would perceive to be a good season closer, well fell flat for me.  Not what I would consider a great closer, but whatever.

 

- other stuff: oh yeah Canterlot's changelings were also out of the blue and funny how that premise starts falling apart a bit when you look at it more (I loved Anthony C's review of that when he did it, he was fun to listen to when he reviewed it).  Mantlecore doesn't seem out of nowhere, it was brought there intentionally by NMM, and NMM was introduced from the beginning of the season pilot so, I don't see how that's out of nowhere.  Other jarring thing was introducing Shining Armour and Cadence, that's out of nowhere (and for obvious reasons). 

 

But moving on:

 

About "It's About Time"

 

I don't have many problems about that one; the only thing I have about that one is probably the same reason that some of the sci-fi watchers pointed out, it becomes a time paradox, and I don't want to touch that because it gets so annoying to try sort it out.  Other than that, episode was good (perhaps fell a bit because some people were expecting a real disaster to occur).

Edited July 26, 2014 by pony.colin

[Dark Qiviut 22,503]

(I'm tackling only Magical Mystery Cure because I spent some time writing it.)

I don't hate MMC, but it's my least favorite and definitely the worst season finale of the show so far. It's also one many bronies vehemently hate for some very good reasons. Why?

1. The pacing is extremely rushed. KCaFO really rushed through one episode in order to accomplished Discord's reformation. In Magical Mystery Cure, the rushed pacing was amplified. Every single event from beginning to end was crammed into twenty minutes, and when you have two major events happening, the flow of the writing becomes much too inorganic to happen that quickly. The script had no time to relax, breathe in and out, and then go back to work. MMC held its breath from the prologue onward, and it never relented until the credits rolled.
   
   Neither of these events are very small. Twilight's friends had their cutie marks switched around, altering their perception of how they lived their lives up to the finale. This is a pretty big change in itself because Twilight has never seen anyone's livelihoods change in one feel swoop, particularly from a rather big accident that she caused.
   
   Then, once Twilight solved the mystery, she got rewarded by becoming an alicorn princess. In about fifteen minutes, Twilight went from a common unicorn into royalty.
   
   

   MLP itself has done this multiple times (Crystal Empire; Pinkie Pride; etc).

   Very big differences.
   
   TCE: This was a two-parter with only three songs, two of them occurring in Part 1 and the last one to conclude Part 2. FIM's two-parters have always had their share of pacing problems, and this one was no exception. But it still took its time to develop the plot (and thus present the little token that wouldn't be seen again until the finale).
   
   PiP: Unlike MMC, the story is much more straightforward and simpler. MMC had to work with two huge plot points, while Pinkie Pride focused on one smaller one. Because it's a very simple plot, Rogers, Thiessen, and Ingram were able to create the story with more songs than Magical Mystery Cure, but pace itself much better. The script was able to slow down, relax, and then get into a groove again. In addition, the songs feel much more complete
   
   MMC: Two big plot points juxtaposed with one another. Because so much had to be crammed, a musical was probably the best method to cram it all in one airtight bag. Unfortunately, because it was so fast, important plot points whizzed by and could only be explored once you either pause it or rewind it just to absorb the execution better, something an episode shouldn't have you do.

    

2. While the songs themselves aren't bad (my personal favorite's I've Got to Find a Way, but the best one narratively's arguably A True, True Friend or Celestia's Ballad), because of the gigantic, complex nature of the episode, the musical format helped make everything rush through, but the episode sacrificed quality for grandeur and fulfillment of Hasbro's executive purposes. Pay attention to the context, script, and songs, and you'll notice how much got chopped for time; and I'm not simply following Ingram's words, either. A lot of important details either passed through because there was so much clutter in the flow or were pushed to the background.
3. All the foreshadowing leading up to the Twilicorn was very artificial, and the placement is very haphazard. The very beginning dropped the cutie-mark switcheroo out of thin air, and the audience had no clue why or how until a contrived flashback showed up, featuring Star Swirl's book and then the colors altered.
   
   To make it worse, the whole angle was dropped following TCE2. From Too Many Pinkie Pies onward, season three behaved a lot like season two and offered no tidbits leading up to MMC. So when MMC showed up, DHX levitated a big book above the viewer and dropped it on his or her head. If her transformation was given clues, then perhaps the first impression to her ascension could be a tad better.
   
   

   What happens in the Friendship is Magic pilot? Nightmare Moon comes out of about nowhere and breaks the tension.

   Wrong. It didn't come out of nowhere at all. From the prologue of FIM1 to her reveal, Nightmare Moon was given a lot of time to develop. We saw Luna's transformation, banishment, and Twilight's realization that NMM could be returning for the Summer Sun Celebration in Ponyville. Each point in Part 1 visually and narratively foreshadowed her return and provided the audience with some very important clues.
4. There was only one way for the Twilicorn execution to be entirely sold: The plot must be so well-done that it masks Hasbro's meddling immediately. Unlike A Canterlot Wedding with Cadance and Shining Armor, her transformation seriously risked altering a very close dynamic, even though the final minutes don't dictate this. There had to be NO gray areas or mishaps.
   
   The in-canon reasons were okay at best, but the plot mishaps were aplenty. That's not how to successfully sell a first impression to your audience. Instead of solving questions, it opened up to more confusion, and it felt more like a poorly done series finale instead of a season finale. In consequence, Twilicorn's first impression was really poor, and first impressions carry more weight than subsequent appearances. Twilight Sparkle is her own brand identity, and altering it is an extremely risky task unless executed perfectly. Twilicorn's first impression is extremely faulty, and you don't want that at all.
   
   If any of you believe her ascension was that small, think again. At the start of the series, Twilight Sparkle was a common unicorn within thousands of other unicorns. Representing the most powerful Element of Harmony didn't nullify that whatsoever. Throughout the series pre- and post-transformation, alicorns are a rarity; whenever a legitimate alicorn appears in the show, they represent royalty, which in turn represents not only the power they amass, but the responsibilities of harnessing such power, too. Whatever they say and do affects the lives of everyone around them. Moreover, because they're officially royalty, alicorns are an exclusive social class and live a more privileged and rich lifestyle, each most ponies would only dream of having. So why wouldn't anyone believe her transformation would alter their dynamic (a concept we'll likely not see amongst the M6 anymore because Twilight's Kingdom somewhat rectified that problem)? Twilight was evolving from a common unicorn to official royalty.
5. The biggest problem: the premise itself revolves around the contrivance of the cutie mark being someone's "destiny." A cutie mark is defined as the pony's individual talent (or interest you pursue). Each cutie mark is like a person's fingerprint: No matter how much the talents overlap, no two are ever the same. Each pony's main interest depends on their cutie marks.
   
   Magical Mystery Cure changes this to "destiny," or predetermined lives from here on out. MMC tells the audience their lives are fixated on their cutie mark, a contradiction to the canon. Furthermore, it is hinted that Twilight's evolution to an alicorn is predetermined. As in, it was what her destiny is, whether she embraces it or not. Throughout the series, each character has a path, and then they set themselves onto another to better themselves. In the good, bad, and average episodes, fate didn't determine the characters. The characters determined their own fate based off their actions and consequences. In itself, the concept of predestined circumstances is a major bothersome cliché in the storytelling business because it sacrifices organic plot progression for a quick fix. (This is why I hold very well-liked anime like Sailor Moon and Kannazuki no Miko with such low regards.)
   
   Magical Mystery Cure was the first to legitimately use the cheap "destiny" cliché, breaking one of the most important points of continuity in the entire show. Destiny DOESN'T choose you! YOU choose your destiny! If Twilight chose to become an alicorn and princess, it would've made this problem moot. But Magical Mystery Cure nullifies this and forces Twilight to be into what is poor, inorganic "character development."

There were two episodes from season three that desperately needed to be two parts. MMC was one of them because every single piece of information had to be crammed in to fit a twenty-minute episode, making each event flow implausibly. To repeat what I wrote, many bronies despise this episode for very good reasons, and some of the reasons above are why.

 

I do respect if you didn't like change (which surprisingly, only one person had a problem with),

This is my biggest peeves of the fandom's reaction to the Twilicorn: the "you-don't-embrace-change" strawman. It's not about the change itself, but how well it was executed. If MMC was good and the Twilicorn well written, then this episode nor Twilight's ascension wouldn't have been so divisive, and the whole controversy would've been quelled by the end of MMC. The fact so many people still debate over the episode speaks volumes of its poor quality.

Edited July 26, 2014 by Dark Qiviut

[AlbaTross 1,586]

I don't hate any of them. In fact I looked at the hateful comments and I'm like, what are you guys talking about? I loved these episodes!

 But in Magical Mystery cure, I missed the episode on TV and saw it online and I thought it was a fan made episode. It was not and I was surprised to see that. I still liked it. Yes we didn't see much on the Equestria

I absolutely adore Magical Mystery Cure and don't really comprehend why or even HOW any remote fan of the show could possibly dislike it, except for the obvious 'purple horse gets wings wowee' bit.  Here's why:

 

 - The episode is chock full of excellent songs.

 - It rises beyond the big problem of always feeling very "rushed" faced by most the two-part season openers/closers (and even 'big deal' mid-season one-parters like Magic Duel and Keep Calm & Flutter On) by having the action move very swiftly and seamlessly as a musical.

 - It has one of the coolest episode concepts ever of the switched cutiemarks, and I feel it executed that idea quite well.

 - Celestia sings, and her voice is absolutely gorgeous.

 - The fancy clipshow alongside said song was enough to very nearly bring tears to my eyes, and was very fitting for a final episode sequence (kinda wish they saved such a thing for that).  If it had been I'd probably STILL be bawling over it.  In a good way.

 - When all's said and done, the inevitable princessification was handled much better than it could have been.

 - And last but not least, Derpy was seen for the first time after the big fiasco about her assumedly become 100% removed forever by Hasbro, even if only in a tiny cameo.

 

So basically no, I don't even dislike MMC at all.  In fact I adore it; I'd probably even put it in my top 15-20 episodes at least, maybe even top 10, but I'd really have to think on that.

I couldn't have put it better myself. I also like this episode, and I agree with all of the above, except maybe the part about Twilight becoming a Princess. I agree to an extent that it could have been handled worse, and indeed, I doubt it would have been well received initially, no matter how it was handled, but I still think that part was a little rushed. That said, it's still one of, if not my favorite episode of season 3, for virtually all the reasons you listed. I'd like to add a couple more of my own:

 

- As much as I enjoy the epic two parter that most seasons open and close with, it's starting to get a little old IMHO, and I kind of like to see a season shake things up a little. Seasons 1 and 3 both do just that, and I'm glad they do.

 

- Maybe not quite its own point, since this one ties into your first, but this episode has just as many songs as Equestria Girls, and they're better IMHO. I enjoy the musical numbers in the series, and while I'm glad they aren't in every episode, I look forward to them, and no episode has more of them than MMC. I suppose that would be meaningless if I didn't like any of the songs, but I do, and actually like a couple of them a lot. Most of EQG's soundtrack just made me appreciate MMC that much more.

[Sugar Pea 2,682]

I have never had a problem with any episode before, but I have a love/hate relationship with the episode "Filli Vanilli".

 

The episode just, to me, tried to strip Pinkie's character to make her seem intimidating and harsh. I know Pinkie Pie has her moments where she doesn't know when to keep her mouth shutshut, but they took WAY too much advantage out of it to also try to hurt Fluttershy's character as much as possible. Even Fluttershy didn't act like herself towards the end of the episode.

 

I also kinda didn't like how they went really dramatic with it. Like it was a never ending loop of " Wah wah, cry cry, pity me, pity me!"

 

The episode wasn't its best, but I believe what saved it was Fluttershys singing and the return of Flutterguy. Sadly, that's all I enjoyed about that one episode.

 

I'm all ears if you want to defend this episode. I don't blame you for loving it, or hating it. AT ALL! >.<

Edited July 26, 2014 by ~peachie weirdo~

[LZRD WZRD 1,929]

With the hate for Magical Mystery Cure, I can at least understand but respectfully disagree. If there's an episode that I think gets over hated, it's Equestria Games. Most of the criticism I've seen seems to be people using their disappointment of the episode not focusing on the games as a reason to hate the episode, ignoring the fact that it has a great moral, and some of the best Spike moments.

I literally hit my head against a wall after seeing Tommy Oliver's review of that episode

[Fractured 2,684]

I have never had a problem with any episode before, but I have a love/hate relationship with the episode "Filli Vanilli".

 

The episode just, to me, tried to strip Pinkie's character to make her seem intimidating and harsh. I know Pinkie Pie has her moments where she doesn't know when to keep her mouth shutshut, but they took WAY too much advantage out of it to also try to hurt Fluttershy's character as much as possible. Even Fluttershy didn't act like herself towards the end of the episode.

 

I also kinda didn't like how they went really dramatic with it. Like it was a never ending loop of " Wah wah, cry cry, pity me, pity me!"

 

The episode wasn't its best, but I believe what saved it was Fluttershys singing and the return of Flutterguy. Sadly, that's all I enjoyed about that one episode.

 

I'm all ears if you want to defend this episode. I don't blame you for loving it, or hating it. AT ALL! >.<

Season 4 seemed to be a two-character-per-episode season, and Pinkie and Fluttershy are the two ponies least alike in the mane six. Pinkie Pie has always had trouble understanding the emotions of others; it takes people literally telling her what they're feeling, otherwise, she doesn't quite get it. (ala Griffin the Brush Off, Party of One, A Friend in Deed,etc.) Pinkie Pie hasn't been in Fluttershy's particular position, and she was trying to help Fluttershy the best and only way she knows how; by getting her to face her fears head on; Giggle at the ghosties, if you will. Unfortunately, it didn't quite have the intended effect, since they operate differently, and it ended up doing more harm then good. Did it hurt to watch? Yes? Did it hurt Pinkie's character? It certainly takes her obliviousness to new levels. Was it mean-spirited in nature? No; I dare say Pinkie is incapable of malicious behavior in her current state.

[Live Forever 316]

Well, this is going to be quite a doozy to reply.

 

True, but due to the rather blatant wish fulfillment nature of it (you know Hasbro pretty much shoved it down the writers throats) along with other reasons there was a very high risk of her becoming a Mary Sue due to this reason. We still don't know the full extent of her power boost yet so she is not completely out of the woods yet but there is some hope.

 

But how could you have known if she was becoming even slightly closer to a Mary Sue? The only showing of her powers was when she flew towards the screen. I could hardly call being able to fly being a Mary Sue. Also, I would like to direct you to Themysteriousmrenter's review of the episode, where he explains that Twilight is still the same ("Is there a book I have to read about [being an Alicorn]?") with her self-doubts, worries, and limited powers.

 

I suppose I will bring up a few more episodes I hated while I am here first starting with Rainbow Falls. Spitfire was unbelievably out of character, Soarin being a clumsy doofus just dosen't make sense I mean how the frag did he become a Wonderbolt if that is the case? And it strikes me as incredibly unbelievable that Rainbow Dash is so good that they want her over Soarin. Fluttershy being in the games is out of character because Fluttershy dosen't have a single competitive bone in her body, she dosen't like flying that much and there are other pegasi in Ponyville that are far more suited. Bulk Biceps being a lousy flier is a huge contradiction of his depiction in Wonderbolt Academy, while he didn't have a major role in that episode the fact that he made it in Wonderbolt Academy shows that he is a skilled flier yet Rainbow Falls depicts him as completely incompetent.

 

I seriously can see Themysteriousmrenter say this. I very much agree, except that I thought it was hinted that Soarin' was sabotaged. You also forgot to mention the fact that Rainbow Dash is not being loyal. I get that that was the point of the six keys thing, but the other episodes were more subtle and didn't anger people. 

 

 

.... People hate "It's About Time"?  I thought everyone loved that episode.  It's one of those tried and true episodes to get your friends potentially interested in the show by showing them how un-"What They Thought MLP Was" it can be.  And, it gave us Snake-Twi and Ponies In Skintight Rubber Ninja Suits!  Plus, we get two of the best life lessons the show has EVER given, both in one episode; Don't make yourself crazy with worry under any circumstance, and DO NOT overdo it on the ice cream!

 

METAL GEAR PONY!!!!

 

Also, thank you so much! If people weren't so focused on the ending, which is very genius and carries much Fridge Brilliance except that people are blind to amazing things (they like shows such as Uncle Grandpa), they might actually like the episode. Time travel CAN be done wrong, in fact, Back to the Future Part II wasn't that good because it threw out the quantum physics of the first film, but they did it well here.

 

 

I have heard some people criticize it as an unnecessary re hash of Lesson Zero but I don't think that is entirely accurate or fair. They both have the huge similarity of Twilight having an OCD freak out but other than that the freak outs happened for different reasons. Lesson Zero because Twiligtht didn't have a friendship report so felt she needed to create one because she was "tardy" and It's About Time because of her obsession with something allegedly bad happening. Out of the two I like Lesson Zero a bit better but did like them both.

 

They are actually very different. If you were put in Twilight's shoe- I mean horseshoes in Lesson Zero, you probably wouldn't worry as much, right? However, if you were in her horseshoes in It's About Time, you might have a similar reaction. Think about it. Twilight jumped to some conclusion that the world would end or something. She had a reason to worry, and let's face it, we would worry like that, too.

 

 

"Worry" and "stress" are such massive, all-encompassing topics and great ones to go with life-lessons for people of any age that they could make 20 eps about it and I wouldn't feel like it'd be overkill.  And they're quite different types of worry; feeling you missed something important and worrying yourself to death over it vs. realizing that 'some event in the near future might suck a lot' and losing sleep over it.  Both very good separate lessons to teach and they both came out in the same season anyway so I doubt it was ever meant to be a 'rehash' anyway.

 

I would say something, but I said everything that needed to be said in my above reply to EP.

 

 

i don't hate any of the eps

my fav song from magical mystery cure is

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0RTd5XvOeQ

 

A true true friend helps a friend in need to see the light that shines for a true true friend...

Yeah, it's a great song.

 

 

While there are certainly episodes I don't like, the only episode that come close to hating would be "Twilight Time." I mean...it seems like the premise of that episode was built around awkwardness; and I usually don't like awkward situation in media. >_<

 

I mean the episode has some nice parts and a strong moral, but the episode just felt...awkward. >_<

 

Could you elaborate on the awkwardness of Twilight Time? I don't understand what you mean by that.

 

Before I continue, I would like to ask who here has seen the movie Meet the Robinsons.

 

Well if you want a discussion:

 

- I didn't feel the musical theme worked well.  But to address other things first, I probably would have enjoyed a two parter, I felt that would have helped the pacing a bit more and placed things in great perspective (but I have doubts that rumor is real).   Crystal Empire; Pinkie Pride don't feel like musicals to me because, they don't have as many songs as MMC, but also because, Pinkie randomly breaking out into song doesn't sound that out of ordinary really. 

 

- EarthBendingPony explains some of the other feelings I had towards the episode. The thing is, I kept asking why "are they constantly breaking out into song?" It just seemed so weird, (it being done 2 - 3 times is okay.  It being done 7 times suddenly becomes more noticeable, of course that's the intention). It was with me, "must you break out into song to state the situation or say the problem was solved?" but whatever.  The songs were good though, I'll give that prop to Daniel Ingram and Steffan Andrews. 

 

- A musical felt like it wasn't really taking the problem in the episode really seriously I felt, it was a bit weird on how quickly it wrapped itself up. And yes, I would have liked it to be lengthy, not a short musical number wrap up.  And yes, I'll take back what I said about musicals, I probably don't watch musicals because I don't find them interesting, sorry.

 

When was the last time Friendship is Magic did a musical? When was the last time they changed the design of a character to suit a new story arc? When was the last time they wrapped up three seasons in one episode? You see, FiM was beginning to do Off-the-Wall concepts by season three, and they worked for the most part. (Sleepless in Ponyville; Pinkie Pride; Three's a Crowd; etc.)

 

- the real reason I probably disliked that episode more is because it left a bit of a sour taste to remind me that seasons 3 was going to be short, and that my expectation of what I would perceive to be a good season closer, well fell flat for me.  Not what I would consider a great closer, but whatever.

 

So all your problems were with the pacing and the fact it was a musical? Huh.

 

- other stuff: oh yeah Canterlot's changelings were also out of the blue and funny how that premise starts falling apart a bit when you look at it more (I loved Anthony C's review of that when he did it, he was fun to listen to when he reviewed it).  Mantlecore doesn't seem out of nowhere, it was brought there intentionally by NMM, and NMM was introduced from the beginning of the season pilot so, I don't see how that's out of nowhere.  Other jarring thing was introducing Shining Armour and Cadence, that's out of nowhere (and for obvious reasons). 

 

Let me set the scene: the Mane Six are walking towards their goal, but suddenly a lion-like creature appears! Twilight screams the name of the creature, a Manticore, and they try to fight it. Fluttershy helps the creature, and they move on without batting an eyelash.

 

But moving on:

 

About "It's About Time"

 

I don't have many problems about that one; the only thing I have about that one is probably the same reason that some of the sci-fi watchers pointed out, it becomes a time paradox, and I don't want to touch that because it gets so annoying to try sort it out.  Other than that, episode was good (perhaps fell a bit because some people were expecting a real disaster to occur).

 

Well, if history has told, we have no idea what time travel is really like, and the writers could be right about it. And I always thought it was an ironic twist that served as a funny climax. 

 

 

(I'm tackling only Magical Mystery Cure because I spent some time writing it.)

I don't hate MMC, but it's my least favorite and definitely the worst season finale of the show so far. It's also one many bronies vehemently hate for some very good reasons. Why?

1. The pacing is extremely rushed. KCaFO really rushed through one episode in order to accomplished Discord's reformation. In Magical Mystery Cure, the rushed pacing was amplified. Every single event from beginning to end was crammed into twenty minutes, and when you have two major events happening, the flow of the writing becomes much too inorganic to happen that quickly. The script had no time to relax, breathe in and out, and then go back to work. MMC held its breath from the prologue onward, and it never relented until the credits rolled.
   
   Neither of these events are very small. Twilight's friends had their cutie marks switched around, altering their perception of how they lived their lives up to the finale. This is a pretty big change in itself because Twilight has never seen anyone's livelihoods change in one feel swoop, particularly from a rather big accident that she caused.
   
   Then, once Twilight solved the mystery, she got rewarded by becoming an alicorn princess. In about fifteen minutes, Twilight went from a common unicorn into royalty.
   
   Very big differences.

I'll direct you to my previous replies.
 

...

 

There was only one way for the Twilicorn execution to be entirely sold: The plot must be so well-done that it masks Hasbro's meddling immediately. Unlike A Canterlot Wedding with Cadance and Shining Armor, her transformation seriously risked altering a very close dynamic, even though the final minutes don't dictate this. There had to be NO gray areas or mishaps.

 

We wouldn't know if it went wrong until season four, though.

 

 

I couldn't have put it better myself. I also like this episode, and I agree with all of the above, except maybe the part about Twilight becoming a Princess. I agree to an extent that it could have been handled worse, and indeed, I doubt it would have been well received initially, no matter how it was handled, but I still think that part was a little rushed. That said, it's still one of, if not my favorite episode of season 3, for virtually all the reasons you listed. I'd like to add a couple more of my own:

- As much as I enjoy the epic two parter that most seasons open and close with, it's starting to get a little old IMHO, and I kind of like to see a season shake things up a little. Seasons 1 and 3 both do just that, and I'm glad they do.

- Maybe not quite its own point, since this one ties into your first, but this episode has just as many songs as Equestria Girls, and they're better IMHO. I enjoy the musical numbers in the series, and while I'm glad they aren't in every episode, I look forward to them, and no episode has more of them than MMC. I suppose that would be meaningless if I didn't like any of the songs, but I do, and actually like a couple of them a lot. Most of EQG's soundtrack just made me appreciate MMC that much more.

 

It's the technical side of things that makes you appreciate an episode like this, I agree.

 

 

I have never had a problem with any episode before, but I have a love/hate relationship with the episode "Filli Vanilli".

The episode just, to me, tried to strip Pinkie's character to make her seem intimidating and harsh. I know Pinkie Pie has her moments where she doesn't know when to keep her mouth shutshut, but they took WAY too much advantage out of it to also try to hurt Fluttershy's character as much as possible. Even Fluttershy didn't act like herself towards the end of the episode.

I also kinda didn't like how they went really dramatic with it. Like it was a never ending loop of " Wah wah, cry cry, pity me, pity me!"

The episode wasn't its best, but I believe what saved it was Fluttershys singing and the return of Flutterguy. Sadly, that's all I enjoyed about that one episode.

I'm all ears if you want to defend this episode. I don't blame you for loving it, or hating it. AT ALL! >.<

 

While I don't really mind Pinkie that much in Filli Vanilli, I can see why others do. It just struck me as a sort of humorous characterization.

 

[Guest]

I absolutely adore Magical Mystery Cure and don't really comprehend why or even HOW any remote fan of the show could possibly dislike it, except for the obvious 'purple horse gets wings wowee' bit.  Here's why:

 

 - The episode is chock full of excellent songs.

 - It rises beyond the big problem of always feeling very "rushed" faced by most the two-part season openers/closers (and even 'big deal' mid-season one-parters like Magic Duel and Keep Calm & Flutter On) by having the action move very swiftly and seamlessly as a musical.

 - It has one of the coolest episode concepts ever of the switched cutiemarks, and I feel it executed that idea quite well.

 - Celestia sings, and her voice is absolutely gorgeous.

 - The fancy clipshow alongside said song was enough to very nearly bring tears to my eyes, and was very fitting for a final episode sequence (kinda wish they saved such a thing for that).  If it had been I'd probably STILL be bawling over it.  In a good way.

 - When all's said and done, the inevitable princessification was handled much better than it could have been.

 - And last but not least, Derpy was seen for the first time after the big fiasco about her assumedly become 100% removed forever by Hasbro, even if only in a tiny cameo.

 

So basically no, I don't even dislike MMC at all.  In fact I adore it; I'd probably even put it in my top 15-20 episodes at least, maybe even top 10, but I'd really have to think on that.

 

I completely agree, as it stands right now, MMC is actually my 2nd favourite episode ever. (Fire away haters ) I understand the criticisms mentioned in this thread, but I can't help but love it. When I first saw it I cried twice ('Find A Way' and 'Celestia's Ballad' ) Admittedly they squeezed a lot in which might have been better executed as a double episode. I was watching the episode on tv the other day, and my housemate who has teased me nonstop for liking MLP conceded the show was actually decent after viewing this one with me Oh, and the music is awesome from start to finish

[Ianpiersonjdavis 513]

I have a few, but I'll start out with 'Magical Mystery Cure' since it's less personal.

 

Well, I hate the episode because of the horrible pacing making it feel like an odd mish-mash of two separate episodes awkwardly spliced together.

 

There is also the fact that it was a musical, knowing this fact rubbed me the wrong way right out of the gates.

 

But, there are other reasons;

 

-Switching the Cutie Marks also confused me as to how easily it was done, could one pony turn another into a slave by changing their destiny?

 

-If a pony's thoughts and memories are dictated by their destiny and Cutie Mark-do they even have free will?

 

-What if it's someone's destiny to be a criminal, do they still get punished for doing what their destiny tells them?

 

-Starswirl never understood friendship and the spell was incomplete when he gave up on it-did he test on other ponies and then leave them to suffer?

 

-How does losing or swapping a Cutie Mark affect ones memory?