S05:E09 - Slice of Life

[Coco before Pommel 678]

So I'll admit I had some reservations about this episode - on a selfish level, I'm only really interested in a couple of background ponies, but more importantly if done badly it could feel like way too much fan-pandering. But I have to say, I thought they pulled it off brilliantly, giving spotlight to the background ponies and obvious fan shout outs/references while still still feeling very much like an episode of MLP and true to the show's overall tone/message.

 

First, I thought building the thing around Matilda and Cranky's wedding worked well - everypony helping out and contributing something in their own way was nice, and they also had some really sweet scenes and it was nice to see them again, as one of the few who didn't loathe A Friend In Deed

 

I'll admit that I don't Doctor Who and so I've never cared about anything Doctor Whooves, but his scenes were entertaining enough - outside of the obvious influence, his whole SCIENCE!!! thing made him feel like basically male Twilight, and as others mentioned raises some interesting possibilities about how science and magic works in MLP. The whole thing with the Lebowski ponies kinda went over my head a bit, as I haven't seen that either, but I'm sure a lot of folks got a kick out of that X3

 

But I did really enjoy his interaction with Derpy - sorry, Muffins I've always been pretty much neutral-to-positive on fanon!Derpy, but I think they did an awesome job with the character here (tbh, having avoided all the trailers and everything, I wasn't even expecting her to talk!) - she was adorable, clumsy and a little ditzy but not a total incompetent idiot and genuinely wanting to help and do the best she can, and I liked her new-new voice too! It feels like this is what the character should have always been, tbh, and then maybe there wouldn't have been such controversy...I'm really glad she got her chance to shine, and I think they did her justice

 

OMC, Special Agent Sweetie Drops!! I gotta say, was not expecting that and best way to explain the name confusion EVER XD (Another pony in this ep with an improvement on her previous voices, too ) And she and Lyra were just, d'awww <33 especially when Lyra was like "I ate your special oats" (or whatever) to get back at her and she just smiled, aah~ - I've heard some people saying they were basically making fun of shippers, because it was ship-teasy as hell and then having them constantly be like "we're BEST FRIENDS", and tbh, I would have absolutely loved for them to actually go there and make them a couple - of course I wasn't expecting it, but it would have been so easy and so great, not just speaking as a shipper but for all the representation and acceptance stuff in general...sigh. I mean, I'm happy with what we got and they're adorable friends at it is, but...the whole "making fun of shippers" seems in bad taste, tbh, because of the whole overtone that people are ridiculous and overinvested for wanting a same sex couple on a children's show (with plenty of heterosexual couples). So I would like to believe at least that M A Larson's intentions weren't that petty, but...aaaaanyway, moving on~

 

Vinyl and Octavia!!!! <3__<3 the one thing I was spoiled for was them being roommates, and as obviously fanservicey as that was, I loved it and both of them. I was most worried for Octavia, because she's my fave BG pony, but she was absolutely wonderful - her voice was much better than it sounded in her one line in Rainbow Rocks, and I loved that she wasn't a stuck-up snob like in some fanon - her and Vinyl playing together was beautiful and sounded awesome, and speaking of Vinyl I really liked that they kept her mute (unpopular opinion? not sure) - it just seems to suit her character really well, being kinda in her own world and expressing herself through music, etc, but they were still able to give her personality without having to speak, which I think is really cool.

 

Stephen Magnet turning up - and having that confirmed as his name - was unexpected, but awesome XD him talking to Matilda in the spa was so funny, and I absolutely love him and Cranky as unlikely bros! It was really sweet when they hugged at the end

 

Celestia and Luna bickering over wedding gifts was great too XD nice to see them not being all royal and regal for once, and when they linked hooves at Mayor Mare's speech, aww <3

 

If I had any teeeeny nitpicks...possible unpopular opinion, but the Gummy bit didn't work for me :x it was just kinda...surreal, and just didn't fit with the tone of the show at all. I get that that was the idea maybe, but...yeah, not a fan, sorry ^^;; Also, I thought Vinyl and Tavi wub-ing their way to the wedding (although I did enjoy all the cameos along the way) with everything magically being fine was just a little bit too convenient - that bit could have done with some more tension/obstacles/some kind of "are they gonna make it" drama, perhaps?

 

But overall, I really enjoyed the ep and thought they did a fantastic job with the background ponies, considering there's so much fanon/headcanons people have built up. I loved the ending (though it was a bit sad that Pinkie got locked out of Matilda and Cranky's wedding, considering she reunited them! But I'm sure there'll be an afterparty ) with Twilight saying how lucky they were to live in this town - to me that felt like a comment on FiM itself, almost? Like, the town - and the show, and the fandom - wouldn't be what it is without all these different ponies and their different personalities and roles - they all contribute something, however big and small, which makes Ponyville and the world of MLP FIM what it is. And I think with an ep like this, it's easy to write it off as "brony-pandering" - but people also forget that the target audience might enjoy the background ponies too? And after so much attention and speculation in the fandom, I think it's awesome to finally see them in the spotlight in canon - of course, you can't please everyone and some fans are gonna disagree or be mad because it ruined their headcanon, or whatever. But for me, this ep was a perfect way to celebrate MLP FIM, the fanbase and all the show has been and might be in the future. And it's those background ponies and how people have responded to them, as well as the mane 6, that have helped make the show and the fandom what it is today. Which is an awesome thing, so I'm really happy they got their turn in the spotlight

[yisetab28 89]

Every bloody headcanon and perception of the MLP fandom has been completely annihilated in one episode. Good thing my fanfic is in an alternate timeline... But I don't know, it just feels like this episode could have been done better...

 

I didn't even watch it completely, just skipped parts and watched a few minutes. It was just so bland... Overly done exposition as subtle as an anvil, boring scenes, multiple clichés in characters and personality derailment for no reason. I think they took a novice fanfic writer and let him write SoL's plot. Even though it's just a 20 minutes episode, they could have brought the characters up a little more than just one personality point. Whooves is just quirky, Ditzy is just clumsy, Octavia is just classy, &c. &c. &c. It's not necessarily bad, just a little down from what they used to do in the previous seasons. But I guess I'm getting my hopes up a little too high and forgetting that this is basically a huge ad for Hasbro's toys.

 

Also, no David Tennant as guest, so already 5/10 max for the episode.

Edited June 17, 2015 by MCAsomm

[Zhortac 1,474]

Everyone keep talking about ships being made canon in this episode, when really only Lyra and Bonbon really were. I mean, they danced that fine line between being kid friendly, and getting the show canned off the air for going too far.

[Sectus 246]

Everyone keep talking about ships being made canon in this episode, when really only Lyra and Bonbon really were. I mean, they danced that fine line between being kid friendly, and getting the show canned off the air for going too far.

 

I was actually fearful that they might kiss instead of hug at the end.

[Luffyiscool 397]

I didn't even watch it completely, just skipped parts and watched a few minutes. It was just so bland... Overly done exposition as subtle as an anvil, boring scenes, multiple clichés in characters and personality derailment for no reason. I think they took a novice fanfic writer and let him write SoL's plot. Even though it's just a 20 minutes episode, they could have brought the characters up a little more than just one personality point. Whooves is just quirky, Ditzy is just clumsy, Octavia is just classy, &c. &c. &c. It's not necessarily bad, just a little down from what they used to do in the previous seasons. But I guess I'm getting my hopes up a little too high and forgetting that this is basically a huge ad for Hasbro's toys.

Personally, I think you couldn't be more wrong on this, and that the characters were presented just fine.

Current favourite episode of the season.

[Lexamena 391]

I called the cheezburger.com mad max reference way back on like page 3. I'm not allowed to post a url from there. That is all.

[yisetab28 89]

 

 

and that the characters were presented just fine

 

They were, but a finely presented character is not necessarily a good one. I can spend fifty lines describing a Mary Sue alicOC, but it will still be crap. I can spend two phrases describing an extremely well developed character yet this will (probably) not make him worse. Plus, they really overdid the exposition with Lyra and Bon Bon.

[Crystalthesnowpony 32]

also, that last frame, could that be considered a 6 way ship?

 nope i highly doubt it but if it suites your fanfics then yes.

[Delzepp 2,939]

 nope i highly doubt it but if it suites your fanfics then yes.

I don't have fanfics and that reply was meant primarily to be a joke

 

guess it wasn't a very good one...

[Crystalthesnowpony 32]

I don't have fanfics and that reply was meant primarily to be a joke

 

guess it wasn't a very good one...

oh lol i just dont know what went wrong  

[Delzepp 2,939]

oh lol i just dont know what went wrong  

 

 

anyway, yeah, the ships were through the roof all throughout the episode

 

which one was your fave couple?

[Crystalthesnowpony 32]

x doctor lol fave ship of all time

[yisetab28 89]

x doctor lol fave ship of all time

Why not Rose? Derptor is also fine tho

[Crystalthesnowpony 32]

Why not Rose? Derptor is also fine tho

Derpy and doctor are way cuter tho

[Delzepp 2,939]

x doctor lol fave ship of all time

cool

 

mine was lyra and bon bon

 

I think that's among the oldest ships in the mlp universe

[Crystalthesnowpony 32]

me too i guess lol    wait do u mean derp x doctor or lyra x bon bon

[yisetab28 89]

cool

 

mine was lyra and bon bon

 

I think that's among the oldest ships in the mlp universe

 

 

The oldest would be Sparity. Also, imo, one of the worst. Inter-species, maybe even zoophilia at a certain level + pedophilia.

Edited June 17, 2015 by MCAsomm

[Time Shield 402]

Something just occurred to me about the changeling at the wedding.  The producers spent the whole episode cementing personalities that the fandom had created for characters who formerly didn't have them.  Then, just before the ending, they introduce a new character without giving them any lines of dialogue or explanation.  I just now realized that it might be the producers saying, "We wouldn't want to leave you without one more background character to speculate on.  Here's a new one for you.  Go for it!"

Edited June 17, 2015 by Time Shield

[Delzepp 2,939]

The oldest would be Sparity. Also, imo, one of the worst. Inter-species, maybe even zoophilia at a certain level + pedophilia.

this would be a good time to call it a night X3

[PittyPaws 118]

I loved this episode. There were so many characters that came back from previous episodes and so much eye candy. 

Not only that but there was also lots of references to the fandom as well.

We got to see Derpy interact with Doctor Hooves. 

The whole Sweetie Drops/ Bon Bon thing was cleverly explained. 

We got to see the return of the Letrotski Ponies and Steven Magnet. 

And Octavia and DJ Pon 3 even did a duet together. 

Plus did anyone notice that even Button Mash made an apparance too? 

It's an episode definetly worth watching again. 

[TranceBrony 16]

Let's see, lots of things canon which is cool. I liked the episode, the plot was strong.

Favourite part: Where Vinyl and Octavia made that awesome remix.

10/10 Best episode I have seen.

[goldfish911 42]

The changeling at the wedding made me think of the webcomic "Changeling scout reads Daring Do" or something like that.

 

My issues with this episode:

1.The whole "agent bon bon" thing felt kinda absurd and tacked on. How does a normal pony fit into canon? If the bee-bear was trapped by her in Tartarus, why wasn't it seen in Tartarus before(there is a scene where part of tartarus is shown before)?

2.The Celestia-Luna quarrel towards the end sounded like something you would find in a comedy sitcom like Modern Family or something.

 

Favorite parts:

1. The whole Dr. Whooves/"The Dude" interaction. "Man?"

2.The Vinyl/Octavia duet thing was pretty neat. I'm not a fan of those two, but I was impressed.

[Time Shield 402]

The changeling at the wedding made me think of the webcomic "Changeling scout reads Daring Do" or something like that.

 

My issues with this episode:

1.The whole "agent bon bon" thing felt kinda absurd and tacked on. How does a normal pony fit into canon? If the bee-bear was trapped by her in Tartarus, why wasn't it seen in Tartarus before(there is a scene where part of tartarus is shown before)?

2.The Celestia-Luna quarrel towards the end sounded like something you would find in a comedy sitcom like Modern Family or something.

 

Favorite parts:

1. The whole Dr. Whooves/"The Dude" interaction. "Man?"

2.The Vinyl/Octavia duet thing was pretty neat. I'm not a fan of those two, but I was impressed.

1. I think per the sequence of events she talked about, she captured it a long time ago, and it broke out of Tartarus a few years ago, after which she moved to Ponyville to hide out. We've been shown through some eps that less than 2 years have passed in the series, so this all took place before we ever saw any of Tartarus, and Bon Bon was already in place.

 

2. I thought it was nice to see them bickering like two normal sisters for a change. Some fans have wanted to see something like that for a while now, which is why I suspect they put the scene in.

[The Nth Doctor 662]

It...was disappointing

The only parts I really enjoyed were Time Turner and Muffins

 

Although the butchering of "Allons~y" made me cringe

[Plato's Pony 455]

I actually really liked this episode.  Although the theme of this episode contrasts from the rest of the series, it was overall very fun to watch.  Probably my favorite part of this episode was how the Mane Six were made the background ponies and how our favorite secondary and background characters were given the spotlight for a change (which is pretty much the major theme of this episode).  I can understand why a lot of the Mane Six lovers are disappointed, but being more of a secondary character person myself, I really enjoyed this episode.