S05:E16 - Made in Manehattan

[Lambdadelta 1,462]

I have found a new kind of bad episode in my dictionary: a boring episode that you cant decide whether its good or not. So annoying. Hope Brotherhooves Social will be on par with the sister one or surpass it (the latter is impossible).

[Sunny Fox 5,929]

I liked it well enough. Just a simple story with a simple message. Not an "edge of your seat" epic by any means, but a good breather episode. 

 

Now one thing I feel I should point out. Yes, Applejack went to Manehatten as a filly. The episode Cutie Mark Chronicles doesn't make it explicit how long she was there, but I doubt it was more than a month. The question one of the party guests asked her is "How are you finding Manehatten?" which typically is a question asked of a person when they have only been in a new place for a relatively short time. Applejack then admits the city noise took getting used to, which implies at least a bit of time has passed, at least one week or two. Since this appears to be the first social event AJ is attending, and busy Manehatten socialites often take time to prepare their dinner parties, I think it's reasonable to assume AJ's visit to Manehatten was a month or less.

 

My point here is that one shouldn't expect AJ to be comfortable in Manehatten in this episode, because the time she spent there previously was so short and she was a filly at the time. Big cities can change a lot in a few years, and the trends tends to be to more hustle and bustle. Not to mention that living on a farm for years is bound to make the pace of city life daunting when you first arrive. Culture shock, people, google it. 

 

Why wasn't it a problem in Rarity Takes Manehatten? Simple, AJ was with a bigger group then, and didn't have the doubts about why the Map was sending her to bother her previously.

 

Plus I like that the Map sent them. One of my issues with Amending Fences was that the Map wasn't used when it would have made sense, and in fact is terribly underutilized in Season 5.

[cider float 2,535]

There wasn't much as interaction between the two to really qualify it as a Rarity and Applejack episode to me.

[NyanAttack 30]

i kinda liked it and didn't it gave a great lession but it feels like the type of episode you have as background sound.

[manic 121]

I liked it well enough. Just a simple story with a simple message. Not an "edge of your seat" epic by any means, but a good breather episode. 

 

Now one thing I feel I should point out. Yes, Applejack went to Manehatten as a filly. The episode Cutie Mark Chronicles doesn't make it explicit how long she was there, but I doubt it was more than a month. The question one of the party guests asked her is "How are you finding Manehatten?" which typically is a question asked of a person when they have only been in a new place for a relatively short time. Applejack then admits the city noise took getting used to, which implies at least a bit of time has passed, at least one week or two. Since this appears to be the first social event AJ is attending, and busy Manehatten socialites often take time to prepare their dinner parties, I think it's reasonable to assume AJ's visit to Manehatten was a month or less.

 

My point here is that one shouldn't expect AJ to be comfortable in Manehatten in this episode, because the time she spent there previously was so short and she was a filly at the time. Big cities can change a lot in a few years, and the trends tends to be to more hustle and bustle. Not to mention that living on a farm for years is bound to make the pace of city life daunting when you first arrive. Culture shock, people, google it. 

 

Why wasn't it a problem in Rarity Takes Manehatten? Simple, AJ was with a bigger group then, and didn't have the doubts about why the Map was sending her to bother her previously.

 

Plus I like that the Map sent them. One of my issues with Amending Fences was that the Map wasn't used when it would have made sense, and in fact is terribly underutilized in Season 5.

To add to that, AJ obviously was happy to leave, and it's referenced when she didn't feel like she should be the one to go to Manehattan, plus all her country-isms popping up conveniently while there. She of course is a more mature pony now, and willingly does her duty, so she doesn't have a problem going there, she just might not like it.

[redacted01241243 42]

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Edited December 7, 2023 by redacted01241243

[Sh Pie 65]

I always enjoy Manehattan-based episodes. It's such a unique and lively city in Equestria. The story was nice as well with Rarity and AJ helping out Coco, the familiar background pony, and renovating the play to bring the city ponies together again. AJ learned an important lesson that you don't have to be a city pony to improve the city pony community. Rarity was amazing once more.

[BlinkZ 1,151]

Yes definintly a nice touch with the moral. to qhote veggies tales 'little guys can do big things too" yeah a big cmmunity but evne the small things add up over time. Great message about community and just resnaes with the shows overall message it gives.

[gamecubeguy214 2,511]

I think in this episode they were referencing the Rarijack ship. I mean, Twi saying ''Finally!'' at Rarity and Applejack and the the booth with a heart in between Rarity and Applejack? They were definitely referencing the ship.

One question I have is why do people ship people with the same gender? I mean, I'm not against gays, but how do those shippers know that they're homosexual?

[Midnight Blossom 58]

Poor AJ.. She felt so out of place and tried so hard to be helpful at the beginning. Glad she found something she was able to do and was able to feel better towards the end.

 

 

 

Oh and "I'm such an important pony and far to busy to help *lays on little boat and floats along the river lazily*" that part made me head-desk..

[Pastel 7,627]

Surprisingly good episode, after a veeeeery long start (except the play at the end, most scenes were a bit boring)...

Nice to see Coco Pommel again.

[BPCannon 193]

Just got around to watching this one last night, along with all the other episodes since the mid season break. Personally I found it to be a pretty solid entry, and I appreciated the change of setting, but unlike the previous two, my kids got bored during the first half of this one and weren't really paying attention. They are 5 & 7 though and had just sat quietly through two episodes of MLP back to back before this one, (and MLP is about the only thing that keeps them quiet for more than 10 minutes in a row) They did seem more interested during the second half though, and keen to watch the next episode straight after, but that may have been because it was bedtime, so you know, any excuse..

[Cadance of Love 1,118]

this was a good episode though i kinda feel that this was more Applejack centered more than Rarity. She knew what she had to do already but AJ felt like she wasn't really needed until the end when she had to make the stage instead of working on the park. and they did a good job of explaining why the map called only AJ and Rarity instead of some of the others that was lacking in Rainbow Dash's and Pinkie Pie's map episode..

[Chaton 3,765]

Bit of a boring episode in my honest opinion, though there was one good thing.

 

We get to see Coco Pomel again!

[BrawnyCharger 511]

I enjoyed the episode, and I enjoyed seeing Coco Pommel again. One thing that I seem to have noticed is that the relationship between Applejack and Rarity has truly developed throughout the past 5 seasons. If anypony can remember, early on in the series, Applejack and Rarity had completely opposite personalities and could BARELY stand each other. Here, they act as though their opposing lifestyles don't even clash at all. It truly shows the character development the show has been using.

[PiratePony 8,473]

 

 

It truly shows the character development the show has been using.

 

 

Yes, not to mention how real life friendships can develop, and after a while the ticks that separate you stop bothering you after time. I enjoyed seeing them on the same page. 

[Emiko Gale 199]

The overall message in this episode felt incredibly close to real life...I was surprised by it.

[powerpuff-tsubasa 447]

Surprisingly good episode, after a veeeeery long start (except the play at the end, most scenes were a bit boring)...

Nice to see Coco Pommel again.

im glad Coco made a comeback this time.

overall. decent episode

The overall message in this episode felt incredibly close to real life...I was surprised by it.

i couldnt agree more. it had mostly to relate with cooperation

The overall message in this episode felt incredibly close to real life...I was surprised by it.

i couldnt agree more. it had mostly to relate with cooperation

[Tropical Melody 5,078]

Disclaimer: newcomer to topic with risk of repeating previous comments - apologies in advance - own opinions only.
 

Saw this one first time ever yesterday, and again tonight. Very charming and moving episode with lots of "aww!!" moments.

 

 

Besties:

 

 

 

 

 

and ... she's going ... she's going ... (welling up)

 

 

 

Deffo in my faves list.

 

 

[Thrond 3,257]

Rarity/Applejack bickering? Check. Not a single local being willing to help out, as hard as that is to believe? Check. One of the most brutally, depressingly pointless scenes in the show's history? CHECK. Perfect recipe for me to hate this episode! Even if it were just that scene of Applejack fixing the stage which I disliked about this, it'd still be an utterly miserable sit for me, because building that stage seemed so gruelling, and then it amounted to nothing. What a horrific bit of misery porn for what's usually such a nice, upbeat show. Doesn't help that the rest of it is a little irritating as well! At least it ends on a good note, unlike the Griffonstone episode. 

[Squiggle 9]

I enjoyed it. I liked Coco (although shouldn't her mane and tail be black?) and I was glad to see Rarity getting her due in this, as well as the previous two episodes.

I'm still not that fond of Manehattan, though. I'd prefer it as more fairy-tale (tail) and less like our own world.

[Moony the Cat 3,695]

I loved this Episode, it had a good emotional ending and i was happy that we saw Coco Pommel again.

[Nye 1,652]

A cool Map episode. That is tied together with the next episode.

[bigbertha 410]

I like this episode. It's one of the very few later season episodes to feel like an early season episode in a good way. It's simple, but it still leads to fun character interaction and more screen time for Coco, something she desperately needed after "Rarity Takes Manehattan". It's also one of the few season 5 episodes to be genuinely charming throughout. This episode shows why Rarity and Applejack work so well together when written well.

Score: 8/10

Edited July 29, 2018 by bigbertha

[Thrond 3,257]

Cold open still infuriates me... Twilight can't accompany them because, uh, what reason, exactly? She's a princess! Who's gonna tell her not to go on vacation? And how does Twilight know why the map makes its decisions? As far as we know, this is like the third time it's ever done anything! None of this makes any sense. 

And the jokes, oh god, I don't like them. I'm somewhat surprised that this one's just as painful as I remember, especially given that other episodes have become more appealing to me. Rarity is at her most gratingly melodramatic, and Applejack reacting to Manehattan is just not all that inspired. The stuff with Applejack failing to repair the stage still bothers me - it's just so horribly depressing.

Also, I just don't think there's enough buildup to the themes. Most of this episode just doesn't resonate with me. The problem, I think, is that the locals are too caricatured; it comes across not so much like they're misguided as that they're selfish. Essentially, I would have liked less of the first two-thirds and more of the final part, where they realize they can build something smaller. The episode certainly could have done away with the obnoxious first scene in Manehattan, and maybe trimmed down the scenes of exposition with Coco Pommel. Perhaps this episode is just too dragged out. 

And summoning these two ponies just comes across as kinda impersonal, as all that really matters is their skills. The map could have picked any fashion designer and anyone with some construction skill, and the result would have been identical. This has so little to do with their individual personalities, which is a marked contrast with what made season 6's map episodes so satisfying. 

The ending, though, where they finally explain everything? Lovely. 

Score:
Entertainment: 2/10
Characters: 4/10
Themes: 7/10
Story: 4/10
Overall: 43/100