S06:E03 - The Gift of Maud Pie

[glitterbomb 162]

Wow! Rarity made an awesome Pinkie Pie impression! I didn't think she had it in her!

Definitely my favorite part of the episode

[The Nth Doctor 652]

You know, I didn't like Pinkie Pie much when I first started watching the Ponies, for exactly the reason you describe.  But now she's my favorite.  Partly because she has "hidden depths."   And partly because I have felt scorned or dismissed by people for my own often-frivolous-seeming behavior. 

 

I have a question that I like to ask people when I'm "interviewing" them as potential friends.  The question is: Which would you rather be - right or happy?  The folks that answer "right" get put on a back burner. 

 

Pinkie, I know, would answer "happy."  The two states are not necessarily mutually exclusive, but it does give me an idea of how a "right" person would be if we had a difference of opinion.  And even the best of friends have those.  

 

I've learned to love Pinkie, she makes me SMILE!  When I'm feeling dragged down by the world, I go find the video of Pinkie singing the Smile Song, and things start looking better immediately.

"Smile" was the only Pinkie Song I enjoy that doesn't make me cringe

"Apples to the Core" was more an "Apple Family with Guest Appearance by Pinkie" and still enjoyable

 

She does have a lovely singing voice though and when I was in high school, I had a lot in common with Pinkie, since I was the person that usually made people smile, and like Pinkie, sometimes I was a bit over-the-top which irritated some people 

 

I'm best enjoyed in small bursts~

[Sonic5421 423]

It was great to see both Maud and Manehattan again as we got to see a lot of new things this time around with Manehattan.

 

Rarity expands her business so now she'll have branches in Ponyville, Canterlot, and Manehattan, Pinkie and Maud have a little Gift of the Magi thing here in regards to Pinkie nearly sacrificing her Party Cannon to make Maud happy until Maud gets it back, and we see a few locations that match up with their New York City counterparts with the Statue of Liberty and Rockefeller Center.

 

Also, seeing Rarity pull a Pinkie rendition, complete with the bouncing around and all that was hilarious!

 

This episode gets a nice 9.5/10 from me, and I hope we see either Maud or Manehattan again sometime this season!

[The Nth Doctor 652]

So Rarity will probably put Suri in charge of the Manehatten Branch, since MLP loves redeeming irredeemable twits like Diamond Tiara and Starlight Glimmer as a message to "Forgive the people that made your life absolutely miserable and nearly drove you to giving up your life dream"

 

How long before Wind Rider and Lightning Dust return as well?

[DiscordS9 11]

Three thoughts. Rarity could make a rock pouch for Maud! I'm sure it would be fabulous!

 

Im surprised that Pinkie lost her bargaining skills. Remember how she and Rarity taught Fluttershy to bargain for those cherries. Yes its for Maud but still!

 

I wish I had a big sister like Maud. I find it touching how fearless and no nonsense attitude to get Pinkies cannon back.

[snowflame 189]

"Smile" was the only Pinkie Song I enjoy that doesn't make me cringe

"Apples to the Core" was more an "Apple Family with Guest Appearance by Pinkie" and still enjoyable

 

She does have a lovely singing voice though and when I was in high school, I had a lot in common with Pinkie, since I was the person that usually made people smile, and like Pinkie, sometimes I was a bit over-the-top which irritated some people 

 

I'm best enjoyed in small bursts~

You do not enjoy the songs from Pinkie Pride?

[The Nth Doctor 652]

You do not enjoy the songs from Pinkie Pride?

Those were more "Weird Al with guest star Pinkie Pie"

[Moony the Cat 3,697]

I liked the Episode. 

It had funny faces, had humor and the episode made me laugh a few times.

 

Only, Pinkie Pie was a little bit annoying in this one. I just cant stand, to much Pinkie Pie.

But the Episode had Rarity in it, so of course im gonna like this Episode. 

 

Im not sure why i ranked this Episode higher than the Premiere...i guess from the Premiere i was just expecting a little bit more...yeah, that could be it. 

[snowflame 189]

Those were more "Weird Al with guest star Pinkie Pie"

Not Pinkie's Lament, the best Pinkie Pie song imo.

[The Nth Doctor 652]

Not Pinkie's Lament, the best Pinkie Pie song imo.

I don't even remember that song, which speaks volumes about how much I cared about it

 

Pinkie's not a bad character by a long shot

 

I just wish there was more to her than comic relief

 

Especially in episodes she takes a major role in

[weesh 690]

I just wish there was more to her than comic relief

 

Especially in episodes she takes a major role in

 

That's mostly a fair assessment.

But there are a fair number of examples of strong pinkie character.

for example:

* she talked about fear in the pilot

* she addressed hospitality in the yakyakistan

* there's probably something to say about "too many pinkies", but I'm not sure what.

 

She's probably my least favorite of the main characters though.

There is so much opportunity for depth, and they just don't take advantage of it often enough.

[snowflame 189]

I don't even remember that song, which speaks volumes about how much I cared about it

 

Pinkie's not a bad character by a long shot

 

I just wish there was more to her than comic relief

 

Especially in episodes she takes a major role in

 

 

Listen the song, it is not a comic relief song.

[Xeltor23 704]

(Not for children) Is it I who have a very perverted mind, or does Pinkie Pie actually said something sexual in this episode? When she talked about "rinding real swans''....

[PiratePony 8,473]

Listen the song, it is not a comic relief song.

 

It's one of the best songs in the whole series, I think. 

[Sh Pie 65]

My two favorite mane ponies and favorite background pony in my favorite place in Equestria. Damn, what an awesome episode. I enjoyed the comedy from Pinkie, Rarity and Maud and the moral of "it's the thought that counts" was delivered very effectively.

[Phoenix Carann 6]

Moral of this episode:

 

Rarity does a great Pinkie Pie impression

[The Nth Doctor 652]

Listen the song, it is not a comic relief song.

 

I've got to get back out there,

have to show them that I've tried

For there's only one great party pony -- that is Pinkie Pie

Won't let Cheese Sandwich beat me, won't let him get me down

For I am Pinkie, the bestest party pony around!

 

I give it a resounding meh, but that's just me being cynical

Season 6 seems to be retreading old ground

Edited April 15, 2016 by The Nth Doctor

[Liam_marshall 42]

what did i think ? pinkie pie giving away her party cannon was the most upsetting part of the episode but am so happy that maud got it back for pinkie

[weesh 690]

what did i think ? pinkie pie giving away her party cannon was the most upsetting part of the episode but am so happy that maud got it back for pinkie

 

i find it disappointing that her identity is so tied to it.  She'd be an awesome party pony without it.  It is within the realm of possibility that it could just randomly break one day.  what then?  ill she go into a spiral of depression?  if the loss of one item that you own would destroy you, you are far too attached to that thing.

[SilverStarApple 849]

There's no easy way to say this, but that episode was absolutely, completely and utterly dreadful. It was utterly awful, and a strong contender for the worst episode of this entire show. At least Boast Busters TRIED to do something somewhat original, even if it failed utterly. At least Bost Busters attempted do be something more than shameless and shallow pandering.

 

This episode? It rips off the "Classic" (Overused) plot where two idiots give up something they love to get something to complement the thing the other would love, like giving up a pocketwatch to get a violin bow, while your GF gives up her violin and crappy bow to get a pocketwatch chain. In the end, both lost what they loved and are miserable. The moral of this story? Gifts suck.

 

Now, there is a list of ponies in this show that need to learn some friendship. To learn what gifts are and how they work. To learn how to be a good sister. Pinkie Pie IS NOT ON THIS LIST! If there was a single pony, or any sentient creature ANYWHERE ON THE PLANET EQUESTRIA IS ON that knows how gifts work, it would be her!

 

But of course, if you (Or rather, the writers) knew that, or bothered to read the notes the past writers left them, they wouldn't have shoehorned this stupid side-plot into a Rarity episode and made it the real plot, while shoving Rarity's Location Hunt into the dirt. A scenario like that has tons of comedy potential, IRL apartment-hunting references, and of course, the obligatory "Nowhere is perfect and everywhere is terrible. But if you work hard, you can make your own perfect patch of heaven!" message. Instead, Rarity was forced onto this plot so ridiculously cliched I remember The House Of Mouse doing this plot with Mickey and Minnie Mouse as part of a clip-show Christmas Special thing. And to wrap up loose ends, Rarity was just handed the perfect location and the fallout of the Terrible Gifts Plot is negated when Maud gets Pinkie's party cannon back.

 

Why does this stupid episode exist? Why does it feel like it was thrown together at the last second?

 

Because it was, and for one reason.

 

Maud.

 

The favourite character of everyone that likes bland one-note kuuderes with Robot-Type Hollywood Autism, happily projecting onto the blank slate whatever that loser loves most of all, whether it's "She's super calm and would say 'I do' on the altar with the same flat voice she'd use to say 'We're out of milk. You should go get some'." or "She only shows her true emotions and sensitive side around those she truly cares about. Like me, because she'd totally love me if she was real, right? Right? My personality can't be incompatible with hers if she doesn't have one!".

 

This episode was thrown together because the executives wanted the Maud fanboys to cheer and love the new episode and eat it up despite its factory-synthesised no-effort no-logic no-work no-passion no-inspiration nature. And those fanboys did cheer. So many pointless scenes only existed to show Maud in all her Maudiness, with no world-building to explain why major cities in this world suck almost as much as human cities and only small villages have love and friendship.

 

I remember people saying the show went downhill and jumped the shark when Alicorn Twilight was introduced, or when Episode 100 was released, or when executives forced toy sales to take priority over the show and the vision its creators had. But no. THIS is when the show went downhill like a brick falling from a window and badly damaging my faith in MLPFIM as a whole. This episode was only created to appease the Maud fanboys, and it has no substance or worth beyond that. I'm going to watch the Dragon episode now, even though it's probably going to invalidate the Dragon Ash arc I'd planned for my fanfic. And do you know what? I don't really care about that. I just hope the episode's good enough to restore my faith in MLP.

Edited April 21, 2016 by SilverStarApple

[weesh 690]

This episode? It rips off the "Classic" (Overused) plot where two idiots give up something they love to get something to complement the thing the other would love, like giving up a pocketwatch to get a violin bow, while your GF gives up her violin and crappy bow to get a pocketwatch chain. In the end, both lost what they loved and are miserable. The moral of this story? Gifts suck.

 

You should actually read the original gift of the magi.  You can call it overused, but it is classic for a reason.  The moral of the original is NOT "gifts suck".  Nor are the two players miserable.  Pinkie being miserable was a change, as was the one-sided nature of this episode and the reversable nature.  The episode actually has a further innovation to the original by discussing the heart behind gifts directly as the primary take away.  

And if you take into account the target audience, there will be TONS of viewers who have not seen any or many of the tributes.  

You are coming across as terribly jaded! 

Edited April 21, 2016 by weesh

[Twilight Frost 271]

Great Episode with a wunderbar lesson to learn at the very end. I really felt sad when Pinkie let go of her Party cannon and for a minute I thought it was going to be forever. 

[baba_booey 4,299]

I may be lonely here, but I honestly found this episode to be rather "meh." Don't get me wrong, there were some things I liked about it, namely the moral, and Maud Pie's characterization was pretty good, but otherwise.. eh. I personally found the episode to be rather boring, the humor to be overall hit-and-miss, Pinkie Pie being rather annoying at a few points of the episode (even if her intentions weren't bad) and I gotta agree with some of the people here saying Maud and Rarity's actions to get the party cannon back came across as bullying, considering they made a fair trade and the stallion had the right to not trade it back.

 

I'm sorry, but I'd probably rate it about a 5 or 6 out of 10 at most.

[Emiko Gale 199]

Maud Pie is so sweet and cute.

[DeathBronyYT 18]

This episode was amazing! I like how it started and ended like every episode!