S06:E14 - The Cart Before The Ponies

[Sonic5421 423]

Well, after watching the episode myself, it was nice to see Nicole Oliver in her second role as Cheerilee after seeing her as Celestia early on in this season, and it was interesting to see that there was a song in this episode as well.

 

Either way, we see how the Crusaders each have their own ideas for which blue ribbon they want to win, but when discussing it with their older sisters, Rainbow, Applejack, and Rarity each decide to build their respective Crusader's cart to their liking and past experience instead of to their Crusader's liking, mostly due to the Crusaders not wanting to argue with an older sibling who has past experience with the derby.

 

Then when the derby takes place, it is not long before Rainbow, Applejack, and Rarity's takeover of the derby's rules and regulations results in ruining everyone's carts, both the their own, and the rest of Cheerilee's class as well. The Crusaders finally put their hoof down and reprimand their older sisters for getting carried away, and in an attempt to make amends with everypony, Rainbow, Applejack, and Rarity apologize to everyone and agree to Cheerilee's ruling that the older ponies will sit the do-over out, to ensure there's not a repeat from before.

 

Overall, this was a nice, cute episode, and since it was a Crusader-centered episode, I'll give it a 9.5/10 as my score.

[Music Chart Fan 819]

A couple of quick observations:

 

First, while it's nice to see Miss Cheerilee getting in the spirit of things by wearing a cheerleading outfit and cheerleading, I can't help feeling that it might be a little weird, too. If, say, in real life, there were an elementary/middle school class competition with students and adult mentors, and the (adult) teacher came to the competition wearing a middle/high school-style cheerleading outfit, that might seem a little strange and awkward.

 

Also, as seen in the screenshot below, the female cheerleading outfit consists of a sleeveless top and skirt (with a giant hair ribbon and pom-poms), while the male cheerleading outfit consists only of a sleeveless top (and pom-poms). So the male cheerleading outfit is arguably "skimpier" than the female one!

 

[Luigi 7,869]

Eh, it was all right.

 

Wasn't all the Mario Kart Double Dash that I was expecting, but it was doable.

[baba_booey 4,302]

Mario Kart? Pfft, too manetream.

 

Anyway, I found this episode "meh." The start was fine, the moral was fine, but I found everything else to be boring and forgettable, and it didn't help that Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Applejack acted stupid for most of the episode. It's another S6 episode that's overall mixed bag in so many ways, and I'd probably give it a 5 or 6 out of 10 if I had to rate it.

[Thrond 3,263]

Boy, it's been a while since the show has played it quite this safe. I disagree with people who dislike this show's recent slice-of-life focus, but for slice-of-life to work, it needs to have a certain level of depth and comedy or at least charm which "The Cart Before the Ponies" doesn't really have. At least "Applejack's 'Day' Off" stood out by being slow-paced and borderline plotless. Not that this is worse, mind you - it's entertaining enough up to a point, and then it just gets dull. 

 

Offsite review here. 

 

One preview thumbnail had me sold just from Rarity wearing a helmet and getting so into the racing thing, but I had hoped this episode would just be about the race. Instead, we get this really basic conflict which makes the race scene itself rather unexciting. So disappointing. 

I avoided calling the characters "dumb" in the review because that's the point and wasn't the main problem, but Rarity, Applejack and RD really were kinda dumb in this, and neither deep nor entertaining enough to really justify it. 

[ImpctR 155]

For having less time to prepare and watch, I am glad last week's episode was so awesome and it was a good timing this weekend to air a lesser episode that I don't have to rewatch and spend more time unlike episode I like more. If there was something between 'I enjoyed it' and 'that was so meh' I would be between those two. Shouldn't 'that was so meh' be the worst? I enjoyed it but a little, since not much to say and not all I expected to see happened, as I saw the Credits, maybe because it ended without seeing the winner (ok Applebloom was ahead of all but still, we didn't see them winning those shiny medals that were shown earlier with the idea to be won by the 3 fillies).

 

Does anypony notice when an episode is written by a new/less experienced writer just by the title? Or maybe if the title already tells you if you may be watching an uneventful episode - I felt this with this episode, AJ's day off . Mike Vogel is actually from the ones making some nice episodes, he took part in the writing of last one's too but I see also some of the less interesting like A Heart's Warming Tail. So, I think he makes from the good episodes, it must be because it's been a CMC episode that doesnt have much to offer and I liked it without much expectation from CMC episodes but as I said, I was thinking some more would have been seen before the episode ended.

 

The cart of Scootaloo in the end was very nice, the crash in the mid of the episode funny, it was predictable that something would go wrong with the original models by AJ, Rainbow Dash and Rarity and that the carts had to be remade.

Overall it was fine, it was a light episode, nothing special. I liked the interaction of RD, AJ and Rarity with Cheerilee. Lol I dont get the combination, she's a teacher and a cheer leader? Her name must be after the cheer leader, I didn't think of her as anything more than a teacher but that was nice to see her out of the box. It was relaxing episode, so much I can say.

Edited August 6, 2016 by ImpctR

[LittleCutiePie 113]

I like this episode... best episode to me i enjoy..

[Dark Qiviut 22,388]

that seems like a neat track for crazy, informed adults to take risks on...but taking kids on that seems criminal.  

That's another way to put it. I don't know what's going on behind the scenes, but this should've been caught by the censors and heavily edited to make it safe for fillies to drive. There are no safety standards whatsoever here. To have anyone, much less kids, take part of a race on a track that all but guarantees a horrible accident is dangerous on one end and insulting on the other.

 

-

 

And "insulting" is the perfect word to describe this car wreck of an episode.

1. Worst characterization of AJ, RD, and Rarity this season. Sure, each of them had some motive for it. Rarity wanted to avenge her second-place finish. Applejack wanted to retain a tradition that she and her ancestry are very proud of. Rainbow Dash wanted to rekindle her childhood memories and make it better. But where it really falls apart is how immature and STUPID they all were while doing it. Immediately, the ReMane 3 were focused on building their own carts and didn't think for one second of their partners' wishes and feelings.

    

   It'd be a much better story characterization-wise had the ReMane Three agree to design the race cars the way the CMCs wanted it initially. But during the portion of Act 2, Dash, AJ, and Rarity begin to reminisce of past memories of driving these carts, and their motives begin to make them design the cars more and more to the way they want it, leaving the CMCs out.

    

   Also, they're each way too oblivious to the CMCs. They mentioned how they want the carts the way they want it, and they emphasize "our" many times. But they completely overlooked the CMCs' dismay, despair, and desperation. It's completely obvious, and they never caught on. They're NOT this stupid.

2. The overall racing concept is completely dangerous.

    

   Seriously, DHX, "exciting" doesn't mean disregarding certain safety standards! This track is like Friendship Games Event #2: a massive safety hazard!

   1. Why the hell would all the awards be part of the same race at the same time? The slowest (if not traditional) and most creative carts will get stuck in the back of the pack and runs the risk of getting run over by the ones in the fastest category. They don't say how many laps there are, but if it's more than one, that all but guarantees an accident.

       

      Really, why not have separate competitions? One for speed that meets safety standards, one for traditional cart racing, and one for creativity (which doesn't involve racing at all!) Oh, wait, they can't do that because it wouldn't be so exciting. This isn't Spongebob!

   2. The double-figure-eight track design is an accident waiting to happen. Racing, even in go karts, runs a very serious risk of injury. What if someone from the race, let's say a kid, gets seriously hurt at the intersection? This track idea is STUPID for anyone to compete in, much less a kid!
   3. Why did nobody inspect the carts and track? There are yards of barrier gaps. The hay barriers themselves are spaced out and too low. Everyone is way too close to the track. A cart can fly out of control and run them over!

Right now, I'm self-debating which is worse, this or Stranger Than Fan Fiction. Both episodes suck, but for completely different reasons.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

Man oh man...how easy it is to get swept in the rush of competition! I mean seriously...let's face it, we all love competition and as children whenever there were races like this, our parents were right on our backs and before you know, they are already in a heated rival with the neighbor next door. 

 

LOVE the lesson about being hard to speak up to older ponies, and to be honest, because I have aspergers, it's super hard for me to do that. Us people with special needs have it way harder than others. 

 

Character development was superb in this episode. Love how the crusaders wanted to try something new, following suit to that new cutie mark personality. The sister rivalry was justified since my first point being that anyone outside of the competition can get swept in it. 

[Thrond 3,263]

Man, that racetrack might be the laziest thing in this episode. Couldn't be bothered to make a reasonable one, animators? I guess if they've got both the movie and so many solid episodes this season, then they have to make some cuts somewhere, but hopefully there aren't too many more low-effort episodes in the rest of the season. 

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

That's another way to put it. I don't know what's going on behind the scenes, but this should've been caught by the censors and heavily edited to make it safe for fillies to drive. There are no safety standards whatsoever here. To have anyone, much less kids, take part of a race on a track that all but guarantees a horrible accident is dangerous on one end and insulting on the other.

 

 

While I won't debate the safety aspect of it, racing like that technically does exist if you count in figure-eight racing. Of course wrecks and the like are part of it, and that explains why the safety aspect is questionable, but it's a bit unfair to really criticize DHX on that considering it is a real and somewhat popular thing. Especially at local short track areas.

[Dark Qiviut 22,388]

While I won't debate the safety aspect of it, racing like that technically does exist if you count in figure-eight racing. Of course wrecks and the like are part of it, and that explains why the safety aspect is questionable, but it's a bit unfair to really criticize DHX on that considering it is a real and somewhat popular thing. Especially at local short track areas.

I believe it's very fair to criticize DHX here. This isn't the first time basic safety standards were sacrificed in favor of "excitement." In Friendship Games, four of the competitors had to blindly take part in motocross, a much more dangerous sport than cart racing and a sport that requires a lot of training and a license required to drive those off-road bikes.

 

Yes, I know figure-eight racing is real. I watched the video earlier in the thread. Doesn't mean it's okay.

[Celli 4,338]

That was.... rather difficult to sit through. Yeah. The whole first couple acts mostly dragged, and then RD, Rarity and AJ were pretty unlikable. The song was also rather forgettable.

Not an episode I'll come back to honestly. Didn't really enjoy it.

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

This episode wins whatever is middle place in Mario Kart. This episode exceeds at having a nice song and a nice conflict, with some gags that work. However, this type of conflict seems more suited for an 11 minute episode than a 22 minute episode. What I'm saying is that the conflict feels stretched a lot. I mean, I'm not pulling the OOC card here seeing as how Rd, Aj and rarity are a little justified in their behavior, but it lasted a little to long and their behavior got a tad bit annoying for my liking.

 

So this episode finishes in 4th or 5th place. Which is a 6.5/10

[Jeric 46,851]

I believe it's very fair to criticize DHX here. This isn't the first time basic safety standards were sacrificed in favor of "excitement." In Friendship Games, four of the competitors had to blindly take part in motocross, a much more dangerous sport than cart racing and a sport that requires a lot of training and a license required to drive those off-road bikes.

 

Yes, I know figure-eight racing is real. I watched the video earlier in the thread. Doesn't mean it's okay.

Well, we are talking about a fantasy world that would have seen at least multiple fillies and colts be taken away from their adult caregivers by CPS if you applied a real world standard to all the shenanigans they have been involved in.

 

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle should have been in foster care several times over, and some of the Mane Six serving prison sentences.

 

That is why I think it's safe to play the 'fantasy world' reason here.

[Grtxkkyz 388]

Ahh, looks like we got another contender for season 6's lowest point alongside "No Second Prances". While the whole car racing theme was neat, it's a shame the episode's plot pretty much focuses on RD, AJ and Rares being obsessed control freaks who pay no attention to the three fillies. The whole moral wasn't executed quite brightly, to say the least. But yeah, more screentime for Cheerilee was a nice treat. Overall, it's not downright bad, but just "meh" in an extreme level.

Edited August 6, 2016 by Dino-Mario

[CT-1138 3,182]

It was.... okay. I found the premise transparent and easily predictable, and the song was Pinkie Pie level random, and not very memorable. 

[Celli 4,338]

Also, are CMC episodes going to be like this now that Diamond Tiara is reformed? She doesn't bully them now, so she just sits in the back? I would love to see her do something genuine with the CMC.

[Dark Qiviut 22,388]

Well, we are talking about a fantasy world that would have seen at least multiple fillies and colts be taken away from their adult caregivers by CPS if you applied a real world standard to all the shenanigans they have been involved in.

 

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle should have been in foster care several times over, and some of the Mane Six serving prison sentences.

 

That is why I think it's safe to play the 'fantasy world' reason here.

If I want to watch a show that completely destroys these rules in favor of pure fantasy, I'll watch comedy-centric cartoons like Spongebob or Looney Toones. FIM's fantasy-based world grounds itself into some level of real-world logic, and there are a lot of episodes that want the audience to care about the conflict. Here, both the CMCs and the ReMane Three want me to take their conflict seriously. Yet, when the conflict doesn't take basic auto racing safety standards seriously, then I can't take the plot seriously. If it was a straight-up comedy like Slice of Life or The Saddle Row Review, then maybe I won't care.

Edited August 6, 2016 by Dark Qiviut

[Golden Star 149]

To paraphrase the tagline of "Alien vs. Predator"... whoever wins, this episode loses. I always watch the episodes twice before casting a full opinion, but on the first viewing I wasn't too keen on this one. Maybe I'll like it better on a rewatch, but right now I'm thinking I might have more fun writing a Wacky Races parody that I have planned for my review than watching the episode again.

Edited August 6, 2016 by Golden Star

[Thrond 3,263]

If I want to watch a show that completely destroys these rules in favor of pure fantasy, I'll watch comedy-centric cartoons like Spongebob or Looney Toones. FIM grounds itself into some level of real-world logic. Here, both the CMCs and the ReMane Three want me to take their conflict seriously. Yet, when the conflict doesn't take basic auto racing standards seriously, then I can't take the plot seriously. If it was a straight-up comedy like Slice of Life or The Saddle Row Review, then maybe I won't care.

Seems like a nitpick to me, as the design of the course is largely irrelevant to the episode's themes and main story, but to each their own. If this causes immersion problems for you, then I can't tell you you're wrong. 

 

I will say, though, that this is still a children's cartoon, so you can only expect a limited degree of realism for it even if it is, like MLP, relatively naturalistic and occasionally serious. 

[Sonic5421 423]

Also, are CMC episodes going to be like this now that Diamond Tiara is reformed? She doesn't bully them now, so she just sits in the back? I would love to see her do something genuine with the CMC.

 

Well, Diamond Tiara is friends with the Crusaders now, so it is possible she will do something with the Crusaders in the future. After all, she was just as peeved at Rainbow, Applejack, and Rarity as the Crusaders were over ruining the derby because the older sisters wanted to be glory hounds. Plus, Diamond Tiara's older teammate was her family butler. Apologies as I forget his name at the moment.

[MalekPony 36]

And "insulting" is the perfect word to describe this car wreck of an episode.

1. Worst characterization of AJ, RD, and Rarity this season. Sure, each of them had some motive for it. Rarity wanted to avenge her second-place finish. Applejack wanted to retain a tradition that she and her ancestry are very proud of. Rainbow Dash wanted to rekindle her childhood memories and make it better. But where it really falls apart is how immature and STUPID they all were while doing it. Immediately, the ReMane 3 were focused on building their own carts and didn't think for one second of their partners' wishes and feelings.

    

   It'd be a much better story characterization-wise had the ReMane Three agree to design the race cars the way the CMCs wanted it initially. But during the portion of Act 2, Dash, AJ, and Rarity begin to reminisce of past memories of driving these carts, and their motives begin to make them design the cars more and more to the way they want it, leaving the CMCs out.

    

   Also, they're each way too oblivious to the CMCs. They mentioned how they want the carts the way they want it, and they emphasize "our" many times. But they completely overlooked the CMCs' dismay, despair, and desperation. It's completely obvious, and they never caught on. They're NOT this stupid.

Oh my! Did this episode just make history for all the wrong reasons in terms of Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash's worst characterizations of all time (from when the FiM series started way back in 2010)?

[Dark Qiviut 22,388]

Seems like a nitpick to me, as the design of the course is largely irrelevant to the episode's themes and main story, but to each their own. If this causes immersion problems for you, then I can't tell you you're wrong. 

 

I will say, though, that this is still a children's cartoon, so you can only expect a limited degree of realism for it even if it is, like MLP, relatively naturalistic and occasionally serious. 

1. The design of the course was a focal point of the climax. It's a double-figure-eight with an intersection in the center. Everyone crashed in the intersection.
2. Being a "children's cartoon" (more specifically a family cartoon) is no grounds for not thinking about the conflict ahead. If this episode was a pure comedy with no sense of stakes or danger, then you can bend the logic more.

    

   For examples, this classic Bugs Bunny cartoon decades ago disregarded dozens of real-world rules in baseball, but it's a pure comedy with no thorough sense of stakes. The gags worked brilliantly.

 

Oh my! Did this episode just make history for all the wrong reasons in terms of Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash's worst characterizations of all time (from when the FiM series started way back in 2010)?

As bad as their characterizations were, other episodes characterized them much worse.

Edited August 6, 2016 by Dark Qiviut

[PacificGreen 1,163]

Watching the ep right now, and I gotta say I love the BG music that plays during the little dialogue-less montage in the middle of the episode.