Who has the worst episodes?

[ShootingStar159 2,157]

57 minutes ago, Abstract said:

Wait, what was wrong with Rainbow Falls?

Rainbow Falls, for a variety of reasons, got me to stop watching the show for a long while. As far as Dash goes, her big important key episode where she proves herself the element of loyalty and shows others how important it is, is a rehash of her "test" from episode two, where she turned down the shadowbolts offer in a few seconds. Every other member of the main six had an interesting problem to face, that Rainbow Falls felt lazy by comparison.

[Crystal Peppermint 1,108]

Every Spike episode is pretty lame for my opinion.

[Thrond 3,263]

12 hours ago, Abstract said:

Wait, what was wrong with Rainbow Falls?

 

It's... weird. The basic premise feels contrived. I don't understand why Ponyville's team would have ponies who blatantly aren't very athletic on it, and it seems a little weird for Spitfire to be so manipulative and dishonest. It's also one of the worst examples of Twilight being all preachy and flawless in the show, and Rainbow Dash comes across weirdly because she has such a hard time making a choice she's made easily several times before. 

 

Anyway, I tend to consider every main character about even in that regard. In seasons 4 and 5, I found Fluttershy pretty consistently dull, and Dash has basically always been wildly uneven, but I think the others have their fair share of duds as well. I also think the CMC are pretty consistently terrible in the first three seasons. I guess Rainbow Dash would have the highest quantity of bad episodes, though; she's one of my favourites, but she has the spottiest track record, which makes the quality of any episode starring her wildly unpredictable. 

[Abstract 832]

12 hours ago, AlexanderThrond said:

It's... weird. The basic premise feels contrived. I don't understand why Ponyville's team would have ponies who blatantly aren't very athletic on it, and it seems a little weird for Spitfire to be so manipulative and dishonest. It's also one of the worst examples of Twilight being all preachy and flawless in the show, and Rainbow Dash comes across weirdly because she has such a hard time making a choice she's made easily several times before. 

 

Anyway, I tend to consider every main character about even in that regard. In seasons 4 and 5, I found Fluttershy pretty consistently dull, and Dash has basically always been wildly uneven, but I think the others have their fair share of duds as well. I also think the CMC are pretty consistently terrible in the first three seasons. I guess Rainbow Dash would have the highest quantity of bad episodes, though; she's one of my favourites, but she has the spottiest track record, which makes the quality of any episode starring her wildly unpredictable. 

Ahh, my mistake - I was thinking of a different episode, and upon actually looking up what Rainbow Falls was, I agree that it's not a fantastic episode in any regard.

[Philweasel 139]

Heh, I think this shows it's very much a matter of opinion. I did like quite a few of these 'worst' episodes, I found 'Simple Ways' and ' Fluttershy Leans In' really fun.

Even Rainbow Falls, though I admit that had some serious issues.

Can everyone agree that "Spike at your service" is terrible though?

[Thrond 3,263]

9 hours ago, Philweasel said:

Can everyone agree that "Spike at your service" is terrible though?

That one is very much a guilty pleasure for me, and I think basically any scene where the mane six are reacting to Spike is solid. I mean, it's contrived and dumb and has some bad character moments, but I also find it kinda funny, and I'm rather fond of the scene where Applejack first complains to Rarity about Spike. 

Edited July 17, 2017 by AlexanderThrond

[Philweasel 139]

2 minutes ago, AlexanderThrond said:

That one is very much a guilty pleasure for me, and I think basically any scene where the mane six are reacting to Spike is solid. I mean, it's contrived and dumb and has some bad character moments, but I also find it kinda funny, and I'm rather fond of the scene where Applejack first complains to Rarity about Spike. 

Maybe it just caught me at a bad time, I don't know. I remember the Timberwolf being cool. It didn't help that we later got all that information on the development hell that episode went through, which just made it sound worse.

[Thrond 3,263]

4 minutes ago, Philweasel said:

It didn't help that we later got all that information on the development hell that episode went through, which just made it sound worse.

I never heard about this. It would explain all the awkward elements. Still wish we would get another episode where the mane six feel as casual in their friendships as they did there, though. 

[Philweasel 139]

15 minutes ago, AlexanderThrond said:

I never heard about this. It would explain all the awkward elements. Still wish we would get another episode where the mane six feel as casual in their friendships as they did there, though. 

It was originally a Spike/Rarity episode, penned by Merriwether Williams. However it was deemed a way into production that the script made Rarity out to be an utter bitch, and so Dave Polsky rewrote it as an Applejack episode.

This is why the season is really light on Rarity episodes. "Sweet and Elite" was December 3, 2011, and the next one "Rarity Takes Manehattan" was January 4, 2014!

Edited July 17, 2017 by Philweasel

[GoldenGumdrop 164]

For the mane six I'm going to have to say Rarity

[IronM17 5,399]

 

All Mane 6 (and also other characters like Spike or the CMC) have good and bad episodes in my opinion. This ios totally normal. I couldn't say any character who has only good episode but also not characters who has only bad episodes. 

For me the weakest episodes of each main character are:

A Flurry of Emotion, PPOV (Twilight)

It ain't easy being a Breezie (Fluttershy)

Newbie Dash (Rainbow)

Applejack's "Day" Off, PPOV (Applejack)

Not Asking for Trouble, PPOV (Pinkie)

Rarity Investigates, PPOV (Rarity)

What about Discord (Discord)

Princess Spike (Spike)

To where and back again - Part 2 (Starlight)

Appleloosa Most Wanted (CMC)

 

[bluseymoe 258]

Easily Spike. He's strictly a supporting character. When he's the focus of an episode, he's unbearable.

[CastletonSnob 3,079]

Should they not make any more Spike episodes?

[FlareGun45 2,221]

1 hour ago, VG_Addict said:

Should they not make any more Spike episodes?

That's a sin right there! Why are you paying attention to those people who don't like Spike? What they say aren't facts! Those are just their own personal opinions! Spike is an AWESOME character, and much of the fandom knows that! All characters on the show have their positives and negatives! Spike is not a bad character!

So to answer your question there: they should make MORE Spike episodes showing what he needs in the show before it ends! He needs more independence.

[Thrond 3,263]

9 hours ago, VG_Addict said:

Should they not make any more Spike episodes?

I found Seasons 4 and 6 to afford a lot of depth and dignity to Spike. I see no reason for the writers to stop making Spike episodes now of all times. 

[ZethaPonderer 2,199]

Keep Calm and Flutter On, Magical Mystery Cure, Spike at your Service. Basically most of the episodes of Season 3 is inconsistent, rushed, and poorly made overall IMHO with the exception of the first two episodes, Magic Duel, and Apple Family Reunion bearing potential to be good.

 

So I personally deem most of every episode of Season 3 to be the worst in comparison to the First 2 seasons.

Edited July 19, 2017 by ZethaPonderer

[LeafFerret 3,382]

Fluttershy, because all of her episodes seem to be too similar to each other, it's usually her always trying to be assertive.

[Hierok 11,832]

5 hours ago, AJFan89 said:

Fluttershy, because all of her episodes seem to be too similar to each other, it's usually her always trying to be assertive.

But every one of the mane 6 has that. Apple Jack always needs to be less honest, for example. Twilight always has episodes were she learns more about friendship or gives it. You can't blaim her for trying to do better. 

[MAIKUN 262]

I would say Crusaders of the Lost Mark...because this one SHOULD'VE been erased from MLP canon or banned in the first place. Because having the CMC get their Cutie Marks was a biggest mistake. 

[CypherHoof 26,483]

25 minutes ago, MAIKUN said:

I would say Crusaders of the Lost Mark...because this one SHOULD'VE been erased from MLP canon or banned in the first place. Because having the CMC get their Cutie Marks was a biggest mistake. 

I am not sure about that, because the marks they got are incredibly ambiguous.

They all have a common shield background (which I think would make it easier to sell a sticker set to add onto the blankflank brushables, but what do I know? )

Is that a pun on "crusaders"? are they meant to defend something in the future, and if so, what and why?

SB has a star and a note - my first guess was the star represented her status as the CMC unicorn, but its a five pointed star similar to the one Coloratura has, and both also sport notes .. so is a five pointed star something to do with entertainment?

Similarly, why does poor scoots who has flight issues got a wing and a RD style lightening bolt? and AB has an apple and a heart, which lovable apple that she is, doesn't make a great deal of sense either.

So even given they now HAVE their cutie marks, I suspect we could have plenty of episodes where they try to figure out what they actually mean, and what the CMC are meant to become now they have found their CM...

[MAIKUN 262]

4 hours ago, CypherHoof said:

I am not sure about that, because the marks they got are incredibly ambiguous.

They all have a common shield background (which I think would make it easier to sell a sticker set to add onto the blankflank brushables, but what do I know? )

Is that a pun on "crusaders"? are they meant to defend something in the future, and if so, what and why?

SB has a star and a note - my first guess was the star represented her status as the CMC unicorn, but its a five pointed star similar to the one Coloratura has, and both also sport notes .. so is a five pointed star something to do with entertainment?

Similarly, why does poor scoots who has flight issues got a wing and a RD style lightening bolt? and AB has an apple and a heart, which lovable apple that she is, doesn't make a great deal of sense either.

So even given they now HAVE their cutie marks, I suspect we could have plenty of episodes where they try to figure out what they actually mean, and what the CMC are meant to become now they have found their CM...

I think the CMC should've just give up on their Cutie Marks...to be fair with you, a Cutie Mark can change anypony at all. I mean, a cutie mark can tell them what to do, it's like they're brainwashed or something like that, yeah.

[CypherHoof 26,483]

26 minutes ago, MAIKUN said:

I think the CMC should've just give up on their Cutie Marks...to be fair with you, a Cutie Mark can change anypony at all. I mean, a cutie mark can tell them what to do, it's like they're brainwashed or something like that, yeah.

Difficult to tell. Cutie marks forcibly changed by magic seem to have different effects; the "bad" swaps from Starswirl's broken spell did that, without actually switching their talents. The Equality spell of Starlight's stripped ponies of even talents they had before they got their cutie mark (after all, it stripped RD's speed from her, when she made her first rainboom BEFORE getting her cutie mark)

Spoiler

However, Starlight's Royal swap spell (which she no doubt did ... more REGALLY ) swapped only their magic powers, and not anything of their personalities;

I believe the intent of the spellcaster (or the design of the spell) has a lot to do with the effects of an unnatural cutie mark being imposed; however, assuming the normal mechanism for gaining a cutie mark is to actually get an enhancement to a talent you already have, and further, will activate if you act in accordance to that "true talent" (so, Coloratura singing from her heart, for example, or Cadence restoring the Crystal Heart) but doesn't force you to do so (hence, Coloratura's acceptance of Svengallop's SFX centric show rather than her more natural style wasn't prevented by her cutie mark, but her cutie mark certainly wasn't going to glow because of it)

[MAIKUN 262]

1 hour ago, CypherHoof said:

Difficult to tell. Cutie marks forcibly changed by magic seem to have different effects; the "bad" swaps from Starswirl's broken spell did that, without actually switching their talents. The Equality spell of Starlight's stripped ponies of even talents they had before they got their cutie mark (after all, it stripped RD's speed from her, when she made her first rainboom BEFORE getting her cutie mark)

  Hide contents

However, Starlight's Royal swap spell (which she no doubt did ... more REGALLY ) swapped only their magic powers, and not anything of their personalities;

I believe the intent of the spellcaster (or the design of the spell) has a lot to do with the effects of an unnatural cutie mark being imposed; however, assuming the normal mechanism for gaining a cutie mark is to actually get an enhancement to a talent you already have, and further, will activate if you act in accordance to that "true talent" (so, Coloratura singing from her heart, for example, or Cadence restoring the Crystal Heart) but doesn't force you to do so (hence, Coloratura's acceptance of Svengallop's SFX centric show rather than her more natural style wasn't prevented by her cutie mark, but her cutie mark certainly wasn't going to glow because of it)

Yeah, to be fair, A cutie mark CAN force you to do so depending on their True Talent...And yes, the CMC needs to give up on their Cutie Marks so bad.

[M'gann M'orzz 745]

On 7/17/2017 at 4:40 AM, Philweasel said:

why can't I get rid of this quote box?

Anyway Rainbow Dash tends to ether have really good or utterly terrible episodes, so she "wins" in that regard. Applejack and Fluttershy both have a lot of average or boring episodes but few of the utter trainwrecks like Newbie Dash or Rainbow Falls or Mare Do Well that just fail at basically everything their trying to do that Dash and their rarely written to be as utterly unlikable as Dash is in some of her worst episodes. 

Rarity easily has the most consistent solo episodes, she's a bit more iffy on team ups but when Rarity is THE star the episode is pretty much at worst above average. Hell even among her team up episodes the only one I could really count as Bottom Tier is Applejacks Day Off for just being really really boring. 

Pinkie and Twilight are kind of in the middle i guess. 

Edited July 20, 2017 by M'gann M'orzz

[CastletonSnob 3,079]

Might just be me, but Fluttershy episodes tend to be forgettable.