S07:E14 - Fame and Misfortune

[PinkiePie97 913]

Not sure why a thread for this wasn't started.

Title: Fame and Misfortune

Synopsis: Twilight Sparkle's publishing of the friendship journal has unintended consequences when ponies start to argue over who wrote the best lessons.

Airs: Today at 11:30 A.M. on Discovery Family

 

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

"Fluttershy always learns the same lesson!"

"Twilight was better before she had wings!"

...I've think we've got a new most meta episode. I swear, the writers must've spent a weekend reading through every brony site and created this.

Also the song is what you send someone who claims someone's out of character.
 

[KH7672 1,604]

4 minutes ago, PinkiePie97 said:

Not sure why a thread for this wasn't started.

Tell me about it. I really wanted to but I wondered if the big names are supposed to do it.

Anyway I very much enjoyed the episode and loved a lot of the meta references (even if a little outdated). Still great to reminisce on all the Season 4 lesson, although is it me or did that book seem to be two lessons light....oh well probably nothing. Wait who's the next episode about? 

Edited August 12, 2017 by KH7672

[PinkiePie97 913]

I liked this episode. I quite enjoyed seeing the show poke fun at stuff I've seen from fans quite a bit. I thought the song was nice (even if everyone missed the point), and I do like that they at least got through to Toola Roola and Coconut Cream.

[Will Guide 21,360]

Okay, I especially love how meta this gets! 

Let me sum up how each of the Mane 5 were treated:

Rarity was being hated for (in the eyes of haters,) never learning anything.

Pinkie fans think everything she does is worth laughing about when there's more to her than just smiles and laughter

Rainbow Dash can't even do her job even when she tries to get her fans to appreciate Twilight's lessons for one

Fluttershy is criticized for apparently learning the same lesson over and over

Applejack is so popular, that every Brony pony wanted to be part of the Apple Family

Apparently, Twilight was loved before she had wings!

I especially love the song too! Even if it didn't changed the Critical Bronies townponies' minds

I'm going to have to re-watch the episode to make sure my post, but I'll need to wait for a better video.

EDIT: Forgot Applejack!

Edited August 12, 2017 by WiiGuy2014

[StitchandMLPlover 930]

Ok I LOVED this one! I thought it would be about the Mane 6 fighting over who wrote the best friendship lessons so initially I really was not looking forward to it but once I saw that it was about the Mane 6 facing criticism from the rest of Equestria I found I adored the concept. As a creator I related very strongly to this. Some of the criticisms were obviously references to Brony reviewers like the stuff about Fluttershy which honestly cracked me up. The parts with Rarity broke my heart Poor Rarity. I loved how Starlight contributed to the Mane 6's story without having to be the main character this time. I also loved that book copies can be made with magic. I'm glad the show writers following up on the journal plot. I adore the song. It totally had me ROFL. 

[Buttonmash1973 1,026]

10/10 Finally a song.

[EQ_Theta 459]

Whoever wrote this episode must've had a lot of fun! I really enjoyed this episode and it's nice to know the friendship journal hasn't been forgotten. 

[StitchandMLPlover 930]

12 minutes ago, ChikoritaCheezits said:

"Fluttershy always learns the same lesson!"

"Twilight was better before she had wings!"

...I've think we've got a new most meta episode. I swear, the writers must've spent a weekend reading through every brony site and created this.

Also the song is what you send someone who claims someone's out of character.
 

My thoughts exactly as soon as I finished the episode! Amen to this!

[SaburoDaimando 1,196]

I swear.  The writers were taking some lessons from the Animaniacs writers on how to poke fun at your own fanbase.  XP

[Hierok 11,831]

I was cringing and laughing and I couldn't believe the episode. It was like looking into a mirror. 

Quote

Twilight was better before she got wings!

How fucking dare you! 

And poor Rarity. 

[cmarston1 5,959]

I really enjoyed this episode.

It was really really meta, and I dig that kinda stuff in media.

We got an enjoyable new song, some funny lines, and I have to admit, it was pretty dang satisfying to see the show staff criticize the fandom's behavior. 

[Hierok 11,831]

The song was awesome though.

I can't wait how Rarity Dash reacts to Rarity's part and AppleGeek to AJ's. 

Love this episode!

[Castle Bleck 19,350]

I disliked it more than I liked it.

 

The Mane 7 were all great here.

 

Problem was, nearly everypony else was just a bunch of flankholes and Karma Houdinis (they weren't just disagreeing like unpleasable fans; they outright harassed and stalked their world-famous heroes (including the Princess Of Friendship -- i.e., freaking royalty) the whole time).

[Goat-kun 2,527]

Why is Starlight a Spike stand-in? That ain't gonna work. Meh, I'll just pretend it was Spike

 

... And yet there are differences that separate success from failure. Is one to disregard them due to differences in people, or is one to acknowledge them due to their own admission that people in general shall behave predictably? Should this lesson then be regarded by our venerable issue peddlers as a jab against Bronies at large by which point they shall reveal their own lack of empathy and self-reliance, or should this be taken as a neutral lesson that advocates for an individual's healthy measure of selfishness and disregard for public opinion? Unfortunately for peddles, such a lesson cuts both ways.

[Will Guide 21,360]

Apple Bloom: "We were thinking of putting together a Cutie Mark Summer Camp"

Me: "Foreshadow to a later Season 7 episode." 

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

If they wanted to be even more accurate with fans, they would have to completely ignore Aj or be like, "Oh she's such a background character in this friend dynamic."

[SolarFlare13 16,087]

I dunno...I found this episode to be...'disturbing', to say the least  

For starters, I didnt like the whole plot of the episode  What compelled Twilight to think it was a good idea to release her friendship diary to the public!?  I thought the whole point of having / keeping a diary is to keep your personal information A SECRET!!!

To me, this sounds like bad writing from the editors...

 

...and that one scene with Rarity scared the crap outta me O_O JEEZUS CHRIST!!!  
THAT WAS A JUMP-SCARE IF I EVER SAW ONE + I WAS WATCHING THIS IN THE DARK O~O

 

Heh  X'D...I love how the old pony said: "Twilight was better without wings"
*sighs* that's what I've been saying since Season 4

 

...and that Pinkie scene where every-pony was laughing at her every word...were they laughing WITH her...or AT her!? O_O I cant tell the difference

...but that ending!!! WHY DID THEY END THE EPISODE WITHOUT DEALING WITH THE MASSIVE CROWD OUTSIDE!?   

Starlight could've done something about it!!! D=< (like, I dunno...erase their memories or something like that)

Edited August 12, 2017 by SolarFlare13

[ShootingStar159 2,156]

That joke about Starlight's manifesto almost killed me. Had a lot of fun watching this episode.

[Hierok 11,831]

8 minutes ago, WiiGuy2014 said:

Apple Bloom: "We were thinking of putting together a Cutie Mark Summer Camp"

Me: "Foreshadow to a later Season 7 episode." 

Yeah, was thinking of that too. 

[Mesme Rize 15,683]

Holy Meta Action Batman.

I throughly enjoyed this episode, one of the best this season had to offer and further proving how great this season is so far for me.

Meta humor is a difficult thing to pull off and sometimes it can backfire badly. But i think this episode really nailed it here and it was shown at the right time for Bronycon.

It was great how the whole episode pretty much showed the brony fandom a mirror and while you can say our fandom has it's good sides, it would be a mistake to just flatout ignore the flaws that it has and this episode showed the once, some of my favorite being "are Fluttershy and Rarity in a relationship?" Or "Twilight was more likeable without wings." Which are still topics that are spoken about today. Criticism is fine, but don't pound someone over their head day after day with the problems you have with this show, you might come off as a rude jerk.

The song was also very good. While you could complain about the fact that it was a bit patronizing, considering i know the Mane 6 flaws, it still had a very catchy tune to it. Surprisingly though, the masses didn't really care and that was a first for me, because normally you would expect that they are all sorry now. But you know how fandoms are sometimes.

Also, Starlight having a role again was of course another plus for me and i am glad that she shows more of her growth.

All in all, great episode with some nagging points that you can overlook. 2 thumbs up.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,440]

This was a fairly fun episode and a clear as day jab at the fandom, which I think is important to realize how flawed the fandom can be too. Kinda ties in with the moral. The only things I didn't like were simply how petty they made the others by the end. They were despicable and I feel like it went a bit too far and then the ending happened with no real resolution for that problem.Time constraints suck, but still, felt jarring to not see the episode end with a full resolution.

The only other thing that bothered was how much it reminded me of some pretty bad times within the fandom, but that might have been the whole point.

So this was a good episode. Not the top of the season, but still fun at least and that's what counts.

EDIT: Upon rewatching this one a couple of times, I think it is garbage. The worst of the season.

[Will Guide 21,360]

50 minutes ago, WiiGuy2014 said:

Okay, I especially love how meta this gets! 

Let me sum up how each of the Mane 5 were treated:

Rarity was being hated for (in the eyes of haters,) never learning anything.

Pinkie fans think everything she does is worth laughing about when there's more to her than just smiles and laughter

Rainbow Dash can't even do her job even when she tries to get her fans to appreciate Twilight's lessons for one

Fluttershy is criticized for apparently learning the same lesson over and over

Applejack is so popular, that every Brony pony wanted to be part of the Apple Family

Apparently, Twilight was loved before she had wings!

I especially love the song too! Even if it didn't changed the Critical Bronies townponies' minds

I'm going to have to re-watch the episode to make sure my post, but I'll need to wait for a better video.

EDIT: Forgot Applejack! And Twilight!

Seriously, If I was in that episode as Unicorn Will Guide, at the boiling point where the Mane 6 were hiding in the castle, I would tell them something that counters the harshness of what I Quoted up there earlier.

I love all you girls, even you Rarity.

I know that even you have your sad moments, Pinkie.

I know that it's not all about you Rainbow Dash, and I especially loved the one where Twilight helped you study, because it was also about her as much as it was about you.

Fluttershy, I don't mind that you're "learning the same lesson over and over". There was always some small step that kept each episode, or lesson, from being exactly the same!

Applejack, I love your family, but I wouldn't go that far to be a part of it! Heck, someday, I want to be a part of the Disneyland cast members, but even I have interests outside Disney!

And Twilight, to satarize a line from a certain popular, yet overexposed song from a Disney Snow Queen: I don't care what the Hate-filled Fandom say. Let the storm rage on! The wings never bother me anyway!

 

Edited August 12, 2017 by WiiGuy2014

[KH7672 1,604]

Just now, Goat-kun said:

Why is Starlight a Spike stand-in? That ain't gonna work. Meh, I'll just pretend it was Spike

Starlight is there as the outside impression of the book and she also won't be mobbed since she's not in it unlike Spike (Power Ponies and Equestria Games) I noticed that too funny enough they could have easily written him out totally in character:

[Starlight, Twilight and Spike experience the Fillydelphia fans and Twilight expresses dislike]

Spike: Don't worry Twilight you'll get used to it, trust me.

Random Ponies: There he is!

Sipke: Ah look at my new fans already. And who should I write this out to?

Pony: Actually I'm wondering why you think you're so useless I mean look at all this stuff you do what's wrong with you!

Spike: I...uh..well

Pony: Well no more we're here to make you feel special in fact I could your help for [insert task here]

Pony: Oh me too there's so many things you could do for me and I'd really appreciate it! [Glares at Twilight]

[Ponies begin closing in as he back away]

Twilight: Spike, where are you going?

Spike: Anywhere but here, if you girls need me I'll be hiding in the castle. Don't come unless you're alone!

[He runs off as his "fans" give chase]

Then just bring him back for the end hug. There we go our dragon friend is properly accounted for! 

[ShootingStar159 2,156]

18 minutes ago, Goat-kun said:

Why is Starlight a Spike stand-in? That ain't gonna work. Meh, I'll just pretend it was Spike

 

 

 

... And yet there are differences that separate success from failure. Is one to disregard them due to differences in people, or is one to acknowledge them due to their own admission that people in general shall behave predictably? Should this lesson then be regarded by our venerable issue peddlers as a jab against Bronies at large by which point they shall reveal their own lack of empathy and self-reliance, or should this be taken as a neutral lesson that advocates for an individual's healthy measure of selfishness and disregard for public opinion? Unfortunately for peddles, such a lesson cuts both ways.

 

Spike didn't have any lines In any of the short lately either, wonder if Cathy Wesluck is working on something else right now that made it harder to schedule her.