S08:E01+02 - School Daze

[Zantetsuken 364]

Wow. I have not posted here in a loooooooong time 

Guess I'll fix that 

So what did I think of the Season 8 premiere? It's a pretty good episode but it's really just setting the stage for the rest of the season.

I liked the new students but I feel they didn't leave as big an impact on me as they should have as I can barely remember their names. This is a hard episode to judge cause it's like trying to judge the dinner you are gonna receive at a restaurant by just the appetizer. As I said, the episode is good but it's a set up more than anything. Not saying that's a bad thing, but it makes it harder to critique cause I would like to see what they do with the school angle. I tried to not watch anything from the content flood and I mostly succeeded, I quickly skimmed one episode but that's it. Point is I want to know what they do with the school angle.

I do have one issue. I found the ending to be anticlimactic the ending basically is 

Spoiler

Neighsay- "Rah! Who broke my lock?"

Twilight- "Move out of the way I'm re-opening the school!"

Neighsay- "But you can't! It's not EEA approved!"

Twilight- "Yeah, screw you, imma do it anyway!"

Neighsay- "This displeases me." *walks away through portal.*

That's the biggest Issue I have with the episode really. Everything else is pretty solid, I like the songs too. They canonized the movie as well, I feel that is worth mentioning. I still think it would have been better if it was set between seasons 6 and 7 rather than 7 and 8. Cause, like in the movie where were the pillars or the elements of harmony? It would have worked for season 6 and 7 cause the elements weren't at the mane 6's disposal but now they are again, but that's a nitpick and this is about the season 8 premier, not the movie. 

Anyway I think the episodes were pretty good 8/10 overall

Edited March 24, 2018 by Zantetsuken

[ManaMinori 4,143]

28 minutes ago, Querch said:

School Daze was quite an apt title choice @~@

I'm most confounded with how Neighsay wasn't immediately disciplined and reprimanded for harming international relations for his brazen remarks about "dangerous creatures" right in front of the rulers of said creatures! That in itself had to warrant immediate consequences. I really can't believe that was allowed to fly.

unicorns are more dangerous than all the races, from what we've seen

 

Ponies are the most dangerous creature.

[aoEAF2FBvC0MIo2Q 3,671]

Just now, Denim&Venom said:

Well Celestia apparently didn't need to do any either of those. 

Could you have picked a lamer excuse? Dumb luck does not excuse foregoing nipping a potential catastrophe in the bud. Don't you understand something this basic?

2 minutes ago, Denim&Venom said:

And as Celestia said, not even she can dictate the EEA. In a way, Neighsay is above her.

I'm pretty sure a ruler's responsibility towards maintaining national security and good international relations far supercedes that of some domestic regulatory commission. It's not like lives are at stake with the former or anything...

But yeah, perhaps a large war could have broken out, cost many lives, destroy many living areas, crippling national economies for decades to come with people having to suffer through PTSD from going through war and affecting the psychological development of offspring for many generations to come... but at least this one scrub had the freedom to do say something, even in diplomatic settings where you normally send ambassadors who are conscious the responsibility of communicating with foreign leaders.

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

Okay, I wasn't able to comment because I turned my pc into a glorified cable box but I did watch it live and...

My oh my what a strong start to season 8! All the students were enjoyable and I would say a good premise to build off of, the drama was good, the Chancellor was an awesome antagonist, the stakes felt more real than in The Crystalling or Celestial Advice. This was great. Also some nice improvements to animation.

I would say as far as premieres go, School Daze is better than The Crystalling, Celestial Advice, Friendship is Magic, and The Crystal Empire.

[Dark Qiviut 22,160]

Rewatching it now, finished the opener. From how it's structured, this premiere takes place one or two days following the Festival of Friendship. That said:

1. Jesus Christ, the dialogue is REALLY clunky! The exposition is not just too much, but doesn't flow well at all, either.
2. The movie tie-ins could've been much more nuanced to let people who don't know one thing about the FIM Film follow better. The blunt, vague nature of the exposition will get people who haven't watched it yet really confused (something that happened to a friend of mine).

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

Just now, Dark Qiviut said:

Rewatching it now, finished the opener. From how it's structured, this premiere takes place one or two days following the Festival of Friendship. That said:

1. Jesus Christ, the dialogue is REALLY clunky! The exposition is not just too much, but doesn't flow well at all, either.
2. The movie tie-ins could've been much more nuanced to let people who don't know one thing about the FIM Film follow better. The blunt, vague nature of the exposition will get people who haven't watched it yet really confused (something that happened to a friend of mine).

I really don't think it was "Clunky at all" it felt like they were talking about something that pretty much just happened.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,151]

I knew this was going to be a GIF!

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

Just going to say we did it guys, gratz, we were trending pretty high today, MLP rules 

[ManaMinori 4,143]

I don't like how they cheated the map. It expanded beyond Equestria, so screw worldbuilding, let's bring all the races to the ponies!

 

also. Mr Waddles is a part of the EEA. In one episode, Pinkie called him an old charmer, and seemed to be on friendly terms with him. All this issue could've been solved by sending Mr Waddles to supervise the school, rather than Mr Chancellor Crankybottom.

 

Also, does the school not have stairs for the hippogriff to freak out over?

 

also, I'm glad they brought back the Castle of the Two Sisters. I really disliked how they dropped the renovation with it,  just like they did with Peewee.

 

also, I really dislike the fact that this season didn't take the opportunity to introduce the reclusive race of Flutterponies (who were only given mention in the comics and weren't even shown) in this new season.

[aoEAF2FBvC0MIo2Q 3,671]

6 minutes ago, Nightmare Muffin said:

unicorns are more dangerous than all the races, from what we've seen

 

Ponies are the most dangerous creature.

Your point being...? I think I know what it is but I'm expecting a very feeble argument.

[gingerninja666 487]

So how was Star in this episode? and the kids.

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

Just now, Nightmare Muffin said:

I don't like how they cheated the map. It expanded beyond Equestria, so screw worldbuilding, let's bring all the races to the ponies!

 

also. Mr Waddles is a part of the EEA. In one episode, Pinkie called him an old charmer, and seemed to be on friendly terms with him. All this issue could've been solved by sending Mr Waddles to supervise the school, rather than Mr Chancellor Crankybottom.

 

Also, does the school not have stairs for the hippogriff to freak out over?

 

also, I'm glad they brought back the Castle of the Two Sisters. I really disliked how they dropped the renovation with it,  just like they did with Peewee.

 

also, I really dislike the fact that this season didn't take the opportunity to introduce the reclusive race of Flutterponies (who were only given mention in the comics and weren't even shown) in this new season.

Well, comics aren't really something the show staff care about (and they shouldn't honestly) 
The Chancellor probably demands to oversee new schools himself.
You realize it is a 3 day journey by airship to get to the seaponies and back right? Imagine members of the mane 6 having to constantly walk everywhere, also they will still go on friendship missions.

[Dark Qiviut 22,160]

1 minute ago, gingerninja666 said:

So how was Star in this episode?

Do you mean Skystar? If so, she wasn't in the ep.

[gingerninja666 487]

Just now, Dark Qiviut said:

Do you mean Skystar? If so, she wasn't in the ep.

Starlight =P

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

Just now, gingerninja666 said:

Starlight =P

I really loved Starlight here actually, she had her moments but in no way "hogged the spotlight"

[ggg-2 3,550]

BTW, did anyone catch the voice actors for the new main students?

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,151]

Starlight's tough love was actually a standout moment for me. She contributed in a major, yet subtle way. <3

[YoshiAngemon 223]

Whenever I watch MLP, and it has some demoralizing stuff, I can't help but go AOSTH Robotnik on my Twilight Plush. I honestly need a Shadow the Hedgehog Plush from Amazon to absorb that rage. I'm due to have my wisdom teeth removed, and I think I have an abnormality in my jaw. Could be from an abscess, or a cancer. I hope it's the former. I hope that @SaburoDaimando ends up having Prince Blueblood say POSITIVE things about Chancellor Neighsay agreeing with his "Ponies First" policy, and vowing to have Neighsay as Second-In-Command for World Domination. Or he could just berate the guy for giving up too easily.

Edited March 24, 2018 by YoshiAngemon

[Dark Qiviut 22,160]

7 minutes ago, PathfinderCS said:

I knew this was going to be a GIF!

Oh, the days where I wish there was an "lol" brohoof, so take the teacup instead.

 

[Denim&Venöm 16,455]

5 minutes ago, Dark Qiviut said:

The movie tie-ins could've been much more nuanced to let people who don't know one thing about the FIM Film follow better. The blunt, vague nature of the exposition will get people who haven't watched it yet really confused (something that happened to a friend of mine).

I think 7 years in is a bit too late to maintain concern over new viewers. 

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

2 2 0%  C O O L E  R

Oh dash, you memer you.

[Dark Qiviut 22,160]

Quote

Dash: Teaching? They're gonna think I'm an EGGHEAD.

Well, you ARE an egghead, my little Dashie.

[RulesofRarity 489]

I'm watching the first episode now, how and when did they build the school?

[CypherHoof 26,479]

3 minutes ago, RyanMahaffe said:

2 2 0%  C O O L E  R

Oh dash, you memer you.

I think that scene would have been better for a Flutterstare too

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

Good songs, great animation, interesting story, great pacing, wow. 9/10 is my rating I guess.