S09:E06 - Common Ground

[Megas 27,064]

Just now, Rushing cash said:

I honestly didn't think that snips and snails would have a speaking roles, we didn't heard from them for quiet a while. The episode itself was good however they should have spend more time on qiubble trying to fit in, it felt to me the ending was a bit rushed and not satisfying enough, the moments they did spend on the family were really good and heartwarming but they showed qiubble trying and failing being sportspony too much probably. Everything still need to sink in so I'm going to watch it again, overall it was a good episode.    

Snails made sense, he was part of the original Ponyville team with Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. Honestly, my only real complaint is that there was a huge missed opportunity to bring up how Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Snails aren't sporty ponies either despite being Buckball champions

[KH7672 1,604]

While not tackling the implication I noted head on, I absolutely love how Wind Sprint's feelings still were addressed and taken seriously.  She got to ask what Clear Sky sees in Quibble, and Clear Sky even understood and didn't belittle how opposed to Quibble Wind was. I think my favorite thing said was about never forgetting or feeling like her dad was being replaced. (It makes me wonder if Patton had this talk with Alice about Meredith ) Still the parent to child feelings were great and never felt overlooked or with one taking greater precedent over the other.  No quibbles from me on this episode.

Also I adored everytime Clear Sky called him "Q" 

Edited May 4, 2019 by KH7672

[Adamgreen 1,129]

1 minute ago, KH7672 said:

While not tackling the implication I noted head on, I absolutely love how Wind Sprint's feelings still were addressed and taken seriously.  She got to ask what Clear Sky sees in Quibble, and Clear Sky even understood and didn't belittle how opposed to Quibble Wind was. I think my favorite thing said was about never forgetting or feeling like her dad was being replaced. (It makes me wonder if Patton had this talk with Alice about Meredith ) Still the parent to child feelings were great and never felt overlooked or with one taking greater precedent over the other.  No quibbles from me on this episode.

Also I adored everytime Clear Sky called him "Q" 

Definitely my most favorite moment of season 9 so far XD

[Pondsumo 10]

Great episode. Dealt with a difficult subject very skillfully. 

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,543]

Shouldn't the poll be up by now?

[StitchandMLPlover 930]

SPOILER ALERT! This episode was adorable. It was nice to see the buck ball game again with Fluttershy and Pinkie and Snails. Snips trying to make money off autographs was cute and made perfect sense for his character. I really liked the friendship between Quibble and Rainbow Dash here. I loved the voice acting work on the filly and Quibble’s girlfriend. It is my understanding from another behind the scenes article that Quibble’s voice actor’s family did the voices on the 2 new characters so well done! The lesson and general plot of the entire episode is extremely relatable for a lot of child and adult fans I’m sure. Initially I thought this episode  confirmed divorce exists in Equestria now just like in our world but hearing from some of the posts that Quibble’s VA is grieving makes a death of the father make sense too. I like that the writers addressed the idea of Quibble being a stepdad and the filly not wanting him to replace her father more directly instead of skirting around that type of more adult plot. Hopefully it will allow kids to empathize with their step parents a little. I also like how Quibble said he already tried to introduce the Filly to his book interests and failed. Only downsides were that it was completely predictable more or less and the fact that ponies are only now realizing what buck ball actually is more widely does not make much sense since the Apples did not invent buck ball as far as I remember. The Apples learned it from someone else, I thought. 

[Dark Qiviut 22,173]

Quibble’s portrayal’s a lot better here than in STFF. Yeah, he was an annoying fan pony there, but not a bad dude nor a stereotype, though he devolved into being a fool midway (seriously, given the major shift in climate, how could he NOT know he wasn’t at the con anymore?). Here, he wants to be a good stepdad and will accept any possible advice to help bond with Wind Spirit.

Also, I felt terrible for Wind Spirit. Clearly she loves his dad, but he’s not around anymore, and she doesn’t want Quibble’s presence to replace him. Yes, he’s Clear Sky’s new love, but to her, he’s a semi-stranger. The game of buckball doesn’t work, because he’s super nervous and clueless of playing the sport, but the almanac (a callback to his love of the original DD books) does.

And I’m glad that the episode doesn’t end with a complete flip, as bittersweet as it is. She’s not bitter anymore and growing to like him now, but this is only step #1. It’ll take time for her to completely view him as another dad, but with Clear Sky there, it might come soon.

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,543]

I feel that this is an episode that may require more than one viewing.

Edited May 4, 2019 by TheAnimationFanatic

[Rushing cash 824]

45 minutes ago, This Whomps said:

Snails made sense, he was part of the original Ponyville team with Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. Honestly, my only real complaint is that there was a huge missed opportunity to bring up how Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Snails aren't sporty ponies either despite being Buckball champions

It makes sense for snails but I thought he would play a background role, but I did not mind his and snips role here. My main complaint is the transition from a serious topic to the cringe worthy and silly qiubbles training with dash, it was just too over the top and I find it haed to believe he is that bad at everything they showed(or the fact he didn't know what a ball or the basket suppose to be). Otherwise the conflict felt real and was executed well, the characters felt relatable and I loved the chemistry between Q and sky, they are adorable together. I wonder why AJ was interested in going to the museum? And how she convinced dash to go there, I like small moments like this when we learn more about regular interaction between the characters and learn small things about(like twilight sniff books in the previous episode). The resolution was visible from the beginning but sometimes its hard to realize it when you are in that situation, and qiubble suffered and got humiliated a lot to understand that he should not try be something you are not to create a bond with someone, but be himself and things will work out. Wind sprint clearly misses her dad and when Q tried to behave like he was a sportspony she took it as he tried to replace her dad, so she did not want to like him. 

Great episode, 8.5\10, glad we got an episode like this, its a very mature subject to write about and they did a good job with this.    

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

Now that was a great episode, I was expecting something meh but it really turned out amazing. Rainbow Dash was at her best here.  Why do so many hate on Haber again? Dude's a solid writer and understands most of the main 6 really well.

Pros
-Quibble Pants was great, nice seeing more layers to his character
-Rainbow Dash was great, this is when she is at her best in stories
-Loved the buckball theme, I am not a huge sports fan, but I am a huge continuity fan
-Clear Skies and Wind Sprint were both super cute and fun to be around
-The story here was really unique and mature, quite the contrast from last week that felt very season 1(in a good way)
-A heartwarming and wholesome message that I am sure many stepdads/moms watching MLP with their kid will relate to.
-Solid humor and few jokes fell flat
-Love seeing a M/F relationship that isn't romantic, been heavy into Star vs lately so I had forgotten what that is like.
-Some really nice animation and shots here.
-Unlike Uprooted and Point of no Return, this episode felt like it naturally hit it's 22 minute runtime, whereas the others kinda felt like they needed padding

Cons
-Quibble seemed a little too different at times from his STFF self
-Snips is still not used in a likable way, unlike Snails who earned the fandoms liking
-Uhhh. I don't know...the location is kinda bland
-can you tell I am reaching here

This was a great episode. However due to the general theme, setting, and style of it I can't call it something I am in love with. Still tho
90/100
Current episode rankings as of May 4th
The Beginning of the End: 100/100
Uprooted: 80/100
Sparkle's Seven: 93/100
The Point of No Return: 83/100
Common Ground: 90/100
Some quick predictions: She's all Yak, 70/100. Frenemies: 95/100.

[Truffles 2,033]

A nice episode. Everyone was in character, the story made sense, and it resolved itself satisfactorily. I felt like the first two acts with the multiple attempts at trying to win Wind Spirit over could have finished sooner and left more time to show her and Quibble bonding. It didn't help that Clear Sky was pointing out the solution early on - which by itself does make perfect sense - but unfortunately also highlights that there was no clear reason for Quibble to not listen to her in the first place and simply slow things down. I understand he really wanted to make her like him so they could be a family, but I guess I don't know enough about his character to say definitively that he would be obsessive over something that didn't involve Daring Do trivia or his fan theories.

But the episode isn't made for me. I've been fortunate enough to never have had to make room for another parent in my life. The kids who have to deal with this situation are the ones the message is targeted toward, and in that respect it succeeds. It's kind of funny that the pony Quibble should have been seeking advice from to slow down and take things gradually also happened to be in this episode, and by that I mean Snails. He's the master of zen and Quibble could have learned a thing or two from him instead of Rainbow Dash, who is exactly the opposite. In fact, I wish the episode had used his demeanor in some way to help resolve things, but it was nice to see and hear from him again, anyway. (Also Snips, who has become a forgotten character as of late.)

I guess that explains why Applejack didn't appear in this episode - it would have short-circuited the resolution even more than Clear Sky was already doing. If there's one positive thing I can take out of "The Cart Before the Pony" is that she is all about slow and steady, and having someone with strong opinions like her around would have prevented Rainbow Dash's plans from being executed.

I missed Quibble's snarky attitude. That's one of the fun things about his character, but here he has to tone it down in order for the audience to root for him. Still, I think a scene of he and his real-life daughter having a snark-off over Buckball trivia would have made for a funny scene, and that in itself could have been a breakthrough bonding moment for the two of them. They could have even played it up in that Clear would be horrified at first but then see this is the way they can make a connection, maybe even throwing in an inside joke of, "Are you two sure you're not related?" XD

Anyway, this is a likeable low-key episode that is stretched out a little too long in the middle section.

Edited May 4, 2019 by Truffles
fixed excess wordiness

[Brainstorm 4,092]

I'm glad everything worked out in the end, QuibblePants was trying too hard, but, he meant well.

And it showed he does have potential to be a Sports Pony, he just made a mistakes.

[MangoFoalix 24,898]

This episode in a nutshell

[Oleks 1,983]

This episode subverted my expectations about being Daring Do related (I hope we’ll see her again though), but it was nice to revisit pony quidditch. I just wonder how Fluttershy and Pinkie manage to find time for their buckball career. Anyway, the real focus of the episode was on Quibble trying to bond with his marefriend’s daughter, and I really like how it turned out. Patton Oswalt was as good as the last time, and the kid’s voice acting was pretty decent too. Because of the whole incomplete family situation this episode felt more mature than an average MLP episode, and I liked it. Also, Quibble being terrible at every aspect pf every kinds of sport reminds me of myself. Oh, and I was glad to see and hear Snips again, he’s been underutilized lately.

[Buttonmash1973 1,024]

deleted

Edited May 5, 2019 by Buttonmash1973

[RaphLuna 305]

Gave it a chance.

Quibble spent more time with rainbow than the mom and her daughter.

It was Painful to watch. Thank God for Fast Forward.

The message was Obvious Stop Being something your not and just be yourself. Duh.

The real bonding time was only a fraction of the entire episode.

And Why the Gravy are they still stuck on background characters.

Where characters like Scoots is far more deserving to be fleshed out.

We already be pointed out about her inability to fly. However I find is sadder that sweety bell and Apple Bloom had their background fleshed out. Even spike was more fleshed out than scoots. What a wast of time that would have been much wiser spent fleshing out a Character that been with the series since day one.

No need to get saddle sore with me here people.

I'm just giving my honest opinion.

PS the episode was seriously rushed through. And no. step parents go through way more than that. And the children of step parents don't magically warm up to someone new in their life so fast.

The Perfect Pair Now that episode was Flawlessly beautiful. Yes I cried watching that one. So heart-warming. Those writers wrote a flawless masterpieces and put real thought in that episode.

The writer of this one done a serious hack job on a touchy subject that they are clueless about. this Episode I Give a S as in '' Should never exist in the first place, ''

If your going to write about step parents in an episode. Do it right and not make a mockery of such a serious topic.

[Lord Valtasar 12,685]

i really liked it, but was kind of dissapointed to not see Daring Do in it, admitedly she had no place in it, but when i saw Quibble in it i really thought she was too and got my hopes up, despite that, it's great to see that they still tackle some hard topics and considering the fandom has both parents and children, it was important to get both Quibble and Wind spirit right and i think they succeded, clear skies was also handled perfectly

[Ganondorf8 11,118]

It was a little cringe-inducing at times but that's a minor issue at best here. This episode was actually very heart-warming, especially given the events behind the scenes involving Patton Oswalt's own family being included as additional voice artists. What surprised me the most was seeing the return of Snips after what felt like forever, and the knowledge that he has quick get rich schemes on his mind. Sometimes, I wonder why Snails allows himself to follow such ideas, but it seems this one actually worked.

I did like the overall lesson and how Quibble Pants got to learn about his own limitations and needing to be true to himself without needing to sacrifice it to please someone else. We also learned that he's athletically challenged which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Not everyone can excel at sports and instead their talents are dedicated towards other fields. Wind Sprint definitely had high expectations that needed to be fulfilled but I can look past that what with her being a filly and still trying to figure things out. At least she can appreciate that book Quibble got her though one wonders if it will soon be replaced with a new edition--that's a different story right there.

Rainbow Dash was trying her best to make things work out but some of her ideas you have to question her understanding of the situation. The other ideas were funny and definitely show her creative side even if it meant coming at Quibble's expense--poor guy. She's bold for coming up with some way out there ones such as getting a half-time match out of nowhere but like she said to Quibble, he should've talked to someone other than her in order to understand Buckball a lot better. I don't have much to say about Clear Sky apart from her and Quibble being so cute together and how she tries her best to make everything work out. She also reminds me of another pony but I can't quite put my finger on it.

Oh yeah! Buckball. Interesting how they brought this back and even expanded on it by showing us some of the more advanced rules, a Hall of Fame, and even an almanac. Could we have seen more of the sport on display? Yes, but then that would've taken away from the heart-warming moments. That's pretty much all I have to say so I'll give this episode a 93%. The only negative is those cringe-inducing moments.

[RulesofRarity 489]

I'm still on the fence about even bothering with this episode. I can't stand Quibble Pants as a character. Is it worth it?

[Megas 27,064]

3 minutes ago, RulesofRarity said:

I'm still on the fence about even bothering with this episode. I can't stand Quibble Pants as a character. Is it worth it?

If you didn't like him in StFF, then this might be up your ally. That episode had him as a know-it-all geek, this one is just him trying to get his girlfriend's daughter to like him

[RDDash 18,866]

"My charisma is 17. Don't you think I tried?"

I really liked this episode, when you watch your ships sink away it's best to be happy for the new couple and their "daughter"

[leimagnus 15]

They never shy away from the difficult topics. I didn't know until now about the real life connection with the actors.

And Snips & Snails even managed to put a smile on my face - that's a first!

Well played, series 9!

edit:
@RaphLuna 
That's a valid point about Scootaloo. She never did get much backstory and this kind of episode would have been perfect and touching as all hell.

Edited May 4, 2019 by leimagnus
To react to what was said.

[FirePuppy 627]

Even though Rainbow Dash is my beyond least favorite pony, this episode was the best one ever for her. It's staying in my Top Three of this season.

Edited May 4, 2019 by FirePuppy

[JCKane 345]

I enjoyed this episode.  Granted it was still your 'run of the mill' "Trying to be something their not and realizing they should just be themselves" type of plot but I feel they did a bit better job in this.  I dunno, didn't feel as 'forced' as some kinds of episodes do.

"Technically he had to buy her the book"

XD Thanks for pointing that out for me Rainbow Dash XD

[Goat-kun 2,498]

He was faking until he wasn't. Was there anything else? I may have been replaying the first Battletech campaign story mission in the background but I am quite confident that I did not miss a thing. Lesson of the day: Firestarter is a nightmare in lunar environment.