S09:E11- Student Counsel

[Rushing cash 824]

As I said before, it was a very enjoyable episode, the dynamics and interactions between the characters were great and funny. Trixie wanting to spend more time with starlight and getting angry over and over again when things dont go her way and not liking that starlight pretty much married her job(and not her) was cute. I enjoy all the episodes when these 2 interact because their relationship is funny and overall interesting(and I ship it). Maud was amazing in this episode, since the mud couple I wanted to see mud brier turned to stone just to see mauds reaction to it, and it happened here and it was glorious! I need more angry trixie, she had some incredible expressions in this episode. The only things that bothered me were the part that trixie tried to plat detective during the search, it was unnecessary and when they escaped the cockatricies, why did not they fly over the broken walls, it seemed to me that the writers just wanted an easy cop out of the problem. 9/10, probably my 3rd favorite episode of the season so far.   

[gingerninja666 487]

I know a lot of people dislike Mud for being very similar to Maud. But I find that he allows Maud to do a different type of joke than she does normally. She doesn't really interact with other deadpan people. So the two of them being utterly deadpan together, in my opinion, is just precious.

 

I felt bad for Starlight in the first half of this episode. Like, I can really relate to being caught between two commitments where no matter what you do you’re letting someone down. Both Star and Trix had valid reasons to do what they did. It’s what makes it feel so awful.

[leimagnus 15]

Loved it.

Had me laughing all the way through. I didn't even think I liked these characters... Well played, MLP: The later years...

[KH7672 1,604]

No matter your opinion on the episode, this is the episode that Starlight needed.

After working through being a mediator but causing problems, and struggling with impulsive behaviors, this is the episode to finally show she has learned from all that. She understands her responsibility with others. She's trying to have a social life, and she only failing not because she doesn't get social interaction, but because she has not yet figured out how to balance it. A perfectly normal struggle. She knows when to admit her mistakes and shortcomings.

Plus no magical solutions, yay that's two in a row!

I would've loved it though if during the montage of her counseling they tied it into her past more:

"Now Smolder I know you needed that book for your project but you can't just take it from Gallus without asking if he needs it too."

"Ocellus, I know you're smart and confident you can handle your project your way, but it's a group project for a reason, you need to listen to your partners as well."

But that's just wishful thinking.

[StitchandMLPlover 930]

MLP School Council

 

SPOILER ALERT!

This was a sweet episode with a good lesson about balancing friendship and work. It will totally resonate with older fans who have jobs. I had a sweet teacher that behaved much like Starlight at the beginning and would always tell him to kick me out of his office if he had other responsibilities. I like how they also brought in the lesson about not supervising the students 24/7 and letting them be independent since the student 6 are clearly even older than the CMC and should be expected to be independent. It was fantastic to finally see more of the Student 6 tree house on the inside. Trixie’s behavior was understandable and I like how close she and Starlight have become. I loved seeing Sliverstream and Taramar together on screen for more than a moment! MudBrier is still kinda irritating but he’s cute with Maude and better when Pinkie’s not around somehow for me. I was completely surprised to find out the Cokatreecices(not sure of the real spelling sorry) can have a really nice side. The only thing I didn’t like is if the Cokatreecices are nice at times, why did one get locked up in Tartarus in the season 8 finale? Did that one Cokatreecice commit a more serious crime in S8?

[Rushing cash 824]

This was a really cute moment, poor earth ponies...

[Oleks 1,983]

Startrix episodes never disappoint! I had a lot of fun watching this one, and it was great to see another adventure of non-Mane Six characters. Even the stick guy was tolerable.
I also really relate to the lesson of the episode: sometimes you just should ignore annoying people, especially if dealing with them makes you work overtime.

[Zantetsuken 364]

The humor in this episode was so amazing I just gotta say so many jokes were clever and made me smile 

I know I usually write more but i just really liked this episode and the humor is what stood out most to me

7.9/10 

Edited June 8, 2019 by Zantetsuken

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,543]

I feel like we should have a poll up now.

[Kion 7,374]

Best episode of the season by far we finally get a Starlight solo episode again and none of the mane 6 are in it so thats a bonus.  We get to see Trixie, Maud, Sunburst, Mud briar, and Terramar again and they all played a great role  so thats always great. And we get to learn a little more about Cockatrices. And of course the funny facial  expressions from Starlight and Trixie are always awesome to see.  And the moral of the episode is fantastic finding a balance between your job and your friends. 

All in all a spectacular episode

Score: 1000/1000

 

 

[YoshiAngemon 223]

After the episode, you'd have to feel sorry for Starlight. I basically hugged my Build-A-Bear Starlight plush before watching King Kong on TCM.

[Kion 7,374]

Just now, YoshiAngemon said:

After the episode, you'd have to feel sorry for Starlight. I basically hugged my Build-A-Bear Starlight plush before watching King Kong on TCM.

I know I certainly do it seems like she has no free time ever.

[YoshiAngemon 223]

11 minutes ago, Twilight and Starlight said:

I know I certainly do it seems like she has no free time ever.

Well, when Twilight ends up Princess of Equestria, Starlight will end up Headmare of the School.  She won't have ANY time for her friends. She might need to get their help in running it, though.

[Kion 7,374]

13 minutes ago, YoshiAngemon said:

Well, when Twilight ends up Princess of Equestria, Starlight will end up Headmare of the School.  She won't have ANY time for her friends. She might need to get their help in running it, though.

And that’s why she has friends like Trixie, Maud, Mudbriar, Big Mac, And maybe Spike if he chooses to stay to help her. 

[MangoFoalix 24,898]

The episode was pretty good. I feel that the entire episode looking for silverstream was a bit ehhh... but it was cool to see cockatrices again.

I also added an episode link that I just found. I used this to watch the episode.

[Thrond 3,257]

There are funny moment throughout this but the convoluted high-stakes adventure stuff really wore me down, and there's too many moments when the ponies are just running around for no reason. I do not think this moral needed to be conveyed in such an elaborate manner, and this is maybe the most boring I've found this show's adventure storytelling in quite a while. I genuinely thought we had moved past stuff like this. The cold open is great, and both Trixie and Maud are consistently hilarious throughout the entire thing, but the storytelling takes way too many big shifts. It worked when it was still grounded and Starlight had to deal with the basic consequences of her poor work-life balance, but then she was validated, and then it turned out she was mistaken, and the whole plot structure just feels messy to me. Why shouldn't Starlight be worried when a student goes missing? And the entire story wouldn't have happened had they just thought to check the clubhouse, or if Silverstream had just sent her family a letter. There's just so many needless contrivances, which is especially a problem because this episode keeps up the tension. I found it exhausting, and I honestly got tired of Starlight fretting about her poor work-life balance before long. I just don't find her that funny when she's not being kinda sketchy, and I feel this episode would have been way better if it had more nuanced character interactions instead of all the high stakes and stuff. "Keep it simple, stupid."

A few thoughts:

• Cold open is absolutely great; only the one from "Sweet and Smoky" has fallen flat this season. 
• Maud Pie is best pony, and her romance with Mud Briar remains absolutely adorable. Her rock fetish is my favourite joke here. 
• I like that Mud Briar is trying to be more polite. He hasn't come nearly as far as Maud has yet, but he's at least making an effort. 
• It is kinda funny that Starlight gets so distracted that she just drops everything on the vendors, not even thinking to politely set things down before she teleports. I feel this could have been tied into her established flaws a little more. 
• I was honestly willing to give this a pass until they find Silverstream in the clubhouse, then it all just falls apart for me. I could sort of accept how forced this is, because there's funny moments and it moves quickly, but learning the entire plot only happened because everyone involved is an idiot was the straw that broke the camel's back. I genuinely believe the show is made worse for trying to force in excitement where it doesn't belong. 

And the whole Everfree section is pointless, too. We've already established that Silverstream is wasting Starlight's time. I mean come on. 

[Jeric 46,834]

Updated the episode link since the old one might be a bit troublesome. 

 

This is a really curious and nearly impossible moral to apply for some. Juggling personal, professional, and moral responsibilities often leaves things unfinished and it is extremely difficult to triage the unknown. Looks like it didn’t end on a “you need to do this” moral answer. I quite prefer that. Overall the episode was a solid 9 for me, though I am left wondering what was bothering grumpy/sad pone. 

[AlbaTross 1,581]

I really like this episode.  I think it's a good moral, and is handled pretty well here.  I mean, there's a reason why business hours are a thing.  There's just the glaring plot hole of how Starlight wouldn't have thought of that sooner.  Oh well, it's still a good episode.  

[Misty Shadow 7,084]

In the words of Maud, “I have mixed feelings.”. This was another decently above average episode that I, again, had no strong sentiments for one way or the other. I liked how it was very...nostalgic, bringing back the cockatrices from Season 1 and the kind of scenery we haven’t seen since the pilot. There were also some great zingers with Maud’s “search party” joke and Trixie’s “experience telling ponies that she has experience” line, but that aside, Trixie actually kind of got on my nerves in this one. The way she was callously eating peas while being told that one of Starlight’s students was missing was just unpleasant to watch. And while the writer’s intent to make neither Trixie and Starlight in the right is understandable, I was more on Starlight’s side, work comes first. Love the ironic moral at the end though, always work by the hour. 

[Zestanor 98]

The stream was choppy so I missed the beginning and some of the end, but anything with Trixie and Starlight is an instant classic for me. Using Silverstream is also a recipe for success.

In terms of chronology, we can now confirm that the winter Holiday Special comes after some of season 9, but before this, since "spring break" is coming. Isn't there another long special episode about spring break? The Rainbow thing?

[Ganondorf8 11,118]

Again, there isn't really much I can say about this episode, the same as it was for me with the last one. I'd say that of all the returning characters--nod here to continuity--Maud stood out really well due to her various one liners which served as our comedy moments. Mudbriar wasn't as annoying as he was in his last appearance so at least we got some improvement for him but he still has a long way to go in order to be deemed likable. Everyone else was what we expect from them though Silverstream could've avoided so much grief had she done the smart thing and let everyone know where she was going to be. Granted, this would've eliminated everything else resulting in not much of an episode.

Oh yeah... I should quickly mention the expressions. I expect memes to be created as well as fanart depicting these reactions as well as augmenting them further for absurdity reasons. As we get closer to the end, the expressions continue to improve through leaps and bounds. Maybe having a clip show episode isn't such a bad idea if it means getting to see those expressions again through a new lens. I'll give this one 80%.

Edited June 8, 2019 by Ganondorf8
Changed the font.

[Sonic5421 423]

Alright, this was a very nice, maybe even a little funny, episode that focused on Starlight, with appearances by Trixie, Sunburst, Maud, Mudbriar, and also focusing on Silverstream and Terramar as well.

I gotta admit, I did not think that the project Silverstream needed help with from Starlight was in regards to how to tame a cockatrice and befriend it. That was interesting how Silverstream befriended the female cockatrice named Edith and was able to get her help with reversing the effects of the cockatrice's petrifying gaze after Mudbriar fell victim to it. However, Maud did not seem to mind what happened. She actually seemed to like Mudbriar as a petrified statue.

Either way, Starlight learned a valuable lesson about balancing her duties as the school counselor and spending time with her friends, so I'll give this episode a rating between 9 and a perfect 10/10 myself.

[ImpctR 155]

An episode by Josh about Trixie and Starlight. I like seeing those two, especially Trixie and her cute facial expressions, I really do, I think it was a fantastic episode and spiced up with a little adventure makes it one of my favourite episodes from the regular ones.

At the picnic, first thing that comes to my mind is how much Trixie has changed, she's long not the antagonist from early Seasons, so is Starlight but still, seeing her do all that like planning a picnic and the other activities by herself, it was not in her character before, but it makes it curious to see her like that.

Those teleports in and out of the picnic were hilarious for generating the faces that Trixie does  

 

Spoiler

 

Who is that pony Roseluck? Have we seen her in previous seasons? I like the rose pony, looks like another cute one. And this kind of hairstyle or dyed hair in some fancy different color I like a lot, that's why I like this new pony and Lyra for similar reason.

 

Spoiler

 

Spoiler

 

It looks like Smoulder sneezed into Gallus' textbook, and she's like 'oh whatever'. Also cute moment.And we have the return in the antiques shop, reminding of the episode of Twilight and Sunburst going there.

 

Spoiler

 

I do not remember any interaction between Miss Cake and Starlight before, Starlight seems already accepted by the ponies, for some reason felt more noticeable here than I've seen in other episodes.

 

And I did not know that Starlight and Trixie have Maud and her BF as group of friends, I thought it was mostly her and Trixie. Nice to see Maud's interesting grotto again with the waterfalls and vegetation inside.

 

Spoiler

 

Silverstream's brother, haven't seen him since Surf And/Or Turf. I absolutely loved how Trixie defended Starlight. IRL I absolutely hate when someone tells me something that is not only false but the opposite of what they claim!

Maud Pie is made unique with her levelled tone and once again managed to amuse me with one phrase: 

Ah now I remember what phrase of Maud Pie amused me 

"Starlight : But I don't want to ruin our party"

: We can still have a party.... A search party."

Me: 

The TEHNICAL pony, Mudbriar, Maud's BF reminds me of the attitude some reviews here had over episodes (I imagine them writing or saying it in that tone), but as a pony himself, when he speaks I make the same facial expression as anypony around him! I'm like 'please please stop talking'

Really nice look of the school at night:

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

Spoiler

 

I love seeing them going on such a journey, it makes me want to go with them too! The music here, it gave me goosebumps that they might encounter not Silver Stream and the chickens but again some evil plan of the villains! It is close to mid-Season finale and like the Mean 6.. it could have been related. Or something dramatic was to happen like if Silverstream .. she's my fave I worried for her if she was going to be stoned!

 The combination of all of them going at night in the Everfree Forest, the combination Trixie and Starlight is not unseen since To where and back again, but with Sunburst, and a hyppogryph makes it all very unique party!

 

Oh my a whole flock of these stone cursing chickens - props to the animators, great detail, I loved the scenery here!

 

Spoiler

 

Trixie's smoke/fog to the rescue! UH OH Mudbriar... BETTER KEEP HIM STABLE, don't break, NOT to END LIKE the  Storm King

 

Spoiler

 

 

It is nice to see the continuity now, the Tree castle/house has been introduced to others who have not seen it. And there's Silver Stream and so Cockatrices can be DOMESTICATED .. well maybe only when they feell threatened they release their petrifying glaze?

 

Spoiler

How many places were seen in just ONE 20 min episode!

From regular slice of life, to episode with relations into adventure and resolution, so much was fit in the 20 mins, no I don't have prob with anything rushed, if it feels like 40 min episode to me, then it's been done well, 5/5 well done Josh

I am more neutral to Trixie but she's becoming more and more cute to me with every next episode!

Edited June 8, 2019 by ImpctR

[JCKane 345]

I enjoyed the episode and not because it featured my favorite Pony... Generic Student pony #15.  He was so cool trying to get into Starlight's office to get his session... I mean... XD.  Ok my favorite Pony's Starlight

Anyways, some fun interactions at the beginning and I felt so bad for Generic Student pony #15.  Admittedly, I kind of expected the ending to take a bit of a different turn.  Well, more so when they were like after they got to the party and she was 'forced to leave'.  Dunno where I would of sent it but *shrug*.  However, I think it's funny.  Starlight sends her and Silverstream's brother to the everfree forest via teleportation in order to look for Silverstream and she stops in front of the school?  Seems more plot convenience imo... didn't even really need the other there... though Maud talking about her 'petrified' BF was great ... and moral of the story... Set office time hours for your students... I dunno, I didn't really fully get the vibe that Starlight wasn't enjoying what she was doing tbh... as most of her strain was keeping up with a promise she made to Trixy than her having an issue with student problems... granted a bit of it showed she was feeling the strain but it more seemed it was due to more 'irelevant/silly' topics than the strain itself so :/  I dunno.

[Lambdadelta 1,462]

*Watching the episode*

I predict this ep's repeating gags will be Starlight keep teleporting. Starlight really obsessed with her duty right now, what did the school do to my poor Starlight?

Rose, why are you being so messed up and so cute at same time? Because ponies, of course, of course, ponies can look cute even they messed up, right right...

Smoulder was happy because she burnt Galus's book.

Identity issues and feeling forum... Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm                                  

No, Silver Stream, your changeling friend thinks she's a bear, can you ask your questions to your current teacher, or your friends? Learn from your classmate is good too.

That Trixie scene in the dark in few freak me out, holy crap.

Finally, Starlight can have a party with her best friends. You should not be the slave of your work, enjoy your life is important too.  Ok, Maud enjoys the party, the credit songs should be there in any moment.

………

9:11

Oh, I just went through the half of this ep. Oh hi, Terramar, nice to see you...

SILVER STREAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!

*to be continue*

REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE