S01:E05 - Griffon the Brush Off

[Buttonmash1973 1,026]

hmm i watched this episode lite ten time

 

I lost count on how many times I had watched this episode until now.

 

Funny to see Spike try to blow fire out.

 

I hope that Gilda returns too.

 

A Griffon kingdom had been mentioned on another forum.

[Thundershock 310]

its a pretty good episode,but i hate gilda.Its also entertaining to see rainbowdash and pinkie pie pranking other ponies.

[Icy Wonderbolt 34]

I like this episode because Pinky Pie trys to do anything she can to pull off pranks with Randbow Dash. It was a good episode and i have no problems with it.

[Lightning Buckheart 29]

I disliked Gilda from the start, looked and acted like a punk.

 

Pro: None.

Con: Too many to say.

 

Overall, she'd be the worst friend ever, at least Trixie said sorry to Twi in season 3

[~Rogue~ 193]

I hope we can see her return in season 4.....since trixie came back should Gilda?

[Lightning Buckheart 29]

I hope we can see her return in season 4.....since trixie came back should Gilda?

It's just my opinion, but I pray not. She be a b**ch.

[~Rogue~ 193]

I know..she could return but be nicer. I dunno but she counts as a villain so she should return. That's what the formula says

[Garrett Johnson 57]

I couldn't stand Gilda after what she did to Fluttershy

[Pony Of The Month 534]

Good episode. Not one of my absolute favorites, but I can't say I find anything wrong with it. Although, I'm not sure if I want to see Gilda again in Season 4. I want to see the griffon kingdom though.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

I tell you, this episode was a really good because it backs up the saying "It's not what's on the outside, it's what's on the inside". 

 

Gilda had the definition of "cool" completely screwed up. She thought that in order to be "cool", you had to be "part of a certain group", which is a complete bias. 

 

I'll say it once and I'll say it again "Being cool is being yourself". Pinkie Pie has a silly nature and that's what makes her cool. Rainbow Dash loves to fly and does amazing tricks in the air, that's what makes her cool. Gilda on the other hand, was just being a plain jerk. She thought in order to be cool, you had to change your atitude. She completely broke the camel back when she roared at Fluttershy, which made her cry and run away. I hated that scene terribly. She thought that it was "her domain" so she could take advantage of others. 

 

Gilda was indeed a "false friend", for she didn't understand the true definition of being cool and fell into the deadly trap. 

[Davoo 8]

I love this episode; despite being so quiet and actually kind of boring, it might be one of the best yet made so far. (I'll have to see. That's one reason why I'm going back to re-watch them all). As it goes on, FiM has developed many--possibly dozens--of outstanding qualities and selling points that make it entertaining and satisfying to watch, and Griffon the Brush Off puts several of those qualities on full display for the first time.

 

First of all, it's the first episode to wind back, cool down, give story more-or-less a nap, and take some time to just have the characters be the characters. Anyone who follows the skits, reviews and editorials of Doug Walker knows how much he likes a show that can focus on how the characters work off of one another.

 

I clocked it: the actual story and conflict of this episode doesn't begin until the 7:21 mark. Before that, it's all just character development. And it's very enjoyable, very relaxed, and best of all; it's believable. It makes a lot of sense that Dash and Pinkie would be united through the social trope of "pranking", being an act both comedic and mischievous.

 

Which leads me directly to the second great, new pro-quality this episode introduced to the show: Lessons that treat the audience with respect.

 

So you're writing for a little girl's cartoon (bronies don't exist yet), and you're assigned to write an episode about pranking. Yawn, you could write that one in your sleep: the character starts doing pranks, slowly gets out of control, then has to learn how to restrain herself. Right? That's how any cartoon would do it, right?

 

Wrong! The first time watching this one, I sat there in stunning astonishment as Pinks and Bowdash underwent their comedic campaign with the deliberate and active condition of not hurting anyone or anyone's feelings. What is this?? Characters already knowing some of the basic moral lessons before the episode started?? But... that would imply that you think the kids watching your show have a brain or something.

 

So, if they didn't go in for hammering in that overdone lesson, what are they going to do now? Oh, this new character gets introduced, and she's a friend of Rainbow Dash's. Ah, so now, Pinkie Pie is going to get all jealous about it, and spend the rest of the episode getting more and more irrational until she realizes in the end that she's been enviou--THE IDEA OF JEALOUSY IS BROUGHT UP RIGHT AWAY, and Pinkie immediately contemplates that possibility.

 

I mean, holy bananas, MLP:FiM writers, how much intelligence can you fit into one episode? I know this isn't exactly groundbreaking philosophy or fully adult, deep, complex emotional introspection or anything, but it's just really refreshing to see some actual effort put into the moral of a cartoon.

 

The third really great quality of the show that first got off the ground in this episode was the much richer, better character development of Pinkie Pie. Before this episode, we'd pretty much never seen Pinkie really upset at anything. She was the perpetual comic relief those first four episodes. If FiM had been in the hands of the average teleplay writer, she would have been a 1-dimensional prat-falling squeak toy, stayed a 1-dimensional prat-falling squeak toy, and never become anything but a 1-dimensional prat-falling squeak toy.

 

But once again, the standard operating procedure of bull crap cartoon cliches was violated as Pinkamena Diane Pie in this episode began expressing emotions other than 'happy'. She would later go on to become developed even further in later episodes; especially in  Party of One and especially especially in A Friend in Deed. But Griffon the Brush Off is where we got our first taste.

 

Oh, and anyone who speculates that Gilda was hanging around Dashie for reasons beyond 'just hanging out', well... yeah, I kind of have to agree. Well obviously it'll never OFFICIALLY be like that, but just from the way Gilda acts around Rainbow for most of the episode, it's pretty hard to deny. I'd say that the idea wasn't even present in the writers' and animators' minds; it just subconsciously snuck its way in there.

I swear I've never written, never read and never intend to read any fan fiction of this, I just think the subtlety of the animation and writing backs it up. ~.^

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,288]

I actually loved this episode because of Gilda. She was such a horrendous character personality-wise, that she made every other character just gleam. Gilda is an incredibly generic punk/bully character and for the episode it works quite well. She really makes you love the other character so much more, if that is even possible.

 

Would I like to see her return? Well, no. The genericness of her really would get old unless they can put some interesting spin on her, whatever it could be. I would like to see another Griffin down the line though.

Edited April 16, 2013 by Kyoshi

[thebobmaster 31]

The plot of this episode follows, mostly, Pinkie Pie (Andrea Libman), as she becomes more friendly with Rainbow Dash (Ashleigh Ball) through their love of pranks. However, an old friend of Rainbow Dash's, Gilda the griffon (voiced by Maryke Hendrikse, a voice actress from the same group of voice actors as Andrea Libman), shows up, and the saying "two is company, but three is a crowd" is very obvious, as Gilda makes it fairly clear who she thinks should be the odd one out.

 

 

This is a plot that is fairly often done. You know, the old friend comes back to visit, and the new friend feels like the odd one out? Yeah, that plot. There are a few interesting twists, however. What makes Rainbow Dash and Gilda hang out is at least partially what makes Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie hang out, their mutual enjoyment of pranks. That gives it more of a realistic feel, as well as an understanding of how jealousy could play a factor when you see your friend doing the same thing you used to do. At least, that would be the case if they actually showed Gilda and Rainbow Dash actually doing pranks, an opportunity that is sadly missed.

 

 

As for the voice acting, all of the major characters are done well. Andrea Libman doesn't seem to fully into character with Pinkie Pie at this point in the series, however. She shows emotions decently well, but she always does a super high voice that doesn't really lower or raise with emotion, save for a few scenes. Ashleigh Ball, however, does a really good job as Rainbow Dash, to the point where it is hard to believe she is also the voice of Applejack, thanks to the differences in attitude, accent, and pitch. Finally, there is Gilda. The voice actress does a pretty good job, but then again, there isn't much to do, really. She does do a decent job switching between the friend towards Rainbow Dash and the jealous rival towards Pinkie Pie.

 

 

The characterization is another bit of an issue. You get a sense of Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash both being good-natured pranksters, who know that certain things are off-limits (no pranking Fluttershy). However, the only other development that is given is reinforcing that Pinkie Pie's solutions to problems tends to involve parties, and that Rainbow Dash is loyal to a fault, both things that were established in the second episode. As for Gilda...let's just say that she is popular with some of the fandom, for reasons I cannot fathom. The characterization they show of her is the stereotypical bully/cool kid, down to calling those "beneath" her dweebs. It's so flat as far as characterization goes, it's almost cardboard. Granted, she does get some scenes showing that she is actually decent friends to Rainbow Dash, knowing how to be nice, but it is not very often.

 

 

This episode is notable in that it is the first episode since the premiere to feature an actually antagonist, rather than just dealing with a situation or character flaws. However, the villain isn't even one of the "love to hate" antagonists, the main focal character is just not really developed further, and the overall plot is too often done.

 

 

There are some nice things in the episodes, such as some great pranking humor, especially when pranks inadvertently affect a second person (Let's put it this way. Dragons can send scrolls and letters instantly via fire they breath. When dragons get the hiccups, they breath fire. Spike's fire sends scrolls to Celestia. Spike gets the hiccups while carrying a bunch of scrolls. Hilarity ensues), and it does show that while Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash are pranksters, they do limit themselves to people they know can take a prank, and show concern if they think they may have upset someone in the process.

 

Overall: 5/10 (5/10 average)

Edited April 17, 2013 by thebobmaster

[True Rarity 1,240]

I just saw this episode.

To say the least, I felt sorry for everypony in the episode, especially Fluttershy.

I also wanted to rush over to Gilda and... and... light her on fire, or something like that!!!!!

And I'm so happy Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash thought of Fluttershy before they would play a prank on her.

[Starlight Song 43]

I don't even have to read the comments so much to know that people have been posting on how Gilda made Fluttershy cry. I agree, it sucks. But even thought Pinkie Pie knew that, she still made Gilda the guest of honor at her party with good intentions. At the end, when it was revealed the Rainbow was puling all those pranks, and Pinkie was just having a party for her to show her a good time, I was just like,  "Only in Ponyville, will you get away with murder, or in other words, making Fluttershy cry".

Edited April 20, 2013 by Starlight Song

[True Rarity 1,240]

I don't even have to read the comments so much to know that people have been posting on how Gilda made Fluttershy cry. I agree, it sucks. But even thought Pinkie Pie knew that, she still made Gilda the guest of honor at her party with good intentions. At the end, when it was revealed the Rainbow was puling all those pranks, and Pinkie was just having a party for her to show her a good time, I was just like,  "Only in Ponyville, will you get away with murder, or in other words, making Fluttershy cry".

The whole time Gilda was being a jerk, I wanted to crush her.

But as soon as she saw Fluttershy, I knew Gilda deserved worse than being "banished from Equestria and then thrown into a dungeon in the place she's been banished to".

I was going to hurt her. If only I could go inside the TV...

[Starlight Song 43]

The whole time Gilda was being a jerk, I wanted to crush her.

But as soon as she saw Fluttershy, I knew Gilda deserved worse than being "banished from Equestria and then thrown into a dungeon in the place she's been banished to".

I was going to hurt her. If only I could go inside the TV...

If you have ever read Cupcakes, apparently Gilda does get her punishment.   Though please don't. Still getting over that..........

[wickedjr89 7]

When Gilda made Fluttershy cry that was it! If only I could have went inside the TV, er computer (netflix) actually but yea. I hate Gilda. Even RD knows when she has gone too far and hurt some pony's feelings. 

[KitsuneSoul108 102]

i hate Gilda.I just disliked her at the beginning but when she made fluttershy cry,i had to agree that she should have had worse happen to her then just being pranked(even though she left)
After all she made Fluttershy cry!
One does not simply make fluttershy cry and get away with it

[Bloody Murder 5]

Pinkie throws a party to teach the griffon bi*ch a lesson...How exactly does that solve the problem?

 

RD was the one who pulled the pranks which would make the foreshadowing from Pinkie nonsensicle and the conclusion a Deus ex Machina meaning the lesson is what? Hope stuff magically works out?

[River 59]

I have a question. I didn't read the thread directly to see if someone already answered the question.

But does Babs Seed and Gilda have the same issue at all? Do you think that Gilda was just being a bully because she didn't want to share Rainbow Dash because maybe she felt like she was going to be the 'Third Wheel'? 

Maybe she was treated badly at home and RD was one of her only friends?

 

EDIT: I do remember her being mean to EVERYONE though, so.. ?

Edited June 21, 2013 by Cerulean Sky

[Speedy_Dashie 11]

I totally hate Gilda, but Fluttershy a year older than pinkie?! Well, it is obvious because Fluttershy is more "Mature" and taller than pinkie. How old are the Mane 6? Like early 20's?? 

Edited August 13, 2013 by Cheerful_Heart

[TheLineTrotter 100]

Ah, Griffon the brush off... while the first time through, I wasn`t a huge fan of the episode, but the 2nd viewing it was actually really interesting... mostly because I started thinking about Gilda as a character.

 

Why is Gilda like this? "Well, it`s because she`s a jerk" yes, but I have to wonder what made her like that. I`ve known people similar to Gilda, people who are completely inauthentic, but (since they were jerks) never bothered trying to learn further. I think the reason i`m curious though is because of this: Gilda is genuinely friends with Rainbow Dash.

 

I think that speaks bounds about her character: although she is an inauthentic bitch, she cared about Dash as a friend, and seems genuinely surprised and hurt (in her own way) when Dash doesn`t stand by her at the end of the episode.

 

Ironically, my head canon has her in line with Fluttershy (the person she was most directly  jerk to). When Gilda was young, she was likely bullied. Whether by other Griffons or maybe ponies depending on how exactly she grew up, I don`t know. (if it was ponies, it`d be interesting to think of there being bias against Griffons). While Fluttershy, being so shy, never argued back and likely just took it, or ran off, Gilda likely fought back, possibily eventually becoming the bully herself.

 

Now the question comes in: Did she change after Flight camp, or was Dash once as big of a jerk as she is...?

[Megas 27,550]

I liked it, though it isn't as memorable as other episodes in the season. I'll go ahead and say it, but I liked Gilda. Sure she was mean, but she's supposed to, and I actually enjoyed her 90's lingo in a nostalgic sorta way(though I don't know if that's a good or bad thing). I didn't like how the episode ended however, which makes me hope that there'll be some closure between Gilda and Rainbow Dash sometime in the future(perhaps a future season 4 episode?)

[Yellow Diamond 7,565]

I'm surprised that I haven't commented on this episode in this thread, given my thoughts on its content.

 

I've long considered "Griffon the Brush Off" to be one of my early favorites. It surely is not as polished as late Season 1 and beyond episodes are, but it gives us one of the first full-fledged introductions to Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. I find it rather odd that while Pinkie and RD are depicted as growing very close during this episode, their friendship is never depicted as overtly in later episodes. (The sole exception is "Wonderbolts Academy", but that episode had a number of unusual pacing and writing issues.) Yet I would be willing to bet most of my meager cash reserves on "Griffon the Brush Off" single handedly launching most Pinkie Dash ships. Without this episode, I doubt that ship becomes quite as popular as it is today -- unless "Wonderbolts Academy" still comes out.

 

The weirdest thing about this episode for me is the Rainbow-Gilda-Pinkie triangle. For the first 1/3 of the episode, Gilda just comes off like a rude punk and Pinkie is depicted as a bit overzealous -- a character trait which is quite consistent throughout the show. In the last 2/3 of the episode, however, Gilda and Pinkie give off the kind of vibe that suggests the two of them are little too absorbed in competing for RD's attention. I've even speculated, though I cannot find the exact post at this moment, that Pinkie may have intentionally set up Gilda by throwing a party she knew would be filled with Rainbow's pranks. Even if such is not the case, Pinkie's fretting is most certainly unusual.

 

Gilda only exacerbates matters during the course of the party and her public meltdown. A friend of mine and I frequently point to Gilda demanding that Rainbow leave with her as more indicative of a lovers' quarrel rather than two friends having a public falling out. This is amplified by how possessive Gilda appears to be of Dash. The writing of the episode thus presents the subtext of Gilda having some unrequited feelings for Rainbow Dash which never entirely panned out the way she wanted. Obviously the writers would not have placed a romantic angle intentionally into the story for two reasons: Lauren's aversion to injecting romance into MLP and the uproar a lesbian relationship in a kid's show would have produced. Still, since Bronies are quite imaginative and mature, one cannot help but feel they must read between the lines.

 

Aside from these dimensions of the episode, there isn't much else to say. Twilight's friendship lesson is rather flat since she was unjustified in her opinion that Pinkie might have been misjudging Gilda. This episode probably would have worked better in Season 2's format, with Pinkie and/or Rainbow writing the letter as opposed to Twilight. Otherwise Twilight's personal take seems to be forced into the story. Those are just growing pains, I suppose.

 

In spite of this weakness, I still like this episode a lot. I find the inadvertent "everyone is gay for Rainbow Dash" subtext both amusing and charming.