S01:E01+E02 - Friendship is Magic

[Day breaker 24]

I mean, it's okay, but it isn't very interesting. In my opinion, some of the most boring episodes. I forgive them though, it's pretty old and FIM was new.

Just now, Daybreaker said:

I mean, it's okay, but it isn't very interesting. In my opinion, some of the most boring episodes. I forgive them though, it's pretty old and FIM was new.

Adding to this, Applejack's voice is.. weird. I know, the actors probably switched and stuff but it's just... eh

[Mlpfan3933 1]

That episode was fun to watch

[AJ2489 2,855]

On 3/17/2012 at 12:33 AM, Ashbad said:

The first two episodes turned me off, but fortunately I watched past that before judging it. The pilots just seem overly moralistic and girly for my tastes, it got a lot better after them.

I suppose its hard to make an outstanding pilot episode cos ya gotta introduce the new characters and their personality etc 

I still enjoyed it but the show definitely got better moving forward 

On 6/8/2018 at 8:35 AM, Mlpfan3933 said:

That episode was fun to watch

Yeah i thought so too!

[RareGems 175]

It was really fun to read back on these older posts. It makes me realize how far the show has gone since the early days.
I haven't watched this episode in a long time. I will re-watch it when I will have the chance to do so.

When I first saw it I really had a different perspective of the show and the ponies. I didn't had any attachment. I was honestly worrying that Pinkie Pie will be an annoying character and I skipped the songs in the show until Winter Wrap Up. But I have fixed that later. There are many things I am missing from the earlier days. I find it hard to form an opinion about it coherently just now.

I liked how Celestia opened up this episode with the narration and how the entire thing was in the story book that Twilight was reading.
I really liked how Nightmare Moon was foreshadowed and so on. 

I think, the episode wants too much in too little time, but such is life when you want to introduce six characters, a world and a whole story arch in a two part episode which amounts up to around 40 minutes in total. It also introduced a problem for me in retrospect... The "lore episodes" feel too different from the "slice of life episodes", which I greatly prefer. Because the world gonna end one day, in the next we break down over going to a party.

Still, I respect this episode a lot because it is where it started. 

[bigbertha 414]

It's not a surprise that the first 2 episodes don't hold up. Once Twilight runs into each of the mane six, they all immediately insist on being her friend despite barely knowing her. The friendship between the mane six here is not well established at all.  They only become friends because the story says they need to be friends. 

The antagonist is also the weakest antagonist of the first 3 seasons. Nightmare Moon is laughable in her attempts to stop the mane six.

A lot of the dialogue feels very clunky and unnatural. When Twilight is falling off a cliff and hanging off of Applejack's hooves, all Applejack needed to say was that Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were going to save Twilight if she let go. That still would've been honest.

Technical aspects are also rough with the animation being very stiff.

Despite all of this, I do respect that this was the first episode and similar to the rest of season one, it has a purity newer seasons lack. The song was also nice and I liked the sea serpent.

Score: 3/10

[Salg 5]

It's hard to believe it's almost been a decade since this show started. Most cartoons never make it past Season 2, and this one blasted right a hundred episodes and even has a recent theater-released movie to it's name.

[Phosphor 11,529]

Ah, the episode that shattered my assumptions about the show and converted me to a fan. I still watch this one occasionally. And it's relaxing too!

[Shy 156]

This episode was great. As stated above, I was a little nervous that Pinkie Pie was going to be annoying, but she is a lovable character.

[CypherHoof 26,483]

Just now, HappyCloud said:

This episode was great. As stated above, I was a little nervous that Pinkie Pie was going to be annoying, but she is a lovable character.

I think it would be fair to consider her both. Pinkie defies description (and physics, and the fourth wall)

[Stormfall 7]

This was the episode that got me hooked too. Such lovable characters and an interesting intro to Twilight as the all I need is books, bad friend with good intentions type. Twilights library/observatory home in Canterlot was pretty awesome and I wished such a library existed so I could visit. “...the fate of Equestria does not depend on me making friends!” That made me laugh as it let me know the writers might  be a clever bunch. The mane 6 intros were well handled, as soon as Pinkie Pie gasped dramatically and flew away when Twlight said “Hello” I was pretty sure she’d end up being my favorite. The only exception was Rainbow Dash’s intro, her dialogue was a bit awkward at first but maybe the voice actress hadn’t quite got into the character yet, it quickly got better of course. Rarity’s reaction to Twilight’s wind blown mane was amusing too. Applejacks trust fall part was a bit forced as it was unnecessary to not tell Twilight WHY she should let go, but I’m not sure now I would’ve handled introducing Honesty. When Twilight said “Please tell me she’s not....” at Pinkie’s song, that was another funny part. Stephen Magnet was completely annoying but it set up Rarity well as Generosity, especially later as we seen how vain she can be, I also loved the ‘GASP, Rarity just killed him!!’ Look on everyone’s face after she swung the scale blade. The part that got me, the part that made me a fan, was when the spark ignited in Twilight’s eyes. “But it did, a different kind of Spark.” When twilight said this and I almost teared up I was in. I agree that Nightmare Moon wasn’t a very formidable villain, and she suffered the ‘I’ll stand here and wait for everyone to transform and then stand here again while they defeat me’ cliche, but overall it works. Celestia’s reunion with Luna was great but why was Luna younger? I also love the song that plays after Pinkie says “A party!!”, if anyone knows if there’s a longer version of that somewhere I’d be grateful to know. Anyway just my 2 cents, I’m late to the fandom but you’ve all been so welcoming so far!

[Buttonmash1973 1,026]

A happy 8th to Friendship is Magic.

[Lord Valtasar 12,690]

when i first saw it, i didn't really pay much attention to details, but rewatching it now, i really love it,the main cast is introduced in a nice and overexagerated way to showcase their characters in a way that will stick to you, before they proceed and make them interact more in the following episodes, i'm a big fan of episode 1 Rainbow Dash, and how well she was portrayed, and really enjoyed Spike/Twilight interactions despite spikes first scene making him look like a servant, the rest of the episode shows us that they're family, and their exchanges even when not worded and just by the rolling of the eyes and the like, are perfect, and of course, i can really relate to Twilight and her unwillingness to get out of her comfort zone and go meet new ponies. we mostly link that trait to Fluttershy, but Twilight while for different reasons, actually was just as socially awkward and closed up.
in order to not make this an essay i'll just say that knowing where everyone is now, it was really nice to be reminded where they've started from, they've come a long way, but they also kept true to their core characteristics it's a 9/10 for me, and hope to see more episodes refering back to the legend of the 2 sisters in s9,

[AJ2489 2,855]

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY GUYS!!  

[Cash In 22,310]

...I really am starting to feel old now.

Well, I prefer Part 1 over Part 2, but they are both certainly good episodes. I like that the writers managed to introduce all the main characters in a quick and humorous fashion, as it makes the plot feel quite smooth. Things are bit cringey at times - Especially in Part 2, but it was the good type of cringe. Nightmare Moon was a good villain to start up the show with. She's quite menacing, for having such a not so devious goal. The Mane 6 and Spike also have their own loveable quirks, which definitely lead to me appreciating them more as characters. There were few inconsistencies and some moments which made me scratch my head, but it was bloody good first attempt.

[GlimGlam-FlimFlam 1]

Here's a question for you guys - how would you have felt about the show if, instead of dealing with her in a 2 parter, the show did what it's done in recent seasons and had a season-long arc dedicated to her? (although technically, this season already does have a season long arc)

[Dabmanz 2,139]

Just started to rewatch episodes to catch up with the episode a day Marathon and Just realized the Quil Spike is using in the Pilot appears to be made from a Phoenix feather..

[astral ice 6]

i just have 1 question for part 1 WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THE OTHER APPLE FAMILY MEMBERS THERE NEVER MENTIONED AGAIN

[bigbertha 414]

I feel conflicted.

On the one had, all the issues I mentioned before about how rough the animation and writing is still hold true. The animation is very rough and stiff while the writing is incredibly basic. Even the voice acting feel slightly amateurish, especially Celestia who has the most generic princess voice imaginable. 

On the other hand, I was never bored or frustrated while watching the episode . While the animation is rough and obviously on a low budget, I appreciate that it means the facial expressions have to be more subtle and simple, leading to a lot of really cute and sometimes funny faces. I laughed more at the faces in this episode than the faces in something like "Secrets and Pies" that's for sure.

Even stuff like the basic writing isn't that bad for me. It's more charming than anything and Nightmare Moon being ineffective is more funny than frustrating. The mane six's friendship still feels a bit contrived, but I did buy their friendship by the end, which means something.

I guess I overall like this episode, even if it really isn't that good. It's charming and enjoyable in a low-key way. 

Score: 6/10

[TheAnonymousP 3]

A solid, if flawed beginning for the series.

[WashoutWonderbolt 4]

Always fun to go back and see where it all began!

[kazamacat 64]

I liked the pilot well enough when I saw the show to keep going onto the next episodes, so I always viewed that as having done its job. I wanted to see more of the magic and the characters and just what they would do next. They're episodes I'm happy to re-visit too. So maybe not love, but like. I have a wallpaper that's a giant slideshow of Rainbow Dash pictures, and my daughter asks about what's happening in them sometimes. Today, she saw one with Rainbow Dash busting one of the clouds. So I explained it, we watched a clip, and then she just wanted to watch the whole first episode again, so we did.

[FIMFanatic 1]

I consider this to be one of the best opening two-parters for any show I've seen.

[Wonderpony 3]

Knowing that the newest season will be the last makes revisiting these two episodes nostalgic.

[MondoPon3 1]

Hard to believe it all began here.

[MuddyHooves 0]

I hope the finale ties to this episode in some way.