S02:E16 - Read It and Weep

[XUNUSEDXXX 3,459]

Haha I found it hilarious when Rainbow Dash was like, "I'm... and EGGHEAD?!" Found that line too funny.

[Moon Rat 4,772]

This honestly has to be my third favorite Rainbow Dash episodes thus far. I loved it when she tried to get Twilight and Fluttershy out of the room by doing a fake snore, that was hilarious

 

 

I also LOVED the Daring Do story.

That was pretty awesome :3

[TheGreatandPowerfulZecora 16]

Remember first becoming a Bronie? This episode is a documentary to remind you. Rainbow Dash looks at the book and hates it, and never reads them. All her friends say its really good (Rainbow makes fun of them for that), and Twlight recommends one to her. When Rainbow Dash begins reading it, she loves it and relazies with horror that she is an "egghead" A.K.A Bronie.

if you want to get into reading i'd recomend "the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy" by douglas adams. it is what got me, before i was like "books? nah." but after the first page (literally the first page was all it took) i was like "this is the best story i've ever heard or watched, and i'm READING it!!!" seriously when the earth is turned to a ball of hydrogen gas on the first page you have to know it is going to kick oh so many asses!

OMG I'm reading the third book in that series, and it is the best series in the entire world. IT HAS A HILARUS JOKE ON EVERY PAGE AND COMBINED WITH SCI FI IT IS UNSTOPPABLE! iT IS SO AMAZING. I have never found another person that loves it like I do, epsically not a bronie.(BTW, in "Fall Weather Friends, Twlight's racing number is 42!!!!)

[Buttonmash1973 1,026]

This was an OK episode and what a surprise to see Rainbow Dash read.

 

Now I am hoping that Daring Do will have a role again in Season four.

[RollingPony 100]

 

There were a lot of comments of this relating to becoming a brony, when I was watching the livestream that is. 1. Hates it 2. Gets forced into it 3. Likes it (in secret) 4. Likes it

 

I hope you are right because i forced my friend yesterday to watch this episode(it was my first ep too)

but he said he didn't like it... I hope he is on step 3 now .. 

[Smitty91 57]

An awful lot of people associate Daring Do with Indiana Jones. While I do see the connection, I have always seen Daring Do in the same light as Lara Croft or Kim Possible. I love these types of characters because they're great role models for girls, showing them that they don't have to be weak and defenseless and need a guy to save them, that they can do anything just as well as guys can. I hate the stereotype that guys are superior to girls. And this is all coming from a 21 year old man for crying out loud! I just find that stereotype extremely offensive. But as I am a guy, I can't help but think about Rainbow Dash having some steamy dreams about her and Daring Do. Yes, even I get those kinds of thoughts in my head every once in a while. However, reading the Daring Do books could cause Rainbow Dash to long to go on an adventure, longing to get out of Ponyville and do some exploring, which would make for some interesting adventurous stories for not only her, but Daring Do as well. 

[Bigmethod 239]

Wow, has to be one of my eps. Mostly due to the secret brony references and actually laugh out loud funny bits.

 

Props to ya'll best ep since discord's ones!

[True Rarity 1,240]

This is one of the best Rainbow Dash episodes EVER!

Daring Doo looked an awful lot like a different-colored Rainbow Dash, and sounded vaguely like her as well!

I liked how Rainbow Dash became a "burglar"!

[Starlight Song 43]

Rainbow Dash goes throught a lot. Like, a lot. Pinkie Pie mostly. If it's Pinkie Pie, make it more than a lot. How can she be hospitalized from falling? SHE CRASHED THROUGH RAIRTY'S ROOF, IF SHE JUST FELL, HOW DOES THAT GET HER HOSPITALIZED?!?!! They did show the accident off screen.......... Oh gawd.... WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU RAINBOW???????????? 

[True Rarity 1,240]

Rainbow Dash goes throught a lot. Like, a lot. Pinkie Pie mostly. If it's Pinkie Pie, make it more than a lot. How can she be hospitalized from falling? SHE CRASHED THROUGH RAIRTY'S ROOF, IF SHE JUST FELL, HOW DOES THAT GET HER HOSPITALIZED?!?!! They did show the accident off screen.......... Oh gosh.... WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU RAINBOW???????????? 

Well if we don't know what happened it must have been something pretty bad...

Either way I felt sorry for her, but I still thought she should read the book.

[Nerdy Luigi 2,065]

This episode finally reveals the "egghead" side of Rainbow Dash. It sounded like a good book to me, actually. (the one Rainbow Dash was reading most of the episode)

[A Talking Dragon 257]

^ If by eggheadness you mean being able to read a book like the other mane 5 then yes, I would say that Rainbow Dash did show that side of her.  Now the trick is to see if she'll read anything other than Daring Do.

[Vertigo_95 572]

This episode is connected with me and I find it a bit weird that it happened the way it did.

 

Before I became a brony, I had went into the hospital. Although I had my 3DS and phone, there were times where I was bored out of my mind. I was suggested to read "The Hunger Games" by one of the nurses. I had already liked reading but I didn't want to read at the time. I eventually started reading the book, and of course, I was discharged before I could finish it. I just didn't have no problem going to the library to get the book like Rainbow Dash did.

 

After watching this episode, it seemed like I was destined to become a brony, even if it was a coincidence.

[Midnight Scribbler 1,705]

When I saw this, I paused the show to look myself in the mirror and say.. I love ponies.. *GASP* I'm a brony!

 

I feel like this scene was sort of meant to be interpreted this way as a nod to bronies. Although it would be just as likely to be just coincidence I suppose.

 

Also, I later built this in homage to the episode, and my realization moment.

Edited October 12, 2013 by Midnight Scribbler

[Batbrony 16,055]

As far as episodes go, "Read It and Weep" is pretty standard fare as far as Season 2 episodes go, which I'd say is slightly better than an episode typical of Season 1, but not much more exceptional than that.  That's not to say it's not a delightful episode, it's just there's nothing that really makes it stand out or a really outstanding episode.  So then, what do we got here?

 

Well, Rainbow Dash discovers the joys of reading; that's pretty much the entire episode in a nutshell.  This lesson has appeared in quite a few kids shows over the years, and Rainbow Dash, being the athletic tomcolt that she is, was the obvious choice out of the Mane 6 to learn this lesson.  Even the whole "being stuck in bed" trope is pretty standard for this type of episode, but I don't want to say it's cliche; rather, it simply follows an archetype, and follows it perfectly fine, hitting all the right points.  Rainbow Dash gets injured. Check.  She's stuck in a hospital.  Check.  She reveals that she thinks reading is lame.  Check.  When she has nothing else to do, she has to start reading and discovers that, surprise, surprise, it's awesome!  Check.  Tries to hide it from her friends, but inevitably they discover it after whacky shenanigans ensue and all have a good laugh, plus lesson learned.  Check.  While the episode certainly isn't that original, it works because it's execution is spot on again and again and again.

 

Man, I love reading.  I mean, I LOVE reading. 

 

The finest parts of the episode honestly probably come in the Daring Do sequences.  An obvious homage to Indiana Jones, one can't help but get sucked into her sequences.  The grainy animation and exotic setting make it refreshingly unique, and that along with Rainbow Dash's exuberant narration really help visually convey how a good book can quite literally transport the reader to a new land.  She also has a lovely design, even if it's a bit redundant of RD's, but it works for an adventurous explorer character like herself, and the color scheme is different enough from RD's that it's not too noticeable.  Finally, she's just fun to watch; this is her only appearance thus far, but despite having only a few lines she's really charismatic and her sequences are extremely entertaining.  If Daring Do ever pops up in any future episodes (although considering she's a fictional character within the MLP universe itself I doubt that'll ever happen), I for one would have no complaints.

 

Daring Do: she's kind of a boss.

 

Besides Daring Do, Rainbow Dash is a lot of fun in this episode, particularly when she's learning to love reading more and more and during her hoodie-ninja sequence at the end of the episode.  She also has quite a few cute moments, again, most of them as she's discovering how awesome reading is and trying to retrieve the book from the hospital at the end.  The Mane 6 are pretty entertaining too for the few scenes they're in (I always find Rarity's comment about a good book being "almost as magnificent as silk pajamas on a Sunday morning" to be especially amusing).  Twilight's pretty adorkable as she's trying to sell Rainbow on the joys of reading.  But overall there's not too much to say about this episode.  As I said before, it's pretty standard fare for Season 2; that's certainly not a bad thing, it's just a fact that it's hardly one of the most standout episodes in MLP.  It's just the right amount of funny and exciting blended with a nice, very relevant lesson that's delivered solidly, and I like it just the way it is for what it is. 

 

Reading: it's awesome, plain and simple.    Do it... like, as much as you can.  I mean it.  Like... right now!  Go go, scoot, bury your head in the wondrous pages of a good book young scholars!!!  

[Ianpiersonjdavis 512]

I really enjoyed this episode.

 

It's the one the cemented my becoming a brony (and Dash becoming my favorite) as well as mirroring the fears and insecurities I had about others in society viewing me after my best friend recommended it.

[Pastel 7,630]

So far, this is my favorite episode of the show.

I really, really like Rainbow Dash in this episode.

I love how she immediately gets hooked by the book, and the transitions between the reality and the book, like Ahuizotl saying "Hellooooo Rainbow Dash".

And there're some hilarious scenes, like RD playing with the ball (great reference to The Great Escape), or when she discovers she's an egghead.

Wonderful episode.

Edited April 4, 2014 by BlobuIle

[GatsbyGreen 2]

Is there a name for the Doctor Pony in this episode?  He's my favorite pony.

[Rhodeana 17]

I don't normally read books but after watching this, I kinda want to start reading now!

Tell no-one...

[Justin_Case001 4,888]

I couldn't resist.

 

Great episode, with such a great moral.  And I just love how a couple episodes later we see RD just chilling in Twi's library reading Daring Do.  She was so scared of becoming and egghead, and now it's just like, "Yeah, this my weekly reading time with Twi.  Anypony got a problem with that?"  Reading doesn't make Rainbow an egghead, Rainbow makes reading cool.

 

And I found an easter egg.  This is Supernaturals, the book of all natural cures and remedies that are simply super.  Seen for a brief second when RD is trying to escape the hospital with the stolen Daring Do book.

[TheJLeeTeam 914]

This was a great episode. Rainbow Dash tries to hide reading a Daring Do book and we also get bonus scenes from the book. The highlight for this episode were the Daring Do scenes.

[poniesrfun 469]

rainbowdash seamed fragile in this episode , in sleepless in ponyville she cut all four logs out of the trees no probs,  and she mange to crash down one of  applejacks old barns with out a scratch , im just puzzled a bit by her at times

[CC_Maud_Pie 6,431]

If Rainbow Dash likes reading, then she's gonna love this show and not only that, part of her name is in it:

[WriteCodes46 178]

I've always theorized that Rainbow's sudden love of reading (and obsession with Daring Do) was directly caused by brain damage sustained from this crash. After all, if it was hard enough to shatter bone, how would have brain tissue, which is the first thing to hit the ground, fared?

[MidnightPallette1992 53]

It was fine. Cliche. The barking nurse made me disturbed though.