S04:E13 - Simple Ways

[Geek0zoid 1,468]

I think Season 4 is on the verge of taking the spot of my favorite season. It barely has anything that's hit or miss. Most of it hits, and when it hits, it REALLY hits.

[ghostfacekiller39 23,860]

BREAKING NEWS:

Trenderhoof is OFFICIALLY ghostfacekiller39's worst pony

 

Alright, this is also probably my least favorite Rarity episode, but I liked it none the less.

 

I'm probably going to watch over it again later before I let my rating sit, though; I gotta say, my mind wasn't clear. I was pretty nervous throughout that whole episode.
 

Edited February 8, 2014 by ghostfacekiller39

[yayayayayala 1,668]

First time in four weeks I've seen an episode on the day it aired! (Only because I'm sick, though. ) So much lols! I practically died at the romantic Applejack scene at the beginning, and that third picture taken of her dressed up!! LOL!! My mom said it was very silly, and it was. XD I also thought it was sweet of him, that Trenderhoof offered his...well, hoof to Granny Smith.

[lomk 20,663]

I don't see how people are saying this is the best Rarity episode. Suited for Success, Ponyville Confidential, and Rarity Takes Manehattan were far superior if you ask me. I enjoyed this one but it's still a 7.5/10 for me. It was fun but (like everyone else is saying) the ending was very rushed. Had Rarity's change been more gradual, this would have been better executed. But it was virtually immediate. I thought the setup and breakdown were well done. But I wonder if it was their intention to make her just snap to like that or if it was supposed to be better. I dunno. That change felt too sudden for me. 

[Vertigo_95 572]

I found the episode a bit dull at the beginning, but once Trenderhoof fell for Applejack, it got a bit more interesting. I just didn't like the whole changing personality just for one pony thing. Not much I can say about this episode. I will give this episode a 7/10. Also Rarity and Applejacks swap with the clothing was pretty. I can say it makes me appreciate Applejack more than I did before.

[hawkflame 3,310]

Applejack is a much better Rarity than Rarity is an Applejack.

 

To be fair, she has practice from her time in Manehattan as a kid. 

 

Oh my god, Pinkie Pride, you have some serious competition for best episode of the season. 

 

First of all, the faces in this episode.  "Sexy" Applejack on the farm.  Squiggly mouth AJ right before she burst out laughing.  Spike's aside glance at the audience when Rarity talks about unrequited love.  But mostly, my favorite has to be this one look Rarity gives right before Trenderhoof.  If I could find that pic somewhere, I will *so* make that my next avatar.

 

(edit:  Found it!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tabitha St. Germain Stole.  The.  Fricking.  Show.  Watching Rarity devolve into becoming more and more of a hick was priceless.  That accent.  That accent just killed me.  It's one thing for a voice actor to do a southern accent.  It's another thing for a voice actor to do a character with a Mid-Atlantic accent trying (and failing at) a southern accent.  Fake Redneck Rarity just killed me. 

 

Then you have Applejack, who's rather easy to dismiss as just the straight mare here, but she's a really important grounding element here.  She's the *real* farm pony who can call out these fakers for being the idiots they are.  I love how in this episode she just humbly tries to go about her business, but these two posers are just getting in her way.  Further proof in my opinion that Applejack is the most *sensible* pony in the Mane Six. 

Edited February 8, 2014 by hawkflame

[Grumpy Enchantress 586]

Best part of the episode!!!

 

[Wingnut 6,987]

 

 

Trenderhoof is OFFICIALLY ghostfacekiller39's worst pony Alright, this is also probably my least favorite Rarity episode, but I liked it none the less.

 

I'm sorry.    The plot was weak and contrived, I'll give you that.  But the heart isn't a creature of logic.  Sometimes we like who we like for no apparent reason.  You only have to go through the threads about relationships in the forum to realize that.  ^^; 

 

Anyway, as a big Rarity fan, I was hoping you'd like this more. 

 

Best part of the episode!!!

 

 

We're going to be seeing a lot of this.  As though they didn't already give us enough Rule 34 material this season. 

[ghostfacekiller39 23,860]

I don't see how people are saying this is the best Rarity episode. Suited for Success, Ponyville Confidential, and Rarity Takes Manehattan were far superior if you ask me. I enjoyed this one but it's still a 7.5/10 for me. It was fun but (like everyone else is saying) the ending was very rushed. Had Rarity's change been more gradual, this would have been better executed. But it was virtually immediate. I thought the setup and breakdown were well done. But I wonder if it was their intention to make her just snap to like that or if it was supposed to be better. I dunno. That change felt too sudden for me. 

I haven't seen people say that

 

Regardless, no, this is far from being the best episode. It's one of her weaker showing, lacking in much but laughs, from what I can recall.

 

Plus, it had captain Douche as a major character.

 

Suited for Success, Sweet & Elite, and Rarity Takes Manehattan...all FAR superior to this one.

 

 

[PoisonClaw 8,164]

Oh boy...this was a doozy of an episode and for none of the right reasons. I'll have to watch it again because the stream kept messing up, but I can say that this is one of the weakest Rarity episodes I have seen, and considering that most Rarity episodes are either some of my favorites or at least still enjoyable, that's saying something.

 

The beginning of the episode was for the most part okay (though the Pinkie head expansion was surreal even for Pinkie's standards) and Rarity was great being in her element. And then she inexplicably has a stalkerish crush on this Trenderhoof guy, complete with closet shrine. Not gonna lie, I didn't like the guy one bit. Once again his voice sounds familiar, but there was just something...pretentious about him. He just rubbed me the wrong way and I was waiting for someone to punch him, and that was not solely because he was a possible potential love interest like why so many people hate Flash Sentry for merely existing.  

 

Though I will admit that Rarity's attempts to woo Trenderhoof were somewhat funny in the beginning. But then comes the moment I was dreading ever since this episode was announced: Rarity trying to act county and coming of as a stereotypical redneck hillbilly. And by god was it even more painful than I imagined! It was only lessened once Applejack showed up and wow does Applejack clean up nice. It was funny seeing these two play against type like that.

 

At first. But it very quickly descended into awkward and quite frankly kinda offensive territory. That entire sequence soured the episode for me. All and all, I didn't like Simple Ways all that much. It had its moments, but it also had more than enough scenes that made me cringe. It wasn't one of the worst, but compared to previous Rarity episodes it was very weak. 

[Radiance64 7,053]

Hey guys, remember Party of One? Where Pinkie went kookoo because she thought her friends didn't like her anymore?

And remember Lesson Zero? Where Twilight gets overly worried about sending a letter to Celestia and really goes nuts?

Well, now we have Simple Ways, where we find out Rarity's breaking point is love.

Man what an episode it is. Rarity was just so cute here the entire time I could just eat her up! A specific highlight was when she thought behind Twilight would be a good hiding place from her crush, Trenderhoof, who comes to Ponyville to oversee the Ponyville Days Festival that Rarity was assigned to put together. And as Rarity gives him a tour of Ponyville and they arrive at Sweet Apple Acres, Trenderhoof develops a crush of his own, Applejack!

This of course causes much hilarity to ensue, with Rarity getting a bit out of hoof trying to act like Applejack, with advice from Spike. He seems chill about the whole thing actually, he seems to know deep down that him and Rarity can only ever just be friends and he doesn't seem to mind it. His shining moment here though was when Rarity said 'You don't know what it's like to have a crush on somepony and not have them like you back' and he just looks right at the camera like 'really?' Oh rarity in mass histeria, you can be so forgetful.

After a few more failed attempts at taming the Trenderhoof, as Applejack sneaks and Rarity is brought down to her peak, Rarity decides to put more of a country theme on the Ponyville Days festival- and herself. This causes Applejack to retaliate and remember her time with her aunt and uncle Orange, and become 'fashion-forward'. This causes what is perhaps the most hilarious verbal catfight ever done by anyone ever, had me in stiches I tell you! But after a bit of 'mud wrestling', Rarity reverts back to her normal self, apologies are had, lessons are learned, and the festival goes on as Rarity had initially planned it(although it seems more than a few ponies from Canterlot wanted in on it, huehue). Also, both AJ and Rarity tell Trenderhoof to go and suck it, which prompts him to go for... Granny Smith? Good luck with that brah.

Anyway, Simple Ways was a fun, cute, and hilarious episode, right up there with Bridle Gossip and Feeling Pinkie Keen as one of the series' most hilarious episodes. It's also comparable to the two episodes I listed above as a 'pony goes kookoo' episode for Rarity, I feel. It's no Rarity Takes Manehatten when it comes to showing off Rarity's true character, but it was still amazing in all its own ways for all characters involved, with a great lesson about getting people to accept you for who you are to boot. An awesome episode on all levels.

10/10

[ghostfacekiller39 23,860]

I'm sorry.    The plot was weak and contrived, I'll give you that.  But the heart isn't a creature of logic.  Sometimes we like who we like for no apparent reason.  You only have to go through the threads about relationships in the forum to realize that.  ^^; 

 

Anyway, as a big Rarity fan, I was hoping you'd like this more. 

It's definitely something I'll have to watch through again to gather a good opinion

 

I do like the episode itself, yeahh; I also didn't mind the relationship/crush thing at all, but I was shaking in my Texan boots as I watched it, because Rarity hate is no bueno, and I thought "Damn, this is going to give them unlimited ammo for the last few minutes of the episode

 

Sir! I'm definitely going to have to watch it again and report my findings back to this thread, sir!

 

 

[lomk 20,663]

Plus, it had captain Douche as a major character.

 

But Cap'n Douche is best douche lol

Not a title to be proud of

Edited February 8, 2014 by Space Woona

[Anilewe 2,178]

Okay, time for a longer review... Sorry for my English and fangirling, but I'm still excited. I was waiting since a first synopsis was released and I had really high hopes. And I have to say that it was as good as I hoped it to be

 

Firstly, it was nice to have more of Ponyville. I loved how this and previous season showed us some new places, but I just love this little town and its residents. It was great to see all these background ponies, even if they didn't have a chance to say anything. Secondly, Trenderhoof. I know that some people disliked him even before we saw how he looks like and I already heard comments about he is the worst pony, but actually he was really okay. I mean,  yes, he's a hipster. And yes, he was kinda not nice for Rarity (though he definitely wasn't as bad as Blueblood), but he wasn't mean. And he has a good taste in mares What I want to say is that he wasn't bad. It could have been worse and I'm rather grateful that he wasn't a jerk. And I just LOVED how this episode portrayed Spike. While I really like season 4, it wasn't really the good season for our lovely little dragon and it's a shame. So, it was really nice to see that he got a bigger role. And it was absolutely hilarious, when Rarity started to describe how awful it is to be rejected and he raised his eyebrow XD Honestly, Spike is probably the funniest character in this show! And I love it! For such a baby dragon, he is pretty sarcatic and can be really mature. Sometimes even more mature than Main 6. 

 

And Rarity... She was amazing in this episode   I loved her from the very first scene. That dress she wore at the beginning was beautiful. And I always knew that she's a fangirl XD Which is pretty cool, because it makes her more relatable for me. 

 

 

Her crush was really authentic and I for sure was able to understand how sad she must have been, when she realized that Trenderhoof isn't interested. I felt really sorry for her and was happy to see that Applejack was trying to convince her that she shouldn't try to be someone else. In my opinion, this episode portrayed Rarity very well. She was in character all the time and in the end she understood, how silly she acted I think that Rarity fans can be happy. It wasn't bad and I wanted to hug her, while watching the episode. 

 

And Applejack... I'm sorry, but my inner fangirl started to scream, squeak and jump, when I saw that scene XD

 

 

As her fan I'm definitely satisfied She was hilarious, when she was acting as Rarity. It was really great to see how she could look and act, if she stayed in Manehattan as a filly. And she was really mature in this episode, too. It was nice to watch how close she is with Rarity and that she understands that they're different and accepts it. She loves Rarity for being herself and doesn't want to change her. And it's beautiful    Even though it was awesome to see Rarity acting like AJ, it was even more awesome to see that they're so close to each other. They can be opposites, but that's okay. 

Edited February 8, 2014 by Anilewe

[Sir.Flutter Hooves 2,953]

This is the best AJ face ever:

[SouthpawLink 16]

A great episode overall, but it would have been nice if Rarity's obession over Trenderhoof had been even briefly mentioned in a prior episode (preferably, in a prior season); I know it's difficult to plan that far off in advance, but still, it would have made this episode that much better. Also, when Rarity asked Spike how could he know what it's like to be obsessed with some other pony who likes somepony else, perhaps her sadness caused her to forget that time when she and Spike were plummeting towards Equestria and she acknowledged his love for her.

 

I can totally understand Rarity getting angry at AJ because Trenderhoof liked the latter; brain activity is similar in those who are in love and those who are on drugs (we're not ourselves when we're head over heels for somepony else). Applejack, for a brief time, became an obstacle for Rarity's most desired object, and that caused her to be angry and envious. Love has the capacity to override everything else we enjoy/care about, and sadly, including our friends as well.

 

While watching the episode, I thought Applejack would get her key by teaching Rarity the value of being honest with herself about who she is (based on the synopsis that she'd be out of character to gain Trenderhoof's affection).

Edited February 8, 2014 by SouthpawLink

[Radiance64 7,053]

It's definitely something I'll have to watch through again to gather a good opinion

 

I do like the episode itself, yeahh; I also didn't mind the relationship/crush thing at all, but I was shaking in my Texan boots as I watched it, because Rarity hate is no bueno, and I thought "Damn, this is going to give them unlimited ammo for the last few minutes of the episode

 

Sir! I'm definitely going to have to watch it again and report my findings back to this thread, sir!

 

 

Haters gonna hate, I say let 'em drown in whatever misinterpretation you think they'll take from this.

I guess I can see why you wouldn't fully like the episode though, if it offended you or something, it was really meant to be extremely silly though I feel.

[ghostfacekiller39 23,860]

Haters gonna hate, I say let 'em drown in whatever misinterpretation you think they'll take from this.

I guess I can see why you wouldn't fully like the episode though, if it offended you or something, it was really meant to be extremely silly though I feel.

It didn't offend me as much as it was something I didn't get a "I ENJOY THIS!!! " feeling out of like I do most episodes, probably because watching Rarity's complete breakdown into being envious and coveting was hard for me to watch -_-

 

I'm watching it again, though, then re-doing my review, given it's necessary

[hawkflame 3,310]

BREAKING NEWS:

 

Trenderhoof is OFFICIALLY ghostfacekiller39's worst pony

 

Alright, this is also probably my least favorite Rarity episode, but I liked it none the less.

 

I'm probably going to watch over it again later before I let my rating sit, though; I gotta say, my mind wasn't clear. I was pretty nervous throughout that whole episode.

 

 

I have to admit I'm a bit surpriised at your reaction.  While it wasn't as overall fulfilling on *every* aspect as, say, Rarity Takes Manehattan or Suited For Success, from a comedy standpoint it was pure gold.  Tabitha as Rarity as Wannabe Redneck may have been the funniest performance in the series, period.

[FlickerHush 46]

I thought it was a good episode, had a good message. A message I wish I would have heard years ago, but hopefully others have learned a lesson from it. Changing yourself to get someones affection is pointless cause that's not the real you. I'm not a big fan of Rarity she's just to much of a drama queen for me, but she was interesting in this episode and fun to watch. So needless to say I like her a bit more than before I watched the episode. I also really liked Trenders look, I don't know why he just looked neat

 

Also Spike was adorable, so sad he's stuck in the friend zone. 

[Kenny 232]

This was a surprisingly good!

 

I didn't mind the show getting crushes/unrequited love at all, thanks to how well this episode was executed. The obvious highlight was Rarity becoming the complete opposite of her true self (dat accent) and Appplejack doing the same (dat booty) to show her how silly she was being. The lesson at the end was really a good one that's more applicable for we older viewers.

 

Also Spike confirmed for maximum-level friend zone.

[Anilewe 2,178]

It didn't offend me as much as it was something I didn't get a "I ENJOY THIS!!! " feeling out of like I do most episodes, probably because watching Rarity's complete breakdown into being envious and coveting was hard for me to watch -_-

 

I'm watching it again, though, then re-doing my review, given it's necessary

 

Oh, I really hope that you'll like this episode more after rewatching it I know how much you love Rarity and I want you to enjoy the episodes with her and not worry about some hateful posts about her. I know that her breakdown wasn't nice to watch, but hey! comedic aspect of that scene was hilarious and in the end she realized how silly she was and learned that she's beautiful, no matter what some hipster says!

[ghostfacekiller39 23,860]

I have to admit I'm a bit surpriised at your reaction.  While it wasn't as overall fulfilling on *every* aspect as, say, Rarity Takes Manehattan or Suited For Success, from a comedy standpoint it was pure gold.  Tabitha as Rarity as Wannabe Redneck may have been the funniest performance in the series, period.

Well, I didn't dislike the episode, for sure I liked it.

 

I guess you could say my problem with it is that I didn't get a feeling of actually enjoying watching certain portions of it; like, with Rarity Takes Manehattan, her over-dramatized breakdowns and her downfall kept me on the edge of my seat; no, I didn't feel happy watching it, but I was engaged nonetheless, and in a good way.

 

With her here, though, I honestly felt bad watching it, and not in a good way. It's safe to say I was disheartened by her attitude at certain points, and I wasn't really...feeling good watching it.

 

However, that was only at certain points; there was also plenty of laughable, good Rarity moments here, and, believe it or not, my problem with this episode doesn't lie with the Trenderhoof thing, even though I claim Rarity as my waifu all the time because that quaffed maned dip won't get between mine and hers love, bby,  my problem was with I felt bad watching certain parts of it, if you know what I mean.

 

Eh, again, I'm watching it over again so I can get a complete understanding of this episode.

[~StatesTheOblivious~ 1,795]

This episode, it...

 

 

... confused me beyond belief.

 

I won't talk about Applejack's or Rarity's performance here. They were good. Period. The whole thing was funny. Maybe a bit rushed; twenty two minutes were probably not enough for that subject, but whatever; maybe that's just me.

 

But there is one thing...

 

So Spike is mature enough - or whatever - to not freak out about Rarity's crush on Trenderhoof. Or did he actually outgrow his crush on Rarity, without this actually being directly mentioned in the show? Or what? He helped her, yes, but that's just what he's doing: Helping his friends. A lot. Seriously, that's the one thing that bugs me.

 

I need some more time to think about what I saw, I guess...

Edited February 8, 2014 by ~StatesTheOblivious~

[Anilewe 2,178]

Oh, and one more thing (prepare for a lot of posts like that from me, there's just so much I want to say about this episode XD):

I liked the fact, that Applejack knew that Trenderhoof doesn't like her for who she is. He idealized her. And she knew it. She also wasn't really angry at Rarity, even though her behaviour was kinda offensive. It shows that she learned her lesson from Look Before You Sleep. All she had to do was to remind Rarity about it.