S04:E13 - Simple Ways

[ShadOBabe 18,984]

Trenderhoof was a douche tho

 

Why do you say that?

His only faults were that he was oblivious and little self absorbed.

But he didn't do anything bad

[Danger Dash 101]

Where could I start? Hmmm,  Well this episode just smashed it's way into the number 1 spot for season 4 on my list. 

 

 

When Trenderhoof didn't have a crush on Rarity, I was like "YESSSS! Uh I mean, mmm better luck next time, ehehehe. Don't you touch my waifu.

 

This episode got me to pause it at sections just to 'digest' what was going on.

There were many funny moments that kept me entertained throughout the show.

I liked how it revolved around Rarity and Applejack

Spike has a crush------->Rarity has a crush------Trenderhoof has a crush-----Applejack---->????

As always, her over reacting when she was waiting for Trenderhoof was too good.

Rarity trying trying to talk and act like Applejack and vice versa was priceless! The extent that Rarity and Trenderhoof would go to impress their crush was hilarious.

 

"Who's our next maao-dail? For the fashion shh-aiio?"

 

 

To top it off, I think a lot of us can relate to the friendship lesson from this episode, one way or the other.

"Organizing the Ponyville Days Celebration was one of the hardest things I've ever done. But I learned an important lesson: real friends will like you for who you are, and changing yourself to impress them is no way to make new ones. And when you're as fabulous as I am, it's practically a crime."

Edited February 8, 2014 by #Rainbow_Danger_Dash

[Sky Cutter 294]

how many shipping episodes are there now? like 3 or 5?

[BinaryPony 120]

By the way, Rarity's face during her gasp when she saw Trendsetter had me end up making this comparison:

[Scootaloo Is Best Filly 576]

how many shipping episodes are there now? like 3 or 5?

 

Let me see....

 

Daring DO/Rainbow Dash

 

Pinkie Pie/ Cheese Sandwich

 

Rarity/ Trenderfoot

 

I feel like I'm missing some. There's at least 3.

[Totally Ducklett 181]

I actually haven't watched it yet

 

But yeah, everyone knows that secretly Twilight iz best pony.

 

Wait a minute... what is this tingling I'm feeling...?

 

Wait... Ducksquack is evolving!

 

*INSERT POKEMON STUFFZ HERE*

 

Congratulations! Your Ducksquack has evolved into a parasprite!

[Techno-chan 41]

Why do you say that?

His only faults were that he was oblivious and little self absorbed.

But he didn't do anything bad

i only say it because he was a dick to rarity haha but i know im bias because rarity is my favourite ^^ i just thought he was waaay too full of himself, like to me it seemed like he expected AJ to like him cos he has so many accomplishments or whatever. does that even make sense? im shit at wording things like this. anyway, he just kind of had a douche-y aura to him i think haha. I admit, Rarity seemed to act a little overly creepy towards him though. If i was in his shoes, i wouldnt go for rarity either just for that reason. Edited February 8, 2014 by Valtamaria

[ShadOBabe 18,984]

i only say it because he was a dick to rarity haha but i know im bias because rarity is my favourite ^^ i just thought he was waaay too full of himself, like to me it seemed like he expected AJ to like him cos he has so many accomplishments or whatever. does that even make sense? im shit at wording things like this. anyway, he just kind of had a douche-y aura to him i think haha. I admit, Rarity seemed to act a little overly creepy towards him though. If i was in his shoes, i wouldnt go for rarity either just for that reason.

 

But he wasn't mean to Rarity is what I'm saying. He treated her normally.

He was just oblivious to her liking him. Except that part where he dropped her, that was pretty rude. But ALL the characters have done things like that in this show. Rarity shoving Twilight, Fluttershy stepping on Rainbow's stomach, etc.

 

But yeah, he was expecting Applejack to like him, or at least hoped that bragging would impress her. That's why I said he was self-absorbed. Just as Rarity was being weird around him, he was being weird around Applejack.

[Radiance64 7,051]

Trenderhoof wasn't that bad imo. He was a total doof for ignoring Rarity's passes at him, sure, but I thought he was a fun, quirky character who just wanted something different than his current life, and that something was Applejack.

Plus, the fact that he was pointing at Derpy when he said 'unappreciated' was pretty damn cool, I think the storyboard artists are getting ballsy about calling certain things out it seems.

Edited February 8, 2014 by Radiance64

[applejackson007 58]

so I watched the episode again, and decided, even tho I did kinda like it, my first reason for not liking it is the obvious me liking Applejack, and yes, I do know it was only temporary to just show that love triangle thing goin on, I just REALLY like Applejack and I don't really like when I see or hear about things like that... the second and biggest fault in the episode is the rushed storyline, and how the episode just... ended, too suddenly.. plus Rarity just ALL OF A SUDDEN has this crush on an author....But I did like how spike and rarity brought up the whole "spike loves rarity" thing and I loved the whole 'switching roles" thing. I also HATED that cornflake of a new character, I dunno he just annoyed me, but yeah, im sorry but I gotta say they hit somewhat of a low point there for me, just my opinion

Edited February 9, 2014 by applejackson007

[Techno-chan 41]

But he wasn't mean to Rarity is what I'm saying. He treated her normally.

He was just oblivious to her liking him. Except that part where he dropped her, that was pretty rude. But ALL the characters have done things like that in this show. Rarity shoving Twilight, Fluttershy stepping on Rainbow's stomach, etc.

 

But yeah, he was expecting Applejack to like him, or at least hoped that bragging would impress her. That's why I said he was self-absorbed. Just as Rarity was being weird around him, he was being weird around Applejack.

you bring up a very VERY good argument! like i said, i am very bias when it comes to Rarity. i guess i just didnt really like him, is all. just one of those charcters for me, i suppose! it is quite unfair for me to judge a character simply because i dont like them, but i do it often so it doesnt come as a shock for me xD Edited February 9, 2014 by Valtamaria

[Twilightlicous 53]

Watching on 2 AM isnt a good idea but i liked it, i laughed when Trenderhoof pointed Derpy as unappreciated. Best part was Rarity's country accent. 8/10

[ShadOBabe 18,984]

you bring up a very VERY good argument! like i said, i am very bias when it comes to Rarity. i guess i just didnt really like him, is all. just one of those charcters for me, i suppose! it is quite unfair for me to judge a character simply because i dont like them, but i do it often so it doesnt come as a shock for me xD

 

It's okay. I don't actively dislike Trend, but I wasn't really a fan of his either.

I don't really like his voice, his design... But he didn't do anything to really put me off, so I just put him in that category of ponies that are just kind of there.

[Techno-chan 41]

It's okay. I don't actively dislike Trend, but I wasn't really a fan of his either.

I don't really like his voice, his design... But he didn't do anything to really put me off, so I just put him in that category of ponies that are just kind of there.

i see what youre saying~ Ditzy Doo is like that for me, im not a big fan but i don't NOT like her either truth be told, i thought i was gonna ship him and Rarity for sure at the begining, because after Pinkie Pride i totally ship Pinkie and Cheese Sandwich, so i sort of expected the same outcome with this ep. so i guess maybe i don't like him because i felt let down?? i don't know haha. I'll just have to keep shipping RariJack (no complaints)

[Metemponychosis 1,238]

Tenderhoof walked right past an alicorn princess. 

Those wings are actually animation errors most of the episodes...

[M'aiq the Liar 5,804]

Those wings are actually animation errors most of the episodes...

With how little they do with the fact that twi is now a demi-god, they might as well be. 

[ShadOBabe 18,984]

Derpy (or Ditzy) is tied with Celestia for my Favorite pony ever!! <333

 

... because after Pinkie Pride i totally ship Pinkie and Cheese Sandwich...

 

WOOOT!! CheesePie FTW!! X3

Yeah, I can see that. I was kind of disappointed that he wasn't that great of a character too.

Those wings are actually animation errors most of the episodes...

 

I gotta ask, how DOES a mistake like that get made? Are the animated so detached from the show they make that they don't notice that the pony they're placing in a scene has wings AND a horn, and isn't a princess character?

[Orablanco Account 3,706]

Not bad, very entertaining, but none of it really stands out in my mind afterwards. Whereas other Rarity episodes were both hilarious and interesting, this one was just funny. The slight parallels between Rarity's crush on Trendy and Spike's crush on her isn't explored outside of a gag, AJ's relationship with "being fancy" (she seems to not care for it despite being really good at at least faking it) isn't explored outside of a few gags, and Rarity seemingly looking down on her neighbors, unintentionally or not, isn't explored outside of a gag or two. The entire thing is just gags, which isn't enough for a Rarity episode.

 

If there's one thing exceptional about the writing this week, it's the fact that Spike is able to be a straight-man again. Otherwise, it was good, but it didn't take the numerous chances it had to be great.

Oh, and Derpy being called "unappreciated" was pretty darn cool.

[Satsuki Kiryuin 1,154]

I honestly expected more from the episode. Meh, I don't really like the Slice of Life episodes anyways.

[spezzzzzhdafuigb 49]

oh my god it was sooooo good! Trenderhoof was a douche tho, Rarity deserves better

Rarity trying to do a country accent killed me xD

More like trenderDOUCHE Amirite?

[Techno-chan 41]

More like trenderDOUCHE Amirite?

oooooooooooooooh snap!

[Life Giver 1,063]

This new episode was a funny one. I really like the part where Rarity and Aj switch personality...

[Whatevs 376]

I've changed my mind a bit on this. I really do like the episode for what it is, a little romp where things get crazy and wherein the plot is secondary to the comedic shenanigans they want to have happen.

 

And considering this is the author who did Castlemania, I'm certain that's all that was meant.

 

My earlier complaints still stand about how Rarity was flanderized to create the conflict (excessively gaga over Trenderhoof whereas before she maintained her dignity, and my disdain for Rarity being so spiteful towards AJ out of envy).

Naturally I am not saying Rarity can't be gaga over guys or can't be envious, but before it was always handled with more class. Her gaga-ness was her inner schoolgirl crush just surfacing and her envy was something she did not care for in herself and elected to not act upon.

Which is my issue with the plot, it threw those restraints away to focus on the shenanigans.

 

To put my grievances as succinctly as possible I need to go on a tangent. I do not like the way Rarity is written in many respects, throughout the series. It seemed like whenever the episode was not about her and the writer wanted her to do something funny they would conveniently forget that Rarity is supposed to be classy and generous. As such they would resort to using her stereotype for cheap laughs.

And while I disliked this I rarely let it bother me because her actual episodes had lots of depth and nuance.

This episode did not, this episode felt like one of those joke scenes stretch to 22 minutes.

 

And then there is Applejack. My main issue with AJ (don't worry, I'm not just picking on her) is that she's only interesting when attached to another pony. And Rarity is more interesting when she's allowed to do her own thing and be her own character. 

So putting them together often results in hamstringing a high performing character while elevating a low performing character in my eyes.

It worked for LBYS because in that episode AJ is still the one who ultimately makes the moral decision to stop the bickering but AJ was more disruptive than Rarity to begin with so it balanced out. And we did not have any idea what Rarity could do as a character.

Now, the writers seem to have only noticed the part where AJ gives Rarity advice so the relationship seems to have devolved to: Rarity screws up, AJ tells her why she was wrong.

 

This was at least my fear, and it kind of came true.

 

But it was fluff, like Castlemania, so maybe I'm paying too much attention. It was genuinely funny, and as an excuse to get the humor the plot was serviceable and quick.

 

[Dark Qiviut 22,182]

As funny as the previews were, not all of it was that impressive.

 

Pluses:

1. Great music, especially the romantic score.
2. Finely done animation, for the most part. However, I still find Trenderhoof's snappy walking a little awkward, but that's just me.
3. AJ's sarcastic accent is hilarious, and so is Rarity's southern voice (at first).
4. Beside the "have-Spike-haul/push-a-heavy-object" scene, he was treated with respect and wasn't stuck as the flat comic reliever all the time. At the supporting role, he was the levelheaded, mature half of the Spike-Rarity duo, ala Lesson Zero and EQG. More of this and less of the Spikabuse from the likes of RTM or CM-ia, the better.
5. When Trenderhoof pointed at Derpy and said, "the unappreciated." I don't know what that is aimed at, whether it's her censorship in TLR or the higher-ups for suggesting it, but it gave me some laughs.
6. This:
   
   
   
   Thank @@Grumpy Enchantress for the gif. ^__^

Minuses:

1. Both Trendy Hipster and Rarity become way too stupid for their own good. Their obsessions turned Trenderhoof into an incompetent oaf and Rarity an inept flanderization. Most of Act 2' and 3's humor, particularly Rarity's swooning, was painful to watch.
2. The resolution is resolved way too quickly and makes the whole ending anticlimactic.
3. Pinkie, retrieve your damn brain. You're way too intelligent to have others shut you up.
4. Rarity's southern accent was funny at first, but upon second viewing, it got worn out in a hurry.

In short, blah and meh. Not something I'd rewatch for a while.

Edited February 9, 2014 by Dark Qiviut

[Vorax 43]

Where do I start, I hate Trenderhoof. His whole obsession over AJ and Rarity's obsession over him is worse than Spike could ever muster over the latter mare. Also, Rarity is not a BELIEBER, okay writers?! I just thought it was a little out of character is all. The highlight of the episode for many (Rarity and AJ acting like each other) I found a bit funny and at the same time I found myself silently thinking "why, Rarity, why? Over this guy!?" After this episode I honestly wanted to give Spike a massive hug and tell him everything's gonna be alright and Rarity will come around eventually, but he seemed to take the whole thing very well. My theory is Rarity will have a "Suddenly, Seymour" moment where she realizes Spike is her perfect man when Spike may be close to giving up. I thought the episode was between it's okay and I don't like it for the less than stellar romance and ooc Rarity.