My Little Pony Friendship is Magic

[Toad Eightyfive]

S3: Magic Fucking Duel. Least favorite episode of the series, by a mile. I seriously don't see why this doesn't get more hate. I could probably elaborate another time, but it boils down to a combination of a plodding and tedious first two acts, Trixie's unnecessarily cruel antics, the fact that she receives zero consequences for said antics, and Twilight's cheating in the second duel (which would've been fine in and of itself as an "ends justifying the means" moment, but nope, it was baked into the implicit moral.)

On Trixie's cruelty, it's implied that's all the amulet's doing. She wouldn't have done all those things she did if say she had beaten Twilight in a duel normally instead (Which she can't do anyway cause Trixie just isn't that good at magic). In the hypothetical situation that she somehow did though, she would of just simply may have gloated a bit and left. She certainly wouldn't have taken over the whole town and forced everybody to be at her beck and call. The Amulet was the only way Trixie was going to have a chance of revenge, it was wrong for her to do so in the first place. But at the same time she probably didn't know it was going to twist her mind that much. She wanted revenge, but had she known that she would give up her mind to something that makes her have less of a morality as well as a lot more evil then she actually was. She probably wouldn't have.

Oh and before you bring up the fact Trixie still tried to do the cruel things she did even after she took off the Amulet (The scene where she says she tried to make Rainbow "Writhe in Agony"). Let's just say the effects from the Amulet don't go away that quickly, her mind had to have some time off the corruption. It's possible the final scene (In where Trixie apologizes, it's thanks to this scene we get a clear indication that it was all the Amulet's doing. is hours or even the next day after the final duel in the episode)

wow you wrote all that in response to the least important part of my criticism

well two things:
1. i would've thought that the "writhe in agony" scene would've been conclusive evidence that trixie was acting under her own power, or at least the amulet wasn't controlling her. removing her inhibitions, perhaps, but not strapping her to do anything against her will.
2. even if you reject point 1, which i can understand, ymmv and all, you're missing my point. the issue is that trixie's cruelty was difficult to watch, it was jarring and mean-spirited, it was purposeless sadism. i could argue that fluttershy in putting your hoof down and diamond tiara on a daily basis are worse, but even then they served a narrative point. trixie's demeanor made her a hard character to like in this episode, and i tend to be a person who likes villains.

 

[SonicMario]

Well that's strange, considering Magic Duel actually made me flip a 180 on Trixie's character. I didn't like Trixie very much after Boast Busters, but somehow Magic Duel flipped that and she's one character I wouldn't mind seeing again sometime in the show. I know you felt Trixie's apologizing was forced at the end, but I wouldn't mind seeing how they handle Trixie after this episode. I felt her final scene was funny enough it'd make for some good humor (Trixie obviously still a little boastful, but saying she's humble). Of course part of this also might be I have a good friend of mine (Whom I met thanks to my Ask Genie Twilight blog) that really likes Trixie even from the beginning. That might of also warmed me up to her quite a bit.

I still look at it that Trixie wasn't really herself throughout most of the episode though. I know that's kinda looking at it from a perspective that includes presuming what came before the events of the episode and even during (And thus kinda headcanon-y). I still stand she would of not done all those cruel things without the amulet corrupting her. If we've both seen enough of Mr. Enter reviews, he's not a fan of mean-spirited jokes. However in his review of Magic Duel he seemed fine considering Trixie with the Alicorn Amulet equipped wasn't morally sound. And Twilight herself says there was something very different about Trixie. And the book that the rest of the Main cast clearly defines that it corrupts the user.

And to be fair, it's Snips and Snails who gets the worst treatment out of anybody in the episode. And considering it was their fault that Trixie lost her reputation (as well as her career pretty much). Trixie had to have been very angry with them before, now combine that with the corruption of the Amulet. Nonetheless, Snips and Snails kinda had that coming to them. I just think the Amulet gives a proper excuse for her behavior as the episode clearly points out that the Amulet does more then just give them a power upgrade.

Boy is it a good thing I didn't take a picture with him. I'd probably drive him crazy with suggestions for his future episodes.

Anyway, who's your least favorite writer? Keep in mind that I think Charlotte Fullerton and Scott Sonneborn are about as bad, but I just chose the former because I didn't want the episode to be nothing but ties.

I think Fullerton's probably my least favorite. Her only really good episode was Suited for Success. But otherwise she's had plenty of duds. Williams use to be down there back around in the Season 2 days. But honestly after Wonderbolt Academy in Season 3 and Bats! in Season 4, she seems to have improved. Though I don't think she's written any other episodes after Bats!. Oh well, if she's no longer writing for the show at least she ended her tenure on a good note.

 

[Mike Wheeler]

You've been watching Mr. Enter's reviews, haven't you? And to be honest, I agree with him as well. Although Suited for Success did have a few flaws, like everyone coming into Rarity's house at the same time was a bit contrived, and I really disliked the song, I really liked the episode. It was really smart and funny, and it portrayed Rarity really well. To be honest, that makes Look Before You Sleep even more insulting to me, because it shows that Charlotte Fullerton can actually write Rarity correctly, and not as an argumentative brat.

Also, I want to point out that I think Charlotte Fullerton and Scott Sonneborn are bad writers in different ways. Charlotte Fullerton's problem is that she'll do ANYTHING to advance the plot of her episodes, whereas Scott Sonneborn has a tendency to portray one character his episodes offensively badly (Applejack stalking Apple Bloom in Somepony to Watch Over Me, Rainbow Dash almost selling Fluttershy into slavery into Trade Ya, and Luna's guilt being flanderized into wanting to punish herself in Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?)

 

[SonicMario]

Somepony to Watch Over Me is a guilty pleasure episode for me (I loved how the CMC were written, I really liked the final scene with the Chimera, and Applejack's Overprotectiveness had a precedent in the Season 4 Opener when she was the one to suggest Twilight go back to Ponyville. She was just as wrong to do so then, but at the same time it was more justified. But it makes for a good flaw for Applejack's character (Poor AJ hasn't had a lot of development, her only major solo episode was Applebuck Season for quite a while)). StWOM just kinda did it a little too far. (I did laugh at the double helmet joke though)

And as for Trade Ya... well at the very least Rainbow almost immediately realizes she messed up but yeah... episodes like Read It and Weep, Wonderbolt Academy, Daring Don't, and Testing Testing 1 2 3 are why Rainbow is currently my 2nd favorite pony. But it's hard sometimes when there's episodes like Rainbow Falls, Tanks for the Memories, and other episodes with at least one scene where Dash is kind of a jerk.

But I legitimately liked Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep. Luna punishing herself is actually a little realistic. There is actual people who self-harm themselves due to major guilt. A surprisingly mature moral came as a result. The episode was a little rushed at the ending, but I felt it was a perfectly sound and crazy episode with all the characters in Ponyville getting their little dream stuff. Like Giant Derpy who meows, Lyra and Bon-Bon fused at the hips, Princess Big Mac, etc. I've just never had a problem with Scott quite like with Merriwether Williams or Polsky (Pre-Season 4 though, because Polsky was actually quite consistently good in Season 4 IMO)

 

[Mike Wheeler]

To be fair, some of the jokes did work in Somepony to Watch Over Me, and the idea of Applejack being an overprotective sister isn't a bad one. It's just that I think the script carried it a bit too far where it just felt unnatural and freaky.

And Trade Ya... well, that episode had other problems. Although I liked the subplot with with Twilight and Pinkie about her books having value to her (cue obvious moment from Twilight's Kingdom), Fluttershy was really unassertive, which goes against the lesson she learned in Putting Your Hoof Down (I can't believe I'm actually referencing that episode positively). Also, Rarity and Applejack pulled a Look Before You Sleep, and we both know how great that episode was.

As for Do Princesses Dream Of Magic Sheep, well, it was an improvement, because it was entertaining, but this video really sums up my problems with the episode. To be fair, I don't think this episode is as bad as the creator says it is, but he does have a point.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnWNRUwEicg

Let me update my ranking list:

20. Canterlot Boutique
19. Tanks for the Memories
18. Princess Spike
17. Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?
16. Appleoosa's Most Wanted
15. Made In Manehattan
14. Party Pooped
13. Castle Sweet Castle
12. Scare Master
11. The One Where Pinkie Pie Knows
10. Rarity Investigates!
9. Hearthbreakers
8. The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone
7. Brotherhooves Social
6. The Cutie Map
5. Make New Friends But Keep Discord
4. Bloom and Gloom (in my opinion, the most underrated episode of the show)
3. Amending Fences
2. Slice of Life
1. Crusaders of The Lost Mark

I changed my list this time to show the rare episodes that I think are absolutely perfect in purple.

 

[Magikrazy]

What's this about an episode where Luna punishes herself?

What the fuck, Hasbro? I know you want to cater to the bronies, but I think you can leave the weirdos.

Anyway, my least faves.

1: The sleepover one
2: Dragon Quest
3: Bad Apple, but really that whole season sucked. Except Too Many Pinkie Pies.

 

[SonicMario]

At this point I can't make a full list of Season 5 so far because there has been so many episodes now. And I'd rather wait until the Season is done to give a full ranking. The last time I did a least-most it was because the season was going into a hiatus.

But the good news for this season is Tanks for the Memories is still my current least favorite of the season. And again that episode isn't really too bad compared to my least favorites of the past. It says something about the consistency of this season. At the same time though there's less episodes that wow me as the past three seasons have at least two added to my all-time favorites. Now I'm not saying Season 5's other good episodes aside from Amending Fences weren't that great, because they were, it's just there are actually alot of episodes I like from the show. I really do like the majority of them. Some just don't quite reach the level of my favorite 10 favorite episodes to me for one reason or another. Seasons 2-4 have at least two of those. Though this could change with the last 5 episodes, so far it's with Season 1 that also only had one episode that I considered part of my personal favorites.

However I already think Season 5 is at least better then Season 1

My Ranking of the Seasons:
Season 4 > Season 2 > Season 5* > Season 1 > Season 3**

*So Far
**For shortness more so out of quality, I think if Season 3 had 26 episodes and presuming the 13 were at around the same mixed bag that the first half was. I'd actually put it around or near Season 2's level. The shortness of the season just hurts it more then anything really. I like to imagine the analogy of a full 26-episode season of FiM being a full meal. And Season 3 being like only getting half that meal, you get the same kind of taste you got in the other full meals. But you're still hungry at the end, so you feel disappointed.

I think Season 5 has the potential to at least tie with Season 2. It's going to need at least one or two more impressive episodes though. I'm not sure it can beat Season 4 for me at this point though.

 

[Mike Wheeler]

For me, it's Season 1<Season 3<Season 2<Season 5<Season 4

The main reason I put Season 3 over 1 is that it was at least ambitious. Season 1 at times just felt like MLP was just the lackluster little girls' show that it's often been criticized of being (especially the first half). BTW, you know what I think could have helped Season 3? I think Dave Polsky should have written less episodes. I actually like Dave Polsky, because he wrote really well in Season 4. I just think that because he wrote so much at the end of the season, he was probably rushed, lowering the quality of his episodes. (Games Ponies Play had a plot that could have easily been avoided, Spike at Your Service portrayed Spike like a complete idiot, and Keep Calm and Flutter On had Fluttershy manipulate Discord into becoming an ally).

Also, what are your most underrated and overrated episodes of the show? Here's my top 5 list:

Underrated:
5. Boast Busters (Note that I don't think this episode is particularly good, I just don't think it's as horrible as everyone says it is)
4. Power Ponies (This episode has been forgotten, but it was really original if a bit contrived)
3. Spike at Your Service (See what I said about Boast Busters)
2. Rarity Takes Manehattan (This episode was surprisingly thoughtful and smart, even though the song was bland, and it's the best key episode IMO)
1. Bloom and Gloom (It caught me off guard by how original, smart and HORRIFYING it was, and it destroyed my pessimism about Josh Haber writing Friendship Games)

Overrated:

5. Pinkie Pride (Keep in mind that I think this is a good episode. I just don't think it's the masterpiece it's cracked up to be)
4. Tanks for the Memories (I think people like it because they think it's touching, but for me, it was blatantly predictable and turned Rainbow into an out of character idiot)
3. Look Before You Sleep (I honestly have no idea why people like this episode)
2. A Friend in Deed (Granted, the song was good, but the whole episode in a nutshell was just Pinkie annoying Cranky)
1. Keep Calm and Flutter On (The idea of Discord becoming an ally was a good one, but it was executed in the ABSOLUTE WORST POSSIBLE WAY (see Mr. Enter's review))