S04E17: Somepony to Watch Over Me

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Re: S04E17: Somepony to Watch Over Me

Postby WandereringPony (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 7:45 pm

Wayoshi wrote:I understand the sentiment, but she didn't let AB make her case at all and it jumped to :doublehelmet: in a matter of a couple of minutes of screentime.

^^ I'm not arguing anything about the fire swamp or whatever. Look, the Idiot Ball is a thing and the writing has taken a couple steps back since S3 in a good chunk of eps, so it popped up this episode - it happens.


At the point of :doublehelmet:, you're well aware that even the writers knew they were taking it to 12. Never mind 11. And they know you know it, too.

It's the weekly reminder that it's a children's cartoon and we really should relax. Me, thee, and anyone taking pony to a certain overzealous level of Serious Business.

I do get the feeling that there's a few things that will drive Applejack to insanity. Losing farm and/or family (and it's tough at times to see where one ends and the other begins, the land pretty much IS family to AJ) is a direct path to massive, instant SAN point loss- which oddly enough everyone else in the family seems to handle better because AJ apparently fell on that sword when "MAH PARENTS ARE (probably) DEAD" occurred.

Being big sister, Mom, and head of the household is more than one intelligent being should bear when it becomes absolutely required you do all three at once. The cracks just don't show in Miss Reliable until she thinks she's failed or will fail at keeping one of the plates in the air at once.

And think about it. For a pony who lost their parents at just the wrong age (Apple Bloom was too young to really process it, Big Mac wasn't the next in line), the idea of doing that in reverse to Apple Bloom must have been utterly terrifying to Applejack. Temporary insanity level of terrified. Parents go away, little filly left to face cruel world. Pony leaves, sister ends up facing cruel world alone and perishes? *KER-SNAPPITY* goes this branch of the apple tree. Worse, you know Big Mac knows it- when he looks at AJ going back, it's basically the "There she goes again..." face.
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Postby The Falcon (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 7:45 pm

Mr. Big wrote:That's my take as well :lol:

Even watching it happen, I knew there would be people who would complain about it. I guess I don't take characters' personalities as seriously. In general, if it's funny, I won't complain about how they exaggerate.


DING DING DING!

This is where I am with it as well. As long is it's not horribly out of character I don't mind if they exaggerate the character's personalities from time to time. I can see how it might bother people, but personally I'm willing to let more rigid character consistency slide for the sake of a good gag.
:pinkieshrug:
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Postby Wylie (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 8:25 pm

Enough people have said it so far that I really do need to see Perrydotto's art of AJ punching Dash and screaming "MY PARENTS ARE IMPLIED TO BE DEAD!!!!"

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Aah, that's the stuff.
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Postby Stuff (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 8:29 pm

I'm around the 9 minute mark right now, and this ep. is legit one of the more hilarious ones so far.
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Postby Adelor Lyon (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 8:46 pm

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Postby Stuff (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 8:59 pm

This wasn't too exceptional. The humor was up there, but this didn't really seem like anything new. AJ went too nutty on AB. I was hoping she would act like the way she was in "Birdle Gossip".

Anyways, swamp hillbillies are a thing in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, everyone. :starity:
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Postby Watcher (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 9:02 pm

I enjoyed the episode a lot, and had a lot of fun watching it. I can't complain, but there is something about it that rubbed me the wrong way.

The moral of the episode almost seamed to be "well kids, if you want to be treated like an adult you need to do something dangerous to prove it to your parents!", and i'm not exactly sure that's a good message. I can kind of remember a similar situation happening in one of Judy Blume's books that I read in school once-ether it was Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing or a sequel of it. In that book, one of the child characters wanted to prove that they where adult enough to join their older brother on a trip to the ice cream store, so they snuck out on their bikes and drove to the store. They acted really proud, until it was pointed out that by sneaking out after they where already told not to go, they proved that they where not responcable enough to have their bikes, and where punished for it. This episode kind of sent the same way, except Applebloom was rewarded for it. She was called out on doing something really dangerous, but ultimately, she was rewarded for doing something dangerous.
I'm probably over thinking that though.

I really enjoyed the episode a lot though. It was a lot of fun. :allears:
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Postby PonyHag714 (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 9:04 pm

I hope the Cajun ponies pass along some spicy recipes to Spike. :dearcelestia:
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Postby Kamek (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 9:31 pm

Um... wow.

This is just terrible. I've never seen any indication that Applejack would ever go off the deep end like this. I can understand showing a little concern for your younger sister, but a fucking crib?! :facehoof:

I don't even know if I can finish watching this. This is just completely awful. I've never encountered an episode that I wanted to just quit watching.

EDIT: Guess I might as well finish, I've already committed to half the episode, maybe it will redeem itself in the second half.
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Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 9:34 pm

Something I don't think has been mentioned is Applejack's behavior in Apple Family Reunion. While she wasn't being protective there, I think that's another fine example of her losing it over something that would've been trivial were it not for her family being involved.
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Postby SoundMonkey44 (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 9:42 pm

Keep in mind AJ's actions while over the top, were justified, what do we know about AJ, what are the most important things to her, her Friends, HER FAMILY' and her Work.

Given her Lesson Zero/Party of One paranoia may seem spontaneous, but keep in mind she is not only AB's big sister, but also in a way AB's mother. Given the show will probably never openly address her parents implied death to be the reason she is so over protective of her family *even though it probably should*. We know enough about AJ, and can speculate within reason why she would have her "crazy pony moment" in an episode like this. After all it was implied this was the first time AB had been left alone at the house for a significant period of time, and AJ from the start showed signs of worrying too much about her little sister with the long list she gave her.

AJ's exaggeration may not work quite as well as Rarity's in Simple Ways or Twy's in Lesson Zero, but it still makes sense. And we know from Applebuck Season & Apple Family Reunion AJ does have a tendency to over do things at times.

And While I will admit the episode wasn't by any means close to the strongest of the season it wasn't bad either. It's a solid B in my book. I look forward to re-watching it off the DVR tonight and the Sunday Encore.
Last edited by SoundMonkey44 on Sat Mar 08, 2014 9:51 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Postby Wayoshi (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 9:43 pm

When you get the "dangerous event happens, but it works out somehow" and little time left, the moral is going to be a bit iffy. :pinkieshrug: I agree though that it isn't the best, and I have seen some complaints about it. The intended moral was fine though.

See, this is the Idiot Ball getting lifted off AJ finally, so it's just as stark a character change as when it was handed to her this episode:

Applejack: I told you you need your big sister lookin' after you! I'm just glad this wasn't a whole lot worse. I mean, sure we lost the cart and all the pies, but at least you're— Huh, the cart! And all the pies! You actually got them all the way up here? In the dark? Through the flame geyser swamp? Past that monster? ...By yourself?
Apple Bloom: Well... yeah.
Applejack: Huh, wow. That's mighty impressive! Anypony who can do that on her own, well, she don't need somepony like me babyin' her.

...

Applejack: [scoffs] I bet Granny Smith grounds you for a month for sneakin' out! And if Big Mac, Granny Smith 'n I ever have to be away for the day again... I would totally trust you to stay home and take care of things on your own. I guess I did get a little carried away watchin' over you, and if you hadn't snuck out like you did, maybe I wouldn't have figured that out.


So some would say that AB going headfirst into an actual near-death area should tarnish some of this accomplishment, but the episode is almost up, and the lesson must be learned. If the delivery really wasn't anything too bad, the resolution would have been fixed up but the episode would have had a boring conclusion. :pinkieshrug:

===========================

Kamek: Finish the episode at least once, it's only fair? :)

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I love AB's pose in the latter pic. (Don't think the gag itself is super great, it was fine enough.)

Preview edit: and AFR was not a good episode, partially due to a mediocre at best song and the resolution, and partially due to AJ there too. Just because the problem here was family-related does NOT mean AJ was in-character.
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Postby SoundMonkey44 (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 9:48 pm

Just because you don't like the actions of a character doesn't meant they aren't "in character". If the writers write it, it's cannon, it's in character, it may not be a side of the character you personally like to see, but I think saying AJ or any other pony wasn't "in character" is a silly thing to say. Just because you don't like an aspect of a character doesn't mean it's out of character,

Again far too many people have far too narrow minded aspects of what a fictional talking horse in a magical world can and cannot do. IMO anywho.

Now when Pinkie starts acting serious and gives up on being a baker to go work for the Equestrian equivalent to the IRS, then you can say they are writing the ponies out of character. :-P :gotcha:
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Postby Wayoshi (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 9:56 pm

Twilight is the pony who can lose it when something goes every so slightly wrong (although that doesn't happen nowadays :( ), not steady AJ. Lesson Zero was such a great episode since all that nuttiness was in-character and thus built upon her character.

There are very general templates for the Mane 6 and to an extent a few other core characters. I'm open to flexibility on a show like this - hell, Fluts' singing in FV expanded her artistic/passionate side quite a bit to complement the core traits. Continuing to use Fluts, reversing her core traits, for well-defined reasons, for a huge payoff in the Best Night Ever simultaneously was one of the funniest things the show has ever done AND also hinted at some of the well-rounded dark side of a main character. It's when the core traits are broken nonsensically that I can't accept it... many people with SAYS, for example, thought that Spike was very out of character for being a klutz in the house, because his caretaking of Twilight became a core character trait for him since S1.

It's no different here. AJ may be family-oriented and all, but it is against her core character to, basically, go Lesson Zero Twilight only for the sake of a CMC plot. That is nowhere near a proper justification. About the only other conflict this season I could see a Lesson Zero freakout be in-character would be (and this is just hypothetically) Pinkie losing it when Cheese takes over the party.
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Postby SoundMonkey44 (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 10:06 pm

Fair enough, and I agree they could have/ should have delved deeper into the reason why, but again it may just be something they still aren't allowed to do.

Would a whole, AJ is overprotective of family members because of the death of her parents make the episode better, probably. But it's just not something that can be touched yet (sadly)

Again in terms of justification, from a cannon perspective you could say AJ is both ABs Big Sister & Mother figure, and while it may not be out right stated it's the closest thing to a sensible justification one could get, even if it's not one agreed with.

Personally I don't think it negatively effected AJ's core character in anyway, it just over exaggerated a trait she already had, by dialing it up to 12/ coocoo for coco puffs.

Again yes it doesn't woke as well as A Rarity or Twy freakout, but I don't think it's out of character. Spontaneous perhaps, but not out of character. We were just seeing a new side of an existing trait to AJ. One that hopefully will work in better context if it's ever shown again. Like AJ potentially freaking out over Grammy Smith feeling bad in the upcoming Leap of Faith episode!?

Edit: I hate typing on my iOS devices. :twonk:
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Postby Passport Clean (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 10:10 pm

I can't wait for itunes on Mondays anymore, gotta get my fix. :ponydrugs: I'll just write off my season pass as a contribution to supporting the show and a source of higher quality rewatches.

Wayoshi wrote:Twilight is the pony who can lose it when something goes every so slightly wrong (although that doesn't happen nowadays :( ), not steady AJ. Lesson Zero was such a great episode since all that nuttiness was in-character and thus built upon her character.


There are fans who call Lesson Zero the first step down a bad road.

Anyway, this is finally a season 4 cutie mark crusader episode I fully enjoyed with no reservations :allears: .... Took 'em long enough. :unenthused:

Not let me figure out where it fits in my season 4 episode rankings...
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Postby Kamek (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 10:14 pm

Forced myself to finish watching this garbage.

Second half was certainly much better than the first, I'll give it that.
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Postby Eshe (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 10:39 pm

I personally loved this episode. :gotcha: Yes, Applejack went overboard, but that's the joke! Applebloom really is old enough to take care of herself. I mean, she got 172 chores done in roughly an hour? :starity: I might have to relook at the way I do chores...


Anyways, I know a lot of people are disappointed in not hearing about Applejack's parents. The ponies in this picture frame - could that be them? I went back and watched AFR and there aren't any ponies with this colouring. I know 99% of Apple ponies are yellow/orange/green, but there was one blue and pink pony at AFR. So it's possible? :pinkieshrug:

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Postby Passport Clean (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 10:44 pm

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Though honestly AJ is so hardcore in this scene the sabers are just a formality.
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Postby Mr. Big (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 10:47 pm

Eshe wrote: The ponies in this picture frame - could that be them?
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That picture appeared before in other episodes that takes place inside Applejack's house. "The Cutie Pox" has it as well.
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Postby mr man (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 10:49 pm

It could be that those are their parents, but it is also a reference to an actual painting.
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Postby Adelor Lyon (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 10:51 pm

SoundMonkey44 wrote:Just because you don't like the actions of a character doesn't meant they aren't "in character". If the writers write it, it's cannon, it's in character, it may not be a side of the character you personally like to see, but I think saying AJ or any other pony wasn't "in character" is a silly thing to say. Just because you don't like an aspect of a character doesn't mean it's out of character,

No, but 80+ episodes of the show have Applejack acting in a responsible, rational matter when dealing Apple Bloom. In Bridle Gossip, Applejack showed concern for Apple Bloom's well-being in a rational matter during and after the episode. She wasn't ridiculously overprotective after Apple Bloom was "rescued." The biggest threat Applejack levied was yelling that she was going to tell Big Mac on Apple Bloom. This episode completely throws away that relationship, and the first two acts shows Applejack's character as a ridiculous parody of an overprotective sibling, ruining the show's immersion in this episode. Sure it was "the joke," but it's not really the kind of joke that made this show so good.

This goes along with my previous post where I suggested this was "a cartoon story with ponies in it," rather than "A typical quality episode of MLP:FIM." A good story editor could probably massage consistency in with the writer's original story (adding an explanation as to why AJ was so overprotective all of a sudden would've helped a lot), but perhaps it was overlooked because there wasn't another good way of pushing the story along. Things like this, the mean townsponies in Putting Your Hoof Down, and perhaps the alleys and infrastructure shown in Mare Do Well are inconsistent with the show's overall universe as it has been generally presented. Applejack in this episode was one of the most egregious examples of "what's going on" the show's ever had. She was out of character, period.

Basically, when every episode paints a person, place, and thing consistently but another episode shows one of the persons, places, or things in a totally different light, it's inconsistent and therefore out of character. The show's staff are free to do what they want to do, but 80+ episodes have pretty much ironed out each character, major location, and the universe rules. One episode that completely changes all of that just to never revisit it again in future episodes is the show's prerogative to do as a cartoon, but that doesn't mean it's not in character. Or evidence of a quality show.

So, telling us that saying a character "wasn't in character is a silly thing to say" just because it was written into the show is wrong. Canon? Yes, unfortunately. But not in character? Definitely. Will we ever see Applejack act like this again? I seriously doubt it.
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Postby acksed (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 10:53 pm

I really liked this episode! :party: Since it's divisive, I'll restrict myself to bullet points.
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Spoiler status: None
Sassiest Pony: Applebloom
Favourite 'hey, nice touch': Sweetie Belle genteelly easing herself into the covers, just like her sister
Facehoof moment: Scootaloo
Overprotective mother figure: Applejack
Lesson learned: Applejack AND Applebloom
Best expression: All of them
Did not expect: Fire swamp and pony-eating chimera
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:vogue: "I'm going to ignore that comment out of a desire to help you."
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Postby HuffyTheMagicDragon (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 11:20 pm

Wayoshi wrote:Preview edit: and AFR was not a good episode, partially due to a mediocre at best song and the resolution, and partially due to AJ there too. Just because the problem here was family-related does NOT mean AJ was in-character.

The dilemma with this "OOC" line of criticism is: How many times does AJ have to do a thing before it becomes part of her character? If she goes overboard protective/perfectionist when it comes to her family in two or more episodes, can you still say it's "not in-character"? :pinkieshrug:

For the record, I think they went a little overboard here too, but it was still an over-exaggeration of established character traits.
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Postby Corpy (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 11:56 pm

Wouldn't it be bad for her character if Applejack was perfectly calm and reasonable about every situation? Nobody is like that. Everybody has something that will trigger them into a panicky mess.
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Postby Wayoshi (?) » Sat Mar 08, 2014 11:57 pm

I like Adelor's post a lot, Huffy. 80+ eps at this point is such an establishing point, it would take a good chunk of that to turn any heads at characterization at this point, and it would be very hard to do right anyways.

On another note, people defending AJ here... if this was the standard quality of the show in S1, we wouldn't all be here. Remember the show has usually been above this.
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Postby The Doctor (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 12:10 am

It went a lot like Simple Ways. Rarity going a bit overbaord is fine, we've seen her do that. AJ going gung ho on a task and protecting her family, also works. But there is a point where it's a bit overboard. Rarity going full hick was too far. AJ covering everything in the house and putting AB in a crib was too far. :pinkieshrug:


That being said, just like with Simple Ways, there are enough gags and great moments in this episode to still be quite entertaining. :yay:
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Postby Passport Clean (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 12:11 am

Wayoshi wrote:
On another note, people defending AJ here... if this was the standard quality of the show in S1, we wouldn't all be here. Remember the show has usually been above this.


Really?

So you can, with full confidence, sign off on the following S1 episodes as "A" grade:

2nd part of the pilot
Ticket Master
Boast Busters
Look Before You Sleep
Call of the Cutie
Over a Barrel
The Show Stoppers
Feeling Pinkie Keen
Owls Well that Ends Well

Are you sure you want to state we all experienced season 1 the way you did?
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Postby MasterOfKnees (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 12:22 am

Wayoshi wrote:Look, the Idiot Ball is a thing and the writing has taken a couple steps back since S3 in a good chunk of eps, so it popped up this episode - it happens.


I wouldn't exactly say the show has taken a couple of steps back since S3, SAYS is probably the best example of someone being hit by the Idiot Ball. If anything, it has taken a step or two backwards since S2, and even then I think the first half of this season is still leagues ahead of S3, even if it is thinning out in this latter half.

I think this episode simply does what many other episodes in the show does, it exaggerates one of the character's traits in order to play the episode through in a comedic way. Did it work here? Meh, it didn't bother me, but it didn't make me laugh much either. However, the show has often exaggerated character traits in order to drive home a point, Party of One and Putting Your Hoof Down are great examples of it being done right.

Either way, I like this episode as a follow-up on AJ's treatment of Apple Bloom in Bridle Gossip, but other than that it didn't do too much for me. This plot has been done to death by many other series, it's kind of like The Ticket Master, it takes a cliché plot and doesn't really do anything new with it, it does splatter it with a few more colors than other series often do, but by the end of the day it's the same episode I've seen many times. Because of this, it's pretty forgettable. It did have a few jokes that made me smile, like the song being interrupted and Scootaloo denying her own identity when AJ questions her in the closet, but besides that it really isn't one for the history books. It's not bad, but it's just not great either. It's certainly a ton better than last week's mess though, so I'll still take it.
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Postby Wayoshi (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 12:28 am

Passport Clean wrote:So you can, with full confidence, sign off on the following S1 episodes as "A" grade:

I'm not sure what you're saying here. In any case, all your listed episodes are better than Daring Don't, Power Ponies, Simple Ways, Twilight Time.

If S1's maximum quality was equal to this episode's, the show would not have taken off. That's my point.
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Postby Kronos (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 12:30 am

My biggest problem with the episode is mainly the crux of Applejack's overprotectiveness. Somehow, after all this time, Applejack becomes convinced that Apple Bloom isn't safe by herself, when (as I'm sure somebody else already said, but I'm not trudging through all those posts) she's literally gone off on her own with the CMC, or on some occasions just by herself, all over the place. Naturally Bridle Gossip and Cutie Pox come to mind if only because that's literally what Apple Bloom does, but it's what AJ does at the beginning of Show Stoppers that directly contradicts her motivations in this ep.

She gives the CMC the old clubhouse. The old, holy-crap-how-is-that-thing-still-standing treehouse which she doesn't even do an iota of work to restore before handing it to three children, of whom only Apple Bloom goes and totally overhauls it back to glory as CMC HQ.

Personally, that's the ONLY thing that just doesn't jive with the show after four seasons, as the episode is rather good in my opinion otherwise with some great gags, so maybe if the perception of the events was changed then it would seem better. In fact, if this was to come after Show Stoppers in S1, it probably wouldn't seem as jarring a change in how AJ sees AB's maturity as it does with three seasons inbetween.
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Postby Perpetual Lurker (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 12:32 am

Wayoshi wrote:I'm not sure what you're saying here. In any case, all your listed episodes are better than Daring Don't, Power Ponies, Simple Ways, Twilight Time.

If S1's maximum quality was equal to this episode's, the show would not have taken off. That's my point.


Okay, so the episode was a dud to you. It wasn't to me and plenty of other people, though. Can we just agree to having different tastes and not go in circles with arguments rooted in "I think this episode is better, so you're wrong"?
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Postby HuffyTheMagicDragon (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 12:37 am

Wayoshi wrote:I'm not sure what you're saying here. In any case, all your listed episodes are better than Daring Don't, Power Ponies, Simple Ways, Twilight Time.

If S1's maximum quality was equal to this episode's, the show would not have taken off. That's my point.

Well, Season 1 did have the advantage of simply being the first season, so any new character traits it introduced could be accepted because we were still getting to know the characters. I wonder if, for example, "Party of One" might be seen as over-exaggerating a personality trait of Pinkie, if it aired today. It's impossible to know, because we see anything from season 1 as a natural part of the character. Similarly, I thought "Lesson Zero" felt way, way overboard on the Twilight Sparkle panicking back when it first aired. Twilight went so over-the-top nuts, with those creepy facial expressions and everything, that I was honestly worried that all of Season 2 would be that way and the show had already fallen downhill. Luckily that turned out to be completely wrong, and I enjoy the episode a lot now because I know that, but I still often marvel at the almost cult-like popularity "Lesson Zero" has achieved in the fandom at large.

Of course, both Pinkie and Twilight seem more prone to this kind of exaggeration than Applejack, which is why it didn't work quite so well here (and also why some fans call Applejack "boring", unfortunately). But I still don't think it was completely out-of-character, and if they had just pulled back a bit before they got to the completely ridiculous "cover everything in bubble wrap and make AB's bed into a crib" stage, it would have been acceptable and in-character. Especially since AJ starts to snap out of it on her own right before Scootaloo opens her big mouth.

(also I would put Power Ponies, Simple Ways, and Twilight Time all above Show Stoppers any day, but that's neither here nor there)

The Doctor wrote:It went a lot like Simple Ways. Rarity going a bit overbaord is fine, we've seen her do that. AJ going gung ho on a task and protecting her family, also works. But there is a point where it's a bit overboard. Rarity going full hick was too far. AJ covering everything in the house and putting AB in a crib was too far. :pinkieshrug:

That being said, just like with Simple Ways, there are enough gags and great moments in this episode to still be quite entertaining. :yay:

Yeah, that's pretty much how I feel. :pinkietoot:
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Postby PictishBeast (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 12:42 am



Why was she wearing the boots? Seemed an oddly specific little wardrobe detail. She wasn't wearing them when she set out to make the delivery in the beginning. :ponder:
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Postby PonyHag714 (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 12:45 am

I thought AJ was going nuts for a while. Out of the blue, she gets fanatically protective of Applebloom for seemingly no reason, although it makes more sense after AB leaves and AJ is justifiably concerned about the dangers she'll face. It wasn't mentioned in the show, but I can't help wondering what happened to her parents, and if that's a driver for her overzealous protection.
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Postby MasterOfKnees (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 12:46 am

PictishBeast wrote:
Why was she wearing the boots? Seemed an oddly specific little wardrobe detail. She wasn't wearing them when she set out to make the delivery in the beginning. :ponder:


If I recall correctly she called them flame protective boots when she was talking with Sweetie and Scootaloo. She'd only need them once she got to the swamp, so she probably didn't want to wear them all the way.
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Postby Mr. Big (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 12:48 am

Yeah, they're fire-proof boots. Which reminds me, shouldn't the ground be really hot when Apple Bloom arrived at the swamp? Even if she didn't directly run into the firehole...

Yeah yeah, cartoon logic. :v:
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Postby SlateSlabrock (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 12:50 am

Wayoshi wrote:On another note, people defending AJ here... if this was the standard quality of the show in S1, we wouldn't all be here. Remember the show has usually been above this.

I disagree.
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AJ didn't get any episodes to herself in season 2, and she's had just as many "wacky" moments on the rare occasion they focus on her.

And, honestly, the only episode I recall you liking this season was the Weird Al one, which played Pinkie as an overreactive fool, too. I think any failing on this episode's part in AJ's characterization is a matter of degree, not a line in the sand.
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Postby The Doctor (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 12:58 am

I don't know if Bridle Gossip counts. In that case there was a real (perceived) threat.

In the case of Bloomberg, it was AJ building up to say goodbye.
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Postby Wayoshi (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 1:03 am

Arrgh, frustrating...

As I've said, the episode was good. I just found AJ to be really dumb, and all these BS explanations about how she was in-character or it didn't matter really irk me.

HuffyTheMagicDragon wrote:Well, Season 1 did have the advantage of simply being the first season, so any new character traits it introduced could be accepted because we were still getting to know the characters.


True, but I don't think this would have gone over well in like late S1 even. But I guess it really can't ever be said for sure.

SlateSlabrock wrote:And, honestly, the only episode I recall you liking this season was the Weird Al one


... :starity:

I'll go elsewhere for awhile...
Last edited by Wayoshi on Sun Mar 09, 2014 1:06 am, edited 1 time in total.
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