Cutie Mark Chronicles and Return of Harmony as worst episodes? Trollestia, is that you?

edited 5th Nov '11 8:38:27 AM by Crowfall

I thought the Return of Harmony episodes were awesome, but I'm going to agree that Cutie Mark Chronicles isn't one of the best episodes. The only flashbacks that I really cared too much about were Twilight's and Pinkie's. Rarity's had a good joke with the "My destiny is a rock?" thing, but other than that I felt like they were all foregone conclusions.

I really can't give this episode a numerical ranking; everything about it was solid; the writing was good, the characterization was good, the humor was good. It's just that after Lesson Zero and Luna Eclipsed it feels a bit lackluster. And as much as I like seeing more of Rarity and Applejack, I wish that the other cast members had at least shown up somewhere. It almost felt like a Bottle Episode without the bottle.

edited 5th Nov '11 8:43:29 AM by JapaneseTeeth

Yeah I've never really set my standards high, so I've enjoyed each episode so far.

Right ho then, I'll be searching for the stream in a little bit.

edited 5th Nov '11 8:49:29 AM by TheFreeman

I like how this continues what Lesson Zero started with the whole "the others should send letters to celestia too" thing.

Maybe I was just blinded by adorable fillies, but the foregone conclusion thing didn't bother me. It's not like I watch the show expecting jaw dropping plot twists or anything.

I enjoyed it, it just didn't blow me away like Lesson Zero or Luna Eclipsed did. I feel like this is going to be this seasons "Look Before You Sleep". It doesn't necessarily stand out, but it's still enjoyable.

Just saw it. Like others have said, after Luna Eclipsed and Lesson Zero this felt like a step backwards. I suppose it had to happen at some point.

Still, I enjoyed it. Applejack being really useful was a VERY welcome change of pace. Specially since this is the first time I think she's EVER solved the problem of the episode by herself.

btw GRANNY SMITH WAS AWESOME IN THIS EPISODE!!

Yup. Cutie Mark Chronicles for having a boring premise and giving the mane six an implausible "we were connected before we even met" backstory, and for most of the filly versions not being as cute as expected.

As for Return of Harmony... must we really start that up again? I wrote three whole blog entries about it and looking at them again, there isn't even one word I would change.

MORE GRANNY SMITH! YOU HEAR ME, WRITERS?!!

This is probably my favorite episode with (two-thirds of) the CMC!

I kinda was blown away sort of, since i had like no expectations. I was like "oh cool, sounds funny". So i was surprised on how much i like it. not as good as LUNA but close, .

Good show, good show. I cringed a little because some of Sweetie's mistakes remind me of somewhat less-happy accidents I've done myself when I was younger and even more foolish. (Admit it, we've all done that at some point.)

At least Rarity sure knows how to make up for her flaws this episode. I can sure empathise with her organised chaos in her workroom :D

I rate this episode as Head 85%, Eye 97%, and Heart 95% under the Dan Drazen rating scale.

Head: Dock some points for the generic story, give some back for the great way it's told. Give even more for some serious Applejack airtime. I like some of the dialogue in the episode, it carries the story extremely well. Sweetie Bell's ineptness is played a little too heavily though, and Rarity could try guiding her kid sister and getting her involved instead of merely directing her.

Eye: Excellent eye-easy episode :D Sweet Apple Acres looks to be a great place to be on the best of days. Rarity's workroom is convincing as an artist's den, although it'd be even more realistic if she had several different brands/types of inks to work with. Give the animators credit for the consstency in her colour-matching when it comes to her actual materials and her sketchpens, I wish my work-colours had better consistency.

Heart: The main deal between the Belle and Apple sisters comes off rather well. It speaks volumes that Applebloom is willing to share her big sister with her fellow CMC, a sure sign of a close friendship (even if it's just for a day). Rarity willing to wear a mud/clay disguise to compete alongside her sister shows that her neatfreak nature can be overcome for IMPORTANT STUFF, and the way she goes tsundere whenever trying to justify her being upset with her kid sister for the surprisingly fortuitious mistakes is actually rather sweet. The big arguments between Sweetie and Rarity are all too realistic and believeable, making their reconciliation all the sweeter.

This episode hits rather close to home, being more mundane than Luna's big debut in the last episode, yet being about something all too many of us can relate to from both sides of the equation.

edited 5th Nov '11 9:00:22 AM by AceOfScarabs

I should just leave this topic now before saying something I'll regret.

As for this episode, I like that it was lower key than the mass craziness of the last two episodes. We can't always have ponies going completely out of their gourds. It's nice to take a break and have them go only slightly out of their gourds. It felt like a real sibling argument, with both sides being understandably annoyed but a bit unreasonable at the same time.

@Whatshisgame: Cloud Kicker? That was totally Derpy. You could even see the eyes.

Dammit ED! Get an HD link up so I can stop avoiding this thread!

Didn't Tabitha St. Germain admit before this episode came out that she doesn't know where Rarity gets her accent from and also mentioned the character's mother?

Am I the only one who is bothered by the fact sheep are slaves? I mean cows get to run around free, but sheep have to stay in the pen, and they're sentient, the whole thing is unsettling.

No it was Cloud Kicker.

I think you're oversensitive on slavery issue

edited 5th Nov '11 9:15:46 AM by RandomChaos

I have a new nickname suggestion for female bronies: maremaids. How bout that?

Christ. No wonder Rarity lives away from her parents...

This was something I could certainly relate to.

All and all I found it to be very nice and welcome reprieve from some of the craziness of the earlier episodes, in fact I'd say its my second favorite episode of the season.

By the way, whats with the people calling Ditzy and Dinky's fanon being derailed. As far as I know Ditzy is supposed to be Dinky's mother, not sister. As far as I'm concerned no fanon is broken (not that it would matter much).

edited 5th Nov '11 9:25:19 AM by Mio

@ CDRW: Learn to enjoy 360p and 480p like the rest of us low-res jockeys with slow internets please, you can rewatch it in HD later. If you would so kindly...

Huh? I LOVED her parents. They seem like such nice ponies

I was also surprised that AJ knew what the word "Uncouth" meant

The sheep don't seem to mind the slavery. If anything they're annoyed by the corraling XD

I also liked Rarity's parents. They seemed like such pleasant people.

...She did! Oh T-pot, you so sly with your hints.

Cloud Kicker is basically Derpy's equivalent of those people who look like Waldo.

She did.

EDIT:Ninja'd with the same two words

edited 5th Nov '11 9:27:58 AM by Whatshisgame