@Badwolf: The whole thing with the train was a creative choice by Lauren that was eventually ocveruled (probably for the best). As for the fight, well what would you expect from the show at that stage? They couldn't exactly do the hoof to hoof combat that they could do in Canterlot Wedding with both TV-Y and E/I on a show for young girls. Though I will agree that it was a little to silly, even by the shows standards.

Personally I think etiher Bridle Gossip or Cutie Pox was the worst.

"Never seen with this capability again." What capability? The capability to be thrown?

It was to silly to me at first but later it stopped and make sense.

edited 7th Jul '12 12:04:31 PM by DeathCloud

And here I thought I was the only one who dislikes a popular episode {Regarding Ponyvile Confitenial, not those two episodes}. Though I'm curious, why do you dislike those two episodes? Briddle Gossip was actually the second episode of the show that I watched.

edited 7th Jul '12 12:04:52 PM by marston

I have a soft spot for it since it was the episode that got me hooked on the show. Actually it was the first one I watched.

The beggining of Over the Barrel was great and hillarious. The rest...not so much. Too many decisions that made no sense. The Mane 6 feeling like extras. And yeah, the train and pie fight didn't help either. Pinkie doesn't get called out for nearly causing a war. The fact that I considered the buffulo to be so much in the wrong that I could barely sympathise with them at all and was angry that Rainbow sided with them (admittedly, this may be due to the influences of my living situation). Was t bad? No. But it wasn't the quality that I'm used to from the show.

EDIT: Personally I loved Bridle Gossip and Cutie Pox to bits, but to each his own.

edited 7th Jul '12 12:06:49 PM by Sereg

@ Red: The capability to incapacitate something like a buffalo or be used in wars.

@ Lurker: Off the top of my head there's also the anvil in the haystack thing and Pinkie reaching out of the ending to stop it and give her spiel.

Slice of Life has a HILARIOUS and so perfect i wish it was canon explanation for the pies.

In the last few centuries the nations of the world have been at peace, but there are still some youngsters and older creatures that need to burn off a bit of excess energy and just have a good fight, so the counties have set up a system to engage in mock "wars" using pies, foam swords, water balloons, stuff like that.

So basically it's been going on so long, that's how they think wars SHOULD be fought and were ll just playing along.

Hmmm.. How many seasons does it usually take for a good kids' show to get hit by the Cerebus Syndrome?

I actually can kind of see the creative thought process that went into the whole "pies as lethal weapons" thing.

Writer:"There is really no way that we can play this coming battle for drama since they can't actually fight each other with anything worse then baked goods. So lets just forget drama and play it for all the laughs we can."

Varies greatly. Some take a few seasons, others jump right into it at the end of the first.

edited 7th Jul '12 12:12:05 PM by Mio

depends on the show

I really enjoyed OAB too. Though as I am found of cartoonish foolery, that's to be expected.

But this is why the rewatches are good for this thread. They provoke discussion.

As much as I would love to start the buffalo debate again, I don't think anyone else wants to talk about that again. I still think both sides were equally in the wrong, but eh.

@Bad I can't bring myself to hate classic cartoon homages.

Something people seem to keep forgetting is that is show is a comedy. I keep getting the feeling that people are starting to expect drama and logic from the show as if it took itself far more seriously than it actually did.

edited 7th Jul '12 12:15:31 PM by PerpetualLurker

Well that's one part I agree with. The pie thing was stupid.

@ Lurker

Yes, exactly. I wish would stop forgetting that this is primarily a comedy universe. And much better off for it.

What about spell cards?

That's going to be the consequence of the show actually bothering to take itself series and having consistency at all. If it really wanted to have none of these things then it should be wackier and more episodic.

Then again I'm a bit biased on that front.

edited 7th Jul '12 12:20:49 PM by Mio

Cerebus Syndrome is not always bad thing. See Reboot or Red Vs Blue what remained hilarious after that.

@Mio Whacky comedy and quality characterization/internal consistency should not be mutually exclusive. Even when the show has taken itself quite seriously, such as A Canterlot Wedding, it has still been extremely lighthearted at heart, and still had comedy in the more serious moments. You can have it both ways.

edited 7th Jul '12 12:27:47 PM by PerpetualLurker

I'm with Lurker on this one 100%

@Seraph: Ah yes. I'd forgotten that! A Slice of Life is awesome! You should all read it!

Perpetual Lurker: I don't mind continuing the debate. I really battle to sympathise with those who will destroy the homes and food of other people just because they're in the way! I don't care that it was technically their land. Using land for no reason other than to run on it is stupid when it could be used for food.

@Death: Ahh yes, Red vs blue. Now THAT is how you handle Cerebus Syndrome. Probably one of the few examples I've seen that did it right {Just for the recoard, I've never seen Reboot}.

edited 7th Jul '12 12:29:55 PM by marston

I'm certainly with Lurker on this one.

@Sereg Which is why they were in the wrong too. Compromise was the correct answer, which the episode made quite clear.