As usual with my reviews, this one will contain spoilers. Those of you who have not watched the episode yet, you have been warned.
The premise of this episode is that Big Macintosh fills in for Applejack to participate in the Sisterhooves Social with Apple Bloom.
Let me start this review off by saying that I think what they've done here is an interesting thing with regards to the placement of that story. By that, I mean that we have a story that is taking place DURING another, the other being last week's episode, "Made in Manehattan". Having a story do this, take place at the same time as another rather than before or after, is an intriguing thing for the show to do, as it makes sense for them to do something like this. After all, just because the focus of the audience is on one set of characters doesn't mean that other stuff isn't going on at the same time. It was something the show has attempted once before, back during the "Just for Sidekicks" and "Games Ponies Play" combo that we were given back in season three. Having two sets of stories occur at the same time is one of those touches that makes this world seem more, for lack of a better word, real. In addition, this is a story that is taking a concept from season two, that of the Sisterhooves Social, and making a whole new episode out of it. From what I've heard, this is only one of several such events that will be repeated this season, with Nightmare Night and Hearth's Warming Eve coming along in a few weeks time.
As the premise has probably made you aware, this story centres around both Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh, and this is something that I very much appreciate in this episode. Firstly, Big Macintosh as a character has never really had much development despite him being a direct relation to one of the main characters. The most he ever seems to get is some minor development when the whole Apple family is involved, or when he was under magical influence during "Hearts and Hooves Day" back in season two. In addition, he is the relation of Applejack who has been given the least attention aside from her more distant relatives, with Apple Bloom and even Granny Smith getting more attention than him. Plus, having him paired with Apple Bloom is something we've never really seen before, as their interactions have been limited to the aforementioned group Apple episodes. Showing the relationship a young character might have with an older brother isn't something that show has done much of in the past, with the exception of the brief interactions between Twilight and her own brother, Shining Armour. So right off the bat, this episode gets praise from me for focusing on something and someone that the show has never really given that much focus to, which is always a welcome thing for me.
So, the Sisterhooves Social. While this is merely one of many events that have been trotted out (no pun intended) during the run of the show, I do have a slight fondness for this one in particular, as it's namesake episode back in season two still stands out as one of my favourite stories from that year, showcasing the relationship between Rarity and Sweetie Belle. This episode seems to be aiming for something similar, with a younger character struggling with some aspect of their relationship with an older sibling. Now, while I know that some may argue that this makes the episode repetitive in nature, I have said many times in the past that I'm willing to forgive such things if it tries something new. And like I said, focusing on Big Mac and the relationship he has with Apple Bloom is definitely something new. Episodes that focus on the relationship between family members isn't new exactly, but whenever they show up, they always leave me with a heart-warming feeling, as cheesy as that may sound. You really feel that these two characters care about each other and support each other by the end, and it just brings a smile on my face to see family being given such importance in this show whenever it happens.
And now I should probably talk about what is most likely going to be the most talked-about aspect of this episode; Big Mac's cross-dressing. I have a feeling that there'll be a lot of talk and discussion about it, so let me just say my thoughts on the matter. Having male characters to things that are usually associated with female characters is not a new thing to this show. After all, it wasn't so long ago that we had Shining Armour crying at a wedding, or Spike wearing pink aprons, or even Big Mac again when he openly dreamed of being an alicorn princess. So something like this isn't actually that much of a stretch from what the show has already given us. And even if it was out-of-nowhere, it wouldn't be the first time I?ve seen something like this in a cartoon. When I was younger, I used to watch a lot of stuff like the Looney Toons, where male characters frequently dressed in female clothing. It wasn't meant as a statement or a discussion point, it was simply meant to be humorous, with no real intent to offend anyone. I get the feeling that this is the same angle the writers and animators were going for with Mac here, and if that?s' the case, then I'll just take it to be just that, something that's meant to get a laugh out of me.
When it comes to songs, this week we have, rather unexpectedly, a double act between both Apple Bloom and Bic Mac. Now, while I have enjoyed the various CMC songs we've been given in the past, I must confess that, on her own, Apple Bloom doesn't really have the best singing voice. Oh, it's clear she's trying her hardest, and it's in no way a "bad" voice, but when compared to other singers in the show, she doesn't really stand out as anything special. As for Big Mac, we know form past episodes that he a very deep voice, which lends itself to some nice moments in the song, even if they were played for laughs. Put together, the two voices make a rather strange combo that, while charming in its own way, doesn't strike me as one of the better songs of the season.
Onto the humour now, and as you might expect from an episode like this, most of the jokes centre around both Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh. This put me in a difficult position as I find this combination to be somewhat hit and miss. Apple Bloom, while not an unfunny character per se, nevertheless has always relied on the kinds of jokes usually reserved for younger characters, like not understanding what's going on, or trying and failing to do things that those older than her would have no problem doing. It's something all of the CMC have suffered with in any episode they've been in, that overly-kiddy kind of humour that, while charming, never manages to get much of a laugh out of me. Big Mac, by contrast, has managed to get me to laugh in the past, and did so here as well. The fact that he's an almost silent character with little to no dialogue makes for a lot of funny situations, like when he was constantly being interrupted back during last years "Pinkie Apple Pie" episode, or when he and Applejack shared that brief-but-hilarious exchange during "Filly Vanilli" in the same season. Granted, he does do a lot of talking in this episode under his new identity, but even so, that contrast with his usual silent self is, in many ways, funny just as a concept.
Time to discuss the moral of the episode, and this week it seems to be that there really isn't one to speak of, at least not in the way other episodes might do. So, instead, I?m going to talk about what, to me, was the best part of this episode, the reconciliation between Big Mac and Apple Bloom. Aside from being an incredibly heart-warming and sweet moment between the two siblings, it's also a scene that actually shocked me a great deal. I was thinking throughout this entire story that Mac's only real dialogue would be from when he was disguised, so when he started speaking openly in his regular voice at the end there, I was gobsmacked. Hearing this character, who is kept silent usually as a joke, go on about how he feels about his sister and how envious he is of Applejack's relationship to her, it really caught me off-guard. It's a short moment, but it's one of those moments of development I'm always hoping that side characters get in this series. In less than a minute, Mac was given more development and characterisation than perhaps his entire previous five-year existence in the show. It was very well handled and, coupled with the great lighting of the sunset, made it an absolute standout moment for the episode.
So, how did the episode fare overall? Well, in truth it was a hit-or-miss for me. While it was clear that this episode was meant to be mostly played for laughs, it fails in some regards as a lot of the jokes didn't really get to me all that much. The premise is one that I've seen in many other shows before, and while I know it's trying hard in that area, the vast majority of the episode seemed rather skippable. That is, with the exception of that final scene. Many times, there are episodes that are held up or made worth watching simply because of a few moments, or one scene. And this episode definitely has a scene that makes the entire story worth existing. It provided much-needed development for a character that has often been ignored, and it gave us a truly emotional moment between him and his sister that, frankly, I think the show should have given us long before now. So, yeah, while the episode overall has a fairly average feel to it, I would still heartily recommend it simply because of those final moments, as well as the relationship the episode is trying to showcase. If what you want in an episode is a few laughs with some tenderness at its centre, then this episode is definitely one to watch.
The premise of this episode is that Big Macintosh fills in for Applejack to participate in the Sisterhooves Social with Apple Bloom.
Let me start this review off by saying that I think what they've done here is an interesting thing with regards to the placement of that story. By that, I mean that we have a story that is taking place DURING another, the other being last week's episode, "Made in Manehattan". Having a story do this, take place at the same time as another rather than before or after, is an intriguing thing for the show to do, as it makes sense for them to do something like this. After all, just because the focus of the audience is on one set of characters doesn't mean that other stuff isn't going on at the same time. It was something the show has attempted once before, back during the "Just for Sidekicks" and "Games Ponies Play" combo that we were given back in season three. Having two sets of stories occur at the same time is one of those touches that makes this world seem more, for lack of a better word, real. In addition, this is a story that is taking a concept from season two, that of the Sisterhooves Social, and making a whole new episode out of it. From what I've heard, this is only one of several such events that will be repeated this season, with Nightmare Night and Hearth's Warming Eve coming along in a few weeks time.
As the premise has probably made you aware, this story centres around both Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh, and this is something that I very much appreciate in this episode. Firstly, Big Macintosh as a character has never really had much development despite him being a direct relation to one of the main characters. The most he ever seems to get is some minor development when the whole Apple family is involved, or when he was under magical influence during "Hearts and Hooves Day" back in season two. In addition, he is the relation of Applejack who has been given the least attention aside from her more distant relatives, with Apple Bloom and even Granny Smith getting more attention than him. Plus, having him paired with Apple Bloom is something we've never really seen before, as their interactions have been limited to the aforementioned group Apple episodes. Showing the relationship a young character might have with an older brother isn't something that show has done much of in the past, with the exception of the brief interactions between Twilight and her own brother, Shining Armour. So right off the bat, this episode gets praise from me for focusing on something and someone that the show has never really given that much focus to, which is always a welcome thing for me.
So, the Sisterhooves Social. While this is merely one of many events that have been trotted out (no pun intended) during the run of the show, I do have a slight fondness for this one in particular, as it's namesake episode back in season two still stands out as one of my favourite stories from that year, showcasing the relationship between Rarity and Sweetie Belle. This episode seems to be aiming for something similar, with a younger character struggling with some aspect of their relationship with an older sibling. Now, while I know that some may argue that this makes the episode repetitive in nature, I have said many times in the past that I'm willing to forgive such things if it tries something new. And like I said, focusing on Big Mac and the relationship he has with Apple Bloom is definitely something new. Episodes that focus on the relationship between family members isn't new exactly, but whenever they show up, they always leave me with a heart-warming feeling, as cheesy as that may sound. You really feel that these two characters care about each other and support each other by the end, and it just brings a smile on my face to see family being given such importance in this show whenever it happens.
And now I should probably talk about what is most likely going to be the most talked-about aspect of this episode; Big Mac's cross-dressing. I have a feeling that there'll be a lot of talk and discussion about it, so let me just say my thoughts on the matter. Having male characters to things that are usually associated with female characters is not a new thing to this show. After all, it wasn't so long ago that we had Shining Armour crying at a wedding, or Spike wearing pink aprons, or even Big Mac again when he openly dreamed of being an alicorn princess. So something like this isn't actually that much of a stretch from what the show has already given us. And even if it was out-of-nowhere, it wouldn't be the first time I?ve seen something like this in a cartoon. When I was younger, I used to watch a lot of stuff like the Looney Toons, where male characters frequently dressed in female clothing. It wasn't meant as a statement or a discussion point, it was simply meant to be humorous, with no real intent to offend anyone. I get the feeling that this is the same angle the writers and animators were going for with Mac here, and if that?s' the case, then I'll just take it to be just that, something that's meant to get a laugh out of me.
When it comes to songs, this week we have, rather unexpectedly, a double act between both Apple Bloom and Bic Mac. Now, while I have enjoyed the various CMC songs we've been given in the past, I must confess that, on her own, Apple Bloom doesn't really have the best singing voice. Oh, it's clear she's trying her hardest, and it's in no way a "bad" voice, but when compared to other singers in the show, she doesn't really stand out as anything special. As for Big Mac, we know form past episodes that he a very deep voice, which lends itself to some nice moments in the song, even if they were played for laughs. Put together, the two voices make a rather strange combo that, while charming in its own way, doesn't strike me as one of the better songs of the season.
Onto the humour now, and as you might expect from an episode like this, most of the jokes centre around both Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh. This put me in a difficult position as I find this combination to be somewhat hit and miss. Apple Bloom, while not an unfunny character per se, nevertheless has always relied on the kinds of jokes usually reserved for younger characters, like not understanding what's going on, or trying and failing to do things that those older than her would have no problem doing. It's something all of the CMC have suffered with in any episode they've been in, that overly-kiddy kind of humour that, while charming, never manages to get much of a laugh out of me. Big Mac, by contrast, has managed to get me to laugh in the past, and did so here as well. The fact that he's an almost silent character with little to no dialogue makes for a lot of funny situations, like when he was constantly being interrupted back during last years "Pinkie Apple Pie" episode, or when he and Applejack shared that brief-but-hilarious exchange during "Filly Vanilli" in the same season. Granted, he does do a lot of talking in this episode under his new identity, but even so, that contrast with his usual silent self is, in many ways, funny just as a concept.
Time to discuss the moral of the episode, and this week it seems to be that there really isn't one to speak of, at least not in the way other episodes might do. So, instead, I?m going to talk about what, to me, was the best part of this episode, the reconciliation between Big Mac and Apple Bloom. Aside from being an incredibly heart-warming and sweet moment between the two siblings, it's also a scene that actually shocked me a great deal. I was thinking throughout this entire story that Mac's only real dialogue would be from when he was disguised, so when he started speaking openly in his regular voice at the end there, I was gobsmacked. Hearing this character, who is kept silent usually as a joke, go on about how he feels about his sister and how envious he is of Applejack's relationship to her, it really caught me off-guard. It's a short moment, but it's one of those moments of development I'm always hoping that side characters get in this series. In less than a minute, Mac was given more development and characterisation than perhaps his entire previous five-year existence in the show. It was very well handled and, coupled with the great lighting of the sunset, made it an absolute standout moment for the episode.
So, how did the episode fare overall? Well, in truth it was a hit-or-miss for me. While it was clear that this episode was meant to be mostly played for laughs, it fails in some regards as a lot of the jokes didn't really get to me all that much. The premise is one that I've seen in many other shows before, and while I know it's trying hard in that area, the vast majority of the episode seemed rather skippable. That is, with the exception of that final scene. Many times, there are episodes that are held up or made worth watching simply because of a few moments, or one scene. And this episode definitely has a scene that makes the entire story worth existing. It provided much-needed development for a character that has often been ignored, and it gave us a truly emotional moment between him and his sister that, frankly, I think the show should have given us long before now. So, yeah, while the episode overall has a fairly average feel to it, I would still heartily recommend it simply because of those final moments, as well as the relationship the episode is trying to showcase. If what you want in an episode is a few laughs with some tenderness at its centre, then this episode is definitely one to watch.
