I decided to pick this series up again. Give me a break from the Billboard list.
This episode, like many others this season, primarily focuses on Twilight Sparkle (Tara Strong). However, the plot also directly involves Pinkie Pie (Andrea Libman). See, Pinkie Pie gets some body signals nicknamed "Pinkie Sense", which alerts her to things that are going to happen, in essence predicting the immediate future.
Twilight, however, does not buy into it at all. Sure, some of the signals seem to come true, but it's all just coincidence, right? As more and more events add up, however, Twilight finds herself desperate to either prove Pinkie Sense fallible, or find out what causes it, FOR SCIENCE!
The plot of this episode isn't perfect. It is somewhat original, in a way. However, there are some serious issues with it, which I'll go into a bit later.
The voice acting in this episode isn't bad. Tara Strong shows her character's frustration rather well. However, Andrea Libman does seem to be a bit one-note in this episode. Pinkie Pie isn't exactly monotone, but she does spend a lot of time in this episode at one high pitch, without a lot of emotion.
One thing I do have to give credit for in this episode is the humor. This is one of the more light-hearted episodes, humor-wise, and the humor's generally spot-on. Granted, if you aren't a fan of slapstick, then you won't find much funny in this episode. Unless you happen to find Twilight's slowly breaking down funny.
The character development in this episode...well, there really isn't a lot of character being developed. Pinkie Pie spends pretty much the entire episode without developing (after all, she's not the one learning the lesson), while Twilight's character development is so abrupt, it doesn't feel naturally. One moment, she's the same as she was at the beginning of the episode, the next she's learned her lesson. Bit sudden, in my opinion.
My main issue with this episode, however, goes back to the plot. The general message of the episode is that not everything can be explained, and that you have to just have faith in some things. That's not a bad message, persay. However, the delivery is just bad on this one.
Twilight is the very definition of "arbitrarily skeptical" in this episode. We are talking about a pony who opens up the episode transforming various objects into a suit for Spike, but she can't accept Pinkie Sense. Why? Because she can explain how magic works. Pinkie Pie can't explain how Pinkie Sense works, so to Twilight, that's as good as proof that it doesn't. I have to wonder if the writer thought that through, for several reasons.
First, how did Twilight even learn magic with that mindset? I mean, she couldn't explain how magic worked when she was first doing it, surely. Did she use that as proof that it didn't work? Obviously not. So how is Pinkie Sense any different? The bigger issue, however, is just how long Twilight holds to her belief. She doesn't accept being wrong until the very end of the episode. In fact, when it seems at first that Pinkie Sense was wrong, Twilight is more than happy to gloat about proving Pinkie wrong.
I'm sorry, but most good friends wouldn't immediately rub the fact that their friend was wrong in their face to begin with. Add in the fact that Pinkie Pie is kind of shown to have no control over her Pinkie Sense, and Twilight kind of comes off as a *****.
Now, a lot of people see this episode as a metaphor for religion, and I can kind of see that. However, Lauren Faust stated that that theme was unintentional, and I have to believe her. Even on its own merits, though, this episode falls flat. Twilight's motivation makes no sense, the moral is rammed down our throats even by MLP standards, and there is almost no actual character growth. This episode isn't totally pointless, and most of the humor is quite good, but this is, to me, one of the worst episodes of season 1. A shame, considering how great the last episode was.
Overall: 4/10 (5/10 average)
Previously: Suited for Success [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.834865-MLP-Review-Suited-for-Success-Season-1-Episode-14]
Next: Sonic Rainboom
This episode, like many others this season, primarily focuses on Twilight Sparkle (Tara Strong). However, the plot also directly involves Pinkie Pie (Andrea Libman). See, Pinkie Pie gets some body signals nicknamed "Pinkie Sense", which alerts her to things that are going to happen, in essence predicting the immediate future.
Twilight, however, does not buy into it at all. Sure, some of the signals seem to come true, but it's all just coincidence, right? As more and more events add up, however, Twilight finds herself desperate to either prove Pinkie Sense fallible, or find out what causes it, FOR SCIENCE!
The plot of this episode isn't perfect. It is somewhat original, in a way. However, there are some serious issues with it, which I'll go into a bit later.
I have no idea why Twilight Sparkle has a lie detector set-up. You'd think that would be Applejack's territory.
The voice acting in this episode isn't bad. Tara Strong shows her character's frustration rather well. However, Andrea Libman does seem to be a bit one-note in this episode. Pinkie Pie isn't exactly monotone, but she does spend a lot of time in this episode at one high pitch, without a lot of emotion.
One thing I do have to give credit for in this episode is the humor. This is one of the more light-hearted episodes, humor-wise, and the humor's generally spot-on. Granted, if you aren't a fan of slapstick, then you won't find much funny in this episode. Unless you happen to find Twilight's slowly breaking down funny.
The character development in this episode...well, there really isn't a lot of character being developed. Pinkie Pie spends pretty much the entire episode without developing (after all, she's not the one learning the lesson), while Twilight's character development is so abrupt, it doesn't feel naturally. One moment, she's the same as she was at the beginning of the episode, the next she's learned her lesson. Bit sudden, in my opinion.
Twilight Sparkle has evolved into Rapidash!
My main issue with this episode, however, goes back to the plot. The general message of the episode is that not everything can be explained, and that you have to just have faith in some things. That's not a bad message, persay. However, the delivery is just bad on this one.
Twilight is the very definition of "arbitrarily skeptical" in this episode. We are talking about a pony who opens up the episode transforming various objects into a suit for Spike, but she can't accept Pinkie Sense. Why? Because she can explain how magic works. Pinkie Pie can't explain how Pinkie Sense works, so to Twilight, that's as good as proof that it doesn't. I have to wonder if the writer thought that through, for several reasons.
First, how did Twilight even learn magic with that mindset? I mean, she couldn't explain how magic worked when she was first doing it, surely. Did she use that as proof that it didn't work? Obviously not. So how is Pinkie Sense any different? The bigger issue, however, is just how long Twilight holds to her belief. She doesn't accept being wrong until the very end of the episode. In fact, when it seems at first that Pinkie Sense was wrong, Twilight is more than happy to gloat about proving Pinkie wrong.
It makes sense in context. Kind of.
I'm sorry, but most good friends wouldn't immediately rub the fact that their friend was wrong in their face to begin with. Add in the fact that Pinkie Pie is kind of shown to have no control over her Pinkie Sense, and Twilight kind of comes off as a *****.
Now, a lot of people see this episode as a metaphor for religion, and I can kind of see that. However, Lauren Faust stated that that theme was unintentional, and I have to believe her. Even on its own merits, though, this episode falls flat. Twilight's motivation makes no sense, the moral is rammed down our throats even by MLP standards, and there is almost no actual character growth. This episode isn't totally pointless, and most of the humor is quite good, but this is, to me, one of the worst episodes of season 1. A shame, considering how great the last episode was.
Overall: 4/10 (5/10 average)
Previously: Suited for Success [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.834865-MLP-Review-Suited-for-Success-Season-1-Episode-14]
Next: Sonic Rainboom